Another Tuesday, Monday…

I really don’t like a holiday on Monday.  My whole week starts off on the wrong foot.

I have been on the go this morning, out to the bank and paying bills.  It is that time of the month again.  And, I have to confess that I am totally wound up in the Casey Anthony trial.  Lucky for Blagojevich, who is in the middle of his second trial.  I am too busy with this other trial to give much thought to old Blago,     other than hoping he is found guilty on all counts this time.  Plus the Anthony trial is being shown live on cable and the Blago trial is not.

Summer has started with a vengeance, the heat and humidity were oppressive yesterday and it is starting out to be the same today.  The air conditioner is going full force. 

Just checking in today, nothing much new going on here.  I hope you all are having a good week.  Stay safe, and be happy!!

  Beth

A Memorial Day Prayer

By Rev. Dick Kozelka (ret)
First Congregational Church of Minnesota
Minneapolis, MN.

Eternal God,
Creator of years, of centuries,
Lord of whatever is beyond time,
Maker of all species and master of all history --
How shall we speak to you
from our smallness and inconsequence?
Except that you have called us to worship you
in spirit and in truth;
You have dignified us with loves and loyalties;
You have lifted us up with your loving kindnesses.
Therefore we are bold to come before you without groveling
[though we sometimes feel that low]
and without fear
[though we are often anxious].
We sing with spirit and pray with courage
because you have dignified us;
You have redeemed us from the aimlessness
of things' going meaninglessly well.
God, lift the hearts of those
for whom this holiday is not just diversion,
but painful memory and continued deprivation.
Bless those whose dear ones have died
needlessly, wastefully [as it seems]
in accident or misadventure.
We remember with compassion those who have died
serving their countries
in the futility of combat.
There is none of us but must come to bereavement and separation,
when all the answers we are offered
fail the question death asks of each of us.
We believe that you will provide for us
as others have been provided with the fulfillment of
"Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

50,000 Names Carved in the Wall

There's teddy bears and high school rings
and old photographs that mamas bring
Of daddies with their young boy, playing ball.

There's combat boots,he used to wear,
When he was sent over there.
And there's 50,000 names, carved in the wall

There's cigarettes, and cans of beer
and notes that say I miss you dear
and children who don't say anything at all.

There's purple hearts and packs of gum
fatherless daughters and fatherless sons
and there's 50,000 names carved in the wall

They come from all across this land
In pickup trucks and mini vans
Searching for a boy from long ago

They scan the wall and find his name
The teardrops fall like pouring rain
and silently they leave a gift and go

            There's Stars of David and rosary beads

and crucifixion figurines
and flowers of all colors large and small

   There's a Boy Scout badge and a merit pin
Little American flags waving in the wind
and there's 50,000 names carved in the wall.

*****************************************************************************************************************************

It is with the deepest gratitude and love that I salute the men and women in our military that courageously fought and died for our country so that we might all be free.    

  Beth                                                                                         

Lovely day for our trip..

It has been partly sunny so far today and we made the trip in good time.  While there we stopped for a visit with my beautician Sherri, then on down the main street to the specialty pharmacy where Sandi works (she compounds special drugs) then out to the cemetery to put the flowers on Jim’s grave.  This is close by where my friend Christine has an assisted living room in the Knight’s Templar nursing home where we visited with her for about half an hour.  Then on down to visit a minute with my friend Jo who with her family run a trucking company.  She wasn’t there as she is in South Carolina at her grandson’s helping care for her new great grandbaby who was a preemie. Her daughter, son and granddaughter were there and were getting ready to Call Jo right away tell her that we had been there. Wonderful to see them  and get big hugs from them all.  I had some wonderful friends there.  I wasn’t able to see Anne and Bill (who has stage 4 cancer), I will try to call them tonight.  I drove by my old home and was heartsick for a minute seeing the high grass and the weeds in the yard, and then I remembered, that is not my home any more.

While in my old home town I spotted a garage sale on the way to the cemetery.  I couldn’t pass that up.

I noticed as we were going into town that gas right off the interstate was still $4.19 a gallon.  I filled up in town for $3.75 this morning.  Here in Pekin it is pretty well set at $3.84 a gallon.

Now on our way home we stopped at a new Avanti’s restaurant in Bloomington where we had a bowl of clam chowder soup, hot bread and butter and chicken parmesan.  Not too bad although I think the Avanti’s here in Pekin has better hot bread.

Click on the pics for a larger view.

As we were traveling through Bloomington I saw all kinds of new buildings, such as Bob Evans, a Holiday Inn and several more places.  I do think the economy is making a bit of a recovery.

All for now, I will visit you all later.

  Beth