Morning Folks July 1, 2010

It is a gorgeous day here on Cape Cod this morning, the first day of our Independence Day weekeind. The sun is shining, it's in the 60s and headed up to the 80s. Really a perfect summer day on the Cape and I am feeling blessed to be here, for sure.

On Wednesday, Ed's sister Kathy and I went to see the US Marine Battle Color Ceremony which was dedicated to the men and women from Cape Cod who lost their lives in the war. I sometimes feel like things military evoke confusing emotions from this child of the sixties. But the truth is, no matter how I may feel about any particular war politically, the sacrifice that our service men and women make on our behalf and the respect and ceremony that the military gives their own, is well-deserved and for me always moving. It brings back that homegrown patriotism that resides in the deepest part of my being.

At the ceremony yesterday, locally known former State Police Sergeant, and also former Marine, Dan Clark, began by singing some of those old patriotic songs we learned as kids, God Bless America, America the Beautiful, It's a Grand Old Flag, and so forth.

And although I have seen it done before, it's always moving when each veteran who served is asked to stand as the official songs from each of the branches of service are sung, including the Merchant Marines' song Heave Ho, My Lads, Heave Ho. It was particularly fitting for that song on the Cape, as there are so many ties to the sea here and there were a good number of Merchant Marine vets who stood. A Coast Guard jet flew low over the crowd on cue having come from the Coast Guard base nearby, another group well represented in the audience of several thousand when he sang Semper Paratis, the Coast Guard Hymn. Click here and turn up your speakers

There was a group of chairs reserved for the Gold Star Families, those who had lost family members in the war. The largest contingent from a young Marine who lost his life just about a year ago who lived in the town the ceremony took place. There were 10 of these young people who lost their lives, 3 of them were from the small community of Mashpee alone. Their photos were displayed nearby. The families were greeted before the ceremony by many a uniformed Marine, who came to speak to them individually or in small groups of 2 or 3. Some offered a salute, some a handshake and some were offered hugs. From high in the bleachers these Marines looked like big, strong muscular men. Up close, later, they were really just boys and I wondered how the mothers felt as they embraced these broad shouldered young men, so like the sons they lost.

The Drum and Bugle Corps performed first and it was fabulous. They wore bright red jackets, white hats and trousers and the late day sun, low in the sky, bounced off their brass buttons, belt buckles and instruments. They did complicated steps and formations all the while playing their instruments. It was really well done and fun to watch.

I kept my eye on the two playing the cymbals. They made their way around the band, inserting themselves in their assigned spots in a kind of slow motion, almost as if they were sliding into position. Everything synchronized as they did their own choreography apart from the rest of the group.

After the Drum and Bugle Corps performed, the Silent Drill Platoon took the field. Thousands of people hushed and listened to the sound of  hands grasping rifles, with bayonettes attached, making a unique metalic 'clacking' and rattling followed by the dull thud of white gloves slapping their thighs, all in unison creating rythms that were almost melodical; many sounding like one, a choirmaster's dream. I couldn't take my eyes off them as they twirled these guns in front of them, shouldering them, presenting them, firmly setting butt-ends on ground, pushing forward, pulling back, aligned with their legs, at times lifting the guns by one end and flinging them in the air to each other, catching them, twirling them, shouldering them and returning to parade rest, all done with such precision and timing in the hushed late afternoon. The sounds and the sight so foreign to me, but fascinating and thrilling to watch. 

Near the end of their performance, the Drill leader of the group walked past the line of Marines in review and stopped at one Marine. He began a slow and almost surreal sequence of moves, at times seeming to caress this weapon, before he tossed it to the Drill leader. The Leader caught the rifle and put on his own display, slowly and meticulously repeating what the Marine had done and then proceeded to fling it behind his back and over his head and back to the Marine. Then he made his way down the row and repeated it with another Marine, only more impressive this time. The Marines all stiff at attention, even when in motion. I loved it!

Finally, the Color Guard came in, and the Drum and Bugle Corps played the National Anthem. Then, the family members lined up as the entire detachment, Drum and Bugle Corps, Drill Team and Color Guard, paraded in front of these families for review.

 It brought tears to my eyes as family members stood together, some at attention, some holding hands, some with their arms around each other.

So sad. So Sad.  

Sadness was a big part of what I felt. But, there was a strong feeling of Patriotism and pride as well. Individual sadness, but collective pride. I don't know if it was the huge flag that flew overhead, the uniforms, the music, the Marines or what, but I was left with a feeling that it's time to be proud to be an American again.

There were many, many people from my Dad's generation in the bleachers around us. Dad was the one in my life who taught me about Patriotism, and about standing up for Old Glory and hand on my heart when she passes by. Not many from my generation or younger do that anymore. But at this venue, everyone did. And many openly wept when early in the programThe Battle Hymn of the Republic was sung by the State Trooper, the audience joining in. Some wiped away tears when they played taps at the end of the ceremony, something that moved me as well. And some welled up when the keynote speaker, a woman officer, a graduate of Dennis Yarmouth High School, upon whose field this all took place, spoke about her tour in Afgahnistan and how her mother had sent her a bottle of sand from one of her own Yarmouth beaches when she complained about the sand over there. She spoke about meeting a reporter from Washington DC who had been embedded with the troops and had been on a plane as it flew the body of a fallen soldier home, a soldier who was from the Cape. And I found myself deeply touched when she closed  her remarks by asking the audience to remember these fallen men and women from Cape Cod and the sacrifice they made for our country the next time we heard the cry of a sea gull, or heard the ocean waves or smelled beach roses.

I think that's what I'll be doing today.

Have a wonderful 4th! And God Bless America.

Love,

Suz

June 8, 2010

A couple of mornings ago, I was impatiently waiting for the oven to preheat. I had a cast iron skillet with butter in it on the middle rack, getting hot enough to melt the butter and make the cornbread batter I had waiting, sizzle when I poured it in. That's key to getting that crispy, golden brown part on the outside. Mmmm.

Anyway, I am a person who is deeply committed to multi-tasking because I hate idly standing around wasting time when I could be doing something much more fun or interesting or even productive. And so, usually while the oven's heating, or even while some thing's on the stove, I am likely to head off to do something else, which usually results in forgetting what I was doing in the first place and a time or two I have actually burned things. My kids wouldn't be surprised at that statement.

It's not that I am impatient within the task, like with children or pets for example. Although some people's patience wears thin, I am pretty good in those circumstances because, to paraphrase Freud (or "Unknown", depending on the source), 'Time spent with (children or) cats, is never wasted.'  (Although, I am not sure waiting for a cat to decide whether to go in or go out is not a little bit of wasted time.) But this particular morning, I felt I would wait until I had at least put the cornbread in the oven before I went off and wrote a blog or something.

But as I was standing there waiting for the oven to hit 400, I noticed a button on the stove I hadn't seen before. I have had this stove for almost 4 years but never noticed you could "STOP TIME". And as I marveled at the fact that I was able to actually stop the Timer instead of waiting for it to run its course, I thought, there is a blog in there somewhere.

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I have been somewhat distracted and saddened lately because one of my classmates from high school is at the end of her struggle with cancer. I thought if I could just push that button and STOP TIME, perhaps that would give Pamela more time while they found a cure. Or if I could STOP TIME and give some of the older people in my life more time, or maybe I could STOP TIME long enough for the oil to be cleaned up in the gulf before anything else was damaged or destroyed.

Or, just for a simple thing this morning when I saw a rainbow as the sun rose, I thought to myself if I could STOP TIME just long enough to get the photo; and then maybe a little bit longer so it would still be there when 4 and 3/4 years old granddaughter Indigo, who spent the night, wakes up for breakfast. 

Or, even better, STOP TIME long enough for me to write a blog before 4 and 3/4 years old Indigo wakes up. No such luck as she and Maggie the cat are both up and continuously going in and out of the door as I write this. It seems they are having trouble deciding whether to go in or out.

But as I thought about it this morning, I don't think pushing a button to STOP TIME would be desirable in every situation. The parents, and grandparents, eagerly waiting the birth of a child wouldn't want me to push that button. I think of my cousin Liz's daughter Nicole and husband Dan, who are so excited and just can't wait for their first born.

Or, the loved ones of service men and women anxiously waiting for their tour to be over. I think of young Katie Kim's little sister, who says goodbye to her fiance Mark as he heads off to Iraq for 400+ days.

No, I don't think I want to STOP TIME after all. It's not a responsibility I would ever want to have. I guess we just have to let time go by and have faith that the One who is responsible brings us peace when we need it.

There are times though, like that moment when you look around and the sun is shining, you are next to someone you love and you say to yourself  "I could stay like this forever."

I hope you all have a moment like that at least once today.

Have a great day!
Love,
Suz

Morning Folks it's June 1. Rabbits to you all!

So, it is the first of June, Memorial Day weekend 2010 is history. I said my rabbits about midnight last night, but am not sure if I spoke to the cat before I said them. We'll see how June turns out. It's always a crap shoot anyway. But, it can't hurt to rub Buddha's belly once in a while. (Bill has a friend named Buddha, but I don't mean him.)

So, what's on my mind these days? Random things.

We spent a few days on the Cape last week when Ed's (foster) mother Mary passed away at age 87. She was a wonderful woman who inspired Ed and his brother Bob and taught them so much in the few years they lived there, but continued to teach them things about life they may never have learned from anyone else all through their adulthood. Bob and Ed did the eulogies for her. She had no children of her own, but she had a large family and many neighbors and friends who may as well have been family. We will miss her very much.

I have a classmate who has stage 4 cancer and although she wasn't a close friend back in high school, she was close enough to be part of my history. She was in our Campfire Girl group when we were in elementary school, so we do go back a ways. I got to know her again a little bit 10 years ago when she was on our reunion committee. But, she didn't attend our 40th last October, for obvious reasons it turns out. So, she is on my mind and my prayers go out to Pamela.

I have to decide whether to get Windows 7 or continue to limp along with Windows XP. Any war stories about migrating out there?

I am thinking about packing for my 2 months on the Cape which is coming up in 2 weeks. Bringing new cat Maggie along will present some interesting challenges. 17 hours in the car. What do we do about kitty litter on the trip? Hmmmm...

Then, she and I in a 32 foot trailer for 2 months. She is an indoor cat.

What about kitty litter in the trailer? Eeeeeooooooo. But, I will deal with it.

Let's see, what else...Oh yes, I wanted to welcome new gal pal and next door neighbor, Kathy to my blog community.

It has been such a joy not just to have a neighbor to talk to in a previously rather non-social neighborhood, but to have people like Kathy and her husband Ron right next door is a real blessing.

They are so much fun to be around; interesting, funny and so generous. You might remember from a blog last ?November, these are the people on whose deck our tree decided to fall. We hadn't even met them and weren't sure how they would take that sort of welcome to the neighborhood. Turns out, it broke the ice the same time it broke their deck. I will miss them when I go to the Cape and really am sad about that. But, it's so nice to have somebody to come home to who actually notices we've been gone! You all should be so lucky to have friends like these so nearby.

Well, I guess I will sign off. We are supposed to go golfing with Ray and George and Carolyn today. It's rather dismal and dreary with 50% chance of rain. It's already so muggy I had a hard time drying the dew off the table on the deck where I am sitting having my morning coffee with y'all. I hope we get a round in.

Have a great day.

Love,

Suz

Suzies Musings Friday May 21, 2010

It's my baby's birthday today. Bill is 33 years old. Hard to believe that's possible considering I am only 40. Be that as it may, Happy Birthday Billy!

This is one of my favorite pictures of him. He was always very inquisitive. I think he might have gotten that from me considering the amount of time I spend Googling. And here Bill was examining some sort of bug or salamandar or something. His favorite show back when he was about 3 was Nature on PBS.

We had some fun birthday parties back in the day. I found this photo from his 9th birthday in 1986. He is surrounded by pretty girls. That frequently was the case while he was growing up. In this photo, cousins Angie, Jessie and Lizzie and neighbor Courtney Oleson look on while he opens gifts. Doesn't he look relaxed in this setting? Doug, seems to be disinterested, but my guess is he was listening to everything that was said and planning his next move.

But there was only one girl who could steal his heart.

Kim's that girl.

He promised me when he was 3 that he'd never get married but would live with me forever. Then when he was 4, he said that he thought he might get married after all, but that it wouldn't be for a very long time, (which was true,) but they would live next door to me. Promises, promises.

Doug did get his goat sometimes, not that Bill didn't get back at him plenty.

But they were very close in spite of their competition and teasing. And they still are close and there's nothing that makes me smile as easily as hearing the two of them laugh at some private joke they have together. 

Today's your day, Billy.

And, yesterday was our day when Ed and I celebrated our 4th wedding anniversary! That's hard to believe, too. It seems like just yesterday that I was moving to Chattanooga.

Speaking of Chattanooga, it's such a pretty downtown and last night was just beautiful, so Ed and I just wandered around the city poked into a really nice new bookstore, and strolled down Broad St. where we had supper and a liesurely evening just for the two of us. 

There are trees of all different varieties lining the streets all over the city. Last night some of them were especially fragrant as we passed under them. They were very large and had pale yellow flowers on them. When I say fragrant, I mean Easter Lily fragrant. I Googled when I got home and found out they are Redmond Linden trees. Never heard of them. But, now I know what they are. There are roses everywhere this time of year, too. And everything is very lush and green and colorful.

Chattanooga is the 4th largest city in TN. It has a population of about 172,000 in Chattanooga proper, similar to Providence, RI. But Providence squeezes its folks into 20 square miles while Chattanooga has 135 square miles to work with. So, you don't really get a feeling of being crowded, even in the more popular gathering spots.

Last week my neighbor and new gal-pal, Kathy, and I drove downtown, which takes me about 20 minutes, and explored a little, our primary objective: to locate the main library for Hamilton County. The library is not as nice as I am used to up in MA even in comparison to little old Sudbury's Goodnow Library.
The huge amount of funding that has been spent, Federal, State and local, in the past decade or so has made Goodnow an exceptional facility and I suppose I am spoiled. In Chattanooga, they have some work to do on the building and certainly on their collection and I think they probably have a lot on their wish list. It's a county system, and this is one of  5 sites around Hamilton County, all much smaller than this one.

Kathy was a little disappointed with parts of it, too, but seemed to think the children's section was pretty good. She's a retired educator from NY state, so that interested her.  

The books seemed kind of dated in some sections and they didn't make it easy to find anything. The people were nice enough, but there were no maps or guides as to how to find particular sections. But, there is a library at the University of TN, Chattanooga that we might explore next. I have a feeling that may be the better choice.

All over downtown are some really beautiful, and some rather strange, sculptures. This one is in front of the library and is really huge. Funny, in front of the Goodnow Library in Sudbury there is Civil War monument, a traditional Union Soldier standing guard, and the only Civil War monument we have, I think. Here in Chattanooga, Civil War monuments and battlegrounds and history are everywhere. I am as ignorant of that era as most Chattanoogans probably are of the Revolutionary era, a time with which I was always so familiar. I better do some reading!

We walked a block or so and happened upon Miller Park, a place where they have live concerts each week in the summer and various events. It's very pretty with a waterfall and more linden trees.

The building behind Miller Park is the Federal Courthouse and the downtown post office.

We went to lunch at the Market Street Tavern just across the street from Miller Park.

Then we had dessert at the very cute and yummy Chattanooga Cupcakes. This may have been the highlight of the trip. I had Chocolate Overload and Kathy had Grasshopper. Mmmmmm. Kathy and I may be doing more exploring. That last stop certainly provided the motivation.

(Look through the window and see Sticky Fingers across the parking lot- the best barbecue!)

Sorry it's been so long since my last blog. I am not sure what I will be doing in the future with the blog. I tried a couple of alternative ideas which didn't get very good feedback. So, back to the drawing board.

In the meantime, I have been spending lots of time on genealogy. Interest in doing that research usually comes and goes in spurts for me. I will feverishly work at it for a while and then put it away for a time. But this spurt of interest seems to be lasting and lasting. So, maybe I can combine the blog and the genealogy some time and show you what I have been finding out lately. 

My Gram Hall, Aunt Lottie, Aunt Edith and my Dad, making that funny face! Visiting the country in 1935 at Uncle Howard's house on King Philip Road, Sudbury.

Around that time,  my Dad's family lived on Lexington Ave. in Manhattan.)

Have a great weekend and enjoy your upcoming Memorial Day weekends  and stay safe.

Once again, Happy Birthday Bill! I hope you have a wonderful day and:

"Dance like no one is watching. Sing like no one is listening. Love like you've never been hurt and live like it's heaven on Earth." Mark Twain (not Shania) 

Love, 

Suz