Cathy Baumbusch

Hello Boys and Girls!

I have just spotted Santa! He has taken time out of his unbelievably packed schedule to visit with the kids at Rolling Valley Elementary School today. He was seen riding a police motorcycle and was escorted by 15(!) motorcycle police, a squad car, a police bus as well as a car from the County Sheriff.

Now that's what I call protection! I hope you got to see him. If not, maybe he'll come to your school. If you don't get to visit with him, be assured, if you're good, Santa will visit on Christmas Eve and bring you lots of toys and goodies!

Take care,

Cathy B.

I have just learned that the new development going on near Fullerton Road and Backlick between Backlick and Alban Roads is a private development. There will be a hotel (no word on the name) and office buildings meant to house contractors in support of Fort Belvoir/EPG.

More news to follow as I learn more.

Joy to the world: holiday cards for 'any soldier'

By CHRISTINE SIMMONS - Nov 12, 2008

WASHINGTON (AP) - This holiday season, Americans can send soldiers and wounded troops greeting cards - even if they don't know their names.

After the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and the anthrax attacks, the Pentagon required that mail addressed to "any soldier" be returned to the sender, leaving Americans without a way to send mail to soldiers whose names they didn't know.

But for a second year, an American Red Cross program is allowing the public to send holiday greeting cards that aren't addressed to a particular soldier. The cards will be screened, sorted and distributed to military hospitals and bases nationally and overseas in time for the holidays.

"The eyes of the soldiers really light up" when they see greeting cards sent from the American public, said Lt. Col. David Oclander. Oclander was in Iraq around the time of last year's program and remembers seeing soldiers, even those in the most remote locations, carrying cards around.

Some put the cards "in their vehicles when they go out on patrol," he said. "It really helps brighten their days, especially when they're enduring some long separations."

The Red Cross distributed about 600,000 cards last year to soldiers in combat zones and military hospitals in the U.S. and overseas, including Iraq, Afghanistan, Kuwait and a regional military medical center in Germany. For this holiday season, the organization is hoping to send more than a million cards to soldiers in military hospitals, as well as to active-duty service members, veterans and family members around the world.

Col. Dennis Doyle, Walter Reed Health Care System's deputy commander for administration, said the effect the cards had last year at military hospitals "cannot be overstated."

"There is no objective way to measure the effect of receiving a thank-you card or letter on someone recovering from combat wounds," Doyle said. "These letters made a huge impact on the morale of operations."

From Tuesday through Dec. 10, the public can send their greeting cards, with adequate postage and a return address, to Holiday Mail for Heroes, P.O. Box 5456, Capitol Heights, Md. 20791-5456. To speed delivery, mailers should not send care packages, money or any inserts, including glitter.

They can also download cards from the American Red Cross Web site to print out and send to the program's address. This year, a Facebook Web page allows Internet users to post greetings online so the Red Cross can print the messages on cards and distribute them to troops.

In a voluntary effort, the mail service provider Pitney Bowes Inc. will screen the cards for hazardous material, and the Red Cross will sort through the cards to ensure the contents are appropriate.

The Red Cross launched this year's program Tuesday, when it set up tents and tables outside its Washington headquarters and provided cards for passers-by to write their greetings. By midday, hundreds of cards had been signed, many with lengthy messages.

Tammy Moore, 45, a Red Cross volunteer in Washington, stopped to sign a card.

"Dear soldier: As you spend this holiday season away from your family, know that our nation is thinking of you and wishing you much happiness this holiday season," Moore wrote.

On the Net:

• American Red Cross: http://www.redcross.org/
• Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/

Copyright © 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

I have just learned that the Army has decided to move 6400 jobs to the Mark Center instead of Fort Belvoir.

The Mark Center is not 5 miles away from the nearest metro, it is really less than 4. But it is interesting to note that it is only about a mile away from the Bailey's Crossroads offices. One of the main reasons cited for moving Army Materiel Command from Eisenhower Road to Fort Belvoir was the security issues, e.g., proximity to the road. However, it seems like the buildings at the Mark Center won't be too much different than the old AMC. But, the decision has been made.

The good news is that Fort Belvoir will still be gaining several thousand jobs. The jobs moving to The Mark Center are only a fraction of the total.

There are 16 acres on this complex, including a botanical preserve. No one has said what will happen to it when these buildings are constructed. There are plans for a "transportation hub" as well, according to the president of the company that owns the Mark Center.

Source: Alexandria Site Picked For 6,400 Army Jobs. By Sandhya Somashekhar and Amy Gardner, Washington Post Staff Writers, Tuesday, September 30, 2008; Page B01

I have been living in the DC area now for almost 12 years. Every year, one of my favorite things to do is to take the short trip down to Skyline Drive, in the Shenandoah National Park, and spend time in the sun. Yesterday, the weather was perfect for just such a trip. We left the house at 1pm. Kind of a late start, but Skyline is just an hour away, so we still had plenty of daylight ahead. For us, its 11 miles down the Fairfax County Parkway to I-66, head east to Front Royal, and enter Skyline Drive just past South Street. The first thing we noticed was that the prices to enter the park had increased quite a bit. We used to buy an annual National Parks pass every year for $50. I'm not sure when the increase went into effect, but from the last time we bought one a couple years ago, the price has gone up more than 50%- it now costs $80. The annual Shenandoah Pass went from $20 to $30. Since we don't visit many other National Parks, we bought the latter.

We are blessed with the care of one loving, active Boxer/Shepard mix named Natasha. Tasha is sweet and friendly to all creatures, unless it is a dog, a chipmunk or a squirrel. Nevertheless, we decided it would be good to bring her along. She is truly in heaven when she is outside exploring the sights and sounds of this park.

We decided on a short trail that starts directly across from the visitor's center at Dickey Ridge. The trail runs north and south. If you go to the north, you can also explore a second trail that includes old homesites and a cemetary. We were headed that way when we discovered that pets are not allowed on that particular trail. So we headed south toward Snead Farm. It was a little bit longer than our original plans, but again, we had daylight to burn.

This trail is a fairly easy one, and it is quite well marked. The inclines were a tad bit challenging for us- not having been on a hike for quite some time. We kept the trail map that we had printed out from the internet handy, just in case. But in broad daylight, with the clear markings, and the well-worn paths, its virtually impossible to get lost. We encountered some like-minded couples, young and old, a few chipmunks, and a wild turkey hen, but not much else.

We quickly arrived at the site of Snead's Farm. And we asked ourselves who Snead might have been, and why the barn was still standing, but not the house. We peer into the barn windows and see the dark steps leading to the lower level. And we notice a storehouse, perhaps an old chicken coop, built into the side of the hill just on the other side of the barn. Then we notice the concrete steps that lead to nowhere. Seeing a homesite overgrown with vegetation always piques my imagination, as I picture where the bedrooms might have been, or where the kitchen once stood. I imagine what conversations might have taken place by candlelight in these rooms, and what sordid secrets might have died with the owners. Then a squawking bird brings me out of my romantic musings, and we punched foward on our hike.

The trail looped around to the west and then came quite close to Skyline Drive when it finally turned back north. Much to our chagrin, the trail continued to climb. We thought, this must be the proverbial hill that countless grandfathers traveled to school each day, barefoot, with their brothers on their backs. Our tiredness was rewarded though, with one of the most beautiful, clearest overlooks that I have ever experienced at Skyline. We could see for miles as we looked down over Browntown Road and the surrounding farms and hills. It was simply breathtaking.

After pausing there to take in the wonderful view, our tired legs started out again towards the car. It wasn't long before the trail made its downhill turn and continued mostly as such until we reached the trailhead from where we started. In all, we hiked 3 miles. It was invigorating, yet tranquil, and we felt reconnected. Tasha was petered out- like us, she had a been a bit sedentary of late. Suffice it to say that the three of us slept very, VERY well that night!

To get to Skyline, take 66 West and take exit 13, which is VA Route 79. Turn left and then take Route 55 West into Front Royal. Turn left onto Route 340, and the North Entrance to Skyline is a few feet away on the left. Pay your entrance fee and head on about 4 miles to Dickey Ridge Visitor's Center. Park there and start on your way! There are many other longer trails, including the famed Appalachian Trail, and even camping- you can make a weekend out of it. Either way, enjoy your summer weekends!