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Hello Dolly!

I had the opportunity to go to the White House this morning. Now, because of my political affiliation it's been a few years since I've been IN the casa blanca. (I think they may let me back in, in about 427 days). But, I value the institution and respect the building (and my visit would not entail listening to the POTUS speak - comments by the FLOTUS only) so I got up early and headed down to 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.

As I'm SURE YOU ALL KNOW... the US Mint has recently released the Presidential dollar coin program. Wherein, all of your favorite presidents from Adams, to McKinley will be featured on handy $1 coins. They are GREAT - I encourage you all go ask your bank for them!

In coordination with the Presidential dollar coin series, the Mint has released the First Spouse coin program. (Please notice the use of 'spouse' and not 'wife', as we will someday have a first husband.)

So, I went to the White House and wandered around. If you have ever taken the twenty-five cent tour of the WH, you have been in the colored rooms (green, blue, red). I never gave tours in the WH, but during the holiday season one year I was in charge of keeping singing school kids organized and out of trouble before they performed their holiday tunes to ball guests. During the afternoons and on Mondays they roll out the carpet and take down the ropes and you can just wander around, like it was an actual house, and not a museum.

I digress...

The event was lovely. They had a woman dressed up as Dolly Madison (picture below) and a nice little 5th grader to help us remember First Lady facts. Even the current First Lady did a good job. (She certainly is more eloquent than her husband.)

I met the artist who designed the reverse of the Dolly Madison coin. Dolly, as you may remember, is the one who saved the Picture of George Washington which hung in the East Room when the British attacked Washington and the White House. (She actually left the front doors to the WH open in hopes that the British wouldn't break them open trying to get in. I often do the same thing with my Jeep.)

There, hope you enjoyed your history lesson for today.











































And just when things were going swimmingly, the POTUS showed up, but he left shortly thereafter...

Here Kitty, Kitty.

What do you mean I can't sleep on the bed?

Like to THESE Places!!!

I need to get out more

8 Million Pictures of Plants

Having company in town allows you to walk among the tourists, taking pictures at will and, if desired, wear a fanny pack (not included).

Please enjoy some pictures of the US Botanic Garden, otherwise known as 8 million pictures of plants. I wish they were in order - they are not.

Barney Frank ROCKS.

This week the House passed the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA). It doesn't make you kiss other girls or break up your marriage. It stipulates that when you go to work, you will be judged on your work. (Revolutionary, right?)



Rep. Frank: “...Mr. Speaker, we say here that we don’t take things personally, and usually that’s true. Members, Mr. Speaker, will have to forgive me — I take it personally. 35 years ago, I filed a bill that tried to get rid of discrimination based on sexual orientation.

As we sit here today, there are millions of Americans in states where this is not the law...But here’s the deal: I used to be someone subject to this prejudice. And through luck, circumstance, I got to be a big shot. I’m now above that prejudice. But I feel an obligation, to 15-year-olds dreading to go to school because of the torments...I feel an obligation to use the status I have been lucky enough to get, to help them.

...I want to ask my colleagues here, Mr. Speaker, on a personal basis, please don’t...send me out of here having failed to help those people.”

At the end of debate on the Rule for the Labor HHS Approps Conference Report, approximately 8:45-9:00 p.m., the House will take the following votes:

1) Democratic Motion on Ordering the Previous Question on the rule for H.R. 3043 – Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2008 – Conference Report (H. Res 794). VOTE YES – 15 minutes

2) H. Res. 794–Rule providing for consideration of H.R. 3043 – Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2008 – Conference Report. VOTE YES – 5 minutes

Next votes: about 1 hour – on final passage of the Labor HHS Appropriations Conference Report.

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Ah yes, the late votes. I almost forgot how fun they were. It begins. Eating 3 meals at my desk, attempting to go outside at least once a day during daylight hours, trying to remember what my kitties look like.

Today was election day. Being a DC resident, I didn't vote for anything. But on the radio this morning the jockey was telling everyone that they should stay home and not vote because it is a waste of time. And then he went on to lambast a local candidate for who knows what. I think he just wanted to call her nasty names because it was amusing.

Isn't democracy FUN?

Really, it's hard to get much done.

Did You Know?

In God We Trust

The use of the national motto on both U.S. coins and currency notes is required by two statutes, 31 U.S.C. 5112(d) (1) and 5114(b), respectively. The motto was not adopted for use on U.S. paper currency until 1957. It first appeared on some 1935G Series $1 Silver Certificates, but didn't appear on U.S. Federal Reserve Notes until the Series 1963 currency. This use of the national motto has been challenged in court many times over the years that it has been in use, and has been consistently upheld by the various courts of this country, including the U.S. Supreme Court as recently as 1977.

The Department of the Treasury and the Department of Justice intend to actively defend against challenges to the use of the national motto. In 1992, a challenge was filed and successfully defeated in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland.

For more bits of monetary trivia check out the
The Bureau of Engraving and Printing not to be confused with..... the US Mint. (Stay tuned for the UTAH quarter!!)