Smartie's Bar & Grill #71

Congrats, Patriot. My wife and I are celebrating our 40th this year.

 

G'morning, bar flies!

Smartie forgot to sweep up before she headed out, so I'll just put all the goodies I found on the floor into the Lost and Found box. Except for the coupon for Dunkin Donuts coffee, that one is finders keepers.

 

Got the screen door hung and covered with screen. Got the latch on. Will finish putting up the screen on the porch tomorrow. Been hot....been goin slow. After the porch I'll get started on the deck. Gets hotter every day.

 

I take it slow in the heat. Lots of ice water, a good hat and frequent breaks make it possible to work in high heat.
Not much fun though.

 

It is in the shade...not too bad.

 

I have this less than fond memory of being stopped in traffic on I-10. It was 114° and we didn't move for two hours. Oh, and the air-conditioning wasn't working at all.

 

We are pretty close to boiling now. Highs in the 90s.

 

You probably lost 5 pounds unless you had plenty of water, but real help is on the way.

 

West coast has been unseasonably cool. I better take advantage of it and haul another overweight trailer load to Idaho soon.

 

Don't worry too much about the heat until you start seeing camels.

 

A Memorial Day story for you guys here at the bar. It's been on my mind today.

12 years ago, my son, a young U.S. Marine, went on his first combat deployment. A few weeks into it, my son's best friend was killed. A couple of months later, another close friend was killed. My wife and I attended their funerals.

And 6 months into it, my son was seriously wounded. And while they were awaiting a med-evac for him, another young Marine asked my son if he wanted to pray with him. He did, and so this young Marine held his hand, and they prayed together.

My son came close to death that day - very close, but he survived. And he that same young Marine would do another harrowing combat tour the following year. Between the two tours, they lost 28 Marines.

That Marine that held my son's hand that day 12 years ago would survive the wars, receive an honorable discharge from the Marine Corps and later receive a Bachelor's Degree. He had a loving family, and he wanted to do good things.

I met him once after he was out of the Marine Corps. I gave him a hug and thanked him for what he did for my son.

But he didn't survive the "after", and we lost him 7 years after that day when he held my son's hand on that battlefield. When I learned that he taken his own life, I was heartbroken. I still am when I think about it, and I've been thinking about it today.

I once asked my son how he deals with the fact that so many of his fellow Marines didn't make it home, and yet, he cheated death. I will never forget what he said to me. This is it ...

"Dad, they were the sacrifices. Each one is like Jesus on the cross. Each one died so that others could live."

Today, he lives well, successful in his career, and with a beautiful family of his own. He lives large, making the best of every day. I know that he knows that he owes it to all of them.

And so I've been thinking about them all today, this Memorial Day - those 28 Marines, my son, and the one who held his hand on that fateful day.

Seth

 

Good morning, y'all! Thx for the Memorial Day tribute to your son, Seth... very touching.

Great vacay, except the ocean was so rough, had to stick to the pool. Had dinner with the gfs a couple of times, no probs. Bought a souvenir for one... she actually loved it and we all had a good laff. Everyone agreed I made the right decision after they saw how small their $400/nt hotel room was. Somebody woulda died... and it wouldnt a been me. Lol

 

Miss it already...

 

Oh hell no....

 

After 3 years of sitting in the back of the yard, 95+degrees had the dilapidated but still seaworthy pontoon boat on the lake.

 

And they can run 10 mph to catch you.

 

Gj!

 

Yep, me.