Beautiful Tribute

If you did not have the opportunity to see the State Funeral service last night for former President Ford, you missed a most touching tribute by our current Vice President and Ford’s former Chief of Staff, Dick Cheney. You can read the full speech at the White House.gov site, but here is just a bit of it.

It’s hard to imagine that this most loyal of men began life as an abandoned child, facing the world alone with his mother. He was devoted to her always, and also to the fine man who came into their lives and gave the little boy a name he would carry into history. Gerald and Dorothy Ford expected good things of their son. As it turned out, there would be great things, too — in a journey of 93 years that would fill them with loving pride.

Jerry Ford was always a striver — never working an angle, just working. He was a believer in the saying that in life you make your own luck. That’s how the Boy Scout became an Eagle Scout; and the football center, a college all-star; and the sailor in war, a lieutenant commander. That’s how the student who waited tables and washed dishes earned a law degree, and how the young lawyer became a member of the United States Congress, class of 1948. The achievements added up all his life, yet he was known to boast only about one. I heard it once or twice myself — he said he was never luckier than when he stepped out of Grace Episcopal Church in Grand Rapids with a beautiful girl named Betty as his bride.

Photo: President Ford with his Deputy Chief of Staff, Richard Cheney 1975
- Gerald Ford Foundation

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And The Winner Is…

2007 Ford Focus SES in “Liquid Grey Metallic” with the safety package! (I think our oldest is a little jealous because this is sportier than the Taurus that is now her car!) We are so happy with the lease deal that we are seriously considering trading in our Jeep Cherokee for the Ford Fusion! We would then be a Ford Family…need to support U.S. industry! 

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Ding Dong, the Butcher’s Dead

Michael Ramirez – Townhall

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Keep An Eye On Them

No, not your children, your husbands! Here is an e-mail from my step-mother and it’s a hoot! I’m sure that some of my readers will have either experienced this embarrassing behavior in a loved one or may have done these things themselves and yes, I’m thinking of you, Stew!

Mr. and Mrs. Fenton are retired. Mrs. Fenton insists that he go with her to Wal-Mart. He gets bored with all the shopping. He prefers to get in and get out, but Mrs. Fenton loves to browse. Here’s a letter sent to her by the store manager:

“Dear Mrs. Fenton:

Over the past six months, your husband has been causing quite a commotion in our store. We cannot tolerate this behavior and may ban both of you from our stores. We have documented all incidents on our video surveillance equipment. All complaints against Mr. Fenton are listed below.

1. June 15: Took 24 boxes of condoms and randomly put them in people’s carts when they weren’t looking.

2. July 2: Set all the alarm clocks in House wares to go off at 5-minute intervals.

3. July 7: Made a trail of tomato juice on the floor leading to the restrooms.

4. July 19: Walked up to an employee and told her in an official tone, ‘Code 3′ in house wares… and watched what happened.

5. Aug 4: Went to the Service Desk and asked to put a bag of M&M’s on layaway.

6. Sept 14: Moved a ‘CAUTION – WET FLOOR’ sign to a carpeted area.

7. Sept 15: Set up a tent in the camping department and told other shoppers he’d invite them in if they’ll bring pillows from the bedding department.

8. Sept 23: When a clerk asks if they can help him he begins to cry and asks, ‘Why can’t you people just leave me alone?’

9. Oct 4: Looked right into the security camera; used it as a mirror, and picked his nose.

10. Nov 10: While handling guns in the hunting department, asked the clerk if he knows where to find the antidepressants.

11. Dec 3: Darted around the store suspiciously loudly humming the ” Mission Impossible” theme.

12. Dec 6: In the auto department, practiced his “Madonna look” using different size funnels.

13. Dec 1 8: Hid in a clothing rack and when people browse through, yelled “PICK ME!” “PICK ME!”

14. Dec 21: When an announcement came over the loud speaker, he assumes the fetal position and screams “NO! NO! It’s those voices again!!!!”

And last, but not least…

15. Dec 23: Went into a fitting room, shut the door waited awhile, then yelled very loudly, “There is no toilet paper in here.”

The listing for this e-mail/letter (which is a farce, of course) is on Snopes.com and has the addition of the line: “Three of our sales clerks are currently attending counseling due to the trouble your husband has caused!”

There is another joke list similar to this one which gives the top ten (or 15?) things to do when you’re in a crowded elevator. I just thought I would share this…hope you got a chuckle!

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New Cars

It’s been over four months that I’ve pretty much been without a car (that’s when our oldest got her license) so, we’re looking to lease a new car. I’ve been doing a lot of reading and research and would like to get some input from people who may be currently driving a new car and what you think of or your experience with any of the following:

Chevy Cobalt (LS or LT)
Ford Focus (SE or SES)
Honda Civic (DX or LX)
Mazda Mazda3
Saturn Ion 3
Toyota Corolla (S or LE)

I’d like to stay with American made, but we are looking for best value. So, if you know about these cars from a personal experience, I’d sure like to hear what you have to say! Thanks!!

Cars.com

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Gerald R. Ford

Gerald R. Ford – 1913-2006

Tonight America lost a good man. Gerald R. Ford, known as “the accidental President” died Tuesday, December 26th, at the age of 93. He was not elected to either of his highest offices. He was appointed to the Vice Presidency after Spiro Agnew stepped down because of scandal. Then, just eight months later, he became President when Richard Nixon resigned in disgrace over Watergate.

When Ford took the oath of office on August 9, 1974, he stated:

“I assume the Presidency under extraordinary circumstances…. This is an hour of history that troubles our minds and hurts our hearts.”

Robert Novak called him a “very honest man…a good man.”

President George W. Bush released this statement after learning of President Ford’s death:

“The American people will always admire Gerald Ford’s devotion to duty, his personal character, and the honorable conduct of his administration. We mourn the loss of such a leader, and our 38th President will always have a special place in our Nation’s memory. On behalf of all Americans, Laura and I offer our deepest sympathies to Betty Ford and all of President Ford’s family. Our thoughts and prayers will be with them in the hours and days ahead.”

Clark Clifford, an adviser to presidents since Harry Truman, summed up his legacy:

“About his brief presidency there is little that can be said. In almost every way, it was a caretaker government trying to bind up the wounds of Watergate and get through the most traumatic act of the Indochina drama.

“Ford … was a likable person who deserves credit for accomplishing the one goal that was most important, to reunite the nation after the trauma of Watergate and give us a breathing spell before we picked a new president.”

He was a star football player for the University of Michigan, he attained the rank of Lieutenant Commander in the Navy during World War II, he ran for congress and won in 1948 where he served almost 13 terms and was actually considering retirement when he was appointed to the office of Vice President. He may not have been the strongest of Presidents, but he was a good and honorable man.

God bless his family in their time of sorrow and may he rest in peace.

White House.gov and AP

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Wednesday Hero – 12/27/06

Every once and awhile I’ll do a Wednesday Hero that doesn’t profile a single soldier. Sometimes it’s been two or three from the same unit, sometimes it’s been an entire group of soldiers like the Navajo Code Talkers. I even did an organization once, Operation Iraqi Children. This weeks Wednesday Hero is one of those sometimes. This weeks Wednesday Heroes are the parents of soldiers.

These people sacrifice just as much, if not more, than the soldiers themselves. They, in many cases, are having their babies leave home for the first time in their lives. While most parents only have to adjust to them moving a few miles away or going off to college, these Blue Star Parents have to watch their children go off to a very dangerous situation and can only hope and pray that everything will turn out okay. I don’t have children of my own, so I can’t even imagine what that is like. We have a few Blue Star Parents in the blogroll, so to them, and every parent of a Hero, I tell you we all stand with and support you and your family.

There’s a site that everyone should check out if they haven’t already. Blue Star Mothers Of America.These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.

We Have Every Right To Dream Heroic Dreams.
Those Who Say That We’re In A Time When There Are No Heroes, They Just Don’t Know Where To Look

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. If you would like to participate in honoring the brave men and women who serve this great country, you can find out how by clicking here.

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Quote for the New Year

“Be practical as well as generous in your ideals. Keep your eyes on the stars, but remember to keep your feet on the ground.”

Theodore Roosevelt
From a speech at The Groton School,
Groton, MA, May 24, 1904

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Blessings of Christmas

Christ Child and Angels by Marianne Stokes

May the blessings of Christmas be upon you and yours!

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Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve by Gustave Dore.

Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas

Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas,
Let your heart be light
Next year,
All our troubles will be out of sight

Have yourself a merry little Christmas
Make the yuletide gay
Next year all our troubles will be miles away

Once again as in olden days
Happy golden days of yore
Faithful friends who were near to us
Will be near to us once more

Someday soon we all will be together
If the fates allow.
Until then, we’ll have to muddle through somehow
So have yourself a merry little Christmas now.

Written by Hugh Martin & Ralph Blane, 1943

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