The aura of Alexandria, Washington DC and beyond

Papers and photos clutter my desk. Clear memories of my recent trip to Washington DC fill my mind with chatter along with visions of marble, brick and the White House. I now have a picture ID Reader card as my key into the Library of Congress for future use into their research archives and reader room stacked book shelves. My legs ache from walking from the U.S. Capitol Building to the White House on Pennsylvania Avenue and I smile when I remember tossing orange peels along the White House cement wall to feed the birds that lingered in their bushes. What a wonderful trip and it was so easy with just a $33 Amtrak ticket to the beautiful Union Station. Then, my childhood friend, Sophia, braved the traffic from Rhode Island to Washington to pick me up so we could share in the Washington escape for a terrific visit.

And La Tasca, a Spanish Tapas Restaurant and Bar on King Street in Alexandria was muy excellente! We ordered Sangria laced with fruit pieces and wine. And then there were the Tapas ~ Calimari (her choice) and Tortilla Espanola (mine). The Sangria disappeared too quickly, the shared Tapas unique and tasty. The Tortilla Espanola is a traditional Spanish potato, onion and egg omelet about 2-3" thick sitting in a spicy sauce.....Sophia liked it with her Calimari better than her garlic mayonnaise condiment; shared dishes were a fun experience.

Now that I've scoped out the area for future visits to research family from all corners of both my family and my husbands, I feel much more confident knowing where to go, what items to take with me and how long I will need to study the archival information. I am nearly ready to apply to the DAR with the main intent of being able to access their data base for the family's quest for historical information.

With the help of www.ancestry.com and my cousin's (Tess) long and diligent research into our family history, I have learned so much. Also, a great help is another cousin's (Vicki) gift of a genealogical research book titled, The HANDYBOOK for Genealogists. This book is segmented by state and country to list archival repositories with contact information and lists steps for researching genealogy. Life can be quite amazing when one lets it and propelling yourself through life with optimism is the only way to combat any sadness, loss, frustrations or disappointments along the way.