Good morning!!!!

[LouNY]

I realize that, it happens often.
I also know that it bothers me and many (but not all) other Veterans I know to be honored on Memorial Day.
We made it back, our day is Veterans Day.
We march in Memorial Day parades and hold remembrances for those lost in the many conflicts.
I have participated in many Memorial Services and placed many a Flag at a Veterans grave marker.
This weekend my wife and I went to many grave sites of relatives to place flowers at there markers.
I used to turn out for many a Patriot Guard escort when a Veteran passes away, till my health started interfering.

 

[sodamo]

I’d like to remember a childhood friend today, Ray Lyn Collier. THE WALL OF FACES - Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund

Met when I was maybe 6 yo, Lyn a year older, a grade hegher, his sister a bit older. They had recently emigrated from Wales. His Dad our Met Life rep back in the days when they came to the home for periodic payment. Most of our time was morning encounters as we waited for the school bus each morning, although I did visit their home from time to time. When we moved that paused that, but when in HS his family moved to same town. Lyn now went by Ray (also his Dad’s name). I think it was a credit issue or something but Ray didn’t graduate with his class but the next year with mine. He got a brand new green Mustang when we graduated in 64. Boy talk about a popularity multiplier. Rest of us were driving close to wrecks. Didn’t see him much after that as we all went off to college, but Ray (and I) took a break after 1st year. He enlisted in the Army, 1st in our class I think. I went to work, but got drafted, so I enlisted . Ray went to officer candidate school.
I was in Vietnam. I regret that we were not able to meet up when he came in country at Long Binh replacement May of 68. I was stationed in Long Binh at the time. A couple months later I left. What would have been Ray’s last week he was KIA. Next I saw him was as part on his Honor guard back home. Ray was the first in our small town and only one in class of 36 to give his life. Ray received the Silver Star for his actions.
I still saw his Dad from time to time as he was my Met Life rep. He was never the same. We had grown up regaled by his RAF stories. They moved back to Wales when he retired.

Rest in Peace, Ray and THANK YOU.

Note added: ray was not a US citizen when he enlisted. I don’t think non citizens were drafted. This was his choice to serve.

 

[txdon]

I wonder if my namesake would be considered a Fallen. He died of some brain disease during WWII while a merchant marine
oiler on a diesel tender going up and down the East coast in 1942. Not sure how the merchant marine was classified.
Uncle Drew never made it past age 24. Thankfully his sister, my Mother, went on to have four kids.

At the service today they were joined with the navy. "Navy and Merchant Marines".

 

[txdon]

Our flyover was by the Falcons. The pilots were recognized in person at the end ceremony. They were able to land at the towns airport and make it to the ceremony right before it ended. I did not realize the story behind the flying group or how large it was and its beginnings which were in our town. One of our volleyball players, a retired SW Airlines pilot and a Vietnam Air Force Veteran, trained under "Falcon".

https://ffi.aero/files/A%20SALUTE%20TO%20FALCON.pdf

 

[toppop52]

I’d like to remember a childhood friend today, Ray Lyn Collier. THE WALL OF FACES - Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund

Met when I was maybe 6 yo, Lyn a year older, a grade hegher, his sister a bit older. They had recently emigrated from Wales. His Dad our Met Life rep back in the days when they came to the home for periodic payment. Most of our time was morning encounters as we waited for the school bus each morning, although I did visit their home from time to time. When we moved that paused that, but when in HS his family moved to same town. Lyn now went by Ray (also his Dad’s name). I think it was a credit issue or something but Ray didn’t graduate with his class but the next year with mine. He got a brand new green Mustang when we graduated in 64. Boy talk about a popularity multiplier. Rest of us were driving close to wrecks. Didn’t see him much after that as we all went off to college, but Ray (and I) took a break after 1st year. He enlisted in the Army, 1st in our class I think. I went to work, but got drafted, so I enlisted . Ray went to officer candidate school.
I was in Vietnam. I regret that we were not able to meet up when he came in country at Long Binh replacement May of 68. I was stationed in Long Binh at the time. A couple months later I left. What would have been Ray’s last week he was KIA. Next I saw him was as part on his Honor guard back home. Ray was the first in our small town and only one in class of 36 to give his life. Ray received the Silver Star for his actions.
I still saw his Dad from time to time as he was my Met Life rep. He was never the same. We had grown up regaled by his RAF stories. They moved back to Wales when he retired.

Rest in Peace, Ray and THANK YOU.

Note added: ray was not a US citizen when he enlisted. I don’t think non citizens were drafted. This was his choice to serve.

Your friend and mine were almost exactly the same age and were killed within months of each other.

 

[wngsprd]

Any sky showers last night?

It's tonight.

 

[wngsprd]

Sodamo, very nice tribute to Ray Lyn. Thank you for sharing this today.

 

[Wagtail]

Good morning. Overnight low of 1.3C and it will struggle to 10C on this overcast & rainy day. Still, the wind is calm and there was 0.7mm in the gauge @ 0900.

Procrastination will be my objective today... I should be able to successfully accomplish that. A job well done.

Take care all.

 

[mostly_gas]

Good evening all. 73ºF for the start, overcast, windy. Windy, variable cloudy sky, and high temp was 87ºF, HI 92ºF. American Legion put on breakfast borritos, the ceremony to honor the Fallen. Other than there computer guy laptop would not talk to TV, it went well. The chapter was only organized here a year or two ago. Did not do much else today, but did get nap in. Wounds healing nicely, but hand/wrist still swollen.
Don glad to hear concert was great! Thanks for link to space program song.
Randy(wag) glad she figured out how much work before she got the horse.
Roy good to hear feet better. Hope the shoe fitting went well.
Bill hope you got to wood room
Billy good thought.
Thomas enjoy your seat time.
Drew good to hear no neighbors yard to mow, hope good trip to supermarket.
Dennis, glad only 1 block, lots of piles in the pic
Drew no doubt. I never got a mole with tractor mower.
Paul good to hear good trip, enjoyed the pics. Hope you enjoyed the GS time.
Drew hope you got your flags
Buppies hope beach time was good.
Rich good to hear good grilling last night
Ken glad trimming done, sorry about deer, they were hungry in STL as well.
Drew glad you got extra flags.
Randy sorry to hear about your friend Ben, my condelences.
Roy sorry to hear about right foot.
Kyle good post.
Ted lot of wind last night, hope you are feeling better today. Cable was from back of pickup to boat on shore, pickup was on right side of road , I went left which was between pickup and boat.
Don thanks for the pics.
David hope happy hour went well.
RS plenty on agenda again. Interesting offer from The Woman.
David thanks for the story.
Don thanks for the link for Falcon. Phil "Hands" Handley lived in our community.
Randy(wag) we call that energy conservation here
prayer for all, especially Jay/Peg, Kyle's daughter/friend PT from Covid, Bird/aging issues/, Don /mom's pipeline process, Randy/FIL living alone adjustments /MIL Covid /son's FIL death /cataract surgery, Roy /palpitations, /angina , Billy /wife fall, David(moss) /remodel, /divorce, Buppies /3 new skin cancer spots and treatment, /wife head wound healing, / Bup and wife fever recovery and buppies's fall, Thomas/gout, /operation and recovery, Phil /reflux, /wife's eyes, Steppenwolfe/son-auto immune disorder, Grev/wife's eye, Ted /knee recovery/retirement, / passing out issues, /family issues, /wife feeling bad, Doug and wife/health issues, /nerve and pain, / wife's hospital stay, /torn bicep, Ken /kids shot tragedy, David(sadamo)/Sophie's new eye surgery recovery, /cataract surgery, /Sophie's hand infection, Chris/neighbor's granddaughter and Covid issues, Scaredy/shoulder dislocation, Paul/ wife's disc issues, Gale and KY/ tornado victims, Mike /5 year plan, Dennis /retirement plans / brother "alligallyitus" and improving, Drew /friend cancer diagnosis and recovery, Helogabals /second opinion, /wife's friend situation, Ukraine war, mass shooting victims and family, and Country.
stay safe and healthy you all.

 

[rswyan]

68F with clear skies @ 00:15. Heading down to a low of 67F overnight.

High hit 92.7F today and I was definitely feeling it.

Watered plants and seedlings first thing. This took a bit of time, as all the squash and pumpkins needed watered today - combo of no rain for a couple of days + the hot weather today.

After that I raked up some leaves from the planting bed on the west side of the house and hauled them up in the dump cart to the compost pile. Going to plant a couple of "Fanal" Red Astilbe there tomorrow in the area I cleared:

Grabbed half a dump cart load of screened compost on the way back.

Woman watered potted day lilies around back, when she went down to the basement to retrieve Her string trimmer.

We did some string trimming along the walk and the patio in the back of the garage.

After that She worked on weeding the planting bed by the kitchen window while I worked on tying the Orienipet lilies to their stakes.

Then I started planting the 10 Asiatic lily bulbs towards the front. Got those all done, which was a good thing ... given that their sprouts were about to pop the bags they were in.

At that point we gathered up all the tools and put them away and headed down to Harbor Freight in Canton where I managed to pick up the last mic set they had left.

When we got back home She grilled some dogs under the broiler while I took the dump cart which was full of the weeds She had pulled earlier up to the compost pile and tossed them on.

Blew some of the grass I cut yesterday over onto the compost pile.

Refueled the right tank on Cub when I got back down to the house before coming inside for dinner.

Whole day seemed like it was in slow-motion ... probably due to the heat ...

Going to head back outside here in a few and check to see if we have a light show in The Heavens.

Should be about perfect … not a cloud in the sky.

Will probably finish off that bottle of Cointreau while I’m at it and as Thomas says "numb it" ...