As we wait for Hurricane Florence (a week away), we spent an afternoon in Washington DC at the American History Museum and the Museum of Natural History. The East Coast is rich with museums and historical sites. Truly the Star-Spangled Banner Flag that flew over Fort McHenry on September 14, 1814 was the highlight for me at the American History Museum. They didn't allow photos. The flag had stars that were 20" from point to point. The stripes were 24' wide. The flag was about 32'x42'. It had 15 stars and 15 stripes. About four feet were cut off the edge away from the flagpole, and used as souvenirs. One star was cut out for a souvenir as well. This was called the 'Garrison Flag' to be flown over the fort particularly when the British were bombing it. Secondly we spent two hours roaming the exhibits at the Natural History Museum. Who can resist a photo of the jaws of the Mega-Shark?! But what I was surprised to learn was that the Neanderthal Man lived at the same time as other homo sapiens. I thought they were a link in the evolution, but they were more a side track while homo sapiens were living. Huh.