My blood pressure is pretty good today. I was so surprised, I took it twice.

This was more a sight-seeing than caching day, at least to start with. I wanted to see The Hermitage, so that was the first order of the day.

You get audio tour guides, but we had an added bonus of fourth-graders doing their history project, each dressed up with a little spiel. This one told me about a hair ornament decorated with "pearl and oxen." I didn't laugh at her pronunciation of "onyx." At least I didn't laugh THEN, I am laughing now.

One thing I liked is that the museum and the signs around the Hermitage did not sugar coat the facts about Jackson. He did own slaves. He did destroy the Indians. But they haven't gone all PC, either. They put it in context. Land owners owned slaves. And while cartoonists lampooned Jackson unmercifully, not a single one said anything about the Cherokee Removal. Everyone approved, as natural as breathing. Jackson was a product of his time, had some great features and some not-so-wonderful ones, and the museum presented it all even-handedly. Don't honey-coat it, but don't expect 21st century mores, either.

From the first videos, I could see similarities to today. John C. Calhoun was interested in states' rights and "nullity" which sounds a lot like what's going on in Montana and other states. The shenanigans with the Bank of the U.S. could be what's going on now, too. I know each time has its problems, but this is the first time I'm really scared for my country, and it was reassuring to know that we muddled through in the 1830s, somehow. Even with the "accidental president."

I really liked the wallpaper. I was thinking about Bernadette, who finally (ten days later) got the keys to her house and who has a gripe with her wallpaper. This is French wallpaper, painted with a scene. Must have been a nightmare to match up.

After 2 to 3 hours there, we picked up a cache in a birdhouse in a front yard, checked over balefully by a yellow tabby cache guardian. Then on to the Capitol.

We circled it twice. Mother Cabrini failed me! I guess she just had the Sothe'n leisurely approach, because as we walked up there were two free tourist parking spots. We got one cache, got one picture, went into the Capitol and oohed and ahed a little. It's not a domed one, and it seems cramped and dark. The people are oh, so nice, though. Off to another virtual and one we missed. Then we drove to a third virtual (and later learned we missed an earth cache right there) at an observation deck which is very nice.

From there we worked our way over to the Parthenon. We started to meet other cachers and I took names for the "100 collaborators" cache. Rich mis-heard the time and we did get into a bit of a tiff about that, but eventually got to the first of two parties, met some people, then left for the second party across town. Where we had great pizza and a gazillion people.

And so back to the motel.

   

From there we worked our way over to the Parthenon. We started to meet other cachers and I took names for the "100 collaborators" cache. Rich mis-heard the time and we did get into a bit of a tiff about that, but eventually got to the first of two parties, met some people, then left for the second party across town. Where we had great pizza and a gazillion people. I got a geocoin in the door prize drawing!

And so back to the motel.

   

Some people wonder about geocachers. Geocachers wander about.
One of the usual signs we see is "not all who wander are lost." They keep saying that. I usually am.

Dueling speeches.

For Barack Obama to repeat the canard that the Bush administration shredded the Constitution, operated outside the law, etc., is false and dishonorable. It is also damaging to our country. Barack Obama is slandering his own government--his own nation, really--for political advantage. This is one more in a growing list of contemptible actions by our new President.

Surber: "The media would have ignored Cheney. Instead, Obama gave Cheney access to the people to tell his side of the story. One man�s torture is another man�s security." The 10 Punches Dick Cheney Landed on Barack 0bama's Jaw.