Home Safe

Thank you for your prayers - they worked!  My flight to California was fine and getting through security was uneventful.  Praise God!!!  I had a great visit with my folks and my little sister.  She is 16 years younger than I am and we didn't grow up together.  We didn't really bond as sisters until she was trying to conceive her first child.  Now we are joined at the heart.  I miss her already.

The highlight of the trip was a visit to the Richard M. Nixon Presidential Library and Museum in Yorba Linda.  I don't know what I expected but it turned out to be fabulous.  I love history and the place was full of it.  There is even a piece of the Berlin Wall.  Amazing.


This is the entrance to the building.

This fountain in the parking lot is quite large as you can see by comparison with the car in the photo.

Inside the main door is the Presidential Seal and the gift shop.  You buy your ticket there and begin your tour on the other side of the shop.

Tim and I are big fans of the "National Treasure" movies so I was delighted to find a reproduction of the Resolute Desk outside the gift shop.

Did you know that you can order one for your own office?  Me neither, but it's true.

Also on the grounds is the birthplace of Richard Nixon, which I will show you later.  But this is a scale model inside the museum. 

Outside is a shallow reflecting pool that spans the length of the corridor.  The building is a U shape and this is the center.

At the end is an area used for "events" such as weddings or political fundraising, etc.
Here it looks like they are getting ready for a wedding.  Behind the chairs you can see the birth home.  Along the path to the old house we passed by the graves of Mr. and Mrs. Nixon.

This is the birthplace and it was a small, humble home for a large family.  Flash photography was not allowed so most of my pictures did not turn out.

My biggest interest, of course, was the kitchen, and here it is.  You could stir a pot on the stove and wash a dish at the same time.   At the far end of the picture is the icebox, next to the back door.  (My apologies to the lady tourist in front of me. She backed into the shot as I pushed the button!).

Directly across from the sink is the stove.  This is one of the few pieces in the house that is not original.  It would have been similar though.  Behind the right shoulder of the "tourist-man-with-a-beard" is another doorway.  It goes into what they called the pantry.  I took some pictures but they were too fuzzy to share.  It was a small room with another counter top and cabinets below.  That was the only built in part.

After leaving the little house we visited the final display.  This is "Marine One", the Presidential helicopter, retired of course.  We were able to walk all the way through it with a tour guide but no pictures were allowed.  He said the current "Marine One" is the same model so it is a security thing :)  Believe it or not this chopper seats 16 people, a pilot and co-pilot, has a bathroom and a wet bar!

Even though I had a good time it is great to be home.

Thanks for stopping by!