Richmond, VA-Williamsburg, VA 10/12 50 driving miles; 16.3 walking miles

Feeling no real ill effects from the delicious dinner we shared with Kel-babe and the BOW(deeply)mans, we made our way through the morning traffic of Richmond to the wonderfilled site of Colonial Williamsburg, which was established as a King's colony in 1632. It's mind boggling to be such a late comer (My grandfather arrived at Ellis Island in1907, at the sprightly age age of sixteen carrying his grade school education, his five dollar fortune, his strong and willing back, his perseverence, and no small measure of hope). The colony is quite a treat, filled as it is with folks dressed in funny clothes speaking in funny voices and reliving not so funny times; in fact, reliving the times of brave, resourceful, and visionary people. They are among the first of what has made our country great: adventurous, self-reliant, God fearing folk. On a disturbing note, I really must have been distracted in high school, maybe by puberty or an attraction to the fair sex because nothing else can explain my woeful knowkedge of our nation's history especially as it relates to the men from Virginia who helped shape our nation. For example, I walked  into a room in the oldest building on the oldest campus (William and Mary) where likely both Washington and Jefferson sat as students. And that doesn't even count John Tyler (10th President) or Patrick Henry (Give me Liberty or give

me Death) who also were in attendance here. And likely there are others who bear mention. I feel much the same as I did when  we visited Texas. I have a new  understanding of Virginia's state pride. It's one of the joys of experiencing our country. We met two examples of "best" humans today, but if we had talked to more, we'd have found more. If I listened to talk radio or watched the blather of talk TV, I could easily conclude that the sky is falling. But being the doubting Timmus I am, I like to make up my own mind based on my own observations (Hopefully without tripping over the  impediment of my own bias). Here's what I see a lot of: people living the dream. Having said that, I also see some disenfranchised, but the problem is I'm not allowed to ask any really serious questions, which leaves me pondering problems in a particularly pernicious way, which is to say round and round I go, where I stop nobody knows. I do knowa circular swirl isn't much of an answer. Regardless, glad I am to be given this gift of experience, which as always leads me to the conclusion that life is good, especially today.

Karen, weaver, spinner, and reenacter has worked for the foundation for twenty-seven years, including a stint on the corporate side. She says shes much more fulfilled working with wool and cloth thsn she was crunching numbers. We found her gathering black walnuts to use as dye. Cool gal.

 Second "best" human (Kevin) a physics major who joyfullly endured the badgering of two old codgers. He had no   answer to the unfair question of what he hoped to do after graduation.

 Art shot of the day.

Owning one of these in Colonial times would be like buying a sixteen seat private jet today.

Behind the Lt. Governer is the oldest colkege building in America.

 It's likely our forefathers had discussions in this room.

  And in this very cool room, too.

Sign on the Literature professor's door.

 Life for the wealthy as it was back then.

Life for the miscreants.

They call this "Beauty Berry".

Tonight we'll sleep in better digs than this.

And before I sleep, I'll munch on this fresh baked ginger cookie. Yum!