A Horse Named Dick

On our first full day in Charleston we all took a carriage ride through the historic district. Dick was our horse. Allison fell asleep about half way through the ride so I was able to concentrate on what the guide was saying (hence enjoy the rest of the experience). Margaret Mitchell spent some time in Charleston and we got to see the house where she stayed and hear about some people who influenced several characters in Gone With the Wind, including good old Rhett Butler. Although I've always loved Gone With the Wind, I've never read anything on Margaret Mitchell's life. Our carriage ride encouraged me to check out a biography from the library. She led a very interesting life. Given the way I felt about being a mother after we got back, I found her views on being a woman, motherhood and childbirth very interesting. I look forward to going back to Charleston some day sans my beautiful children.

Danny has one regret about our carriage ride - he didn't think to ask the guide for a picture of her elbows and ankles until it was too late. She talked about the cultural standards of Charleston when it was young and kept returning to the theme that gentlemen were not to see a woman's elbows or ankles. In fact, if a man saw a women "compromised" in such a way three times, he was obliged to marry her.