110424 Easter Sunday

Fantastic weekend with Jessica and Clayton here in the DC area! Meetings with Accenture went very well and looking forward to getting a good contract with them.  The meeting was from 8:30 am to 5:30 pm, pretty much straight through with a working lunch.  They were very appreciative of the things we are proposing they do and feel that it our innovations will be valuable.  Speaking of innovations, I also finalized while here the patent papers on one of the features that I thought of a few months ago.  The company owns it but my name is on it.  We'll see if it gets approved.  Jessica and I were driving in the rain and I looked up and happened to see the US Patent office...maybe it's a sign!

Jessica's flight was delayed but at midnight Thursday, she showed up.  Friday was much colder (it was 82 and beautiful the night I landed) and raining.  I spent most of the morning in the Marine Museum that is just minutes from their house on the Marine base at Quantico.  Incredible museum and so well done.  Every phase of Marine history but also US and world history as it happened.  In the Korean War, they had rooms simulating the bitter cold that the men who were fighting the Chinese at the Frozen Chosin reservoir experienced.  You could handle M1 rifles like Grandpa described using while he was in Korea.  Anyway, you could spend a week there easy!

We then drove to Arlington Cemetery and walked in the rain to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and watched the changing of the guard. The grass is all very green, with new green leaves and remnants of the cherry blossoms.  Jessica said that she enjoyed going there when it was cold and raining just so you felt to sacrifice in a small way for those that sacrificed everything for freedom and peace. It was a spiritual place and we walked through the different areas, ending at the eternal flame, burial place of President Kennedy.

Clayton's flight in from California where he's been in a classified training at Twenty Nine Palms Marine Base was late so we then drove to the National Archives and were able to see the actual Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and Bill of Rights plus a few of the exhibits before it closed.  Pretty incredible to see the actual documents and signatures of men like Thomas Jefferson, John Adams and others. 

Saturday was a much nicer day with temperatures in the 60's in the morning. I borrowed Clayton's mountain bike and explored the many trails through the wooded areas of the base.  It was so beautiful with fresh, newly formed green leaves and the occasional dogwood flowers.  The base has miles and miles of good mountain bike trails and I had a great ride.  All three of us then went to Mount Vernon, home of President George Washington. Jessica had been before but Clayton and I had not.  It was a perfect weather day and the entire operation was very impressive.  He had several different farms and was an innovator in terms of buildings and equipment.  There were over 300 slaves that helped keep the operation going which consisted of an entire mini economy with metal works (blacksmith), spinning, paint, word working, all manner of food growth and preparation, shoe making, etc.  The house and view were fantastic and for the time had to have been spectacular.  It was a great day and loved being with the Merkleys!

In the evening, we went for dinner and then to a movie. Very nice to relax and enjoy time with family.  They have had a great experience at Quantico in the special Captain's school that Clayton has been attending.  They will be here for three more weeks and then are headed to their next assignment which is in El Paso, Texas.  They're spending a couple of weeks in Utah during the move so hopefully you can all see them then. 

Here are all the pics and a few are attached to this blog: http://www.techmarketingink.com/photos/110424_washington_dc/