January 1, 2007-Mt. Vernon, VA.

It was POURING rain this morning so we got a slow start. Drove to Mt. Vernon to check out George and Martha's digs. They have a fabulous new education center on the grounds that opened 2 months ago and it took us about 4 hours to get through it. Barely made it up to the house for a fast run through! Had plenty of time to check out the tomb though and have a good laugh..."Duh, Caroline...they're just dust!" (That's what Laura said when Caroline didn't like the tomb when Mom and I took them to the east coast when they were little.) The education center replaces the old museum and is wonderful. Lots of paintings, artifacts, letters, 4 movies, and scientific recreations of what George looked like. His teeth are still there too...not wood...made from hippopotomus ivory and human teeth. No wonder he never smiled. I don't know why we still have it, but the original key to the Bastille is there too. You'd think we would have given it back to the French by now. The Marquis de Lafayette (he fought under GW, was a big fan, and a major player in the French Revolution) gave the key to Washington. I bought a dessert plate from Portugal just like the ones the Washingtons used for everyday china.