Ah, that beautiful February day in 2017 when I spend a leisurely afternoon strolling UVa’s Central Grounds. Previous blog posts have detailed the Rotunda – for this final one, I bring you photos from the Chapel and Alderman Library.
The front of UVa’s Chapel. Such a lovely building. Hubby and I married there in July of 1999!The chapel from the east side.Interior of the chapel from the back.The chapel’s impressive and space-efficient organ pipes.The gorgeous stained glass window at the back of the chapel.One of the side sides of windows in the chapel.Another side window.More side windows.I love stained glass windows.Looking to the back of the chapel. Or maybe the front, I should say? This is the rear of the chapel, but near the entrance door…And now the same rear shot with more light, so you can see the roof.A view of Alderman Library from afar (it’s the building on the right in the distance). I spent many, many an hour in there.The front of Alderman Library. Love the columns.The plaque at the front. I sure would like to know more about the secret Seven Society, but alas, I was never a member.The interior lobby of Alderman – which looks much different from 20 years ago in some ways, and the same in others. The computers in my day weren’t as fancy as these. 😉And this cafe didn’t exist at all. This area to the left of the library entrance had study tables and chairs, and it’s the spot in which I watched my future husband walk into the library for the first time when we met for a lunch date in person after meeting online via Elvis.The reference area in Alderman. How I love that checkerboard floor – and grad school friends and I spent LOTS of time in here.Another view. It was quite the walk down memory lane to be in here again.I wandered into the stacks – nothing like that old book smell – and found my carrel. This is it, with a view to the side.
“I want to go find my old study carrel on the fourth floor and see if Elvis is still carved in it. I’ll be down in a few minutes.”
“Sure thing.” Eliza poked her. “I had no idea you were such a vandal.”
“I never said I did it.” Quirking an eyebrow at her friend, Cat added, “But I never said I didn’t.”
As Eliza headed toward the elevator, Cat walked back to the old side of the library. Passing through the metal doors, the familiar smell of timeworn books assailed her. She breathed in deeply. Geez, I’m as bad as my dad.
She moved through the stacks until she reached the spot in which she’d sat many an hour in school, reading Cicero while dreaming of a Romeo. Yeah, those days are long gone. She reached out and ran her finger along the bookshelf in her old carrel. Elvis was still inked across the edge of it.
“I have a sneaking suspicion you know who defaced this lovely university property,” drawled a voice from behind her.
