Megan Boyle’s Blog

From our perch above the parade, our family took a last glimpse of the White House and the Inaugural festivities. We lingered until the time Mr. Obama was steps from his new home, special blue flooring rolled out on the White House lawn to usher him to the front door. Where he once had a front porch in a Hyde Park, he now has a “portico” and a sentry. How things have changed.

Our Inaugural adventure was coming to an end. A quick walk through the still buzzing streets of DC to our hotel let us grab the 18 bags for the 10 of us (held at valet) and rush to the airport. As we departed, the Renaissance Hotel lobby was filling up for yet another ball. The evenings’ events were innumerable, with the highlight being the designated Presidential Balls. It would be another night to remember.

For us, though, it was time to go. Reality had set in. The high school kids only had a one day pass from final exams and frankly, I would have needed a lot of caffeine to jump into another ball gown and give it another go. Logistically, you might need the Presidential motorcade to make it to all the important functions of the weekend. Some of our fellow lunch guests, one a former Ambassador, was already in his tuxedo at 10 am to logistically cover the Inauguration, the parade and the ball.

A few folks we met got squeezed by the impossible timeline. One had tickets to a ball, but was turned away by security late in the evening due to the overflowing crowds. So many had come, and they just didn’t want to leave, (there were separate dinner and dance only tickets). Another person we met, with reserved seats for the Inauguration, never got through the long security line to be admitted. A third person said they had to wave their VIP tickets in the air to catch security’s attention and be admitted.

The road to the Inauguration is not always smooth, so hold on to these tips for 2013. My blog has hooked you, right? You are booking your room and airline tickets as we speak!

Today would be a zoo to return to Chicago, but last night was a breeze. We had plenty of time to stuff carry-ons with more T-shirts, hats, buttons. The Obama souvenirs were flying off the shelves. (Still plenty of bobbleheads, though).

Compared to the full plane on the way out, space remained in the overhead bins on the DC/Chicago return flight for ball gowns, tuxes and even the life size cutout of Barack Obama - $35 in the airport. He folds in half for easy storage!

As we flew into O’Hare, I realized how many times the Obamas must have made this trip. National Airport (Reagan), small and security conscious, is always a steep ascent at take-off. Its quick climb to avoid the Potomac, and the amazing view of the Washington Monument and Capitol, leave that feeling in your stomach like the last good jump on a gentle roller coaster. Contrast that with landing at O’Hare, the airport of the City of Big Shoulders. It looks vast compared to Washington, stretched out in a quilt of orange lights, like so many small stars stitched together or a string of Christmas lights. I realize I no longer share a hometown view with the Obamas and it makes me a little sad. Still, I am glad that we were the big shoulders the President stood on to get to the Capitol. He can’t help but miss this sweet home, I am sure. We will miss him, keep an eye on him, send up some our prayers for him often.

I saw an interview with Beyonce last night. Between her tears, the “At Last” chanteuse said she had voted before, but never cared the way she does now. It did not seem enough to her that she was there at a President’s side, singing the chosen anthem for the First Couples’ First Dance. The election of Barack Obama “makes me want to be smarter,” she said. She added it makes her want to help, to support her country in more significant ways. That is the overwhelming sense I am left with after this Inauguration.

Washington is our Capitol. It is our country, to fix, to support, to defend. I look forward to the challenge and hope you do as well.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, January 21st, 2009 at 2:08 pm and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.