Lots Going On......

Last weekend my stepdad Sid came for a visit.  Talk about awesome timing.....it was the peak of the cherry blossoms around the Tidal Basin in DC!

It made a little sad as we walked around the tidal basin thinking this will be my last spring in DC. Fortunately, the melancholy feeling didn't last long.

We spent part of one day in Occoquan, Virgina, a neat little town that is on the National Register of Historic Places less than 30 minutes south of where I live.  We both really enjoyed the self-guided walking tour we did after picking up a brochure at the visitor's center.  

We had lunch at the Blue Arbor Cafe, and it was AWESOME!  I definitely want to go back.  Then we got dessert from Mom's Apple Pie (blueberry and raspberry crumb pie for me!). 

We say several ospreys nesting and I managed to get several pictures I was VERY happy with....

Sid left Monday heading back for NC.  I had my retirement counseling session on Tuesday, and on Wednesday, mailed my retirement papers!  Tasha, Ruth, and I have been continuing our field research to identify the best cupcake in the DC area.  Although some of the cupcakes have been good, I've decided to go with the dessert bars from Baked and Wired, a bakery in Georgetown.  I like them much better than any of the cupcakes I've tried.  Sid and I went there over the weekend he was here, and I got a Mom's Soccer Bar (7-layer cookie bar), an apricot bar, and a pecan and honey bar that was like eating a piece of pecan pie, but in dessert bar form!  They were all yummy, so that's what I'm going to get for dessert for when we have my retirement get together at the office.  We're still working to finalize the lunch menu, but at least a decision regarding dessert has been made!

Then my last day in the office, I'm going to bring in donuts from the Sugar Shack in Alexandria with coffee and milk!  Here's a picture from the FaceBook page....almost too pretty to eat (but not quite)!