MEMORIAL DAY

Ahh - Memorial Day weekend, the traditional start to summer, is here. 3 whole days of R&R (Rest and Recuperation) to be spent as we please. My plans include working on the yard and house, plus giving the new Honda lawn mower a workout. I spent several hours today (Saturday) doing just that, along with the usual weekend chores and errands. But don't worry, there will also be some serious relaxation time scheduled.

There will also be some time allotted to contemplating the reason for this weekend holiday. There were, and still are, members of our society who cannot enjoy a relaxing weekend. They have sacrificed, in some cases literally, their lives so that we may enjoy ours. Those that serve, or have served, our country, no matter where or when, have my eternal gratitude and envy. I was unable to join them and will always regret that fact. But I give them my salute, as three volleys resound in my head and the mournful notes of "Taps" echo in the valley. Give a thought this weekend, if you will, to that "band of brothers" who have given their all to keep us free.


"This day is called the Feast of Crispian:
He that outlives this day, and comes safe home,
Will stand a-tiptoe when the day is named,
And rouse him at the name of Crispian.
He that shall see this day and live t'old age,
Will yearly on the vigil feast his neighbours,
And say "To-morrow is Saint Crispian":
Then will he strip his sleeve and show his scars
And say "These wounds I had on Crispin's day."
Old men forget: yet all shall be forgot,
But he'll remember with advantages
What feats he did that day. Then shall our names,
Familiar in his mouth as household words
Harry the King, Bedford and Exeter,
Warwick and Talbot, Salisbury and Gloucester,
Be in their flowing cups freshly remembered.
This story shall the good man teach his son;
And Crispin Crispian shall ne'er go by,
From this day to the ending of the world,
But we in it shall be remembered;
We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
For he today that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother; be he ne'er so vile,
This day shall gentle his condition:
And gentlemen in England now abed
Shall think themselves accursed they were not here,
And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks
That fought with us upon Saint Crispin's day. (IV, iii)"

May God bless them and the country they served, and may their names be remembered, now and for the rest of time, as those of heroes.

STRESSED OUT

It has been a long and stressful 6 weeks since I last posted. Most of the stress revolves around a major remodel at my workplace. If you can imagine trying to talk on the phone, or converse in person, or even think while listening to the din of sawzalls, nail guns, hammers and all the other noise inherent to demolition and construction, you will know what I mean. Now it is mostly done and it is stunning, well worth the inconveniences, which were legion.

In addition, there was (is) the whole H1N1 virus (aka "swine flu") outbreak. Is it bad? Is it trivial? Do we really want to know? What can we do to protect ourselves? (I'm sorry, but the whole surgical mask thing is a little bit too "Chinese" for me.) It did not help that this scare occurred right at Spring allergy season here in Michigan. Excuse me, did you just sneeze due to the pollen, or do you have a potentially fatal communicable disease?

And don't even think about the automotive industry, the lifeblood of this region, not to mention the indirect source of my livelihood. The killer Bs of Bailouts and Bankruptcy have dominated the headlines for months. The news is not good. Now GM and Chrysler have announced that they're dropping 25 - 30% of their dealers. I just hope that none of my customers are among them.

I won't belabor you with news of my 401k and other investments. Many, if not all, of you are in the same situation. Now the government tells us that Social Security and Medicare will become insolvent in the next decade. It makes me wonder, "How many greeters does WalMart need?" as we approach the possibility of quite literally working until we drop.

As I walk through my neighborhood I see many houses either for sale or vacant due to foreclosures. What will happen to them? I do not relish the though of their purchase by speculators who will rent tham out. Our neighborhood has always been one of owner occupied dwellings, and they are mostly well cared for.

But there is an upside too. It is really Spring, after a long miserable Winter (see previous post.) The flowers are blooming and the birds are singing. I still have a job, and some days can even say I enjoy it. I have a comfortable house that is mortgage free. I have a loving family and circle of friends who I see regularly. I am healthy. For these things I am thankful on a daily basis. I am hopeful that, together, all of us will weather the current storms. And it is this hope, and the aforementioned friends and family, that keep me going.