A DAY IN DALLAS 3/1/11

 On Tuesday, 3/1, we rose early, left our trailer in its parking spot and drove 90 minutes to Dallas, stopping at McDonalds for breakfast on the way.
We are amazed at how different this section of Texas is with beautiful green fields, rivers, lakes and such!

 Here we are crossing a 2 mile long bridge across Lake Tawakoni.

 We arrived at the temple in Dallas and attended a session there, leaving at about 1:00 PM.

 We then drove through Dallas and headed out to Richardson, to attempt to locate a house that Ann's Grandfather Rice lived in from 1960-62.  We failed at that attempt, but located the neighborhood.  This photo is of Dallas, not Richardson!

 We then drove back into Dallas and went to the location at Dealey Plaza where President Kenedy was assassinated in Nov. 1963.

 It is hard to describe the emotions, feelings and thoughts that accompanied being in this place.

 All of us that were alive during this event were so inundated with images and emotions during this event that being here is unimaginable, awe inspiring, frightening, depressing, shocking and historically significant..... all at the same time.  This place we visited today was ..... can't describe it.  This event that took place in our lives was more devastating, more shocking than any event before or after, including 9/11.  It was amazing being here. 

 It was like we had been here before.  All of the images we saw were part of us.  It was like going back to a place you had been many times and were very familiar with.

 Ann points to the window from which Lee Harvey Oswald pointed a rifle and shot the president twice, killing him.  This building, that window is an image I saw over and over again in those days of the assasination.  Forever, permanently etched in my mind!

It, though we are smiling here, was a sobering experience, being here today.

 We also explored the areas nearby.  This was the original county court house.

 The contrast of old and new.  The building on the left is where the county records are kept.  We went inside to see if we could do a reverse search with Ann's grandpa's name and see if we could find old deeds and records that would lead us to what the address was of the house he lived in after leaving Ada, OK and before moving to SoCal.

 When we walked into the rear lobby we were amazed to find the flag that flew over the Alamo when it was defeated by Santa Anna many years ago.

 Another disturbing image that assaulted our emotions was this sign hanging over the drinking fountain!  To our amazement, as we read the description below, it was only there to remind us of where we had once been as a civilization not very long ago.  We took this picture as we left the building.  In Ann's hands is the evidence that our search of court records was successful.  The deeds of sale, contracts of purchase containing the address and we wanted.  It also had Freethias Rice's signature.

 Another manhole Wayne could not pass up.

 So, we drove back out to Richardson and found the house that Freethias and Nova Anna had lived in for 2 years.

 Then after dinner at Chili's and a frustrating attempt to follow our GPS's directions, we found our way back across the water and home, having been gone 13 hours.

Bed at midnight for Ann and 2 AM for Wayne (Finished the book, Roots.)  We were awakened Wednesday morning to someone trying to break into our trailer window!  This little guy started in at the break of dawn seeing his refection in the window and thinking it was a rival out after his mate.  He has spent the whole day pecking at our window.  He started off by repeatedly dive bombing the window, flying full bore straight into the window.  Then Wayne went out and put up a flap for him to sit on.  Now he just sits there and talks and pecks all day long!!!

 

Tomorrow, 3/3, we cause the sun to set on our stay here at Lake Tawakoni Thousand Trails.  It has been refreshing to relax, do taxes and read as well as visit Dallas.  This picture was taken from our front door a few evenings ago.