Happy Veteran's Day!

August Johnson ~
my Grandpa & favorite doughboy

Did you ever wonder why Veteran's Day is November 11? Well, before World War II, it was called Armistice Day and celebrated in the signing of the armistice that ended the war-to-end-all-wars. The treaty ending World War I was signed November 11, 1918 at 11:11am. When, less then twenty-five years later, we were enmeshed in another world war, the name was changed. So that's why Veteran's Day is not on a glorious summer day when we could have a picnic ~ no one wanted to stretch that war out eight more months. Deal with it.

Grandma & Grandpa really believed that was THE war-to-end-all-wars. Imagine how horrible for them when they sent their sons off to fight in yet another global battle? Actually, because the two were only 23 years apart (for Americans, for Europeans it was 21) some men got to fight in both, heck, WWI infantry who stayed in and became officers could still have been active duty for Korea. Yegads!

Back to Veteran's Day ~ it was changed to honor all vets. Some folks (who hate having their mail disrupted) think it should be merged with Memorial Day, but Memorial Day honors the fallen, those men & women who died in service to our country. What about those who served, who did their duty, and had to spend (hopefully) decades dealing with what they saw? That is what today is for. This is not the day to get on a high-horse about everything that is wrong with the military. Most everyone who served did so because they love their country, because they love freedom, because they want those freedoms to be available to their children.

Francis Yaeger ~
my father & favorite jarhead

To everyone who has ever served, I offer a heartfelt "Thank you" because, overall, America is a great country. It is fabulous to live in a country where I can publicly say, "I think the president is a short-sighted dipshit" and I only have to worry about offending people. I do not have to worry about being "disappeared" or "re-educated" as folks in some countries. This is a pretty terrific concept. If you don't like America, you can say so. You can run for office to try to change what you don't like. You can campaign for someone you believe will fix things. You can do all of these things because someone was willing to put on a uniform and defend with his life, your right to disagree. For a lot of reasons, not the least of which is my fondness for debate, I really appreciate our vets. Thanks ~ all of you. Happy Veteran's Day!

Heat is Cool

No, the title isn't supposed to be poetic; it is a sincere expression of my sentiments. Go a couple of days in March, in Minnesota, with a broken furnace. You will understand. Heat totally rocks. I love central heat. As a teenager, who read wa-a-ay too many Bodice Busters, I thought it would be terribly romantic to travel back in time. I was an idiot. As a middle-aged woman who has a real life, I have to say I love now. We live in an amazing place and time. Imagine life without central heat and indoor plumbing. Eeek!

People living in the Southern half of the U.S. might not properly appreciate the beauty of central heat. My friend, Joy, has long believed that those of us in the North ought to be able to deduct the cost of heat, winter coats, etc. from our income taxes. Her rational is that we spend a lot of money to live here, thereby saving the strain on the Southern infrastructure. Imagine if all of us became "snowbirds." It is expensive to stay through the winter ~ and darn chilly. I'd like to know when my share of global warming is coming. Can I have it now, please? After a few sub-zero days, one starts to think about Al Gore's broken promise. Next time it hits ten below, let's gather every available copy of An Inconvenient Truth and have An Inconvenient Bonfire to get warm.

I feel extremely fortunate. After all, I am far too outspoken and opinionated to live safely in an earlier age (or now, in many parts of the world). For that freedom, I thank every vet and all the brave women, like my mother & grandmother, who got jobs and tried independence before they settled down. It is those women who quietly entered the workaday world who made the greatest inroads for us. Suffragettes made noise, but the quiet ones got men accustomed to women who think and do. Thank you, Ladies. Thank you, Vets. God bless you all.

If you'd like to thank a vet for all they've done for us, might I suggest Operation Homefront. They earned a 4-star rating from Charity Navigator so you know the money goes where they claim. From their website:

Mission Statement

Operation Homefront provides emergency assistance and morale to our troops, to the families they leave behind and to wounded warriors when they return home. A nonprofit 501(c)(3), Operation Homefront leads more than 4,500 volunteers in 30 chapters nationwide and has provided critical assistance to more than 45,000 military families in need. Operation Homefront also operates an online magazine for military wives and women in uniform. Through this community, we reach the newest and youngest military families, instantly alerting them about our programs and other information to help them succeed in military life.


Stay warm and enjoy the weekend.