* Four planes. Nineteen hijackers. Two thousand, nine hundred ninety-seven civilian lives lost, 8 EMT/Paramedics lost, 60 police officers lost, and 343 Firefighters lost. 2021 marks 20 years since the World Trade Center and Pentagon were hit by hijacked airplanes, and since the passengers on Flight 93 took down the airplane headed for the White House in a Pennsylvania field to foil the terrorists on board.

* I smell pumpkin spice! * And speaking of pumpkin spice and everything Autumn and Halloween, on August 22nd my sister and I were in a few stores looking for their Halloween aisles. We couldn’t believe that they had very little out or nothing on the shelves pertaining to our favorite time of the year! * I read about this trick for roasting s’mores and I can’t wait to try it.

* Don’t go to the paint store to get thinner, it does not work. * It’s the little things that count! A former McDonald’s worker has admitted to putting an extra chicken nugget in the boxes for years! Way to go! * Unleaded gas was $2.94 at the end of July.

This summer, my sweet niece and goddaughter, Jenny, took her family of five on a road trip from California throughout the Midwest, and back again. The more than month-long trip was quite the adventure for them and it was planned out to a T!

* A word of advice….DO NOT watch “The Buddy Holly Story” and “LaBama” on the same weekend, let alone the same day! Just saying! * Why didn’t anyone style John Goodman’s hair for those Slotomania commercials? * And what is with the commercial where you see a lady running barefoot on a wooden dock so she can jump off the end into the water? That’s all fine and good, but she barely misses stepping on, not one, but two nails that were sticking out of the wood! * I am one of those people who would love for shampoo and conditioner companies to write those two words just a little bigger on the bottles. * Yes, I can still remember when every business and place was closed on Sunday except the churches because Sunday was a family day! * Here’s a shout out to the chosen few who raced their mini bikes or rode on the back of said mini bikes in Schneider’s pasture back in the day.

STEVE MCQUEEN AND PAUL NEWMAN A few days ago I was talking with my daughter and a friend of ours and I happened to mention Steve McQueen in our conversation because the Nova Theatre will be showing his motorcycle documentary “On Any Sunday,” this Sunday afternoon. My heart almost stopped when she said she did not know who he was! How can this be? Am I that old? No, that can’t be the problem.

THIS AND THAT * Read this quote after I wrote my Dog Days of Summer editorial…And God said, “I will send them without wings so no one suspects they are angels.” * What is your favorite Disney coaster? I love Big Thunder Railroad and Seven Dwarfs Mine. And though it is technically not a roller coaster, I do love Splash Mountain as well.

DOG DAYS OF SUMMER * Every summer has a story! Hope yours is a fabulous one! * Did you know the term “Dog Days of Summer,” was coined by the ancient Greeks and Romans to describe the hottest days of summer that coincided with the rising of the Dog Star, Sirius? The best time to see the star this summer is from July 3rd through August 11th. * I am one hot dog! * A perfect summer day is when the sun is shining, the breeze is blowing, the birds are singing, and the lawn mower is broken! * Every dog must have its day.

* My sister and I attended the Firehouse concert at the Wild West Fest. During one of the songs everyone got out their phones and turned on their flashlights. It was quite an amazing sight! But what I want to know is who remembers when we used to do that very same thing with our Bic cigarette lighters? You didn’t have to smoke cigarettes, you just had to remember to bring a lighter to the concert!

* Thank you, and God bless USA Olympic first-and second-place hammer throwers Deanna Price and Brooke Anderson for standing on the podium with your hands over your hearts during the Star-Spangled Banner at the Olympic track and field tryouts.