Patrice and I thought about heading down to San Diego to see the Pirates play the Padres today but after seeing them lose 3 straight games in St. Louis I was worried one more loss and I would become permanent persona non grata for all future Buc’s games.
Instead we decided to visit my dear mother. Patrice has long wanted to go to the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library so since it isn’t too far from mama’s house we decided to do both. The Library was first on our agenda.
Upon entering the Library we were greeted by a smiling young lady who asked if this was our first visit (yes) and had we been to any other Presidential Libraries (yes to that too). “Richard Nixon’s?” she asked sporting a very Orange County like smile. “No, LBJ and JFK.” Our answer resulted in a look of disdain from our “Greeter” but oh well, you can’t please everyone. The self-guided library tour was good but not great. We loved seeing Air Force One. The selling of pictures (taken by staff in front of the plane) and having a film promoting the Library App download for “only $2.99” seemed a bit cheesy. I never was a big Reagan fan so my opinion might be tainted. Love him or hate him I still got teary eyed at the end of the exhibit when they discussed his death and end of life suffering with Alzheimer’s disease (son Mike said that just prior to the President’s death he only knew his son as “The guy who hugs me”.)
After the museum it was off to see my amazing mother. She is 99 but she knows much much more than that I am the guy who hugs her. She was bragging about her great granddaughter and we talked about all sorts of things. We also got to FaceTime with our daughters in Spain and the Grandsons in Northern California.
For dinner we headed to Boneyard Bistro in Sherman Oaks. Patrice had read an article stating that this was a supreme BBQ place. It was good but dinner just made me want to return to Memphis.
What a great day. Today felt like I was making up for having to cut the vacation short due to my stone.
By the way, Pittsburgh lost 7-1. Good thing I didn’t go.
Robert Reiss Travel Blog and Other Ramblings 