It's a couple days late for Veterans' Day, also known as Remembrance Day in many parts of the world.  But a friend let me know of this incredible performance by a 13 year old Dutch girl named Melissa Venema.

I hold the people of the Netherlands dear, as I lived there for two years.  Mr. Merx was my neighbor and a young boy during the war.  He told stories of how the Germans were driven back, inch by inch, by the Allies. He told how an American company came up the road past our house, and how ten went out but only eight came back.  This first hand account gave life to this part of history.

Not far from where we lived, over 8,000 American dead are interred in the cemetery at Margraten.  Each September, the Dutch hold a memorial service to honor the men who died to liberate their country.  The following is a link to Melissa's rendition of Taps.  There is a poignant history behind the music that I may relate another time.  Meanwhile, follow this link to listen to this incredibly emotional performance, played in the old Roman plaza in Maastricht.

http://www.flixxy.com/trumpet-solo-melissa-venema.htm

A Dog's Life

The Further Adventures of Rocket - Los Angeles' Wonder Dog

It's always a special day when Bruno comes to visit.

Hey Bruno, how fast can you run?

Nice to see you too, pal.  Sorry you have to leave so soon, I'm on my way to the beach.  The Santa Ana winds are blowing and it's time for a fire patrol.

Everything looks good in this direction.  Smokey the Bear has his Fire Danger sign pointed to Red.  With the high winds blowing, you can't be too careful.

Woah! Do I smell smoke?  Better check it out, and fast.  I'm putting it into high gear!  Don't worry folks, help is on the way.

No problem, the smoke I smelled is from the chimney.  People there must have a fire going to warm things up. Going to be a cool evening.

This house is secure as well, is there anyplace else I should check?

All secure, sir.  Nothing to report except this beautiful sunset.

The folks in Malibu can sleep well tonight knowing that Rocket is on the job.

Photos courtesy of Christine, who is the most extraordinary dog sitter in LA.

Top 10 Television Show Theme Songs

Do you recall your favorite TV shows?  You probably do, but what about their theme songs?

Classics like 77 Sunset Strip, Route 66, and even I Dream of Jeannie had very catchy theme songs.  Below is a list of 10 of my favorites, not in any particular order.  If any of these are unfamiliar, you can check them out on YouTube.  What songs would you add to the list?

10.  Peter Gunn
 9.  Maverick
 8.  Bonanza
 7.  MASH
 6.  The Monkees
 5.  The Muppet Show
 4.  The Jeffersons
 3.  Monday Night Football (Are you ready for some football?)
 2.  Hill Street Blues

And this is my number one favorite:

 1.  Hawaii 5-0

Tales Out Of School

At a local elementary school, all teachers are expected to help with "pick up duty".  The goal is to keep the children safe as they exit the cars, so the teachers control the flow of kids by opening the doors and holding them until the child exits safely.  Then they close the door and the parent can drive away.

One parent drives his child to school in a very expensive sports car.  And each time the teacher let his child out, she was roundly criticized for slamming the door too hard.

The teacher quickly tired of the daily tirade.  One day she answered, "Sir, I don't close your car door any differently than I close anyone else's door.  I am sorry that your car sounds like a tin can."

She was never criticized again.

Angel's Perch

Angel's Perch is the story of a young architect torn between dedication to his job and love for his family. Set primarily in Cass, WV, the movie expertly captures life in a small town where everyone knows everything about everyone else, and that's the way they like it.  Vivid character portrayals, lovely cinematography, and the everyday beauty of living in a society where individual lives are intertwined into an unbreakable cord combine to make Angel's Perch a movie well worth seeing.

For a detailed synopsis and more information, please visit Angel's Perch website.  And see the movie.

Tales out of School

A teacher gave an assignment to her students.  "Use all the letters in the alphabet and write a word that begins with each letter," she instructed.

The dutiful children completed their task.  While grading their work, the teacher's eye was caught by one particular paper.  The "A - Apple", "B - Boy", and "C - Cookie" entries were all perfectly correct.  She continued through the alphabet until she came to the letter "X".  For that letter, the child wrote "Wife".  

Memorial Day

This is the day set aside to pay tribute to all those who have served in the Armed Forces of our great nation, with special emphasis on those who never came home.  There is an entry devoted to the fallen soldier, and if you like, you can see this post at Memorial Day .  But there are others who serve, silently and unheralded, and this post, originally published on Nov. 10, 2011, is devoted to the ones who stay at home and wait .....


Home Front

With a bloody knee he pushes his bike slowly up the lane,
He’ll try to put the training wheels back on.
There’s a little girl whose daddy won’t be watching her tonight,
As she dances in her very first ballet.

There’s a woman in the kitchen fighting silent tears alone,
It’s mac ‘n cheese for dinner once again.
She prays to God for strength to make it through another night,
And wonders when her husband’s coming home.

A faded yellow ribbon hangs in tatters on the door
The candle in the window’s lit each night.
One day a gentle wind will see our weary soldiers home
To find the peace that they’ve been fighting for.