Friday, August 16

We headed for Springfield, IL today to visit Ed’s brother, Leo, and his wife, Shirley. We went early (will I ever get to sleep in again??!!), so that we could spend some time at the Lincoln Museum and Library. I recommend it highly. The exhibits were riveting. The museum makes good use of technology to make history come alive, using holography, sound, and sensoround. The wax figures looked almost lifelike.

One exhibit shows what TV coverage of the 1860 presidential campaign might have looked

like, including TV ads. It was an effective way of describing the differences between the four candidates.

I learned that Lincoln was a game changer in many more ways than just preserving the Union and emancipating the slaves. He believed that agriculture was very important, and signed legislation creating the land grant college system. He also established our first national park – Yosemite.

I may never understand how human beings could ever justify owning other human beings. At the time of the Civil War, one in seven of the residents of this country was held in the bondage of slavery. It’s a stain on our history.

Had I been alive at the time, I probably would have agreed that the southern states had the right to secede, and I may even have said “Good Riddance,” but I hope I would have been an abolitionist, and I hope I would have come to accept the wisdom of Lincoln’s decision to do whatever was necessary to preserve the Union.

So much history this week!

We met Leo and Shirley for lunch and had a nice visit with them before heading to Sycamore. On the way, Paul experienced some control issues with the Touareg, which had determined to go its own way for a while. After that unplanned stop at the DQ, we were back on the road with no further struggles, and arrived back at Paul’s home around 6pm.

Kim served up chili and sweet corn – yum!!!

Tomorrow is a day of rest. I may get to sleep in, like to 8:15 or so. Sweet, sweet, sweet.