Learning About George

It's been an SID Saturday. Long day, late night in the office, lots of game recaps and lots of time sitting in a chair. Even though I'm not expending that much physical energy, it really is draining.

But I've been able to come home and relax by reading the book I picked up at the MC library this week. It's title His Excellency and is a look at the personality of our first president, George Washington.

Ol' George has always been one of my favorite people if only because he turned down a chance to be king of America when it was offered to him after the revolution. But in just a few pages, I've already learned some interesting tidbits about him.

- He had no more than a grade school education and left the United States only once (visit to the Carribean with his brother). Yet Thomas Jefferson, Ben Franklin and John Adams, all guys that were well read, well traveled and considered some of our the most brilliant Americans ever, considered Washington their superior.

- His first expedition was across the Blue Ridge Mountains into the Ohio Country, up the Ohio River and onto Presque Isle (in Erie where I live) to take a letter to a French outpost. He was only 21 then.

- He led the Virginia regulars during the French and Indian War when he was 24.

- He never actually chopped down his father's cherry tree. In fact, his father died when George was 11.

I'm looking forward to learning even more about George as I go along. Also, I've decided that my next read is going to be Undaunting Courage, which is about the Lewis & Clark expedition.