Wow! Just a couple more days in May and we'll be in June. This year is really speeding along. I've got some stuff that we've been doing but first I'd like to talk about veterans in my family. I'm not big on waving the flag and all that. But I don't vote for draft dodgers either (you do remember Mr. Trump don't you). Just so you know.
My grandfather served in the Army during the Spanish-American War. He is the earliest veteran I know about. My father served in the Navy during WWII. He was divorced so even though he was 36 years old he was going to be drafted. He joined the Navy because they agreed to give him a couple of months to get things arranged. He started as a helmman, steering the ship, but then went to OCS and eventually was a lieutenant managing chow halls in the San Francisco area. He ended up serving 5 or 6 years.
My wife's father and her step-father and both her uncles were all senior enlisted men in the Navy. They all also retired from the Navy after 20+ years. That was from the Korean War era through early nuclear weapon testing and into the 1960's and 70's. Her brother went to Annapolis and went on to spend 20+ years roaming the world on various Navy ships before resigning his commission.
I'm the light-weight. I joined Army ROTC in college and in 1970 graduated with the gold bar of a lieutenant in the Army. I spent 2 years on active duty at Fort Bliss, TX. I served as the XO of a unit that kept records for people working at the Air Defense School that is located there. I went into the reserve but never actually served in a reserve unit. I requested a discharge in 1984 - I had to look that up just now! I had no idea it was so late.
This world needs people to work for others. Doctors and nurses to help the sick. Police to keep the peace. Firefighters to help save people and their belongings. And military folks to keep our society safe from some of the other societies out there. I feel like I personally have not done enough for others but at least I did serve my country. I'm hoping to add to that area here soon. We'll see.
A week or so ago I was out and found some of our local wild ponies having dinner by the side of the road.
And, of course, when the cactus blooms you HAVE to take a photo of it!
Two happy cacti, what more could one want? Thanks for stopping by. Take care and keep washing those hands!
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