We (my wife and I) were recently on a trip to Utah to see some old friends. We saw them and had great memories and tales to tell. On the way back I suggested we should go the other route home which would take us trough Monticello, Utah. They, the Utahns, pronounce the name of their city “mont a sell oh,” unlike Thomas Jefferson, who said he liked to pronounce the name of his home the Italian way: Mont a chell o.

Well, we decided because of time not to go that way. But some day I would like to visit that city and ask someone why they chose that different pronunciation.

I once again thought of our recent trip to Monticello, Jefferson’s home. We got to take the recently new VIP tour, which now includes a visit to the upstairs rooms and the top, or the “dome room.” What a great visit that was to be able to see the upper rooms.

One of the rooms on the second floor, called the Blue room, was set aside by Thomas to be the guest bedroom for his good friends James and Dolley Madison whenever they should visit. We could just feel of their influence.

Now I want to return, once again, to Monticello, Virginia.