"Power Couple"

I am enjoying the HBO mini-series "John Adams." The realistic portrayal of Colonial life is something I have never seen on TV. The people look grubby and dirty, life was hard not glamorous. The scene where a man was "tarred and feathered" was portrayed in graphic detail, and was hard to watch. Adams was committed to the cause of American independence, but I think the core of the story is the relationship between Adams and his strong wife Abigail. She is his "sounding board." She is self-educated, courageous, wise, an early advocate for women's rights and the abolition of slavery. She raises and educates their children on her own because her hubby must leave home for long periods of time. She farms the land. She is a trusted friend as well as a supportive and devoted wife. The two wrote hundreds of letter to each other. He had a deep respect for her and their loving relationship was genuine, not contrived. And as Mr. Dottie pointed out to me, she wore some pretty seductive house dresses. I can't imagine how uncomfortable it must have been to wear those tight corsets while tending to the house and children. I think John and Abby were America's first "power couple." And it is interesting to see how our founding fathers and mothers lived as regular citizens, representing the will of the people, committing their lives to a worthy cause, and engaging in reasoned debates.