If you’ve been reading my blog, you will know that my only cousin has passed away recently. Family and friends gathered for his wake and funeral, and it was a good send off. But, there’s just one little thing that has bothered me.
My cousin was in the Navy, so when it came time for his burial, the Navy sent two men to do the flag ceremony. The ceremony is very touching, with the solemn attention to the folding of the flag, and the slow-motion salutes. At one point, one of the men bent over, hit a switch, and we heard a recorded performance of “Taps.”
I suppose that no one else in the gathering gave it any thought, but I minded that Taps was not a live performance. I was a band director for eleven years. In my opnion, there are some places where a taped recording is inappropriate, and a funeral is one of them.
I’ve been pondering just how many trained musicians would be needed to play Taps in all the cemeteries where former members of our Armed Forces are being laid to rest. Although the Armed Forces have 500 buglers available, last year an average of 1800 veterans were buried each day. Arlington Cemetery is the only burial ground where taps is played live for every burial.
The Armed Forces felt that recorded music was inappropriate, and rather than supply trained musicians, they chose to purchase 4,000 “ceremonial bugles.” The bugles have a computerized chip imbedded in the bell which plays Taps. Unfortunately, some of the men responsible for the use of the ceremonial bugles need to be instructed in how to hold a bugle.
In my surfing, I discovered that Tom Day, of Berwyn, Illinois, has founded “Bugles Across America” to recruit civilian musicians to play taps at funerals. Day has gathered 3,000 volunteers, who have performed at 36,000 funerals in the past three years.
This seems like a much better way to deal with the increased need for buglers. I’m sure the military has prioritzed their expenses and that some may see a bugler as an inappropriate use of their funds, but I think we need to honor those who served on our behalf. Surely the presence of a trained bugler to play their final Taps is not too much to ask.

I will be barbequed by an angry dragon

How will you die? Take the Exotic Cause of Death Test
Stolen from billy…..who stole it from bogie…..etc.
I have to tell you….this sounds better than being impaled by a rod of frozen urine expelled from a jet liner….

I really need to pay closer attention to conversations.
Yesterday, DH’s son and his wife came to visit, before she returns to Japan to teach English as a second language. In his hand was a very large Swedish Ivy plant.
It seems I must have volunteered to babysit the plant while she is away, but for the life of me, I don’t remember the conversation!
DIL tells me that Son#3 has killed off several plants in the past few years. He waters once a week whether the plant needs it or not.
THIS was where I started paying attention. You see, by the time the plant got to me, it was wilting, so as she is talking to me, I have filled a large container with water and DOUSED the plant. Right…..I’m supposed to take care of this plant, and see to it that its in condition to return to her.
I could be in trouble.

I’ve never felt the need for a hen party, until now. I just discovered a company in England (and another in Midwestern USA) that provides a butler in the buff for your hen parties.
Wouldn’t it be lovely to have someone to open the door for you, and to see to it that your friends had something to drink?? And the clean up…..what a deal! You wouldn’t have to go around after the party picking up glasses and dessert plates!

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I got a fair amount accomplished this week, and had some downtime, too, but I couldn’t seem to make it to the computer…..

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This week, it was my duty to take my mother to visit her only nephew…..my only cousin. He was quite ill, and was being cared for in a nursing facility. He had asked to see her, twice, so we made the trip on Friday morning.
I bitterly regret that I had not kept in touch with him. I was shocked to see what the past eight or ten years had done to him. Communication was difficult. Emphasema had taken away his ability to project words. I talked to him about recent changes in our lives, and showed him a picture of my new granddaughter.
Our visit was brief, and I hoped to arrange a second visit when his wife or my sister (the nurse) were present, to help us understand what he was saying.
Unfortunately, my cousin passed away this morning.
He is the first of my generation to die. His passing is making us all reflect on the time we have left, and the things we have put off. We were about twenty years apart in age, and were not close, but still…..he was my only cousin. I wish I had made a greater effort to know him.
I’ll always remember him for his ascerbic wit, for remarkable talent with a camera, for an intense interest in the family history and genealogy, for extensive knowledge about the petroleum industry, for his successful efforts to improve the quality of the fire department in our home town, and for raising incredibly smart children and grandchildren.
I hope he is trading cracks with St. Peter….free from the pain that has shrouded the last years of his life.

When I weed, I need some mental diversion. I started my weeding marathon on Saturday, and was listening to WGN 720 AM Radio as I worked. Just before noon, the Paul Harvey Report came on. One of the last segments caught my attention. I’ve copied the facts down to hand to any of my young relatives who might have doubts about going to college.
If you do not graduate from high school, you are likely to earn an average of $18,826 per year.
If you graduate from high school, that figure jumps to $27,280.
If you go to college and earn a B.A. you will earn an average of $51,194.
If you earn an advanced degree, you are likely to earn an average of $72,824.
I’d say those statistics are pretty compelling when it comes to deciding what you want to do with your life. GO TO SCHOOL! Get an education, if only to raise your earning potential. I can think of a lot of other reasons for getting an education, but being able to make a decent living isn’t all that bad.
The current Federal poverty line for a family of four is $18,850. If you happen to live in San Francisco, you’d have to hold down more than THREE minimum wage jobs to meet the minimum standard of living for a single parent with a toddler and a preschooler: $69, 241. Not all places have as high a cost of living as San Francisco, but the point is, without at least a high school education, you are guaranteed to be living at poverty level.
So, talk up education. If finances are tight, use the Internet to find sources of grants and funding. There are an amazing number of grants out there waiting for the student with the right interests. Surf….you’ll see. And meanwhile… tell the kids to hit the books!

July seems to be a busy month for us for birthdays. Two sons and a daughter-in-law have July birthdays. One nephew, a nephew-in-law, a niece, my former sister-in-law and my grandfather were also born in July.
But…and I hope I’ve made it in time….I want to wish my oldest sister Happy Birthday today! I hope it was a wonderful day, and that you heard from all the kids. Happy Birthday, Sis!