Thank you!

It was a different kind of world in 1918. Woodrow Wilson was our 28th President. Postage stamps were two cents, a loaf of bread cost a dime and a gallon of gasoline was eight cents. An epidemic of Spanish flu ravaged the country, causing more than 500,000 deaths. Some of the popular songs were Over […]

Star Spangled Cat

Star Spangled Cat

In   honor of Flag Day, this is a re-run of a recent post. Star Spangled Cat By Blanche Day Manos “What?” I screeched. “Go to sea? Are you crazy?” Every one of my gray and white hairs stood straight up. Reggie laughed. “You look like a bottle brush, old chap,” he said. “You’ll love the […]

A Day of Infamy and Remembrance

A Day of Infamy and Remembrance

“A day that will live in infamy,” President Roosevelt said. And, indeed, it has and will. A sneak attack by Japanese aircraft against the American Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbor triggered the United Statses’ entrance into World War II, December 7, 1941. As I watch old film clips and read first-hand accounts, I can imagine […]

Lifting the Banner High

Lifting the Banner High

    My brothers, Thurman, Tracy, and Richard served in the Navy; my husband in the Army; my nephew Clint joined the Marines. They all came back home, all except Clint. We lost him to an awful place called Viet Nam. I think of Clint often and especially on Memorial Day. My country is made up […]

A Rallying Cry for Freedom

A Rallying Cry for Freedom

“A day that will live in infamy,” President Roosevelt said of December 7, 1941. And, indeed, it will. A surprise attack by Japanese aircraft against the American Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbor triggered the United States’ entrance into World War II.  As I watch old film clips and read first-hand accounts, I imagine the shock […]

Keep Her Flying High

Keep Her Flying High

“You’re a grand old flag,” wrote George Cohan. I agree. Grand and beautiful and representative of freedom. Let’s stop a moment on this Flag Day to think about what our national banner means. To me, the Star Spangled Banner represents my Irish ancestors who left their own beautiful homeland and a heritage of centuries past, to […]