A Red, White, and Blue Christmas Around the World

We decided to simplify our Christmas season this year.  One of the decisions in that was we would only attend one club/organization Christmas party.  This year we chose the party of Team RWB.

Part of that decision was the fact this year they decided to have a "Christmas Around The World" theme for the potluck meal.  Those setting up the event picked 12 different countries... and the US... and asked those coming to pick a country to make a dish or a few to represent that country.

I waited until the week of the party to see what hadn't been selected.  There were several and we picked food from Israel.

I made Honey Chicken (which was a major hit with the recipe asked for), Kugel, and Butternut Couscous.  Hanukkah started on Wednesday the 13th so I decorated my section with a menorah and silver beads.

This were incredible.  They are huge grapes with a doughy kind of wrapper.  SO good!  I am seeking the recipe!

This salad from South Africa was just beautiful (tasty too).

Who can pass up a cheese turnover?

This must have been delicious... by the time I got there, they were GONE.

Love Mexican bread!  Unfortunately, our local Mexican bakery shut down a while back.  I think these were brought up from Nashville.

Every single thing was wonderful.  I really hope they do this again next year!

Movie Date

Towns all over the US are revitalizing their vintage movie theaters and using them once again to show movies.

Some show vintage movies (like Casa Blanca or Gone With The Wind).  Some play foreign films (like The Music of Strangers or Our Little Sister).  Other have 'modern classics' (such as Close Encounters of the Third Kind or Saving Private Ryan).  And there are ones with family movies (such as National Velvet or Toy Story).

Many do a mix of genres.

The Roxy is doing a mix modern classics and family, alternating every other Sunday.

It's a great old theater and is also used for stage productions.

Team Red, White, & Blue took a block of tickets for one of the family showings.

Waiting for the show to start.  We were right at the end of our Whole30 program... so no refreshments for us.  Smelling that hot buttered popcorn was killer.  Box candy, popcorn, and sodas are all $1 each.

While I couldn't have any sweets... I had my Sweetie.  That was more than good enough!

Dogwood Flowers Bird House

At a painting social in April, I decided to do a bird house.  The dogwood were blooming so beautifully they inspired me to use them on my bird house.  I free hand drew the flowers.  I'm really pleased with how it turned out!

Heroes All Around

In April 1942, American and Filipino allies were captured by the Japanese following the Battle of Bataan.  They were forced to march over 60 miles to the prisioner of war camp they would be kept.  Of the estimated 80,000 POWs at the march, only 54,000 made it to Camp O'Donnell.

This came to be known as The Bataan Death March.

The Bataan Death March had a large impact on the U.S. state of New Mexico, given that many of the U.S. soldiers in Bataan were from New Mexico, specifically from the 200th/515th Coast Artillery of the National Guard. The New Mexico National Guard Bataan Memorial Museum is located in the Armory where the soldiers of the 200th and 515th were processed before their deployment to the Philippines in 1941. (Wiki) 

Every year, in early spring, the Bataan Memorial Death March, a 26.2-mile march/run (marathon) is conducted at White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico. On March 19th 2017, over 6,300 participants queued up at the starting line for the 28th annual event, breaking not only all previous records of attendance but also the amount of non-perishable food collected for local food pantries and overall charitable goods donated.

The above are runners from this year's marathon.

And these two ladies in red are my friends from Team Red, White, and Blue.  They ran the marathon this year.  I am so proud of them I could pop.

But that is not the only awesomeness of the day.

Survivors of the Bataan Death March were there to cheer the runners on!  Seven came this year.

Here's a group photo of these heroes.

Did I hear you say, "That is only six men."?

You'd would be right.

Where is the 7th man?

99 year old survivor Ben Skardon was WALKING the first 8.5 miles of the course!!!  He did the route in 4 hours and 2 seconds... his personal best.  (He's done this for the last 10 years).

Skardon says that as long as he’s able, he will keep making his pilgrimage to the desert each year. It’s his sacred responsibility. 

“I get focused. I even think of things I haven’t thought about in years, [but] it’s not a time for meditation. I don’t try to think of all the ramifications,” he explained. “My debt to Henry Leitner and Otis Morgan is heavy. It cannot be repaid. People ask me, ‘How can you account for being alive when your best friends are dead?’  I say, ‘I can’t.’”

Sloth Running Team...

... "We get there when we get there".

At the end of the year, one of the 'slower' runners in Team Red, White, and Blue (the veteran's group we are part of) put this up on the Facebook page.

Team RBW  has many different athletic opportunities.  There are runners - everything from 5K to ultra marathoners.  There are back packers and ruckers.  There are those who canoe.  There are gym rats and yoga folk.  There are swimmers.

But there wasn't a group for people who wanted to walk for fitness.  I would love to have a group to walk with.  I am so tired of watching people's backsides disappear over the hill.

Why NOT have a walking group?

I said as much on the FB page and my notification tab starting popping.  Seems I voiced what others were thinking too.

So after a bit of discussion and coordinating the Sloth Running Team was born!

On Thursday nights there are a group of runners who do two to six miles downtown.  We all meet at the same place... 

...then the runners go bounding off and the walkers head out on their own route.

When we are done, we meet back at the coffee shop we started at for visiting with a hot cuppa something.  (OK, I confess...that big hot delicious cinnamon roll chased me all the way back to our table.  I'll fight it off next week!  Promise!)

Once it gets warmer, I'll be wearing my team shirt.  But not on the mid-30s nights it has been lately!

On the road again...

Just can't wait to get on the road again.

The life I love is SLOTH RUNNING with my friends

And I can't wait to get on the road again!

Wreaths Across America

This last December 17th, we had the privilege to be part of the memorial service and wreath laying at the Kentucky Veteran's Cemetery West.

We hadn't been there before.  It is quite beautifully set up.

The memorial service was held in the pavilion area.

These ladies are "Gold Star Wives".  They all have lost their husbands in war.  They are the local impetus for the wreath laying in our area.

The 101st Airborne Division provided the Color Guard for the ceremony.

The honorary wreaths were placed by members of the Armed Forces.  From Right to Left:  Army, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, Merchant Marines, and US Navy...plus one other...

... a wreath laid for those who didn't come home and who were a prisoner of war... laid by one of their own.

Tribute.

Honoring these men served in Korea and WWII (the gentleman in the chair was 100 years old).

The stacks and stacks of wreaths... one for every 1748 veterans, 566 dependents, and 17 service members who were killed in action.

So many.

Indeed.

Every...

...single...

...stone.

We will SO be back next year.

Celebrating Christmas Around the World at the VA Home

Team Red, White, and Blue are very active with socials at the new VA Home in Clarksville.  So far Himself and I had not made it over to take part.

That is, until the "Christmas Around the World" social right before Christmas.  Different staff members prepared foods from their heritage/home countries for the residents and guests to snack on.

There was Korea...

Kenya...

Scotland...

The Caribbean (Cuba, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic)...

Germany...

and the Philippines.

Our job?  To mingle and visit.  Himself made a new friend; I bet we'll be seeing Mr. H soon.