Sunday Stealing

 Sunday Stealing

1. Name a person you like and why you like them.

A. I like (love) my husband. He is strong, compassionate, kind, and gentle.  he believes in hard work and living his life to the fullest. He is intelligent, interesting, and has a giggle instead of a laugh, which is totally endearing. He is brave, truthful, generous, and loyal. He can think fast on his feet. He is not a bully, he doesn't make fun of people, and he doesn't whine. He is not a fair weather friend (only your friend when you agree with him and otherwise ready to cut you out of your life if you don't). 

2. Name a famous person with whom you've been compared.

A. I cannot think of anyone.

3. What is the best thing that happened to you this week?

A. I had an eye exam and did not need a prescription change, so I don't have to spend $500 on new lenses.

4. List weird things you do when you're alone.

A. I talk to myself, I dance, I do puzzles on the computer, and I eat chocolate. None of that is particularly weird, though.

5. How would you spend $10,000?

A. I would purchase a new computer and may a looper for my guitar. (A looper allows you to essentially create an electronic band behind you.)

6. Tell about last night out in detail.

A. My husband came in late from the hayfield. We ate a dinner of chicken, peas, and a roll. He also had peach cobbler with ice cream. I set my video game for a night time set, took a shower, and read a book until we went to bed. Husband also read a book.

7. What is something that makes you sad when you think about it?

A. The state of the world.

8. Name something you're currently worrying about.

A. The state of the world.

9. Name something you do without realizing it.

A. Bite my nails.

10. Tell us a story a drunken story.

A. I don't drink. On one episode of The Big Bang Theory, I remember that Amy got drunk and Leonard and Sheldon had to go pick her up.

11. Name something you regret.

A. I left a job in 1985 that I should have stayed with.

12. Name 5 things within touching distance.

A. A coffee cup, a notebook, my computer, the landline phone, a pencil, a pair of scissors, a calendar, a camera, a stapler, a yellow notepad.

13. What is something you've lied about?

A. I don't know, I try not to lie. Probably some little white lie, like "sure you look lovely in that outfit" when someone really doesn't.

14. What are lyrics that apply to your current mood?

A. From Unwritten, by Natasha Beddingfield 

I'm just beginning

The pen's in my hand

Ending unplanned

Staring at the blank page before you

Open up the dirty window

Let the sun illuminate the words

That you could not find

15. What is your longest relationship?

A. I suppose that would have to be my relationship with my father, then my brother, not to mention aunts and uncles and cousins I am still occasionally in touch with. I have been with my husband since we started dating in 1982.

________________
I encourage you to visit other participants in Sunday Stealing posts and leave a comment. Cheers to all us thieves who love memes, however we come by them.

Saturday 9: Work Hard

Saturday 9: Work Hard, Play Harder (2009)

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) We're celebrating the last holiday of summer by going country. Who is your favorite country music artist?

A. I don't really have one, although the lines between pop and country frequently blur so that I could say Sheryl Crow and still be on target. I also liked Dolly Parton, Barbara Mandel, and Anne Murray when I was younger.

2) Gretchen Wilson sings that on Tuesdays, she gets up before dawn. This morning, did you awaken on your own, or did you need an alarm clock?

A. My alarm goes off every morning at 6 a.m. whether I want it to or not.

3) She tells us that she doesn't waste her time on manicures or spay tans. How about you? Have you recently spent any money at the salon?

A. Last week, I had my first haircut since June 8, but that is all.

4) She sings that she's the first to clock in at work. Have you ever worked a job that required you to punch a time clock?

A. Yes, but it was a very long time ago.

5) Gretchen Wilson says she is a big fan of McDonald's and tries to eat there once a day when she's on tour. In terms of sales, America's 3 most popular fast-food lunch destinations are McDonald's, Starbucks and Subway. If you could choose a gift card to one of those three, which would you select?

A. Subway.

6) Gretchen has endorsed Redneck Riviera Whiskey. What's your favorite adult beverage?

A. I don't drink adult beverages. I drink tea and water.

Since this Monday is Labor Day, the holiday established to celebrate the American worker . . . 

7) Approx. 10% of Americans are self employed. Have you ever been your own boss?

A. Yes. I've been my own boss for quite a long while working as a freelancer. My husband and I also farm, which is its own enterprise.

8) According to Monster.com, 50% of workers have left a job to get away from a boss. Are you one of the 50%?

A. Yes.

9) Farmers feel the impact of extreme weather events. Have you ever had a job that required you to be outdoors most of the time?

A. Not a job, no. More like a lifestyle. As I aged and my allergies to everything became more severe, I spent less and less time outside. Now I go out and stand outside after rain showers when the air is cleaner.

______________
I encourage you to visit other participants in Saturday 9 posts and leave a comment. Because there are no rules, it is your choice. Saturday 9 players hate rules. We love memes, however. 

Hurt

My version of Hurt.

 

Thursday Thirteen

Today, I present to you, once again, 13 memes from today's current, um, situations.

_____________

Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here if you want to read other Thursday Thirteens and/or play along. I've been playing for a while and this is my 670th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.

Sweet Nothings

 

Pandemic Journal - Day 164

Last week, I had my second haircut since the pandemic started. I had the hair stylist cut it short because who knows when things may shut down again.

Schools have opened, and there is already a reported case in one of the county elementary schools. It did not take long and I don't expect it to be the last one.

The upcoming elections have knocked the Covid virus out of the news cycle somewhat, although the daily newspaper and the local TV stations are still running reports on it constantly, updating numbers and pointing out hotspots. They are reporting too on how the local colleges and school systems are handling the pandemic.

We continue to "mask up" and mostly stay home. We are homebodies anyway so this is not a real trial for us. My husband can go out and do his farm chores without worry, and I am ordering groceries online and having things shipped to us instead of going out. I ventured inside Kroger on Thursday because they kept leaving things out of my orders and I finally went in after them, but I tried to be quick about it. The store has been changed around since I was last in it so it took a little longer than I'd expected.

I know other people are eager to be out and about. Not everyone likes to stay home. Some folks like to travel and others just need to be around people more than I. I feel bad for them because they can't do what they want. I have a blogging friend who is in a hotel right now and she said they aren't coming in and cleaning every day and they have to change their own sheets and things. If I have to do all that, I may as well stay home.

The most recent book I read is Making a Literary Life: Advice for Writers and Other Dreamers, by Carolyn See. It was written in 2002 and it was startling to see how much the publishing landscape has changed in the last 18 years. Some of the advice no longer holds true, but every story still needs characters, plot, location, and a time frame, so that was a good short refresher course.

Other things to note: protests continue, along with damage that I think is not done by the peaceful rioters but instead by people looking to make trouble. Hurricane Laura hit Louisiana as a Category 4 hurricane, and we were supposed to have a great deal of rain from it but we had very little. California has had multiple fires again. The candidates are set for the November election.

Today, we have rain.

Sunday Stealing

Sunday Stealing

1. Who is the hottest celebrity you can think of?

A. I don't know. I don't keep up with things like that.

2. Do you ever get so nervous that you can't even think?

A. Yes.

3. Do you sing when there is no music?

A. Yes.

4. Who was the best political leader in history and why?

A. I don't know about best, but let's learn something today.

Aung San Suu Kyi, (June 19, 1945-) is a Burmese opposition politician, the 1991 winner of the Nobel Peace Prize and the daughter of Aung San, considered to be the father of modern-day Burma. He negotiated the nation's independence from the British Empire in 1947. Since the 1980s, she has led a non-violent resistance against Burma’s repressive military regime – and as a result has spent years under house arrest. In the 1990 general election, her National League for Democracy party won 59 percent of the national vote and 81 percent of the seats in Parliament – but Burma’s military dictators chose to ignore the elections. Although she has remained out of public sight for years, she has led a quiet democratic resistance. She received the Andre Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought in 1990 and the Jawaharlal Nehru Award for International Understanding by the government of India in 1992. One of her most famous speeches is the "Freedom From Fear" speech, which begins: "It is not power that corrupts but fear. Fear of losing power corrupts those who wield it and fear of the scourge of power corrupts those who are subject to it." She also believes fear spurs many world leaders to lose sight of their purpose. "Government leaders are amazing," she once said. "So often it seems they are the last to know what the people want."

5. If you could dance with anyone in the world right now, who would it be and what song would you dance to?

A. I would dance with my husband to Longer by Dan Folgerburg.

6. Finish this sentence your own way. There are two types of people in the world...

A. Those who think first and then react, and those who react and never think.

7. What have you saved since elementary school?

A. I have a silver dollar my grandfather gave me.

8. Have you ever won an award?

A. I have won a number of awards for writing.

9. Do you feel more connected to the sun or the moon?

A. The moon.

10. Do flaws make people interesting to you?

A. Everyone is flawed. Some flaws are simply more visible than others.

11. Who is your favorite historical figure?

A. It's a three-way tie between Joan of Arc, Queen Victoria, and Mary, Queen of Scots.

12. White bread or wheat bread?

A. Whole-wheat white bread.

13. Do you usually do things fast or right?

A. I try to do them right.

14. Are you or have you ever been in a band?

A. Yes.

15. Here are 4 statements about me. Only one of them is true. Which one is it?

A. That's only two sentences and a question. I have no idea what this means.

16. Would you wear a thong bathing suit in public?

A. No. I wouldn't wear one in private, either.

17. Have you thought about death today?

A. Yes.

18. What is your favorite breakfast?

A. Bacon, eggs, biscuits and gravy, and grits.

19. Are you the life of the party?

A. No.

20. If you hit an animal with your car would you get out to try and make sure it was okay?

A. That depends on the situation. If it is a tame animal, like a dog or cat, I would (and have). If it is a wild animal, generally they run off, especially the deer. I have hit several deer and sometimes they simply glance off the car, leaving a nice dent, and then vanish. I brake for squirrels and rabbits and try not hit anything.

21. When do you get your most peaceful and satisfying sleep?

A. When I'm asleep.

22. What thought gets you out of bed in the morning?

A. I have stuff to do.

23. What are you a member of?

A. The local historical society and a book club.

 
24. Name one place you refuse to ever go.

A. I would say somewhere where there is no war, but I suspect I live in a place that is constantly at war with everyone around it and within itself, so that's out.

25. When (and if) people (or animals) go to heaven, do they become angels?

A. I leave that to each individual to decide.

________________
I encourage you to visit other participants in Sunday Stealing posts and leave a comment. Cheers to all us thieves who love memes, however we come by them.

Saturday 9: Buttered Popcorn

Saturday 9: Buttered Popcorn (1961)

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) This Saturday, the treat's on Sam. Will you have buttered popcorn, caramel corn or cheese popcorn?

A. Buttered, please. Thank you, Sam.

2) This record represents the Supremes as they are seldom heard. Florence Ballard is singing lead, with background vocals provided by Mary Wilson, Barbara Martin and Diane Ross. That's right, "Diane." Her parents meant for her to be named "Diane," and that's what old friends and family still call her, but the hospital mistakenly put her name down as "Diana." Motown execs thought "Diana Ross" had a better sound and the rest, as they say, is history. Do you often make typos? Or are you careful and precise at the keyboard?

A. I am less careful than I used to be. Spell check has spoiled me.

3) Barbara Martin left the Supremes in 1962, before they reached stardom, because she was a new mom and wanted to stay home with her baby. Have you ever found yourself in the difficult position of having to choose between your personal and professional lives?

A. Yes. As a news reporter, I made it a point not to become friendly with people I would have to write about, such as supervisors or other public figures. However, sometimes I have become friends with people after a story has finished.

4) Florence Ballard's cousin, Hank, wrote the famous Chubby Checkers dance record, "The Twist." When did you last get on your feet and dance?

A. The other day. I was trying to move around and make my lymph glands work better. I was hoping to remove stagnant chi.

5) Mary Wilson stayed with the group until it disbanded in 1977. She has said that one of her most memorable moments came in 1968, when the group performed for Princess Margaret. Mary recalled that the Princess loudly asked if Mary's hair was real or a wig. Mary was shocked, expecting better behavior from a royal. Tell us a time when someone's behavior shocked you.

A. The other day, someone said something about my hair. I noted that it is rather fine, and she said, "Oh, I thought it would be really coarse." I was taken aback by that, but I did not respond.

6) In 1961, when this song was released, the TV show Hazel premiered and was a top 5 hit for NBC. Oscar winner Shirley Booth played the title character, a very capable and lovable maid. If Crazy Sam could have a maid for just a few hours today, she'd love to have her refrigerator cleaned and kitchen cabinets organized. If you could have a pair of helping hands around your house this afternoon, what would you ask the maid to do?

A. Clean up my husband's office, including the closets. That is where we store things like the Christmas decorations, etc., and everything in that room needs a thorough going-over.

7) Also in 1961, President John F. Kennedy appeared on the cover of Time as their Man of the Year. Are there any magazines in your home right now? If so, who is on the cover?

A. I think there's an AARP magazine here with Alan Alda on the cover.

8) Ernest Hemingway died in 1961. Have you read any of his works?

A. Yes, but it has been a while.

9) Random question: How many pancakes are in the perfect stack?

A. Three.

______________
I encourage you to visit other participants in Saturday 9 posts and leave a comment. Because there are no rules, it is your choice. Saturday 9 players hate rules. We love memes, however. 

Reflection

 

Thursday Thirteen

My blogging friend, The Gal, is participating in "The August Happiness Challenge." I have not been doing it daily, but it seems appropriate to finish out August with another list of 13 things that make me happy.

1. Female musicians. I love watching women rock and roll, or country and jam, even. Women like Melissa Etheridge, Sheryl Crow, Dolly Parton, Chrissie Hynde, Pat Benatar, Cyndi Lauper, Adelle, Lady Gaga, and others make me smile. Keep playing, ladies!

2. Decaffeinated English Breakfast tea is my hot beverage of choice in the morning.

3. I bought a pencil sharpener that is much like the ones I used to use in school. I like to write with pencil and always have.

4. Lovely photos of cedar wax wings made me happy when I processed them. They came out well.

5. I have batteries on hand for the things that need them. This is a good thing.

6. We have a doe with twins running around the house. They are adorable.

7. My husband is reading books! This is exciting.

8. My exercise has picked up. I bought one of those "under the desk" bike pedaling things and have been using it.

9. The chiropractor today will put my back into place! Yay! I suspect this will help with many things.

10. We started eating low-sodium potato chips and they taste good.

11. I wrote a really bad poem yesterday. Sometimes the bad stuff has to be purged before I can get to the better words.

12. My brother sent me the trailer to the new Wonder Woman movie. I am still not sure when it is coming out, but eventually ! I will see this movie.

13. August is coming to a close. Schools have started in whatever manner the districts have determined is best for them. Autumn is nearing. I have always liked Spring and Fall the best.

______________

Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here if you want to read other Thursday Thirteens and/or play along. I've been playing for a while and this is my 670th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.

The Thistle and the Butterfly

 

Just a Little Jam Session

 This is just a little jam session I held with myself. The song is China Grove, by The Doobie Brothers, in case you don't recognize it. I got off a bit on the rhythm in one spot, but that's the way it goes.

 

You may have noticed that I prefer to play rhythm guitar over lead guitar, generally speaking. I always have preferred to be the background noise and not the lead. Sometimes a lick or two of lead is required in rhythm guitar. I also do something odd in that I am playing the electric guitar frequently with fingerstyle instead of with a guitar pick. It's just my preference.

 

Twenty Years

Twenty years ago today, I received the early morning phone call that my mother had passed away in the night.

She was in a nursing home by this time, dying of pancreatic cancer. I had seen her the day before, but not the day she passed away. Had I known she was so close to dying, I would have done better. The doctors, though, kept saying she had another month or so.

Obviously, they were wrong.

My mother was 56 years old when she passed away, and I have now outlived her. Fifty-six is quite young, if you think about it, and yet, not so young, either. My mother had had a difficult life, I think, and perhaps she was ready to go.

I recall that I'd summoned a pastor in to see her the Monday before she died on Wednesday. I do not know what passed between them, as I was asked to leave the room. I do know the pastor said he was glad I had asked him to come as he left. 

My mother never mentioned the visit.

It was, I suppose, the last thing I did for her before she passed away. I visited Tuesday but not the day she passed on. She had seemed strong on Tuesday, and I certainly hadn't expected her to leave us so quickly.

At any rate, I did not want to let the anniversary go without acknowledging it. Twenty years is a long time, though it doesn't seem that long.

I hope she is in a good place.

Cedar Wax Wings

 

Sunday Stealing

Sunday Stealing

1. How old is the oldest expired thing in your refrigerator?

A. It hasn't been that long since I cleaned out the fridge, but I did notice some shriveled grapes this morning. Otherwise, the oldest thing is probably medicine for the cattle.

2. What’s the weirdest thing you’ve ever done on a date?

A. I haven't been on a date in 37 years.

3. What animal most closely resembles your eating style?

A. Something that grazes all the time. Maybe a cow.

4. Have you ever sent someone a text you didn’t mean to?

A. Not that I recall.

5. If you could learn any language fluently, which would it be?

A. Spanish. I took Spanish in high school but it has mostly

slipped away from me. I also wouldn't mind learning French.

6. Would you rather be bald or covered head to toe with hair?

A. At the moment, since I am not having my hair cut regularly, I think I'd rather be bald.

7. Do you think you’re brave?

A. I don't, no. Other people have told me I am. When I was writing for the newspaper, I did many things that my husband thought brave, such as going up in a hot air balloon.

8. What horror fiction character scares you the most?

A. I don't read or watch horror. I find enough horror in real life.

9. What food do you crave more than any other?

A. Chocolate.

10. Which holiday would you erase from the calendars, if you could?

A. Christmas. The way it is celebrated now is too overblown.

11. What’s the most clever word you know?

A. I have no idea. Serendipity? Ubiquitous? Oligarchy? Kakistocracy? Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious? 

12. Do you have a secret hunch about how you will die?

A. I already know how I will die. I just don't know when.

13. What do you collect that nobody knows about?

A. Nothing. I'm pretty much an open book (which I seem to collect).

14. Have you ever eaten only candy for dinner?

A. Yes.

15. Have you ever taken anything illegally across a border?

A. No.

16. Have you ever blown your nose in anything other than a tissue?

A. Does a handkerchief count? If so, then yes.

17. Are you a good time manager?

A. When I am on a deadline, yes. Otherwise, not so much.

18. Has life been hard on you?

A. Yes. But I think it is hard on most everyone.

19. What is the absolute worst song in the world?

A. I have no idea.

20. What is your culinary specialty?

A. I make good fudge.

________________
I encourage you to visit other participants in Sunday Stealing posts and leave a comment. Cheers to all us thieves who love memes, however we come by them.

Saturday 9: I See Love

Saturday 9: I See Love (2010)

(Which is much better than seeing dead people)

Unfamiliar with this week's song. Hear it here.

1) This is the theme from Mike and Molly, a TV show that ran from 2010 to 2016. Were you a fan?

A. I have never seen the show.

2) Molly was played by Melissa McCarthy. Today she's one of Hollywood's best-paid actresses, but when she began her career, she was barely scraping by. She recently recalled the time when, as a struggling actress, she was rejected at the ATM because it only gave out $20s and she didn't have even that much in her checking account. How often do you visit the ATM? Several times a week? Several times a month? Never?

A. Maybe three times a year.

3) When she was broke, Melissa couldn't afford blueberries and avocados.  Now she savors them. When you're a few bucks ahead, what do you splurge on?

A. Books.

4) Mike was played by Billy Gardell. He was working at a comedy club, cleaning the bathrooms and answering the phone. He used to crack jokes with other employees and finally one of his coworkers dared him to go onstage on "open mic night." A comedy career was born. Tell us about someone who pushed you to make the right move.

A. My English professor at the community college was instrumental in pushing me to go on after my bachelor's degree. I earned an associates' there and transferred. She said I had a talent that should not be wasted. She thought I could be another Lee Smith if I applied myself. Obviously, I did not go in that direction, choosing instead to write for newspapers. I suppose it is not too late.

5) On the show, Mike's best friend was his fellow officer, Carl McMillan. Carl was not especially motivated and still lived with his grandmother, well into his 30s. How old were you when you moved out of the house for good?

A. I was 20. I lived at home until I married.

6) Mike's and Molly's mothers are different as night and day and frequently did not get along. Have you ever had in-law trouble?

A. Not really, no.

7) This week's song was written by Keb Mo. He switches among several different guitars when he works -- electric, acoustic and resonator. Can you play guitar?

A. I can! And do. You can go to the "music" label and see videos of me playing. I have been posting one on Tuesdays this summer.

8) In 2010, when this show premiered, Apple introduced the iPad. Do you use a tablet?

A. I have a Kindle HD tablet, but I don't do any work on it or have Facebook on it, or anything like that. I have one game and lots of books on it. I do all of my work on a desktop.

9) This week's random question gives you an opportunity to brag: What's something you do better than most people?

A. I'm not very good at bragging. I write well. I don't know that I do it better "than most people" but better than some. I take decent pictures, but I do not consider myself a professional photographer even though I've published and been paid for at least 1,000 pictures. I have always considered myself a "Jill of all trades," meaning I do a lot of things sort of well. I am loyal and forgiving although I do have my "time to stop" point. I try to be a nice, kind, decent human being. Really, isn't that the most important thing?

______________
I encourage you to visit other participants in Saturday 9 posts and leave a comment. Because there are no rules, it is your choice. Saturday 9 players hate rules. We love memes, however. 

Thursday Thirteen #670

My blogging friend, The Gal, is participating in "The August Happiness Challenge." So I thought I'd do another list of sorts for this Thursday 13.

1. Dr. Pepper, it turns out, is readily available in our area. This makes me happy because it makes my husband happy. Last week there were articles about a Dr. Pepper shortage, and he rose early and went to Food Lion to stock up. He found plenty. I don't drink it but I am happy for him that he found it.

2. Understanding that I am not at fault for every little thing that goes on around me makes a big difference in attitude.

3. My laryngitis is starting to clear up! I still sound gravelly but at least I am no longer croaking.

4. Pops asked me to help him out with some church work, and I obliged. Few people can sell my community to someone as well as I can.

5. Time seems to be measured differently these days. This is not a bad thing. I remember how amused Diana Prince was in the Wonder Woman movie when she saw Steve's watch. "You let that little thing tell you how to run your life?" she asked (paraphrasing). In the days of coronavirus and husband's retirement, time has taken on a different meaning. A better one, I think.

6. Running has never been my strong suit (I couldn't if I wanted to, probably), but I do like walking on the treadmill. I am working hard to get my heel spur under control so I can return to that. I've set up my own physical therapy routine that seems to be helping.

7. Until yesterday, I didn't realize how close we were to Autumn. I stood and watched the early morning sun shifting through the leaves and noticed the lack of green in them. The trees are readying themselves for colder days.

8. Monday, my husband fixed dinner. He can cook when he wants to and I'm urging him to do that more often. Not having to cook makes me very happy.

9. Pandemics have a way of changing society. I hope it makes ours better - as in, more loving, more kind, more "other" oriented and not so selfishly individualistic. We'll see. Fingers crossed.

10. Nobody gets me like my brother, and that is a good thing. I'm happy we are friends.

11. Ordinary items, like pencils, pens, paper, paperclips, notebooks, etc., make me happy. I normally buy a few extra notebooks in August, when the school supplies are out. Not this year, so I am happy that I have a stash.

12. Wonder, that is, a state of curiosity, is something I try to build. I like to be curious and find wonder in all sorts of things, from bugs to deer to birds and zoom lenses in cameras. The world is full of many lovely, beautiful things. 

13. Focusing on the good is a positive, and I'm happy I am doing that today.

______________

Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here if you want to read other Thursday Thirteens and/or play along. I've been playing for a while and this is my 670th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.

Fawns at Play

 

The Meadow

This is a guitar arrangement that I first started when I was a teenager. Since I have had laryngitis for most of August, I pulled it out and worked on it some to share here.

I call it "The Meadow." I've never played it for anyone before, although my brother may remember it from when I still lived at home. Well, my husband's heard me practicing it. But this is its public debut.

Boots

 

The first time I saw my husband's firefighter's boots laid out beside the door of the fire engine, I teared up. I never liked to think about him out on a call. I preferred to think about him waiting, like his boots.

That was a long time ago, and the firefighters still have their boots and gear at the ready, sitting by the door of the fire truck. I took this shot on August 10, when my husband was having his retirement farewell at Station #5.

The boots by the truck make it very real how fast and efficient these men are as they dash into danger to save a home or a life. 

May the Universe bless all of those who fill these boots in times of need,