Legally Blonde's Proceedings

After a very dramatic and crazy cab ride home on Monday night, I got to bed late, so I slept in a bit on Tuesday, and woke up to snow on the ground.  I ordered room service, and enjoyed watching it continue to snow out the windows in my room. I eventually headed up to Capitol Hill for the opening of the 114th Congress, and I enjoyed the view of a snowy DC on the drive... I was actually in DC because I had been invited to view the swearing in of Senator Cory Booker, and attend a reception.  I went 14 months prior for a similar event, because he had won a special election in October 2013, but he won a full 6 year term this past November.   I had invited someone I met at the 2013 event to meet me in DC for this event, so we rode to the event together.  As we were approaching the Senate Office Building, I thought to myself "that looks like Cory walking down the street".  I didn't say anything about it.  When the cab stopped, we hopped out, crossed...

Monday morning, I woke up and took a cab to the Capitol because I had a tour scheduled. I hadn't been to the Capitol for a tour in many years.  Back then, the Visitor Center wasn't even open. It's located underground, and has two big skylights where you can get a good look at the dome. Not the best view right now, but I'm happy they are fixing the dome, because it was literally falling apart.  The grounds crew walked around each day collecting pieces that were falling off.  A little known fact (but one I already knew and that surprised the tour guide with my useless bank of knowledge):  the dome is made out of cast iron.  It is just painted white.  Cast iron + weather = rust and falling to pieces.   In the visitor center, the centerpiece in Emancipation Hall is the original plaster model for the bronze Statue of Freedom that sits atop the dome.  The plaster model was completed in 1857.  It's 19 1/2 feet tall and weighs 13,000 ...