With AP in NY and Margaret in Charlottesville at sleep away camp, Patrick and I took Abby away for a few days for a Civil War excursion that was just up their alley. I was hoping for a few days at the beach, but I couldn't convince them, and the beach was in the opposite direction, so they won out.
After taking Margaret to camp, we headed through Staunton, VA and stopped at the Frontier Culture Museum since we have a membership now. We rented a souped up golf cart to get around since we didn't have very long and the museum in really spread out. It turned out to be a good call b/c it started to storm when we were there and we could take cover on the golf cart! Patrick enjoyed speeding around a bit too much, I almost fell off a few times and the interpreters were giving him dirty looks... He needs to get out more! At one point, Abby and him jetted into a house and I was waiting for a break in the rain, when the emergency break failed and the darn thing started to roll off w/ me in the back seat! I had to yell into the open windows of the German house to get him to come back and save me, which didn't go over so well w/ me!
In Lexington, we stayed at a hotel w/ an indoor pool and Abby and Patrick played in the water each day while I worked out. On Monday we visited the Stonewall Jackson House. Abby was brave enough to wear her Stonewall attire and they gave us a personal tour of the rooms tailored to her attention span, which was perfect. She really wanted to see Little Sorrel, so we walked all around the campus of Washington and Lee and then VMI in the blazing afternoon sun. I had my doubts that the trip would hold her interest, but she was really taken with finally seeing Stonewall's horse in person, behind the glass case. She posed for several pictures and then was game for seeing Lee's tomb on the walk back. She is an amazing little girl and genuinely has a passion all things Stonewall. She even wanted to find his grave site. I had lost interest long before this, but she was into it! Week later, she is still talking about Lexington and seeing the soldiers solute each other at VMI!
