What I did on Spring Break...

The first part of spring break was a working trip. I went to DC. I wasn't too thrilled to be giving up time off work to go to a work conference, but I ended up having a pretty good time. Lot's of cherry blossoms, some good company and the opportunity to schmooze with program officers of the grants. Oh, and another grant opportunity worth $3M if we get on the ball and put our application together on very short notice! Congress is very interested in funding projects to educate scientists and mathematicians--Obama signed the legislation at the community college where Biden's wife works while we were in DC! Here are some pictures of the highlights, thanks to Stan's Facebook account--he took the pictures and posted them and I snagged them for the blog. I didn't bring a camera--silly me.

Cherry blossoms were blossoming--soggy, but blossoming!

Looking both ways right in the middle of the mall...
We had time the first day to spend the morning at the Natural History Museum. Saw the Hope Diamond (smaller than I thought) and lots of other gems. Got really wet and cold walking to and from the Metro, but it was worth it. Free museums everywhere. What a wonderful use of tax dollars!


Out one night after all day at the conference. Work friends on either side of me plus a person we met from Wisconsin. She is a knitter and she has sheep!!!!! What are the chances?
Good thing the traveling Aunt and Uncle told me all about the Metro! We used it a lot despite long days at the conference.
On the way home from DC, I got off at SFO and took BART to meet El Esposo in the city. We had tickets to two spring training games (Friday and Easter Sunday). We stayed right near the ballpark and had a FABULOUS time. I highly recommend leaving the car in long term parking at the BART station and doing SF on foot. The Ferry Building, Yerba Buena Park/Gardens, SF Museum of Modern Art, Museum of Crafts and Folk Art, great restaurants, lots of rain :-( including a ball game called after 7 very drenched innings, and a hotel room on the 18th floor. What a great way to end my spring break! (But no pictures of SF--having too much fun, I guess.)