This one has been in my head since I saw this parked in front of the local hardware store:

Now, all I need is Suzanne Somers to drive it around on a warm summer night, and my year is complete.

When someone wants to protest the government, whether we agree with them or not, this we’ll defend.

When a citizen wants to vote, no matter for whom or what, this we’ll defend.

When a mother wants to buy a gun to protect her children, this we’ll defend.

When someone wants to worship, or chooses not to, this we’ll defend.

When someone wants to write, or sing, or draw, or paint, or dance, whether it be for the joy of it or to send a message to the rest of us, this we’ll defend.

When our people want to live in peace, in security, in freedom, this we’ll defend.

Today is the 250th anniversary of the establishment of the United States Army.  

It’s been made up of larger than life heroes and ordinary folk.  Our ranks have included Douglas MacArthur, Andrew Jackson, Audie Murphy, and Nathan Hale.  They have also included the quiet men and women who go to do their duty and then come back to build up that which they have defended.  

Our places have names like Valley Forge, Omaha Beach, Pusan, Ia Drang, and Antietam.  They also have names like Grafenwohr, Camp Red Cloud, Hood, Riley, Carson, and Lewis, and all the other cold, hot, dusty, wet, and whatever-else they-can-throw-at-us places around the world where quiet professionals train and prepare.

To my brothers and sisters around the world, I’ll be raising a toast tonight.  If you can, please join me.  

Rakkasan

Garryowen

Climb To Glory

Iron Soldiers!

Toujours Pret

Always Out Front

This We’ll Defend

St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle, be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil.

May God rebuke him we humbly pray; and do thou, O Prince of the Heavenly host, by the power of God, cast into hell Satan and all the evil spirits who prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls.

Amen.

Cuddle bunny! Full of Stars!

Dear Amazon,

Thank you so much for your diligence in getting whatever it is my wife ordered delivered on time. The dedication to be delivering packages at 5:28 AM on a Monday morning is rarely found in these times.

Also, thank you for the opportunity for my dogs to lose their everloving minds at 5:28 AM. They are truly up and ready to face whatever the day serves up.

Also, the opportunity to reflexively grab the 1911 from the bedside tqble and get it out of its holster while still bleery eyed was good training. Thanks for that. My reholster was a little rusty, but I’ll work on it.

Hugs and kisses,

Tom

In a just world, I would have played this just before Memorial Day, but Boo goes to a school that doesn’t believe in the old ways.