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Not a scary Halloween. I did not even have a costume. Spent the day visiting Monticello the home of Thomas Jefferson. Just go there. I cannot begin to describe the uniqueness of this home both in the features Jefferson himself invented, the natural light flowing through the place, the gardens and the view. I was a bit overwhelmed standing in the place where he worked, learned and died. Thank you Mr. Jefferson for being so darn smart. I will never understand why he did not do more about slavery, at least in his own home, as he clearly knew it was wrong and thought it should be ended. He did not have a solution so he left it to the next generation. Jefferson and Monroe were friends. Monroe had a room set aside for him in the Jefferson house. The house on the hill is so impressive. I always wanted to go there and am glad I finally did.
Michie Tavern for lunch was a great hearty meal offered by servers in period attire. The rustic restaurant setting provides an experience rich in southern culture and hospitality. The buildings are historic landmarks. The server believed Terry and I were sisters and looked exactly alike (sorry Terry).
Terry and I got to the Monroe house a bit too late for the tour, or so they said. We paid the price anyway and decided to walk the grounds. The first thing you notice is that Monroe either did not have the money Jefferson and Madison had or was more modest in his approach. We heard the tour guide talking and decided to listen in (we did pay). We basically ended up crashing the tour and were able to go through the house after all. The best part of this house is the many, many things they have that were actually owned by the Monroe family.
Virginia is so rich in history you cannot get to it all but I was thrilled to visit the homes and museums of three of our founding fathers Jefferson, Madison and Monroe all within thirty miles of each other. Crazy fact Jefferson and Adams died on July 4th a few minutes apart from each other and Monroe died on July 4th a few years later.
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