• Memorial Day

    From Sean Dennis@618:618/1 to All on Mon May 31 12:28:36 2021
    Hi everyone,

    For my fellow Americans, today is Memorial Day and this day hold special meaning for me as it should for all Americans. Unfortunately, Memorial Day
    has instead come to mark the unofficial start of summer and has become commercialized for all the wrong reasons.

    I ask that at 3 PM (your local time), you would participate in the National Moment of Rememberance and take but a minute to pause and reflect on the sacrifices so many have made in order for us to have our freedom ...
    something that we as a nation tend to take for granted.

    Later,
    Sean

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  • From Mike Powell@618:250/1 to SEAN DENNIS on Mon May 31 18:04:00 2021
    I ask that at 3 PM (your local time), you would participate in the National Moment of Rememberance and take but a minute to pause and reflect on the sacrifices so many have made in order for us to have our freedom ... something that we as a nation tend to take for granted.

    At 1500, the kid across the street was in their front yard playing Taps on
    his trumpet. I have the windows open today. Made it easy to remember.


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  • From Daryl Stout@618:250/33 to Sean Dennis on Mon May 31 17:42:00 2021
    Sean,

    For my fellow Americans, today is Memorial Day and this day hold
    special meaning for me as it should for all Americans. Unfortunately, Memorial Day has instead come to mark the unofficial start of summer
    and has become commercialized for all the wrong reasons.

    Sad, but true. The Good Lord gave me a poem, that I put next to an ANSI
    of an American Flag at half mast, and display it prior to Memorial Day,
    and September 11. The poem is as follows:

    Never to forget; but always to remember.
    Whether in a war, or 11th of September.

    Many fought and died, for freedoms we enjoy.
    For every man and woman, every girl and boy.

    Others endured injuries, in so many ways.
    How quickly forgotten is, the price that was paid.

    It's not a time for picnics, or just another day.
    It's a time to pause; to remember, and to pray.

    So many take for granted; Freedom Is Not Free.
    A treasure to be cherished; but all, you and me.

    To everyone who has ever served, in the US Ranks.
    We pause to remember you, and to offer thanks.

    **

    For the last stanza, that could apply to anyone who has served in their
    armed forces in any way. Whenever I see a veteran, I make it a point to
    thank them for their service to their country. And, I also make it a
    point to thank the first responders.

    In the Bible, The Lord Jesus Christ said "Greater love has no man than
    this, that a man lay down his life for his friends".

    If anyone wants this ANSI for their BBS, they can send email to me at wx4qz@arrl.net

    Some see me with my American Flag design cap and my ham radio callsign,
    and they think I'm a veteran. I thank them, but I admit that I'm not. I would've never passed the physical, as I had poor eyesight until about
    10 years ago, and I was born with no arches in my feet...needing corrective surgery when I was 11. For that whole summer, I was in a wheelchair, and
    had to learn to walk, ride a bike, etc., all over again. The way my health
    is going, I alternate between a cane and a walker, and may eventually need
    a wheelchair.

    At 35, I was unable to drive at night, so when it was discovered I had cataracts, I decided to go for the surgery. The visual acuity went from 20/2000 to 20/20 with a little astigmatism...and now, I just need reading glasses. My problems lately have been with corneal abrasions (as noted in earlier messages), and possible early stages of glaucoma. Thse have greatly
    cut down on time I'm at the computer for BBS work or for ham radio traffic nets...and degenerative disease in my back and spine, makes it worse. Basically, I'm a decrepit old fart. <G>

    My late father served in the US Navy Submarine Service during World War
    II, and was in the Navy and Naval Reserve until he retired as an E-9
    Master Chief Quartermaster about 22 years prior to his death in 2007 from pancreatic cancer. My late Mom retired about the same time, and they spent
    many years traveling around the country, and around the world. They were married just over 54 years. My Dad and my wife have been gone over 14
    years (they died just over 2 1/2 months apart), and my Mom has been gone
    nearly 2 years. While I miss all of them, I'm glad they're not here to
    see all the suffering I've gone through in the last 3 years.

    I ask that at 3 PM (your local time), you would participate in the National Moment of Rememberance and take but a minute to pause and
    reflect on the sacrifices so many have made in order for us to have our freedom ... something that we as a nation tend to take for granted.

    I didn't get this message until after the fact...but the above poem
    should be enough proof on where I stand. :)

    I had to go out to get fuel for the car, and usually do it on Monday.
    I've started getting gas at Valero...on Monday, you can get mid-grade
    gas (what my 2013 Chevy Cruze takes) for the price of regular...and I
    think high test for the price of mid-grade. Today it was 32 cents a
    gallon cheaper than a nearby Kroger. And, being a frugal cheapskate,
    you know I'm going for the economical fuel. :)

    Then, I went to Chick-Fil-A for two Chick-Fil-A deluxe sandwiches (no lettuce, as I can't handle the leaf lettuce, only iceberg...but I asked
    for extra pickles (too bad I didn't get ice cream as well, but then folks would've wondered about me <G>). I got their large potato fries, and a
    large sweet tea. This was ROTFL - Ran Out To Find Lunch <G>...because I
    was hungry, and I've also learned (the hard way) "Do Not Shop Hungry".

    Then, I went to one of the local Wal-Mart stores, where fully vaccinated folks didn't have to wear masks (I had both COVID-19 shots in April). But,
    I had my list of what to get, and nothing more. White Bread, Buddig Chicken Lunch Meat, Mustard for the sandwiches, Little Debbie Cosmic Brownies (which don't taste anything like Girl Scouts <G>), and Diet Green Tea Citrus.
    That's basically my diet now...Buddig Chicken lunch meat sandwiches with mustard, brownies for dessert, washed down with diet green tea citrus.

    That means no cooking, and just to get something down my gullet when I
    get the munchies. The brownies satisy my sweet tooth cravings. The tea
    is also a diuretic, which since I've quit drinking carbonated beverages,
    has cut down on the occurrence of kidney stones...but lately, I'd swear
    I was on Lasix. Yet, in the hot weather, I can drink from 2 to 4 quarts
    of tea a day. I've nearly gone into heatstroke (which can be fatal)
    several times over the years. At a high school beach party over 45 years
    ago, I got so sunburned, that if I hadn't had a bathing suit on (I know,
    TMI <G>), I would've been in worse shape. Nowadays, I can sunburn in as
    little as 10 minutes, and have to watch for possible skin cancer.

    However, with the heat and humidity, I end up getting overheated, and
    hacking like mad, when trying to move the stuff back and forth. So, I
    put the air conditioner on once I got back home, put the groceries up,
    got out of the sweaty clothes, and laid down for a nap. So, I didn't
    check the BBS mail until after 5pm, when I had to update the weather
    data.

    Today was the last dry day we'll have for about a week...with more
    storms. I've had other things to do over this past weekend, and didn't
    get a chance to get the BBS into the cloud as I had hoped. But, it looks
    to dry out by the middle of next week. The rain has been so proficient,
    that the lawn folks are way behind schedule. We probably won't be able
    to buy a drop of rain come July.

    Speaking of weather, the GFS (what I call the Goofus Model) is "smoking
    some strange weather weed". A few days ago, it was showing a hurricane
    near the Texas/Louisiana coast in 2 weeks. On the next model run, that
    cyclone was gone. Today's run now shows a hurricane to affect Florida and
    the southeast US.

    I know the weather wishcasters are wanting a storm, but this far out,
    I just take the models with a grain of salt. Even the ECMWF model won't consider it until 10 days out. But, it is a reminder that the start of meteorological summer on June 1 in the northern hemisphere, is also the
    start of the Atlantic Hurricane Season. Yet, we winter weather lovers in
    the northern hemisphere take heart...meteorological fall starts in 3
    months, and meteorological winter returns in 6 months. Folks are already planning groundhog hunting day next February. <G>

    Daryl

    ... Yeah, I BBS...but I can control it.
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  • From Sean Dennis@618:618/1 to Mike Powell on Tue Jun 1 00:09:31 2021
    Mike Powell wrote to SEAN DENNIS <=-

    At 1500, the kid across the street was in their front yard playing Taps
    on his trumpet. I have the windows open today. Made it easy to
    remember.

    At least it was a fitting tribute.

    Later,
    Sean

    ... The only perfect science is hind-sight.
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  • From Kevin Nunn@618:200/1 to Mike Powell on Tue Jun 1 16:46:11 2021
    MIKE POWELL wrote to SEAN DENNIS <=-

    At 1500, the kid across the street was in their front yard playing Taps
    on his trumpet. I have the windows open today. Made it easy to
    remember.

    A lot of brass players were doing that. Very nice tribute and something
    that was started last year since no one could go out and play in real
    concerts.

    Kev

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  • From Mike Powell@618:250/1 to SEAN DENNIS on Tue Jun 1 15:53:00 2021
    At 1500, the kid across the street was in their front yard playing Taps on his trumpet. I have the windows open today. Made it easy to remember.

    At least it was a fitting tribute.

    Considering his age, I was shocked he even knew the tune. :(

    Mike


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  • From Sean Dennis@618:618/1 to Mike Powell on Tue Jun 1 18:06:53 2021
    Considering his age, I was shocked he even knew the tune. :(

    He might have a military family somewhere along the way or is a patriotic person.

    Later,
    Sean

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  • From Mike Powell@618:250/1 to SEAN DENNIS on Wed Jun 2 09:13:00 2021
    Considering his age, I was shocked he even knew the tune. :(

    He might have a military family somewhere along the way or is a patriotic person.

    I knew it from that and from being in the scouts. I guess my opinion of
    kids these days is not as good as it ought to be sometimes.

    Mike


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  • From Daryl Stout@618:250/33 to Mike Powell on Tue Jun 1 17:14:00 2021
    Mike,

    At 1500, the kid across the street was in their front yard playing Taps
    on his trumpet. I have the windows open today. Made it easy to
    remember.

    Nice. :)

    Daryl

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  • From Sean Dennis@618:618/1 to Mike Powell on Wed Jun 2 15:54:59 2021
    I knew it from that and from being in the scouts. I guess my opinion of kids these days is not as good as it ought to be sometimes.

    There are some good kids, believe it or not.

    Later,
    Sean

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  • From Mike Powell@618:250/1 to DARYL STOUT on Wed Jun 2 15:50:00 2021
    At 1500, the kid across the street was in their front yard playing Taps on his trumpet. I have the windows open today. Made it easy to remember.

    Nice. :)

    It was. I stood at the open window. Looked like his mother and maybe grandparents were out there with him.

    Mike


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  • From Daryl Stout@618:250/33 to Mike Powell on Wed Jun 2 18:36:00 2021
    Mike,

    At 1500, the kid across the street was in their front yard playing Taps on his trumpet. I have the windows open today. Made it easy to remember.

    Nice. :)

    It was. I stood at the open window. Looked like his mother and maybe grandparents were out there with him.

    I saw one video on YouTube where these 2 veterans, in their military uniforms, were marching in the parade...in their own home town. Their
    tour of duty was over, and they had apparently "set it up", telling
    their parents to wait at a certain spot on the parade route.

    Needless to say, there were a lot of happy hugs and tears at the
    reunion. :)

    Lately, I've been looking at the "feel good videos" of veterans
    coming home to their kids' graduations, whether high school or
    college. Without fail, the graduate is bawling their face off.

    In one, the father surprised his daughter, wife, and other kids,
    who were also at the graduation. It was his last tour of duty, and
    he said "I had to make this happen". In another one, they said they
    would be back home doing stuff with the family...including playing
    games and fighting over the bathroom -- but, "they wouldn't have it
    any other way".

    Daryl

    ... I had a rock garden. Last week, three of them died.
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  • From Mike Powell@618:250/1 to DARYL STOUT on Thu Jun 3 13:10:00 2021
    Needless to say, there were a lot of happy hugs and tears at the
    reunion. :)

    Lately, I've been looking at the "feel good videos" of veterans
    coming home to their kids' graduations, whether high school or
    college. Without fail, the graduate is bawling their face off.

    Those videos are usually pretty awesome. Good to watch people being so
    happy. :) There are some funny ones, too, that involve family pets.

    Mike


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