The Goats of George Washington

Please forgive the lack of chronological order in this entry. I feel it necessary, for the honor of the goat, to discuss the rumors flying around the internet.

Yes there are goats at Mt. Vernon. Yes I was commenting on the very placid goat who was busily munching the lawn and ignoring the four little boys traipsing by, when I fell. However, despite what Cheryl has told the world, via Twitter, the goat did NOT attack me. He might have possibly uttered a goat-like chuckle at my clumsiness, but that is all.

I was walking down one of the sloped gravel paths at Mt. Vernon when my right foot slipped. I was carrying my purse and the diaper-bag over my left shoulder, and holding Ian with my left arm, perched on my left hip. My left leg, as it is wont to do, betrayed me in my time of need. To wit, it crumpled like British at Saratoga. I collapsed downward, frantically juggling Ian. I failed at any attempt to prevent bodily harm to either of us. Ian’s body flung backwards as we landed and his head bounced off the path. My hands are skinned and the Benedict Arnold of legs didn’t fare so well either. My left knee is skinned and bruised and the left ankle has a mild sprain.

Now, that matter clarified, you might be asking who Cheryl is and why my menagerie of small men folk increased by two. Cheryl and I met in an on-line support group for expectant mothers way back in the summer of 2002. I was pregnant with Ethan; she with her second child. It was this same group that introduced me to Shannon. Unlike Shannon, however, Cheryl lives far away and we were only able to stay in touch via emails and blogs these past 6 years. Until, that is, Cheryl brought her eldest son Aaron to Washington DC. They were accompanied by Aaron’s former teacher Connie and her son Jack. Because both Aaron and Jack are fascinated with Presidential history, I at once volunteered to drive them all to Mt. Vernon for an afternoon of exploration.

Aaron and Jack are precocious, bright, exceedingly polite, and infinitely curious. They thoroughly enjoyed Mt. Vernon and that is all the reward I needed. An afternoon lugging Ian around in 90 degree heat, and twisting my leg, was well worth it to see children learn and LOVE to learn as much as those boys did. Even Ethan absorbed a bit of history and he definitely had a good time.

So, next time you’re in the area, please be sure to pay a visit to lovely Mt. Vernon. And, for the sake of your reputation, beware the goats.