Happy Jerusha Day...

Here it is again. We're three years into this amazing journey, and I'm so grateful we're making it together.

Bless you, Jerusha...

Shawn
***

How'd it get to be Memorial Day weekend already?

Happy Memorial Day!

Is it proper to wish it a "happy" day? I guess it might be, in the sense that we can be relatively happy, and we should be grateful to those veterans in the past who made it possible for us to enjoy a safe and pretty comfortable life in America these days.

This is a gorgeous Saturday, with big blue skies and American flags fluttering in the breeze. People are out and about, despite the price of gas. When I went to town this morning, I did notice one thing--there were quite a few people having yard and garage sales. That's pretty typical for this time of year on any given weekend, but still, there was a sense that people were wanting to do it for the sake of getting some cash, rather than just get rid of extra stuff. There weren't very many people buying, either. (I have long since given up on shopping garage-sales, a former favorite Saturday morning activity).

I'm going to try and enjoy the weekend with an attitude of *appreciation* for what freedoms we have, as well as a sense of *anticipation* for the bright and sunny days of summer.

Shawn
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Where were you when the mountain blew?

I was in California at the time, and I was preparing to leave El Cajon and come home to Washington. I remember that morning, when friends came running in and said, "The mountain erupted!" Of course, the first thought was of Mt. Rainier, and believe me, if that happened, what I once knew as "home" would be no more. Horrifying thought. The fact that it was St. Helens wasn't good news, by any means.

I honestly hadn't been keeping up with the news, nor did I expect that in about another week, when I was actually on the trip north I'd encounter a repeat eruption and end up enduring the day from Hell. It would take too long to go into detail, but let me just say that if you ever catch a Mt. St. Helens documentary on the Discovery Channel, you'll have some idea.

I do have friends who were near the mountain on May 18th, and what they've related about their experiences would curl your hair. Campers literally blown from their tents by the blast and heat...One particular couple was up top on Mt. Rainier, having made an early morning climb, and they looked across the miles of clouds to see Mt. St. Helens go up in smoke. They made a very fast descent, to say the least. The pictures they took are unbelievable.

Anyway, I'm remembering my times camping at Spirit Lake, funny memories of Harry Truman, a real character who would tease and harrass us, just generally cussed, yet quite lovable in his own, unique way.

I'm glad I got to know Harry. I'm glad I got to have lazy times on the lake, laying in a rowboat, looking up at the mountain when it was pristine and silent but for bird songs.

Oh yeah, and Harry whistling and hollering at us from the shore...

Shawn
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The Big Question...

So, why did I cross the road?

BARACK OBAMA:
The chicken crossed the road because it was time for a CHANGE!
The chicken wanted CHANGE!
JOHN MC CAIN:My friends, that chicken crossed the road because he recognized the need to engage in cooperation and dialogue with all the chickens on the other side of the road.
HILLARY CLINTON:When I was First Lady, I personally helped that little chicken to cross the road. This experience makes me uniquely qualified to ensure -- right from Day One! -- that every chicken in this country gets the chance it deserves to cross the road. But then, this really isn't about me.......
DR. PHIL:The problem we have here is that this chicken won't realize that he must first deal with the problem on 'THIS' side of the road before it goes after the problem on the 'OTHER SIDE' of the road. What we need to do is help him realize how stupid he's acting by not taking on his 'CURRENT' problems before
adding 'NEW' problems.
OPRAH:Well, I understand that the chicken is having problems, which is why he wants to cross this road so bad. So instead of having the chicken learn from his mistakes and take falls, which is a part of life, I'm going to give this chicken a car so that he can just drive across the road and not live his life like the
rest of the chickens.
GEORGE W. BUSH:We don't really care why the chicken crossed the road. We just want to know if the chicken is on our side of the road, or not. The chicken is either against us, or for us. There is no middle ground here.
COLIN POWELL:Now to the left of the screen, you can clearly see the satellite image of the chicken crossing the road...
ANDERSON COOPER - CNN:We have reason to believe there is a chicken, but we have not yet been allowed to have access to the other side of the road.
JOHN KERRY:Although I voted to let the chicken cross the road, I am now against it! It was the wrong road to cross, and I was misled about the chicken's intentions. I am not for it now, and will remain against it.
NANCY GRACE:That chicken crossed the road because he's GUILTY! You can see it in his eyes and the way he walks.
PAT BUCHANAN:To steal the job of a decent, hardworking American.
MARTHA STEWART:No one called me to warn me which way that chicken was going. I had a standing order at the Farmer's Market to sell my eggs when the price dropped to a certain level. No little bird gave me any insider information.
DR SEUSS:
Did the chicken cross the road? Did he cross it with a toad? Yes, the chicken crossed the road, but why it crossed I've not been told.
ERNEST HEMINGWAY:
To die in the rain. Alone.
JERRY FALWELL:
Because the chicken was gay! Can't you people see the plain truth?' That's why they call it the 'other side.' Yes, my friends, that chicken is gay. And if you eat that chicken, you will become gay too. I say we boycott all chickens until we sort out this abomination that the liberal media white washes with seemingly harmless phrases like 'the other side. That chicken should not be crossing the road. It's as plain and as simple as that.
GRANDPA:
In my day we didn't ask why the chicken crossed the road. Somebody told us the chicken crossed the road, and that was good enough.
BARBARA WALTERS:
Isn't that interesting? In a few moments, we will be listening to the chicken tell, for the first time, the heart-warming story of how it experienced a serious case of molting, and went on to accomplish its life long dream of crossing the road.
ARISTOTLE:
It is the nature of chickens to cross the road.
JOHN LENNON:
Imagine all the chickens in the world crossing roads together, in peace.
BILL GATES:
I have just released eChicken2007, which will not only cross roads, but will lay eggs, file your important documents, and balance your check book. Internet Explorer is an integral part of the Chicken. This new platform is much more stable and will
never cra...#@&&^ C% ......reboot.
ALBERT EINSTEIN:
Did the chicken really cross the road, or did the road move beneath the chicken?
BILL CLINTON:
I did not cross the road with THAT chicken. What is your definition of chicken?
AL GORE:
I invented the chicken!
COLONEL SANDERS:Did I miss one?
and
DICK CHENEY:
Where's my gun?

Many thanks to the person who shared this with us. Now, I've got some chicken to get into the oven....

Shawn
***

Making the most of May....

Wow! I didn't realize it had been this long since I've stopped by to blog. There's not a lot to say, really...Just been enjoying the springtime blooms and birdsong, anticipating the approach of summer. Some things coming to an end, the approach of new beginnings, lots of changes.

Shawn
***

Picture: Coastal rhododendron in Washington, remembering Mama