Days 10, 11, &12: Global Positioning, Museums, and Easter

Ever since we received a GPS for Christmas two years ago, my orienteering skills have gotten soft. My father was a great lover of maps and passed on to me the respect for navigation. I've taken great pride in my ability to know where I am and how to get there from here. Now, I don't have to know where I am because I've got a gizmo to do my thinking. But look out for tunnels and cloudy days, because when it says "searching for satellites" you're out of luck.

Lyda has nicknamed the voice on our GPS "Gabby," because she talks so much. We've muted her for this trip. And we about threw Gabby out the window when instead of a bowling alley on a rainy day, she took us to a new subdivision in the DC suburbs that probably used to be a bowling alley. She's really only accurate about 30% of the time.

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We waited in line for a half hour at the Smithsonian to see Dorothy's ruby slippers. Lyda's excitement quickly turned to disappointment as the main attraction was just a pair of shoes in a glass box. Same with Kermit the Frog -- he looks just like the stuffed Kermit we have at home.

Lyda was more interested in the dark little nooks at the natural history museum where they show out-of-focus videos about protozoa, or was it about rain cycles? I really couldn't tell, because they were so out of focus. I'd say, "Lyda check out this dinosaur skeleton!" And she'd say, "Let's go look at something in one of those dark rooms."

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Why is it that we turn ever holiday and any event that is remotely kid-oriented into a SUGAR FEST?! Cranking kids full of sugar is not cool. I've told Jeni that I'm finished being an accessory to the madness. I mean I'm all for a good desert and some chocolate now and then, but who needs 30-some eggs full of candy?? At least one of the eggs had a dollar bill in it, and I slid some baby carrots into one -- which Lyda proceeded to eat first. (I'm so proud.)

On our way home at the end of the day, Lyda moaned from the back seat. "I think I had too much treats today. I don't feel so well."

Here's an idea for next Easter -- battered and deep-fried Peeps!