Here’s a story that was sent out by a Scoutmaster I work with to his Troop members. I thought it was rather fitting to pass on with the upcoming weekdend and our trip to Washington, D.C. Here it is:

Each year, Americans welcome Memorial Day as part of a three-day weekend that initiates the summer season. Many do not take the time to consider the purpose of Memorial Day.

One story of how Memorial day began credits four southern women from Columbus, Mississippi. On April 26, 1866, these young ladies went to decorate their soldiers’ graves. Four years earlier, the bloody Civil War battle of Shiloh took place on this site. At the Friendship Cemetery, where about 1,500 Confederate and 100 Union soldiers were buried, the woman proceeded to scatter flowers over the graves of soldiers of both sides.

Although the war was over, there was still an intense feeling of hatred between North and South. The news of the decoration reached the North. An article in the New York Tribune cited the ladies for their unselfish act. The idea that Southern ladies would mark the graves of Union soldiers with flowers was met with surprise. This kindly act touched the hearts of many.

As years went by and men of both the North and South fought side by side in the U.S. Armed Forces, Memorial Day became a time to honor all who had lost their lives in our nation’s conflicts. The conflicts and casualties of the Spanish-American War, World War I, World War II, Korea, Vietnam, Beirut, Grenada, Panama and Desert Storm, have replaced the Civil War as the focus of Memorial Day.

Please don’t forget the purpose of Memorial Day. Don’t forget the countless numbers of Americans that have sacrificed their most precious possession, their life, so that we might enjoy the benefit of freedom. Don’t take it for granted

Happy Memorial Day.

Imagine our horror on Monday night when we finally decided to rip the carpet out of the “baby’s room” and discovered that the “finished” hardwood floors were not exactly “finished.” We’re just making guesses here, but we’re assuming that the previous owners always knew they’d be laying carpet in that room, so when the painted the walls a bright blue it wasn’t a big deal for them to leave paint all over the hardwood. Ouch. The project of turning the “baby’s room” into the “guest room” might take longer than expected!

Despite the many surprises, Roger and I are still having a good time being homeowners. We’ve completely re-decorated two rooms (the living room and the bathroom) and are now on the third. Last weekened we planted our first garden … a 12 by 12 plot from which we’ll harvest tomatoes, eggplant, cilantro, peppers, zucchini, cucumbers and cantaloupe! And, last Sunday, we also invested in new patio furniture, to be delivered in early June. (We then scoured KMart for cheap tiki-torches to light up the backyard during our first annual Bocce Ball tournament, at a time and date TBD.)

Despite that we love being at home, we’re traveling too: this Saturday we’re off to Washington, D.C. for a week. Just today Congressman Jim Ramstad’s office called with the date and time of our Capitol Building tour. (Hint: call your congressperson if you’re traveling to the nation’s capital — they’ll hook you up with all sorts of cool things to see and do). We’re going over Memorial Day weekend so expect the city to be full of events for us to attend, including concerts on the Mall and a ceremony at Arlington. We’ll post many photos when we return!

This week’s Friday Five: Give Me a Head with Hair

1. What shampoo do you use?
   I’m phasing out my old Neutrogena basic and going high-class with Aveda Shampure — supposedly good for colored hair and recommended by my stylist Bradley, who says he’s been “on a Shampure kick lately.” (Here’s Brad at his station along with Ron and another H Design client.)
2. Do you use conditioner? What kind?
   Yep, I use conditioner. Like my shampoo, I’m phasing out an old bottle of Back to Basics (of the green tea variety) and moving to Aveda Brilliant.
3. When was the last time you got your hair cut?
   My last hair cut and color was Tuesday, April 30. I typically get my hair cut every four weeks, but I’m a bit ahead of schedule as I’m getting it cut again this Thursday. Good thing, as I’m leaving for a weeklong vacation Saturday to humid Washington, D.C.!
4. What styling products do you use?
   I’ve found that too much product weighs my hair down, so right now, I’m only using two: Aveda Brilliant pomade (the anti-humectant kind) which keeps my hair soft, shiny, smooth and straight, and hairspray (the name escapes me, but it’s in a black and white bottle).
5. What’s your worst hair-related experience?
   I’ve always had short hair, so I can remember a few: the Annie style perms, the mullet cut in the fourth grade, the “roll” of hair at the front of my head in the 80s …. my hair situation dramatically improved in 1998 when I met Bradley! My most recent hair disaster was after my last color …. I asked for a bit of red and it turned out too red, but thanks to all that expensive Aveda product, the red has blended nicely into a color I can live with.

After a year of planning, Wendy and Tim were finally married this past Saturday at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Burnsville (you wouldn’t believe me if I told you that their pastor used a puppet in the ceremony, would you?). While my amateur photography skills aren’t the greatest (due in part to some pretty bad lighting in the church and at the reception) you can get a feeling for the event through the pics I’ve posted at Ofoto. Congrats, Tim and Wen!