still trying to catch up

Hi everybody...still moving along..in Gettysburg right now...but will fill you in about Poplar Forest...I'll mkeep trying to get current..maybe if we stay put for a few days..it might help...but?

THURSDAY, MAY 18
It was a scenic beautiful drive up and up thru the mountainside to Poplar Forest which is the final retirement home of Thomas Jefferson...The entire town is called Poplar forest because obviosly of all the Poplar trees!..In order to locate it with our GPS, it wqas necessary to drive thru many curved and winding streets thru a small settlement of somewhat contemporary appearing modest sized homes...until Lo and Behold!...Poplar Forest was sitting up on the very top of a small hill...appeaqring like a small Monticello...but being surroundede on all sides the Ocvtaganol home with it's characteristic Rotunda roof was absolutely breathtaking!...i took pictures...went to the admission office and had a guide assigned to us for an official tour...
The entire site is preswently under restoration and it has been estimated that it will take about 5 years...at a cost od about $30,000,000 for the house and a like amount to build and equip the museum! The entire project is under supervision of a prestigious Archeological group and the skilled workmen are also college educated with Historical backgrounds...wow! The tour took several hours and along with much explanation, we were able to visualize parts of the exposede understructure and the significance it haqd to Jeffersons architectural expertise and the original inventions and techniques he utilized to produce such a fabulous place....the miracle of it was that it was done while he was in the Presidency in Dc or Monticello and done by written correspondence to the builoders...we were able to see and have explained by signage the old and partially finished areas..which will be kept somewhat in that condition to better underswtand it.

I found a suare edged nail on the floor and asked one of the men if it could be one of the nails used to secure the parallel bands of lathe, and he told me No but it dated from the 1840's and then showed me the original rose headed or L-shaped nails which had been used and purchased from the Nail Factory owned by Jefferson!..He not only waqs a grat poloitician, statesman, astronomer, diplomat, architect etc...but he also was a shrewd business man!
All the rooms appeared as tho they were front rooms since the building was octaganal and each had floor to ceiling triple hung, counterbalanced sash- weighted
windows which could be used as windows or doors! The only room without windows was the very attractive Dining room which had a very ingenious sky-light...the diffuse lighting resulting was n very effective. He had a rather large contingent of slaves at both place...and don't forget his relationship with Sally Hennings!
He built the house knowing he would be inundated with hordes of visitors and wanted a retreat where he could spend time with his 2 of his young granddaughters...It took him 3 days to travel there by bHorse and carriage and 2 days by horseback from Monticello if he were in a hurry...it took us about 1 hour driving time! All the redbricks that were used to build the house were made on premises...some were the usual rectangular shape while many were curved to better allow fotr the curved walls1...There were also 2 outside "Necessarys"...constructed similarly in Octaganal shape and topped with the usual rotunda roof...They did not have pits fto collect the excrement but wood drawers instead which could be emptied by the servants and utilized for fertilizer etc...He thought thisw would be much more "SANITARY"...

we spent several hours there nand I vould tell you much more...but if possible, I would suggest a visit..it would be enjoyable to you....and of course theren will be other things learnede which I plan to write of in my book....

we left there to drive to Staunton, Virginia the birthplace of Woodrow Wilson...Earlier in the morning we placed a call to our grandaughter, Tori who is Ellen and Tony's 3rd child...She just completed her 1st year at University of Virginia...which was founded and designed by Thomas Jefferson also0...She informed us that she had just received her report card and had bee3n given all QA's!...We promised to see her at dinner time and take her to any restaurant of her choice!
We saw and filmed Wilsons birthplace house..it also was owned by the church and had some information about nhim, but the maqterial I had received in Augusta was much more useful.

We saw Tori...took she and her boy friend to dinner...and all nwqas well...to bed....
This laptop is not as easy to type on!