The past couple of weeks have been chock full of activity in our house. Last Monday, we welcomed our first overnight visitors, Bonnie and the boys – welcomed them, that is, after guiding them to our “Garman stealth” location via Bonnie’s cell phone. Although our street is six years old, doesn’t appear on all satellite maps, rendering Google maps and some navigation systems useless. It’s just another quirk about living in the country.
After a quick tour of the new house, both boys declared it wonderful and set off to explore and settle in to their room. I put them in the FROG (finished room over the garage) where they would have plenty of room, access to the toys, games, puzzles, TV and Wii. They were in heaven! Most of the time we were home, the boys were happily up in there room providing Bonnie and I plenty of quiet time to visit. Probably Seth and Caleb’s favorite feature in our new house was the jetted tub in our bathroom. Calling it the “Wonderful Bath” they eagerly jumped into it each night before bed, enjoying long soaks as the jetted water bubbled around them.
Tuesday morning we toured Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello. Mr. Thomas Jefferson was an interesting fellow and his home definitely reflected his personality and varied interests. I saw some innovative features that would helpful to many homes. I especially liked the wine bottle dumb waiters on either side of the fireplace in the dining room which brought fresh bottles of wine to the table and took the empties away. While most of the world may view Jefferson as the author of the Declaration of Independence,
we here in Virginia are also thankful that although personally unsuccessful at it, Jefferson introduced wine making to our area of the state!
Monticello offered many hands-on exhibits where Seth and Caleb could get a taste of life in colonial Virginia. They both tried writing with a quill. Seth became inspired and wrote a page full, while poor Caleb demonstrated just why all children in those days were forced to write with their right hands. Left-handedness and quills are not a good mix. To soothe his frustration, I led him to an area where the making of a memory journal were offered. Then, for the rest of our time there, I took pictures per his instruction to add to his journal.
Another exhibit both boys enjoyed was the Griffin Discovery Room. Tucked away in a quiet corner of the visitor’s center, this discovery area offers hand’s-on enjoyment geared
towards children, but Bonnie and I both enjoyed sitting in the replica chairs
and having a go at Jefferson’s code wheels and “polygraph”. Seth busied himself by systematically checking out each item while Caleb gravitated to the replica slave family home and began cooking at the fireside. Later, when I asked him what kind of house it was, he said it was for “people helping people”. I suppose from the display that is what he saw, skilled craftsmen and women helping the Jefferson family – not the best way to look at slavery.
That evening after dinner, Poppa treated the boys to a marshmallow roast in the fire pit out back. It was great fun. The boys enjoyed the fire and the roasting, but I think Bonnie and I enjoyed eating the marshmallows more than the boys did! We had one near-miss when Seth’s marshmallow became aflame and he yanked it out of the fire and almost into Caleb’s hair. For the most part, it was one of those peaceful moments, a memory in the making, when all the memories of past marshmallow roasts and evening fires flood my mind, bringing all the family and friends who’ve shared these times with me. It’s a communion of sorts, sharing the molten clouds of sugar with family and remembering those of the past, leaving me warm inside.
The next morning, they were off. As they were leaving Seth said, “I wish we never had to leave.” I told him I hoped he would always feel that way about coming to my house. What a great visit.