Corrales Veterans Day Parade

Yesterday, Corrales held it’s first ever Veterans Day Parade.  Betty and I decided to go watch it to support whomever showed up for the parade – not knowing how big it would be or how many people would show up to watch and support the veterans.

We were pleasantly surprised at the parade itself.  There were lots of veterans, veterans groups, vehicles, bands, and dogs.  Even better, there was a large crowd along the parade route and it was great to see a lot of families there with their kids.  There was a lot of support and we heard a lot of ‘thank you’ shouted from the watchers.

I didn’t take a picture out of respect, but the most touching thing we saw was a Vietnam Vet who needed a walker to walk who was determined to walk the whole parade.  Almost everyone else was riding.

Here are a few pictures of the parade.

You can’t beat a parade that starts with a bagpipe – and he was pretty good.

One of the honored guests at the parade was John E. Allen from Rio Rancho.  Mr. Allen was a member of the Tuskegee Airmen and flew an F-4 Corsair – one of my two favorite planes when I was a kid right after World War II (the other being the P-51 Mustang).  I can remember seeing both planes flying over our house.

There were several neat, restored military vehicles.  Including one with a dog at attention.

And a neat restored non-military vehicle.

There were representatives from Paws and Stripes, a Rio Rancho program that connects rescued dogs to wounded veterans.

And, of course, a military band from the New Mexico Military Institute.  A man standing next to me, retired Air Force, was a proud grandparent of a young girl in the band.

No Veterans Day Parade would be complete without motorcycles – lots and lots of motorcycles.

Finally, my favorite picture.  Parents who are teaching their children well.

The Veteran’s Day Parade in Corrales was a good place to be yesterday.  I’m glad we went.

Veteran's Day - 11/11/11

"Here rests in honored glory an American soldier known only to God."

When our boys were in the Boy Scouts, we took the troop to Washington DC. It was a great trip and they experienced a lot of neat things. But one of the most moving things was when we took the subway over to Arlington National Cemetery to watch the changing of the Honor Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

It was amazing watching these young, exuberant boys become quiet and thoughtful. They knew they were in the presence of something special.

The Honor Guard marches before the tomb 24 hours a day, seven days a week, every day of the year - cold, heat, rain, snow, sleet, wind - doesn't matter. It's a vivid example of honor, duty and sacrifice - and they consider it a privilege.

Most veterans understand honor and duty. Most veterans understand sacrifice. There's a saying about veterans - "All gave some and some gave all."

So, if you know a veteran or have a veteran in your family, take a few minutes to connect today and say whatever your heart leads you to say.

Catch Up

I realized this morning that I haven't done a post since Sunday. Boy, how time can swish by. So, here's a quick recap of our last few days - at least the parts of our lives that might be half way interesting to a few of you.

On Monday we rode the horses in the back. Because of our travels and various ailments (nothing serious - headaches, back aches), we haven't worked with the horses on a consistent basis. We're going to try to get back to some consistency, even if it's a little groundwork. We worked on basic in-the-saddle movements and they did pretty well. So did we, I guess.

Later that day we learned that a good friend may be facing a serious health issue. She'll find out tomorrow, Thursday. That put kind of a downer on our day.

On Tuesday we exercised first thing in the morning. Betty had a dental appointment and all was well. In the afternoon we trailered the horses over to the vet's for their Fall shots and that went well.

Today I went to the lab to have some blood drawn for my appointment with my urologist next Monday - a follow up visit from my prostate surgery earlier this year. Hopefully the blood test results will still be good. After getting home we cleaned up last night's manure. Then we did about 15 minutes groundwork with the horses even though there was a cold North wind. We'll spend the rest of the day reading and watching old movies on TV. Two of my favorite things if we can't ride.

So, that's our week so far. I have a doctor's appointment tomorrow morning with our family doctor for an annual check up. Hopefully the weather and my back will be good enough on Friday morning so we can ride again.

Sunday Reflection - Age and Wisdom

Proverbs 3:13 -- Blessed is the man who finds wisdom, the man who gains understanding..."

As I grow older, I think more and more often on what kind of man I want to be in my old age.

I have seen men and women grow more and more bitter as they got older. In many cases it's understandable as they have endured many, serious health issues. It's also understandable when the independence we value so much is taken away by age and/or illness. Having to live the last years of your life in a nursing home can take away the best of spirits.

Both Betty and I have gone through some serious health issues in the past few years. It's tough and very hard to keep your spirits up when you're hurting and dependent on others for your daily living.

Yet, I have also known men and women who have gone through the trials of age and illness and done so with much grace and beauty. They exemplify the beauty moving from the face to the heart mentioned in the above quote which I love.

What makes the difference? Why do some people live in beauty and grace and others live in darkness and despair? Here are my thoughts about the people who live in beauty and grace.

1. Their personal relationship with God is the center of their lives. All else revolves around that. Jesus Christ is their foundation upon which they stand in the midst of life's storms.

2. They know this life is not all there is. They look forward to something better.

3. They have learned to let go - to let go of physical things they can no longer do, to let go of material things that no longer matter, to let go of friends who are no longer here, to let go of life itself.

4. They understand the difference between happiness, based on circumstances, and joy, based on something more than themselves. They seek joy, not happiness.

5. They value the peace that passes all understanding. They have learned what it means to be content - in all circumstances.

I have never considered myself as beautiful. I'm an average, off-the-rack kind of guy. Yet, I hope and pray that as I get older and encounter more things I must let go of, I will learn to have a beautiful heart.

Friday Funny - All Things Good

Prickly City is one of my favorite comic strips. Sometimes the artist runs across a fundamental truth. In this case, God uses our hardships so that we may comfort others with the comfort we have received.

Halloween In Fort Collins

As you probably know, we spent last weekend in Fort Collins, Colorado with our kids and granddaughters. Since we came home on Tuesday, we were there for Halloween. It was a beautiful Colorado night - clear, cold and lots of stars overhead.

We went over to Marie's sister's house for a quick dinner, then we headed out to the neighborhood to see what the kids could gather.

Juliet went as Strawberry Shortcake and Leah went as a Vanilla Muffin - at least as much as she would wear. Being only one year old, Leah just enjoyed being out with everyone without knowing what was happening. However, Juliet being four knows real well what was going on. She went from house to house with her cousins, Maggie dressed as a Blue Smurf and Kaley dressed as a Princess. Juliet, being smaller, usually trailed her older cousins, but she still had a good time.

Here are some pictures. First, Leah watching all the pre-activities.

Pictures of the door-to-door visits. Marie's sister lives in a nice neighborhood where most of the neighbors participate in the Halloween activities.

Then there were the post activities - checking out the night's haul.

We're Home

We drove home from Fort Collins yesterday, Tuesday. It was an uneventful trip and we're glad to be home. We had a great time with the kids and grandkids, especially on Halloween night. Juliet is a fun four year old and Leah, at one, is a delight. She smiles all the time except when she's hungry or has to put on her pj's to go to bed.

I have to work on a few pictures and then I'll share them here.