The Hidden White House: Harry Truman and the Reconstruction of America's Most Famous Residence
Robert Klara
Thomas Dunne Books
October 22, 2013
Kindle
382
This book was excellent! I hardly put it down since I started reading it. It is an amazing story about how dilapidated the White House was after WWII. It shows just how real the troubles were and how stressful the wars were.
Truman had a hard decision to rebuild the entire house, but he pushed through it and now our president still lives at the same address. If he hadn't we would have lost this house forever. It is true that there is not a lot of original items in the house, but now, it doesn't seem to take away from the home. People in the 50s may have been bothered by it, but today most people don't even know it was rebuilt.
The only downfall of this book is the lack of pictures. Since I was reading it on Kindle, I am not holding that against it as the hard copy might have more pictures. Great quick read!
So the website has been down for a while now. I am writing this on Wednesday so it’s a bit of a recap
Yesterday the classes went well. I am still not feeling great – very snotty. I think I am going to grab some over the counter stuff tonight to help dry out.
This hotel has good food – probably the best from any like buffet that I have had. We had meatloaf, yummy.
We went to a place called Bru Burger Pub – really good burger. It was so good I was so stuffed, but I wanted to finish it! It was downtown and Indy has a nice downtown
Paul and Samantha went to the house today so that is nice. The parents lost the remote and Samantha found it. I was just happy that Nickel didn’t get it again
This morning was a bit hard to get moving. I have wrecked my lips by being a mouth breather and my nose is killing me with these harsh tissues! I am in the class now, they are working on something else. The talk went well this morning, have another one this afternoon. I don’t suspect I will have very many questions but we will see.
They have really good muffins here I had 2
I did my expenses from the beginning of the year – we will see if I can get paid for them. I can see them being upset with me for not turning them in during the month they were for.
I am kinda just waiting on lunch
Lunch was really good. This hotel, the Crown Plaza at the airport, really does good work on the food offered – snacks and meals. I guess CSX does a lot of business here and I can see why.
I finished my afternoon session and it went really well. Had a bit more interest with this group
My co-workers are going out for dinner, I am so unsure if I want to go. I feel bad and want to go to sleep – ugh! I just don’t know. I was able to make my flight changes to come home on Friday and so I will be leaving here and driving to Fostoria Wednesday and then leaving out of Detroit that night. Lots of travel, but the flight home is direct and I am so happy I just can’t stand it
Today is a travel day to Indianapolis, IN. My flight leaves at like 11:45 so I am off to the airport!!
Well, the first flight went alright. My ears didn’t really wanna pop, but I was able to airplane sleep so that was nice. I am sitting in Atlanta now and just waiting for my next flight. I have a bit of time so I am just relaxing.
Sitting in my hotel now – whew, that was a long day of traveling. Not really but being sick has drained me. I stopped at a Subway on the way here and got me a sandwich and I am going to finish it up and go to sleep!
So, I fell asleep last night before I could post this I didn’t get any pics from yesterday so I will make a point to do it today!
Oh my goodness, I could not get off my booty today… I don’t know what the heck is wrong, I think it has to do with not feeling great and knowing that I am going out of town for a whole week. I just got back inside from playing with the puppies and I am really feeling it today. It is so freakin humid outside I am 100% GROSS when I get back inside, no matter how long I have spent outside.
Paul, Samantha, and Becky all came out today. I had plans on making Paul go to the grocery store with me, but I just couldn’t get into life today.
I said a while back in my blogs that my hands and feet were itching – I think I did anyway. So Paul and I were looking the other day and I saw the plant that is getting me itchy. I will have to get a pic and attach it here in a minute, but it is all over and not always easily visible, but even if it was with the balls rolling and being fuzzy there is no avoiding so I try just not to touch them. The problem is that Nickel thinks it is a game when I use the thrower to pick up the balls and I end up having to struggle with him for a couple minutes with each ball Also, these tennis balls smell so freakin bad. Bad, horrible, gross, I don’t like it
I am in the middle of packing since about noon. Ha ha ha, I really just need to make it all fit, replenish my shampoo and conditioner and get it done. Luckily it is a bit casual, jeans and t-shirts are fine for the meetings and then I need to bring my PPE in case I go in the field at the second stop. That makes packing a little less stressful.
Sidetrack – I have this desktop that is a time lapse of a train station, viewing the escalator and it is just a cool picture. I really wanna do some stuff like that myself, I just can’t seem to stop being in the moment to do it Good and bad I suppose
My new book is good so far. I went with the White House one. I am so gross. My feet are black and my hands are too. I am about to wrap this up and go get in the shower. Maybe I will have some ice cream tonight
Alright, goodnight and sweet dreams!!
Itchy plant!Nickel waiting for dinner.
Nickel waiting on Dad to come back with the golf cart!
I took dad to get his hair cut which is kind of like a huge task. First off, I should have taken a picture of his hair because it was out of control! Second, there was another person in there cutting hair, which is nice. Normally the lady is so slow, but like everyone goes to her. I don’t really understand. The second lady cut his hair, after sitting for a while and then realized he wanted a hair cut…
OK, then I am still not 100% and it is bugging the crap out of me. I really feel like I should be all better by now. My ears are still popping a lot when I blow my nose. Goodness.
I took Nickel with me to go get food for dinner, he likes the car a lot. Dad said that Dime was a little distraught when we left, but she will not get in the car. I have played with them and he is his normal evening self, barking in my face to go play. The only problem is that it is about to rain so he is gonna be out of luck.
I will be going to two locations next week, Indianapolis and also Fostoria, Ohio – or someplace close to there. I need to get in touch with my contact to make sure I know where I am going
I think I have found the next book I am going to read. I think it is going to be on the Brooklyn Bridge or the White House. For those who do not know, the White House was completely rebuilt during Truman administration. So either would be interesting. Will let you know how it goes
I really wish I could figure out how to get Nickel to feel fulfilled in the evening. He is just sitting here barking at me, we go outside, play a little, come back in and eh does the same thing. I don’t know what to do. I took him out again, but he is still very anxious… Wish the pets could talk.
I am going to get something to drink and get in the bed
The Romanovs: The Final Chapter
Robert K. Massie
Random House
February 22, 2012
Kindle
320
I should not have read this book first, but I did and it really didn't have a huge impact on the quality of this book. This is about what happened after their death. I didn't realize exactly how this story ended so it was a nice surprise for me and I got to a point in the last several chapters where I found it hard to put down. It was one of those where you didn't want the story to end the way it did, but there is still room in this family's story for more.
It was a quick read and that was nice and the names were not horrible to pronounce - or at least think that I was pronouncing them in my head correctly :) It is very interesting how things are clouded by so much red tape or politics or whatever you would call those random roadblocks. They have to leave things unfinished rather than make something happen. Sad.
I wonder what will happen with this story or if this really was the final chapter...
So I was going to try to make it into the office today, but my mom had a procedure scheduled for today so I was going to take her. Well, she decided that she wasn’t feeling up to it so now I am getting stuff done at the house!!!! Laundry first and then I have to clean up my desk a good bit.
Random Rant: FedEx will never leave the package at the gate when everyone else will… Why do we put our phone numbers on the packages if the driver isn’t going to bother to call… FedEx is gonna have to do a little bit better!!!
OK, I am so sick of my ears popping when blowing my nose. Actually it’s like they get clogged when I blow my nose – the opposite, but it is very hard to blow my nose when that happens. Quality content right here y’all Lets stack on top of that with I gotta check on my clothes in the washer ha ha ha ha.
I am very close to the end of my most recent book and I am getting to the parts where it is hard to put it down. I will write a review of that when I get done – hopefully this week.
I need to figure out what we are going to have for dinner. I think we have exhausted the things I got for the last time I was out of the house. I really want some pizza – how lame is that, but sometimes you just crave stuff
Played with the puppies for just a bit. I got cut majorly by the palmetto plant… Only I can get bloody from playing catch with the puppies. I sliced myself like it was a serrated knife, right on the bendy part – AMAZING!!! Also, I just love how we play for 10 minutes and the dogs are passed out, but at night I had to take them out at like 10pm for a “walk” to calm them down. By walk I mean we walked to the gate and back. They are crazy.
The dogs are doing their thing now – right on time Nickel is just bothering the crap out of me and we have been outside playing like 6 times already. He needs sleeping pills…
Mom Update: Mom is feeling a little bit better this evening, she slept from like noon until dinner. I am not sure what is going on, I hope she feels a bit better before I leave, but we might have to do like we did a couple weeks ago and have the boys come out She keeps saying no one said getting older was like this, I don’t think she is enjoying her 70s as much as say her 20s
Alright, I am going out one more time with these dogs for a walk and then calling it quits – I want to finish my book!!!! Ha ha ha ha ha. Hope everyone has a great night!
A little love nip from Nickel :(Just Dime being Dime :)Penny and Nickel playing!!
Today I am feeling a bit better, but still have fluid in ears and coughing so hard that my head feels like it will explode
I am making some up coming flights and hotel and car reservations – it isn’t hard but for me to stay focused to do them all. I have to do one trip at a time and what I really want to do is all the flights, all the hotels, and all the cars I know, life is crazy
Just went to the post office to pick something up for Samantha. Took Nickel and he did very well today. He did get sick the last time I took him, not sure if that was a fluke or not so I was being extra “motherly” as my mother pointed out. I said I am listening for the tell tale signs of about to get sick
Random Rant: I hate blowing my nose. I hate it specifically when you do it and get stuff to come out and then breath in and still sound snotty!!!!! Ugh…
Just threw the balls for a little bit with the dogs – it is so hot out there for them when they just go 100% all the time! There is a path that I can throw the ball in that is mostly shady, but there is no wind out there. Now the dogs are playing rambunctiously in the room. They are a bit crazy
Just got back inside again – these doggies are killing me Really they are helping me – I need to get out there and be more active so it is good.
The Hidden White House: Harry Truman and the Reconstruction of America's Most Famous Residence
She keeps saying no one said getting older was like this, I don’t think she is enjoying her 70s as much as say her 20s 
