1. The US of A celebrated Memorial Day this past Monday. Does your family have any military ties? If so, tell us about them.
Of recent years, both my nephews.
My dad served in WWII, husband, my uncles and several cousins served. Very proud of all of them willing to serve.
I think many people confuse Memorial Day, Armed Forces Day and Veterans' Day. Wikipedia says,
2. Cole slaw, potato salad, baked beans, potato chips, mac and cheese, macaroni salad...your favorite BBQ side? Potato salad. How many of these do you make from scratch vs. buying from the deli? Potato salad always and beans if it counts to use canned beans. I have made baked beans totally from scratch, but it’s quicker with canned beans.
3. I enjoyed asking this question back when the Hodgepodge was a regular thing...Lake Superior State University posts a list each year of words they think should be banished from the Queen's English for misuse, overuse, and/or general uselessness. The 2020 list includes-quid pro quo, artisanal, curated, influencer, literally, I mean, living my best life, mouthful (word used by foodies to describe texture of food in their mouth), chirp (basically an insult, you can read more on the website), jelly (short for jealous), totes (short for totally), vibe, and OK Boomer (internet response from millenial to older generation).
Of the words/phrases listed which would you most like to see 'banned'?
Literally. I am sick of hearing the word “literally!” It is soooooo overly misused. Funny, several on the list I’ve not heard used. And tired of hearing “quid pro quo!”
4. I'm sure next year's list will be filled with words springing out of this weird season we're all in currently. What word or phrase associated with the Corona would you be happy to hear less often?
It would be a toss-up between self-quarantine and deaths.
5. The month of May wraps up in just a few days. Bid her adieu in ten words or less.
Farewell, merry month of May. Don’t come again too soon.
6. Insert your own random thought here.
This was a very unusual Memorial Day weekend. Although I did go to church, I spent the rest of the weekend alone. It rained almost the entire weekend. I had a Zoom fellowship on Saturday evening and got to briefly say hello to a few people at church. There was a break in the weather so, after church on Sunday, I went to place a flag upon Jay‘s grave. There were flags everywhere at the cemetery.
My dilemma at this time is trying to settle on the wording for the gravestone. I have been pondering (pondering has now become obsessing) over this for the last five months. It has been so difficult for me trying to decide what I want to say (it is written in stone, after all). The size of the gravestone and the fact that it is a gravestone for both of us presents a problem because I am limited in the number of words that can be engraved. I need to make a decision as I cannot place flowers on the grave until the stone is there with the attached vase.
As a kid, I remember this time of year being called Decoration Day where my grandparents lived in Arkansas. Everyone would go out to the cemetery to decorate graves. My cousin sent a few photos to me of my Grandma and Grandpa's gravesite, along with others. She said they had been out to clean up all the gravesites and put flowers out.
And, I also seem to recall when we visited Israel being told that once a year graves were whitewashed so that no one might accidentally step on one and contaminate themselves. I found this on Bible Hub: "contact with a sepulchre brought with it ceremonial uncleanness, and all burial-places were accordingly white-washed once a year, on the 15th day of the month Adar--i.e., about the beginning of March--that passers-by might be warned by them, as they were of the approach of a leper by his cry, "Unclean, unclean!" And you remember that Jesus said Pharisees were like white-washed sepulchers--clean on the outside--dead on the inside. So, technically, maybe that's what started what we know as Decoration Day!!!
(Sorry I got a little off track there.)
Green, Green, the grass is green … so much rain!
And the vitex in full bloom1
12 comments:
It was so good to see your name on the Hodgepodge list this morning. I think I can understand your desire to want the engraving to be just right. On our parent's headstones we only put their name and dates, nothing else. But on my maternal grandparent's there is wordage. My grandmother's is: "She built a monument of love in the hearts of all who knew her" which was so true. On my grandfather's, who was a pastor, is written, "He was beloved by God and man." I love reading these and thinking about the affects their lives had so many. You will know the right thing to put on your beloved Jay's.
What a rich military heritage ... thankful for everyone's service. As a former military wife, I thank you for noting the difference between Memorial Day & Veterans Day though!
My husband spoke at our church on Sunday as our pastor is out of town ... and he too mentioned memories of "Decoration Day" and going to the cemetery on Memorial Day. Our congregation understood well - we live in Arkansas. :)
We've had so much rain this month too. Trying to keep my tomato pots from drowning has become my latest obsession. I know you'll land on the right wording. I love to see all the flags on the gravestones. When we lived closer to DC we used to always go visit my dad's grave this time of year and Arlington is a sea of flags on Memorial Day. Take care.
May has seemed like such a long month.
Thanks for all your family members who have served.
I think the saying that gets to me the most is - Don't worry - I've got it. When I know full well they don't and I am being put off! ERRRR
Thank you for their service. We do love potato salad but I haven't made it yet. Going to try! Since I don't watch the news I am not use to hearing quid pro quo but I think it would annoy me too. I still feel the need to be quarantined but I am going to venture out today with my mask because my car needs to be driven and my husband just doesn't get the right stuff, even with photos! I like your bid adieu. The flags are sad but also so beautiful in remembrance of those who served our country.
What handsome nephews in their military uniforms! How refreshing to be able to worship in person! I don't know that ours sanctuary will open its doors for many more weeks. Love that history of Decoration Day you've shared!
What a fun hodgepodge. I love the pictures of your military nephews.
Joyce gave us another fun Hodgepodge of questions! I enjoyed your answers. I love the way the flowers flow across the entire headstone in your picture above. How pretty! Joe and I will be cremated and there is only room for our names and dates so I don't need to think about what to have inscribed on a stone. Keep us posted. I know it is important but also hard. Love & hugs!
What a beautiful cemetary with such gorgeous flowers on the headstones. I try to always change the flowers on my Mom's grave each season. I know my Dad gave so much thought to the engraving on my Mom's headstone, which will also be his. I'm sure you will come up with the perfect engraving in due time. Blessings abundant!
What a wonderful military heritage from your family! Thank you to all of them for their commitment and service for our country. Because of their sacrifices, we continue to live in freedom. Praying it will always be so. I "literally" don't like the words "Social Distancing". I am truly sick of it and don't want to hear it or do it anymore. Praying God will help me! Love to see the beautiful flowers on your family headstone. I wish we were close enough to do that for my inlaw's family graves. My mother in law was always so faithful to put flowers on everyone's grave, and now she is gone and we are not there to decorate her grave. My parents were cremated and do not yet have a "grave", which is another long story that I won't go into. But I know where they are, and the decorations there are far beyond anything we could ever imagine!!! That is interesting about the white washing of the tombs...now I understand Jesus' words about that even better! Makes sense!! I am happy you are blogging more again these days. I love to hear from you! Have a blessed week my friend.
It’s hard to know just what to say. My sister heard my mom quoting part of a scripture toward the end of her life, so we put that on mom and dad’s stone. It also had birds and flowers as both mom and dad loved watching the birds at the feeder outside their window.
I used to follow your blog and somehow lost it, but found you again today. I too find annoying the misuse of the word literally. I will read older posts to learn more about your recent events. Perhaps a Bible reference, for example John 3:16, which doesn't take up much space. My husband is cremated and I purchased a bench for a public park. I had Bike Adventures carved on it and a carving of a mountain bike. Plus of course his name and my name and our sons' names.
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