Where were YOU on the 4th?

LOL - Happy 4th!

One week ago . . .

Last Monday, at the Memorial Day celebration in town, there was a gun team that fired a cannon to call attention to soldiers who were Prisoners of War or Missing in Action.

Remember

For love of country they accepted death . . .

~ James A. Garfield

Happy New Year!

Time flies

This week is going to fast! And keeps going faster.

But tomorrow I will be going out to the farm for some quality sister time. And by quality I mean -- I become the teasee of the family. :-D

I am also going to make up the dough for the rolls for Thursday and mix up some cinnamon rolls. Yummy!

Starting the countdown . . .

Only four more days until the sister is here for the Thanksgiving holiday!

Only eight more days until the brother is here for the Thanksgiving holiday! That seems like a long way off but I think the time will go by fast.

I just hope it slows down while they are here!

Tomorrow it will be 3 days and 7 days!

Yea!

Veterans Day

This nation will remain the land of the free
only so long as it is the home of the brave.
-- Elmer Davis

It's that time of year

Time to start thinking about Christmas presents.

Actually it's time to think about what I'm going to make for Christmas presents. I have some ideas but I just have to implement them.

I like to make most of them -- it's just a matter of collecting all the materials and planning everything so it will be ready to send out before Christmas!

Remember

9-11-2001

• World Trade Center Memorial design and building information

• Tribute WTC Visitor's Center: remembrance quotes, images, & personal stories

• Progress and future of the WTC site

• Construction photos

• Flight 93 Memorial site

• Pentagon Memorial site
  

Just for fun

A little 4th of July fun!

Whoopsie . . .

I haven't been posting very well this week. I just realized about 5 minutes ago that I missed yesterday!

Anyway, Happy 4th! Make sure you check out this post before watching fireworks . . .

I have had a good day! I slept in until 10 am. I got up and cleaned my bathroom, living room, & dining room. (Maybe I'll get some photos up next week.) Then I made a salad and got out my grill.

I lounged around for a bit.

About 40 minutes ago I lit my charcoal . . . hopefully they will be ready to cook my brats soon!

I am having some friends over for brats and sparklers!

Belated Memorium

Here are some photos from last Monday's Memorial Day Ceremony:

Color Guard:

It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us—that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion—that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain—that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom—and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth. -- Abraham Lincoln

I did and I didn't

I seem to have a hard time completing my to-do lists. I did get my lawn mowed this weekend. And . . . that is about all. Sigh.

Oh well, at least I already have this week's to-do list ready . . .

. . . curriculum for computer class . . .

. . . flower beds . . .

. . . etc . . .

I didn't just sit around all weekend though. I did some things that weren't on my list to-do.

And yesterday I went to the Memorial Day service here in town.

And that is always a blessing!

You look like a monkey . . .

• 301 years ago today the Kindgom of England and the Kingdom of Scotland became the Kingdom of Great Britain.

• 222 years ago today was opening night of the opera The Marriage of Figaro by Mozart in Vienna, Austria.

• 145 years ago today the Battle of Chancellorsville (Civil War) begins.

• 115 years ago today the World's Columbian Exposition opens in Chicago.

• 77 years ago today The Empire State Building is dedicated in New York City.

• 63 years ago today a German newsreader officially announces that Adolf Hitler has "fallen at his command post".

• 52 years ago today the the polio vaccine developed by Jonas Salk is made available to the public.

• 30 years ago today the first unsolicited bulk commercial e-mail (aka "spam") is sent.

• 27 years ago today the sister was born.

Despite the fact that I am sure I wasn't entirely happy about it at the time, I have completely gotten over that and know that I would be lost without her today.

Happy Birthday!

April Fool's

Today is April Fools day. Personally, I don't celebrate this day -- never have, most likely never will.

But my curious mind wondered where the "day" came from so I did a little research.

Basically, the holiday for fools came about when countries adopted January 1 as New Year's Day -- previously it had been April 1st. So instead of paying calls and giving gifts on April 1st people did it on January 1st.

I don't know what is involved in changing a holiday but I would guess there were some people who didn't like change. (Surprise, surprise. :-)) Anyway it became practice to give "mock" gifts and play little pranks on the day formerly known as New Year's -- April 1.

For more info and some known pranks click here.

Resurrection Sunday

For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. John 3:16

St. Patricks' Day

I have very little Irish in me. However, I couldn't resist this video:

Happy Valentine's Day

So Valentine's Day -- the day we celebrate love.

For singles, though it is something else altogether.

• It's a reminder that we do not have someone to come home to at after a bad day and complain without fear.
  

• A reminder that we don't have someone to share the hardships and celebrations of life.
  

• A reminder that we won't be getting a sweet little note today about how much we are appreciated.

For many singles, that is what Valentine's Day is. For me, I am going to try to think of it as:

• A reminder that I don't have anyone to consult with before I do something I really want to do.

• A reminder I don't have anyone I need to pick up after.

• A reminder I don't have to watch where I'm sitting before I use the bathroom.

• A reminder I don't have to share the Oreo cookies!

But more than that I can remember that I do have people in this world that I love and that love me. So that will be my focus this Valentine's Day.

Tis the season

I'm so excited. It is the season for decorating, hot cocoa, candles, and Christmas. I'm starting to decorate a little bit at a time.

I like to change my desktop and screensavers. Later this week my blog will have a new look. And I am planning my Christmas decorations.

The plan is in my head -- I just have to execute it. That's the tricky part!

I am only going to decorate my front door outside this year. Last year I had this big plan to do both my front and side doors and the front of the house. It seems there is a direct correlation between the largess of my plan and what I actually accomplish.

Last year, I got the garland up around the side door of my house. That's it.

So my plan this year is simple. Front door decorations and a tree.

I can't wait!

Don't worry, I'll take photos!