My husband loves to snorkel. Absoultely loves it. So much so that if he goes on a road trip he’ll throw his gear in the back of the car “in case” there is a lake he wants to stop at for a bit. I’ve been snorkeling…only in Hawaii though~the kind of place where snorkeling was created for. Below I’ve posted some photos from when we snorkeled in Hawaii that we took and some that he took a couple of weeks ago snorkeling at a local lake here. Yuck!!! I couldn’t do it~nasty!
All of this mess with North Korea has me reminiscing about the Russians. Adam told me the other day that he thought I should go stock up on canned goods..this is after North Korea threatened to send long range missiles to “wipe” the US out.
You see, when I was a child the cold war was active which meant the US vs. the USSR (weird to say USSR instead of Russia!) for the most part. At any rate…my father, a Vietnam veteran had an intense….shall we call it a “fear” perhaps of the Russians.
It certainly made for an exciting (and I am sure I was sometimes fearful although fortunately do not recall) childhood. No, we did not have a bomb shelter. But we did have EVERYthing else. And, I mean it!!! I had my very own fitted gas mask. How many kids get to say that…We had months of stockpiled food and life supplies, all stored in these five gallon white buckets. To this day, the buckets are a great source of humor between my siblings and I and a great source of stress for my poor Mother.
Preparations for the russians started when I was about this age...
I remember one particular day when we went to this huge grocery store. It was like a grocery warehouse…probably like Sams clubs are today. I was riding in the seat of the cart. The main thing I remember is cases upon cases of tomato soup. The lady checking us out looked at me and smiled. She said, “my you are buying a lot of food” to which I replied…”Yes, the Russians are coming to dinner”. Ahhh, the innocence of a child. The last time I was at my Dad’s (granted this has been probably at least five years) there was still some of that tomato soup left!
...and ended when I was about this age
Just when I thought things were slowing down…or should I say the deaths in our community were stopping! A beautiful woman was lost. She lost her battle to Lou Gehrig’s disease. I know this is terminal but it wasn’t time yet. At least I didn’t think it was. I figured at least another 6-9 months. I can’t stand it.
I’ve been threatening to become a Wal-mart greeter. I can laugh when I say it and make light of it but in reality it doesn’t sound half bad. I figure my heart won’t be broken nearly as easy or as often working in Wal-mart! Read hereabout this amazing woman. She LOVED chocolate! We used to joke about doing chocolate tube feedings some day. I think I will send a chocolate bouquet to her funeral rather than the standard funeral bouquet…
The 4th of July was an amazing time when I was growing up. My siblings and mother and father would pile into the ole’ station wagon and go on a road trip to buy illegal fireworks every year. I even remember the year the police came and as a small child I thought they were arresting my dad…I think all they really did was take away all of the illegal contraband. Awesome memory!
Last night we attended an annual fireworks event in our little town that has been hosted by a local service station for 50 years. The service station is called M&M and the thing I love about this show is that it is held right next door to the station…the gas station. Of course my simple mind thinks…hmmm, fireworks and gas….maybe not a good combo but Adam assured me that it was perfectly safe. And truthfully the gentleman putting on the show do have it down to a science. It was fabulous to say the least!
In light of recent events in our community they held a free-will offerring bbq before the show and the turnout was awesome. They had huge speakers turned up and played patriotic music during the display. When the National Anthem played everyone watching stood and the men took their hats off~very moving.
At the conclusion of the display they announced the new name for the firework show: The Annual M&M Supply Dickie Parrish Fireworks Extravaganza. It will be held each year in honor of this young fireman we lost this past week.
Tonite Adam and I had our own little fireworks here at home. Nothing to get excited about for sure but we definitely upheld tradition. Since I can remember my firework of choice has been the hen. You know, the hen that shoots out sparks and then squeals like a pig at the end. The best!!! So, my amazing husband surprised me with three of my own little hens to light off tonite…plus some sparklers (what is the 4th without those!).
Note how it says "emits flaming pellets"
Note the flaming pellets
All in all, I am very thankful for our freedom. We should all be thankful for those in the military, past and present. Without them we could be in a situation similar to Iran, etc. I also must say as I go to bed this evening that I am glad that North Korea didn’t fire a missile at Hawaii today as apparently there was some concerns this could occur. Talk about crazy! What is up with them…aaccckkk!
A very brief post as I have very little to say. I apologize (not really) if I offend anyone reading…
My opinion on this recent loss is that if one day we do decide to have a child…there is one less person now for me to have to explain”why that person is the way they are”.
Kind of like this guy (we believe it was a guy) that Adam photographed in Philly last year…
The end.