Early December isn't usually the busiest time of year for me. Sure, I'm shopping for presents or making them up, but at least it's a calm sort of busy work. I rarely travel beyond the mall, and even then I try to do my shopping online. So this trip was different!
The first time I've been on a plane since 2015
We attended a wedding in New Jersey, Newark to be more specific. We passed New York City on our way to the hotel, the skyline looking more like a block of children's toys. There were two parties, one on Friday and the other on Saturday. I danced so much that I had a few blisters on my feet; I maybe pulled a muscle in my hip too. It was absolutely gorgeous, and they did an excellent job of planning the whole thing, from start to finish.
On Saturday we had the opportunity to check out some of the local history. Being so close to New York, there were dozens of museums and historic sites to visit. We settled on the
Morristown National Historical Park, the site of one of George Washington's encampments during the Revolutionary War.
During the winter of 1779, Washington's army camped at Jockey Hollow. It was the coldest, snowiest winter on record, and yet they still survived. The park features a museum built in the early 20th century with exhibits about the encampment. The exhibits held many artifacts from the 18th century related to the site, and I spied a few familiar items. There was also a decent video that gave good context for the museum's importance.
The trip wouldn't be complete without visiting at least one historic house. The Ford Mansion was built in 1774 by Jacob Ford Jr.; he died only a short time after its completion. It was the largest house in the area, and was surrounded by a working farm. The Fords were wealthy, but more importantly they were patriots to the American Revolution. She agreed to let Washington and his many aids live in the house while she and her four children occupied only two rooms. The winter was bitter cold and they crowded into the rooms and halls. It was a strained existence, but it was necessary to the creation of the country as we know it today.
It was odd stepping on original flooring that George and Martha Washington once stepped on. There wasn't much left of the original furniture, except a chair. It makes me want to buy a historic house and live there forever, but I know well enough the work that goes into it. Instead, I'll keep visiting and pretend, even just for a little while. Also, there were a lot of goodies at the gift shop!
It was a beautiful weekend, and when we returned to Michigan I was utterly exhausted. It took a few days to recover enough even to write this post. I think I'll take a nice break before Christmas.
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