Thursday evening

Oh blog. Where does the time go? I am either stressed out, or lazy, or both.

First off, President Obama. How wonderful was Tuesday? I Tivo'd the whole thing with my boys (and Rachel!) over at MSNBC, plus CNN for backup, and came home to watch the actual oath and speech bit on TV live. Then later that night I boop-booped through my recordings, relishing the boo's and laughing at Dick Cheney as he was whisked stage left as the Former Occupant headed out onto the inaugural platform to a chorus of boos. Good stuff.

Cassidy found this picture, I just love it:



Look at that gorgeousness. Love it.

And his girls were so beautiful and polite and gracious and full of humanity and there for their dad. I love how they make him smile.



This one I found, as well as a few others in this post, over at Boston.com. Lots of very cool photos of the big day. This is apparently a satellite photo taken around 11:19am of the area:


This one sort of blows my mind:



Cassidy's BFF Woolie was actually there, at the inauguration -- she even has a picture of herself posing ironically with the Jonas Brothers! (top that!) I will seek permission and maybe even post this pic if allowed. I am hoping that Woolie jots it all down, because I would love to hear all about it.

I am also hoping my old friend who works in D.C. will be sharing his observations about the day as well! (hint hint.)

Garrison Keillor was there, too! He caught a flight and then road the subway in:

I rode with a group of black women who had left Portsmouth, Va., at 1 a.m. to be sure to be there on time. They were heavily bundled and so excited they could hardly speak. And then when the conductor called out "Union Station, Washington," one of them looked at the others and she burst into tears. And they all cried. I would have, too, if they'd looked at me.

I also loved this bit from his essay...

It was more than Democrats feeling their oats or African-Americans celebrating the unimaginable, more than revulsion at the gang of bullheads who held power for too long. It was a huge gasp of pleasure at a new America emerging, a country we all tried to believe in, a nation that is curious and venturesome, more openhearted and public-spirited.

All kinds of people, the slim and sleek, the XXXLs, the heavily insulated, the carefree. We moved through ranks of souvenir sellers—whatever else he may accomplish, Obama has been a boon to the pin and T-shirt trade—and in our slow trek toward the Capitol, one felt the enormity of the day for the black people around us. I wouldn't try to express, I simply was grateful to be among it. Old ladies with sore feet hauled themselves along.

The crowd down below the podium had their opinions. There was a profound silence when Laura Bush was announced and walked out. People watched the big screen and when Michelle Obama appeared, there was a roar, and when the Current Occupant and Dick Cheney came out of the Capitol, a low and heartfelt rumble of booing. Dignified booing.

The band tootled on and there were shouts of "O-ba-ma" and also "Yes we can" (and also "Down in front") and then he came out and the place went up. That was the first big moment. The second was when he took the oath and said, "so help me, God" and the cannons boomed and you got a big lump in your throat. And the third was afterward.

But the great moment came later, as the mob flowed slowly across the grounds.

The crowd stopped and stared, a little stunned at the reality of it.

They saw it on a screen in front of the Capitol and it was actually happening on the other side. The Bushes went up the stairs, turned, waved and disappeared into the cabin of the Marine helicopter, and people started to cheer in earnest. It was the most genuine, spontaneous, universal moment of the day. It was like watching the ice go out on the river.

Good stuff.

I'll try to write more blog, but it isn't easy these days. I'm distracted by smaller screens, enjoying the glib one liners of Facebook and busy enough as it is. But I know it's important to be here, I know you show up, I won't give up.

Lastly, Charlie the dog is settling in nicely. Here is a little love photo I took of him on Monday.