2019 November FROM MY PERSPECTIVE

                                  2019 November FROM MY PERSPECTIVE

In honor of Veteran’s Day, I thought you might like to know about the flag given to the family when a veteran is laid to eternal rest.  I have 2--- my Daddy’s who served in the Navy during WWII as a captain on a ship at fought at Iwo Jima; and my Beloved’s who served in the Army.

Here is how to understand the flag that laid upon it and is surrendered to so many widows and widowers: Do you know that at military funerals, the 21-gun salute stands for the sum of the numbers in the year 1776?  Have you ever noticed that the honor guard pays meticulous attention to correctly folding the United States of America Flag 13 times? You probably thought it was to symbolize the original 13 colonies, but we learn something new every day! The 1st fold of the flag is a symbol of life. The 2nd fold is a symbol of the belief in eternal life.  The 3rd fold is made in honor and remembrance of the veterans departing the ranks who gave a portion of their lives for the defense of the country to attain peace throughout the world.  The 4th fold represents the weaker nature, for as American citizens trusting in God, it is to Him we turn in times of peace as well as in time of war for His divine guidance.  The 5th fold is a tribute to the country, for in the words of Stephen Decatur, 'Our Country, in dealing with other countries, may she always be right; but it is still our country, right or wrong.  The 6th fold is for where people's hearts lie. It is with their heart that they pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with Liberty and Justice for all.  The 7th fold is a tribute to its Armed Forces, for it is through the Armed Forces that they protect their country and their flag against all her enemies, whether they be found within or without the boundaries of their republic.  The 8th fold is a tribute to the one who entered into the valley of the shadow of death, that we might see the light of day.  The 9th fold is a tribute to womanhood, and Mothers. For it has been through their faith, their love, loyalty and devotion that the character of the men and women who have made this country great has been molded.  The 10th fold is a tribute to the father, for he, too, has given his sons and daughters for the defense of their country since they were first born.  The 11th fold represents the lower portion of the seal of King David and King Solomon and glorifies in the Hebrews eyes, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.  The 12th fold represents an emblem of eternity and glorifies, in the Christians eyes, God the Father, the Son and Holy Spirit.  The 13th fold, or when the flag is completely folded, the stars are uppermost reminding them of their Nations motto, 'In God We Trust.'  After the flag is completely folded and tucked in, it takes on the appearance of a cocked hat, ever reminding us of the soldiers who served under General George Washington, and the Sailors and Marines who served under Captain John Paul Jones, who were followed by their comrades and shipmates in the Armed Forces of the United States, preserving for them the rights, privileges and freedoms they enjoy today.

Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented. -Elie Wiesel, writer, Nobel laureate    About the silence: I have found silence to be a formidable weapon against a foe. Silence can be powerful making the opponent wonder and possibly be cautious. I think about a yapping dog and one which just watches you in silence. I am very cautious with the silent one------you aren't real sure what they are going to do.

I’ve been taught, “Out of sight, out of mind”.  I believed it until these things happened:  my 2 year old crawled into the kitchen and removed all the labels off the canned goods; my 3 year old got the tube of CLOSE UP toothpaste and smeared all over her little brother telling me, “He smells good now, Mommy!; I saw a spider in my bedroom…..it disappeared……sleep was put on hold for the night.

Recently a person who didn’t know me very well, started criticizing my way of doing something and what I’d said.  Refer the silence statement above, please.  I waited until she was finished, gave some thought, then delivered my line----------“I’d have to value what you say and you to have your words offend me.”  With that, I quietly walked away.  Formidable weapon hit it’s mark.

In the first part of October where I live, central Illinois, the temperature went from high 80s and low 90s with high humidity and the air conditioner going full-blast, to barely 60s and a light jacket worn.  It was like the temperatures were doing speed trials at Indy 500.

My son and I were at Lowe’s hardware store shopping for a chain saw.  We looked at them all as we waited for some help; none came.  After waiting for about 10 minutes, my son tried to start a few of them.  Amazingly, 3 customer assistants quickly came to help us.  Interesting.

Well, tis the season for chili.  I really enjoy making and eating this dish.  Mine is rather mild compared to others, especially my girlfriend Tessa.  She is an interesting person who also has a very unusual accent.  She, also, has a lot of trouble with spelling.  So, joining the accent and spelling challenge, you have a mystery when reading something she’s written.  I asked her for her recipe of chili which is delicious.  What a reading adventure that was.  Here it is just as she wrote it:

1 pund park; 1 pund beuff.  Bran this in some lite wait erl.  Take aut and set acside.   Putt in 10 clooves of smushed gaelic, 1 rally bigg ornyun chapped up all lattle and fri it real good.  Sturr it all the time til its all good.  Then add some selt, perppa, oraygoneo, coumadin, and chili species.  Stir this all up.  Add some maters and smush them up in the pan.  Add 1 big can a chikken breath.  Stir this all up.  Putt in 2 big cans a daak rayud beans.  Stir this all up.  Putt a lid on the pot and slow cook it oil day.  Muck some kern brad with sharp yeller cheese in it.  Pour this on the top a the chili in the pot.  Putt the lid on and wait til the brad is done.  DO NOT STIR THIS ET ALL!!!  Serve in a warm bawl with a lip on it.  Enjoy.

I hope you all can read this and get as much a chuckle out of it as I did.  It is real tasty, too. The coumadin left me reeling with laughter.  I remember when Daddy had to start taking that drug.  Being the chemist he was, coupled with his character, his sense of humor shined through.  Mother was all concerned about the correct amount he was to take.  He ran out of the pills one day; she got very concerned.  His reply to her fretting was, “Oh, Mamie, just sprinkle 1 teaspoon of DeCon on my oatmeal and that will take care of it. Make the measurement level; no heaping, that’s too much.” Mother was horrified and Daddy couldn’t stop laughing.

When my two youngest children were little, we had been teaching them about being cautious when using a public restroom when we are not able to accompany them.  We quizzed them frequently so they would be prepared should something occur.  After you read Stephen’s reply to my questions, he appears to be the most prepared.

Me: “Stephen, if you go into a restroom and there is someone else in there, what do you do?”

S:  “I go to the thing on the wall far away from them.”

Me:  “Good.  What do you do if they start talking to you?”

S:    “I tell them I don’t know them and can’t talk to them.”

Me:  “Good.  What do you do if they come close to you and try to touch you?”

S:  “I start yelling---'You are not my Dad, you are not my uncle.  Get away from me!'  Then I yell, 'FIRE!!'  When they turn their head, I kick ‘em in the nuts.”  Somehow I think he’s going to be o.k. in a public restroom.  We have taught the children to yell FIRE, because often yelling HELP doesn’t bring help.  FIRE definitely will get some action of investigation.

News flash:  Queen Elizabeth of England doesn’t like the smell of hamburgers cooking.  Well!  Right there tells me she could never be an American.

During a moment of intense fellowship (alright an argument), with Guy, my Beloved, I discovered the only thing this volley of words showed us was----we two people were present. ‘Nuf said about that.

PEACE TO YOU:  Trudy :)