Saturday, December 09, 2006

Personal Update

This gastorenteritis, which hit me on Wednesday, is one nasty virus. What a way to start my Christmas vacation! I'll try to make limited rounds as I can.

Tomorrow evening, my husband and I have tickets for "Mount Vernon by Candlelight." As a lifelong resident of Northern Virginia, I've yet to take this tour, about which I've heard such praise. From the Mount Vernon web site:
During this holiday program, visitors learn about the Washingtons' Christmas traditions, tour the candlelit Mansion including the rarely-seen third floor, and meet historical characters 'Martha Washington' and 'Tobias Lear', who served as Washington’s secretary during his presidency.

On the grounds, guests enjoy caroling and free cookies and hot cider around a roaring campfire. This is the only time of the year that Mount Vernon is open exclusively for public evening tours.
My husband and I will be resting up so as to enjoy the event tomorrow. A bit of snow would make the tour even better.

Virtual tour of Mount Vernon HERE.

22 Comments:

At 12/09/2006 3:58 PM, Blogger elmers brother said...

have a good time and get better.

 
At 12/09/2006 4:23 PM, Blogger Always On Watch said...

EB,
I've been too sick even to read the daily newspapers. But unless I have a major relapse, I'm going to Mount Vernon tomorrow.

 
At 12/09/2006 4:43 PM, Blogger nanc said...

i'm not so sure cider would be a good idea? although when my stomach is queasy, a tablespoon of cider VINEGAR always does the trick.

have a wondy time!

 
At 12/09/2006 5:30 PM, Blogger WomanHonorThyself said...

feel better AOW!..and enjoy that tour..sounds lovely!! :)

 
At 12/09/2006 8:28 PM, Blogger The Merry Widow said...

Get a wheelchair if necessary! Go, take pictures, enjoy getting out and doing something that sounds great!
Have fun, rest up!

tmw

 
At 12/10/2006 5:40 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

My wife had this same thing over Thanksgiving. It is a nasty bug. Take care of yourself, and get well soon.

 
At 12/10/2006 9:54 AM, Blogger The WordSmith from Nantucket said...

Hope you get rested up and feel better soon. I hate being sick. I started coming down with something Friday night. This morning it's a little worse.

Mount Vernon by Candlelight sounds wonderful.

 
At 12/10/2006 11:55 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

One of these days Mrs. Farmer & I plan to do a Williamburg Christmas.

Course we'll have to wait until the kids are too busy raising their own children before that will likely happen... but its' always good to keep some delights unperformed in order to better appreciate the arrival of tomorrow...

 
At 12/10/2006 12:08 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

ps - I doubt you'll get a chance... but I'd love to see the two tombs one day (but not by candlelight) just to try and get a feel for why Washington never made it into the tomb under the captitol rotunda (unless that was never really intended)...

 
At 12/10/2006 1:46 PM, Blogger Always On Watch said...

FJ,
I used to have book entitled A Williamsburg Christmas, or something similar. My husband and I really should set aside a few days and head for there. I've heard that it's quite a wonderful experience. In fact, I think I'd go just for the music of that period.

 
At 12/10/2006 1:51 PM, Blogger Always On Watch said...

TMW,
I've got the camera set out and ready to go.

Nanc,
I don't think they serve hard cider, which might help this malady my husband and I have. ;)

Tom,
I'm much better now, but my husband, a diabetic, can't seem to shake the accompanying headache.

EB,
We'd have a better time if we felt better. But I can't stand the thought of not using those tickets!

WHT,
We'll get a tour of the 3rd floor, which is usually closed to visitors. At least, so says the info about the tour.

Wordsmith,
I hope you don't come down with the full-blown version of this miserable virus.

 
At 12/10/2006 3:49 PM, Blogger Gayle said...

I don't suggest drinking hard cider, AOW. It will only aggrivate your condition! Stay away from tomatoe based products too. Trust me, I know of what I speak. Until you are all over this, eat bland foods. I drank a lot of green tea. I hope you get to feeling much better soon, and that you are able to enjoy yourself on this tour.

 
At 12/10/2006 4:17 PM, Blogger Brooke said...

I hope you have a fabulous time, AOW!

 
At 12/10/2006 8:01 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

If you go, spend the extra few $ and stay in one of the Colonial Taverns. I have an eighteen year old daughter today as a result of the experience ;-)

 
At 12/10/2006 8:23 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

take care of yourself, we need the voices

 
At 12/10/2006 8:24 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

take care of yourself, we need the voices

 
At 12/11/2006 6:15 AM, Blogger Always On Watch said...

Farmer,
That's a great story! Did such a place make your daughter a history buff?

 
At 12/11/2006 6:18 AM, Blogger Always On Watch said...

The tour was lovely, although because of the crowds, it was somewhat of the bum's rush. In the press of the crowd, we didn't get to the third floor because we made one wrong turn and couldn't swim back upstream.

One of the best features of the tour was the quartet singing colonial-period carols near the bonfire. This quartet was from West Potomac High School and really outdid themselves. I could have sat there--on the bales of hay--and have listened for hours. As it was, we got serenaded for about 15 minutes. We joined our tour group to the sounds of "Fum, Fum, Fum."

My husband wore his Santa hat, and that little touch got a bit of attention. He's grown out a full beard for the season and looks the part.

 
At 12/11/2006 8:30 AM, Blogger Brooke said...

Heehee. My hubby says he looks forward to the day when he's grey enough to pull off such a beard... In the interim, he's working on the belly! ;)

 
At 12/11/2006 8:40 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

It may have... next to film, it's her greatest passion. She keeps wanting me to take her on a walking tour of Philadelphia and tell my tales of Franklin...

 
At 12/11/2006 12:11 PM, Blogger cube said...

Glad you're feeling better. Enjoy the tour.

 
At 12/14/2006 10:50 AM, Blogger benning said...

I expect a complete travelogue, AOW! So, drink tea, nibble crackers, and get better!

 

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