Making Change

David's $2 bill give away made me think of something that happened the summer of 2007. That was the year we vacationed in Charlottesville, VA. We stopped at the visitor's center and bought passes for James Monroe's home Ash Lawn Highland, The Michie Tavern and Monticello. At Monticello you park in one spot and buy tickets then board a bus and are taken up to the house and grounds. We already had adult tickets but had to buy a child ticket for Isaiah. It cost $8. I paid with a $20 bill. The girl behind the counter had a heck of a time making change for me. They give everyone a crisp new $2 bill as part of their change since Thomas Jefferson is on the bill. I was standing there thinking how embarrassed Thomas Jefferson would be that this girl can't even make change! A $2 bill and a $10 bill ran through my head over and over. Trying to send my thoughts to the girl. But it didn't work. She had to get out a calculator!
Now... if you are ever lucky enough to visit that part of Virginia I would definitely recommend Ash-Lawn Highland. It doesn't seem to be as popular as Monticello but I actually liked it better. It's much more of a home. There are 3 slave cabin on the premises but it doesn't seem like such an estate, it's much more of a home.
The Michie Tavern was fun too. Isaiah and I took the tour while Bill sat in the car with a sleeping Naomi. Don't tell anyone but Isaiah danced the Virginia Rail as part of the tour. We had lunch at the tavern also. It's buffet style. I can't say I'd recommend that, especially if you have kids. It's over priced and I hope you like black eyed peas and greens. I don't. The gift shop below Michie Tavern was very nice. It's an old mill and the water wheel is still going.
At Monticello we took the tour that is tailored to families with young children. It was great! A woman who had been a school teacher in the area was our guide. Every child was given something, Isaiah had a small piece of hide from a buffalo. Then as we went through the house she'd ask if any of the kids saw something in the room that was like what they were holding. Isaiah's was right in the entry way. Jefferson had a lot of items brought back by Lewis and Clark.
In the garden they had some resurrection fern which Isaiah thought was so neat. When you touch the leaves of the plant it has a natural defense, it plays dead. It is funny. You touch it, then it starts to wither and curl up. You wait a while and it comes back to life.
The only thing that wasn't so good about that trip was the weather! Heat wave! It was over 100 every day we were in Virginia. Even after we left Charlottesville and went to Virginia Beach it was 106 at the beach! We stayed 1 night and headed back to Ohio!