We had originally wanted to take an overnight trip for the Columbus Day weekend, but wherever we were interested in going, the hotels were too expensive or booked up. Perhaps we didn't act far enough in advance, but things worked out well anyway. Instead, we drove to Leesburg, VA on Saturday, and had a pretty good, relaxing time. Leesburg has a cute, pedestrian-friendly downtown, though it is surrounded by suburban sprawl. We had lunch at a little cafe, checked out the historic courthouse environs, and bought some catnip treats for Oliver at a pet boutique.

The fun game of the day was keeping track of Obama versus McCain bumper stickers and yard signs on our trek into Virginia. Surprisingly, this election cycle finds Virginia a swing state rather than a solid red state as usual, and here in DC, we're being bombarded with campaign ads aimed at Northern Virginia. The results of our informal survey are as follows: on the highways, 66 and the Dulles Greenway, Obama bumper stickers outnumbered McCain bumper stickers by an astonishing 10 to 1. Once we left the highway and took to the secondary roads, on the fringes of the exurbs, McCain yard signs predominated. Some landowners put up huge (6' x 8'?) McCain/Palin signs which must have cost a fortune. There were a couple of Obama signs alongside the Republican congressional candidate, so it seems some Virginians are planning to split their vote instead of adhering to the party line. In Leesburg itself, Obama signs held a majority, though there were a number of McCain signs. Some adjacent houses had dueling signs, which must be a little awkward among the neighbors. The whole thing was fascinating, as where we live, Columbia Heights, must be the bluest, most-pro-Obama area on the map, so it doesn't make for a good statistical sample of the country as a whole.