What is Memorial Day...

   What is Memorial Day? To many people, Memorial Day means a  3 day weekend, picnics, bar-b-q's, and SALES.

   When I was growing up it meant the official start of 3 whole months of Summer Vacation. School ended at Memorial Day and didn't start back until Labor Day. Family vacations were scheduled and planned. Now school doesn't let out until the first of June and starts back the middle of August. So much for getting in that extra day of Family time.

   But is that all Memorial Day means?

   No. That is not how it started out. My Grandfather was a marine in World War II, so I knew it had something to do with the remembering the dead. We would meet up with my relatives and all go to the cemetery to place flowers on the graves of our relatives.  My parents would point out the graves of great Aunts and Uncles, Grandparents and cousins. They would share stories about them and their lives. It was interesting, but hey, I was a kid that wasn't as exciting as the beach. Now I wish I had paid closer attention.

   Later on I found out that Memorial Day was actually to honor our service men who paid the ultimate sacrifice, and died for their family and their country. Veteran's Day is to honor all who served, but Memorial Day is for remembering those who died.
 
   Memorial day was originally called Decoration Day, and was started after the Civil War to honor the soldiers who had died. It was an unofficial ceremony that grew thought out the United States, until 1868 when General John A. Logan gave an official proclamation. The proclamation was made on May 5, 1868 and the first official holiday was May 30th, 1868.

   Decoration Day was changed to Memorial Day after World War I, when it became the day to honor all military who had died in any war.


   So in honor of those who fought and died for their families, beliefs and country I am posting these songs.




   This one was written and sung by Ssgt. Barry Sadler a medic in the Green Berets...





   This one was written by the grandson of Sgt. Charles Stuart MacKenzie, a member of the Seaforth Highlanders during World War 1, who died by bayonet while protecting a fallen friend....




   This one is dedicated to all military men and women. I have to warn you you will need another hankie for this one....

A Day in Paradise... #fridayflash

                                                                 
A Day in Paradise...

   The day started as any other day in Paradise. The gentle trade winds causing the fronds on the palms to wave a welcoming greeting to those at sea. The inhabitants of the island scurried about getting their day started.


   Along the shore the pool boys at the hotels were setting out clean towels on chase lounges. Cooks were good-naturedly  haggling over price with local fisherman and farmers. Hotel guess lazily started making their way out of their rooms to greet a new day.

   Yes, just another day in Paradise. The waves gently lapped the sands of the beach. Slowly in and out, in and out, in and out... the rhythm hypnotic and peaceful. Lulling you into a trance like state.

   Then the rhythm abruptly changed. The ocean inhales deeply followed by a jarring silence.

   Everything stops in mid-motion. The pool boys forget the towels. The cooks, fisherman, and farmers fall silent. The people lying on the beach slowly sit up. As if turned by invisible hands, all heads turn toward the ocean.

   The water rushing out as if pursued by the very devil himself, reveals the undersea cliffs and valleys of the great mountains that are Hawaii.

   The shore stretches out as far as the eye can see.  The shimmering scales of fish catch the eye as they flounder in the sand that, only moments before, was covered in water. In the distance the barnacle encrusted bones of once proud sailing ships are touched by the sunlight they have not felt in hundreds of years. The only hint that the ocean is still out there is the taste of salt on the breeze.

   Where has the ocean gone? What is happening?

   As the island seems to hold its breath, waiting for the return of the ocean. Two waves of movement are seen on land.

   The tourist move toward the strange site in awe. Cameras attached to their faces recording it all for the tales they will weave on their return homes. Oblivious to the fact the islanders are moving in the opposite direction toward the mountain tops.

    Running  and climbing higher and higher as fast as they can. They do not slowing down to look back. The islanders know what is coming. They have heard the stories passed down from the time of the Kings. The stories of the old gods, who would take the water from the shores only to bring it back to destroy and kill.

   Suddenly the quite is split with a ear shattering siren, and one whispered word becomes a roar … TSUNAMI.



©2010 Pamela Jo

Image via Wikipedia

   Check out other writers stories here at  #FridayFlash.

It's a bird, It's a plane, It's a CAR????

 

   This past weekend was The Houston Art Car Parade sponsored by The Orange Show. This is a free parade that every year turns into a bigger and bigger festival.
   The idea of the art car parade is if it has wheels and is decorated... you can enter it in the parade.


   Check out this car....

Peep Car

What did they use? Look closer...

Yes that's right it is Marshmallow Peeps.

This is one of my favorite drinks songs....

Margaritaville

What could be better on a hot Houston day....

   I'm not sure what this is but is I look in the mirror and see it... I'm letting it by.

Art Car Parade

   If you would like to check out some of the other participants check out the photos on Chanel 13 the Houston ABC affiliate. Be prepared to take a while there are 167 photos but there are some great cars. Check them out here. 

The first car was made by students. Great job don't you think?

I'm still here and waiting...

  First off, I am not an expert. I don't have any special knowledge. I can't even quote the bible, but I do know how to look up a reference and read. I haven't even read Revelations to the end, I have the same really bad nightmare every time I try. I don't condemn anyone for their beliefs. (After all even Jesus was considered a false prophet then and to some now.) We are all members of the same race.... human and as such I offer my friendship to all.
   That being said....

   When I saw this....

   I thought of this...

   “No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.  
Mathew 24:36


“No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 
Mark 13:32

He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority."
Acts 1:7

   When I hear anyone saying that they know the date the world will end, I remember this...


“Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.
Mathew 7:15


...and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved. 
Mathew 24:11-13



   Enough said...


   I hope you all have a wonderful week, year and life. Don't let anyone take your happiness and beliefs away from you.

   As for the Revelations thing, maybe it's time to try again ...

Forbes list of 100 Worlds most powerful Celebrities...

   I was just looking over the newspaper and what do I see. Forbes has released their top 100 list of most worlds most powerful celebrities of 2011. You will never guess who is number 1... Wrong Oprah has been knocked out of the number one spot by … are you ready for it...

Lady Gaga...

Image via Wikipedia

Oprah is now number 2, though she is still number One in pay.

Image via Wikipedia

   Four Authors also made the list....



James Patterson is no. 37

Danielle Steele is no. 78

Stephen King is no. 79

   Have you ever noticed how the only animals Steven King writes about are ones that scare the hell out of you???

Stephanie Meyer is no. 90

   Looking over this list of musicians, actors, radio personalties and sports figures, I am really worried. Don't get me wrong I do like a lot of them, but to think that we place that much influent with any human being is alarming.
   Human beings are fallible, that is what makes us human. Another thing that is scary is 4 in the top 10 are under the age of 28, one isn't even of legal age yet.

Just think this person is the one who is influencing the youth of today....

Image via Wikipedia

   I don't know her personally and I have heard some good things. I just think these people have enough to worry about in their life with out the adding the strain Forbes just put on them.

Just think these people are the worlds role models....

Wow... and I thought vampires and demons were scary.

Check out the list for yourself here is the link.

Gossip Lines of the Past...

   I was looking at the Lehman's site today and I saw this poem. I knew I had to share it....



 

Image via Wikipedia

A Clothesline Poem (Anonymous)


A clothesline was a news forecast, to neighbors passing by


There were no secrets you could keep when clothes were hung to dry.


It also was a friendly link, for neighbors always knew


If company had stopped on by to spend a night or two.


For then you’d see the “fancy” sheets and towels upon the line


You’d see the “company tablecloth” with intricate design.


The line announced a baby’s birth, from folks who lived inside


As brand-new infant clothes were hung, so carefully with pride!


The ages of the children could, so readily by known;


By watching how the sizes changed, you’d know how much they’d grown!


It also told when illness struck, as extra sheets were hung;


Then nightclothes, and a bathrobe, too haphazardly were strung.


It also said, “Gone on vacation now,” when lines hung limp and bare.


It told,  “We’re back!” when full lines sagged with not an inch to spare!


New folks in town were scorned upon, if wash was dingy and gray,


As neighbors carefully raised their brows, and looked the other way…


But clotheslines now are of the past, for dryers make work much less.


Now what goes on inside a home is anybody’s guess!


I really miss that way of life, it was a friendly sign;


When neighbors knew each other best by what hung on the line.


   So it has been a human trait since time began to peak at your neighbors, and then spread the news. Always in a most concerned way, of course.
 
   Oscar Wilde once said "The only thing worse than being talked about is not being talked about."

   Just what kind of good neighbor would we be if we let that happen on our block. We are not our brother's keeper, but we are are neighbor's public relations person. It is an important job, that we must not ignore.

   Of course, today we have home owner's Associations' rules banning outdoor clothes lines. This makes the job a lot harder to do.

Facts...

   What are the facts? I looked up the definition of the word fact and this is what I found out...
The FACTS are confusing. I always thought they were so simple. A fact was the truth. But this is the definitions I found...


Merriam-Webster


fact /'fakt/ noun
1 a : a thing done b : CRIME 1
2 : the quality of being actual
3 : something that actually exists or occurs
4 : a piece of information about something presented as true and accurate  
- in fact : in truth : ACTUALLY 


Okay that not too confusing, I guess.


Merriam-Webster's Learner's Dictionary (This is for people who are learning English as a second language.)


fact  /ˈfækt/ noun


plural facts
1 [count] : something that truly exists or happens : something that has actual existence 
▪ Rapid electronic communication is now a fact. — often used in the phrase the fact that ▪ It's hard to accept the fact that she's gone. [=it's hard to accept that she's gone] ▪ What they're proposing is impractical, apart from the fact that it's also illegal. ▪ In spite of the fact that he was sick [=although he was sick], I went to visit him.
2 : a true piece of information [count] 
▪ The book is filled with interesting facts and figures. ▪ Those are the (cold) hard facts of the case. ▪ I know for a fact that he did it. [=I am sure that he did it] ▪ He did it, and that's a fact. ▪ There's no doubt that he did it. The facts speak for themselves. [=the facts make it clear that he did it] [noncount] ▪ It can sometimes be hard to separate fact from fiction. [=to know what is true and what is false]




Now this one I like, it is just what I thought fact was. I should have stopped reading here. But know I had to check out one more...
  


Bouvier's Law Dictionary


FACT. An action; a thing done. It is either simple or compound.
     2. A fact is simple when it expresses a purely material act unconnected 
with any moral qualification; for example, to say Peter went into his house, 
is to express a simple fact. A compound fact contains the materiality of the 
act, and the qualification which that act has in its connexion with morals 
and, the law. To say, then, that Peter has stolen a horse, is to express a 
compound fact; for the fact of stealing, expresses at the same time, the 
material fact of taking the horse, and of taking him with the guilty 
intention of depriving the owner of his property and appropriating it to his 
own use; which is a violation of the law of property. 
     3. Fact. is also put in opposition to law; in every case which has to 
be tried there are facts to be established, and the law which bears on those 
facts. 
     4. Facts are also to be considered as material or immaterial. Material 
facts are those which are essential to the right of action or defence, and 
therefore of the substance of the one or the other - these must always be 
proved; or immaterial, which are those not essential to the cause of action 
- these need not be proved. 3 Bouv. Inst. n. 3150-53. 
     5. Facts are generally determined by a jury,; but there are many facts, 
which, not being the principal matters in issue, may be decided by the 
court; such, for example, whether a subpoena has or has not been served; 
whether a party has or has not been summoned, &c. As to pleading material 
facts, see Gould. Pl. c. 3, s. 28. As to quality of facts proved, see 3 
Bouv. Inst. n. 3150. Vide Eng. Ecc. R. 401-2, and the article Circumstances. 



    No I didn't miss anything. The definition started with 2. You can see for yourself if you look here. Leave it to Lawyers to really screw something simple up.  It remindes me of a joke I heard.


   "What do you get when you cross the Godfather with a Lawyer?'
   "An offer you can't understand"


   I now have a headache and am so confused... and that's a FACT.






This clip is what got me on my search today. It was one of my favorite lines from a Television show.




This is Walter Brennan in "The Guns of Will Sonnett" a show that was on from 1967 to 1969.


  Oh yes and the Fact of the matter is blogger decided to mess with the colors of my post. I just hope the blue goes back to the white it is suppose to be when I post it. I tried changing it on the Posting page but I couldn't see the white on white. Ah well, such is the drama of blogging.

Happy Mother's Day...

   I am a little late posting this today. I think I over did it at the party I threw my brother yesterday. So with out further delay I would like to wish everyone out there a Happy Mother's Day.

   The mother's of the world are the most important people there are. With out them we would not be who we are. Mom molds us into what we are with love and guidance.

   A true Mother doesn't have to give birth to give love. I am sure all of us have had more than one mother help us along our path. With a gentle touch, a tender smile or a kind word they, they guide you along.

   Mother's are just angles in disguise. When the light is right you can even see their wings.

picture from Flash-screen.com

    Happy Mother's Day to all the hidden Angels through out the world, past, present and future. 

   Momma I love you always and miss you much.

Happy 50th Birthday Alan....

   Yes I just told the world how old my younger brother is. But since he is busy right now partting to celebrate, I think I can get away with it.

   Right this minute on Saturday May 7th, he is having a huge blow out party with count them two, yes two live bands, at his house. WOO HOO, it's time to party.

   Because of the distance, health and truck problems I couldn't be there, so I decided to have a web party for him here.

   Grab a some food...

   A piece of cake....

   And your favorite drink....

And party down, to some of the songs I know my brother will remember from his past.



And of course there was these guys...




This one is for all the Midnight movies....



Wish I could have found the original one for you.

Now it is time to sing the birthday song....



   Thank you all for coming to my birthday party for my brother. Please remember not to drink and blog. I hope you all had a good time.

   Oh and Alan we did get the bail money up so go all out at your party. We got you covered. Love you.