Trying to keep up

We kept Rosie from her nap time this afternoon. She kept fading and fading, and then completely zonked out. I could use some of that attitude. I've always been so envious of people who can just fall asleep nearly anywhere!

Julie, Rosie, and I spent the day together. I've known Julie, and her husband Will since college and we've been good friends ever since. They have been married for almost five years now, having gotten engaged on a trip to see me when I lived in Central America after college. I remember the place, a feral windswept tropical beach in Costa Rica near the Nicaraguan border. Tortuguero National Park along the Caribbean Sea. Will and I had planned it all out, and rather comically I made myself scarce one sunset beach walk, while he popped the big question. When they came back engaged, we all celebrated. I remember the three of us eating lobsters at a little seafood shack and sipping warm beers on a washed up palm tree watching the waves roll in all lit up by the moon. Good time and good memories. Since then, I've always been in these guys lives. From weddings and family things to first borns here. Rosie knows me now and gets all bubbly and burbly and clappy whenever I arrive. We have fun.

We all spent the day visiting Monticello, the historic home of one of Virginia's finest figures, Thomas Jefferson. It is actually a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which I did not know until this day (!) Though it is so close and so historic, neither Julie nor I have ever visited. Hearsay for a Virginian! So we made an afternoon adventure of it, picnicking along the way. I was as impressed by the fact that Jefferson spent his whole life personally designing and building the house as by the house itself. The little details, innovations, and inventions throughout are what make it a really special place. My favorite spot though were the gardens, still in use today. What a visionary! He constantly experimented with new crop and garden varieties, growing oh so many heirloom breeds, experimenting and cultivating new varieties, and practicing self sufficient. Good man, we could learn from him today...

The sweeping autumn views over the Shenandoah valley below aren't bad either. By afternoon the warm fall sunshine and post picnic comatose was too much for Rosie, struggling to keep up past nap time. Fading fast I couldn't help snapping this blip. She is pretty adorable.