Hero at the Next Table

Friday evening we sat just one table over from a hero. 


He looked just like many of the other men in the restaurant, in his early 80s, silver-haired, suntanned, wearing bermuda shorts and a polo shirt, eating and talking with five other vibrant senior citizens. 

These seniors can be found all over Florida, but Friday evening we were near The Villages, where most of the residents are retired, all the landscapes are manicured, and shopping centers and grocery stores have parking places designated for golf carts.

The lady seated next to the hero, a much younger retiree, chatted with him, and, as folks do at a large table in a busy restaurant, they turned toward each other to speak, which directed their conversation in my direction.  I tuned in when the lady said, "...ya know, like in Saving Private Ryan? The movie?  You were there?  On D-Day?"


The man answered, "In Normandy? Oh, yeah.  I was there."  Their conversation within my earshot continued long enough for me to hear that he was on the beach that first day, D-Day. I sat,  a little awestruck.  An American hero.  Part of the push that won the war.  So THAT'S who he was.


Yes, I know there were thousands there that day.  I know that this man, and many, probably did not want to be there, but were simply following orders.   He may have been no braver than soldiers who were back in the states, filing paperwork, driving trucks, casting off ropes on troop transports.  They are all my heroes. 



A few of them are in my family - less now than a few years ago. 



Every few months lately, our community has sent off an Honor Flight.  A plane full of elderly veterans and their escorts takes off early in the morning for Washington, DC, where they visit several locations, including the World War II Memorial. They are saluted as heroes everywhere they go.   They fly back the same day.  These flights are publicized ahead, and the community is invited to meet the returning heroes.  Hundreds show up each time.  Our community is patriotic like that.



The schedule has not worked for us yet, but maybe next flight, in October, will find us in the crowd forming a cheering line.  Cheering the heroes.

Batty

The lack of ability to comment on many blogs is making me batty.  I wonder if maybe blog friends have tried to comment to me and been rebuffed.   I feel like a big ol' wet blanket had been tossed over the party.

So here is another peaceful beach picture to make things better - not that I expect any comments on it.  My expectations are lowered considerably.

Originally I planned to attach the straps on the ruffly skirt dress to the back, too, since it would hold the back up better.  We decided to leave it halter tied for this wedding, then do the tedious adjustments to get the straps just right after we came home.  but now I like the flowy scarf look of the chiffon hanging down her back, so I think we will leave then as is.

And I loved her cousin's dress  - almost a 50's look, don't you think?

Ruffly-skirt dress at a beach wedding

Comments and Yum

In recent days I have found it impossible to comment on some Blogger blogs.  (Hmm...I wonder if I can comment on my own...).  Amy, I wanted to leave a comment.  Crispy, I tried to say something nice.  You, too, Jennifer. And Alida.

But Blogger has kept me mum.  I understand there were some bigger Blogger issues a few days ago - some folks could not post at all!  I did not learn this firsthand, having neglected both blogs for a few weeks.  But imagine the hairpulling angst - something to say, and no way to blog it!

Yes, this blog has been greatly neglected.  I toss a few thoughts or a picture in, but have been slow to complete posts.  I have - gulp  -39 partial posts.  Some will never be posted - they are from long ago, and I have just not cleaned them out.  But at least 10-15 are recent...thinklings. School is finishing up, summer is getting all planned up, travel is coming up, and I just have not finished posts lately.
But just because I want to finish this post and to leave with something good:

Go here for Brownie-covered Oreos.  Serious yum. 

 And I don't even really like Oreos.  But I like these.  And I like Oreo cheescake.

Sew far...

I could spend all day reading Meggiecat's links.

...but I am NOT reading her entire blog right now because I am sewing!!!  I am working with ruffled fabric for the very first time.

Pretty cool, huh?  This fabric did not come from the website above, but from a store in the Orlando area. We love the colors.

 I wanted to do Earthgirl a dress kind of like this one, only big girl size.  But she wanted something more along the lines of a ruffle-skirted sundress like her friend's dressy cream-colored sundress.  So we borrowed the dressy sundress (actually, we borrowed her little sister's almost-identical dress) and I am creating something similar from looking at that dress and one of our favorite patterns. 

...but first, before I cut into the not-so-inexpensive chifffon-y stuff we got for the bodice, I am making a muslin out of some cotton - it will be a sundress top. 

...and there is shirring involved in the back. 

I am sew crazy.

Grace and Patience

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.  Gal. 5:22-23

It is SO easy to get frustrated with the very folks we love the most.  It's easy to become aggravated at friends and family members who make poor decisions.  It is easy for me to become irritated with myself.  Grace and Patience - we need it.

Feminina says it so well here:  Grace on the Fly.    "...try to be a character you would like..."?  Well said! Please, go read her whole post.

More on the Wall

an update on my April 1 post

The scrapbook paper wall art, mounted on 12"x12" canvases (I trimmed the paper to about 11.5" square), with blue, green, and charcoal ink smeared around the edges

I need to put that pillow cover on the sewing list - it's still just folded on with 1 safety pin.

--and the girls have taken over the TP roll art!