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Yesterday a photo of my dad and uncle was posted for Memorial Day honoring not only those who were lost defending our country, but also celebrating that my uncle who served is still enriching the lives of those around him.
This photo was taken just a few days ago of Uncle Dexie.
How many computers do you see?
Memorial Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the last Monday of May (May 25 in 2009). Formerly known as Decoration Day, it commemorates U.S. men and women who died while in the military service. First enacted to honor Union soldiers of the American Civil War (it is celebrated near the day of reunification after the civil war), it was expanded after World War I to include American casualties of any war or military action.
My uncle pictured above in his uniform with my dad is still going strong these days. So, I choose to honor not only those who have died in military service but to celebrate those who served and are still making our lives richer.
I LOVE YOU, Dexie !
One of the 'side effects' of the Swine Flu.
Here's the reason my glob-posting-visting has come to a standstill.
Well, it's time to break the Mon Funday rules. Sorry, Faye at Summit Musings. Here's what she wants us to do:
Tell us your gardening stories. And share some photos of your garden, or one you admire.
Clink that link to find out who really is following the rules.
My absence from the blogging world can be summed up in ONE word:
I have been diligently working on the website for my high school class and organizing our 40th (yes count them F.O.R.T.Y. years) reunion.
HUGO HIGH SCHOOL CLASS of 1969 Website. (Clink the Link)
I know, I've sent you there before, but many new things have been added that the 'general public' can read and listen to. Some of the pages are locked down, but many are open for your viewing and listening entertainment such as "Buffalo Trails" (our yearbook), "35th Reunion photos" (just a bunch of old people), "The Broadcaster" (school newspaper), "This Just In..." (stories from a classmate), etc.
One of my projects has been gathering all the information off each classmate's profile and including it in a POEmah (that's how we pronounce poem in southeastern Okrahoma) and creating a video for them to watch.
The information included there won't mean much to you, like painting the water tower, letting an armadillo loose on the third floor, adding cherry vodka to the cupcakes we sold for FHA, lifting and carrying someone's red VW around the block, someone faking a heart attack in Miss Stull's study hall, and on and on. But even though the names have been changed to protect the guilty, everyone of you will relate to at least one thing that's been said on this video.
Yes, for the first time since the inception of this blog in August of 2006, you will see Swampwitch coming to you live and in person. Sorry.
And, once again may I suggest, if you want to create a website for your class, this is the place to run to: CLASS CREATOR. (Clink the Link) And, if you do decide to create one, please let them know that Kathy from Hugo69 sent you. They will pay $50 to our class and we can apply that to our cost if you do. Which I might say, the cost is very reasonable. Our subscription will run for at least five years.
So now, without further adieu, here's my contribution to my Hugo High School 1969 Classmates:
OK. I'm typing in GREEN. Does that count ? Here's what my oldest daughter sent me for Mother's Day.
A picture of this dandelion growing in her front yard.
When I was visiting her in Seattle Saddle a few weeks ago, I wanted to pull up this "Puff Flower." It was much smaller then. I swear she's putting Miracle Gro on it. The thing looks like a tree.
Faye, this is the bestest I can do. It's a weed growing in someone else's beautifully landscaped yard.
Did I win?
I miss you Mom.
MESSAGE from the EMERGENCY SWAMPDUCKCAST SYSTEM !
No, the ducks didn't fly the coop. They are still pooping regularly. But, there were so many questions about them, I felt the need to provide an explanation of WHY AnodeMan brought them home. The only problem is, I have no explanation of what possessed AnodeMan to bring home the ducks. He brought them home from the feed store. Because there is no water within three miles of our house, as in a pond, lake, or river, they will NOT be living here, unless they morph into Desert Ducks. And because they are Mallards, I don't think they would be too tasty prepared as Peking Ducks, Mr. Blackheart. And no, they aren't following me around. It is a must that the ducks and the dogs do not mingle or they will be Dead Ducks. I did ask him for an explanation and the conversation went something like this:
ME: Why on Earth did you bring home these baby ducks? (Those weren't my e.x.a.c.t. words.)
HIM: Because the kids had so much fun with them when they were little.
ME: Er-Um-Have you looked around the house lately? There are NO little kids living here.
End of Conversation.
**************************************
For those of you who have been reading here for awhile, it will probably come as no surprise to YOU that AnodeMan came home Sunday with a surprise for ME.
Bubba was quite interested in the gift that was in the box.
He quickly summoned June Bug to come take a look.
Bubba the Boxer, appears more like Bubba the Bird Dog in the above photo.
He's just trying to "get all his ducks in a row."
They may be cute and cuddly looking, but believe me, all they do is eat, drink, poop, eat, drink, poop, and on and on. They also stand in their water and walk through their food. Then they poop in their water and poop in their food, and then they eat and drink and poop some more.
Oh, and did I mention that AnodeMan left town about six hours after he presented me with this gift?
While "dealing" with these eight new guests living here at The Asylum, several quotations and sayings have come to mind:
"You can lead a duck to water, but you can't make him drink."
"I'll be organized when ducks fly...or not."
"A duck cannot change its spots or stripes."
"Git 'er duck," says Larry the Cable Guy.
"He-e-e-e-re's your duck," replies Bill Engvall.
RMDucks?
SMRDucks.
CMWangs.
LIB...MRDucks.
"You can ask until the ducks come home..."
"Sly as a duck."
"Hungry as a duck."
"Hey, it's Yogi duck and his friend Boo-Boo."
"The Duck Days of Summer"
"It's a duck's life."
"I hope I don't catch the Duck Flew."
OK, I'll stop, but I'm sure you can add a few of your own.
...or...
Out of the Mouths of Babes
...or...
Fred the Dead Cow
Here's what she has to say, "Your task.........We all know our kids and pets are often a great source of amusement to us at the best of times. I want to hear a funny, silly or just downright cute story about your pets or your children. Have they ever done anything to totally embarrass you in public? Have they done something you thought was outrageous at the time, only to laugh at it later? Have they outwitted you in some devious way, only the way a kid can? Come on, out with it! Lets hear the juicy gossip!" Since my girls do read here on occasion, I do hesitate to tell stories that might embarrass them, so I'll only share a couple... Like the time we had dinner guests and the girls were supposed to be in the back bedroom with a baby-sitter. When I looked up, our youngest who was about three at the time, came marching in with a Stay-Free Mini Pad stuck to her forehead ! Her older sister, when she was about three, pronounced her "tr's" like "f's". Her favorite vehicle was a firetruck. So, anytime she saw one, she would scream Fire F... Well,it came out all wrong...or the time this same child decided she could tinkle like the boys...(my granddaughter tried the same trick just last week)...seems to RUN in the family ! (Get it? RUN.) Our youngest was what her pediatricain called a "grubber." She would put anything in her mouth, and on occasion would eat it, or at least try to eat it. LIke the weather stripping off the door. Like the black bug that had been crawling on the floor. Yes, when I reached in to retrieve it, the bug was still crawling. Or, like the Selsun Blue shampoo she drank one day. That one sent us to the emergency room. It was when they still used Syrup of Ipecac. She blew bubbles out her mouth and nose for about two hours. I'll leave my girls alone for now and tell this story about our friends' seven-year-old: Tony's parents owned cattle. The Black Angus kind. One of their favorites was an old cow they named Fred. She was more like a pet than part of the herd. Well, one day Fred didn't come to eat, or the next day, so Tony and his dad took off through the pasture looking for Fred. When they found her, it was apparent that Fred had been dead for several days. She had that hollowed out look on her the face. Now, I don't know if you've ever seen a dead cow that's been dead for awhile, but the facial features become exaggerated. Especially the eyelashes. They just appear to be VERY long. And, the cheekbones seem to protrude just a bit because the area around them has sunken-in. The lips curl wrong side out exposing a bright pink color. Not a pretty sight. The next day, Tony was with his mom in the local (only) drug store in town. It was owned by a very nice couple. She, Janelle, was a tall lady who had access to all the beauty products one could ever dream of. Including black hair dye, blush, lipstick, and fake eyelashes, which she used in abundance. Standing on a platform behind the counter made her look even taller than she really was. Especially from a seven-year-old's vantage looking straight up at her. Not to mention, her jet black hair was done up in one of those very large, bouffant-style-back-combed (we called it ratted) hair styles, adding about a foot to her height. Her copper-colored blush extended in a triangular shape from her ears to a point just below her cheekbones. Her fake eyelashes curled up and beyond her eyebrows. And, her lips glistened a pretty cotton-candy pink. (Yeah, you get the picture.) Tony's mom was involved in a conversation with Janelle while Tony whispered as he gently tapped his mother's arm, "Mom, Mom." Tony was ignored. Tony being the persistent little boy he was, continued to try to get his Mom's attention. Just a little louder and with a firmer tap said, "Mom! Mom!" Tony was still ignored. Tony then yanked on his mother's purse and at the top of his lungs screamed, "MOM ! MOM ! SHE LOOKS JUST LIKE FRED THE DEAD COW !" Moral of this story, "Answer your kids on the first, MOM."Well. Well. Well. Looks who's hosting Mon Funday today. If it's not one of my favorites ! KARISMA ! (Clink the Link for more participants.) Why am I not surprised that she chose a topic concerning "kids" or "pets?" They both give us plenty of blog fodder.
During my time in Seattle (and no, I wasn't running from the law as my Nekked Cousin proclaimed in one of his comments) we took a 4, yes, count them FOUR mile hike UP to Rattlesnake Ledge. My SIL assured me it was named so because the outcropping resembled a rattlesnake, not because those critters frequent the place. Granted, 4 miles isn't much of a hike unless it is straight UP, and that you're hiking with two young, very fit people, who seemed to be on a mission to get to the top in record time. My camera was my salvation in that I could stop and pretend to be taking photos along the way, when in fact, I was just trying to slow down long enough to keep my lungs from exploding. But, it was all worth it once we "ascended the summit" and took in the view below us.
Of course, the two miles downhill was much easier, but then,there are those muscles in your shins that are rarely used unless you are using them to keep yourself from falling face-first down two miles of switch-backs. Yes, those muscles were barking at me the the next morning, and the next morning, and the next...
You could have dipped me in a vat of Ben-Gay and left me there for 24 hours, and it wouldn't have helped !
See that highest point up there? Way up there? That's where GricerGirl and Davipedia took me.
One of the many splendid views from on top.
My thought for today, "Time flies when you're having fun. Time is fun when you're having flies."
