Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Presidential Procrastination

     Thanks to all the Writing Crusaders who came by to visit my last blog. I will give you the answer to which fact about me was a lie on my next blog. This blog is one of Procrastination. Yesterday was President's Day, a day to honor all of the Presidents of our Country. While I admit I did not spend a great deal of time (none in fact) thinking about the presidents, I have realized the error of my ways...a day later. So today is Presidential Procrastination Day for my blog. Here are some interesting facts you may not know. May not want to know.

1. Benjamin Harrison was terrified of electric lights. A member of his staff had to turn them on and off for him. 
2. John Quincy Adams swam nude in the Potomac River every day, weather permitting. Of course, there were no paparazzi then.
3. Zachary Taylor let his old army horse, name of Whitey, graze on the White House lawn. Visitors were able to take horse hairs as souvenirs. Hmm. Wonder who cleaned up after him. How much would petrified horse poop with historical value get on E-Bay today?
4. James Garfield could write with both hands. For entertainment purposes, he would write in Greek with one hand and Latin with the other. What a party guy!
5. At his inauguration, George Washington had only one tooth in his mouth. (No wonder he was not smiling.)
6. While he was President, wild Ulysses S. Grant was fined for driving his horse too fast and fined 20.00. He smoked 20 cigars a day and died of throat cancer.
7. Rutherford Hayes was the first US president to use a phone at the White House. Alexander Graham Bell personally showed him how to do it. His phone number was 1.
8. John Quincy Adams had a pet alligator at the White House.

In honor of all the Presidents who came before us and during our lives, I know that I feel better knowing that they are human beings just like me. I am just not sure I want to see any of them swimming nude in the Potomac River.

8 comments:

Alison Miller said...

What a great post! I'm sharing with my husband - he's a history teacher...

Nice to meet you fellow crusader!

Alison Pearce Stevens said...

Those were fun!

I have an award for you at my blog.

Faith said...

This was cute... thanks for helping me procrastinate today :)

Michael Offutt, Phantom Reader said...

Lyndon Johnson used to leave the door open while he was on the toilet and still continue to speak with his aides or whomever was meeting with him, sometimes inviting them to join him in the bathroom. When I heard that, I thought to myself, "Gross."

jkraus8464 said...

OK Michael, you beat me on the most interesting fact. He certainly had no pride. Thanks for the Presidential Poop.

Charlotte Rains Dixon said...

Oh Jeanne, these are great! I am most fond of #1 and #8. And I think procrastinating is in the stars this week, I've caught myself at it this afternoon.

Kari Marie said...

These are great. Kinda reminds you of what life must have been like back then without papparazzi and dental hygiene.

Bodacious Boomer said...

#5 was kinda creepy. But you've just gotta love a Prez who keeps a pet alligator.