ok, so now that i have been home a few hours, let me fill you in on some of the trip highlights.....#1 the orchid greenhouse at hillwood.......just fabulous, with over 200 blooming plants..the scent was just breathtaking.....literally........#2 the gardens at williamsburg......especially the one with the topiary and clipped box edging.......#3 the house at monticello.......just perfect in proportion, decoration, views, simplicity.........there are few historic homes that one can say.....i could live here...i do believe i could move into monticello.........#4 the maryland crab cake i had at the irish pub in anapolis.......though it would have tasted better with a small glass of guinness, but we were going to tour a college and i felt that beer might set the wrong mood.......#5 the admissions office at st johns.....we walked inthe door and the firts person to speak to us looked quite like betty poland.......scw says not, but she was strikingly similar in coloration, height, hairstyle........and demeanor.....#6....the lunch at hillwood cafe......a lovely room done in peach/pink walls with white woodwork that accented a wallsize canvas (probably russian) of a peasant picnic.........i had a stuffed cabbage roll with a salad and black bread........with baklava for dessert......#7the garden center at monticello where we bought heritage seeds for both flowers and vegetables.......now all we have to do is to get them to grow.........#8 the 11-hour sleep we got at charlottesville...we went to bed at 9:00 as we were so tired, and we didn't wake up til 8:00 the next morning.......#9 the chinese dinner with nick and roseanne......with chinese beer and hot and sour soup...and lo mein...and good conversation.......#10 the short time at the beach....watching ccw and scw playing in the frigid sand.......#11 (last one) watching scw enjoy his new role as camera man......now all he has to do is figure out how to transfer to dvd........