Melrose’s Spring Break March 29, 2008
Posted by carpebanana in : Ramblings , trackbackFinally the weekend is here and there is time to provide the report on our Spring Break/ extended field trip to Virginia. Devastatingly Handsome’s issues about internet privacy do not extend to Melrose, the wee monkey who was invited along on this trip, so you will be seeing how he enjoyed his time. (Photos courtesty of Miss Language and Devastatingly Handsome. I am lousy with a camera. I took one shot, and it ended up being the wrong end of the deer along the Skyline Drive.)
Melrose did not bother with any photos on the way to Williamsburg or our first day there. So there are no pictures of the guy in the visitor center wearing his pajama bottoms who Miss Language wanted to pass around a tricorn hat and take up a collection to buy him some pants (not English syntax, I know, but remember, this is a vacation post). His first photo is actually from our second day in CW. We always park over Capitol Landing Road and start at the gaol. Melrose wanted to try it out. He is pretty sure he could break out of this place. No one was sure why he was locked up but the reasons became apparent as the trip continued.
A highpoint was a concert we were invited to in the ballroom of Governor Dunmoore’s Palace. Photos weren’t allowed once the musicans were in place and Melrose is not in view because of his good behavior out-of-sight in Mom’s purse. BTW: Mr Music really wants a harpsichord. Really. Oh, actually, I think he says “needs.”
This is one of the best photos of Melrose. He is sitting in the window of the Magazine. They likely frown on that but there was nowhere else to sit once that school group of 70 crowded in.
Here are some of the guns on display. Oh, and you may notice that by now Melrose has picked up a styling Colonial hat of his own, that was thanks to the bright eye of Mr Music in the gift shop on the lookout for harpsichords to take home.
We took a day off the Colonial sights and went to Nauticus, a big sea-themed museum in Norfolk. Melrose was not too thrilled with the eel but as Miss Dog Lover and Mr Music have been studying coral reefs, Mom wanted everyone to see the exhibits which might be in any way related. Yep, she even tried to make everyone touch the sharks. Melrose and Miss Dog Lover managed to weasel out of that one, though.
Melrose tried out the “Touch a Tornado” interactive display.
And Miss Language thought Melrose should get his bearings on some sort of thing that made less than no sense to Melrose, who just wanted to know where the nearest food was, but he dutifully posed facing Plymouth Rock to show how interested in all things historic he was due to this trip.
Melrose refused to come out of the comfort of Mom’s backpack as we toured the USS Wisconsin, for fear of being blown overboard. Mr Music discovered how you could squish Melrose’s head just-so and the hat would not blow away. (Not recommended for human application.)
Next day was back to CW (that is Mom and Devastatingly Handsome’s favorite place, so you gotta humor them and spend lots of time there). Mom loves the ginger cakes at the Raleigh bakery so you get to stand in line and buy some almost every day. Melrose got bored and checked out one of the ale mugs.
Then, while Devastatingly paid, he posed with the bowls.
And here he’s getting a bite of Mom’s ginger cake. Yum. Maybe smallpox, slavery, and sewage running in the streets would have been worth it, after all.
Here Melrose has completed the tour of the Wetherburne Tavern and is watching their animals. The tour lady said some of the sheep were due to deliver any moment but Melrose did not see anything noteworthy.
Ooops. The long arm of the law has caught up with Melrose. Apparently that “sitting in the ale mug” stunt is not allowed. And, how rude! Some youth stood there laughing at Melrose as he was paying his debt to society.
Sprung! The next day Melrose and the Bananas head out of CW, by way of the ferryboat across the James. Melrose wisely watches from the observation window and stays away from the edges of the boat. He has heard what happened to that one boy on the Mayflower and Mom does not think the VA Department of Transportation would stop if she hollered “Monkey overboard!”
Trouble here coming down from the observation deck. Melrose apparently has not been changed by his stay in the stockades. Flagrant disrespect to authorities.
We get across the James and head to the Surrey House (Devastatingly’s favorite) for a bowl of peanut soup and Devastatingly also has to have peanut-raisin pie. Where is the banana cream, anyhow? Notice Melrose’s polite hat-removing-inside behavior.
Devastatingly wanted to see “The Crater” at Petersburg. Mom, who did some great doodling and making up of codes in history classes, had never heard of it. Melrose liked the weaponry, but Mom was afraid he’d slip off and get dusty. Can’t have that.
But Mom did let him post by a monument near “The Crater”:
That night we dined at an IHOP. Mom believes a pancake meal on vacation is mandated by law.
Here is a shot of Melrose sitting in Mr Music’s matching hat as we drove across Virginia.
The final day of the vacation itself, we visited Appomattox Courthouse. Melrose was happy to see a more modern hat.
And was happy to see the room where Generals Lee and Grant ended the War Between the States.
However, he once again was briefly imprisoned. We think this had something to do with his behavior on the ferry boat. Hope you have enjoyed Melrose’s adventures. He is glad to be home, and trying to stay out of trouble.
Comments»
I’m a little worried. Are you sure Melrose had a good time? He didn’t smile in any of the pictures.
Was well behaved in the car? Our stuffed animals sometimes get out of hand on long drives.
It sounds like the rest of you had a great time. I just hope it was not at Melrose’s expense.
Peace and Laughter,
Cristina
I think Melrose is too cute!
Just love Melrose! Have you dug out of the laundry yet or do you have a laptop hidden in the pile?