A Defining Moment March 26, 2012
Posted by nrhatch in Word Play.trackback
All summer, I anticipated . . . college loomed.
As fall approached, I packed with enthusiasm: fan, umbrella, lamp, raincoat, study pillow, toiletries, typewriter, wastebasket, clock, bed linens . . .
The list expanded daily to respond to eventuality.
Ready . . . Set . . . Go!
Wikipedia ~ College of W&M, Wren Building (in Public Domain)
Arrived in Williamsburg, I embraced the tasks of unpacking, meeting and greeting room and dorm mates, and learning the ins and outs of life on campus . . . with an equal degree of fervor and unbridled enthusiasm.
Bags unpacked and class schedule memorized, a bout of homesickness arrived on my doorstep, adding an ironic twist to the tale ~ excitement and anticipation fled . . . chased away by a first cousin, once removed, dread.
Confessing my concerns to a classmate resulted in a hasty march down Duke of Gloucester street to the King’s Arm Tavern for a Jefferson Cup filled with that ubiquitous symbol of Southern Hospitality . . . front porch and rocking chairs optional . . . my first Mint Julep!
A chilled beverage & warm welcome.
Courage reinforced, we traipsed back to campus with Fife and Drum escort, as cannons thundered from the Green of the Powder Magazine, marking a defining moment in history.
No retreat. No surrender.
Aah . . . that’s better!
The scariest moment is always just before you start. ~ Stephen King
Jumble Prompt: Summer, Fervor, Ironic, Degree, Tavern, Cannon
Cryptoquote to Ponder: Our deeds determine us as much as we determine our deeds. ~ George Eliot
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Spirit Lights The Way 
Stephen King’s quote is so true, like anticipation captured in the Grecian Urn.
Anticipation and excitement propel us forward . . . fear, dread, and anxiety pull us back.
Ah, lovely! Oh, I miss my mint juleps. And the Stephen King quote is so spot on. Looks like you “done good” with that “beginning.” 🙂
Mint Juleps in the garden with sippets and crocks of cheddar . . . YUMMY!
Cecelia ~ I unsubscribed from your blog last night because my computer throws a tantrum &/or hissy fit of epic proportions every time I try to visit you.
Last night, I spent 15+ minutes waiting for your post to load so I could read and comment. The post got stuck. I waited, waited, waited some more. Eventually, I gave up and tried to exit, but the bouncer at the door wouldn’t let me out. Very frustrating.
In the end I had to close my browser to go out the “back door.”
The same thing has happened the last several times I’ve visited. Is anyone else having the same problem?
I love Williamsburg! Did you ever eat at the Trellis while you were there?
I have eaten at the Trellis . . . but my favorite places to eat in Wmsburg are the historic taverns: Christiana Campbells, The King’s Arms, Shields, and Chownings.
http://www.colonialwilliamsburg.com/visit/diningExperience/chownings/index.cfm
The taverns are awesome. One features (I think it might be the King’s Arms) this fabulous grilled cheese sandwich with apple slices in it and coated in 10X sugar…yummy!
Oh, yum! And timely . . . we had grilled cheese on Toscano Pano today. With sliced apples on the side.
A few of those ‘moments’ sound very familiar to me, too, Nancy…
except that I’ve never tried a Mint Julep! I’m very curious, now, though!
🙂
They are easy to make with just a few ingredients ~ bourbon, simple syrup, and mint.
In the summer, I sometimes kept mint-infused simple syrup in the fridge ready to go!
You studied the law at Georgetown?
No. Undergrad in Wmsburg and law school at USC in South Carolina. Go Cocks!
Yeah, I was confused there huh?
Well, that’s OK. You have your own personal history to “store and retrieve.” 😉
What a wonderful place to go to college! I can see you were an underachiever, Nancy! LOL! And a hospitable libation is a good ice breaker any time. Debra
An overachiever in HS and Law School . . . an underachiever par excellence in college. 😉
Several of my friends went to college there, too. And of course, I know where you went to law school. 🙂
I’ve definitely been “around the block” ~ NJ, VA, NJ, SC, NC, NJ, VA, MD . . . FL!
A chilled beverage and a warm welcome. Wonderful!
Thanks, Greg. Sometimes liberation flows from libation. 😉
What a nice start to your college life, topped with a Mint Julep. Have never had one, hmmmm… maybe one of these days I will try it. 🙂
College wasn’t all FUN and GAMES . . . but it was TONS of FUN!
A Mint Julep is a wonderful cocktail to sip on a hot summer day.
There are some flavours you never forget: and one sip transports you back decades…
Indeed! Williamsburg is a wonderful place to visit and re-visit.
A number of us had to make a presentation to a group of fellow facilitators at the University of Ottawa. I had flown in late with a monster flu bug and felt ill prepared. I was nervous!
The prof asked who wanted to be the first presenter. My hand shot up. I wanted to get this over with. I knew the critique would be grueling. I had to be first!
The prof pointed to me and said, “Thank you. You’ll be second.” and chose another person to begin.
His clever strategy became clear once the assessment was underway – and went on for an hour!
I’ve not been as nervous since! 😀
What a tricky trickster he was, eh?! Glad you conquered your butterflies . . . and survived the monster flu bug.
what a savvy classmate that was.
Yes! Distraction is a wonderful way to get our minds to move away from unhappy thoughts and focus on all the good around us. 😀
I’ve never had a mint julep, but I loved your description of your introduction to one 🙂
Thanks, Janna. Williamsburg holds lots of wonderful memories for me . . . mint juleps among them.
Looks like a fun place to go to college!
Wandering around Colonial Williamsburg is like stepping into a time capsule ~ historical re-enactments, costumed interpreters, shoppes from the time, and even a taste of the customary fare.
Steven King’s quote~so true! Never had a mint julep.
Mint Juleps are perfect for a Sweet Day Under The Oaks on the porch rocker. 😀
I need to go back to Colonial Williamsburg. That place was amazing.
It’s a great place to visit . . . except on hot humid summer days.
Taverns – the escape of students the world over 😉
Yes! Pubs, Taverns, Ale Houses, Breweries, Bars ~> the great escape.
I lived near there for a few years as an older teenager but did not want to go visit with my parents so I missed out on a great opportunity.
If you’re ever on the east coast, it’s definitely worth a visit ~ even without buying a pass to go through the buildings, just walking up and down DOG street is like stepping back into time.
Horse drawn carriages roll by. Costumed interpreters doff their hat. And lunch at the Taverns or a stop in the Bakery . . . YUM!
I don’t remember much anticpation about college… probably traveling across continents was overwhelming enough.
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