02 July, 2020 - Getting Ready for A LOT of Noise & Thinking About Dad

Dear, Mom - 

Oh, boy. It is Thursday and that means tomorrow is going to be crazy! The 4th of July in my neighborhood is generally really loud, but the news this year is that it is going to be even worse because everyone has been cooped up at home and there are no public events to go to. I was supposed to be leaving tomorrow to take Elsa away from the city for a camping trip, but I couldn't make it work. I started looking back in October, but so much changed over the last 6 months that all my plans fell through. Now, I am going to have to sedate Elsa, which I did not want to do, but I don't think I will have much choice. Tomorrow, I am going to make an enclosed area under my desk with foam sides to help deaden the noise from outside. The main problem is that dogs hear frequencies that we cannot. She will be hearing the deep booms from a mile away and the whistles and pops. I am going to take her some where for the worst of Saturday night. It will probably be the airport because they can't have fireworks out there. We may just sit at the end of the runway where the cars park. My only trepidation about this is that Elsa is going to get very bored and very confused very fast. I almost want to rent a hotel room and just stay out there, but I know we won't completely get away from all the fireworks. Ugh. It is so frustrating. I work something out.

My partner Holly's father is a retired Army chaplain. He served in both the Korean War and the Vietnam War. Today I was telling him about dad's service on the USS Pine Island during the Korean conflict. 

(Dad in his Navy uniform. He was sooo young!)

Holly's father Doug was very interested to hear about Dad, which was really nice. He knows a lot of people from his lifetime of service. He said that when they lived in Washington D.C. for a time, they lived right next door to a highly regarded Navy Admiral. Also, when he first went into the service it was the Navy, but was then transferred over to the Army after boot camp. I assume this was because he was a chaplain and could go where he was needed most. At the time, this was Vietnam. He has an honorable discharge from the Air Force, the Navy, and the Army! I told him he should write a book because he has so many interesting stories from his time overseas and here in the States. He saw a lot of amazing things and a lot of truly horrible things. He is solely responsible for the distribution of pewter crosses to servicemen during the Vietnam war. He saw there were soldiers wanting souvenirs from the war, but making bad choices as what to take home and started a campaign to make sure every soldier had a cross. I think this was to help them reflect and center themselves and help to have faith in a time of crisis. Holly's father is a very kind and interesting man and still an avid believer and follower of Christ. He has a doctorate in Theology from the University of Birmingham in Birmingham, England. Holly lived in England at this time and made some lasting friendships with a couple of ladies that I am now friends with, as well. We have all stayed in touch. Holly and I traveled to England in 2015 and I was fortunate enough to spend time with both of them (Sonia and Michelle). One of them has a lovely family with three kids. The other was married at the time, but since divorced and now has a new partner. Lovely people. I hope we get to go visit them again.

Here are a couple more pictures of Dad.

Dad and Uncle Doran (or cousin Doran. We always call him Uncle because he was like your brother.)

Dad and Aunt Etta Jo. I'm glad they stayed close.

Now I am going to start with more flowers that I found on my walk today.

This is one of the most beautiful Garden Dahlias I have seen.

This Lily of the Nile was small, but really stood out.

I can't forget your Sweet Peas!

This Rose of Sharon or Hibiscus caught Holly's eye!

I'm not the biggest fan of Daisies, but these were awfully cheerful.

And last, but never least, another shot from my most favorite Rose bush in the neighborhood

Have an amazing day today, Mom! I'm not sure where I will be tomorrow, but I can always write you letter from my telephone computer, if necessary. I'm going to try very hard to be somewhere with Elsa for a good share of the night where she won't be frightened. Saturday night will be the worst, but tomorrow won't be much better. 

💖I love you and miss you very much. Talk to you soon, Your Gal, Sal*💥