Pleasantly Exhausted

We're back from our road trip to D.C.  Every bone in my legs and feet ache.  Both of my daughters had sore feet from walking all over D.C. for 3 days, but neither Middle Daughter's boyfriend or Terry seemed to be affected.  I just don't think they admitted it.  We even bought the two day passes for the tour mobile that is so worth the $37.00.  We've used this the last 3 or 4 times we've been tourists there and I highly recommend it.

On Friday, our first touring day, I was sitting on a bench on the Mall, which is the grassy area between the Capital and the Washington Monument, that is the home of all the Smithsonian Museums.  The others went the the Air & space Museum and I didn't care to go this trip.  Zooming down toward the Capital were about 20/30 police motorcycles and about 20 police cars, all lights and sirens blaring.  Being a news junky, I immediately called my other daughter to see if there was anything on CNN, Fox, etc.  There wasn't.

We later learned in 1962 President John F. Kennedy declared the week of May 11 National Police
Week and May 15 National Police Officers Memorial Day.  They have a Memorial like the Vietnam Memorial holding the engraved names of fallen officers.  There were more than 10,000 officers in D.C. for this, all in their dress uniforms or with their shield on chains hanging around their necks.  We were in Arlington when one of the Changing of the Guards placed their flowers at the Tomb of the Unknowns.  The official cerremony was on the grounds in front of the Capital on Sunday am.

Chicago had lost 5 officers last year.

I didn't know that our police officers were honored this way.  My BIL retired from the Michigan State Police in April.  I know his wife is glad he's home.  The older I get, the more I am amazed at how much I don't know.