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Monday, May 28, 2007

Memorial Day 2007



Today isn't just a "day off" or the "unofficial start of summer" ... or a shopping day full of "super sales" ...

Let us honor the "Memorial" in Memorial Day. Make it a day where we actively remember our ancestors, our family members, our loved ones, our neighbors, and our friends who have given the ultimate sacrifice.

These are some things that you can do:

• visit cemeteries and place flags or flowers on the graves of our fallen heroes.

• visit memorials.

• fly the U.S. Flag at half-staff until noon.

•fly the 'POW/MIA Flag' as well (Section 1082 of the 1998 Defense Authorization Act).

•participate in a "National Moment of Remembrance": at 3 p.m. to pause and think upon the true meaning of the day, and for Taps to be played.

• renew a pledge to aid the widows, widowers, and orphans of our falled dead, and to aid the disabled veterans.


This is a pair of photos of the veterans in our lives. On the left is our Uncle Frank (he's the grandad of Zoey, Chewbacca, Gandalf the Gray, and Smoke. On the right is our grandad. Both of them were furry young when these photos were taken prior to the beginning of the war in Viet Nam. Thankfully, both are still living.

In Flanders Fields
John McCrae, 1915.
In Flanders fields the poppies blow
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.
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

11 comments:

Zoey and the furballs said...

Well said! Does this mean I can wake Daddy up from his nap at 3 p.m.? I'm just checking so I have an excuse ready when I pounce on him...

Skeezix the Cat said...

Thank yoo for posting all theeze sugjeschuns, DMM. I was vary qwiet and kuntemplutive at 3pm. In fakt, I was so qwiet I took a nap. And the poem is vary nice.

JT said...

Thank you for the reminder. It is a very important holiday.

Ernest and I have confessed on our blog...

Zoey and the furballs said...

Wow that's a great picture of Grandpa! We don't even have that one so we are downloading them both if you don't mind. Did you add them later or was it just that we missed them the first time we visited? Could be I missed it because I was planning to put the bitey on Daddy who was sleeping when he was supposed to be taking Mommy to the store to get me some more Temptations. I may have been so distracted by my Temptations plight that I didn't do a very careful job of reading. Anyhow, thanks for letting me know so we could swing by again.

Around Your Wrist said...

dmm, i have that picture of your grandpa, too! he and his brother frank sure do look alike don't they?

thanks for your memorial. it's important that we remember...

love
--suz

Anonymous said...

purrrrrrrs and cuddles to your Veterans, and to all Veterans.

sammawow said...

Very good suggestions for Memorial Day! Our mom and dad went to the National Cemetery to visit some that went before.

Purrrrs, China Cat & Willow

Kate (Pablo's mum) said...

That's a great memorial, DMM! Especially the poem. Even though I'm not an Americat, I appreciate the sacrifices that American vets (and those who didn't come home)have made over the years, for your country and ours (and others). War is not very popular, but no one can argue about the fact that these men and women deserve everyone's (and everycat's)utmost respect.

The Fluffy Tribe said...

Momma luvs that poem Flanders Fields. ~poiland tribe

Oscar the Puppy Cat said...

Such a great post and the poem took my Mommy's breath away! Thank you to your Uncle Frank and your Grandad, too!

Christine and FAZ said...

It's good to remember - our rememberance day is 11th November here in the UK. At 11am we have 2 miutes silence for all those that have fought to protect our country and wear red poppies (money raised for these goes to support the veterans and their families).