Have a great Memorial Day.........

Our dear friend Mustang, about eight months ago, emailed me his version of an HONORARY MARINE proclamation. Mr Z printed it and framed it and it hangs in our living room. When I first saw it, it brought tears to my eyes. We all know it has nothing to do with the huge honor of a real Marine proclamation of ANY kind, but he said he gave it to me for my work here at the blog and was I thrilled. Reading it hit something very deep inside me. Those tears reminded me of how much I knew I didn't deserve even a 'mock' proclamation, how much I admire the immense courage and sacrifice of our soldiers, and how it felt that someone actually went to the trouble of doing something like that because in this TINIEST way, because of blogging, he thought I measured up (super, considering they'd have had to chisel my hands off those boats in Normandy before they got me in those waters facing Germans on those coasts, TRUST me). Mustang doesn't know quite what it meant to me, but, considering it came from him, someone I so admire for his service, his love of America, and so much more, I'm telling him now it meant a LOT. There are others among you who're reading this who served our great country and I thank you. But, I have the privilege of knowing Mustang the best, so this is for him. This is a Memorial Day salute to Mr and Mrs Z's 'family soldier and friend'. You make us proud, Mustang. Semper Fi, SIR. (Please read Mustang's Sunday post...and his others...amazing) Thanks also to ALL you patriotic bloggers who do so much for our country. I send an unwritten proclamation to YOU...I admire each and every one of you.

And now, the annual printing of my poem from 1998......(like it or not, it puts me in the mood for Memorial Day)

Memorial Day at Frank and Ellie's
Windermere, Florida

The lake bumped the sand, causing the water to wrinkle at the end of the long grass slope
that started back up at the house

The slope was lime green and shadow leaves swayed across it in the breezy heat...the barbecue was smoky with hamburgers, and the table was piled with bowls of cole slaw, potato salad, pickles, catsup and mustard

We sat under towering oak trees with black angled branches and a white blue sky that held the heat in like the lid on a pot of corn on the cob

Bessie the dog ran through the trees and into the lake while the four small boys splashed in the water and Grandpa shouted advice about their plastic raft, him being an old navy man

The furniture in the house was American Primitive, dark wood-spoked chairs on an intricate wood floor and bright orange crate labels from the family business hung framed against pine slat walls

A small American flag waved out of the large spoon pitcher on the stove next to Grandma's three layer chocolate cake, and the childrens' popsicles were red, white and blue and left their mouths patriotic with color....It was Memorial Day that warm Florida Monday. We didn't mention it, but it was there. Z

For a really good laugh, don't fail to see Zack's Diversity Lane cartoon..........wonderful.

Enjoy your day....while we have the freedoms our soldiers fight for!