Happy Thanksgiving !

Have a great turkey day !

Over this coming week, I am going to be very busy with various things - to include Thanksgiving and a few food items.  So I am programming in some humor and  solemn moments ahead.

I have no problem with folks putting up Christmas lights early (before the bad weather) or even doing shopping early but I don't care for store to announce their Christmas specials in October and opening on Thanksgiving day when we should have the opportunity to spend with family or friends or helping others.

We have two neighbors that are turning on their Christmas lights (one has been since the 1st of November) and the store ads (paper, internet, radio, tv) all stressing how early they will open on Thanksgiving - it's driving me nuts.  I am keeping a list of who is open (locally) because I will not be shopping there for Christmas gifts, food, etc at least 2015.  I know that there are a couple of then that I regularly shop at an I will eventually go back but not for the rest of the year.

One exception that I have for these stores are the local grocery stores.  Around me, most seem to be open until noon or 1 pm.  Enough time for something you forgot but not so that it interferes with most of the celebrations.  Even most of our 24-hr grocery places close then.

Enjoy your Thanksgiving !

I thought I would update some of my stitching pieces.

This was supposed to be stitched on 40 ct silk gauze.  I didn't want to go quite small.  I didn't exactly use the called for colors.  I used what was in my stash.  I did use DMC cotton floss for the word cotton, I used a silk for the word silk, used Impressions for the word wool  (I'm allergic so a blend is as far as I went).

I believe I posted in-progress photos earlier.  Tribal pumpkin is done and will probably be framed for Thanksgiving.

Still wrinkled but complete .

Lastly, the last progress photo taken of Spilled Blood.

I have stitched more but not taken more photos.

This morning I went to an unusual funeral.   The first notice came on facebook, then the tv channel and lastly an email sent by a friend.

The funeral was for a "homeless" veteran, a Marine.   He did die in a nursing home, but no family and no money.  The nursing home found a funeral home to who would bury him.  The funeral home found a casket company to donate a casket and a cemetery to donate a plot.  Then they started spreading the word.

I truly thought that the church (who volunteered their church space) would have sparse attendance.  I was so wrong and glad to be wrong in this case.  There were over a 1000 people there, many in uniform, mostly Marines. The Patriot riders were there, as well as police, sheriffs and firemen in dress uniforms. There were classes from the Catholic school nearby, many VFW and American Legion members and who knows how many other groups were represented as well.  All because this gentleman served his country.

I admit that last night for a few hours, I was news junkie.   The horrifying events in Paris grabbed my attention.  So I watched/listened while I stitched and prayed.   My heart goes out to all the families involved.  They have to wait for the news to know and endure the pain later.

From the staff at Arlington National Cemetery

On this day in 1982, near the end of a weeklong national salute to Americans who served in the Vietnam War, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial is dedicated in Washington D.C.

The long-awaited memorial was a simple V-shaped black-granite wall inscribed with the names of the 57,939 Americans who died in the conflict, arranged in order of death, not rank, as was common in other memorials.

The Vietnam Veterans Memorial soon became one of the most visited memorials in the nation’s capital. A Smithsonian Institution director called it “a community of feelings, almost a sacred precinct.” Today and this weekend, we remember all those who served during the Vietnam War.

November 12  National Pizza with the Works Except Anchovies Day

And I have not forgotten the veterans.

Rain or Shine, they serve.

Happy Veterans' Day

Thank you for your service!

Semper Fi

SEMPER FI

On November 10th, 1775, the Second Continental Congress met at Tun Tavern (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) and decided to raise the first two battalions of Marines.

Today's Marines:

Happy Birthday Marines!

I want everyone to know that I do read my comments an I really appreciate them.   I admit that I don't always answer them but do occasionally.

Be prepared - later this week is Veteran's Day.  I'll be posting things all week that are very Veteran or America oriented.  Veteran's day is near and dear to me - my son is now a veteran, also myself, my mom, my dad, my grandfather, my 2nd great grandfather as well several other generations going back a few hundred years.

One of the best bumper stickers that I have seen is as follows:

If you can read this, thank a veteran

I know many will want to thank their English teachers but the veteran kept the country free so we could  be allowed to learn to read.