Veterans Day 2025 and Hodgepodge

Veterans Day dawned in my neighborhood with clear skies and a cold brisk wind. The weatherman said the day would feel more like January than November. He was right!

I'll start off with my responses to Joyce's Hodgepodge questions for this week and follow that up with snapshots from our Veterans Day observance.

Here are Joyce's questions for this week's Hodgepodge. If you want to link up with your own answers, click here.

1. What does patriotism mean to you? 

To me, patriotism means sincere commitment (allegiance/devotion) to my country according to what our Constitution provides, voting according to what I believe is in the best interests of our citizens, and respecting our leaders and those who uphold our laws.

2. September-October-November...your favorite fall month? Tell us why. If you live in the southern hemisphere use these months but sub spring for the word fall. 

My favorite "ber month" (as some call them) is November because it is after Halloween (which I dislike more with every passing year) and emphasizes thankfulness to God for His provision and watchcare.

3. A song you love with the word thanks (or some form of that word)  in the title or lyrics?

"Thankful" by Josh Groban. Click here to listen to the song.

4. November is National Peanut Butter Month. Are you a fan? What's the last peanut butter bite you had? Fill in the blank: peanut butter on a spoon. Oh, and you can't say jelly. 

In this household, peanut butter is on the list of kitchen essentials, just after water. 🤭 While jelly goes with it well, I usually opt for margarine. AND I'm a firm believer that if you just cannot fall asleep at night, a good spoonful of peanut butter placed on the tongue and swallowed helps. I try to avoid getting it onto my teeth since I'm also a firm believer in going to bed with clean teeth. 

5. This week's gratitude question-What event from this past year are you most grateful for? 

I can't boil it down to just one event. I'm glad that (aside from a couple of trips to the ER in August) we have survived this past year in relatively good health. Since both of us are in the "late autumn" of life, good health is really appreciated.

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Here is my re-cap of Veterans Day. 

Gary posted our flag right after breakfast. The stiff, cold wind (unusual for our area at this time of year) unfurled the flag beautifully. 

One of our sons and his wife (whom we consider a daughter) drove a couple of hours to visit. He is a veteran, as is Gary. Of course I wanted my picture with these two heroes!

Gary is retired Air Force and 
Tony is retired Army

Here is Tony with his wife, Mary, who has adopted me as her second "Momma," as she likes to call me. (I love that!) By the way, just for the record, between the two of us we have:

5 daughters (including their spouses)

5 sons (including their spouses)

19 grandchildren (including spouses)

6 great-grandchildren

an undetermined number of cats and dogs in the family as well as one rabbit and one mule -- none of which live with us!

I won't break the numbers down any more than that because just to arrive at the above figures, I had to remove my shoes and socks so I could count on my fingers and toes!!

They are both so very photogenic!

Here are 2 views of one of Gary's hats -- helpful to wear when promised a military discount at a restaurant on this special day!

I won't divulge any specifics, but Gary has told me some very interesting experiences he had in his military and later government careers. I'll just say, you wouldn't want to cross this man!

This is my lunch plate at Miller's Ale House:

Zingers and Wings

This was a  huge plate of seasoned chicken (not too spicy) over a large bed of French Fries. I ate all the chicken and left at least half of the fries (too full!!!). It was wonderful!

In addition to the special occasion to honor Veterans, the day, November 11, is the anniversary of the day Gary and I met! 

The above snapshot was taken just minutes after we were introduced to each other in the parking lot of the amenities center of our +55 retirement community. The mutual friends who introduced us must have felt we'd be a good match since they had the foresight to take several pictures of us at, literally, the very beginning of our relationship. I remember when they told us to stand side-by-side, my shoulder brushed Gary's and I pulled back a little because I didn't want to appear "forward." It was not an especially good hair day for me, but here we are (below), 4 years later, which proves the hair did not discourage!

And this (above) is us now. We purposely wore the same shirts we had worn the day we met. We've been married 3 1/2 years (later this week) and have not regretted that decision at all. The Lord brought together two widowed, lonely people who now laugh every day with a beautiful commitment to each other. 

Us on December 2, 2021

To give you a little more of our story, we did not date until nearly a month later. The same couple that introduced us hosted a small, very informal cake and ice cream party for the husband's birthday, inviting the two of us. We visited in the kitchen with our plates, barely aware of everybody else. A week later we began dating and the rest is wonderful history. 

By the way, Gary has been proofreading and helping me to edit all of my blog posts since early 2022. That was my idea, but he is well aware he became "blog fodder" when we began dating, He needs to read my blog out of self-protection!!

Until next time,

May the God of hope

fill you with all joy and peace

as you trust in Him.

Romans 15:13