The Hermitage

On Sunday afternoon, The Hermitage, Home of Andrew Jackson, was invaded by the D. family. Set on over 1100 acres just north of Nashville, The Hermitage includes Andrew and Rachel Jackson's mansion and garden, their original log cabin, a museum, and numerous outbuildings and slave cabins.

After a short introductory movie about Andrew Jackson's life, we walked through the museum, then headed over to the mansion. Guides dressed in period costumes took us through the main house, pointing out the early 1800's wallpaper that Rachel had imported from France (with a theme of Homer's Odyssey), the 174 year-old walnut banister, and of particular interest to my girls...a combination writing and sewing table that belonged to their daughter-in-law, complete with lace she had tatted.

Outside, as Jaela, Macey, and Isaak danced through the garden chasing the million or so butterflies, we dragged Anya with us on our way to visit Andrew's and Rachel's tomb (the pillars of which are visible behind Anya).

They had a horse-drawn wagon tour of some of the outbuildings, fields, and Andrew and Rachel's original log home.

Yeah, we didn't take it.

Instead, we explored the creek behind the springhouse, followed a path through the woods to the site of the former slave quarters, stopped for a photo op, and dodged horse apples along the wagon path.

We stopped to listen to a costumed historian talk about Andrew Jackson's part in the Battle of New Orleans during the War of 1812, and he demonstrated the loading and firing of a musket. When the rain that had been threatening all day finally came, we all huddled under a tree (next to a couple from Eugene, OR!), and kept on listening.

That wrapped up our visit, and after a brief stop at the gift shop, we loaded up and headed home. In Andrew's day, it was a four hour carriage ride from The Hermitage to Nashville. The drive back to Clarksville didn't take nearly that long. Even so, some of us might have fallen asleep on the drive home, but I'm not naming any names.

Jaela, Macey, and Anya are holding on to their brochure/maps as souvenirs, and when I walked into the kitchen at 6:30 this morning:

Mike: Ask Isaak what he learned this morning.

Me: Isaak, what did you learn this morning?

Anya: I'll tell Mom! I taught him that Andrew Jackson was the first president to have a nickname!

Mike: Isaak, what was Andrew Jackson's nickname?

Isaak: (with a grin) Old Hickory!

Flashback

...only when I began to get hooked on the Hardys, I don't think I was as young as she is...

A.W.O.L.

I have been AWOL, I know. Wanna hear all of my excuses? Nah. That would take too long. Let's just say things have been crazy around here. (So, what else is new, right?)

Mike's current schedule is somewhat unpredictable, which really messes with my own schedule! He's working nights, coming home usually sometime between 2 and 6 (yes, those are both a.m.) and going back to work around 11 (also a.m.). The kids are really good about staying quiet while he sleeps, but there have been some interesting adjustments to our daily schedule, to say the least!

We are moving right along with school, in spite of all the "extra" stuff I've been working on around the house. Unfortunately, we didn't quite finish painting the entire house before Mike started his crazy/busy schedule, so guess who is getting to finish the job! I am itching to get to the sorting/packing up part of getting ready to put the house on the market and move, so to keep myself honest, I had to promise Mike that I would finish the painting before I started packing. Because just promising myself wouldn't work.

I really like sorting and packing.

Painting...not so much.

Matter-of-Fact

Macey came running down the stairs.

M: Mommy! Can I change my shirt? It's got some of Jaela's blood on it!

J: How did it get Jaela's blood on it?

M: Jaela has a bloody nose!

J: Why?

M: (matter-of-factly...) Because we were fighting and I punched her in the nose.

Oh. Of course. I guess that would do it!

I think maybe my little ladies have been reading too many adventure/detective stories...

Isaak-isms

After choosing a pull-up to wear grocery shopping, Isaak decided to let me in on his thought processes.

I: I chose this pull-up because it has a robot on it, and I'm going to be a robot when I grow up, after I'm a Navy Seal. Do you know why?

Me: Why?

I: Because I'm a boy.

(pause...)

I: But pretty soon I won't be a boy any more because I'm growing up to be a man.

Later that day, sitting with Mr. Mark and Ms. Mary outside on their patio, Isaak wondered why Emmie (the beagle) had to go inside.

Mary: Because she's too hot. (it was 92˚ and 65% humidity)

I: Why is she too hot?

Mary: Because she is wearing a fur coat. If you were wearing your warm coat outside right now, wouldn't you be too hot?

I: Yes...but why did you put a coat on her?

Because

I have finally gotten through to Isaak that "Because" is not a reason. Our conversations used to go something like this:

I: Mommy, do you know why I took my shirt off?

Me: No, why did you take your shirt off?

I: Because.

I'm not sure that our conversations have improved much, though. Now they tend to go something like this:

I: Mommy, do you know why I am wearing no shirt?

Me: No, why aren't you wearing a shirt?

I: Because I can get lots and lots of exercise running around like THIS!

And he runs off to demonstrate that THIS means running in gigantic circles, while I sit and wonder how that necessitates being shirtless. On the other hand, if Mr. Mark asks him if he likes lemonade:

I: Yes!

Mark: Why?

I: Because it's YUMMY!

Maybe I just ask the wrong questions!

Backseat Conversations

In the van, Jaela and Macey sit in the very back seats. Anya and Isaak sit in the middle row. As we were driving to the grocery store the other day, Jaela and Macey were talking to each other, and Anya tried to join in the conversation.

Jaela, with a very condescending tone: Anya, WE are having a BACKseat condersation, NOT a MIDDLE seat condersation. Please don't interrupt.

Anya heaved a very deliberate, exasperated sigh. (I imagined eye-rolling and head-shaking to go with it...)

Anya: It's conVERsation, Jaela, with a v, not a d.