Day #40 This one is for all my Republican family and friends

Mel and I visited the Reagan Presidential library after lunch today.

Let me be perfectly clear, I am a committed and loyal Democrat. This is my blog and so I can initiate, proudly, some political banter on this 40th day of my journey, 50 days before the national election. You have been warned.

Following are key guiding principles that keep my head clear in the political arena:

1. I will always respect the president, regardless of the party, because the position itself deserves respect.
2. I will comfortably question and criticize leadership decisions, but will do so with respect and without name calling, hate or generalities that are rarely truths. I will do the same with my Republican friends, expecting the same courtesy.
3. I am a Christian, an American and a Democrat. Those who deny the possibility of this combination are functioning from the smallest portion of the human brain - the one all other animals in the animal kingdom have. It is at the base of the brain, the fight or flight zone, where fear and anger and hate breed. It is the larger portion of the brain that separates humans from the rest, with the ability for rational thought. Thank goodness most of my friends and family with the Republican bent are respectful, or at least tolerant of my political affiliations. (I have, by the way, I have added a bucket list item to work on the 2016 political campaign and hope to attend the Democratic National Convention.)
4. I believe that health care is a basic human right.
5. I believe that the haves have a deep responsibility for the have nots.
6. I believe in equal education for all and until this country recognizes that we are all responsible for what happens in the inner city, where the masses of population are, we will continue to get dumber and dumber.
7. I do not believe in capitol punishment. When and how a person dies is not a decision that  should be left in the hands of a man.
8. I understand the need (or perceived need) for national security and revere and respect the men and women who serve in the armed forces. 
9. I abhor facing the reality that our country is addicted to war. If we spent a fraction of what we spend on national defense on education, our world would be different.
10. I believe we have the capacity to do what is right and pray daily for this country and our leaders.

Melodie and I began our day at the pool. She floated. I treaded water. We solved the world's problems.

While waiting until exactly 24 hours before my flight to Dallas leaves so we could print my boarding passes, I collected photos of Mel's animal menagerie. (I always remember her affinity for critters. She was there when Mr. Aldefer squished the bug I was playing with on my desk during 7th grade Social Studies. I remembered their family pets, Tippy and Tinkerbell.)

2 tanks of fish ~ downstairs Narcissus and Zeus

and upstairs Achilles and Aphrodite with Arielle

5 hermit crabs

The tank was at the head of my bed and, on occasion, I heard their nocturnal travels as their shells clinked on the tank glass.

2 turtles ~ Yoda and Jabba

Memories Under Glass captured in miniature... 50 years of marriage celebrated for Don & Dorothy Rice

I can close my eyes and see the black and white photo of Judi, Melodie and Craig displayed proudly in the Rice living room on Happy Hollow Road where I spent many, many hours over the years with my friend and her family. I was quite infatuated with Craig and shushed everyone up when he came in the room.

Just a short ride from Blueberry Lane is this famed library in Thousand Oaks.

 The vistas were spectacular from every vantage point.

Wow. Wow. Wow.

The ticket in granted access to the special exhibit.. Walt Disney Archives and treasures. Walt and Ronald Reagan were long time friends, way before the White House years.

How perfect to have this opportunity just one week after my Anaheim experience!

Early Disney

Do you recognize any of this memorabilia?

Disney's creative working space

Opening day...

Young Ronnie, the communicator, the reporter...

How many of these do you recognize and place with Disney movies over the years?

Evil Cruella De Vil's dress

101 Dalmations

Johnny Depp wore these!

and this!

The Haunted Mansion was closed at Disneyland last week, but I got to see the favorite ghosts today!

Props and costumes for the first Pirates of the Caribbean movie.

 Find your favorite Disney characters...

National Treasures archival pieces

Clay busts of every US President

And then the Reagan story...

A blue screen allowed me to interview the Gipper

I recommended he get something for his cough.

So what do you think? Politics in my future? Jimmy Carter seems more pleased with what I have to say than George Bush, Sr. (Although, Barbara Bush and I did have a pleasant chat about our connection with Aurora and Wells College!)

Some of Nancy's wardrobe

And then we found Air Force One!
 

And the Gipper's limo!

Infamous talks with Gorbachev

Ronnie and I found time for a ride. I was on Stumpy. (So, it's like this. He has no legs allowing people, like me, to mount him easily.) The President was on his favorite, El Alamein.

The hand written letter he wrote to tell the American public about his diagnosis with Alzheimer's disease.

A fitting tribute near his grave... a piece of the Berlin Wall

A fitting reminder that freedom isn't free... a piece of the World Trade Center

A reverent place overlooking a spectacular vista...

and a bit of creative photoshopping!

 Thank you to my wonderful hosts and my dear friend! Thousand Oaks has been a treat.

Jason, Bob and Melodie

2009-2016