PLEASE DO NOT FORGET SGT MAJ LARRY STRICKLAND - 9/11/2020

 Greetings to my Blogging Pals.

Those who have been with me a while know about my participation in Project 2996. I began my participation in 2009 and plan to continue this as long as I am able to do so. I ask each of you to take a moment to remember what happened on 9/11/2001. Even if you read my tributes previously, please read them again. It's important that we see this as an individual, personal event... not just something that happened in New York, D.C., and Pennsylvania over a decade ago. It affects us all and will continue to do so. It has been 19 years today.  There are many who don't remember this at all. The pain for the families is the same. But this is a tribute to their loved one!! Please read about this wonderful gentleman.

*** This was posted in 2009 as my tribute to Sgt. Maj. Larry Strickland. I repeat it here as I will continue doing so on each anniversary of 9/11 as long as I am able. There are a couple of notes and updates from 2010 in italics.

Please meet Sgt. Maj. Larry Strickland. He was 52 years old, born in Washington State, and had a Bachelor of Science degree. He had served our country in a lot of places including Germany, Washington State, Washington DC, Texas, and Virginia. He had many awards and decorations. Most devastating for me to learn was his plan to retire upon completion of 30 years of service... at the end of September 2001. After all of his service, he was close to spending more time on his hobbies (fishing, hiking, gourmet cooking, and needlepoint) and especially looking forward to spending more time with his family. SGM Strickland left behind a wife, Debra, who was the Garrison Command Sergeant Major of Fort Belvoir, VA. at the time, three adult children, and one grandson. His parents also were left to deal with the untimely loss of their child.

NOTE: I posted a note to the family at Legacy.com and received two emails.

One was from SGM Strickland's son-in-law and read, in part:

"I came across your blog today while searching for SM Larry Strickland. I am lucky enough to be married to his daughter Julia and I just wanted to take a moment to thank you for caring enough to research this remarkable man. Everything you read about him and his character is true. He left behind an amazingly strong wife, a beautiful daughter, his two sons, and his grandson. His grandson was 4, not 1 as many newspaper articles claim, so he does remember his grandfather, and fondly."(I was SO happy to read that his grandson did remember his grandfather and wanted to share that with you all! MNC)

The other email was from SGM Strickland's daughter and read, in part:

"Mary, thank you very much for your kind words. I am Larry's daughter, and it is wonderful to know that though it's been 8 years, remembering him and this tragic event is still as important now as it was the day it happened. He was truly a wonderful man, and the best father anyone could ask for."

SGM Strickland headed out to work that day at the Pentagon as there were some meetings he deemed important enough to attend even though he could have skipped them. He had annual leave built up that needed to be used or lost. He chose to go to work. If you knew nothing more about him than that, you would know the character of the man. It was that character that had him in his office on the second floor when the wing he was in was struck by American Airlines Flight 77.

But this is a tribute to SGM Strickland's life. And I've got to tell you the things said about him and written about him are absolutely glowing!! What a wonderful thing... to have those left behind remember you so well and so lovingly. It's not just family. These were friends, co-workers, people who knew him on a "business" level where, many times, the feelings are not so great. I would suggest you take a few moments today to review three different web sites where there are tributes (and from where I gathered much of the information I am sharing with you). It really won't take that long and, thankfully, most of us did not actually know anyone who was lost that day. Perhaps it would be good to learn about at least one of them. I know it gave me a very new perspective.

Pentagon Memorial Fund - Names of the souls lost at the Pentagon are alphabetical by last name. Scroll down and click on SGM Strickland's name to read about his service career.

Columns - The University of Washington Alumni Magazine- Read a really great article here about SGM Strickland's personal life. Sounds like someone we would all like to have known.

Legacy.com - This is where folks can leave notes for the family. Many folks were positively impacted by SGM Strickland. Some commented here about their appreciation of the man. I invite you to take just a moment to leave a note here to let the family know the loss of their loved one is something we all remember.

Thank you, SGM Strickland, for your service, for your honor, and for your character. I'm glad I got to know you.

We should never forget.

PLEASE DO NOT FORGET MAJOR RONALD D. MILAM - 9/11/2020

 Greetings to my Blogging Pals.

Those who have been with me a while know about my participation in Project 2996. I began my participation in 2009 and plan to continue this as long as I am able to do so. I ask each of you to take a moment to remember what happened on 9/11/2001. Even if you read my tributes previously, please read them again. It's important that we see this as an individual, personal event... not just something that happened in New York, D.C., and Pennsylvania over a decade ago. It affects us all and will continue to do so. I do not see the 12th Anniversary as any different from the 2nd, the 19th, or the 100th. The pain for the families is the same. But this is a tribute to their loved one!! Please read about this wonderful gentleman.

Major Ronald Dutrell Milam was born in Muskogee, Oklahoma, and had a Bachelors degree from Eastern New Mexico University earned in 1991. He served his country in Germany, Korea, and Saudi Arabia. He had recently received his assignment as Military Assistant for the Secretary of the Army. He had also recently married Jacqueline on January 15, 2000. Things were definitely going well for Major Milam and his new family. His future was clearly a bright one and who knows what wonderful things he would have accomplished!

On 9/11/2001, Major Milam, who had just turned 33 the month before, was at work at the Pentagon. His wife, Jacqueline, five months pregnant with their second child and an Air Force officer, was also at her job at the Pentagon. Neither had an office in the area where Flight 77 struck that morning. Jacqueline was not terribly concerned immediately after the attack assuming they would connect in the parking lot. Major Milam had been attending a staff meeting that morning... right where the aircraft crashed into the Pentagon.

But this post is a tribute to a man who lived well, with honor and with dedication to his country. His college basketball coach had no doubt Major Milam was a leader and a role model during his years working with him. When Major Milam told his coach he had chosen the military as his career, the coach, who thought Milam should pursue a career in law, told the young man he supported him 100%. Major Milam clearly touched many lives during his own. What a great legacy to leave!! We should all be proud of this young man.

Take a few moments today to visit the sites below. If you can, leave a note for his family at either Legacy.com or at 9-11 Heroes. All of the sites below are links to get you there quickly.

Arlington Cemetery Site - If you read nothing else, read this tribute. Major Milam's wife recounts the events of that day and what has kept her going.

Pentagon Memorial Site - This site has a full obituary providing information on Major Milam's life.

Legacy.Com - Take a moment and leave a note for the family here, if you wish.

Thank you, Major Milam, for your service, for your honor, and for your character. I'm glad I got to know you.

We should never forget.

THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS TO MY LOUISIANA FRIENDS!!!

 Heidy-Ho, Blogging Pals!!!

First of all, some of you have never experienced a hurricane.  Consider yourselves beyond fortunate.  The rest of us... well... we have had a few run-ins with minor hurricanes over the years.  Mostly some high winds, the occasional tree limb down, and just a mess of leaves and pine cones to retrieve from the yard!!  A couple of folks I know did have to deal with Katrina and Rita rolled right up the state line of Texas and Louisiana, creating quite a mess, but I don't think even those hit the level of Laura.

I ask those of you who have never experienced one to please send your thoughts and prayers to those in western Louisiana.  My hometown, DeRidder, was absolutely slammed beyond recognition.  I have seen photos sent by friends who still live there.  I have seen photos on Facebook that made my jaw drop.  I also have a few friends in the Lake Charles area.  They were devastated.  You have probably seen pictures on the news.  Some of those made me tear up.  I couldn't even recognize places I knew and had been many times.  Just beyond sad.  The good news?  Everyone I know made it through albeit with trees down, no power, and no water... some even with homes nearly destroyed.  Yes... that's bad.  But they survived.  The rest will be resolved in time.  I thank you for your concern... and send the very best Karma to those of you who are suffering through this insanity.  Hang in there!!!

Alright.  Will throw a few silly photos at you all.  Hopefully they will cause a smile or two.

So... let's wait until the very hottest part of the year to do a little outside job during the 100+ degree day!!  DOH!!  Well... it just happened.  But trust me... I sweated a bit while putting down the weed barrier... but did nothing the level of difficulty that the poor spousal-unit did!  I won't give you the math... but he toted nearly 2 tons of weight... getting the river pebbles from the store to the vehicle, off the vehicle, to the job, into the area... the guy is beyond amazing.  Obviously, however, he removed my ability to whine and complain about the work I did.  LOL!!  Anyway...

This little area on the back of the house had apparently been set up somehow in the past.  But it had overgrown.  I weed-killed the area and let it all die down.  Then had to think about how I wanted it set up.  I knew I wanted it "walkable" along with an area where I could put a potting table.

So... this is what was done:

Okay.  So... let's discuss my morning walks.  I have posted other pics from them in the past.  Here are a few more:

It's not the truck or the basketball goal.  It's the VERY tall flowers to the left of the truck!!  These have gotten even taller since I took this pic!!  Fun!

Trust me.  When it's this hot, you walk EARLY!!!  But that offers up some really beautiful sunrise pictures.

So... when walking one morning, I found a fire hydrant opened up.  The water was pouring out like crazy... onto the curb and flowing down the street.  At that time (8/29), we had not had rain in nearly 3 months!!  It was sad watching the water literally go to waste!

The next morning, I caught another photo.  The gentleman whose property the hydrant is on had brilliantly set up a bucket on the spout, then dug a small trench from it into his yard!!!  While he didn't get all of the water, he definitely got some!  Check it out!  Made me laugh and appreciate his intellect!!  His oak tree, where the trench ended, likely was quite happy!

Alrighty.  So, I was shopping at the local Wild Birds Unlimited when I ran across a lovely solar-powered glass iris... in LSU colors!!  Had to have it.  Don't have a specific spot for it yet (still working in the back yard!) but wanted to test it out.  Stuck it in an empty pot.

It was lit up early the next morning.  Really pretty.  Fun to have.

When the big rains finally arrived (Sep 2,3,& 4), it was a deluge followed by constant rain.  You know it's a little wet when the snails head for higher ground!!

Finally, after storms and the inability to find food, one of the backyard critters decided to just take a stinkin' break!!!  He was there for a while before heading back up the tree.  LOL!

Enough silliness.  My thoughts remain with DeRidder and Lake Charles as well as everyone else hit by Laura.  Hang in there and know there are a lot of folks in other cities and states who have you in their hearts!!

Until next post...