Memorial Day...

Today is Memorial Day...I think that over the years people have equated Memorial Day with picnics, taking the boat out to the lake, camping and the "official start of summer".  Although it was originally established on May 30th, it was later (in 1968) moved to the last Monday of the month of May to ensure a three day weekend.  This is probably one of the reasons people look at it as more of a "fun weekend" holiday.  But I don't want to lose sight of the real reason for the holiday.  

My family has a lot of ties to the military:

• My Grandfather Heinrich joined the U.S. Navy when he met some American sailors on the U.S.S. Brooklyn on tour in China.  At the time he was playing in the German Holly Symphony Orchestra, on a Lloyd Lines ocean liner which was docked next to the Naval gunboat in China.  He left everything behind in East Germany, including his parents, brothers & sisters and accepted the American sailors' invitation to join with them and continue their tour.  He served during the Boxer Rebellion the Philippines Insurrection and WWI.
• My Grandfather Graves was a Navy Seabee and served during the duration of WWII.  The Seabees built bases, bridges, roadways & airstrips during war times.
• My grandmother Pommaz was one of the women referred to as a "Rosie the Riveter" during World War II, working in the factories and at Douglas Aircraft to help out in the absence of the men who went off to war.  (I know this isn't technically military but I count it as helping out during war time.)
•   My father joined what was then known as the Army Air Corps (later separated out as the Air Force, it's own branch) right at the end of high school and went over seas to England & Germany at the end of World War II.
• My mother's brother, my Uncle Frank served in the Army, enlisting after high school around 1953.
• My mother's cousin Arland served in the Korean War as a soldier in the Army.
• My sister's husband Chuck served several terms in the Marine Corps and then later served for one term in the Army.
• My ex sister-in-law Karen (my brother's ex-wife) served in the Navy.  (Thanks again for the Navy boondock boots in high school!)  ;)
• My step-brother Matt has served for 24 years in the Air Force.  He's been to Iraq at least two times that I know of.  I think he's retiring soon. 
• My sister's daughter is now currently serving in the Army National Guard.

A few family members tried to serve in the military but for various reasons weren't able to:

• My mother's other brother, my Uncle David ("Fred") enlisted but was sent home after just a few days because of his heart.
• My father's brother Carl tried to enlist in the Army but was turned down because of a punctured ear drum.  Undeterred, he then also tried to enlist in the Navy AND the Marine Corps but was turned down by both because of the same thing.

Their hearts were in it but their bodies wouldn't let them...

I couldn't be more proud of all of these family members that have done their part over the years to protect and serve our country.  Luckily none of these family members were lost during war time or any training.  I know may others out there aren't as fortunate.  Let's not forget those who gave their lives for our country.

Happy Memorial Day.

We Have Protection...

Well we didn't get anything planted today, but mainly because we spent most of the day getting things "ready".  As I mentioned in the previous post, we got our raised beds in earlier today.  After getting a couple of the rows tilled and mapping out where we wanted to put some things, we realized that all of our work is going to be for nothing if anything gets into the garden.  (Like our dogs.)  So we broke out the post pounder and the t-posts and let my step son get some exercise.  (He's going to have noodle arms when he wakes up tomorrow morning!)  He got 15 posts pounded into the ground to make up our fence.  I arranged a couple of the posts closer together to be our "entrance" and then we got the fencing.  (This is when I thank my work for "donating" the fencing and posts to me...all I have to do is bring in some veggies this summer!  I love bartering!)  It's not necessarily pretty, but it's functional.  It will keep out the dogs and maybe even the neighbor's horse if he wanders into our front pasture and doesn't go running full force towards the fence.  It works for what we want it to do...

Let The Gardening Begin!

Okay, we are WAY behind this year on getting our garden done.  However, this may not be a bad thing considering just last weekend we had two nights that dipped down to freezing and our neighbor has had to replant their garden twice this spring.  But because I didn't anticipate us planting this late, my seedlings are practically full grown plants!  I'm almost expecting to come out some morning and find a little green tomato hanging off the plant.  Ha ha!

Unfortunately, like I mentioned about last weekend, the weather has not been cooperative lately.  Add to that the fact that we had to prepare for graduation with my oldest son, my husband just started a new job and my son just started a new job... It just hasn't been in the cards for us.

So I was really excited when today the weather looked good, my husband was here, our youngest son was here and no one felt sick, injured, etc.  We got out there a little late in the day but within the first hour we already had finished our first garden project--the raised beds.

 It's only one small part of the garden, but I feel so much better knowing it's done.  I couldn't lift those heavy railroad ties all by myself so having the guys get it done for me was a relief.  This is where I'm going to grow my "root vegetables" and other veggies that do well in raised beds--carrots, onions, garlic and lettuce.  Tomorrow while my husband is out shooting with some friends, I'll get all of these settled into their beds.

Next stop--tomatoes, peppers and potato towers!!

Auctions Ending Saturday!

Just a heads up, my latest auctions on Ebay end Saturday, 5/29.  Only a couple of things but they're two of the cutest pairs of shoes (I think) that I own.  Check them out here:
Current Ebay Auctions

Time To Close The Chapter On School Days...

This was September 2, 1997.  

It was my son's first day of kindergarten.  

I love the Green Eggs & Ham shirt.  And look at those little legs!  He was missing his front tooth because it had been knocked out when he was two years old when he fell on the sidewalk outside our apartment in Camarillo, California.  I'm not sure what specific thing he has in his hand but I know it was what was left of his breakfast.  (He's always been a slow eater...)

I felt like posting this today because yesterday was my son's LAST day of school.  His last school day of 12th grade.  His graduation ceremony is this coming Friday night.  We've been through so much during the years between these two days.  

A year ago I thought we'd never be close again.  It's personal and I don't want to post his private issues here for everyone to see.  But I can say that I'm so glad that we've managed to grow close again.  He's still my "little boy" and I'm sure he always will be to me.  Even though he's already grown into a wonderful young man.   

  It's strange to look at this picture and realize it's the same person as in the first picture.  Even though he's my own son and I've watched him grow up the last 13 years, I still don't connect the two pictures.  I'm sure it will get even harder when I have a wedding picture to connect or a picture of him with his own child.  

But....those things are in the future.  For now, I can look at this new picture and remind myself that this is not only the end to one chapter, but the beginning of a new one.  

I can't wait to see how it goes...

"Wait Here Honey, Mommy Has To Pee...."

When I was out this evening with my husband at our local JC Penney, I ducked into the restroom for a moment and was immediately perplexed by something I saw....

I'm glad no one else was there because I must have looked like an idiot, standing there staring at this little seat attached to the wall.  It's positioned right next to (and below) the Koala baby changing station.

Okay, obviously it's for a very small child.  It even has instructions for the "proper use":

But what I want to know is....why?  Are you supposed to strap your kid onto the wall to keep your hands free so you can go pee?  Is this in case you have twins, so you can strap one kid down while you're changing the other one and then switch?  

My son is turning 18 next month so it's been quite a while since I had to worry about such things as where to put my child while I'm using a public restroom.  (Insert some ridiculous statement here like, "Back in my day we just strapped our kid to our back and carried him around everywhere--shopping, working, gardening...We didn't have all of these fancy new-fangled gadgets to help lessen the load.")  So someone help me out here....what is this for?  Am I missing the obvious?  Am I just not up-to-date on all of the latest child rearing practices?  Please....enlighten me....

I'm Back...And With a Recommendation...

This past weekend I wasn't feeling well and apart from a day of bad horror movies on Lifetime I spent some time watching movies.  Then since today is my day off and I'm all alone (good time to see movies that no one else in the family wants to watch) I decided to watch one that was recommended to me through Netflix the other day.  It was a movie from 2005 called Marilyn Hotchkiss Ballroom Dancing & Charm School, rated PG-13 (for "mature situations and language".)  This is the product description for this movie on Amazon:
"FRANK KEANE IS A BAKER BY TRADE BUT NOW A MAN CONSUMED BY HIS WIFE'S DEATH. WHEN FATE INTERVENES, HE PULLS OVER TO HELP A STRANGER IN A CAR WRECK, A MAN NEAR DEATH WHO URGENTLY DISCLOSES A PLANNED REUNION, A MEETING WITH A LOST CHILDHOOD LOVE AT A SCHOOL FOR BALLROOM DANCE."
It may not sound interesting but it was a cute movie and one that I was glad I took the time to watch.  I was surprised at all of the stars that kept popping up in the movie, right down to the very last 5 minutes--John Goodman, Marisa Tomei, Sean Astin, Robert Carlyle (Full Monty!),  Camryn Manheim, Donnie Wahlberg, Mary Steenburgen, Miguel Sandoval (Medium), Danny Devito, Ernie Hudson (Ghostbusters), David Paymer, Adam Arkin (Chicago Hope, Sons of Anarchy)...you get the idea.  It was only 1 hour & 45 minutes long so even if you don't like it you won't have wasted much time.  It's listed as a drama, but there is humor in there too.  Let me know what you think if you watch it!

Spring Cleaning...

Okay, not really...I hate cleaning, lol.  What I'm really saying is that I am putting my blog on a short (hopefully) hiatus while I get some things in order.  I hope to be back soon, blogging stronger than ever.  Hopefully I don't lose all my readers (all 5 of you) in the meantime...

It's Ebay Time Again!

It's that time again!  More Ebay listings going up today.  Pampered Chef, shoes & some beautiful Citizen Eco-Drive watches.  Still trying to fund that trip for my son's graduation....

Ebay Listings

Happy Shopping!!  :-)