The Philadelphia Airport has rocking chairs. They are sturdy, white, all identical, perhaps purchased at Walmart, and placed usually three together between plastic plants, or facing a window. Their slogan: "Think of us as a shopping mall with a landing strip." But they can't beat Washington Reagan nee National, with its Smithsonian Store and Sushi Bar.

I was in the air for three hours over Baltimore. There were thunder storms over Washington Thursday night, and the one hour flight went on and on. Stupidly I hadn't had dinner in Philly, thinking I'd be on the ground in Washington before 8. Something like 11, instead.

The hotel driver, Charles, waited for me, and we stopped at a Hardee's on the way to Fredericksburg so I cou8ld gobble my first roast beef in months. I left Ottawa at 3 pm, and arrived at my destination at 11 pm.