Where In The World Is Sum1?

Visiting Mount Vernon while in Virginia

         I was sent to Springfield Virginia this week, delivering a class to the State Department.  No, I didn't meet the Secretary of State, nor anyone important.  I delivered a class to their radio technicians.  I was surprised to find that their location was out of the way, in a very nondescript brick building.  But  I saw that my hotel was about 4-5 miles from Mount Vernon, George Washington's ancestral home.    Thursday after class, I drove there and toured the grounds, as well as eating dinner at the Inn.  Unfortunately, photography is not allowed inside the house.  I had thought that this place would be run by the National Park Service, but it's not.  A group of women purchased the estate from Washington's family in the mid 1800's.  The house was in bad shape, slowly falling apart.  Through their efforts, they raised enough money to start renovations, and have run the estate since then.  I also hadn't thought about the location of Washington's grave site, but it's right there on the estate grounds.  I think of presidents who have died since his time, and the tombs they have (Kennedy and Lincoln come to mind), and his is very humble compared to theirs.  It was quite a humbling experience visiting this place, I recommend you see it too if you're ever in the area.  Til next time, which is right back to this same place, same customer, then off to Atlanta for a week long class.

Jim