Happy Memorial Day!

Yup. Nothing says "Thank you veterans for dying for our Freedoms" like a sale on sodas, grills and beer.

I have never quite understood the retail angle on holidays. And why Memorial Day is the 'kick off' to summer. (Except it's at the end of May)

We haven't done a whole lot of anything this weekend. Cut grass and planted some stuff in the garden on Saturday (a whole flat of marigolds, and a half a flat of gallaridas STILL need planted) and yesterday we visited Mom for a pickanick. I don't know what is on today's agenda, because I've been catching up on blogs and surfing eBay this morning. Plus it's kind of yucky out. At least at 7:20 am, it's yucky out. It's not like I don't have anything to do, though. It's just early yet. Not to mention how rare it is that I have some time to just surf around and plotz away online.

It makes me sad to realize that we haven't learned that war is no good for anyone. That after all these years, all these wars, and all of us who have been affected by war and the chaos that follows, that we haven't figured out a better way. I support our troops, because they are doing their jobs, just as my friends and my father did.

But I do NOT support our government, and that bullheaded, slackjawed jackass who is our alleged Commander in Chief. Screw you and the horse you rode in on if you think I'm less of an American because I don't support him. Don't even try to tell me that I'm as good as a terrorist because I'm not beating the Bush drum and crowing about what a great job he's doing. I will not.

I'm paying 3.08 for a gallon of gas. I'm paying 3.40 for a gallon of milk. I'm paying close to three bucks for bread. And I'm not the only one. America is teetering on the brink of a major crisis, my friends. And it's not about terrorism. It's not about Bush either. It's about our single-minded, me oriented lifestyles. "I don't care if gas is four bucks a gallon, I'm still driving my SUV on vacation!!" Whatever happened to the concept of conservation? I know most of you reading me (all 6 of you, thanks for that, BTW) remember the 70's when carpooling was the thing to do. When gas shortages were rampant, when you could only get gas for your vehicle on certain days. Lots of people car pooled. People made fewer unnecessary trips, consolidated errands, actually made an effort. Nobody seems to care now. "Oh the kids can't walk two blocks to school, I drive them." "Oh, I can't ride to work with my spouse, I go out to lunch! I have to drive." "I know I just got back from Walmart, but I HAVE to got to Home Depot now!!" and so on.

It dosen't seem like we are living consciously anymore. We barrel blindly through our lives, on the phone or plugged into our iPods (don't have on, don't want one) and nobody cares, just as long as they get their own way, and aren't inconvienced one iota. Wake up people. We're heading for a major freaking wake up call very, very soon.

Anyway, rant over. Happy Memorial Day to all of you. Take some time today to remember those who fought and died for our freedoms, and then take a minute and review what your freedoms are. And ponder just how precious those freedoms are, and just how quickly they can be taken away.

Peace.