Here, There and the Road to Cape Cod

Wow, have I ever had a busy couple of days.

On Thursday, I met my dear friend Dr. Teresa Kaminski for lunch at The Old Ebbet Grill. Old Ebbet's is a Washington, DC, landmark, founded in 1856. Terri and I met 25 years ago when we took an adult ed class called Women Writing Women's Lives. Neither of us were published at the time, but both of us are now. Terri is a professor of American Women's history. She's made a study of American women in the wartime South Pacific, fascinating and gruesome stuff. After lunch, we went to the Library of Congress for a personalized tour with Mary Wedgewood serving as our docent and Jan Lauridsen as our hostess
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I had brought along a notebook, but Mary shared so much fascinating information that I couldn't keep up--and I didn't want to take notes because I was afraid I'd miss something. But here's a snippet: Did you know that an act of Congress provides for the existence of the Library of Congress? The Founding Fathers believed that a library must be available to the leaders of our nation so that they could avail themselves of knowledge and make informed decisions.

That night, we picked up my Aunt Shirley at Union Station, which gave us the chance to drive through DC at night.

The next day, Shirley and I drove to Mechanicsburg, PA, to meet Debbie Beamer and Jay of the fabulous Mechanicsburg Mystery Bookshop. (I love all booksellers equally, but I have to admit--Debbie is one HECK of a cheerleader. What a charmer!) Then on Saturday, I attended a Charity Scrapbook Crop where I signed books and made a presentation to the Greater Federation of Women's Clubs in Mechanicsburg.

Speaking in Mechanicsburg, PA.

That afternoon we drove back to DC to attend the annual AfterDark at THEARC  gala. THEARC is a special place that serves the area east of the Anacostia River, a neighborhood that until recently did not have its own grocery store. With its vibrant after-school programs, THEARC brings culture and health to an underserved population.

Janet Laird, Denyce Graves, Joanna Campbell Slan, and Shirley Helmly.

Two highlights of the program that night were Denyce Graves, the opera singer, and Brooklyn Mack, a dancer with the Washington Ballet who absolutely takes your breath away. Brooklyn suspends the rules of gravity with his magnificent leaps and turns. Mezzo-soprano Denyce Graves welcomed us backstage after her performance. She has an absolutely amazing voice. I told her that she painted the walls of the theatre with her voice--and she did.

After the performance, I met the Michael Moussa-Adamo, Ambassador of Gabon, a country in Africa. He invited me to tea. I think I'll take him up on that!

Today, Aunt Shirley and I hopped in the car to drive to Cape Cod. We made it to New Jersey. Now we're stopped in Woodbridge for the night. (Other than the fact we're right off the Garden City Parkway, I have NO clue where we are!)

Whew. I'm looking forward to a solid week of doing edits on Death of a Dowager, the second book in The Jane Eyre Chronicles.

So tell me...Have you been to Cape Cod? What should I be sure to see or do?