Complaint To The Military (How dare they??)

Complaint to the Military (Read this)
  
Noise Complaint at Luke AFB, AZ
 

Luke AFB is west of Phoenix and is rapidly being surrounded by civilization that complains about the noise from the base and its planes, forgetting that it was there long before they were.
 
A certain lieutenant colonel at Luke AFB deserves a big pat on the back. Apparently, an individual who lives somewhere near Luke AFB wrote the local paper complaining about a group of F-16s that disturbed their day at the mall. 

When that individual read the response from a Luke AFB officer, it must have stung quite a bit.
 The complaint:
 
'Question of the day for Luke Air Force Base:
 Whom do we thank for the morning air show? Last Wednesday, at precisely 9:11 a.m, a tight formation of four F-16 jets made a low pass over Arrowhead Mall, continuing west over Bell Road at approximately 500 feet.
 
Imagine our good fortune! Do the 'Tom Cruise-wannabes' feel we need this wake-up call, or were they trying to impress the cashiers at Mervyn's early bird special? Any response would be appreciated.'
 
 The response:
  Regarding 'A wake-up call from Luke's jets'
  
On June 15, at precisely 9:12 a.m., a perfectly timed four-ship fly-by of
 F-16s from the 63rd Fighter Squadron at Luke Air Force Base flew over the grave of Capt. Jeremy Fresques. Capt. Fresques was an Air Force officer who was previously stationed at Luke Air Force Base and was killed in  Iraq on May 30, Memorial Day.
 
At 9 a.m.on June 15, his family and friends gathered at Sunland Memorial Park in Sun City to mourn the loss of a husband, son and friend. Based on the letter writer's recount of the fly-by, and because of the jet noise,  I'm sure you didn't hear the 21-gun salute, the playing of Taps, or my words to the widow and parents of Capt. Fresques as I gave them their son's flag on behalf of the President of the United States and all those veterans and servicemen and women who understand the sacrifices they have endured.
 
A four-ship fly-by is a display of respect the Air Force gives to those 
who give their lives in defense of freedom. We are professional aviators 
and take our jobs seriously, and on June 15 what the letter writer witnessed was four officers lining up to pay their ultimate respects.
 
The letter writer asks, 'Whom do we thank for the morning air show?
 
The 56th Fighter Wing will make the call for you, and forward your thanks to the widow and parents of Capt. Fresques, and thank them for you, for it  was in their honor that my pilots flew the most honorable formation of their lives.
  
Only 2 defining forces have ever offered to die for you... Jesus Christ and the American Soldier. One died for your soul and liberty; the other for your natural freedom.
 
(signed) 
Lt. Col. Grant L. Rosensteel, Jr. USAF

 'Courage is being scared to death, but saddling up anyway.

~John Wayne~

Harry & Ike, Ronnie, Georges,& Espeically John McCain!

Harry S. Truman <?XML:NAMESPACE PREFIX = O /> "The Buck Stops  Here."         "It doesn't matter how big  a ranch ya' own, or how many cows ya' brand, the size of your funeral is  still gonna  depend on the weather." -Harry Truman.

I have never heard that before!  I loved iT!  Dave has heard it, where was I when he heard it, I wonder.  I remember when Harry Truman was president.  I think I was in kindergarten or first grade. I remember it because no one thought he'd win. My Dad's family were stanch Republicans, but even they liked Harry Truman and his unique way of saying things like they are!  Yep, I remember.

 

Then came Dwight Eisenhower who looked exactly like my grandfather Hills had looked. Since I didn't have many pictures of Grandfather before he got sick, I put pic's of Dwight Eisenhower all over our house.  I also remember 1976,  It was a bicentennial year. Not that I got carried away or anything, but I bought everything I could with the date 1976 on it. Glasses, coffee cups, pictures, you name it.  I still have some of that stuff.

 

I loved Ronald Reagan. I will always love Ronald Reagan.  He was one of those people that changed the world so much in so many ways for the better. I still miss Ronald Reagan.  I am going on & on here, I am going to copy this for my journal.  That's what journals are for is blabbing on, right? 

 

I liked Bill Clinton. Throw bricks at me, I don't care. I liked the person especially when he was done being our President. We visited DC in 1999, when he was in Office, it changed the way I felt about him and history and my country. Can Bill be that bad if he did all that?

 

I liked both George Bush's. Lotza people don't much like that. But I don't care.  They were both good men and the son a better President than his Dad, I think.  I think George Bush held our country together after 9-11.  I don't see how people can't see that.  I think he will be thrilled to go back to Crawford, Texas.

 

Okay, this is the end part.  I liked all of these presidents. But not a one of them did I like as much as I do John McCain.  John is my man.  I am passionate in my support of him.  So, there you have it.  I am a proud McCain Volunteer and I will be helping his campaign as election day comes closer. And on the day election is.  I will poll watch. And I will pray.  And that's all I can do. Go John Go!

xoxo

Merry

Me! No, YOU!

Please answer this in an email to me, or put your URL for your journal in here and so I can read what you had to say. Come on Play, it'll be fun!

you

Lets see the funny shit you people come up with! YOU fill in the blanks about ME even if you don't have any idea what they are and send it back to ME. But first post a blank one out to all your friends so they can return the favor to you.



My name:

Who is the love of my life:

Where did we meet:

Take a stab at my middle name:

How long have you known me:

When is the last time that we saw each other:

Do I smoke:

Do I drink:

When is my birthday:

What was your first impression of upon meeting me:

Do I have any siblings:

What's one of my favorite things to do:

Am I funny:

What's my favorite type of music:

What is the best feature about me:

Am I shy or outgoing:

Am I a rebel or do I follow the rules:

Do I have any special talents:

Would you consider me a friend/good friend:

Would you call me preppy, average, sporty, punk, hippie, glam, nerdy, snobby, or something else (what):

What is a memory we have once had:

Have you ever hugged me:

Do you miss me...do you think i miss you:

What is my favorite food:

Have you ever had a crush on me:

If there was one good nickname for me, what would it be:

What's your favorite memory of me:

Who do I like right now:

What is my worst habit:

If you and I were stranded on a desert island, what one thing would I bring?

Are we friends:

 

Checking In! Back to Normal (?) Life

Hi dear friends, my buddies, pals, confidants, (new & old alike!)

It has been a week since I made an entry. I have had mega AOL problems,  Now everything seems to be working okay. I still don't know WHY I got this version, but now that I can get into my Journals again, I am NOT changing back to 9.(whatever it was) Optimized. I have had so many people (all nice & well meaning) tell me that 9 whatever Optimized was the latest AOL version.  (I am talking of the "paid" kind not the free version.)  I just had this thought, what if this is the free version??  I don't want it then.  What this version says it is is AOL Desktop.  I am a lot of things, but never claimed to be computer savvy!  Okay, enough of the what if's, I am DOING an entry!

I feel as if I am a different person than the Merry before the flood.  I realize now (my family) was lucky compared to so many people that lost everything!  I truly thank Our Heavenly Father, for every day.  I know you may read this and think. "My friend Merry really "flipped out," but I think I just had a wake up call.  I honestly feel that sometimes we are sent tragedies to make us grow stronger, and hopefully become better people!  And in turn,  this makes us become better friends to those people who touch our lives. 

I will be 64 in November.  Usually, I don't talk about age much, because I don't like to.  The truth is I am too vain.  (I have never been one to take it as it comes, I have fought it every step of the way!) But, still fight it or not, IF we are LUCKY, & LIVE, age happens!  Perhaps, getting older isn't so bad, if it finally has allowed me (after all this time) to feel comfortable in my own skin! So, I truly am going to TRY to make the most of my days.  Each day is a gift & we can choose to fill it with fear, *I do have Generalized Anxiety Disorder + all the stuff on my "All About Me.  column. I think I will be changing that, too.  After all, those disabilities are not who I am, they are things I have, but they aren't all that I am as a person! They are misfortunes that I have to deal with it. But the bottom line is this....EACH DAY IS A GIFT.  We are allowed 24 hours each day. How we spend it is really up to us!  Sometimes, we cannot find much to feel grateful about, but most days, if we REALLY look and see how much we have, I think most of us can (if we make the effort) really realize how blessed we are.  I have so much, and I am grateful for every bit of it. I am not talking about financial positions, or lack of them. I am talking about "REAL" life, real friends, real family.  I live in a "real" town, a nice small town, should I spend my time looking for what is wrong with it, or should I spend my time realizing I am part of it and try to make it a better place? 

The same is true of our lives.  We only get one.  I don't think anyone goes through life without adversities along the way.  Sometimes we are able to sail through hard times, but sometimes, we get stalled "in the flood water."  However if we just STOP & THINK, we just fall down. We must get up, shake ourselves off and the be thankful!  We we are bigger and better people for everything we are forced to deal with in the space of our life.

Today, I am happy to report we are about 85% done with the flood drama, and what is left are things I have to go through to see what  effect the dampness had on them. That will take time. But as far as I know, I have that, so that is "no problem!"  We had our basement decontaminated. We have a roof over our heads, and many things that make our lives easier.  So many people in our town, in our state, and actually, in the Midwest, lost everything!  We just been inconvienced.  We are lucky!  Others are not. That really isn't fair. But to be honest, I am very thankful that we came out of this as well as we did. We lost things, not people; & we didn't actually lose much $$ wise.  Really, the costs that we had were for the trash guys to come and haul junk that needed to go anyway, away & for the basement to be professionally sanitized. What we lost can be replaced if we want to do that.  I don't understand why some people have huge losses and we don't. That isn't fair, yet I can't lie....I am grateful for everything we have!  Mostly, I am grateful for the people I love & I am so lucky to have a wonderful immediate family, and good, true, cherished friends that dear to me.  I also want to let my readers know I do see that I am lucky and that I KNOW that!.  I do see that God has blessed me with family love and the love of good, dear friends. You friends who matter MOST, know who you are, and you know you are truly dear to me.

I also feel comfortable in my own skin.  I know this is fleeting, everyday will not be a happy day for me.  I did not go through any born again experience, but I do think my "wake-up call" has made me think. The things that matter are not things you can buy.  No amount of money determines how many friends you have, or how strong your faith is.  As my Mom use to tell me "Happiness comes from within."  And so, for today, I have to tell you all, I know I am blessed and luckier than so many people. For the gift of life, I thank God.  For my friends that I have I thank God.  For those of you who came "out of nowhere" but gave me strength, you sustained me through a hardship; and I THANK YOU!   I love those of you who did that for me.  Even if I have never met you, I do know you and I love you.  I don't need to be financially well off, (although that's always nice) :).  I know people who have much more than I who are miserable; I know people who have so many less than I do, and yet they are very happy people. They reached out and touched my life with caring and kindness.  I don't need to list names, those of you that I am talking about know you are important individuals in my life. I actually think If I could fill my life with more people like you, and in turn be here to help you in your lives; Then, in fact, no greater legacy or wish could I have.

NORMAL:  This is what life is becoming again now for me.  I thank God for each and every blessing He has bestowed upon me & you, my Journal friends are precious beyond words, to me.

For all of you, I hope you have a "NORMAL" life. That is what I wish for you. If you don't, work at it.  I tell you, "normal" is wonderful, and it's what I wish for each of you. Work at becoming and staying "normal!"  Pray for it.  If I can help any of you who helped me, just call out my name as the song goes, "You know wherever I am, I'll come running to see you again, etc." (James Taylor). Bye for now!

With Love Always,
Merry

Sunday, Father's Day!

Part 2

Just like a bad penny, I am "back again!" You won't get rid of me easily, LOL.  Ah come on, I know you ya'all like me or are starting to, & I absolutely love ya'all!

I still haven't stopped washing clothes!  I am telliing you, I don't think there is a bottom to the baskets!  I actually love to wash, but I don't like to have an ironing build up & I will. I iron down in the basement & I can't stay down there and iron now, until it get decontimaninated. I run down to use the washer & dryer & race back up here. That place gives me the creeps since the flood.  I can't WAIT until the cleaning service that does decontamination work gets to our name on the list.   I had no idea; but we have heard it gets up into more than one thousand dollars!   When they get here, I will let you know if what it actually cost.  Don't know about you, but we don't have extra thousand dollars laying around. But, what can we do?

I would attach a picture of Gorgeous Jack , the grandson I have been braggng about, but we haven't downloaded the recent pictures of him  The old ones I have he looks like a baby yet in.  I only see him about every 2 1/2-3 months & he has changed dramatically every time.  He went from looking like a baby & crawling aroung to become a very tall slim toddler, who runs (never walks, LOL) around. Always with a smile on his face and like my own Dad, a twinkle in his eye.  He is precious beyond what words can say. When I hold him, I hug & hug him, and sometimes he squirms.  We waited 45 years to become Grandparents, most of our friends have Grandchlidren that are teens, some even in college. But Gorgeous Jack was worth waiting for! 

Today is Father's Day!  I have to pay a little tribute to my own Dad.  I can't believe it, but today I figured it out & my Daddy has been gone for 23 years.  Sometimes, it seems like only last week, but sometimes finally after many hard years, it seems like a LONG time ago.

My Dad was my Knight in Shinning Armour!  He was MyPrince Charming!  I was the baby in our family, I have one older sister.  I was born more  than 2 months early in a blizzard in Hinckley, MN.  I was born at the doctor's nurses home; because my Dad could not get Mom to the closest town that had a hospital.  I weighed 3 lb. They put me in a dresser drawer with warm jars all around me--that was my "incubator."  The doctor came shortly after the nurse phoned him and said he missed the big event.  He gave me 2 drops of whiskey, slapped me on the bottom & told my parents I would be fine.  I was & I am!  The only hard part was after I was born, for months my Mom had to feed me every 2 hours.  My sister  went everywhere with Daddy, until she went to school (she is 5+ years older than me).  But make no mistake I knew I was the baby, and I loved it!  My Dad always called me, Jo Baby.  (My middle name is Joann after his Mother). I could do almost no wrong in my Dad's  eyes, and he was my very best friend for the first 37 years of my life. At this point my parents moved to Florida, and we left Davenport, the Quad Cities and moved to Mason City, IA.  Dave's office transferred him here. But he could have chosen to go elsewhere; I had to talk sweet, to get him to Mason City--it was as close to MN as I could get him!!  (Mason City is about 20 min. tops to the Minnesota border!)   My Daddy was a  a caring, kind, compassionate, & gentle father to both my sister & I.  But for me, there was no one single person I would rather be with throughout  all my life than my Dad.  I had more fun with him than even my closest friends; and I have always made friends easily.  So, today, on Father's Day,  I am remembering all that my Dad did for me.  It makes we cry, but it would even make a stranger cry if they knew the dynamics of our special relationship. My Dad's only flaw was that he could never say no, and also, he could not discipline me or my sister.  Poor Mom had to do all that (in later years she told me she hated that, but "Someone had to inforce some rules on you two girls"). Daddy, I know you are looking down on me from Heaven above, and since Mom died 7 years ago, I know you aren't lonely anymore.  I miss you still, not every day like I did the first few years, but when I do, it is a deep loss.  Life without you, Daddy has never been quite the same.  But in his own way, Dave has become my Prince Charming and even my Knight in Shinning Armour. My parents always loved Dave, so, Daddy, I know would understand my feelings of transferance, and approve of it. When I picked Dave, I picked the guy that was the most like my Dad in every way that mattered to me!  Of all that I have done, I know you loved having Tim for a grandson more than any other single thing, I did.  But I also know you would be very proud of me. You taught me the love of reading and books, you instilled in me a deep quest for knowledge and while you were still alive (you were 71) at the age of 39, I presented you with my first College degree. I'll never forget the smile on your face.  Ten years later I was back in school on that quest for knowledge in a different field.  I know you weren't here anymore, but I also know you saw me graduate from Heaven.  Daddy, I love you just as much today as ever & I hope I have made you proud.  I know that you gave me another great gift.  You always had a way with people and you had many, many friends. Everyone who knew you, liked you.  I don't think I can match you there, but I do know I love meeting people, and I love my friends.  You, Dad taught me that a friend was one of life's other biggest gifts.  Here's to you, Daddy.  Hug Mom for me & hold hands, I hope it'll be a while before I join you! I am having too much fun, to leave this earth, so I hope God gives me a few more years here. I love you, Daddy!  Jo Baby

I have to go cry a little now, (but only a little, because I know you wouldn't want me to be sad!  So, I will leave you (finally, LOL). Then I'm going to watch TV with my dear husband, Dave!

See you all later,

Merry

PS Remember hold hands, look both ways and cross streets carefully. (This is something my sister use to say to me.) I guess Father's Day reminds us of all family.  Sooooooooo, I must add, I love you, Bev.  No matter what you will always be my big sister!

I THINK THE Worst Is Over for Us & CR, too! Yay!

Hi Friends!

I think the worst is over, finally! What a week this has been!!  It seemed like a whole year, but it was only a week.  We were okay, our son, wife and grandson in Cedar Rapids, IA were okay; but they, as our had losses and they had to stay at a motel for 4 days because they lost power.  Jack was staying with Patt's Aunt. If you saw 13 month old Jack in action, you'd know why he would not be a happy camper in a one bed small motel room!  He is 13 months and once he learned to walk, he immediately learned to run, and boy does he go!    I talked to Tim early this afternoon and they had been back home in daylight so Jack could play with his own toys, they had picked him up. Then went back to the motel & Jack was napping

(I didn't think he even did that, because the night we watched him we couldn't slow him down even by midnight, lol). That was one week ago Saturday, boy it seems like a month ago, tho with all that has happened!

They live 3 hours from Mason City.  He'd get a 2nd and then a 3rd wind. Patti & Tim came here to go to a wedding of one of Tim's friends daughters. This was our first babysitting gig!  We did A-okay, too!  He never cries, he has the best dispostion.  But, he is a mover and a go-er guy!   Tim said they had to throw out all their freezer stuff, and the refrig. freezer, and most of the refrig. as well. 

About 5 Tim called again when Dave was home to wish him a Happy Father's Day & they are HOME AGAIN with POWER restored!  Tim said 2 blocks away one way or another in that town, can be bad. Then the next block can be like "normal."  All you see on TV (& they have been showing Cedar Rapids, IA a lot) is the bad stuff. But Tim said they hardly have any more water in their basement than they get after a good hard rain.  They had NOTHING like we had, and no sewage backup at all!

Anyway, back to the point.  (Yes, I know I tend to ramble like I am a dumb female, but I assure you I am not dumb, I am a 2 time college graduate and belong to the Phi Theta Kappa National Honor Society.)  We are still wating to get our basement decontaminated by a professional. We don't know when that will be.  We've only had water safe to clean with since Thurs. or Fri. So, this may be a while.  Our bathroom, and luandry room especially got the sewage backup, (don't mean to gross you out people, but floods are not for those who get queasy easily.)

Just to be able to run the dishwasher, wash clothes, drink the water is Heaven.  I promised God, I will never take water for granted again!  I leave it up to you, friends, to remind me of this.  Or if I complain about petty things & I probably will, you can tell me to "remember when."  We had water restored to flush the stool & take showers like on Thursday, but we could not wash clothes in it until mid day Friday. I think....I am not senile, it's just that in the midst of a catastrophe, you lose track of what happened when.  I think our brains are still in the stress mode. 

Iowa City is near where Tim works for a Business Newspaper there, he is a Journalist. He's a news reporter & a page designer.  It's only a 20 min. commute. Patti works for a big company as a Computer Engineer in Cedar Rapids.  Iowa City has not seen the wost of the flood yet. What is worrysome is the U of Iowa Hospitals have had to partially evacuated.  Same for a lot of the U of Iowa Campus, in Iowa City.  Down the road another hour, is Davenport, IA & the "Quad cities"). *Illinois towns are part of that grouping also.  We lived in Davenport for 21 yr as a family; Dave acutally lived their all his life until we moved here; as most of you know I was born and raised in Minnesota. Davenport will have damage, when these smaller rivers empty into the big Mississippi.

I think I am writing way too much, so am going to stop.  I'll do "Part two" in the next entry. I promise not to yak on so long there. 

Check both entries out!  I love all your comments & I can't tell you how much it has meant to me to have you all leave me positive comments and several of you have also Emailed me.  You are the best.  I think I am really a part of Jland now, and that makes me  a very happy girl.

Love, Merry

DAY 5 (Flooding, etc.)

Hi; I am just going to make this a short entry. I am beat tonight. I may write more tomorrow!  I do want to thank you who commented in my comments and those of you who Emailed me, and even those of you who thought of me even briefly today because...I need you all in my life!

Things are quiet for today. It rainded last night but today has been beautiful and sunny.  The forecast is bleak for the next few days, all over the state of Iowa.  Please keep all of Iowa in your prayers.  The tragic tornado with the Boy Scouts happened in one of my husband's overnight sales territories; he goes there every other week.  The surviving boys were so brave.  This was just a devastating tragedy!!  

I got out of the house & went shopping today!  I told my husband, "You know, the saying, 'When the going gets tough; the tough ones go shopping."  Well, he knows that too well. I bought a couple Father's Day gifts for him, some fancy, dancy cosmetics to make all my wrinkles go away (LOL, I am kidding). Well, at least I will feel better, wrinkled or not.  I also got more towels for us. We still can't wash clothes or dishes or drink our water.  Then I could not help myself I found two really cute short jackets that I had to have. One is bright line green, with white flowers in and will go with lots of my summer clothes & the other one is beige, I have a lot of beige things, (I usually wear pink things or pink prints with them. I have a pink thing!)  It started because of my concern for all women regarding breast cancer, but now I just plain love pink! 

They say we MIGHT have water that we can wash clothes in and dishes and even drink by Sat. or Sun.  I will believe that when I see it.

They sent water to be tested somewhere and are waiting to hear back.  However if it rains more, our water treatment plant will have problems, and we will get it shut off again.

Tonight, besides being very tired, I am doing pretty good.  It was a pretty good day although this AM I didn't think it was going to be. 

A good reminder that we should all just keep "trucking" because even a lousy day can turn into a very good day.  Life is like that, full of ups and downs.  Valleys, hills, & mountains.  But the streams at the bottom of the mountains refresh us and give us the strength to go on and make ourselves and our familes, happy. 

I wish you all a wonderful mountain stream tonight and that you will be refreshed and ready to go at the world again tomorrow and remember you never know what surprises might be just around the corner waiting for you. I hope yours are good surprises!

Love Always,

Merry