Home via Washington D.C. ----------

"The Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool is the largest of the many reflecting

 pools in Washington, D.C., United States. It is a long and large rectangular

 pool located on the National Mall, directly east of the Lincoln Memorial, 

with the Washington Monument to the east of the reflecting pool."

.................Wikipedia

My first home in Washington D.C. when I came to live in the USA was here

in this beautiful city.

The view from my bedroom window included the tip of the Washington 

Monument - at night the blinking lights were like a beacon in an 

unfamiliar sky.

The first time I ever laced up white leather boots - attached to shiny 

blades, and stepped gingerly onto ice - was on the rather

rough frozen Reflecting Pool. That was the severe winter of 1962, the

year when my life was about to change in many ways as I adventured

 forth headfirst!

All photos taken with iPhone 11 Pro from the plane.

Great to be home again - lots on that never ending 'to do' list.

Heat index here today will reach 105F!  Needless to say I will be

staying inside.

Monday in the city -

United States Capitol building - October 22, 2018

Home the United States Congress and seat of the 

legislative branch of the U.S. federal government.

Located on Capitol Hill at the eastern end of the

 National Mall, construction started in 1793. 

It is 288 feet high, and sits on a plateau 88 feet

 above the Potomac River.

Washington Monument - October 22, 2018

The first city landmark I noticed when

 I arrived in Washington D.C. in 1962

 was this one, the towering 

Washington Monument at the western 

end of the National Mall.

It was visible from my windows. After

 dark I could even see its flashing red 

aviation warning lights

 at the very top when lying in bed. 

When I'm back in the city I realize

 how omnipresent it is and probably

 visible from many, many windows!

The Washington Monument, constructed 1848-1884, 

was the tallest building in the world until the

 Eiffel Tower was built in Paris.

It is an obelisk, 555 feet high, built to commemorate

 George Washington, first President of the United States. 

 No building in Washington D.C. is allowed to be

 taller than the monument. Climbing the monument

 is no longer allowed, the 898 steps (50 flights each

 with a resting platform) were causing health issues

 for some visitors. I did climb it once, probably in 1963

when young, agile, and not thinking about

heart attacks!

The monument is closed until Spring 2019 as the

 National Park Service modernizes the elevator

 system - the original elevator ride to the top took

 20 minutes - and also constructs a permanent

 screening facility for visitors entering the landmark.

It is impressive, as is so much of Washington D.C.

We try to visit once a year as we have so many 

memories of this city, having lived there, met there

and married there.

If you haven't visited, hope you can some day.

Weekend in Washington D.C. -

Three delights when visiting the big city.

Sightseeing

Shopping 

Eating

Washington Monument at Dusk

Shopping at H&M 

An afternoon 'pick-me-up' at Paul French Bakery.

Fifty five and counting!

No, NOT my age, although reverting to such a younger age would have its benefits!

Would I really like to be younger?  In all honestly yes. . . . . . .and no!

Definitely mixed feelings on this subject. To what age would I want to return?

A lot of thought will have to go into that question. . . . . .perhaps for another post.

Today it's 55 years since I arrived here in the United States of America as a
legal immigrant. An entire day spent at the American Embassy in London early
 in 1962, several months prior to getting my paperwork in order to enter this country,
included interviews, medical exams, swearing to uphold laws, signing papers
 and such. I was sponsored by an agency who would place me in a job.
 I was almost 19 and planned to come for a year to work as a secretary in 
Washington D.C., save some money, travel a bit, then return to England. 
What happened?
 His name is Bob, haha!!!!!

The United States Capitol building in Autumn - Washington D.C. 

District of Columbia potpourri. . . . . . . . .

The Washington Monument 

We only had one day in the District itself when visiting Washington and its

environs this past weekend. That was a dreary grey day with a steady rain

and heavy cloud cover so sightseeing was minimal.

Any photos snapped were with the iPhone from the car - not that great,

but somewhat interesting.

Looking up 14th Street 

When I first arrived in Washington D.C. so long ago in 1962,

I lived at 14th & L Streets NW, a little further up from here. It was my first 

taste of big city living and so very new to me coming from a small English

seaside town. . . . . . 

. . . . . . . and later I moved to this 1927 apartment building on New Hampshire Ave. NW,

into a small studio apartment on the top floor marked by the arrow. 

I loved the exterior art deco architecture. The entire interior had been

 renovated just prior to my moving in and all apartments were new. Since then

 they've been even more modernized and updated, and when I looked

 online to find what these apartments rent for now I almost fell off my chair 

when I saw close to $2,000 a month for a small studio. My rent, which

 included all utilities, was $100.00 monthly - unbelievable how times and

 prices have changed.

After driving around the city to view places which always bring back
 memories from the time when we lived there, we stopped at Paul's French
 cafe for an afternoon snack - best almond croissant and excellent
 coffee - much enjoyed on such a murky late Summer day.

Remainder of our time was spent across the Potomac River in

 Northern Virginia, eating at a couple of favorite restaurants, visiting relatives,

 shopping at IKEA and ZARA, two stores we are still awaiting in our area

 of North Carolina.

We headed home on Monday in brilliant sunshine - taking our time and

just enjoying being on the road, and traffic not heavy.

Like I said - nothing better than a good road trip to get rid of the 

cobwebs. . . . . . . and, if Hurricane Irma comes our way next week, we 

may be forced to take another one. I really hope not though!

Little Gems as Summer wanes. . . . . . . .

~ Antique French Linens ~

Perhaps it's time to pack away the white linens of summertime.

'September Song' is definitely in the air, especially early in the morning

when opening the doors and windows brings a breath of coolness,

birdsong, and already a few golden leaves fluttering to the ground.

We're spending the holiday weekend on the road, mostly in northern Virginia with

 a visit to family members, and a quick visit to Washington, D.C. where we 

used to live and were married. . . . . . . . . so long ago! It rained all day in the city so

 no good photos of our Nation's Capital to share this time.

This coming week will be a hectic one. I'm scheduled for some dental surgery - 

not pleasant, gathering estimates for the exterior house painting, expecting a

 gardener who will assist in cutting down and clearing out shrubbery, vines etc. 

 so the painters can actually get to the house, and of course keeping fingers

 crossed tightly in hopes that Hurricane Irma does not pay North Carolina a visit

 which could drastically upset the apple cart!

Again, have a happy Labor Day. We'll be making our way back home.

Meeting Loi at Tone on Tone. . . . . . . . .

I just don't know where to start with this post! 
So many beautiful things to show you.
Woods - natural and painted, leafy green topiaries, china, ironstone, glass, 
metal concrete, fabric. . . . . . . all the textures we love in our homes.

I do know however that meeting blog friends in person 

is one of the most fun things ever. . . . . .always!

Meeting Loi Thai from the outstanding blog
Tone on Tone 
made our weekend in Washington, D.C. a double celebration - 
our special anniversary plus an unforgettable visit to the most beautiful
 antiques shop imaginable.

I so enjoyed meeting Loi. He's funny. He's kind. He's one of those special people 
you feel you've known forever after the first hug.  He is an accomplished designer 
of interiors and gardens, as well as a 'shopkeeper'. 
(That's the Brit coming out in me, as Napoleon said, "the British are a 
nation of shopkeepers", not that Loi is British).
We really had fun chatting - I wished we'd had longer - and he kindly helped Bob 
feed those nasty Washington parking meters by digging up many quarters for us!  

Loi and partner Tom have gathered amazingly beautiful pieces of antique 
Swedish furniture, along with stunning European accessories, on their buying 
trips across the pond. 
They recently returned from one and I'm looking forward to see the contents of 
that container when it arrives. I wanted to steal Loi away, along with the entire 
contents of the shop, and bring the whole kit and caboodle back with 
me to North Carolina!

I think you will agree that everything on view in Tone on Tone is beautiful, whether 

or not your personal decor preferences encompass Scandinavian/European furnishings 

and accessories.  Loi and Tom have a vision which they obviously hold very dear and 

never shy away from, both for their shop and fabulous home. 
On visiting Loi's blog, Tone on Tone, you will also see their stunning Washington
house and garden, as well as their attractive vacation home in Maine.

Loi called me yesterday and, among other things, we 

discussed the excitement and upheaval at his home last week. . . . . go check his 
current blog post and read the exciting news about another magazine shoot! 

Tone on Tone sits on a brilliant sunny corner in bustling Bethesda, Maryland, just 

outside the District of Columbia. Everything is light and bright, clean and shiny.

It's many, many years since I lived not far from here. I can imagine how greatl it 

would have been if the shop had been there back then.

Just passing the sparkling clean windows, gazing through at all the wonderful things

for home and garden, is breathtaking . . . . . . then opening the door and walking inside,

only to fall in love with just about everything, is a very special feeling.

Topiaries grown and nurtured by Loi - Bob waiting to feed the meter again so I 

can have more time to look at everything and chat with Loi.

It's so nice to see antiques displayed the way Loi does it. Absolutely no clutter, 

definitely not a speck of dust, and all you might spy stacked up are a couple 

of precious antique vellum tomes from Loi's personal collection. . . . . which I wanted 

to buy and bring back to my cottage. The art of perfect display is at every turn here, 

nothing grimy, dusty and musty like so many antiques establishments.

Thank you Loi for making my visit so enjoyable - thank you Bob who is so good 

about taking me to meet blogging buddies, here, there and everywhere. 

I'm already looking forward to another visit here when in the area.

 Meanwhile, I hope other readers will have the chance to visit and shop here at 

Tone on Tone. . . . . . . tell Loi I sent you, but be prepared with quarters, 

those parking meters are ravenous in the nation's capital, and you'll want

plenty of time to look at everything, take my word for it.

The Monument, the Cathedral, and the Shop. . . . . . . . .

This weekend. . . . . 

. . . we're in Washington D.C. - where it's very, very chilly 

and the cherry blossoms aren't blooming yet.

 We peeked in here where we were married fifty years ago!

We visited the most beautiful antiques shop . . . 

can't wait to show you more soon.