A nice long drive through the Blue Ridge mountains toward the D-Day Memorial is how we started on Saturday. We stopped to take a lot of silly photos, most of which will never again see the light of day.

SUPREME HEADQUARTERS

ALLIED EXPEDITIONARY FORCE

SOLDIERS, SAILORS AND AIRMEN OF THE ALLIED EXPEDITIONARY FORCE!

You are about to embark upon the Great Crusade, toward which we have striven these many months. The eyes of the world are upon you. The hopes and prayers of liberty-loving people everywhere march with you. In company with our brave Allies and brothers-in-arms on other Fronts, you will bring about the destruction of the German war machine, the elimination of Nazi tyranny over the oppressed peoples of Europe, and security for ourselves in a free world.

Your task will not be an easy one. Your enemy is well trained, well equipped and battle-hardened. He will fight savagely.

But this is the year 1944! Much has happened since the Nazi triumphs of 1940-41. The United States have inflicted upon the Germans great defeats, in open battle, man-to-man. Our air offensive has seriously reduced their strength in the air and their capacity to wage war on the ground. Our Home Fronts have given us an overwhelming superiority in weapons and munitions of war, and placed at our disposal great reserves of trained fighting men. The tide has turned ! The free men of the world are marching together to Victory !

I have full confidence in your courage, devotion to duty and skill in battle. We will accept nothing less than full Victory !

Good Luck ! And let us all beseech the blessing of Almighty God upon this great and noble undertaking.

Dwight D. Eisenhower

Appomattox was the last sight-seeing venture we took. It was fun, though I was becoming very easily irritated, so we didn't spend too much time wandering around. It made me miss having a Civil War-era costume, rolling bandages and baking things at Ohio Historical (where I used to volunteer, in the village). Le sigh. When I am getting married, the ring ceremony and reception are so going to be in the village.

Toward the end of the evening, I drove out to Waynesboro to visit Michael. We're such nerds. I was out till 2:30, my sisters were shocked.