Today is Sunday, May 28 and there are only 211 days until Christmas.  Every once in a while play some Christmas music.  Today we remember the birthdays of John the Fearless, Eliza Ann Gardner and Billy Vera.  On this day in 1539 Hernando de Soto landed in Florida, in 1774 the first Continental Congress convened and in 1987 the Monitor, a Civil War warship, was discovered by a deep sea robot.  In Puerto Rico today is Memorial Day, in the US it is National Brisket Day and National Hamburger Day.  Also in the US tomorrow is Memorial Day.

I would like to take a few minutes to discuss Memorial Day.  Many people look at the day as the unofficial first day of summer.  They have parties and barbecues and walk around wishing people a Happy Memorial Day.  In the past I have suggested that we say Remember Memorial Day.  This is a day on which those who died in active military service are remembered.  It is important for Americans to take time to remember the sacrifices that bought their freedom.

Here are some ideas on how to commemorate this important American holiday:

·         Send a note of thanks to a veteran you know

·         If you know someone who has lost a loved one in battle, offer to help with a special project or help meet a special need they have

·         Visit a local cemetery and place flags on the graves of fallen soldiers

·         Fly the American flag at half-staff until noon

·         Participate in the National Moment of Remembrance at 3 PM.  Pause and think about the meaning of Memorial Day.

Yes, enjoy the day and look forward to the summer months.  Have cookouts and have fun, but take a moment to remember the meaning of the day.  Keep in mind that “all gave some, but some gave all.”  Thank you.

Well, I am back from my sojourn to the Southwest and have things to tell you about.  I travelled with my brother and two of our friends to the Grand Canyon, Albuquerque and Santa Fe.  We had a great time and saw a number of fantastic sights.  If you have never been to the Grand Canyon, you should go.  It is spectacular.  One thing I would recommend is that you pay attention to the rules and stay on the paths.  The days we were there it was rather windy, but that did not stop some people from going out onto ledges to take selfies.  I guess they thought the fences and railings were there to keep other people from coming out and messing up their pictures.  With the wind, it would have been very easy for someone to be swept over the edge.  Falling 3000+ feet onto rocks is not the best way to enjoy your trip.

While we were there the temperature was in the low 60’s and I was surprised at the number of people who were not dressed for the weather.  You would think that with all the ways you can check in advance, you might want to see what the temperatures were like.  There were a number of people who obviously thought that, because they were in Arizona, it was going to be hot.  It was, but not at the Grand Canyon.  I saw some interesting head gear while I was there.  I saw one couple that looked like they bought their hats from the French Foreign Legion.  I saw a number of different styles of cowboy hats, but none that were really good in the wind.  I saw one woman who had on a straw hat that would be good if she was working in her garden.  She had the hat tied on using a sweater she had with her.

While traveling from one city to another, we stopped at a fast food place for something to eat.  Just as we were carrying the tray to the trash, my brother opened the door and the wind blew the garbage off the tray and at a couple walking in the store.  One evening we had gone to a rooftop bar for drinks and a view of the sunset.  We got chips, salsa and guacamole with our drinks.  Our friend Dick had a couple chips with guacamole and some with salsa.  The wind was strong enough to blow the chips just with salsa off the plate.

We experienced quite a variety of temperatures.  When we left the airport in Phoenix, it was 81.  By the time we got to the Grand Canyon, it was in the 60’s. It stayed that way while we were in Albuquerque, too.  Dick and I were supposed to take a hot air balloon ride, but got cancelled two days in a row because of the wind.  When we were driving into Santa Fe it was windy, 38 and snowing.  When we got back to Phoenix the day before we left it was 106.

While in Albuquerque, we went to a winery.  The wines there were quite good and we bought a couple bottles.  Our plan was to go to a UPS store and ship the bottles home – except they would not ship them.  This was not a problem for some of us, but it was an issue for my brother.  His suitcase weighed 48 lbs. before he put the wine in.  They weighed the wine and told him he was going to have to lose at least 10 lbs. from his luggage so that he could pack the wine.  He ended up mailing home a couple books, a pair of sneakers and his dirty laundry so that he could get the wine home in his suitcase.

The stupidest question heard at one of the national parks – Why did the Indians build their ruins so far from the interstate highway?  Here is a question, how do you build ruins?  That question is an example of why you need to wear some kind of hat when you are out in the sun.

This week our fact tells us that there is a Massachusetts law requiring all dogs to have their hind legs tied during the month of April.  I am not even going to try and guess what that is all about.  Maybe that is when they paint the fire hydrants and don’t want the paint to get wet.

Thank you for reading and Remember Memorial Day.