Britt thinks this picture is hilarious because it show just how difficult it was getting Allyson to participate in picture taking ... especially after skipping her nap!
We couldn't take pictures inside the home but it was a fantastic tour. Almost everything is left as it was when Laura and Almanzo lived there. They built the house one room at a time, beginning with the kitchen. (Nana was mortified there were no drawers in the kitchen!) Almanzo even made many of the furnishings inside. The work is fantastic. The couple both lived...and died...in this house.
Before leaving to go to the "Rock House" Papa made sure everyone knew Nana had been there.
Next we went to the "Rock House" just down the road. It was a gift from their daughter, Rose, who is actually the first one in the family to be a published writer. In fact, she inspired Laura to write. The rock house is where the first "Little House" books were written.
Rose wanted to give her parents a brand new home with all of the latest amenities. She ordered it from Sears and Roebuck and had it built. It was the only house in town to have electricity, indoor plumbing and even closets. (It was another 30 years until anyone else in town had these luxuries!) Almanzo and Laura missed their simple farmhouse, though, and at the first opportunity, moved back and never left it again.
We had some time to kill before the tour started so we took pictures...
...and played games with a large group of Mennonite kids who were there, along with their parents, for the tour. (I did have permission to take pictures of them.)
Nicole and one of the little boys, Lee Michael, became buddies. It was wonderful to see them play together and have no idea of the differences between them.
One funny story... the tour guide (who was especially cranky and borderline mean) was telling about Rose teaching her parents to drive a car. Rose thought it was so funny that they kept pulling on the steering wheel and saying, "Whoa!" Then, the guide looked at the kids and said, "You don't have any idea what that means, but..." One of the Mennonite men came over and explained to Britt that they have a pretty good idea since these kids still get around by horse and buggy!!
It was a great day.
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