AARP CONVENTION D.C. 2008

Time goes quickly when you're (having)--
1) rum 2) fun 3) or are just plain old!

Therefore, this blog about my
Sept. 3-8 trip is rather late!

Sept. 3
I arose at 4:00 a.m. to be picked up at 5:45 a.m.
by the other three gals to make our drive to the
Sacramento Airport. A stop im Denver where
we ate lunch. Arriving in D.C. we hailed a cab
to our hotel, the Hyatt Regency, arriving at about
10:30 p.m. D.C. time. The hotel was going through
remodeling. So, each day the lobby was in a
different place, causing us to hunt for it.

Sept. 4

The opening session gave a history of AARP
to an audience of over 20,000 people. Also
featured was Regis Phibin...who spoke about
his life and how he made it to where he is today.

Next, lunch and then off to the Mall near the
Lincoln Memorial for an AARP 5oth birthday
celebration. Several speakers: Leeza Gibbons
(emceed), Patti Austion (sang), Richard Petty,
Martina Navratilova, Dara Torres (olympic
swimmer), Buzz Aldrin, Sally Field, Elder
Bernice King (daughter of Martin Luther JR)
ending with Wynonna Judd singing. They
were all dynamic, especially Elder King, speaking
from the same steps her father had given his famous
speech on. The weather however, was very HOT!

We headed back to the convention center and heard
Shirley McLain speak. Dinner there and then
we attended the 1st night's concert . First,
was Chaka Khan, and later Natalie cole.
Chaka Khan, not my taste, BUT Natalie Cole
was wonderful!!

Sept. 5

This day we had morning reservations to visit the Library of Congress.
Fasninating and a beautiful building -- our tour guide was excellent.

Afterwards, since we had not yet had coffee or eaten anything (it was
now 11:00), we got directions to the employees cafeteria. To get there
we had to go through a long basement tunnel an then up 6 floors. Great
food, reasonable prices and a nice view. At the end of the meal everyone
heard an announcement about a "police incident" happening outside the
building and to report to your post. Several along with us exited in the
direction indicated as safe. We saw nothing but closed off street and
would not find out what had happened except for Patty's husband who
heard about it on the evening news. They had captured a man with a rife,
hand grenades an a map of the building in his car.(out and safe)

We went on to ride the subway to the convention center and heard Judy
Collins speak. She sang a little and told her life story. We also signed up
for next year's convention...Las Vegas BABY!

That evening, we skipped the food court and went to a French restaurant.
UM, UM, GOOD! Then on to the nightly concert -- Chicago! They were
wonderful and had the whole audience up on our feet!

Sept. 6

Patty and I got a later start, Mary and Viv had gone ahead to watch
satellite feeds of Obama ad McCain. When we did venture out it was
just as the last Hurricane Hannah skirted by. Heavy rains and wind.
We got pretty wet getting on the shuttle bus headed to the convention
center. When we got there, we hit the exhibit floor, picking up freebies
and seeing what all they had to offer. Next, we hooked up withthe other
two and heard speaker, Jean Chatzky, a well known tv financial advisor.



Then back to the exhibit floor...where Patty and Viv tried out virtual skiing
and snowboarding. Dinner this night was with Viv's daughter (down from
NY) and her friend, who lives in D.C. We ate at a Greek place -- interesting
food and tapas to share.
This was the last night of the convention and the last concert.
It could not have been any better! Paul Simon!


Many memories of years gone by. He got us ALL rocking!!
We insisted on two encores!! Great fun!
Followed by the closing of the convention with gold confetti.Sept. 7

After breakfast we went to a new museum (only open 6 months).
It is called the NEWSEUM...we spent 4 plus hours there. There
were newspapers with famous headlines, real secttions of th Berlin
wall, a tower of the top of one of the twin towers, the D.C. snipers' car,
Ted Kaczynski's cabin, Edgar Hoover's desk and much more.


Later, we walked to Union Station had dinner up the spiral stairs at the
Center Cafe. Finished just in time to catch our trolley for a twilight tour of
D.C. We made a few stops along the way such as: FDR Memorial, Lincoln
Memorial, Korean Memorial, Viet Nam Memorial and Iwo Jima Memorial.


Sept. 8


Following breakfast, we walked to the Supreme Court. Due to
renovations -- we were unable to see the court room. However, the
building itself was pretty interesting and the spiral staircase was amazing. (diorama for the court room)


Later, we grabbed our bags and took a cab to the airport. Another
stop over in Denver and another meal. We arrived in Sacramento
before 7:30 p.m. (10:30 D.C. time) all was well, until Mary could not
find her car keys. There the four of us were...in the parking lot with no
keys. Several got on our backs under the car searching for a hide-a-key to
no avail (now that is when I should have used my camera). Mary called
AAA and she talked to a shuttle bus driver, who said that there was a lost
and found office for the parking lots. Viv and Patty went to check it out.
They ended up at a darken building at the end of Terminal A. Bravely, they
rang a bell and a sheriff brought our a basket of 24 sets of keys. Fortunately,
Mary's keys were there. Although her description had been way off. After all
that, we finally arrived back in Redding just before midnight (3:00 a.m. D.C.
time). I can't say none the worse for wear, as Patty had a sore throat & cold
which she gladly shared with me.

LAS VEGAS here we come!

Our picture (from 2007) was on the AARP homepage for a full year!

*I have no idea why the typing becomes so irregular in some spots.