Memorial Day Monday

[Annarchy]

Good morning everyone, and Happy Memorial Day.

 

My Grandfather, Uncles, Brothers & Sisters have served and thankfully come home.

 

It's going to be a great day, I hope it's a wonderful day for you too.

 

Today, I have no plans, maybe a few odds & ends to tidy up, for the most part, a restful relaxing day, I hope.

 

What's on your agenda for today?

[mommafitz]

Mornin' Ya'll!

 

 

Good day to you Annarchy!

 

Yes. It is a good day. I'm thankful for those that have sacrificed so much for me and my families. My father-in-law was a vet and my brother-in-law is one also.

 

We are home today and I'm enjoying household chores. Doesn't that sound silly? I just like being home. I have a lot on my mind and being home can be the

best place to be during those times.......

 

Ya'll have a blessed fantabulous day!!!!!

 

 

mommafitz

[sassenach]

Many in my family are vets, including me although I only served in peace time but knew many Viet Nam Vets, Persian Gulf War Vets and now have family in during the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. Thankyou, everyone, for remembering them. DIL is now on a ship, should be off of East Africa now, dealing with the growing problem of pirates. Recently, for Mother's Day, they sent me an electronic picture frame with a 2gb flash drive of their collected pictures. Seeing her in her Dress Blues at some special dinner at Quantico or the Naval Academy perhaps as my son is a graduate/alumni now, was just amazing. She has so many ribbons and medals in just 11 yrs of service that she has to wear them on the left side of her dress uniform now. I sure would like to know what each of them are about. I only had about five, in my time in service. She probably shrugs them off, after all, she is just doing her job.

My paternal grandfather spent a year over in France during WW2, the last year, helping push the Germans back and ending the war then. My son's paternal side has veterans back to the American Revolution and probably Culloden and the Battle of Prestopans in Scotland, when 'Bonnie Prince Charlie' was out and about and failed,but the freedom that the Scots hoped for,from Tyrannical practices of England's kings, also was part and parcel of our own American Revolution, and over the generations, we still fight for freedom's sake.

We are in a grave period now, with identical problems now, and even some worse problems perhaps, and it is alot to sort through, most certainly, both at home and abroad.

These veterans and current service members are our warriors of today, and they do what they are expected to do, with alot of sacrifice to them, their families and they are struggling to secure jobs when they come home and are still cast aside for the most part. Veterans are actually more adaptable and this saddens me, so thankyou for noticing their continued efforts.

 

As for me, today, I have been working on my book this weekend, and watching the typical movies shown this weekend, and now watching the TV show where they rebuild with new structures homes for people that need them, and today's shows are about Veterans who need some help in that arena, to provide good homes for their families and its pretty neat, as I do chores. It's a pretty simple thing, but I feel like I am more on track and have more energy to do these simple things in a more thorough fashion because I am getting back to my writing and it feels really good and offered me some structure and motivation. I also am more able to look at all the reasons out there for prepping and more practically address this stuff I am working on and it feels like I am finally moving ahead after a stall period where alot of mental resolution was going on but not much action. So this is all good!

 

Simple things maybe, but it feels good to move along towards my goals, and with a better structure. The results are quite visible now and it feels more correct and I am simply relieved that this piece of my own puzzle has been found. I think it will lead to better things in alot of ways for me personally and it makes me happier. The conundrum is solved!

[Crazy4Canning]

Eleven years ago, on Memorial Day Weekend, my grandfather died. He was Poppy, papa, Grampy, and any number of other names, but mostly Grandpa. Inspite of a childish temper, we all adored him. He maintained a gruff vestige but had the largest soft spot for kids and babies.

 

He flew B52 and other planes in WW II. He was in Australia when Pearl Harbor occurred, merely by chance because his friend wanted to get something nice for a girl on her birthday. His friend's plane was shot down by a Zero. This friend died in the crash. Grandpa was also not on the flight or training crew for Nagasaki or Hiroshima because my uncle was born. The man who took his place on the crew ended up dying of some sort of radiation poisoning less than 10 years later.

 

For the first time in 11 years, there is no deep aching or incredible heart wrenching pain over missing my grandparents - I think, because I'm gardening more and widening my circle of friends.

 

Grandpa loved his garden. He grew the biggest tomatoes, had the nicest lawn, and thought that all grass should be 'baby feet' safe. Grandma always had the nicest roses and front bedding plants of anyone on her side of the street.

 

Every year, Memorial Day would kick off the summer picnic season. There would be burgers, chicken, or dogs, and tons of food. I remember soda being a delicacy and having to share one with my cousin. (Not that we minded...things always tasted better when you shared!) There was always ice cream and some sort of cake or cobbler or berry pie as the summer wore on.

 

I knew I was an 'adult' when at the age of 17 I began 'helping' or pretty much helping my mom take over the kitchen work for Grandma and setting everything up for the picnic. I grew to dread it, becuase for years my mom and sister and I did it. When I was in college, I just couldn't manage letting a whole entire day slide without studying. What I wouldn't give now for one DAY back and a 'B' instead of an 'A'.

 

There was no clock, you showed up when 'shade was on the patio', about 4pm. Earlier of course, if you were a 'good kid' and wanted to help. There was always tasting involved, so no efforts were in vain.

 

It's been a goal of mine to have a house suitable for company and a yard worthy of 'baby feet'. Due to construction efforts and money issues, I'm still working on it. Maybe next summer I can have my 'baby feet grass'.

 

I've no idea what prompted me to share this, but I hope for some of you it brought back some sweet memories. I know it did for me.

[Annarchy]

In memory of my Grandfather who served and lived through Pearl Harbor, and my DH's Grandfather who served in WWI.