Reagan Library Road Trip and BBQ - After-Action Report

8/3/04 | Rabid Dog

[pbear8]

I considered riding my motorcycle the 300+ miles (one-way) to be in on this.

What stopped you? We drove 400 one way. =)

[b9]

Your daughters are ADORABLE models!
I would so love to have sketched you, too.
Did they have fun?

[Barset]

I am so moved by the wonderful camaraderie shown in the pictures of you all, and the simple dignity of that great man's resting place. Thank you for posting. b

[onyx]

A fabulous, unforgettable day, shared with
some of the finest people imaginable. I
love yall.

Do we have a list of all who attended?

I want to thank the sweet couple from San Francisco:
she sang so beautifully and his bagpipe playing brought
tears to more eyes than just mine. Captain Phillips?

For some of us LUCKY ones, Sunday was the second weekend
in a row that we got see and visit with JimRob and Shelia
and their magnificent hunk of a son Chris.

Doodlelady sketched as many as time allowed and I want
to tell her here that she has become one of my closest
and dearest friends. I love her. I think she and her
artistry were the hit of the BBQ, in addition to the
delicious food and the unmatched hospitality of RabidDog
and her husband.

Thanks to all the Ventura FReepers for making us welcome.
All the food yall brought was delicious and consumed fast,
wasn;t it?

Doug, your eulogy could not have been better. Amazing that
one man can be so touchingly serious and so dang funny the
rest of the time. You are quite the entertainer. :)

I reckon I have gushed on long enough. My mind is still
on Sunday. Luckily for me, my husband is very pleased with
ALL my purchases of RWR memorbilia from the Library... even
and I must add, "especially" pleased with the costly item:
the framed pic of President Reagan in his cowboy hat, complete with the Presidential Seal and his autograph replicated. Whew, I was sort of worried about that purchase.

Thanks again to everyone for making August 1, 2004, a
day I shall always remember ever so fondly.

[markv840]

What a great day it was; this is definitely something that should be repeated.

The Reagan library was amazing; and sharing that with so many wonderful people makes the experience even better. The BBQ at Rabid dog's was really fun; the live music was great, and the conversations were even better.

Doodlelady made AMAZING sketches, thank you! I'm having mine framed.

[onyx]

It is funny and I am teasing you.

[Brad’s Gramma]

You BOUGHT THE PICTURE?

Oh maaaaaaannnnnn!!! THAT IS TOO COOL!!!!

[onyx]

YES! I bought, (I mean husband BOUGHT) the picture.
Had I known he would be so generous (LOL) I would have
gone for the autographed book too! And I mean that
seriously. Have AMEX, will travel. LOL!

[Brad’s Gramma]

There's NO WAY you would've bought that book. Uh uh...that's pushing it.

Maybe. Ha!

I'm outta here, now, for a bit. BBL!!!

[Quix]

Now look,

I try hard to avoid jealousy and you aren't making it easy!

Sounds fantastic.

[diotima]

Lemme check with RD.........

[onyx]

OK.
You have my permission.
It is FUNNY.
At least put it back up in the BBQ link.
The caption folks come up with will be hilarious.
It was a sterling moment... like from the Bates Motel.

[b9]

You just made that day SO worth it,
running interference at every (U?) turn,
making sure the right things got done
and keeping us entertained on that long, long drive.

If I could just find a way to bottle and sell you
I'd be RICH!!!

We should market a conservative brand of
glue (like they did with "W" ketchup)
and name it ONYX.

Because you hold everything together
and you always stick with it, no matter what.

[Wolfstar]

Somebody let the cats out!

No, no, no, no, no...SOMEBODY LET THE DOGS OUT!!!

According to Kerry, it's goons, to which comment Barney Bush had this to say:

[merry10]

Your family is wonderful.

[merry10]

They both seemed to have fun. My younger child is already a conservative; the older one less so, but she enjoys going on various outings. They were both very proud of your portraits. You captured the freckles beautifully!

[MayflowerMadam]

The only event we were able to attend was the breakfast. We couldn't stop talking about the wonderful young people (teenagers and young adults)we spoke with. They were well- informed, articulate, and were able to back up their conservative beliefs with facts. (Democrats generally don't have facts, just feelings - kumbaya, baby.) Encouraging to know that there will be some able leaders in our country from this generation.

[conservatism_IS_compassion]

[image of an acknowledgement of support from Heinz]

I think that Teresa said "I really don't know him [Kerry] well, we've only been married for ten years." Hence contributions could have been made from Heinz to the Reagan Library several years before Heinz married Kerry.

[Henchster]

At the time the Reagan library was funded, John Heinz III was still alive, and presumably, overseeing the contributions of the foundation with his grandfather's name.

[Wolfstar]

I don't have the entire ping list from the Reagan Library trip, but this is a tribute, first to Jim, then to all of you who went to the library. Thank you so very much for opening your hearts — and, in Rabid Dog's case, beautiful home — to a waif like me who cares so very much about the message you help to spread.

From "Great Heart" by Johnny Clegg...

There's a highway of stars across the heavens
There's a whispering song of the wind in the grass
There's a rolling thunder across the savanna
And a hope and a dream at the edge of the sky
And your life is the story of the wind
Your life is a story like the wind