Merry Christmas To Our Veterans

What a day!!  Things haven't been going so smoothly around here, so I was loaded for bear when I got up yesterday.  One checking account is protected, only three more to go, all of which were closed.  There's not much else the burglars got except my retirement papers which thankfully have no social security number listed.  I guess we'll just wait and see.

Next I charged up my little drill to help get my fence fixed.  My good friend Mark who was helping lay wreaths, not only said he would help, but he brought the big nails I didn't have.  But first, we drove out to the San Joaquin National Cemetery.

Wreaths Across America sells these real tree branch wreaths to any organization who puts in an order.  In our area, most are delivered to the San Joaquin National Cemetery, but lucky for us, they actually deliver ours to the Elks Lodge in Merced.

Our thirty volunteers picked them up and drove all over the county to lay the wreaths on graves of our Elks Veterans.  This year we had 218.

Mark and I gathered up ours and headed off to the cemetery with a map and list of numbers and names where we would place the wreaths.  It takes some walking and it's all uphill.  It's also always very cold and very wet ... thus my rubber boots and heavy pea coat.  I got ribbed for it, but I was warm!!!

This cemetery is absolutely beautiful, built on land donated by a cattle rancher.  

We had one name that eluded us until Mark jumped in front of a workers truck.  Good thing it had brakes.  They were nice enough to call in and ask for the plot number.  Watch where you step or you will take a good fall.  It took us no time to finish up our four sections.

I always take a picture of this one for my friends.  I was very happy to see at least fifty cars out there this year, filled with people (including lots of children) doing the same thing we do.  Last year I think maybe there was five.  Word seems to be getting out about honoring our veterans.

Back home, Mark was kind enough to help me repair the fence.  This entire corner section fell over and I've no idea why.  Really, I only needed help nailing one 2 x 4 back up, but he nailed up the entire thing.  YAY!!  My fence is again intact.  

The sad part was the battery on my drill died a horrible death before I even took one screw out.  No problem, we just reused all the old nails that were falling out of every other board.  I'm sure glad to have that off my back.  Oh ... and why the hay bale?  It's covering up a big skunk hole dug under the side fence.

And .... good news, I finally got the prescription after pleading with the Doctor.  The blond gig wasn't working this time.  Of course I just got notification that a SECOND prescription is ready now!!  I think I need a new pharmacy.

So now I'm back to packing, checking tire pressure and adding pounds to the air bags.  Figuring out where to put everything is another fun job, all the while trying not to be overloaded.  I'm sure I'll get better at it after a few trips.

It's a chilly 34 degrees this morning, so packing will be slow.  Good thing I'll be plugged in the first night. Pray for no snow!!!!!  And I'm OFF!!