Memorial Day Comment

Memorial Day is a day that always brings back a lot of sad memories. I rarely reflect on my forty four years of being a funeral director, but this day, things just flash back, that you thought you had  pushed back into the recesses of your mind.
All  military services for our young folks killed in action were difficult, especially the widows left behind with small children who no longer had a father. I knew how in years to come there would always be that empty spot. Just a few pictures, a few service medals, perhaps an old uniform, and the fear that asking your mother about him, would still bring her to tears. I also knew how they would feel when there was no father to give them a word of praise for something they had accomplished in their future, or for that matter, just a dad to be with when you needed to talk.
The reason I say, I knew what the road ahead for those kids would be like is, I lost my father in WWII.
A B-24 co-pilot, whose plane crashed on take off in India, in May of 1945.
There is one Nam era funeral service that stands out in my mind. It was for an Army helicopter pilot who had been killed during a rescue mission. The family requested no military service, only the flag to be placed on the military issue grey casket. The family had a long visitation at the funeral home, so all of us got to know them fairly well during that time. There were two children, a boy of nine, and a girl seven. The wife told us that the kids were especially close to their father and they were dealing with his death the best they knew how. The day of the funeral we were concerned for them and wanted everything to  go smoothly. Which it did. When we arrived at the cemetery and everything was in place the minister had his service, and it was time for us to fold the flag, and present it to the family. The wife had previously told me, that I was to present the flag to his son. At this point the little guy had been pretty dry eyed, and we were wondering if he was trying to be brave for his mother and sister and holding it all internally. So I bent down on one knee, and said the words we were supposed to use. On behalf of a grateful nation, ect., and gently handed the perfect triangle
of  our flag to him. He jumped up and gave me a bear hug around the neck and just bawled his eyes out. At that point there wasn't a dry eye in the crowd, mine included,  I knew far too well how much he would miss his father.
Mine is buried in the Punchbowl National Cemetery of the Pacific in Hawaii. I am grateful to the person who put a flag on his grave today and the other activities to be held in the cemetery to honor our service people buried there.
We should continue to be proud of our veterans, and those people serving in the military today. They deserve more thanks than we give them.

Runnin Down the Highway

"Two Weeks on the Road, and I'm Gonna Make it Home Tonight!" Now I know how the song writer felt. We arrived home a few nights ago after being gone for two weeks, attending to some family needs in western Kentucky. "The Ridge" looked mighty good turning into the driveway.
The new Honda Pilot did an excellent job for us, and I think it's the best Honda we have owned so far.
This one is number three. Now, the wife with her bad knees can get in and out of it easily. Such was not the case with the previous Accord and it's low profile. Now it has finally hit me, why geezers drive big old comfortable cars!
Being gone for a few weeks always means plenty to do upon returning. Bills, wash and provisions must be taken care of right away. The rest can wait a few days.
Where we were there was very little internet exposure, so I have been catching up on all of your blogs and working my way through e mail. You sure do feel cut off with out the net, but to some people it's a total mystery, especially where we have been in the strip mine area of Kentucky.
Now back to being retired, there is a garden to plant and fish to catch in Old Hickory Lake, and always grass to mow.

The Albatross Is Gone!

Have you ever bought one of those things, you felt you just had to have? Well, such was the case when we purchased a treadmill some years ago. The health craze was going full till at the time, so caught up in it, off to the exercise equipment store we did go.
For about six months this monster from Hell, lived in a spare bedroom, where we would mount the thing for a boring walk/run until it was evident, that the machine was going to eventually put us both in the hospital. Like most level headed folks, we slacked off on it.
Eventually, like most exercise equipment, it became a place to hang clothes or what ever else it happened to catch.
Now the really bad news about the treadmill, is that it followed us on two moves. That's right, we paid to have this rubberized son of Satin, moved twice! I don't know what the attachment was, probably thought that someday we would be in ernest regarding our physical health!
It's last resting place has been in our storage building now for almost three years, and today, cleaning out the building I said "Enough!" My grand son came over and helped me load the heartless bastid into my pick up truck, and I grinned all the way to the Goodwill drop off dock!
I guess I have become more cynical in my old age about excercise. I see a lot of young folks jogging, cycling or what ever else they do to become "buff" I think the word is, and the old undertaker in me kicks in, and I silently say "Sooner or later we will get you anyway, you can't out run death!"
Shame on me, I know, but think about it!
So, the Albatross is gone. Now I can live out my days being a happy, chubby old man!

A Little Road Trip

After a long winter, a little road trip was in order. The walls of the cabin have closed in on us at various times over the past several months, that, and the doctor office visits, that seem to go along with getting
"over the hill" lead to our decision to give the new Honda Pilot, her maiden flight on the Interstate's of the south. My wife's sister and her husband extended an invitation for a visit in central Mississippi.
They have a beautiful home situated on a very large lake. The hospitality, fishing, and good times were all first class. It was a visit we will have fond memories of for a long time.
I did get an opportunity to drive to Vicksburg, the city where I was born. The old saying "You can't go home again" sure rings true. I drove by the old homeplace of my grandparents and was disappointed
to see the owners had let the big old home fall into disrepair. I hate to say it, but the city itself is looking a little shabby as well, but my memories are still there, so mentally, I guess you can still go home in a way.
The new Pilot performed as expected, great ride, comfort and good fuel economy. This is our third Honda product, the realibility keeps us coming back. My old Ford truck, also a winner, is like the Ever Ready Bunny, it just keeps going, and going!
There were fewer cars on the road than I have ever seen. Gas prices I'm sure have a lot to do with it, but, there were more trucks than I have ever seen, probably all hauling goods from China, since we don't export much anymore.
It was good to get off of the ridge for a while. A little road trip brings everything back into perspective, I strongly recommend it!

A Cure For Gas Pains?

A few nights ago, I watched a two hour special on "The Amish in America." First let me say I have always admired these people for their hard, but simple lifestyle, religion aside. I had no idea how much time it takes to hitch a horse up to a buggy. The harness alone is enough to baffle you with all of the different leather straps required. Forgot, you have to catch the horse first!
Then I got to thinking, can you imagine how the environmentalist would react, if we ALL had to return to the horse and buggy days of the early 20th Century. We would be up to our knees in horse$hit and the methane gas created would blow another hole in the ozone layer (another joke!) But wait, maybe that  is the alternative fuel source the "Great O" is trying to make us go to, instead of gasoline. He is not telling us what the alternative fuel source might be. Did he watch the same show?
All joking aside, This gasoline thing is all political. Sure gas prices will continue to climb, but just watch, come September-October, they will mysteriously drop, just in time for the election.  We are currently exporting gasoline and natural gas, so what's that telling you!
What I still can't understand is why diesel or kerosene prices are so high. Kerosene is a by-prouduct of refining gasoline and does not require additional refining. There was a time kerosene was almost given away to get rid of it by the refiners. The bad part is that we are paying for the inflated price of diesel fuel in our grocerys, and everything that is put on board a truck, or train. Kerosene for jets is another animal.
If the Dumocrats win in 2012, think I'll have to keep an eye out for that horse and buggy!

Choices !

One question that I used to get asked a lot was "How did you end up in the funeral business." Well, it sure wasn't my plan, but just the way things worked out. I have always been an aviation nut. In high school I washed airplanes on Saturday's just to be at the airport, then throw in flying lessons and occasionally bumming a ride with any pilot that was going up just to fly around. I was sure that aircraft and engine mechanic school was in sight after high school, and  eventually my pilots license.
Then the fickle finger of fate came into play.
My grandmother owned a small share in a funeral home in Mississippi and wanted me to come with them, serve my apprenticeship, go on to mortuary college, then a director position in the firm. Being eighteen years old, sounded good to me. Wear a suit all the time, drive a Cadillac and go to college, and no greasy hands!
Well, long story short, when I graduated from morturary college, she was forced to sell her share of the funeral home.
So there I was, a licensed funeral director and embalmer, and no job! By then I had so much invested that the only choice was to go forward. I was lucky and found a slot with a very large firm in west Tennessee.
For the next 40 years or so my "unchosen profession" fed my family and gave us a roof over our heads. I worked with some really great people over those years, most of them with a great sense of humor, which you needed to make it through the day, with all of the sad stories. The families I worked with and the things I have seen over the years are forever sealed, kind of like the ad that states "What happens in Vagas, stays in Vagas." But, if I could, the stories would amaze!
Years later I did finally get my pilots license, so I could "legally"fly. Nothing can compare to it.
I have also been asked "would you do the same the thing, if you could do it over?" No, I would not!!!
Every time I hear a plane go over, I have to look up. Guess the dream never dies.

The Router?

I have been blaming my HP laptop for all of the computer problems I have had of late. Glad I didn't take the axe to it now! I couldn't understand why some days I could be on the net for hours, and others, maybe five minutes before the connection sign would appear on the screen. Keep in mind that if it's anything other than turning the thing on, I'm lost. So, being a late comer to the cyber world, a fix was way beyond my limited skill level. All I could see was $$$ for a new computer.

This past week end after turning the PC on and trying to get on the net it happened---nothing, Nada, zip! I happened to look at the router which is slightly hidden behind a chair and it looked like a Christmas tree with red and green lights flashing. Could it be the router causing all of the problems? Well, a call to AT&T was in order. I was dreading the call, as last year, I had a question and called their technical service people and ended up talking to some guy in Mumbai, who was barely fluent in English. We all know how that conversation went, but this time I got a 100% American young lady. She explained that the old
router had "bought the farm" and a new one would be on the way and coming to me overnight. That's service!
Maybe AT&T finally got enough complaints about their off shore people to do something about it.
Who knows, but I was very pleased with the results. By the way, the wife (Miss Techno-smart) installed the new router for me! I used to be able to tear down and rebuild a car engine, but the HP is a mystery to me. I admire my fellow bloggers who put all sorts of things on their site, perhaps one of these days I'll try to tackle some of that. Buck, Andy and Dapper Dan do a great job in that department.
So now I can once again spend my mornings with a cup of coffee and reading my favorite blogs, of which there are many. I enjoy them all, even the one's I find a little off of the wall at times. I was remarking to Dapper Dan the other day, about how much the computer has become more a part of my life than I would like to admit. Anyway, it's good to be back!