Veteran's Day 2007

Veteran's Day 2007.
White frost trimmed the edges of fallen leaves this morning, as if embroidery. White frost covered the roofs of our buildings, and the windows of cars. Yet, the air didn't feel raw like it did yesterday. Yesterday, Kasee267 and I were MAYBE going to meet up at the parade and reading of names at "the" wall (Vietnam War Memorial) downtown. It was cold, not out of the 30's until almost 11 or 12, and very wet. Neither of us went.  For Veteran's Day

Today should be the wreath laying at the WWII Memorial, if I recall the schedule correctly. Grandad was on active duty during that war, my Irish immigrant grandfather so very proud of his new country. My father got an enjoyable tour of duty in Alaska, while my maternal uncle was in Korea itself during the Korean war. Uncle Billy didn't make it home, dying I believe from dysentry (sp) while a POW. He never made it out of his teenager years.
I remember Grandma showing me a photo of my cousin, smiling in a rice patty in Vietnam. He's back home in New Jersey; we're all grateful.

Dad always put out a flag on Veteran's Day, and Memorial Day. Then in later years, I'd help straighten it and such. I forgot that he's also a Vet. Nice tour, comparitively, which is good as he was more of a gentle soul. Then again, perhaps everyone is inside. Eh, maybe not. Whichever, it feels weird today to not have a way to display the flag *I* have. I also have hanging plaques, though. One has a flag on it. I should change it from my Thanksgiving theme to the flag. For Dad. For Uncle Billy, and Grandad, and cousin Danny, and my stepfather Bob and stepbrother Craig who served in the Air Force. For my coworker friend in "the" Reserves, a Navy Seebee, redeployed last month to Iraq. Yeah, I did a search on Seebee's:)   For my other coworker's son, who is to arrive home December 3rd, counting down the days, so excited.  It still doesn't feel right that Billy didn't make it home. (I wrote more about him in these two previous entries Uncle Billy, et al, pieces of my mother's life and A Wreath From Home .)

And today at church, a guy I grew up with in the church, a friend, a guy I dated one summer, is preaching today. He'll become one of our new pastor's tomorrow, bringing along his wife and three kids. It's all good; I went to their local wedding reception and all. I can't imagine myself going to him for pastoral care per se, but otherwise, I'm happy for him and them. It'll be good to see them. I just can't today. (Besides, his sermon is going to be about nurturing the church, huh, on Veteran's Day, while we're at war?)

I'll call church, though. Find out some more information on the arrangements for my friends mother. I've been church friends and then personal friends for years with her, coleader in Girl Scouts. She brought me meals when Dad passed. Okay, one meal. She was signed up for four and, well, that freaked me some (having VISITORS?! NOW?), but seems she over booked herself, anyway. I did NOT call to remind her. I know how rough things have been for her with her mother this past year, especially these past months. Yeah, so seems it's the time when several I know are losing their parents. Perhaps it's so we can support each other, I don't know. This woman, hers was anticipated sometime. Fought off pneumonia I think 3 times this year. Sad, and weak. Not that one wanted her dead, mind, but if she is, I just pray her soul is in peace and no pain now.

No, I can't go visit church, or downtown (Washington, D.C.) today.  M's in a feis:) I'm the one to first tell her lol. I was messing about Irish dance message boards and stumbled upon more info about this feis. Curious, I checked out the competitor list (only some post them in advance). Wow, M's listed. I asked her later if she knew if she was going. "No, I don't know. I think Si is, but Sh hasn't said anything to me about it." She was also signed up to perform at a really great festival last night.  Others in her school were, also, some doing both the show and the feis. When Sh realized the conflict, though, she did pull M from the show (in sufficient time for TCRG to plan the set list and choreography properly). It'd make for too late a night for Si to do the show and then drive to the hotel. Yes, others would have been happy to have driven M up, but it wasn't for me to arrange. It WOULD have been too late a night for Si, and M prefers the feis this weekend if chosing, anyway.

I almost went to the festival and show, anyway. It's invigorating, good bands, good people. An hour or so away with gas prices expensive, and well. I would NOT have missed it if M was in it, of course. But with her not in it? I took a nap instead:) Daisy girl, Billy, Indie, and I.  Cat Billy has his birthday TODAY! the Sunday of Memorial weekend, 3? years old.  He's named after my late Uncle Billy (obviously).  I sometimes wonder if their personalities match at ALL ha, perhaps just with a sense of humour.  I don't know for certain; I know my uncle only through stories, snippets let out here and there over time as if his story is still just too painful to relay.

Another parent assumed I'd still go today to see M at her competition (feis). Well, I do WANT to. That doesn't seem weird? It's almost as if a few parents assuming I'd be there, anyway, made me feel as if yeah, it IS okay, isn't it, 2-3 hours away, but why not? It's not 5-6 hours away. M dances last. Sh got M registered in all four of the "correct" dances this time! Boom, boom, boom, boom, all four straight in a row, same stage. Ma (TCRG / teacher ) says it means it's the same judge. Just really do well that first dance. "If the judge likes you, she'll mark you as first for everything. If she just thinks you're okay, (pause), she'll mark you as second for everything." lol "What's your first dance?" "Reel." "Pffttt, you'll do great then. Or, your first hard shoe?" Ah, Ma, they're always in this order...... "Treble Jig." The one M needs. I'm glad Ma is encouraging:) AND, even if someone doesn't do well. She's actually going today, knows people up that way and this is the last feis before the Oireachtas. Not sure if Ma will stay until the end, i.e., when M dances. But, that's alright.

I know people like Seebee don't get a chance for this options. To stay inside warm and napping if desired. Stay up late watching shows on Ecuador and the Galapagos Island (fascinating! yeah I'm a geek so what). To go to shows, and competitions. He's at war. But, I've thought of him this weekend. And Dad. And I realize that if I write Seebee this weekend, he may not even get it too much before Christmas.

So here's to all the vets, past and present, and their families and loved ones. And, here's to the freedoms that they provide for us and to others in need. Even if I hate wars themselves and don't tend to agree with many of them, I'm behind the soldiers. Us as a nation, need to be.

Off to the feis! Well, soon.  A shower would be nice.  Checking on neighbors cats first, three loving cats whose young parents are on their honeymoon in the Caribbean:)  Directions, dag, I left them at the office.  Gas up the car. Can't wait to see my M. She's hoping to get this last 1st place (in Treble Jig), to move to preliminary championship level, before Si moves up to Prizewinner. Eh, both of them will in time. I'm not risking NOT seeing her, and it, though. Toodles.

Update:  I liked, unintentionally -- (cat) Billy's birthday is the weekend of Memorial Day, not Veteran's Day.  Oy. 

Tags: Veteran's Day, feis