Melrose and Monmouth

Breakfast was a quick snack on leftover lunchmeat before we drove to downtown Natchez.  One of the first antebellum houses we looked at was "Melrose", a gorgeous Greek Revival home.
From the back, Melrose looks the front of an entirely different house.
While we were admiring it, we met Kevin and Becky, who are also restoring a house, and we had an interesting conversation with them about the challenges of old houses.  Their house is on the Natchez Trace, and their restoration includes transforming it into a hotel, so they have a few challenges we don't.  But I think our house needs more work!  Later we took a trolly ride around town, and a carriage ride.  We also took a tour of the house “Rosalie”.   Photos were not allowed inside so soon I won't be able to remember what it looks like, but I do recall it's beautiful ceiling-to-floor red drapes, and the children's room with child-sized furniture.  I think this was the house that had a big harp in one of the parlors.
Afterwards we went through two Victorian houses that had been converted into craft and book shops.  Later in the day we checked into “Monmouth”, where we would be spending the night.  
This is a beautiful place, but we didn't do too much exploring right away.  The house owner was sponsoring a benefit for her brother in Barnes Hospital.  The tickets were $10 for a picnic dinner and entertainment.  We decided that was as good as any other plan, so we bought a couple of tickets and joined the group behind the house.  There was a gospel group singing under the arbor, and dinner was fried chicken, salads, etc.  We met Kevin and Becky again there and visited with them through the evening.  Becky looked so cool and comfortable while I was sweltering; when I asked her about it, she told me the secret was to wear linen.  I don't have any linen clothes, but if I lived here, I would!

Our room upstairs was pretty and comfortable, but not overly ornate.  Our room’s thermostat was in another guest’s room and the air conditioning was off for awhile; we were OK but if we had been staying another night, we probably would have moved to another room.

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