With civic responsibility becoming part of my new weekend norm, I need to be a little more organized (and a little more early rising) than is my wont.

Here are some things I hope to get done before weekend’s end:

• Get outside while the sun is shining.
• Buy makings for pizza for supper tonight.
• Finish a knitting project. Start a new one (or two).
• Mail a card.
• Order new checks.
• Read.
• Unearth my rocking chair from beneath the pile of clean laundry.
• Complete my first ukulele lesson.
• Wash handknits.
• Make pie dough.
• Paint my nails.
• Pick up roll of quarters for laundry.
• Go to the farmers market.
• Catch up on book reviews.
• Stand up for democracy.

How about you? What’s on your to-do list this weekend?

This is what America looks like:

I’d suggest clicking through to see that in a slightly bigger version.

These were all taken at the protest at the White House — which turned into an impromptu march to the Capitol — as a result of the anti-Muslim/anti-Middle East ban enacted last week.

If you are feeling alone in your anger/sadness/grief/rage, know you are not. We are all there with you.

This protest came together in less than a day. I don’t think anyone, including the organizers, expected this many people to show up. (I do think the surprisingly strong response was due, in part, to liberals in D.C. receiving a week’s worth of emails demanding we call the Congressional representatives that we lack to express opposition to Cabinet nominees and executive orders. We might not have anyone to call (or protect us), but, damn it, we can show up in person…)

People of all size, shape, age, color, creed, and ethnicity came. A friend brought his children, making it the first protest rally for all of them.

The cheer at this point was, “This is only your ninth day. We’re not going to go away.”

This is the Old Post Office Building, which is now owned by the same family occupying the White House. Locals do not use the new name.

I wish I could give you a sense of how many people were there. Let’s just say that it’s 16 blocks from the White House to the Capitol. When we reached Pennsylvania Avenue (2 blocks in), we could see crowds seven blocks away, which I guessed at the time were associated with the Chinese New Year Parade. They weren’t. When we reached the Capitol, there were still people streaming all the way back. The best I can offer you is a link to one of the photos of the people taking pictures from the balcony at the Newseum.

As my friends and I headed off to find a late lunch, the crowd was chanting, “See you next week!”

(This week, though, instead of hitting up the White House & Capitol Hill, I’ll be taking part in the candlelight vigil tomorrow evening between D.C.’s mosque/Islamic Center and the Vice President’s mansion a few blocks away in my own neck of the woods.)