Big news today, ladies and gentlemen: the reflecting pool in front of the Lincoln Memorial reopened today.

Since this $34 million renovation happened just a few miles from home, I figured we should go check it out. At 34-mil I was expecting a reflecting pool that not only reflected but made me look 20 pounds thinner.

Dave and I dragged the girls into the muggy morning air for a 1.54 mile (tracking every step while tying to lose these pounds) walk around the National Mall. Of course, we stopped to get coffee at Ebeneezer’s (our favorite spot) on the way. Dave ordered our drinks and spent the rest of the morning making fun of me for my medium, skim, two pump, vanilla latte. “Are you sure you don’t want soy? Small latte in a large cup, perhaps? Half Splenda have regular sugar?” He believes there should be a two variable limit on coffee orders. I clearly disagree.

The girls were so excited about the reflecting pool that they started running as soon as we got out of the car. When when we arrived, I wanted to take their pictures. “No! I want to go to the reflecting pool!” I told them we were already there. “But I can’t see myself in the water!” Um yeah… pretty much. It seems 34 million dollars couldn’t quite solve that problem.

Don’t get me wrong, it was… nice. I mean… it’s the National Mall so it’s not going to be a dump. But besides the missing construction workers, tractors and fencing, I didn’t notice much of a difference. Something else I noticed: there was goose poop everywhere. It surrounded the entire reflecting pool. If you ask me, this whole project could have been done for 1 million, leaving an extra 33 mil for a pooper scooper. But what do I know?

It’s a cool spot regardless. Site of Martin Luther King’s “I Had a Dream” speech and Jen-nay’s dramatic wade through the water toward Forrest Gump. So much history.

The new walkway around the pool was a nice addition. And I’m glad the water isn’t as deep now, because one of these girls will surely fall in at some point.

In summary, the reflecting pool renovation was just “a’ight.” But I’m sure the tourists will impressed.