When we visited Mt. Vernon in Alexandria, Virginia, last Sunday, the cold blowing across the Potomac left me feeling the unfortunate fool in Jack London's short story "To Build a Fire."  Happily, we were able to take in George and Martha Washington's very fine home and check out some of the outbuildings and the grounds before we froze up good and stiff.  We learned more about the  mansion from the guidebook after the tour; the docents weren't very friendly as they rushed overlarge groups of patrons through the house as if we were uninvited Christmas guests. The museum and education center had plenty to offer, though. Washington was a man of means who used his resources to make an outstanding life for himself as a surveyor, soldier, officer, statesman, farmer, and family man. 

My World Tuesday