Open Letter to Brendan

Dear Son,
I was reminded last week on the 4th that you gave me my greatest gift last year on that date. You had a week off and decided to come on up with Karen. I had a car show in Kewanee and everyone was going to come there and see me and check out the cars.
I asked, kind of knowing it was an unreasonable request, that you wear your class A's, because a soldier in dress uniform is just so damn cool looking. You had told me that you most definitely did not like wearing class A's, and that it was heavy and it was just too cumbersome. Besides, you were on leave and didn't have to wear a uniform, just nice to wear grubs. I accepted, and was just glad you guys were coming over and seeing me.
It was getting late in the day, the trophies were going to be distributed in a few minutes, and I had just about decided that everyone had changed their minds. Then I saw your Mother and you and Karen, and guess what. On a day that was close to 90 degrees, there you were in your dress uniform and was the most impressive looking person in the park. God, was that ever thrilling. I ushered you around and loved the looks you got. Just wanted to thank you again, and how you made your father proud.
Love you,
Dad

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Flashback Friday

Class, Or Lack Thereof The Dwight Vice gravestone in Oquawka, Illinois. I bring this old chestnut out every so often just to remind me that class is classless. Dwight Vice was killed in his home near Oquawka in 2001. It was one of those things that can generate crime: two guys thought Dwight had a lot of money stashed at home because of his pot-selling sideline to supplement his fishing job. Not really one of those big drug deals gone-bad things. Marijuana was, according to the trial, about the only stuff Dwight sold. But these two guys barge into the house and killed Dwight and attempted to kill his 11 year old kid, Darryl, before they took off with what money they could find. His son, now 23, was stabbed in the back and left for dead. He survived and is wheelchair bound and has undergone several surgeries to repair his wounds. He will be paralyzed for life. None of this is pleasant. Reading the facts of the murder and attempted murder are most unpleasant

Summer Swim

It's Monday and the start of another work week. Except for me. I have the week off because the parents of my daycare charges are taking the week off, too. This is one of those wordless posts I love on Mondays so I can put my laziness in full view of loyal readers. These pics need no words. Why muddy the waters? They were taken at the pool at Sinkhole Estates aka Death Valley. The nice thing about this pool is it is heated in winter. If one must find positives in one's situation, I suppose that is one. But, please, no more.

Florida Air Museum - Part 3

Welcome back to a pretty neat tour of the Florida Air Museum in Lakeland Florida. There's a lot to see and a couple of the old Geezer Gold Wing guys are already sitting down instead of walking around looking at the exhibits. That's John who is wore out and making a call to his wife. In all honesty, John was pretty well bushed before the ride. He told me his daughter's family was down from one of the Carolina's with the grand kids and he must have played with them too much. He's about to take off on his own and head for home, but he's going to miss a couple of neat things out on Hangar A. But, before we walk over there, we have lots yet to see here. If you saw The Aviator with Leonardo DiCaprio playing Howard Hughes, you'll remember that he went up in a plane during the filming of one of his movies to prove a point about flying. He crashed trying to execute a roll and this is a picture of the plane he crashed. Note the propeller

Existing In BFE

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