Bushes move to Dallas home

Former US president George Bush and his wife Laura have moved into their new Texas home, a month after leaving the White House.

Mr Bush’s motorcade drove past a security barricade yesterday, bringing the former first couple to their new residence – a 1959 ranch-style brick home that sits at the top of a quiet street in a wealthy Dallas neighbourhood.

Mr Bush waved to a jogger as he rode by and the jogger waved back.

“President and Mrs Bush are glad to be back in Dallas, appreciate the warm welcome by their neighbours and look forward to once again being part of the Dallas community,” said, a spokesman for Mr Bush’s office in Dallas.

The couple’s new home has four bedrooms, four-and-a-half bathrooms and a bar.

The house has a wide front garden and dark shutters, with a gate at the top of the driveway that affords some privacy. Dallas City Council has approved a security gate that will eventually block access to the street.

Dallas police and Secret Service agents have set up a barricade in recent days, limiting access to the neighbourhood. They have even turned away delivery vans; packages must be dropped off with security staff, who hand-deliver them.

The home is in the Preston Hollow area of Dallas, home to some of Texas’ wealthiest residents and most expensive homes. Some front lawns have sported “W” signs. Others have signs saying “Welcome home George & Laura”.

Mrs Bush has been staying in Dallas for at least the last few days and has been spotted at area restaurants. The former president has been staying at his ranch in Crawford, about 95 miles south of Dallas.

The Bushes lived in Dallas from December 1988 through January 1995, before moving to the Texas governor’s mansion in Austin. Mrs Bush is a graduate of nearby Southern Methodist University, which will house her husband’s presidential library and think-tank.