HAPPY 4TH OF JULY! Oliver Wendell Holmes: "One Flag, One Land, One Heart, One Hand, One Nation evermore!" Gerald Stanley Lee: "America is a tune. It must be sung together." John Dickinson: "Then join hand in hand, brave Americans all! By uniting we stand, by dividing we fall." * Yes, this is very dangerous, and should NOT be attempted, but who remembers having Roman Candle fights back in the day? Or was it just our family? Here are some interesting facts about the 4th of July….

THIS AND THAT * I can’t believe this happened—I met a person who doesn’t know who Davy Jones was, or for that matter who The Monkees were! How can that be?! * I read this about the legendary Kobe Bryant. His wife Vanessa asked him why he wouldn’t sit out a game when he was hurting.

IT’S JUST WHAT DADDIES DO Chase, this is for you! Giving them bear hugs And tying their shoes, Or reading them books, It’s just what daddies do. Barbequing them hot dogs With a tator tot or two, Or ordering from the Bowling Alley, It’s just what daddies do.

I have earned the right to be heard. I will speak from the wisdom of life.

Yes, it’s time to write about my beachfront dream home! First off, it HAS TO BE right on a beach of white sand and crystal blue waves lapping inches away from my door. I want a large one-story house with an over-sized deck facing the ocean, preferably situated on the Gulf Coast in Destin, Florida, known for its white sandy beaches.

MEMORIAL DAY EDITORIAL * On Memorial Day and Veterans Day, it is customary to spend time remembering and honoring the countless veterans who have served the United States throughout the country’s history. However, there is a distinction between the two holidays: Memorial Day commemorates the men and women who died while in the military service of their country, especially those who died in battle or as a result of wounds sustained in battle.

THIS AND THAT * My family always laughs at this when we read it online.….“I had this delicious omelet this morning. I seasoned the eggs with sugar, oil and chocolate and threw in a little flour for texture.” * The unleaded gasoline price per gallon at the end of April was $2.56.

With summer fast approaching and mixing into it my love of watching the “Pool Kings” and “Insane Pools: Off The Deep End,” I love to dream about what my pool would look like if I had the space and the money!

HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY! * “You blink and they are 8, then they are 28. And then they are parents with children of their own.

* Yes, another contestant on Wheel of Fortune added the word “and” in the puzzle and didn’t win. People are so upset about this and feel the person should have won, but I say, “Those are the rules!” You say exactly what’s on the board if you want to win, nothing more, nothing less! Quit making it easy for people to win.