Reflections of Memorial Day

The family gathered and we played and we ate.

We ate a lot.

Dinner on Memorial Day 2011

The day was hot, the water perfect and we gathered to celebrate the beginning of summer and to remember the service men and women who lost their lives in service to this great nation.

Country music was blaring on the radio and the day would have been perfect had only the Orioles been able to stop their losing streak. But they weren't.

Ethan Airborne off the Board

It was a full day of family and swimming and the pool got a great workout.

It was fun and hot and trying.  Jax took a header going into the house on a slippery floor.  Lucas again demonstrated his interior design abilities by rearranging the chairs, and Ethan really got the knack of swimming.

How Many Pool Toys do We Need?

 The drink of the day is something we call an Almond Joy--coconut rum and diet Sierra Mist. It goes down a bit too easy for some in the crowd.

Memorial Day 2011.  God Bless America.

Summer Begins--Finally!

I decided to skip the Monday Musings this week--and to enjoy the holiday and write a bit about the weekend.

Lucas The Designer

The pool received a welcome work out yesterday.  I had it heated to 84 degrees and the water was simply awesome.

The day was bright and by the end of the day the entire family had visited to partake of the fruits of summertime. The pool has been open since late April but we just have not, with one exception, been able to spend much time and enjoy it.

Me in the Pool

Even I got to enjoy the pool--which was nice--since we had been busy planting and cleaning around the yard for the entire morning.

The heat of the day was very enjoyable after weeks of cold and dreary days--and today, with temperatures into the 90's promises to be even better. 


The surprise of the day was Lucas--who it seems has a knack for decorating--he spend quite a while arranging the three brightly colored Adirondack chairs that we keep ready for the grandsons. He never did seem to get them exactly the way he wanted them--maybe he will do better later today.

And so, as today begins with the promise of summer heat, the thoughts of vacations and time off and excitement also begins to build. The planned trip to St. Lucia is becoming more of a reality and is not only weeks rather than months away. And there are other trips and vacations planned.

Summertime--bring it on!

Coffee Crisis Escalates

It is amazing how a seemingly minor thing can really cause the day to get off to a bad start.

Coffee--or the lack of it.

As I rolled out of bed this morning Chris announced she was having an issue with the Keurig--it wasn't brewing. I made a glib comment about her always having problems with the electronics in the house and proceeded to the kitchen where I fully expected the sometimes temperamental machine to function perfectly.

It didn't.

It sat there humming--it sounded constipated.  But no coffee was coming out.

I ran through the short troubleshooting checklist--put it back together and expected success.

Nope.

Nothing.

Time to bring in the serious guns--the white vinegar for descaling.

It remained constipated at which point Chris told me to go out for coffee since we were out of whole beans to press the old tried and true coffee pot into service. And out I went. To the Super Fresh store which will be closing in July to buy beans.

When I returned home--the Keurig was still constipated--seriously.  Nothing was running through it.  I was beginning to thing it was dead.

And then the next crisis--"Bob, what did you do with the plastic part that I told you went to some coffee cup?"

"Well, since it was broken, I threw it out," I replied.  Turns out, it was a critical part of the back up coffee pot which allows the coffee to flow out of the basket and into the coffee pot.  Ugh!  It isn't even 8 AM in Sunday morning and already I have two worthless coffee brewers and no COFFEE!

The crisis level of the day was reaching Cuban Missile Crisis levels.

And then, magically two things happened--

Vinegar began coming out of the Keurig (finally) and I figured out how to make the old coffee pot basket drain onto the pot.

The mood in the house improved dramatically and the sense of impending doom subsided.  Coffee began brewing in the old coffee pot and the smell of coffee began to help with the caffeine deprivation that was beginning to cloud our reasoning capabilities.

As coffee happily brewed, we began the four-hour (yes, 4 hour!) descaling process in the Keurig.

That first cup of coffee never tasted so good--actually it was awful! I was immediately chastised for the beans I bought with the statement--And when did Super Fresh become a coffee boutique?

But it was coffee!  And it smelled good.

Crisis solved!  And the Keurig should be back in service about noon!

And it is only 9AM--what is the rest of the day going to hold?

Saturday Sunshine Memorial Weekend Kick-off

The storms of last evening--which were at times ferocious, have given way to a beautiful dawn with the birds singing and the breaking of a great looking day to start Memorial Day Weekend.

We spent last evening with friends--after I arrived at the airport I went directly to have dinner and wine with our friends to start the weekend--I can't think of any better way to begin any weekend, let alone a holiday weekend.


I am becoming a bit frustrated with Southwest Airlines though because it seems the on every flight lately they are securing the cabin for landing earlier and earlier--meaning I can't read my Kindle or play on my iPhone.  I'm not sure it is really necessary. Last evening they secured the cabin a full 55 minutes before we actually landed--they said due to turbulence, but there wasn't any turbulence.  And I am also noticing that the seat belt sign is staying on longer and longer--which means that people are beginning to ignore it more and more.

But it is the weekend--the pool is ready, the lawns need to be mowed, there is mulch to spread, a dump run to make, and I am sure groceries to shop for.

I would remind everyone that Memorial Day was a day to honor and remember those military men and women who died while in service to our country.  It used to be called Decoration Day. And while the scope of the remembrances have grown, and the activities associated with the day which really also marks the beginning of the best season of the year--Summertime, the holiday is a day to remember those who we have lost and to celebrate their accomplishments.

Last evening, as I was returning to Baltimore on the flight, the crew announced that there was an honored veteran of WW2 on the flight--and we all clapped and recognized his service. It was great the way the entire cabin of the aircraft took a moment to remember the accomplishments of this veteran while he was still alive.

I am still haunted by an image I saw in the paper a few weeks ago of a small boy--4 years old I think, hanging onto his Dad's casket at the military funeral. He was saying good-bye in the only way he could. It was a touching image--and I could not find it, to share it.

And so, I am reminded--there are lots of families in our country this weekend who are mourning the loss of sons and daughters, and husbands and wives, and brothers and sisters--and we need to keep them all in our prayers, for their sacrifice and the sacrifice of their loved one is far greater and more real than many of us can imagine as we stuff ourselves with hamburgers and beer from the grill around the swimming pool. 

Stuck in the Airport on a Friday

The one hazard of traveling is the inevitable delays which sometimes occur. Today is just one such day. I am trapped I'm the Denver airport waiting to depart thinking I would get home tonight on time for happy hour.

Probably not going to happen.

My flight is delayed over an hour.

Ugh.

I know it happens. But why today at the start of a three day weekend?

A Reminder of Days Forgotten

It was in another time and in another place. The past and the present mingled yesterday during a retirement ceremony for a USAF colonel who retired after 25 years of service.

The day was sobered by the arrival of the remains of  25 year old soldier who was killed in Afghanistan about a week ago enroute to his final resting place in Centennial, Colorado--a juxtaposition of time and space. On hero retiring after 25 years of service with his wife and family present--the other hero returning home after giving his all for this nation to be greeted by his family and friends and remembered for his sacrifice.

And there in the middle was me.

For it was 25 years ago that both the colonel who was retiring retiring and the general who was the officiating officer at the retirement ceremony were my students at school at the now closed Lowry AFB, and remembered me and the school to everyone during the ceremony. I felt very conspicuous.

I was at the same time honored and felt old.

For I too have served our nation, retiring after 21 years of service--and I still serve in a different capacity.

It was a very different experience for me to see students remembering me at the end of their first and the  beginning their second career.

I recalled those days a quarter century ago--of teaching and managing courses for the Air Force and trying to be the best instructor and instructor supervisor possible, while also being creative with the curriculum. It was during the middle of my career in the Air Force.

As I listened to 25 years of service recounted for the assembled people there to celebrate the turning of a page of life, I reflected upon my own Air Force career--it seems so long ago and yet it was only yesterday. My family was still young--and I had dreams of making my mark on the world without fully realizing then that making a mark is not something done in a splashy way--but by what we do every day.

It was truly another time and another place.

Memories and reality. Celebration and mourning. 

It was a very different day, after all.

Out the Hotel Window - Denver May 2011

It is amazing what a difference a few months make in hotel window scenery.  Of course--this certainly isn't Sarasota, Florida and I am not headed to the beach later today.

The last time I was at this hotel, though, I was treated to a great view of the bus station--which isn't all that pretty and of course was a bit loud.These pictures are from last evening when I arrived--the big black building is directly in front of  my view--blocking out the horizon even though I'm nine stories up.

And last time I stayed in downtown Denver it was really cold and all I could do was dream of going to a baseball game--I did go to a hockey game then though and saw the current Western Conference Champion Vancouver Canucks lose to the the hometown Avalanche.  That was memorable since Vancouver will be playing for the Stanley Cup starting next week. I remember I could just see Coors Field in the distance.And longed for the Boys of Summer.

This trip was warmer and I got the chance to experience a baseball game. And I do love baseball.

The two hour time difference is killing me. 

And wouldn't you know it, there are two clocks in my room and I didn't notice they were an hour apart. So I felt bad when I hopped out of bed at 6:15 thinking I had missed my morning check in with Chris. Then I noticed the clock I set the alarm on was an hour behind.

So I actually got up early and had my first cup of coffee in my hand earlier than I had planned.


Important safety tip--make sure the clocks in the room have approximately the same time on them.

So, now I'm ready for the day--earlier than planned.  And the dawn has broken--another day is set to begin.  And after peaking out my hotel window, I'm ready for it.

Rockies Basball

Coors Field, May 25, 2011

So I am at the stadium on Denver watching the Rockies and Diamondbacks play baseball. It is 50 something degrees but hey, it's baseball.

Addendum:


The Rockies lost to the visiting Diamondbacks 2-1. But a favorite former Oriole did his a double--Ty Wiggington for the home-team.

Mist in the Trees

Driving to work yesterday morning, I looked out over the trees
Blue-tinged mist was hanging in the green leaves
As the humid day got off to a full throttle start.
The dampness was everywhere, palpable
the smells of the maturing springtime into summertime were sweet
to my nose as I noted that the fully now green trees
were standing tall against the gray dark rain swollen clouds
waiting to drench the land yet again with rain
which to vast areas of our country has reached damaging flood levels.
And I thought of the tornadoes which ravaged Missouri
my sister and her husband live there, not too near but still there,
the trees I am enjoying this morning would be reduced to toothpicks
in the face of these horrific storms.
The mist was still--hanging in the motionless air
reminding me that the days are longer now
a short couple months ago I would be driving to work in the dark
with my only my headlights to illuminate the world
I never would have noticed the mist hidden by the darkness of the night.
I snuck a final glance at the mist in the trees
as the road dove down taking me beneath the canopy
where I could no longer enjoy the rolling green
which stretched out to the horizon,
undulating, like waves upon the land
happy that the springtime was blossoming into summer.

Poolside Frustration and Holiday Weekend Planning

It had a funny thought last evening as I was standing in a very long line at my favorite pool supply store on an emergency run to get the compound I needed to affix the couple of ceramic pool tiles that had fallen off during the winter. I had suffered though rush hour traffic to get to the store which is a few miles from the house and so I was not too amused by the long waits to check out.

It occurred to me that the line was far longer than usual and the store seemed to be amply staffed by eager assistants. Usually, there my be another one or two customers in the store on a week night, but last evening the store was full. The lines were ten people deep and the staff was clearly frazzled.

And then I understood--here it was, the Monday before Memorial Day and we were all trying to get the pools ready for that first big party of the summer. I turned to the guy behind me in line, who was loaded with pool stuff and made that very comment. He smiled and said, "You got that right, bub."

I felt validated.

To pool owners, Memorial Day is the beginning of the reason we all own pools anyway, to enjoy the summer sun in a cool piece of resort living right in our own backyard.

Pool ownership is not for everyone--it is a project that requires care and planning and effort and not a little bit of cost. But, I so enjoy my pool and watching the family enjoy it too.

But pool maintenance can be frustrating, too. After I left the pool store and began the trek through traffic back to home, I noted the clouds getting darker and more ominous. I really wanted to get the tiles done so I could mentally say that the pool was fully ready for the onslaught of family expected during the three day celebration of a holiday weekend. 

But alas--the rain started even before I got home. Not a lot of rain. but enough to make everything wet and to make doing the tiles an even more unpleasant job than it is to begin with. I decided to wait foer everythign to dry out--which it did by about 8pm.

But by then--I was at Best Buy and then Lowe's on another shopping mission and the pool work had slipped into today--ugh!

So, to borrow a line from Phineas and Ferb: I know what I'm going to do tonight!