Two days; one post.
On Tuesday we packed up and headed on from Waco to Dallas. It was still cold in the morning but it wasn’t raining.
Since our furnace runs on propane fuel, we pulled into a Flying J station to fill up. We were down to one-quarter tank. With more cold nights ahead, it was time to fill the tank. Flying J normally has propane for RVers. Well, this one didn’t. So, onward we went.
Martha called the campground where we’d be staying for two nights to ask if they had propane. “No” came the response. The reason given was because of the unexpected cold snap. So, she called the next Flying J. They never answered the phone but we pulled in anyway. Martha went in to ask if they had propane and was given the same response. This was frustrating.
While Martha was driving, Byron did a Yelp search for “rv propane refilling in sunnyvale” and came up with a hit that worked. The distributor was 15 miles or so from the campground and we got in for a refill.
Who would have thought Texas, the state of oil production, would be short on propane (LP)? Apparently there was little thought given to preparing for fall at several of the Flying J travel stops.
On Wednesday we headed to the George W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum. When we left at 10 AM the temperature was about 40° F. It was five degrees warmer than when we got up. Gladly, the sun was shining for our trip to the campus of Southern Methodist University where the Bush Center resides.
Somewhat simple in appearance, the Presidential Library
and Museum fits in well with the SMU campus.
Freedom Hall is what the atrium of the building is called.
All four walls above head level feature a 360° video
that is quite inspiring and impressive. It closes with
the Preamble of the Constitution wrapped around the walls.
As mentioned in a previous blog entry, a model of the Oval Office
is a standard feature of the museums. Each president has
it decorated as they please which includes the colors
of the drapery and the oval rug with Seal of the President.
W. Bush preferred neutral and light colors. Laura was
responsible for the rug having rays of light
emanating from the Seal.
As with the other museums we’ve visited, this one is also arranged in a flowing structure starting with his early life. The exhibits seem designed for scanning what is presented. Detailed descriptions also are shown. One thematic thread that is apparent are the notes written by Bush with felt-tip marker. His notes included underlined words on which he emphasized. He also placed vertical lines where he wanted to take a breath of be sure to end with emphasis.
Early into his presidency came the challenge of the 9/11 attacks.
This photo was taken in a Jacksonville, FL elementary
school where he had gone in support of his education initiative.
Mangled steel beams are the centerpiece in a memorial area
for victims of the 9/11/2001 tragedy. Photos are displayed
among the names of the more than 3,000 that died that day.
“Strong leadership means rising to the challenges of the day.
It also means looking down the road. … And as leaders,
you and I have a responsibility to confront those problems
today, and not pass them on to future generations.”
President George W Bush,
South Carolina Statehouse,
Columbia, South Carolina,
April 18, 2005
Hurricane Katrina was probably the next major event with
which to deal in Bush’s first term. The 2005 event is exhibited
along side the Financial Crisis of 2007-2008, the issue
that really tarnished his legacy since it was near the
end of his second term.
Second term objectives … from the second inaugural speech.
This is an excellent exhibit that should be replicated in many
places across the country. It is an excellent but brief
lesson in civics and the US Constitution.
The museums also cover aspects of the lives of the First Ladies. After all, they are people what were also pulled into the limelight. Laura Bush, a teacher and school librarian, made reading and literacy her project.
Laura Bush was not afraid to travel independently of her husband.
The First Lady Travels is quite comprehensive though compact.
One of the things a son must struggle with is the shadow
cast by his father, especially when he was also a president.
Thes bronze statues show how the father had the back of the son.
One of the things Byron appreciated about George W. Bush was
his emphasis on faith-based work. He ensured that government policies
encouraged Americans to take on tough social problems.
Bush established the Faith-Based and Community Initiative,
which allows federal agencies to work closely with religious organizations
while protecting the Constitutional separation of church and state.
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