Today, I decided to cool down at the movies. The Sorcerer’s Apprentice started at 1:35 pm. I arrived at the theater at 12:45. Now, that is more like it. I’ve also decided that I am not paying any attention to reviewers (even my friends) ever again. I’d heard the movie was not very good, but I have to say I was very entertained. It was kind of a non-cartoon version of the earlier Disney movie where Mickey Mouse played the sorcerer’s apprentice. There was even a scene where the brooms, mops, sponges and such got out of hand – it was very funny.
Why Two Days In a Row?
After hitching up my travel trailer at Camping World and spending some time unloading it at home, I backed it into a spot in the storage area (with very little difficulty, I might add). From a fellow resident, I found out there was no water for another shower. Hence, the decision to go to a movie. Can you think of a better place to cool down?
Simple History
It’s funny. There are several dates I have learned over the years that still stick in my mind. For example, 1492 - when Columbus discovered America, 1620 - when the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock, and 1803 - when the famous Louisiana Purchase took place.
Sounds simple, doesn’t it? Jefferson bought the Louisiana territory (that huge piece of land drained by the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers) from the French in 1803 for a total of $15 million, or for about 3 cents per acre. Stated so simply, it sounds as if Jefferson just decided one day to buy the territory, went to the French, offered them $15 million and they took it.
In reality, if I had thought about it, I would have realized there was much more to it than that. In fact, Jefferson and his friend Meriwether Lewis had been considering exploring the territory for well over ten years. They had been actively planning the exploration for a year before the purchase was completed. Lewis was even there when the ceremony marking the purchase was celebrated. His signature is on the documents transferring power.
If it had happened a few years earlier, the purchase would have had to be made from the Spanish, because they owned it until 1800. At the ceremony, the Spanish flag had to be lowered, then the French flag raised, then the French flag lowered, then the American flag raised. It must have been really weird and extremely exciting.
In any case, with that one purchase, Jefferson had effectively doubled the size of the United States and provided the country with a border on the Pacific Ocean even though no one had yet traveled to the Pacific over land.
And imagine the Corps of Discovery would soon be launching an expedition into the “great unknown.”
Think about it.
Until next time…
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