Tuesday, November 21, 2017

Tuesday, November 21, 2017 -- Mattie died 427 weeks ago today. 

Tonight's picture was taken in November of 2007. Mattie was five years old and I took this photo of him during our walk on Roosevelt Island. Mattie loved to collect crinkly hedge apples on the Island in the Fall. As was evident given what he was carrying in his hands. But notice the building behind Mattie in the distance, the one with the spires. Well these structures are part of Georgetown University, and it is quite eerie that a year after this photo was taken, we practically lived on that campus, while Mattie was getting cancer treatment for over a year. 



Quote of the day: Caregiving leaves its mark on us. No matter what we do to prepare ourselves the hole left behind looms large. ~ Dale L. Baker



We ventured with Peter's parents today to Annapolis, MD. Here's a funny story! Years ago, my mom and I were touring around Annapolis, and walked into the beautiful State Capital building. We asked several people working in the building what the State capital of Maryland was, and you wouldn't believe the answers! We got a lot of "I don't know's" and "Baltimore." Keep in mind that these folks were working in the STATE CAPITAL building. The title should have given it away. This story always makes me chuckle!

I love seeing historic houses, and I find it a more interactive way to learn about history! We had a wonderful tour guide today named Carol. Carol was enthusiastic about her job and transferred that to those of us on her tour. I had the opportunity to learn about William Paca and his life. Paca married two times, and both women died. Each leaving him a substantial amount of money. With his wives he had three children, of which two died in childhood. Clearly he was a lawyer and a thinker and his wife was a socialite. Their whole way of living, lifestyle, and house captured a by-gone era. One of which is worth exploring. 

The William Paca House is an 18th-century Georgian mansion in Annapolis, Maryland. William Paca was a signatory of the Declaration of Independence and a three-term Governor of Maryland. The house was built between 1763 and 1765 and its architecture was largely designed by Paca himself. The 2-acre walled garden, which includes a two-story summer house, has been restored to its original state.


The William Paca House and Garden was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1971. The Paca House is a Georgian five-part house.





The brick structure comprises a central 2-1/2 story block on an elevated basement, flanked by symmetrical 1-1/2 story end pavilions, connected to the central structure by 1-1/2 story hyphens. The interior is a center hall plan with two rooms on either side of the hall. Original woodwork remains only in the central hall, stair hall and the west parlor, including the stair's original Chinese Chippendale balustrade.

The house and grounds were eventually acquired by the Annapolis Hotel Corporation, and the house became the lobby and conference rooms for a new hotel constructed in the garden immediately to the rear. The hotel, known as "Carvel Hall," opened with two-hundred guest rooms in 1906. But, by 1964, a mixed-use development was proposed for the site that would have demolished the house and the hotel, putting high rises in its place. 

After the plans to demolish Carvel Hall became public, the house was acquired by the Historic Annapolis Foundation and the surrounding property (garden) was acquired by the State of Maryland in 1965. The additions were removed in 1966-67 and ownership was transferred to the Maryland Historical Trust.

It is hard to believe that a hotel, and a large one at that, once sat on top of these gardens. Our wonderful guide today, told us that Carvel Hall was once a very vibrant and sought after hotel. I can't even imagine the amount of research, cost, and effort that went into restoring the house and garden back to its original form. 

Within the stepped down gardens, I snapped a photo of Peter with his parents. 

Peter and I in front of a very large holly bush! Something about this tree just reminded me of Christmas.

After exploring the house, we had lunch by the water at Sam's on the Waterfront. We had an incredible view of the water and boats, and the beauty of the space was the lack of noise and crowds.