The Farm and UVA

Before Thomas Jefferson was born part of my family – German immigrants – migrated from there settlement in Pennsylvania down to Virginia and bought a farm between Roanoke and Lynchburg Virginia. It has more or less been in the family every since and my grandmother lives there to this day. Last weekend I used one of the benefits of my wonderful job and flew down there to visit. I have been visiting that farm my entire life and there is always a nice peaceful feeling when you are down there. The house that stands on the farm has been there since 1905 (same year my own home was built) but has been remodeled several times over the years. It is unmistakably a picture perfect big farm house with a large kitchen, dinning room, family room, and rooms for lots of guests. Best of all is that my grandmother lives there.

We had a nice visit, nothing fancy or that out of the ordinary. I was very happy to get several home cooked meals and enjoy hours of conversation about the family. We did a little shopping in the nearby town, saw some Christmas lights, and visited my aunt’s new home. My aunt’s new home is really only new to her, it was built in the 1880s, but it has a lot of potential. I also met her new Beau, a very nice and engaging fellow. The two of them seem vary happy and I’m glad of the addition to the family. She grilled me about RB and asked why I she didn’t come, and how come I wasn’t learning Russia. Because it’s really hard – and I have trouble pronouncing the words but maybe at some point I will.

On Sunday I found I had more time before my flight than I thought, plus I had unlimited miles on the rental and a full tank of gas, so I headed up to Charlotte to visit my friend MM who is going to law school at the prestigious UVA. UVA was founded by one of our country’s founders Thomas Jefferson. He actually wanted to create a University with more of a free flow of ideas where people came and went as they pleased and participated not in classes but discussion. Though UVA uses traditional teaching practices it does so with a Jeffersonian influence. The original honor housing still exists to this day, along with the schools honor code, and mission of the free flow of information from those who possess it to those who desire it. The campus is beautiful with traditional Colonial Virginia styled building in the old campus the houses the undergraduate studies and the modern grand halls that house the graduate programs.

MM lives in quite the house. Normally it is rented by 3^rd year law students then handed down to the ‘worthy’. It is a large rambler with a large living room that houses the normal evening entertainment such as; TV, Movies, and Video games. The bedrooms and facilities seem adequate. The real adventure comes when you venture to the basement. Complete with kegorator, sound system, pool table, beer pong table, and other entertaining areas this house was made for college parties. (quote from MM ‘Ahhhh….Now their keeping eggs in the freaking kegorator!!!???’) As fun as the house must be during the occasional party though, it seems most of the time it is empty as the people who live there are vigorously attending to their law studies.

Anyway that visit was nice to we found a place serving breakfast at 1pm (gotta love college towns), saw the campuses, saw his place, and hung out for a few hours. The drive up there and back was also just great. The colors in the trees were amazing and for some reason there was all most no traffic so I was able to ramble on at my own pace, enjoy being in the middle of nowhere and practice a little stunt driving through the mountains. All in all it was a great weekend – After two weeks though I am ready to be home…. At least for a few days.