Saturday, September 28, 2019

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Tonight's picture was taken in September of 2007. That weekend, Peter took Mattie out on a canoe. That wasn't a first for them. As Peter took Mattie on many Potomac River adventures and was teaching Mattie how to fish. As you can see, Mattie was very proud of the fact he caught a catfish. Don't worry, Peter snapped the photo and then threw the fish back into the River. Mattie loved adventure and he LOVED vehicles (cars, trucks, trains, planes, and boats). He was fascinated by their movement and how they worked. As a baby, we would watch cars drive by or planes fly overhead from our windows. It is no wonder I used to call Mattie my "little engineer."


Quote of the day: Grandmother-grandchild relationships are simple. Grandmas are short on criticism and long on love. ~ Janet Lanese

Tonight's quote is in honor of my maternal grandmother, Anne. Today would have been her 112th birthday! Hard to imagine. My grandmother was the lady all the way on the right in this photo. I remember this moment in time. As we were having lunch in Rockefeller  Center. During the winter this is the skating rink and in the summer, it was this cute cafe. When I was born, my grandmother was already living with my parents, as her husband died at an early age from colon cancer. Back then, I thought everyone grew up in a multi-generational family. My grandmother was the ultimate caregiver, a gentle soul, an amazing cook, kind, and knew how to get stuff done. We were very close and though she died 25 years ago, her presence is deeply missed. 

I got up early today because I wanted to walk Sunny before we went on a day trip to Fredericksburg,VA. How do you like this photo? A stand off between a squirrel and Sunny!

Fredericksburg is about 60 miles from Washington, DC. It was a prominent port in Virginia during the colonial era. During the Civil War, Fredericksburg, located halfway between the capitals of the opposing forces, was the site of the Battle of Fredericksburg and Second Battle of Fredericksburg. 

When we pulled into town, the main street was closed for an Octoberfest event. Lots of music, barbecues, and of course beer everywhere. 

Murals everywhere! It is a small and charming city, with about 24,000 people. 

What I did not realize, was that George Washington grew up in Fredericksburg. His childhood home is there as well as the homes of his mom, sister, and brother are still standing. 

Charles Washington, George Washington's youngest brother, built this landmark in the 1760's as his private residence. After being sold outside the Washington family, the building was leased as a tavern in 1792. Operating as a stopover for travelers for 35 years in the bustling town of Fredericksburg, it was a popular diversion for travelers and locals alike.

This is what the Rising Sun Tavern or Charles' house looks like. 

The charming, old brick Kenmore Inn blends boutique hotel services with the easy intimacy of a bed and breakfast. The home was built circa 1793 and the Kenmore Inn opened for business in 1932 making it Fredericksburg’s longest operating inn.

George Washington purchased this house for his mother in 1772 for $275. Mary Ball Washington spent her last few years in the white frame house. It was located close to her daughter Betty Washington Lewis' home, Kenmore Plantation, and close to a town home owned by her younger son Charles Washington. 
Later in his life, on his visits to Fredericksburg, George Washington was a frequent visitor to his mother's home, and, in April, 1789, came to this house to receive a blessing from his mother before his inauguration.A visit to Mrs. Washington in her home became a regular stop for distinguished visitors to Fredericksburg. Among those stopping by to pay their respects were John Marshall, George Mason, Thomas Jefferson, Marquis de Lafayette, and members of the Lee family. She lived in this home until her death later in 1789.

This is Kenmore Plantation. Built in the 1770's, it was the home of Fielding and Betty Washington Lewis and is the only surviving structure from the 1,300-acre  plantation. Betty was the sister of George Washington. Mary Ball Washington (George's mom) is buried on the grounds.

During the American Civil War, the plantation house and outbuildings were used as a makeshift Union military hospital. In 1970 the property was declared a National Historic Landmark.

Apparently there are MANY of these "LOVE" signs around Virginia. After all, the slogan is "Virginia is for Lovers." In any case this is just one of the 150 LOVE signs in the State. We found one!!! 
The signs are meant for photo ops!

We had lunch at Foode. Can you see on the top left of this photo a bank vault???? The restaurant was once the National Bank of Fredericksburg. 

The National Bank of Fredericksburg, is a historic bank. It was built in 1819–20, and is a ​2 1⁄2-story, rectangular red-brick building in the Federal style. The front portion of the main floor had been used as a banking house since its construction, while the rooms at the rear and those on the second floor housed the bank's cashiers and their families from 1820 to 1920. In 2016, after completing renovations to the inside of the building, the building was converted into a restaurant while keeping the existing bank vault as a private dining area.

There are two tables inside the vault and you can see people are eating inside. It is actually much cooler, temperature wise, in the vault. While inside, you can see original pennies and safety deposit boxes. All neat, but too confining for me!