(no subject)
We went to Mount Vernon today (an exercise of my maternal prerogative for the day, since I wanted something outdoors but more interesting than a simple walk), and it was a gorgeous day for it. The grounds and especially the gardens are absolutely beautiful, though Rob got rather bored and frustrated in the mansion itself and right after. I suspect low blood sugar was a problem, given that we'd had brunch rather than lunch, and that he got a lot better once Jason fed him a pretzel. The crowds and the tight spaces inside were kind of uncomfortable for him, too, I'm sure. Not as big a house indoors as it looks from outside (though comparing it and Monticello to Braintree makes me wonder why Adams gets branded as the wealthy elitist...). I'm thinking I may get myself a year's pass (which is less than twice the cost for one visit) and just go there to take my walks around the grounds every now and then, while Rob's in all-day camps or at school. (Though that does leave me far away in case of emergency...but it's not that far, closer than Potomac Mills...) I can see why Washington loved the place so. It is worthy of love.
The slave burial grounds were kind of shivery-sad, though (just my imagination, likely, knowing what I know, but...), and I can't help feeling that the fountain memorial kind of sugarcoated their service, as though the slaves in question had been devoted altruistic voluntary helpers to the Washingtons, rather than enslaved by force. Though they did have a reasonable amount of information available on the slaves and what they did, with names and stories where available. (It was advantageous at one point to read to Rob, who was feeling Persecuted and Abused by having to walk around Mount Vernon on a lovely day, what the laundrywomen did every day, so as to show him that maybe he wasn't the worst-treated person in the world...)
They did have a nice little puzzle for Rob to solve - nine questions about the Washingtons and the grounds, plus a final puzzle where you took marked letters from the first nine answers and arranged them in numbered spaces to finish the quote, "First in war, first in peace, first in the hearts of his...." Rob did it all successfully (guessing some of the answers before he even saw the locations where they were revealed - for example, knowing that Washington rode a "horse" - OK, that one was easy - and that hogs were smoked to become Mrs. Washington's famous "ham" - though his first guess on that one was, for some reason, "fish", maybe because he'd had smoked salmon nigiri Friday night?), and won himself thereby a squashed penny with the mansion and Washington's signature on it (I wonder how they got him to sign all those pennies? And in such tiny writing, too...). He was delighted.
Had dinner at Paradiso, so Jason and I could get a quiet, child-free dinner while Rob enjoyed socializing in their kids' room - at least that was the idea, but the table behind us had a crying/squealing baby (well, I don't mind that so much) and the one next to us involved swapping of labor/childbirth stories, with the tables too close not to inadvertently eavesdrop. But good food, anyway. And no one was tugging at my arm or climbing/pounding on me affectionately, which did help. Much as I love the child, he can make it hard to digest one's food calmly.
He, too, had fun, especially since he found out that kids' dessert there now includes the possibility of mango, pineapple, or strawberry ice cream, in place of the usual chocolate, vanilla or strawberry (he picked mango) and that sprinkles can be involved on request. Much happiness there.
All in all, a good day.
The slave burial grounds were kind of shivery-sad, though (just my imagination, likely, knowing what I know, but...), and I can't help feeling that the fountain memorial kind of sugarcoated their service, as though the slaves in question had been devoted altruistic voluntary helpers to the Washingtons, rather than enslaved by force. Though they did have a reasonable amount of information available on the slaves and what they did, with names and stories where available. (It was advantageous at one point to read to Rob, who was feeling Persecuted and Abused by having to walk around Mount Vernon on a lovely day, what the laundrywomen did every day, so as to show him that maybe he wasn't the worst-treated person in the world...)
They did have a nice little puzzle for Rob to solve - nine questions about the Washingtons and the grounds, plus a final puzzle where you took marked letters from the first nine answers and arranged them in numbered spaces to finish the quote, "First in war, first in peace, first in the hearts of his...." Rob did it all successfully (guessing some of the answers before he even saw the locations where they were revealed - for example, knowing that Washington rode a "horse" - OK, that one was easy - and that hogs were smoked to become Mrs. Washington's famous "ham" - though his first guess on that one was, for some reason, "fish", maybe because he'd had smoked salmon nigiri Friday night?), and won himself thereby a squashed penny with the mansion and Washington's signature on it (I wonder how they got him to sign all those pennies? And in such tiny writing, too...). He was delighted.
Had dinner at Paradiso, so Jason and I could get a quiet, child-free dinner while Rob enjoyed socializing in their kids' room - at least that was the idea, but the table behind us had a crying/squealing baby (well, I don't mind that so much) and the one next to us involved swapping of labor/childbirth stories, with the tables too close not to inadvertently eavesdrop. But good food, anyway. And no one was tugging at my arm or climbing/pounding on me affectionately, which did help. Much as I love the child, he can make it hard to digest one's food calmly.
He, too, had fun, especially since he found out that kids' dessert there now includes the possibility of mango, pineapple, or strawberry ice cream, in place of the usual chocolate, vanilla or strawberry (he picked mango) and that sprinkles can be involved on request. Much happiness there.
All in all, a good day.