I had a few hours to kill on Sunday afternoon before the annual lobbying convention began, so a couple of good friends and I rented a vehicle and headed out of D.C. to Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. While we drove around the countryside hitting all of the various battle points, we listened to a historian on cd who recounted the importance of each stop's events. The loss of life was simply staggering ... two stories that I can still hear in my mind are that when the battle in the Wheat Field was said and done, one soldier remarked that there wasn't a spot he could step on which was solid ground. Another remembered laying wounded for two days, waiting for help, and brandishing his sword at the hogs who were feasting on the deceased and those who couldn't fight them off. 51,112 casulties in three days.
The other two images are, of course, the White House and the Capitol Building near the reflecting pool. There seemed to be a very different, energetic buzz happening in D.C. with the new administration. Everyone was focused on passing the new Stimulus Bill in the hopes of dispersing the funds within (60) days ... but no one is quite sure where or how exactly the funds will be dispersed.
I did have the opporutnity to meet with Senator Durbin, Arne Duncan, and Representative Don Manzullo (the last one thoroughly disappointed us). I'm hoping for change!
