Liberty

     In a wonderful country like ours,  I was not surprised to find a miniature version of The Statue of Liberty standing proudly in the Publix grocery store between the salsa chips and the pink flamingo inner tubes.
     From sea to shining sea, God bless the USA!

Happy July 4th! 

Memorial Day, They Are Not Forgotten

Slow down.  And I mean you ... and me, too. Why should we?  Memorial Day is a holiday!  We don't have to work.  It makes for a long weekend and we love it!  Sure, everybody hangs an American flag on the front of the house or raises the flag on the pole in the front yard to show patriotism. I think it's wonderful because I do the same thing. 

It's the meaning behind Memorial Day that we, and I'm including myself, don't stop and honor enough. Preach, preach, preach.  We've all heard it before. We should remember those who gave their lives for our country. Easy words to say, but not always practiced.  This is big kid, serious stuff and it is important for us to teach the meaning behind the holiday to our children and grandchildren. 

Those saints in Heaven, waiting for us, and they are, indeed, saints,  ask nothing of us, but I believe we can do so much better than nothing for them.  So let's turn off the TV, the phone and the mindless music, find a quiet place in the midst of our chaos and offer recognition and gratitude to those men and women who, over generations, have cared enough about the United States of America to die so we might have these long holiday weekends. When the saints glance down upon us, I'm thinking their smiles will broaden as they see our heads bowed in sincere thanksgiving for their gift of freedom to us. 

(photo of Spanish American War graves taken at Bosque Bello Cemetery, Fernandina Beach, Florida)

#MemorialDay, #gratitude, #USA, #grateful, #AmeliaIsland, #Fernandina, #holiday, #longweekend, #cemetary

Fun Holiday Ofice Idea, Goodbye Lie Diaries w Aunt Noreen and Peeper

     Kids have Elf on the Shelf. That's the stuffed toy, which mysteriously is moved around the house during the Christmas season, and made to do harmless and funny antics to bring laughter to children anticipating the arrival of Santa.

     It came to me that adults working in an office building could have their version of Hide the Stuffie.  All you need is some smallish form of stuffed Santa, elf, reindeer, teddy, etc., that you have tucked away with the Christmas decorations or in the corner of your child's room.  Just don't borrow the child's favorite toy lest you spoil his or her chances with Santa because they are unwilling to share and throw a tantrum.
     Add a copy of my letter below, filling in the blanks to personalize it for your particular office.  Email the letter to everybody in the place and see how they respond. With delight, I hope. The idea is to get all your coworkers in the holiday mood!

TO:  Our Team of (add silly adjective here)  Employees

 

It has come to our attention that a male has been spotted hiding in various areas of our ____________ building!!! 

 

DESCRIPTION:   (example) 12 inches tall, wearing a red suit and hat, with a full tummy, black boots and a felt beard

 

Should you discover this character in your office, please email all  staff so they know his where-abouts.  Then pass him along, IN SECRET, to some other unsuspecting person’s desk drawer, closet, file cabinet, etc.,  to be found.  We have heard this little fella is one of Santa’s helpers and his job is to completely make it around our building and report who is naughty and nice to the Big Guy!  Just to be clear, everybody be on your best behavior or he’ll rat you out! 

 

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

     By the way, this idea could be for just about any holiday as long as the stuffed item or any item you decide to hide is in keeping with your particular occasion.  Enjoy!

*****  The Goodbye Lie Diaries *****

Late 1800s

City of Fernandina on Amelia Island, Florida

Aunt Noreen writes:  You mean to tell me you would enter someone's office, uninvited?  I have never heard of such poor manners.  Why, a person might be tempted to snoop and that would be most unseemly!

Peeper writes:  Noreena, only you kin turn a good-intentioned game like Jane Marie's atalkin'  'bout, into some kinda nosy-poke bad thing, faster than a goose can empty its bee-hind.  I think it's a fine i-dee and I'll be tellin' Miss Ella real quick  ta do it in her Aqua Verde office.  Hey, she can maybe start the game off by hidin' one a yur handkerchiefs ya keep aleavin' behind, just sos ya have ta come back over ta Dunnigan Manor ta sample my sugar tarts.  No.  We will find somethin' more fittin'  'cause yur handkerchiefs is too heavy-laid with perfume. Tell the truth, Noreena.  Do ya wear so much scent ta cover yur natural body odor, being too lazy ta take a bath like us cleanliness is next to Godliness kind of folks? My, oh my, how I like ta insult ya. Makes my day every time! 

*******************

Grandmother Peeper and Aunt Noreen are fussing next door neighbors who never quit squabbling.  They are both beloved favorites of readers in The Goodbye Lie series.

      

A Simple Thank You

Yes, this is a simple thank you to all veterans for a job well done and far beyond the measure of civilians. We are proud to recognize you have keep this country going by offering your life for all of us to be able to live in a still free United States of America. God has blessed us with you.  May He continue to bless our wonderful country each day into the future. 

Fairy Tale Quotation

Amelia Island Perfection

"Fairy tales are more than true, not because they tell us that dragons exist, but because they tell us that dragons can be beaten."

                                           - Neil Gaiman

P.S. Remember, Jane Marie believes in happy endings. "May all your dreams arrive on time ..." - Jane Marie Malcolm