"Do this. Don't do that! Can't you read the sign?!"

So today is a very exciting day for my husband and myself: our daughter, who has been in Mexico for 6 months, doing short-term missionary work, is coming home for a month. Yea! 
I had a few things to check off my "to do" list, before picking her up from the airport this afternoon.
First, I needed to mail an item from the post office, prepaid, so I'm off to my first destination. Rather than observe the sign that reads, "Pedestrians must use the corner walkway,"  I willfully chose to ignore it. Earlier this spring, after a good rain, I chose to do the same thing. As a result, I slipped on the wet woodchips beside the sidewalk and fell into the street, headfirst!  A bit scary, yes. Lesson learned? Nope(which rhymes with dope). I knew I had crossed the street this way to the post office before, rather that walking to the corner, and using the marked pedestrian stripes to safely traverse the street. I did it again. The woodships were dry; piece of cake. A lady who parked beside me, happened to glance back at me, and was waiting in line when I took my place there at the counter. Somehow the conversation came up about crossing the busy street, and I proceeded to chat with this same patron, as well as another local.  I told them my story and they laughed, as I was willing to break the law again, just to mail a box. It was a pretty fun chat, as we occupied the line for some time. One lady said, "Hope they serve good meals where you're going!  At least they'll be free!" Only one p.o. worker was at the counter, and the line was now out the door. Another worker comes out, and asks for prepaid items, etc., so I happily jumped to the front of the line, then I made my quick exit. Did I walk to the corner, like a fine, upstanding citizen would do, having disobeyed the law twice before. I should say  . . .not!
Why, after 25 years of teaching young people, and seting and following regulations to a fault, have I now decided to lead a life of crime, out in the open, "in front of God and everybody," as my dad would say? Now I'm back in my car, kicking myself around, and telling myself to "straighten up and fly right," (another "dad-ism.")
Heading for the carwash, I saw a jogger moving very quickly, with apparently no intention of slowing down, not even for a (whole-lotta thousand, pounds) car. I was driving a tinly bit too fast, so thinking I would beat the jogger to the corner before he crossed the street, I zipped on ahead of him. Was there a stop sign for me to observe and obey? Yes. Did I? Nope (again, rhyming with dope)! So as he carefully, and very capably, I might add, jogs around the back of my car, clearly he was unhappy about my choice. He said, "Don't mind me . . . Idiot!"  Ok, now I was burned!  I was ready to turn left, instead of right, stop right in front of him at the next most inconvenient place, and give him a piece of my mind. Did I? Nope! (you know the drill) on my way to the carwash, I kept trying to think of a comeback for "Don't mind me," after he was long gone. I could of said, "I didn't!" 
LESSONS LEARNED: After I wash my car, I put it in the "spin-drive" cycle, to avoid a few water spots (it's a black car *wink *wink) and I got to thinking about the choices I had made within the past half hour.
Could they have been different? Most definitely yes!
However, I would not have had the chuckle with the post office ladies.
AND, had I chosen to observe the stop sign, rather than roll through it in order to get my way, could I have avoided a verbal confrontation with the jogger guy, the upset emotions which followed? Yes!
So the next time the opportunity presents itself, I will chose, not only to read the sign, but obey it, as well. It's the right thing to do.

Sweet,Sweet Land of Liberty

Reasons to celebrate our country's most important holiday-the Fourth of July . . .
Oh where to begin?
I went to a local parade here in Plymouth, Michigan, and a flood of memories came back, in many different forms.
I watched a mother ride to the parade on her bicycle with her two daughters following close behind. They and their bikes were all decorated for a festive and patriotic event, and they were SO ready! Each had a white helmet with fake, silver sparklers sticking out all over and adorned with silver stars. Mom and girls wore patriotic shirts and shorts, but the best part of the whole picture was the way the bikes were decked out: streamers through the bike spokes, with streamers in red, white, and blue trailing behind them.
My mind rushed immediately to the parades my family participated in years ago. The big deal was when the kids would decorate their bikes "to the nines."  One of the best parts was clipping a bubblegum card, or in desperation, a card made from a cereal box, to one of the wheel braces with a clothes pin. When the wheels turned, the card against the spokes would make the low sound of a small motor. SO COOL!
The Centreville, Michigan, parade, with its usual entries of the high school band and civic and business floats, always ended at the town cemetery (not realizing until just now, how this brought the event to a true dead end-sorry, poor humor!). It was then that the local American Legion chapter would offer a gun salute, we would pledge the American flag, and go home, to continue the celebration there.
Later in the evening we would head to the Centreville Bulldogs football field for fireworks. They were so great, complete with spinning, firey wheels and flaming flags.
I am so grateful to my parents, and especially my WWII veteran soldier dad, from encouraging our participation in such memorable events.
Watching the parade yesterday gave me pause to reflect on times past, and with newer entries, like the Business Suit Brigade drill team and Mini-Cooper Car Club of Michigan,  I can't wait to next year's festivities, eagerly waving "Old Glory" once again! God Bless America!

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