Who would have thought? Not me!

 when i turned 50

my husband surprised me

with a trip to ireland

we would celebrate

turning 50 together

in the land

from which his ancestors came

the land of my favorite authors and novels

i chose ardmore

for the first bed and  breakfast

after leaving dublin

i was told  of a trilogy by nora roberts

based on a real family from ardmore

though she's not a favorite
i read the tirlogy before arriving

then

had to see the pub
and
 celtic shrines

featured

in the novels

hubby patiently hiked with me
taking pictures

we were on an adventure

but we had begun one at home

as well

i had been hired by a rural school district

near our home town

i would 'batch' it a year

to see if i really did

want to go

back home

then he would move up

3 sick parents

and

our first grandchild

sealed the deal

but our lives took a different turn

we lost his parents within 14 months

of me being hired

he ended up staying in cincinnati

to earn his pension

and more money

it's been a long 7 years

and

i've known a loneliness

like i've not experienced

since elementary days

our situation was unique

no one understood it
some even hinted at possible divorce
that was never a consideration

the teacher friends i made at school

were my age

but single all their lives

so

we could be friends to a point

add to that fibromyalgia

osteo-arthritis

stenosis of the spine

the sum is a woman

who has to catch up

on weekends

what teaching takes out

during the week

while spending time

with

an every other weekend husband

(who finally lives in our hometown
with me)

in the midst of these 7 years

i had 3 close friends lose their husbands

in their 50s

suddenly

what if that happened to me

can you imagine the guilt trip?

but the decision was taken out of our hands

when his company

began a phase out of his department

i had to stay here

for health insurance reasons

so where am i going with this?

fellowship

i desperately needed it

i marveled at the new friends

my daughter made blogging

about her pregnancy

the support she received

awed me

meanwhile

God kept nudging me

to create a blog

i scooted away

He followed and nudged some more

eventually i stopped scooting

and began writing

the world that has opened up to me

is

phenomenal

sisters in Christ

who fight depression

who deal with chronic illness

or a physical handicap

who have had their worlds turned

upside down

and

yet have kept and continue to keep

 their faith

thanks to susie

i picked up my camera

and

found a creative release

that blended well

with writing

while her character strength

has upheld me

nancy makes me laugh

i marvel at her playfulness with words

i never know what to expect

and

love not knowing

sweet leslie shares the chronic illness walk

with me

we find solace in each other's

support
her gentle spirit, gift of words,
and experimentation with the camera
uplift me

there is caryjo

who emailed me through

a tough spring

last year
and understands
that
second time round
can bring
the love of your life

linda who supports me in prayer

along with glenda

we are grandmothers

dealing with life

we relate

then there is retired teacher betsy

who takes me traveling with her

almost daily

her posts restore my mind, heart, and soul

she too is a grandmother

she understands change

her comments continually cheer me

also
there's the younger emily of imperfect thursdays
who has introduced me
to a free-spirited style
that has shaken this english teacher's
foundation
in a good way

bridget whose carnival
challenges me

these are the main ones

though there are others who have commented support

whose blogs i enjoy

whose thoughts

have caused me to think and rethink

whose photos

inspire me

to become better

with a camera

whose words
insprire me
to  stretch my writing horizons

my world is broader, deeper, richer

fellowship

who would have thought it would come

from the internet?

not me!

yet i'm exceedingly grateful

it did

 different views of a shrine at ardmore

a country road in ireland---

yet another path

i never thought i'd take

but have meandered over

after all

A new commandment I give unto you,
That ye love one another;
as I have loved you,
that ye also love one another.
By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples,
if ye have love one to another.
John 13:34, 35

Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart,
 and of a good conscience,
and of faith unfeigned.
I Timothy 1:5

part of one word at a time carnival 

Floral Simplicity and the Monday Prayer

One thing I miss about the city is a grocery store:
 open until at least midnight;

one that has a health food section

stocked well enough

that a visit to Whole Foods isn't necessary,

except once in a long while;

 a freezer section where you could get a headache

making a decision

instead of getting a headache figuring out an alternative;

and

a produce section that guarantees a good salad

even in November.

Actually there is one like that twenty minutes away on interstate

in a county seat town.

But that turns into a forty minute round trip and on a school night that's a lot.

In the city I'd drive right past several big grocery stores
on my way home from school, but not here.

I see lots of cows, sheep, horses, bales of hay,
but grocery stores? Nah!

However, there is so much more I don't miss about the city,

like not driving past cows, sheep, horses, and bales of hay.

The main reason I miss a big Kroger's or Meyer's or even Walmart

is the readily available bunches of fresh cut flowers
in different sizes and prices.

I would regularly plunk a cellophane wrapped bundle

in my grocery cart.

Once home, I'd arrange a pretty mix in a glass vase for the center of the table

and stick several here and there in my collection of posy vases.

Wa Lah! Floral Simplicity.



The twenty minute away Kroger store supplied me with two bunches of fall flowers
to decorate for Thanksgiving.

Here are pictures of the main vase for the center of the Thanksgiving table.

The photos of the posy vases  I filled will wait for another time.

Instead, I'll show some close ups I did for fun.

I have a limited photo program on my computer and a limited camera, so I can't play as much as I'd like.

But I still have fun.

Now it's time for the Monday prayer.

I've got laundry in the washer and the dryer

and papers to grade before I go to bed.

This prayer goes out to a very special friend.

"When I Need Help in Tough Times"

Lord,

I cry out to You today and ask You to give me relief from the difficult things

I am facing.

Bring them to a good conclusion as only You can do.

I know You understand all that I am going through,

and You see all I do and what I am up against (Psalm 139:2-3).

You even know my thoughts about my circumstances right now.

Help me to navigate these rough waters so that I can not only survive,

but come through victoriously.

Amen.

In the day when I cried out, You answered me,

and made me bold with strength in my soul.

Psalm 138:3

From Prayers for Emotional Wholeness: 365 Prayers for Living in Freedom

by Stormie Omartian

Hope you have a blessed week.

A Good Tiredness and End of Week Psalm

 i got the seat of honor

next to my youngest grandchild

in the backseat

of my mountaineer

son-in-law drove

daughter rode shot-gun

and

grandma had precious minutes

with the little man

jabbering

then distinctly identifying

certain animals

the sounds they make

his nose, eyes, and so on

grandma and grandson giggled

and basked in each other's company

then it was time for daddy

to strap little man

in his stroller

we had arrived at the airport

the time for goodbyes had come



grandma got in the driver's seat

and drove away

they boarded a plane

and flew back to texas

i braved the afternoon crowds at several stores

the most important

whole foods

my pain level is screaming

"eat better!"

i arrived home at 10 pm

left that morning (friday)

at 9:15 am

looooong day

it's 5pm

saturday

pj's are still my attire

i finished a new 7-day only check-out

library book

watched the ohio state/michigan game

our team won

now i'm at the computer

remembering my weekly psalm post

am tired

but it's an extremely 'good' tired

hope your weekend is turning out well

and that if you're tired

it's a good tired

Psalm 62

To the Chief Musician; according to Jeduthun

[Ethan, the noted musician, founder of an official musical family]

A Psalm of David.

1) For God alone my soul waits in silence; from Him comes my salvation.

2)He only is my Rock and my Salvation, my Defense and my Fortress,

I shall not be greatly moved.

3)How long will you set upon a man that you may slay him, all of you,

like a leaning wall, like a tottering fence?

4)They only consult to cast him down from his height [to dishonor him];

they delight in lies.

They bless with their mouths, but they curse inwardly.

Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]!

5) My soul, wait only upon God and silently submit to Him;

for my hope and expectation are from Him.

6) He only is my Rock and my Salvation;

He is my Defense and my Fortress,

I shall not be moved.

7) With God rests my salvation an my glory;

He is my Rock of unyielding strength and impenetrable hardness,

and my refuge is in God!

8) Trust in, lean on, rely on, and have confidence in Him at all times,

you people; pour out your hearts before Him.]

God is a refuge for us (a fortress and a high tower).

Selah

9) Men of low degree are emptiness

and men of high degree are a lie and a delusion.

In the balances they go up; they are together lighter than a breath.

10) Trust not in and rely confidently not on extortion and oppression,

and do not vainly hope in robbery;

if riches increase, set not your heart on them.

11) God has spoken once, twice have I heard this: that power belongs to God.

12) Also to You, O Lord, belong mercy and loving kindness,

 for You render to every man according to his work.

Thursday late afternoon, after being with his sisters and aunt

for his family's Thanksgiving dinner

our eyes are saying

"Nap, please!"

Thanksgiving blessings

this door opened wide

to three from texas

the six from near-by town

snuck in the back way

total came to six adults 

 five children

ages ranging from 20 months to 11 years

with one nesting in mama

not due to appear until February

the house was full

with laughter and some tears

smells of summer baked beans

(a favorite of the daughter who flies up in winter)

succulent ham

huge tossed salad with red onion slices adding a kick

baked idaho and sweet potatoes

rolls and biscuits

and oh the desserts

the house held up and so did i

it wasn't until everyone left

last night

that i regained consciousness

of my knee pain

isn't is great how pain can be

dumped in the back seat

when children and grandchildren come calling?

much am i thankful for:

at the top are my husband, children, children-in-law,

grandchildren,

and the God who continually blesses me

hope your holiday was equally blessed

Happy Thanksgiving!

Connections

One day at the lake, when I was taking tree and sky pictures,

this indication of a jet appeared.

I tracked it with my camera until it was heading beyond my camera range.

The blue of the sky is flat, which is not what I'd hoped for, but I still like

the streak across the sky.

We cannot live only for ourselves.

A thousand fibers connect us with our fellow men;

and along these fibers,

as sympathetic threads,

our actions run as causes,

and they come back as effects.

Herman Melville (1819 - 1891)


From yet another great author:

The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.
I John 2:17

A Little Boy and the Beginning of the Week Prayer

This summer I visited my daughter, son-in-law, and grandson

in Dallas, Texas.

We spent an afternoon at my son-in-law's mother and step-dad's.

They had a generously sized sand box built for their first grandchild.

It probably makes the top five in his list of favorite activities.

He loves his trucks too.

She's my first-born. 

When her brother came along, she showed some jealousy.

Then she too fell for the blond-haired, brown-eyed boy

with the ready smile

and the shy disposition.

A little mother was 'born'

and she's a natural.

She has helped raise many children in her 34 years (soon to be 35).

Now after waiting for life to reach a point

when a child would have a stay-at-home mother,

she had this 'little' guy.

He has a ready smile

and the sweetest disposition.

I've written about him before

as I've also done with my other four grandchildren

who live here in Ohio.

This is a favorite picture of him.  He's quite the quiet observer.

Not much passes his notice.

His eyes speak of deep thoughts.

He's a good and healthy eater--mostly vegetarian,

a lover of all sorts of beans.

Bread is a favorite and as good a treat as any cookie.

He has not had any sugar---any desserts.

Why even go there?

So far he knows not what he's missing.

This is precious to me: my daughter enjoying being this guy's mother

with him basking in the loving attention.

This was at Grandma Kim's and Papa John's (the owners of the sandbox).

I am now putting together a box of toys and books that fit his age.

I'm sorting through all those I have accumulated for the other four

along with the ones I kept from my children's play days.

I am  so looking forward to the 'mess'!

Why this post?

They will arrive in Ohio Monday and will be at my home Wednesday night

for a 'ham' Thanksgiving dinner.

Her brother and his family will be here also.

Five munchkins and six adults

in this tiny home.

The noise will be music to my ears

and joy to my soul.

Please pray for their safe journey through the skies.

Now for the Beginning of the Week Prayer:

From one of Stormie Omartian's book of prayers.

Dear Lord,

Give me a heart so full of Your love and peace

that I only speak words that bring life and not death to the people

and situations I am addressing.

Let the words of my mouth always be wise and fair.

May Your laws and commandments be so engraved on my heart

that goodness and righteousness are the fruit of my lips.

I know that I will always be on solid ground with You,

and I will not get off the path You have for me,

if I live Your way.

Help me to carefully guard the words I speak so that they always glorify You.

Amen.

Death and life are in the power of the tongue,

and those who love it will eat its fruit.

Proverbs 18:21

At some point I hope to update you on the situation with these six boys

who have been causing trouble.

Our principal is working with us,

 but there are some issues that demand sensitivity and patience.

Meanwhile, please continue to pray for me and the rest of the staff

as we rise to the challenge.

Blessings to you all as you begin the new week!

Last Bit of Color and End of Week Psalm

                                      These are actually leaves.  The flowers have been long gone.
                                           The leaves change color in the fall and stay this way
                                                     until the cold comes and stays.

I don't remember what the flowers are called.

 They bloom from early until late summer.

 Thank you for all your comments to my last post

and for your support.

Thursday and Friday were better.

I changed the direction of the seats.

Now my desk is in front of the seats

instead of in the back. 

I have a wonderful first period class.

They moved the furniture

and the big screen for the overhead. 

There is only one place the desk can be

because of other factors,

 so everything else

had to change.

Now the boys are in the middle of the back

 near the heat register.

They are not near my air conditioner (I had to buy it and it stays even if I don't).

They are not near the books

or the bulletin board

so they cannot easily vandalize when I'm not looking.

But most importantly

they are not near me.

Because the seats are spread out by width,

there is a buffer of empty seats around them.

This helps the other students ignore them.

They can no longer directly bother me.

They can even talk amongst themselves

and the rest of us can ignore them.

This is bugging them, because they want to bug us,

especially me.

Will it work in the long run?  I don't know.

I just know Thursday and Friday were better days.

On Friday, I gave out Tootsie Pops to everyone

but them.

Everyone else had been reading the story

and working on the worksheet.

'They' had been talking with each other

and generally goofing off.

After realizing they were not being offered any

 one boy immediately read two paragraphs

and insisted that should warrant a sucker.

I didn't argue; didn't engage.

I simply said that those who had been consistently working

throughout the entire period would get a sucker.

Now, "I'm mean."

I can live with mean.

It's the f work flung at me

that

I can do without.

Here's the end of the week Psalm.

Psalm 61

To the Chief Musician; on stringed instruments.

1) HEAR MY cry, O God; listen to my prayer.

2) From the end of the earth will I cry to You, when my heart is overwhelmed and fainting;

lead me to the rock that is higher than I [yes, a rock that is too high for me].

3) For You have been a shelter and a refuge for me; a strong tower against the adversary.

4) I will dwell in Your tabernacle forever;

 let me find refuge and trust in the shelter of Your wings.

Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]!

5) For You, O God, have heard my vows'

You have given me the heritage of those who fear, revere, and honor Your name. . .

(The next verses relate directly to David as King)

Last verse:

8) So will I sing praise to Your name forever, paying my vows day by day.

May you have a wonderful weekend.

     
[A footnote: Folks have been wondering about the grade level of these boys.  It's freshmen or 9th grade as we call it in the U.S.  These boys are 15 and 16.]

Most of the leaves are gone now.  Fall has winter holding onto its tail.

i can't honestly say i loved teaching today

 keyboard

my outlet

how do i describe my day?

level 8 pain today

using a cane to prevent a fall

when my knee jerks

six freshmen boys

who are driving us all nutty

i've tried

every trick in the book

they don't want to learn

not just in my class

but in anyone's

sending them home

would be a reward

for them

and a respite

for us

we're supposed to want to

save them

teach them

keep them from becoming

dropouts

dopers

thieves

and future prison inmates

the system wants to tie

our evaluation

to  how well kids are learning

what if they don't want to learn?

you know the saying:

"you can lead a horse to water,

but you can't make him drink"

i think

we could dunk their heads in

and

they'd drown

rather than drink

yea, i'm seeing the cup half-empty

right now

i had a new boy

 yell

"f.--- you, b ---.!"

at me.

i had taken him in the hall

to quietly talk to him

about doing his work

my voice was not raised

i was not angry

it's called concern

but to him

it was nosiness

interference

being a b    .

two women teachers showed up
within seconds

as i walked back
 into my room

to aforementioned boys
laughing it up

i ignored them

sat down to fill out
 the referral--

i'd sent the cusser

to the office

the five boys
 honed in for
 the kill

they never got close

one teacher took two

another took three

one was absent

one stayed

                                                           i can't honestly say
                                                              i loved teaching
                                                                  today

these are the roses we dropped in the water  when we spread my parents' ashes

i'm 56

and i want to call my mom

tell her i need tlc

and go eat her meatloaf

i want the bear hug 

 and

"you look pretty"

from my dad

i'm getting my nails done instead

the appointment's been set

the car will try to veer

into dairy queen's parking lot

for comfort ice cream

but

milk products

add fuel to the fire of pain

and

i don't need any more

that was my day

"Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

Proverbs 3:5

an imperfect day for imperfect prose on thursdays

Begin the week prayer

On my way to school, I drive over two bridges that span Seneca Lake.
 I love looking across the lake at what's left of a big farm.
 It's now mostly a wonderful old farmhouse complete with picturesque barn.


It's that time again.  Tomorrow is Monday and a new school week.  We have parent /teacher conferences
 on Tuesday and Thursday evenings.

I'm on the committee that feeds our fellow staff at the high school.  As part of the union we have
to be on at least two committees, and I choose this one every year.  It's fun and satisfying. 
 I'm fixing beef stew with a recipe from a cookbook my sister-in-law P. gave me years ago.
 It's still one of my favorite recipes and it's great for a "helping out" meal after an illness, baby, etc.

Someone else is making a soup.  There will be sandwiches and crackers and rolls to go with the soup
and stew.  The the band director's wife makes awesome deserts as does the choir teacher.  The band director is on the committee, but his wife does the baking part. However, he is great at doing dishes and cleaning up.

We eat in the home-ec room around 3:30.   Conferences are from 4 - 7.  It makes for a long day,
but we have fun too.

So here's the prayer for this Monday:

From one of Stormie Omartian's prayer book:  "When I Need to Be Delivered from Fear"

Lord,

I lay my fears before You and ask You to set me free from them.

Help me to not be led or motivated by fear,

but rather to sense Your presence in my  life setting me free from all fear.

Thank You that You are my God who gives me strength,

and that You hold me up and help me to stand in courage in the face of fearful things.

Thank You, Lord, that You are far greater than anything I fear.

Amen.

Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God.

I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you,

I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.

Isaiah 41:10 

Literally taken from my car on my way home from school one day.
 This view will be on my left side tomorrow morning.

Blessings to you all for a wonderful week!

Depression, a great novel, and the weekly Psalm

I'm a bit behind on my end of the week, beginning of the weekend Psalm.  I came home after school yesterday, went over and visited with my neighbor.   Then I came here, fed the cats, gave George his insulin shot, put them to bed, and  went to bed myself..  I slept well and woke up early.

 But I ended up finishing an excellent book by Jon Katz called Rose in a Storm.  I had read Izzy & Lenore by him and was deeply touched by it.   Katz in that book addresses the therapeutic help of animals with a human's depression.  He firmly believes that particular help saved him at one point.  

After my dad died,  the fibromyalgia attacked where severe osteo-arthritis had settled in my knees, putting me temporarily in a wheelchair at worst and using a cane at best.   At one point I questioned my usefulness to anyone. 

It was then that Scruffy took over.  She crawled up on me huddled in the recliner, nestled up by my neck and licked my tears.   Then she lay still with one of her paws on my face as the sobs broke through.

 At that point, I surrendered the grief, the illness, the excruciating pain, and the separation: to God.  My husband was in Cinci and unaware that I had reached such a desperate point.  Weather and work had kept us apart and I had managed to keep the worst of my emotions from emerging over the phone. 

God did answer with a friend who warily reached out over the Internet with a complete change in diet,  a massage therapist who understood fibromyalgia, and a course for me to take that would change my style of living.  She was afraid of offending me, but knew that she was supposed to risk it.  I answered immediately with a resounding, "Yes!"    My body and soul  eventually mended with the help of all she offered.

 My husband, alarmed when I revealed to him how low I had gotten, became especially attuned to my tone of voice over the phone, and knew when I needed more from him.   Considering he almost despises talking on the phone, that says a lot! 

But it was Scruffy who sensed the pit I'd fallen into, and she was the one who first figured out a way to reach me.   I have never felt as deeply about an animal as I do her.

That was more than 3 years ago.  I was changed for the good and have a completely different perspective.
I do still struggle with depression--it's a part of my genetic code.  There are some periods when I know I need to just acknowledge I am depressed and allow myself to cry.  I then can work through it and emerge from the pit much more quickly, having only slid slightly into it. 

At those times, if I try to ignore it, I slide a lot further and it's tougher to emerge.  I have always emerged,  but sometimes 'my hands are bleeding from the digging' (figuratively), and that's really not necessary.  Just like grief, depression affects everyone differently, and an important key, to not letting it overcome you, is to figure out what works for you. 

(I did not expect to go in this direction, today.  If this helps someone, I'd appreciate hearing from you or else I'm going to wonder if I'm a little wacky this morning.  I am not depressed at the present time.)

In this latest book, Katz tells the story of a farm in crisis when a winter storm of unimaginable magnitude hits.  He tells it mostly from Rose's perspective. Rose is the dog.  "He consulted with animal behavior scientists to create his unique and convincing vision of the world as seen through the eyes of a dog." (from the book's flap).

 Sam, the farmer, is already reeling from the death of his wife to cancer when the storm hits.  At one point, Rose literally saves his life by digging him out of the snow.  But she saves him in another way also.
I recommend the book to animal lovers.  But be prepared to not want to put it down once the accident occurs.

Now, I must attend to other tasks: the first one being the Psalm for the week.

I have a book titled The Mother's Topical Bible. I have had it for almost 20 years.  It was originally published by Honor Books. It is divided into categories with the first half dealing with children and family situations.  The second half deals with various emotions and needs that we all experience at some time in our life.  I carry it in my big "school and everything else" bag, so it goes everywhere with me.

Today I will write excerpts from the "Your Personal Needs" section.

When You Need Strength:

The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my god, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and high tower.  Psalm 18:2

The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
  Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord. 
                                    Psalm 27:1,14

Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the Lord.  Psalm 31:24

Be thou my strong habitation, whereunto I may continually resort: thou has given commandment to save me; for thou art my rock and my fortress.  Psalm 71:3

My soul melteth for heaviness: strengthen thou me according unto thy word.    Psalm 138:3


                                            Blessings to you  all for a wonderful weekend.

            And since this blog is partly about Scruffy, I thought I'd end with more pictures of her.

                                Her collar is that weird pink 'thing' peeking through her skin.

     She stayed with me as I sat at the computer relentlessly working against a deadline
     for renewing the certification of my teacher's license this past summer. 
      She was lot more comfortable in this recliner than I was in the desk chair.

                    She can't resist containers especially if they are empty,
                     but she will lay on top of anything that's in them too.

How to quiet an auditorium of high school students

How do you quiet an auditorium packed with high school students?

you invite veterans who hold their heads as high as their aged bodies allow
they walk proudly down the aisle with the slightly younger ones
every kid immediately stands--no adult had to prompt them
and remain standing for the "the national anthem"
sung by fellow students in the choir
their voices join together for the "pledge of allegiance"

even the 'bad boys' (principal's name for them-with affection)sit respectfully still
as photos flit across a screen
so many words---tributes to those who have fought for this country
the band plays "america the beautiful" and the two drummers tap gently

more pictures flit across the screen
one of the senors spent hours compiling these pictures
another senior put them together
twelve students from government class planned the entire program

 dressed up they stand proudly
talk strongly---and before our eyes are transformed
into the awesome adult citizens they will be

it never fails---a photo of a german prison camp comes on the screen
and the tears begin--memories of my personal POW---my dad ---
flood my mind and overwhelm my heart---how i miss him--
the man who so well fit the title of what is "the greatest generation"---
at least in my mind

i chide myself for not bringing kleenex as i wipe my eyes
the tears were there waiting before that picture showed up
it happens every year
i can't stand present in such a ceremony and not cry
i'm feeling a little foolish
then the phys ed teacher leans over and whispers
 "i can never get through one of these dry-eyed"
she is one tough woman--born and bred here
considers herself a 'redneck' and "proud of it"
she and i disagree on many subjects
yet today we are sisters

the vet is introduced
he has earned his right to talk to us
but he gives no spiel
instead, as a former educator, he gives us a history lesson

a history lesson in a veteran's day assembly?

yes, a lesson about how vets were perceived after each war
he begins with armistice day after WWI,
touches on the last of the great wars ---WWII
the last one in which the entire country was emersed in support
then Korea
how folks acted like the returning vets had been on a sabatical
or a vacation, so uninvolved was the nation with it

he almost loses it when he gets to the vietnam war
and how america became so divisive that vets were scorned
his voice rises in anger as he speaks of the young vet putting his feet
on american soil for the first time in a california airport
"a boy with head shaven and a robe who didn't know squat from life
walked up and spit on this young vet!
 this happened all across our country!
they didn't ask to go there---their country sent them and they obeyed---
to come back and be called baby killers--and some have never cast that name off"
anyone who might have dozed off,  startles awake at this man's angst
my tears slide down once more

then he reaches the subject of our two wars today--in iraq and afghanistan
his voice begins to get an edge again
as he notes the devisiveness in america once again
he talks about the politicians who say "i support the troops, but not the war"
he deliberately lets his grammar slip
"well they ain't got any idea of what it's like
they ain't been there!
once that soldier's boots hit that sand full of scorpions
HE IS THE WAR---there is no separation!"
absolute silence in that auditorium

his voice warms to praise as he speaks of these kids' generation
"they get it"
they have the respect that many adults lack
and that gives hope for those men and women who will return
those who still are serving and are disheartened by any negativity--
he tells the kids he thinks this generation is different
 because of the involvement of the national guard and the multiple deployments
just about every kid sitting before him has or has had a brother, sister, mother, father,
aunt, uncle, or friend serving in these two wars
some didn't or won't return
 many who do, are not the same ones who left
these kids know first hand the price
with that knowledge comes respect

he has hope and respect for this generation

he finishes and returns to the row of veterans---they rise and salute the flag
then they turn and salute the students
as taps are played by two outstanding student musicians

 that's how to quiet an auditorium of high school students

This post is in loving memory of "Big Roy" and all those like him.  He was captured in the Battle of the Bulge and spent 4 months in a German prison camp.  See my dad--a POW and the man who traveled

This scripture was in the display case in the front hallway: "Greater  love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends."  John 15:13

This is part of imperfect prose on thursdays

disclaimer: as an english teacher, i can get bogged down with grammer, so i follow an example of a fellow blogger and write with no caps and little punctuation--if i didn't with a post like this, it would never get published

Cat Playground

 The last weekend that we stayed  at the lake, we took the cats. 
George (the black and white male)needs an insulin shot twice a day for his Type 2 Diabetes,
 so we packed up a litter box, loaded them in their carrier and off we went.
That meant we didn't have to get someone to go and give him his shots. 
Well, they apparently thought they'd landed in the cat version of  Disney World!

They gained access by way of the one loft to the top of the cabinets that run the length of the small kitchen and divide the kitchen and living area.  Here they are on the prowl

             The diabetic one who likes to find a comfy spot and sleep. He's drowsy in this picture.

 The actress.  She's 7 and still has kitten in her combined with drama queen.

 She's not to be messed with though, as he has found out more than once.  She holds her own with
her brother.

                                                       The shy one.