Cherries Cherries Cherries.......

The really good cherries have arrived! We have Johnson's orchards here and they produce the best fruit anywhere. Couple of weeks ago I purchased cherries from a store and the cherries were from California. The cherries tasted as if they had been frozen, lacked flavor and the texture was grainy. Next year I think I need to put in a garden. We paid $3.00 for one yellow bell pepper at this same store. I have to accept the fact the raising of prices has no end in site and with the tomato scare the only safe tomato is one grown in our own backyard.

E-mails bring sunshine

I received an e-mail from my son this morning along with a picture. What a day brightener! I was reviewing blogs this morning and came across one with several pictures of soldiers in Iraq going about their daily responsibilities. Seeing some normal activities that soldiers are involved in, helps with keeping my imagination in check. The pictures were very good and submitted by several different individuals.

The News will make you cry

This evening was overshadowed by the news. After listening to part of the news talking about the stock market dropping, gas prices escalating and the soldiers in the national guard losing their homes, I happened to be downstairs and heard on the television about 3 marines killed today in Iraq. I just wanted to cry. My son is in the army not the marines, however I can't imagine the anguish of the families of those men. I pray for strength for the loved ones left behind.

Honey Do

I can not imagine being without my husband. He is the sunshine in my life.However, if 'trying to remember how lucky I am', isn't working for me, then I get out the "Honey do list". Somehow all of a sudden there is a project that took on a whole new importance and voila! I am left in peace and quiet.Hope you find your peace and quiet.

An answer to Road Rage

I the way home tonight from work I had to chuckle. When I was younger I used to get annoyed at people who honk at other people; these days when someone honks at me I smile and wave. Some knuckle head was traveling way too fast for a residential area with children where the speed limit is 35 miles per hour. I was turning onto the street and he came barreling up behind me in his pickup truck (I drive a Durango). I stopped for the stop sign and then proceed to turn right, I wasn't moving fast enough for the knucklehead so he honks at me. I smile and wave as if he were my best friend. He of course looked extremely annoyed. I just smiled.

Pictures

I'm putting together a new collage of pictures of my son. I had one made in 2001 and had given that to his dad this June when he got remarried as a wedding gift. I had duplicate pictures made before I mailed the art work to him. This collage is a little bigger and about twice as heavy. My son had shared in one of his phone calls he had lost all of his pictures from his computer. So I'm trying to make a collage of the pictures he has sent. Hopefully he will send me some more pictures soon.

Pj's and Popcorn

After thinking about the weekend I decided that I can live without having my purse searched in order to go to a movie. So perhaps if enough of their patrons decide to boycott maybe they will get the idea that another plan should be instituted. I don't mind watching Movies at home. There are of course some distinct advantages, like wearing pajamas, pausing the movie if a bathroom break is needed, and putting on as much butter on the popcorn as one wants.

Purse no longer personal!

Yesterday evening my husband and I went to the movie theater to see a movie. We bought tickets and proceeded into the theater. At the position where they tear the tickets the young girl tells me she needs to look into my purse. I smile and say no. (there is nothing in my purse) She is taken aback by this and again says I need you to open your purse and look inside, again I smile and say no. An older girl was there with her and she began telling us that they needed to look inside my purse before they could let us in. I smiled and said no. (I came to the theater to watch a movie not be searched and I had a headache so of course cooperation was out of the question.) At this point my husband asks to see the manager. The manager comes over and trying to sound authoritative tells us he needs to look inside my purse to search for weapons, guns, knives, video equipment and drugs. Here we are two middle aged grandparents and they want to search my purse. I again smile and say no. At which point my husband requests we be refunded our money and we leave. I felt bad for the young lady taking the tickets, she should not be put in that position. If she found a gun, knife, video equipment or drugs what was she suppose to do? If they feel that type of clientele is coming to the movie theater the management needs to have the police there or trained security personnel. Its bad enough to have to be subjected to a search at the airports. (I have flown quite a bit since 9/11 and appreciate the airline attempting to keep us safe). I refuse to be searched in a movie theater in my home town that we have frequented over the past ten years at least twice a month. I wonder what David would have said if he had been with us.

Summer Fun

I feel as if we are in warp speed time zone. Here is it June 19th the year is almost half over. I can remember as a kid waiting anxiously for school to be out, to have the summer to sleep in, play and get into mischief. David graduated in 2005 three years ago from West Point. Seems just like yesterday. He has been in Iraq almost one month of a 15 month deployment. David is pretty versatile and adapts well to all environments. He has a way of making the most of a situation especially when there is no choice in the matter. Hope he is able to find some time to relax. I can not imagine what it is like to be in a war zone.

E-mail on Father's Day

David's dad did receive an e-mail from him on Father's Day. I am so fortunate that David's dad is such a terrific person. He forwarded David's e-mail to me. As parents we have both tried very hard to provide an environment in which both our children knew they were loved and that whatever one parent said the other parent backed them up. So although I continue to worry, for the moment I know David is alright.

Like many military traditions, the salute carries a rich history. Though nobody can pinpoint the precise origins of the hand salute it's a convention that extends across cultures, armies and centuries. In military life a salute is common courtesy, the acknowledgment of a superior, a simple expression of attention paid and respect given. At it's heart a salute is one of the hallmarks of the warrior spirit. I'm often sadden by the lack of example of fathers' to teach their sons the occasions for which a salute is appropriate, such as when standing at attention with their hand over their heart for the national anthem, the american flag and a funeral procession of a fallen soldier. When fathers fail to show respect for their country, the flag and national anthem, regardless if it is at a rodeo, baseball game or parade, they are setting an example to their sons that is disheartening. Men if you don't have the iron to teach your sons to stand for something you set them up to fall for anything. On a similar note talking about common courtesy, I wish that restaurants would post a sign at entrances that tells all patrons that it is customary to remove your hats when eating at the table and to not do so is an egregious social error and makes them look like clods. Perhaps that is too much to wish for in this day and age this is just one more example of fathers' not setting examples for their children. In another age, any male would have been mortified if someone had to remind them that a gentleman takes his hat off indoors. I know I've been hard on the dads; however, moms are just as much at fault for not expecting civilized behavior out of our sons. We take the time to teach our daughters to be modest; why don't we take the time to teach our sons to be courteous?

Happy Fathers Day!

What a beautiful day to celebrate Father's Day. I think back to my own father, who was the most soft spoken, gentle person I ever knew. I do not remember my father ever raising his voice to either my brother or myself. And he never spanked us. He raised us by example, he went to church every weekend. If someone came to him needing money without a second thought reached for his wallet and gave what he had. He was as nonjudgemental as a person could be. The most he ever made was $5.00 an hour and that was after working for the standard oil company 20 years. He saved diligently and loved his children and grandchildren to a fault. He would be pleased that I wrote today's blog entry in honor of him. I'm sure he is in heaven smiling down on us. I hope as I raised my children that I was able to impart some of those values that my father taught me. He served four years in the navy. I know he is proud of David serving in the army in Iraq.

Mail

I received an e-mail this week from the individual responsible for getting information to families of those serving in the 54th EN BN. The e-mail gave the address to which packages could be mailed. Although it was not a message from David it was information. So this next week I will try to get a package sent to my son. I have sent three letters to him thus far so am hopeful I will hear from him this weekend. At least with it being father's day, Sunday, chances are good he will call his dad.

What can one say that could possibly comfort a grieving family over the loss of a child? My thoughts and prayers are with the parents of the boy scouts that lost their lives in the tornado and all the families experiencing tremendous losses due to the flooding in the Midwest. May family and friends provide comfort to you all, at this difficult time.

Eat a banana and look 20 year younger!

Today is overcast and gloomy. Makes me wonder what the temperature is in Iraq. On days like today I find myself getting down. I read somewhere that if one takes measures to avoid getting too tired, too hungry or too lonely mentally and emotionally a person is able to have some control over how they feel. I have found this to be true. I have also found if I am involved in reading a book that provides a diversion for my thoughts helpful. Right now I'm reading a book titled Apple Cider Vinegar Miracle Health System. The book says if one does not get the required amount of potassium daily you acquire an old age look. This is premature aging due to potassium deficiency.
So I'll eat a banana and tomorrow I'll look better.

Anticipation

Sunday evenings we are winding down from the weekend. The first time David was in Iraq he was so good to call every weekend to let us know he was alright. We didn't hear from him this weekend although he did e-mail last week saying he was in the middle east. He has always said no news is good news. Sometimes I will receive an e-mail from him at work so maybe Monday there will be word from him.

This picture is of Dave form his first deployment in Iraq; his is currently on his second.