Home is where the heart is Max:
Thank you for sharing your adventure, photos, impressions and history. You have a wonderfull writing voice and it makes it a joy to read/hear you. What a wonderful personal journey for you, and as a passenger on this trip, thank you for taking all of us with you.
One last entry Richard,
I will do a final page, probably tomorrow. I'd like to put the house picture next to my digital shots, maybe with the colorized picture of Sarah Frances. But, I do feel like I need to wrap it up in some way. I've actually just about decided that I need to write an historical novel-right after I do my DAR papers and trace John's Irish roots, maybe even look into what I can find out about where we were in England and Scotland. Oh, and I need to order the Chilton lineage book from Mayflower and submit that line too.
I have enjoyed your comments, Richard. It was just a little bit like having my "other" second cousin along.
Good job It looks like my vicarious trip to Toulon is over. It was a wonderful--I have you to thank for that. Please thank John for setting up your blog to come to my Yahoo account. It didn't go to my umaryland account for some reason and when I replied the reply was returned to me several days later.
Will there be any more forthcoming?
so sad i'm sad that your trip is ending so soon. it's been so wonderful to read about your adventures. i can't wait for our next visit so i can see ALL the pictures. love you. fly safe, ok?
Mary Todd's maid This is something that you will find interesting, Jennifer. I went down to the hotel lounge to have a glass of wine in the evening and some people were talking about touring Lincoln's home that day. The bartender asked if they remembered the little room that was the maid's quarters. It turns out that the maid was his grandmother. She came over from Ireland at the age of 14 and working for Mary Todd Lincoln was one of her first jobs. I wish that I would have had at least three days to tour Springfield-it is just bubbling with history. I would love the names of those books if you know them off hand. Have you seen the PBS documentary? I got it from Netflix before I left on my trip.
Springfield My grandparents had a farm outside Springfield, and are buried in the cemetary there. There have been a number of interesting books out on Lincoln in the last several years. He was an extraordinary man. Glad you are having a chance to see all this.
Bad coffee?? For shame! That is quite unfortunate about your hotel's coffee! Your trip looks like so much fun though! I just bought Manhunt, which is about looking for John Wilkes Booth after he killed Lincoln- I bet it would be an even more interesting read after visiting the museum!
Pictures The pictures and blog may be a pain, but I feel that they are well worth it. Of course, that's easy for me to say since you do all the work. Still, you are doing a great job: A+ so far.
Tourists? There are very few tourists here-maybe just me this week.....I was also surprised by all the lovely homes, but then I was reminded that Toulon is the county seat and many homes were built that were then inherited and kept up as much as possible. If you look closely, many are showing signs of wear, and I didn't take pictures of trashy places with piles of junk and abandoned cars: those exist here, too. However, I saw graffitti for the first time this week on a shed and I was shocked. Generally the town is tidy and shows the pride that the towns people take in their homes, town, and country.
I had to bid Cora good-bye this evening, it was teary. I am also very, very tired. My blog is a day behind, but tonight it may go to two days behind. It is very time consuming-the photo upload is very slow.
Tomorrow is a traavel day-yuck!
houses I'm surprised by how beautiful many of the houses are there, and the generally good condition of everything. Where do those people get their money--tourists?
Humidity I think often about what it was like for our ancestors to work in the field all day those summer days, then go home in the evening to an unair-conditioned house and no shower. If the heat and humidity didn't kill you, the odor would.
More/great The images and descriptions continue to be outstanding. It's killing me. The house sure looks different, but the same. How did all those people live in that house, especially in the wintertime? Of course, that mass of people probably warmed the house just with their presence.
Good weather Hey "Cora",
Will you actually see this? If so, yes to all the questions you posed before you left, i.e., it's ok to do this and that and the other thing (it may be too late to answer at this late date). Anyway, it sounds like you had good weather. We have a thunderstorm here now and then, but nothing like we had when I lived in MS. I assume Atlanta is the same. You gotta luv that thunder.
Let me join the chorus: Good Luck!
Richard
i was lying just for the sake of good luck wishes. i am in no way, nor have i ever been, convinced that all one needs is a toothbrush and clean underwear. i knew it when i wrote it, and almost prefaced the statement with a sentence along the lines of "though the following sentence is in no way true or accurate, it somehow helps to chant mantra-like as you are walking out the door." but i thought that maybe all this would be better left discussed til after your departure.....so, here we are!!!
how nice of the universe to give you a bonus mini-adventure in your adventure! i'm kinda jealous - i've always been curious about georgia a little more than other states. are you just getting sick of seeing women in lace gloves and gentlemen and white linen suits sipping mint juleps under boughs of wisteria just about EVERYWHERE you go?
fly safe and thoroughly the rest of the way there. love you more than romantic notions of the south.
Yikes again Your blog made it to my house tonight, and I'm so glad to hear from you on the verge of but another journey. And what a very hip way to communicate. I can almost hear your laughing! Keep us posted.
In a few days I will fly to Illinois to discover, and breathe in the earth, where my family's roots were firmly planted for three generations. For the past year my genealogical journey has taken me, via internet, from the Mayflower, Massachusetts, Maine, and finally to Stark County, Illinois. Now I am off to meet face-to-face for the first time, my second cousin and all of the wonderful people who have helped me along the way. ... full info
Diane
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Home is where the heart is
Max: Thank you for sharing your adventure, photos, impressions and history. You have a wonderfull writing voice and it makes it a joy to read/hear you. What a wonderful personal journey for you, and as a passenger on this trip, thank you for taking all of us with you.