Keys can hold a great deal of significance. The Bastille key meant tyranny to the prisoners. When Lafayette stormed the Bastille, he sent the key to his adoptive father, George Washington, as a symbol of liberty. Washington placed it in the main hall of his house for all to see.  If we were to meet Thomas Jefferson's daughter, Martha Jefferson Randolph, she might discuss her busy life of overseeing Monticello, signified by the keys to the house which she carried with her.

     For the last two months, we yielded the keys to the house we sold in Texas.  Then we drove to Virginia and began a search for a new set of keys, or more importantly, for the house that they would open.  These were not easy to obtain as I thought.  It got to the point where we'd put an offer on a house and I'd ask the agent, "Where are they? I know they are out there.  They are just waiting for us to make an offer so they can pounce and offer cash!"  That's how we lost the Gunston Hall Dr. house.  Today we finally closed on a house and we have keys!

      There have been a few funny events through this process.  Yesterday we were driving to the house for the first time on our own and we got confused.  My husband turned on a little road so we could turn around.  It was called Cemetary Road. My son piped up and said, "That's where everyone ended up, looking for this road we can't find!"  

     As we went through closing today, the agent mentioned that I am a Colonial Williamsburg fan. That caused the lady handling the papers to talk about Colonial Williamsburg's wonderful program on PBS last week.  Did I know about that?  I am normally a very quiet person, but start me on Colonial Williamsburg, and I guess I get chatty!  ;)  I told her all about how disappointed we were when we thought we missed the bulk of the program, then how delighted we were when we found out we got to see something extra special. My husband said, "Laurie, look at that stack of papers we have to sign."  I said, "Well, Laura (our agent) started me on it!"  Laura is great and was laughing and laughing. The title lady thought it was funny too.

     Afterwards, we drove to our new house with a present from Laura.  Here it is in my new kitchen. She told us that everything in the basket is something from Virginia.  She wasn't kidding.  We found one item from Colonial Williamsburg!  

    I also put the picture our friends in Texas gave to us before we left. It's on the landing, for now anyway.

     That's all I have to decorate our house for now.  We drove back to the hotel.  Tomorrow I'll move us out of the hotel and buy supplies.  Our household goods should arrive on Wednesday, in the rain. Hmmmmm....   

     I'll be off-line until a connection is established at the house. 

    I've been asked if there is history in the street name.  Yes, and in the surrounding areas!   However, it's difficult to figure it out, no matter how many clues I give. I don't think anyone will ever guess.  It has something to do with...Patrick Henry!  Also, as we first drove through the neighborhood, my husband noted how it reminded him of a 21st century Duke of Gloucester Street (in Colonial Williamsburg). There is even a view of haha walls across the street!  But none of those details help with the Patick Henry clue! I guess you could say that our keys unlocked the same area of history. ;)