ok, so blogger did eat my last blog.....the one where i rant about how girl's size 7-14 clothing now comes in plus versions.....and the one about how much i like jonathan franzen's book the corrections..the one that oprah chose for her book club and franzen declined her invite.......that was the one that was lost......ah well........we are trying to plot out our spring break....and i am out of my element when it comes to factoring in 4 people,,,,,,,,actually 6 people..us (all except acw) and ecw's brother nick and his wife......i would say 7 people, but my brother stuart never responded to my email telling him i was coming......he is surely 'tied up with the war' and unavailable......so i have not planned the first thing.......because we do not know how much time nick can give us, given his brain tumor, treatment. etc........i do have a list of things i want to see....monticello for the umpteenth time.......except this time we know a docent who can get us a tour of the ballroom under the dome.......and hillwood, margorie merriweather post's home in dc.....and dumbarton oaks, also in dc and owned by harvard........alas, in the timeframe given, neither of the dc homes are open on mondays........we also want to visit some colleges.....uva, st. johns, william and mary, georgetown........i know that st john's does not have a school of architecture, but they do require that students learn ancient greek........and i consider that a plus......jefferson went to w&m, and founded uva's library and designed their buildings......if scw went to georgetown he would see my brother about as much as i do her in ky.........cayle has never been to williamsburg, where the crepe myrtles will be in bloom.......i have been there at least 7 times........i am drawn by the boxwood...i find the scent intoxicating........and by the gingerbread cookies baked fresh in back of raleigh tavern.......by the way........dr. rick hempel, my friend.....is the only person i know personally who is a member of phi beta kappa....the honorary founded by t. jefferson and others in the raleigh tavern............the trip may become a whirlwind....i foresee much driving......but i will not be the main driver on this excursion..........