Long Weekend, Fun Weekend!!!

FRIDAY

On Friday, I went with my friend Danielle to Ikea to help her get some more bookshelves.  Ikea is almost to D.C.  It's a pretty long drive, but we left earlier this time so that we could do some sightseeing on the way back home.  We went to Scotchtown, the home of Patrick Henry from 1771-1778.  The house has had a lot of repair work done to it.  It was left empty for several years, and lots of the valuable things (like the brass doorknobs) were stolen and some damage was done.  They had it decorated like a house in that period would have been with a few pieces of furniture that actually belonged to Patrick Henry or his family.  There was a gentleman's parlor and a lady's parlor.  We saw bedrooms, and in the basement, there was a room where Patrick Henry's first wife was kept until she passed away.  His first wife suffered from a mental illness that I guess was pretty severe.  They don't know what disease she suffered from, and it's sad to me to think that there were no medications to help people who were suffering from mental illnesses.  The woman giving the tour showed a picture from the mental hospital (I know that's not the correct term, but I can't think of what is) functioning at the same time.  Patients there were kept like prisoners in barred rooms with only straw mattresses on the floor.  The tour woman felt that Patrick Henry must have done the best by his wife that he could have.

The back entrance to Patrick Henry's home at Scotchtown.  The front entrance looked pretty much the same except with a pretty walkway.  I didn't take a picture because Luke was throwing a fit.  Actually, he was pretty squirmy the whole tour.  Danielle had her two kids with her as well.  We were about the worst people you would ever want on a tour because we kept yanking our kids away from furniture they were trying to touch, and the kids were just a little whiny and rambunctious after being cooped in a car for a couple hours.  Luckily, there was only one other couple on the tour--an elderly couple from California.  They were so nice and understanding!  They talked about their own kids and grandkids and said they admired us for giving our kids culture.  What a relief to meet people like that!  

Luke playing outside Scotchtown. 

The kitchen at Scotchtown.  The little girl in the shadows is Danielle's daughter Eden.

Right after I got home from my trip with Danielle, I bathed Luke and changed him and then Jared and I dropped Luke off at Hayley and Greg's so that we could go on a date!  This baby-sitting trading is the best!  Friday night, we went to see "Cry Witch", a night program at Colonial Williamsburg where you watch a real witch trial from 1706.  It was awesome!  The characters did an amazing job with the acting, and they have to be pretty quick on their toes because the audience gets to ask them questions during the trial.  Jared and I found out a lot about witch "evidence" for the times.  I thought the trials were a bunch of lying eye witnesses, and there was one of those in the trial, but most of the evidence was based on actual "tests" with laws around them.  For instance, the floating test was explained.  The witch was tied and then put in a lake.  She was only considered a witch if she floated in an unnatural manner like a bubble on top of the water.  I still don't think it's a very good test, but it was good to see some distinction.  They also talked about black marks on her body that were poked and did not bleed.  This was also a test that determined if someone was a witch.  It was a lot more cool than I making it sound.  It was so intense and engaging.  At the very end of the trial, we had to vote on her guilt or innocence according to the law of that time.  Jared and I hung her.  Call us criminal, but the evidence of the time was against her.  If anyone comes to visit (and you all should), we'll take you to see it.  It was so awesome!!!

SATURDAY

Saturday was a lame-O day in a lot of ways.  All our plans fell through.  Jared got up early to work as a translator at a...well, I can't remember what it's called.  I think it's kind of like a "law fair" for firms and also for the school who are looking to represent people for free.  (How do you spell pro-bono?)  He was going to help with the interviewing process.  He walked all around the school and couldn't find where it was.  When he got home, he checked his calendar, and he got the week wrong.  So he went to meet the guys for football, and no one showed up!  Then, we went to meet some of his school friends for apple and pumpkin picking at a farm near here, and the farm was closed!  It was a pretty irritating, but also ironically funny day.

SUNDAY

Normal Sunday

MONDAY

Monday and Tuesday were Spring Break, so Jared didn't have class.  Since he hasn't yet seen much, we decided to take him to some places that I (and Luke?) like to go.  On Monday, we went to Jamestown Settlement to see the Indian village, ships, and forts.

Outside one of the Indian hogans.  That little barrel is where they would crush corn.

The inside of one of the huts.  they have tons of fur.  I'm still working on pictures to send to Franklin for their Indian and trapper units.

One of the ships at Jamestown.  I think this one is the Elizabeth that we went on.  

Blogger was acting up, so the rest of our Monday and all of Tuesday is on the post below.  Enjoy!