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RESPECTING OUR FLAG
By: Richard L. King

The playing of the National Anthem is not a time for protest. It is not a time to draw attention to yourself or to be used as a platform for any of your personal causes. It’s our National Anthem! It’s the rocket’s red glare….. bombs bursting in air… the song that honors every American who has ever worn the uniform of our country to protect the rights of its citizens….  It is a time to show respect and pride for our country and for our military. It is a time to put our patriotism on display for the whole world to see.

Patriotism comes in many forms, but the very basics begin with respecting our flag and our National Anthem. During the playing of our National Anthem, it is the responsibility of every American to immediately discontinue any conversation, stand, (men take your hat off) place your right hand over your heart (unless you are a veteran, in which case you already know what is proper) and proudly sing along in honor of our country and the men and women who have given so much to earn and maintain our freedom.   It’s a time to thank them for the sacrifices they make every day.

You cannot lay claim to your right to freedom of speech by acting in a manner disrespectful to the men and women who wore the uniform, some of whom fought and bled, to give you that right. No matter how important your cause may be, and likely we can all agree that the stated cause is a worthy one, disrespecting the traditions inherent with the playing of our National Anthem is not a proper way to call attention to them.

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Gramps use’ta say
R.L.King2012#139

   
About: Military Service

 “Can those who didn’t,
ever really fully appreciate the price paid
……by those who did?”

 

By:  Donna Hale Chandler

A list is a good thing.  I make lists for EVERYTHING.  Of course I have a Shopping List, which I’ve learned to keep on my phone so it is ALWAYS with me – can’t be lost or left at home.  I have a separate Shopping List for items not found in the grocery store.  I have a First-Of-The-Month-List that reminds me to put bleach in the a/c, change the filter, etc.  I have 2 lists for each holiday.  One would be things I need to go out and purchase.  The other for things I need to do — decorations to put up.  If there’s a get together planned, then there would be a list of who’s coming and a list of food to prepare.   I also have a To-Do-Today-List.  The idea being that what doesn’t get completed will go to the top of tomorrow’s list.  If we have a trip planned, I will have a What-To-Pack-List.  I have this list on my computer so I only have to change the amounts on the items depending on how long we will be away.  (Packing tip —- always pack TOO much — you never know when you might be stranded and alone on a desert island.  That’s my theory anyway).

I’m sure this is just the tip of the ice berg for the number of lists I have but you get the idea.  You would think that I would be organized beyond belief.  However there is a flaw in my list planning.  With the exception of the grocery shopping list, everything ends up on paper.  Paper lists can be easily carried from place to place – to the store – to the bedroom to pack – to the closet for the holiday decoration search.  But we all know what happens to paper lists.

The little paper-list gremlin sneaks into our home when I’m not looking and HIDES my lists.  That is the only explanation that makes sense because as organized as I am, I would never misplace my precious list.  One of these nights I will catch that rascal in the act.  He’s devious and dangerous so I’m afraid to try to capture him but perhaps I can snap a picture and put up Wanted posters.

Watch the wall for your local post office for his photo to appear.

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Gramps use’ta say
R.L.King2012 #374

About: Revenge

“Anybody can carry a grudge,
it ain’t all that heavy.”
(Though it generally weighs heavily on the mind.)

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Song Quote, “Your eyes have a mist from the smoke of a distant fire.”

DISTANT FIRES
© By: Richard L. King

Misty eyes, life expires
broken heart, loves desires

Move along, love is missed
seeking now, you reminisce

Another look, another dance
smiling face, second chance

Time passes, companion tried
kindly heart, love denied

Move again, evade the miss
seeking now, newfound kiss

Additional look, another chance
lots of fun, no romance

Tangled sheets, pillow talk
not a fit, take a walk

Multiple looks, chances taken
wishful thinking, sadly mistaken

False hope, false starts
broken promises, damaged hearts

Senior years, seeking still
time is short, low on will

Computer pop-up, experiment tried
there she was, unable to hide

Ten years later, still a unit
the songs a hit, no need to tune it

Misty eyes, distant fires
refurbished heart, loves desires

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Gramps use’ta say
R.L.King2012 #376

About: Friendships

 “Good friends are most appreciated
…during bad times.”

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By Donna Hale Chandler

I didn’t finish that sentence because I’m sure that I am NOT the only one who has in some way been affected by breast cancer.  Maybe it was a mother, as in my case, or a sister, cousin, aunt.  In the United States about 1 in every 8 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer during her life time.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness month.  If you don’t yet have a cause that you donate to on a regular basis, please consider breast cancer research.

In our small community we play bingo every Wednesday evening.  Last Wednesday, the bingo chairman promised to donate $1.00 for every person who participated.  There were 26 people there and those players donated an additional $40.00.  I know $66.00 may not sound like a lot of money and you may think that your $5 or $10 is too small to be helpful.  But add all small amounts together and they suddenly become a large amount.  Remember what you’re father told you, “Every penny counts.”

And of course have annual mammograms.  Early detection is the key.

Sending prayers and thoughts out to those in treatment and feeling thankful for those survivors among us.

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Gramps use’ta say
R.L.King2012 #378

About: Troubled times

“99% of the time a comforting hug
will trump most anything you might say”

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COLLECTING
By:  Richard Lee King

I once had a friend who enjoyed collecting antiques. She dragged me all around, picking through people’s old junk, hoping to find something of value that all the people before us had somehow missed. If you’re not into collecting these forays can quickly become punishment and so it was for me. Hours of wandering around picking up pieces, studying them, replacing them and moving on.  BORING!!!   

My primary joy from those journeys came from the fact that it’s “hungry” entertainment and invariably we’d stop for a meal at some new place where we had not eaten before. Now that’s my type of entertainment. It almost made the shopping worthwhile….. almost!

Once you start collecting, you never stop. If you complete your collection you begin collecting something else while you continue to try to improve your collection. Avid collectors collect more than one particular item; many collect dozens of different things. It might be old tobacco tins, baseball caps, jack knives or even old bottles. Hell when it comes right down to it, old anything.

I soon realized I was going to have to start collecting or die of boredom. Years earlier I had received a bottle of Avon aftershave shaped like an antique car as a birthday gift from my son. I had always treasured it, probably more because it was a gift from my son than because of its shape. At any rate, one day when we were pawing through old junk, looking for treasure, I came across another Avon bottle car. In fact, I found 2 or 3 of them in the same junk pile. Until that time, I hadn’t realized that there were more than the original I had received from my son.

That day, a collector was born. Soon enough, I had 10 or 15 cars in my collection and was anxious to find out how many more of them there might be. Suffice it to say, there were enough of them to make it interesting to attempt to collect them all.

After a time I was no longer seeing that friend, but I didn’t stop collecting. From time to time I came across another car to add to the collection. Eventually, I also began collecting eagles. All types of eagles, but preferably of a patriotic nature. They aren’t necessarily old or antique, but they are interesting and patriotic. It now seems more like the old antique is me.

Gramps use’ta say
R.L.King2012 #384

About: The Limelight 

“Good or bad,
it’s generally what you do out of it
…that puts you in it.”