Memorial Day

About six and a half years ago someone from Florida contacted me about a tombstone that she saw in Lakeland. It stands in the Lakeview Cemetery over John F. McDonald.

John F. McDonald was a member of the Regimental Band of the New York Sixteenth Infantry during the Civil War.



From Newton Martin Curtis' book, From Bull Run to Chancellorsville, page 324:

McDonald, John F. — 28 5, 3 ¾ wd m o Aug 9 1862 Re-enl Band 3 brig 3 div 20 corps m o June 12 1865 died Sept 22 1901.

Memorial Day is a time set aside to remember those men and women who died while in military service. John McDonald doesn't exactly fit that bill.

Please take a moment of time to remember those that have served and have fallen, both in and out of service.

Also, take a moment of time and thank those that are currently serving. Give them a call, send them a card or an email. They'll appreciate it.

I know that Veterans Day is a day to remember all veterans, but take another moment and thank those that served and are still with us. They'll appreciate it as well.

I say thank you to John F. McDonald who served alongside my great-great-grandfather, John W. Nichols.

I also say thank you to Anthony K. who is serving in Germany.

And a thank you to George Aubrey (my father) and Jim Knowles (my father-in-law), who both served our nation in military service.

I know other veterans who I did not mention. Please do not take offense at not being named. I thank you, too.

Bob Newhart as Braveheart

Vacation Hades

Angie requested some time alone to work on crafty type items for teacher's gifts. Edison was off to see Robin Hood with some friends from church. After lunch I took Caroline to the Wal-Mart in Sevierville. I hadn't been down the parkway in Pigeon Forge in some time. So off we went. These were all taken with my BlackBerry lower res camera.

If you squint, you can see the Titanic just down the road.

I pulled into the parking lot to get a better photo of the stately ocean liner.

And here's the magic behind the illusion. It isn't really the Titanic, but a large building.

And some papier-mâché.

The World Famous Dinosaur Walk Museum...

When you're questing for some Magi...

The mountains are getting closer...

And then there's the King. No, not Richard Petty. Elvis. He's got a museum that isn't in Las Vegas.

And the world famous Comedy Barn.

That, to me, is Vacation Hades. But we love those that come to vacation here. It helps keep our property taxes low. Thank you. Y'all come back.

Alliteration, Base Ball, and Interrobang

I was poking around some old newspapers and came across two ads from 1907...

Two of the Bennett Sisters

(from a Library of Congress flickr page)

The interrobang has nothing to do with the previous ads...