Well I haven't had time to deal with the hundreds of photos I've taken in the past two days, but I'll get the best ones up soon, I promise.

Yesterday was long, hot, full of skirling bagpipes, the intensely wonderful smell of black powder, and one of the best days of my professional life.

Do you know what it's like to feel so lucky to be doing what you're doing? Joe - my husband's boss - asked me my honest opinion about my job and I think he was surprised at the response he got. I don't think he is used to people being really happy with their jobs.

But I truly love what I do. Sometimes I think that I'm the luckiest person alive because I have an avocation - not merely a vocation. And yesterday's event just drove that point home to me even more. What made it even better is that I was surrounded by people who, for however briefly, felt the same way that I did.

The turret came home yesterday - near to the scene of its former glory. Traversing the same waters it cruised 140 years ago, along with some of that same crew. As the barge slowly made its way upriver, you could almost believe for a little while that it was really 140 years ago and that the Monitor was on its way up the James. The barge that carried the turret was perhaps a bit too short and had a bit too much freeboard, but still I don't think that the comparison was lost on anyone.

As it stood there at the intersection of Museum Drive and Museum Parkway the reality of what it was hit several people very hard. There were many eyes filled with tears - when Gregg read the names, and when the Chesapeake Sherrif's Pipe Band played 'Amazing Grace.' There really was nothing gratuitous or maudlin about it. When all the reenactors and spectators fell in around and behind the trailer to escort the turret to its new home - again the response was spontaneous and genuine. So many people came up to us and thanked us for allowing them to be a part of the day. I in turn thanked Captain Murray and John Broadwater for making it all possible when I saw them later on that day.

I wish I could put better words to how I feel about all of this. But I can't think of how to say it.

But I am so lucky.