Your Momma wore army boots.....once.

That's me in the middle.

Officer Basic Traning, Summer '74, San Antonio

     I thought of these pictures after posting yesterday's Memorial Day blog.  This all happened a lifetime ago.
     My college education was paid for by a military scholarship, for which I am very thankful.  After 2 years of college at the Univ. of Nebraska in Lincoln,  I received my nursing education at the Walter Reed Army Institute of Nursing....I was a WRAIN-drop.  It was a campus of the University of Maryland, so my BSN is from the U. of Maryland and I am a Maryland Terrapin, as is my husband.  The nursing instructors and educational theory really were first rate.  The clinical could have been more intensive, but you do pick that up on the job.
     I then worked at Walter Reed Army Medical Center (WRAMC) for 3 years:  18 month on a renal medical and transplant ward, and another 18 months on a Gastroenterology ward.  I was discharged in '77 at the rank of Captain.  Like I said, this was a lifetime ago. 
     Ironically, one of the first songs I remember is one my Dad used to sing:

The biscuits in the army, they say are mighty fine,
One rolled off the table, and killed a pal of mine.

They say that in the army, the coffee's mighty fine,
It looks like muddy water, and tastes like turpentine.

(refrain)
Gee, Mom, I wanna go, but they won't let me go,
Gee, Mom, I wanna go home.                              

A Memorial Day Thank You

Thank you Dad.

     Thank you to all the veterans, soldiers, and their families for doing their unenviable jobs.  All  Americans appreciate you.
     I believe war is always the wrong choice....the last choice.  There are better ways to achieve peace than by killing.  Countries go to war for power and control, not for peace.  Unless you are waging a last-ditch defense of your own soil and people, there are no reasons good enough to declare war.  There are no winners in war.
     That being said, I appreciate everyone who is out there protecting our country and defending its citizens every day.  It takes much courage to do your jobs and I honor that.  John Wayne said that "courage is being scared to death...and saddling up anyway."  Thank you for saddling up and keeping us safe.
     I was an Army Nurse at Walter Reed Hospital from 1974-1977.  I was fortunate that the Viet Nam War ended by the time I graduated from nursing school.  Most of the patients there were soldiers returning from Viet Nam, and they were so young!  Remember that I was only in my early twenties at the time, and I was still struck by their extreme youth.  They were 18, 19, and 20 year-olds back from war and forever changed.
     Peace.
 
"In Flanders fields the poppies grow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place, and in the sky,
The larks, still bravely singing, fly,
Scarce heard amid the guns below."
                            John McCrae

    

  

"Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?" Mary Oliver

     Congratulations to our nephew Michael on his high school graduation yesterday.  He is ready to go out and change the world, and I have no doubt that he will do so. 

"Don't ask yourself what the world needs, ask yourself what makes you come alive.  And then go and do that.  Because what the world needs is people who are alive."    Howard Thurman

"We all travel the milky way together...." Muir

     Still doing spring gardening....dividing some perennials to fill in the empty places.  Our magnificent wildlife visitors do make it difficult, or maybe I am rationalizing away my lack of a green thumb.

"I have a rock garden.  Last week three of them died."    Richard Diran

"The earth laughs in flowers." Ralph Waldo Emerson

     Gardening/yardwork season is here.  Winter is always tough for perennials, as well as people, in Colorado.  However, some flowers are up and starting to bloom.  I was surprised by the dainty blue flowers of brunnera and some iris blooms.  I harvested some rhubarb for the very first time ever...delicious.
     The weekend weather was sun-filled and I started the round of pruning, fertilizing, weeding, planning, planting, and dividing.  Got sunburned, as well.  It is hard to find plants the deer and rabbits won't devour, so my palette is somewhat limited by their palate, but Dean and I enjoy making the effort.  It is always an experiment.  As the saying goes, "a garden is never so good as it will be next year." (Thomas Cooper).
     I have heard a few hummingbirds buzzing overhead so will put out their feeder this week. The other seed feeders are already out and the House Finches are back.
     Have relapsed somewhat on the jogging/working out plans.  Still eating healthy vegan, but too much.  Have been walking the dogs and now gardening in lieu of the workouts.  Hopefully, I will get back to the exercise, but gardening is so much more fun. 

"People from a planet without flowers would think we must be mad with joy the whole time to have such things about us."    Iris Murdoch

                                    My brunnera Jack Frost peeking out from a shady corner.

                                        Iris, Royal Sparks, one of my favorites.

The Circle of Life

     This morning was a time for me to complete written correspondence....two notes of congratulations on high school graduations, and one of sympathy on the sudden death of a loved one, always so difficult to write.  The irony was especially striking when going from one to the other.  New beginnings vs. endings.  Life taking flight for some and a journey's completion for someone else.  Loved ones being left behind in either case. 

"No straight lines make up my life;
And all my roads have bends;
There's no clear-cut beginnings;
And so far no dead-ends."
                          Harry Chapin, All My Life's a Circle

"Don't cry because it's over.  Smile because it happened."    Dr. Seuss

"The time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time." Bertrand Russell

     Yesterday we got the shiny new Corvette which our kids rented for Dean for 24 hours for his 60th birthday.  He loved it, and really hated to return it today.  We drove it to Estes Park on curvy mountain back roads, and spent the night at the historic Stanley Hotel, of Stephen King "The Shining" fame.  It was a great get-away.  Thank you so much to our kids for this wonderful gift.  It also was a celebration of Dean's completion of chemotherapy.   

"I am because my little dog knows me." Gertrude Stein

  
     I have been in a funk and uninspired for days now.  It snowed all day Wednesday and rained all day yesterday.  Maybe I just need some sunshine, but I have been wishing we could sell our house (not the economic time for that, I know), and just travel.  No responsibilities.  No belongings weighing us down. 
     Our Sadie-Dog was diagnosed with a severe case of Cushing's Syndrome.  The Vet gave us the news yesterday about treatment.  It is prohibitively expensive.  If treatment goes really well, we are talking $10,000 per year.  Say she lives 3 years, and all goes perfectly, we are talking $30,000.  And things never go perfectly.
      Sadie is the absolute best dog/friend/family member possible and we love her dearly.  In my heart, I think I have been coming to terms with this for a while and feel we should opt for comfort measures.  We will make her last days/weeks/months the absolute best possible.  She deserves that.  I have a call in to the Vet to discuss this.  Meanwhile, I may go cheese shopping for the dog.  We may be vegan, but she isn't, and she loves cheese.  She can have cheese to her  little heart's content.

     There are lots of wonderful things going on for which to be grateful:
          1)  Dean's last chemo treatment is today.  He only has a minor surgery left, and that is scheduled for sometime in June.
          2)  Our wonderful children have rented a Corvette for a day for Dean for his 60th Birthday.   It will be delivered this weekend and we will drive to Estes Park.   We plan on spending one night at the Stanley Hotel, and have requested one of the "haunted" rooms.  Meanwhile our dear daughter will stay at our house and dog sit for us.
          3)  The sun is shining.

    "I'm lucky.  Lord, I'm lucky."  Carroll O'Connor
        
P.S.  Blogger.com lost yesterdays post, and after I had written today's post, they returned it, so sorry for the repetition between the two.
        Have a great weekend.

Did you ever have one of those weeks?

     Did you ever have one of those uninspired days that run on into weeks?  You cannot get motivated.  You hate everything about your life.....wish you could sell your house (no way these days) and just go on the road with no belongings or responsibilities.  
     It snowed all day yesterday.  It is the middle of May, how can that be?  I assure you, it happened, and is chilly and damp again today.  Maybe I have cabin fever or just need some sunshine, or am sick to death of caring for our sick old dog (don't get me wrong, we love her dearly) and the dog we are fostering and training. 
     For whatever reason, I am dissatisfied with everything in my life lately.  I need a do-over.  What is bothering me most is that "The way we live our days is the way we live our lives." (Annie Dillard).   I am not happy with the way my life is being spent.
     I am aware we all feel this way at times.  Any suggestions?

Remembering happy things:
     Tomorrow is Dean's last chemo. treatment.  He only has one minor surgery left to go, and that will be done in June.  Then he will work on getting his strength back.  The end of all this is in sight.
     Sadie-dog has gone through all kinds of tests.  I will see the vet. today regarding treatment options.  Hopefully she will stop her rapid disintegration.
     This weekend our wonderful kids have rented a car for Dean....a corvette.  He has always wanted to drive a sportscar on mountain roads.  We are spending a night in Estes Park at the Stanley Hotel, as well.   We have requested to stay in one the the haunted rooms.  We may not get that, but they are going to put us on the most haunted floor.  I don't know if we will take the haunted historical tour, or not.  We are not believers in ghosts or the supernatural.  It will be interesting, though, and I will let you know should we experience a haunting or just a wonderful night in a beautiful old hotel.  Cross your fingers for sunshine.
    
    
    

Hakuna Matata, Everyone.

     Hakuna Matata (Swahili, no worries) and happy Friday everyone.  Isn't it a beautiful day?  Today was Dean's second to the last chemotherapy treatment.  Hooray.  Plus my sister-in-law Tracey is graduating today with her BSN, and is considering going on for her Masters degree.  Another Hooray.  I wish I knew what I want to be when I finally grow up.
 
"It is never to late to become what you might have been."   George Eliot

     There is a cat purring on my lap as I type, and two well-fed dogs snoozing at my feet.  Life is good.

"On earth there is no heaven, but there are pieces of it."    Jules Renard

     Happy Mother's Day to all Mom's out there, especially my own, who managed to survive and thrive having 6 kids.

"There's nothing like a mama-hug."  Terri Guillemets

    

It must be spring.....

     The garter snake that lives under the corner of our garage was out sunning today, so it must be spring.  I will have to remember his presence from now on to keep from being startled.  The snake is a good omen.  We never have mice in our garage thanks to him.  He, or his heir, is there every year without fail.  He is kind enough to share his homestead with us, so we co-exist. 
     Three months have gone by.  It is boring update time.  I do feel stronger and more fit.  I try to jog 3x/week, and do stretching and floor exercises 2x/week.  I do yoga sun salutations daily.  I love eating vegan, unprocessed foods...as much as I want, never having to count calories or feel hungry.  Only 3 more months of this 6 month challenge.  Progress is very slow, just like me I guess, but it is happening.  It is a lifestyle. 
     Dean only has 2 more chemo treatments, so should be done by mid-May, then a small surgery, and hopefully life will return to normal.  He has set a kedge (see 4-27-11 blog) for himself ...he wants to get back into muscular shape and hike and summit Long's Peak in 2012.  Admirable.  Kids, do you want to accompany him?  (Fear of heights, here).
     I am still thinking of setting some of my own kedges.   Turning 60 in August is one.  We are thinking of running in a 10k race in the fall, but the date hasn't been set yet for the one we want to try.  I'll come up with something.

"Spend the afternoon.  You can't take it with you."    Annie Dillard

"Sometime they'll give a war and nobody will come." Carl Sandburg

     Osama bin Laden has been killed.  There is celebration in the streets of America.  So say the headlines.  Am I the only one that is saddened by this?
     Moammar Gadhafi's (ruler of Libya) youngest son and 3 grandchildren were killed by a NATO missile strike hours after Gadhafi called for a cease fire and negotiations.  Children were killed, people!
     What is wrong with humankind?  Why can we not stop the killing?  What's more,  what kind of people celebrate killing?  Osama bin Laden needed to be stopped and brought to justice, no question;  but partying?  Singing "We are the Champions"?  Drinking champagne?  Who are these people?  Will this help stop terrorism or will the callous partying increase it?  How does this help the victims of 9/11? 
     I am sad for all the world today and for all the children who will inherit what we have wrought. 
    

          This is a memorial to Cpt. Jason Dahl,  the United Airlines Captain of flight 93 which crashed into a Pennsylvia field on 9-11.  He lived in our community.  I took this picture today.  I sincerely hope his family, and all the victims' families have some closure.
          Peace.


"The direct use of force is such a poor solution to any problem, it is generally employed only by small children and large nations."    David Friedman

"It is forbidden to kill;  therefore all murderers are punished unless they kill in large numbers and to the sound of trumpets."    Voltaire

"Revenge is sweeter than life itself.  So think fools."    Juvenal

"We are star-stuff." Carl Sagan

     I have a video to share with you today.  I promise you,  it will be the best, most beautiful, most romantic 7+ minutes of your day.  Derrick Brown performs his poem "A Finger, Two Dots, Then Me."   Enjoy.
               http://youtu.be/ZwQJHx615eE 

Thanks to Diana for bringing this to our attention.


Congratulations, Jason, on your great time in the half marathon yesterday.  Great job.