Conferences

The thing I like best about conference time is that it gives me a chance to focus on the students in my class who rarely get their fair share of my attention. I spend 90% of my day redirecting the same 4 kids over and over. They need to be reminded of the rules, they didn't hear the directions I just gave, they want a drink, a break, an extra copy of the homework, and so on. Meanwhile, there are 22 students who manage to get through the day with minimal assistance from me. I try to touch base with each of my kiddos every day, but I'm not always as good at that as I would like to be. Meeting with the parents, one on one, gives me a chance to really notice how helpful, diligent, cooperative, or just plain nice most of my kids are.

My second favorite part about conferences is hearing variations of these words: "My son/daughter just LOVES being in your class. She/he is so excited to get to school each day!" Parent-teacher communication tends to focus on the problems, and the parents who feel this way rarely see a need to get in touch with me. (This goes the other way too. I don't like spending my evening on the phone, so I tend not to call the parents of the well-behaved.) If the next two days go like last night did, I might be set with a store of compliments that will last me through the end of the year!

Brothers and Sisters

Have I mentioned lately how amazing my siblings are?

Shanta - performing all the task involved in raising 4 happy, healthy, active children while holding a high-stress job that involves caring for the well-being of other people, dealing with the depth and breadth of everyday challenges that life can throw at you with humor and perseverance

Tyson - attending a variety of high level math and science courses and maintaining exceptional grades while holding a job and establishing a solid plan for his future, in a long-term relationship with a very nice girl, displaying a depth of caring and understanding that is incredibly rare in his generation

Brooks - also taking a wide range of extremely challenging classes and performing exceptionally well, clearly illustrating that it is possible to change the path of your life given the proper strength of character, constantly teaching me something fascinating about politics, geology, botony, or whatever else has captured his interest

For a long time, through the happenstance of birth order, I was ahead of my siblings in the game of life. I went to college first, I moved out on my own first, I got married first. Suddenly, they are catching up to and surpassing me in so many ways. I am constantly amazed at the adults my brothers and sister are becoming. I have always loved these three as siblings, but I find myself developing a deeper respect for their individual talents and knowledge. They each have abilities in areas that complete baffle me. So, let me state for the record:
My siblings ROCK.

Stuff I've Been Thinking About

1. Work
Between getting ready for conferences (testing, report cards, etc) and covering extra hours as Escuela del Sol, I have been working some long hours. I left home by 7:00 am every morning this week. I returned home at 8:30, 7:30, 8:30, 10:00, and 10:00. Long days. Surprisingly, (aside from a particularly rough Tuesday) I have been able to maintain a fairly positive attitude despite my lack of sleep or personal time. Yay, me! I now get to enjoy a 3 day weekend (thanks, veterans).

Conferences start on Tuesday. The students go home early all three days, allowing me to finish my meetings at a more reasonable hour. It is still emotionally draining to be "performing" for parents for such an extended period. My first conferences start at 1:30 and I am booked almost constantly until 5:30 on Tues, Wed, and Thurs. I know that there are many jobs that require you to be in meetings for extended periods of time, but rarely are people required to justify their job performance to 30 different bosses in back to back meetings. :) Wish me luck.

2. XM Channel 130 - POTUS '08
I have finally found a news station that is worth listening to. Most news sources are so flooded with less-than-vital information that it is difficult to filter out the stuff worth knowing. I really don't care who won the 35th annual Cookie Bake-Off in Podunk, MO. Nor do I need to hear anything further about Brittney Spears and her poor parenting skills. On POTUS '08, I get to hear news that is directly related to the upcoming presidential election. This combines my need for "high value" news with my interest in being somewhat educated about this important decision. They seem to give balanced time to both red and blue candidates and their supporters. (I say seem to because I only listen for the time it takes me to drive to work and back. I can't vouch for the rest of the hours.) I get to hear the candidates' ideas straight from their own mouths, and the few filler things they run are focused on presidential history - odd facts and Today In History type things. Entertaining AND informative.

3. Tutoring
When I first thought about opening EdS, I was worried that I was going to resent having to spend time tutoring in the afternoons. Typically by the time my students leave at 3:15, I am usually exhausted and the only thing I want to do is go home. However, walking into my own business seems to revitalize me. It helps that my tutoring kids are all quite pleasant to work with. I get a huge kick out of working with them on a more individual basis and seeing them make progress from week to week. It's a good feeling.

4. Parental Visit
Mom is coming to visit! :) I am especially excited about this because she hasn't been out this way since my wedding, 5 years ago. So much has changed since then, and I can't wait to show her everything - the dogs, the house/property, my school and Escuela. Luckily, I have a 3 day weekend in which to clean and prepare for her arrival. Not that she's that picky - but I want to show the place off a little. :)

5. Observation
I was observed by my principal this week. She is a tough one to read sometimes, and when she left I had no idea whether she had enjoyed my lesson or not. At our debriefing afterward she had lots of very nice things to say. She praised my growth and development as a teacher since she first (and last) observed me 4 years ago. She also complimented my classroom management, the tone of my room, and my ability to model/explain concepts to students. It was a wonderful meeting and I left feeling as though she was very glad to have me on her staff. I haven't been too worried about that, but it's nice to know that she didn't hire me just because someone said she had to give me a place. She truly appreciated the things I do, both in the classroom and as part of our school-wide community. That is an EXCELLENT feeling.

All is Well

Sorry to be in absentia during such a worrisome time. We're fine. No fires near us, just all around us: Escondido is just south, Irvine is just north, Fallbrook is just east, and Julian is just west of us. We saw smoke and some flames from our place, but they were many miles off in the distance. No real danger. Just enough to stir up that instinctual "FIRE BAD!" response in me. I'm not sure if it is related to my control-freak personality, residual caveman genes, or distant childhood memories, but my fear of larger fires borders on the irrational.

Anyway - no problems here. I wish I could say the same for everyone else in Southern California. Fortunately, as a community we have banded together and we're taking care of our own. Thanks for the concern...

I now return you to the regularly scheduled lack of posts. (Hopefully that is a joke, but with report cards and conferences just around the corner, I suspect it's not. Sorry.)

Snuggle Kitty

Bonsai, our wacky orange cat, has become extremely affectionate lately. I don't know if it is because I haven't been around as much or if it's just a phase he's going through, but I like it. When I walk past him, he gets as high up as he can and then reaches his paws up to my shoulder. That's his way of saying, "pick me up". He then gazes at me adoringly and rubs his cheek against mine. When I lay on the couch, he climbs under my blanket and flops into my lap. The only time I don't like this new attention is at 3:00 am when he climbs onto my chest, tickles my face with his whiskers, and drools on me.

Must be Friday.

I never could get the hang of Fridays. I know the reference is to Tuesdays, but it's Fridays that are kicking my butt this year. I just can't seem to get the hang of them. I spend the whole day running from one thing to the next, never quite keeping up. The kids recognize this and take full advantage. Fridays are always their most chatty, chaotic day. Instead of being able to gently and humorously redirect them, I have to get very strict to keep them on track. As much as I would like to spend every Friday playing with them, we have a limited amount of time in which to complete a magnitude of activities. My Fridays are remarkably akin to herding a roomful of yowling, energetic cats through a waterfall. Damn near impossible.

Is Anyone Here?

I bet you thought I was gone for good this time. But I'm not. It's just that with my full-time school job and my part-time tutoring job I don't have much time left over for anything else: breathing, sleeping, blogging...

So, what am I up to these days?

1. Teaching - I'm having a great year, albeit a busy one. I have 30 students, each with their own abilities, challenges, and personality quirks. Despite my certainty on the first day that I was never going to get comfortable, I am actually getting to know them pretty well. They are a very helpful, sweet, TALKATIVE group. Some days it's hard for me to get a word in edgewise! There is no hope of getting them to stop. I can only hope that they will learn to focus and direct their conversation a little. As usual, the day to day workings of fifth grade keep me hopping. I am also part of the Student Success Team (extra support for struggling students) and the Caught Building Character (we rode scooters at our Friday Flag Salute last week!) program. Oh! And I am the library liaison for my grade level. I am getting to know the members of my team, and I get the feeling that we're going to work well together (lots of different personalities, all fun).

2. Tutoring - I am pleased to be able to say that we are starting the month of October with enough clients to pay the rent each month. Woohoo! I currently work 3 hours and my partner is working a bunch more. We are covering a wide range of ages (7 - 12 years old) and topics (reading, writing, math, study skills). We're having a lot of fun, and I am looking forward to business picking up enough for me to revisit my need for other employment. :)

3. Dieting - The doctor put me on a low-carb diet in an effort to control my cholesterol. Turns out I might be part of a small percentage of the human population who can eat all the cholesterol they want as long as I keep the carbs down. Just another of the fun genetic twists I inherited! I am doing better on this diet than I thought I would. If you know me, you know that I am a total Carb Queen. Mike has been working hard to keep me fed with interesting low-carb foods (he's a great cook!) and I have been exercising a great amount of restraint. There are 2 things about this diet that are helping me keep on track. First, I have very few cravings. If I smell something really great like french fries or toast, it's a struggle, but for the most part I don't really feel a NEED for carbs. Secondly, I have lost nearly 10 pounds. In the past, I have busted my butt, dieting and exercising like a maniac, without losing a pound. This time, the pounds are just melting off me. Not only have I lost the weight, but I can actually SEE the difference. My stomach, which has been distinctly un-flat since the kidney transplant, is on its way to my pre-college days. Fun!

Okay. There is lots more to tell you, but I'm not sure what it is. I will try to come back again soon. But I wouldn't recommend holding your breath. :)

it's the little things that give me away

If you were to sit and have lunch with me today we would probably talk at length about the two exciting things that are soon occuring in my life: starting a new school year at a new school, opening a new business. I would seem calm and confident, exuding enthusiasm for both projects equally. You would later tell someone how impressed you are with my ability to take on such challenges and still remain so relaxed and energetic.

That is because I wouldn't mention how hard it is for me to fall asleep these days. Or how I look for any excuse to keep sleeping in the morning. I won't tell you how much hair I find in the drain after a shower in the morning. You wouldn't notice how I avoid moving my right arm too often or too quickly due to that pain that just won't go away.

I am very excited about my new classroom. I can't wait to meet my new team and my new students. I am thrilled that I am making an attempt at a dream I have had for some time. I am just as enthusiastic as I seem, but I am in no way as confident as I look. I am terrified by both of these new things, and it's the little things that give me away.

For You?

Often I am struck by a particular group of lyrics while listening to music. Most of the time it is something that is relevant to my own life, but every once in a while I get hung up on words that don't feel like they are for me. This has happened to me twice lately...

Performer: SONiA
Album:No Bomb is Smart
Song: "Won't Let Go"

don't let go
just hold on
keep your eye on the road
and your heart in a song
whatever happened is already gone
don't let go

Obviously this is a message that applies to many people, and I have always liked it, but lately it seems to be persistently trying to get through to someone. Since there are a number of people who might be needing it now, I am posting it here and hoping the perhaps it will get through to its intended recipient.

Performer: Bill Staines
Album: First Million Miles
Song: 'Phoenix'

Oh, Lord, have mercy on this poor, poor heart.
Take it from the ashes
and teach it how to fly again.
Oh, Lord, have mercy on this poor, poor heart.

I am quite fond of this album, but I have never paid much attention to this song until my MP3 player started playing it obsessively. Bill has such an expressive voice that I just want to cry thinking about being in such pain that you would cry out like this. Again, I'm not sure who this applies to (pain seems to be fairly common these days), but I hope it reaches that person.

Escuela update

We are a business in everything but actual work now. We have our location (accessible on the 15th), we have our name, license, tax ID, and bank account. Everything is ready for us to actually get started. Now we just need to...get started. Some upcoming goals...
Aug. 20 - Flyers ready to go out to schools (want them out there by the 23rd so we hit back to school night!)
Sept. 5 - Open House (need to have our sign, brochures, sign up paperwork, materials and environment all set by then)

Yikes!

See?

This is what happens when I start to whine and complain about my own health. I get a reminder of just how good it really is. Amy went back to Mayo this week because her creatinine levels were headed in the wrong direction. She had to undergo all kinds of tests and probes, including a biopsy of her transplant kidney. While the kidney is obviously not a happy camper at the moment, there are no signs of rejection either.

I'm not egotistical enough to think that all that happened just to remind me that I am relatively healthy and I should appreciate it. But it has that effect. The few pills I take are ones that I am choosing to take in an effort to avoid later problems. If I forget them or run out I am not going to end up in the hospital or worse. My lack of exercise it due to lack of motivation and effort, not lack of ability. High cholesterol, while carrying a few long term health risks, is not an immediately life threatening situation. All in all, I am an incredibly lucky individual and I do realize it.

I think the real issue here is that I am realizing that I am no longer as healthy as I once was. I am mourning the days when I could move furniture without pulling a muscle, eat whatever I wanted without first considering its calories/fat/cholesterol/sodium/protein, and sleep through the night without waking up to sore joints. You lose a certain amount of freedom and innocence as you reach the point of having to take care of yourself, and I am just coming to terms with that. I know that I am not old (again, I'm younger than all but 3 of the adults in my life, and those are my siblings), but I am not really young anymore either. I'm sure everyone goes through this, but it's hard when my 30 year old body won't/can't do what my 20 year old brain wants to do.

Anyway. Just wanted to tell everyone that they should aim any sympathetic feelings they may have had for me over toward Amy's kidney and related parts. Technically, that's still feeling sorry for me. :)

No Need for Food

Please note: My health problems are miniscule compared to those of just about everyone I know. However, they are MINE and consequently seem important to me. I apologize to everyone who is reading this and thinking "What a baby. She should see what I have to go through every day."

Since my last visit to the doctor, I have begun taking a variety of pills and supplements. Each morning, I take 2 glucosamine (for my bad joints), 1 fish oil (for the joints and the cholesterol), and 1 multivitamin (to make up for my deficient iron and B12). None of these pills is smaller than the end of my pinkie finger, and by the time I finish choking them down I am too full for breakfast. Or maybe my lack of interest in breakfast is because I consider that to be medication, too. 1/2 cup of oatmeal every morning to aid in reducing my cholesterol. Meh. What I really want is a couple of scrambled eggs, slathered in cheese and wrapped in a tortilla. The really sad thing is that my cholesterol continues to go up, so I am going to be forced to add yet another pill to my routine. Hooray for genetics!

Yikes!

It's done. We signed the lease papers for Escuela del Sol today. We get to pick up the keys on Aug. 15th and we will hopefully be doing business by Sept. 1.

I own a business.

Hehe.

FYI

Nothing much happening here. Only have internet access when I got to the public library, thanks to our crappy satellite and it's crappy crappiness. They're coming out to work on it someday. Until then...you won't see much of me.

So Busy

Today we...

...checked out a space for our business to be located. It was very nice. Just the right size, reasonably priced (compared to local stuff anyway), lots of natural light, comfortable neighborhood, adequate parking, nice owners. We're still looking around, but in my gut it feels like this is the place.

...went to the dentist. I have 3 cavities. THREE?!!? I don't know who was more shocked, myself or my dentist. I never get cavities. To be fair, one is an old filling going bad, and the other two are back to back between a couple of teeth (so they should really only count as one!). I'm bummed though. I have to have 2 more visits back. Bleh. Luckily, my dentist is kind and gentle and only slightly religiously nuts. :)

...went to the doctor. Mikey had a follow up on his visit to the ER last week. Things are much better now, but the doc sent him to get his back x-rayed. She wants to know if there is a reason to send him to the specialists for further attention. She's also sending him to the tummy folks, something he has needed but put off for some time, so I guess there will be good coming from this craziness.

...went to the blood bank. Mikey wasn't feeling up to it, but I gave a unit. I try to go as soon as I am eligible (every 2 months). It is a good idea, if you're capable. There are lots who need it. I am a universal donor, so I figure it's particularly important for me to give.

...watched the new Bruce Willis movie. He's still yummy even though he's getting old. (Shhh...don't tell Mikey I said that!) The movie wasn't great, and some of the dramatic action scenes were a little silly, but it was fun. Plus, Kevin Smith is in it. Hooray!

...bought Orange Guard, which is supposed to repel ants. We have been having serious ant trouble lately, and this is our compromise. I am perfectly willing to sacrifice some karma points killing the little buggers, but Mikey is a gentleman and would like us to deal with the issue non-violently. The compromise was that we would use the Orange stuff to keep them out, but I toasted the ones that were already in. This stuff better work, or I am going to start breaking out the heavy duty poison.

...bought an edger. We are going to be setting up an invisible fence (of the underground variety) in a further attempt to keep the dogs on our property. It will follow the same perimeter as the regular fence, and will hopefully keep them from getting close enough to dig out. This is getting a little rediculous. We will then have a 6 foot chain link fence, fortified with shock wire and the top and bottom and protected by another hidden wire that first beeps and then zaps the silly creatures. So much work for two goofy black dogs. I can't stand the alternatives though.

Time for bed. Another busy day tomorrow. G'night.

Holy Adreneline Rush, Batman!

Yesterday was quite an adventure for us. And not the kind I want to repeat any time soon. It all started with a pain in Mikey's right shoulder.

It felt like a crick in his neck from sleeping funny (he slept in a chair due to heartburn), but it came on very rapidly around 10 am. He went from feeling fine, to not being able to lift his right arm or turn his head at all without intense pain. He spent about an hour resting uncomfortably on the bed, and then decided to get up to make some toast.

It was very painful for him to stand, and by the time he got to the kitchen, he needed to sit down. He was very lightheaded and dizzy. When he said he was having trouble hearing, I turned to look at him. I had just enough time to notice how blue/white his lips were and get concerned before he passed out. I was close enough to catch him before he fell off the chair.

I was actually thinking that it would be a good thing for him (he hadn't been taking very good breaths because of the shoulder pain) and that he would feel better when he woke up before I realized that he wasn't breathing at all. Instantly, I became that hysterical girl in the movies, slapping him and shouting for him to wake up. I laid him down on the floor and ran for the phone. All I could think was "Shit - I don't think I remember how to do CPR."

Eventually (in a matter of seconds, I'm sure, although it felt like several minutes), I managed to dial 911. Just as they were answering, Mikey started to shake and make choking noises. I rolled him over on his side (I remembered that much from my seizure training) as I was telling the 911 Operator that "there is something wrong with my husband and I need an ambulance". She got our information and sent out the Fire Rescue vehicle and an ambulance. While we waited I was a wreck, but Mike calmly reminded me to do things in preparation of leaving. I got him shoes and socks, fed the cats, etc. He directed it all from his prone position on the kitchen floor.

After about 15 minutes, the paramedics showed up and took over. They asked all kinds of questions and took all kinds of vital signs. Everything seemed okay for the moment, but they suggested that Mikey take a little ride to the ER anyway. Considering how pale he was, I thought it was a good idea. What I wasn't so thrilled with was the idea that I wasn't allowed to ride with him. So, they took off with him and I stood alone in the kitchen wondering what the hell to do next.

I called his parents and told them briefly what had happened and where he was going to be. I then tried to think of what we would need in the off chance that he would end up staying the night. I managed to pack him a toothbrush, hairbrush, and book. I got stuck as I stood in my closet. Most of my brain was shouting "just pick something!" but part of it was very concerned with whether each shirt would be appropriate for the weather and the environment and the company. It was very strange what my brain would get hung up on as I tried to get ready to go. I finally decided that I couldn't wait any longer, grabbed my purse, and jumped in the car.

At the hospital, I walked in and asked them where I might find my husband. "He would be in there...but we have some important papers you need to sign here." Stupid red tape. I finally signed enough of my life away that they were willing to let me back to see him. He was on a bed, in the hallway. This is apparently how things work in this overcrowded hospital. Despite the less-than-satisfactory location, we were happy with the doctor and the nurse who were attending him. They were very kind and seemed to know what they were doing. The nurse was quite amusing, guessing our weights and throwing out little political barbs.

They did a series of diagnostic tests, mostly wanting to rule out anything heart related and to make sure there wasn't any internal bleeding happening anywhere. He had a chest x-ray, an EKG, bloodwork, and regular PB/pulse/O2/etc readings. Several hours later, they decided that it was all a result of his shoulder pain, which was muscle related. The pain was bad enough that when he stood up his dilated blood vessels weren't up to the job of getting blood (and therefore oxygen) to his brain. He fainted and somehow his breathing got messed up (this is the part I don't understand so well). His brain, in an attempt to get things back in working order hit the "Reset" button, causing the the shaking/seizure-like stuff. They gave him some heavy duty pain meds and some muscle relaxants and sent him home.

I didn't sleep very well, trying to make sure that Mikey was still breathing and getting him to take his medications and such. But this morning, he was looking much better. His shoulder still hurts, and he refuses to take the pain meds because they might make him nauseated, but he's taking the muscle relaxants and moving much better than before. The whole thing was really not such a big deal, and he was never in much real danger, but I will never forget how awful it was to look at his completely slack face and realize that I couldn't see any breathing.

Okay...enough. Time to take him out for ice cream. It is 100.5 F here. Bleh.

Speaking of our Government...

It's easy to get caught up in the beauty of the buildings and the honor of the ideals that Washington represents. Before too long, however, someone does something to remind me of how far we've drifted from the intentions of our Founding Fathers.

Rather than try to sound intelligent on this issue, I will just point you to this Special Comment by Keith Olbermann. Mr. Olbermann takes a good 10 minutes of MSNBC's airtime to throw down the gauntlet. If only Bush/Cheney were men enough to take it up. It's a sad day in history when we are challenging our leaders to be as noble as Richard Nixon.

You both crossed the Rubicon yesterday. Which one of you chose the route, no longer matters. Which is the ventriloquist, and which the dummy, is irrelevant. But that you have twisted the machinery of government into nothing more than a tawdry machine of politics, is the only fact that remains relevant.

It is nearly July 4th, Mr. Bush, the commemoration of the moment we Americans decided that rather than live under a King who made up the laws, or erased them, or ignored them — or commuted the sentences of those rightly convicted under them — we would force our independence, and regain our sacred freedoms.

Amen.

You can read the transcript here, but you really need to see it to get the full emotion behind it. You-tube has it up here.

Washington Pictures

~Arlington Cemetery~

Standing in the middle of Arlington, seeing row after row of gravestones as far as the eye can see, has to be one of the most heartbreaking things I've experienced.

There is a section of Arlington reserved for Supreme Court Justices.

JFK and wife are buried here, marked with the Eternal Flame. After Kennedy was buried here, they had to put stronger restrictions on who was eligible. Everyone wanted to be in the same cemetery as he was.


Another heartbreaking sight. The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, memorializing all those who have died defending our country. Despite my feeling about war and violence, I can still be grateful to those who have given their lives to protect us.

~D.C. Monuments and Buildings~
Our first stop was the Korean War Memorial.

Our guide described the Korean War as the "forgotten" war. It is often forgotten there between WWII and Vietnam, but that doesn't make the sacrifices of those soldiers and their families any less important.

Being abused by the Right to justify taking away our constitutional freedoms doesn't make this statement any less true. We have paid greatly for our freedom throughout the years.

The next stop was the Lincoln Memorial.

Walking up those steps was tiring. I relished the ache in my legs and let it remind me how so many struggled and fought for those rights that I take for granted today.

Anywhere the states are listed in D.C. they are put in order of statehood. Until taking this picture, I had never noticed that WI, CA, and MN all fall right in a row. My three homestates.

Martin Luther King, Jr. stood on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial for his "I Have a Dream" speech. It is marked (very subtly) with this engraving.


Definitely one of my heroes. He just LOOKS like someone you could talk to, you know?

From Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address.

From Lincoln's Gettysburg Address.

The Washington Monument standing elegantly behind the reflecting pool. I'm disappointed in how dark this picture turned out, but it's still an amazing sight.


We then went to the Vietnam Memorial.

I love the image of the hand supporting a fellow human. If only we could memorialize more acts of kindness and support and fewer acts of war and violence.

So many names. There were several letters and photographs along its length. The one that got me was about a dog which had been adopted by a soldier. She would greet his helicopter after each run. After he died, she continued to meet each chopper, waiting in vain for his return.

The reality of war. People die. There is pain and suffering. War is bad.

Finally, we went to Pennsylvania Avenue.

The building which houses the executive branch of our government.

The building which houses the legislative branch of our government. The flags above the right and left wings let us know that both the Senate and the House were in session that day.

Virginia Pictures

On this fourth of July, I share with you my pictures from Virginia and Washington, D.C.

~Colonial Williamsburg~

An important government building during Colonial times.


A silversmith at work.


A pewtersmith's shop.


A kiln used for firing bricks. Notice how the bricks are different colors in different areas. This is due to the difference in temperature during the firing.


A giant stack of bricks, ready to be used in building.


The Williamsburg armory. It was from this building that King George's men confiscated gunpowder, upsetting the colonists and contributing to the start of the Revolutionary War.


The mansion of the Williamsburg Governor.

~Monticello: Home of Thomas Jefferson~


The house where Thomas Jefferson lived. I wasn't allowed to take pictures inside, but there were some very cool things. He had a Museum of Curiosities in his entryway, and a gigantic library (of teeny, tiny books).




Jefferson had a huge, beautiful garden. He organized it according to which part of the plant was used (roots, fruit, leaves).


Check out those copper pans. The kitchen was located on the lower level and the opposite side of the house as the dining room (I think this had something to do with keeping the heat out of the main house during the summer?).


Jefferson wrote his own epitaph, identifying the Dec. of Independence, the Virginia Constitution, and the University of Virginia as his greatest accomplishments.

~Mount Vernon: Home of George Washington~


Again, internal pictures were forbidden, but I was able to get these of the outside. Washington lived a lavish life, complete with fancy bright green paint and a plethora of guest rooms.

A brief (but important) aside -

I promised these pics a long time ago and then forgot all about them. I came across them as I prepared my Washington pics for uploading, so here they are...






My heart dances for each of you every day. Keep fighting, Kate.