"Thank you"

Most of all, he liked the way the townspeople threw themselves into that

weekend, how much they cared, how strong their pride.

His father had told him of the ancient man who, when he himself was a little

boy, had walked creakily down Main Street wearing Confederate gray at an

earlier Memorial Day. One of the last living testaments to the Civil War.

Dead now, as they all were, Devin mused as he glanced over at the memorial in

the town's square. Dead, but not and never forgotten.

At least not in little towns such as these, which had once known the sound of mortar and

rifle fire and the terrible cries of the wounded.

The Heart of Devin MacKade 

_____________________

By Rennett Stowe from USA - United States Flag, CC BY 2.0, 

https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=26303259

20 Memorial Day Activities for the Whole Family

Remind your kids (and yourself!) what May 27 is really about.

17 Memorial Day Quotes to Honor Our Nation's Soldiers

Thoughtful words to remember those who have fallen in the line of duty.

Why does snow make the world so quiet?

"I guess the quiet woke me. It's odd, don't you think, how quiet it is?"

"The snow always makes it quiet."

The Return of Rafe MacKade

_____________________

By Stulli - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, 

https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=3834213

Hush. It's snowing outside.

At least, doesn't it feel like that when snowflakes make their grand entrance, pirouetting from the sky like tiny, twirling ballerinas?

And we're pressed up against windows, eyes wide open. Or outside, all giddy smiles with tongues eagerly outstretched.

Snowflakes look good. They even taste good. But they sound like … nothing.

mother nature network

_____________________

On impulse, she bundled herself in her boots and coat and stepped out onto the porch.

Though Gabe had shoveled it off twice during the day, the snow came almost to her knees. Her boots sank in 
and disappeared. She had the sensation of being swallowed up by a soft, benign cloud. 
She wrapped her arms around her chest and breathed in the thin, cold air.

There were no stars. There was no moon. The porch light tossed its glow only a few feet. 
All she could see was white. 
All she could hear was silence.

Gabriel's Angel 

Flight Attendant Style

He loitered at the gate, eyeing a pair of flight attendants who

were waiting for a change of crew. 

Now that, he mused, was a profession that drew pretty women. 

It almost made a man feel there'd be some advantage in 

being stuck in a flying tin can for a few hours.

The Fall of Shane MacKade

_____________________

By Iberia Airlines - 1962 Uniforme Iberia por Pedro Rodríguez, 

CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=35248609

From Pillbox Hats to Go-Go Boots: Flight Attendant Style Through the Years

Just as fashions change throughout our daily lives, so did the style of stewardess uniforms. From the structured military style dress suits of yesteryear to the more casual—and boxier—outfits of the 90's and beyond. It's safe to say cabin couture has come a long way.

MSN

Think proposing is easy? Think again or ask Rafe, Holt... AND Clooney

He got down on his knees.

"What are you doing?"

"Just keep quiet," he warned her. "And if you laugh, you pay."

Mortified, he swore under his breath, dragged a hand through his hair. And bit the bullet.

"'When I arose and saw the dawn, I sighed for thee.'"

"Rafe..."

"Don't interrupt me." Miserably embarrassed, he glared at her.

"Now I have to start over."

"But you don't have to—"

"Regan."

She drew in a breath, wondered if there was another woman in the world who had ever had Shelley quoted to her with eyes that threatened murder. "Sorry. You were saying?"

He shifted his weight. "Okay. 'When I arose and saw the dawn, I sighed for thee / When the light rode high, and the dew was gone, and...' Oh, hell." He raked his fingers through his hair and tried to concentrate. "I got it. 'And noon lay heavy on flower and tree, And the weary Day turned to her rest, lingering like an unloved guest, I sighed for thee.'"

His breath came out on a huff of tremendous relief. "That's all I've got. It took me more than a week to memorize it. If you mention this to anyone—"

"I wouldn't dream of it." Incredibly moved, she laid a hand on his cheek. "That was very sweet of you."

"It kind of fits the way I feel about you." And now that it was over—thank God—it hadn't been as bad as he'd feared.

The Return of Rafe MacKade

______________________

George Clooney Reveals How He Proposed to Amal Clooney

______________________

“And I'll remind you of the night you asked me to marry you, when you gave me flowers and candlelight, then shouted at me and raged up and down the room, making me love you even more.”

“If that's all it takes, you'll be delirious about me by the time I'm sixty.”

“I already am.” She lowered her mouth to his.

“Suzanna.” He drew her closer, started to roll her under him, then swore. “It's your own fault,” he said as he nudged her aside.

“What?”

“You were supposed to be sitting over there, dazed by my romantic abilities.” He fought to untangle his jeans and pull the jeweler's box from the pocket. “Then I was going to get down on one knee.”

Eyes wide, she stared at the box, then at him. “You were not.”

“Yes, I was. I was going to feel like an idiot, but I was going to do it You've got no one to blame but yourself that we're lying naked on the floor. Here.”

“You bought me a ring,” she whispered.

“There could be a frog in there for all you know.” Impatient with her, he flipped up the top himself. “I didn't want to give you diamonds.” He shrugged when she said nothing, only stared into the box.

Suzanna's Surrender

Coming Home

A lot had stayed the same over a decade. But a lot had changed. 

He was well aware that news of his arrival was even now singing over telephone wires. 

It pleased him. He wanted the town to know he was back— and not with his tail between his legs, as many had predicted.

He had money in his pocket now, and plans for the future.The Barlow place was the heart of his plans. 

He didn't subscribe to ghosts, under most circumstances, but the house had certainly haunted him. Now it belonged to him, every old stone and bramble—and whatever else it held. He was going to rebuild it, as he had rebuilt himself.

One day he would stand at the top window and look down on the town. He would prove to everyone—even to Rafe MacKade—that he was somebody.

The Return of Rafe MacKade

__________________

...

tell the world 
I'm coming home
let the rain wash away
all the pain of yesterday
I know my kingdom awaits
and they've forgiven my mistakes 
I'm coming home
I'm coming home
tell the world I'm coming...

...

___________________ 

Later, when they were curled together in the deep feather bed, she laid her hand on his heart and smiled.
"I'm awfully glad you came back to town, MacKade. Welcome home."

The Return of Rafe MacKade

10 tips for adopting a cat

"Shane. Rumor is, you've got kittens."
Shane grinned down at Bryan. "Talked her into it, huh?"
All innocence, Bryan shrugged, but his quick, triumphant grin betrayed him.

 "She needs company when I'm at school."
"That's a good one."

The Pride of Jared MacKade

_______________

 

 

Learn 10 tips you should consider when adopting a cat,
courtesy of the American Humane Association.

BOSTON

_____________________

"You could take two." Jared stepped into the stall. 

Her face, he thought, was an open book. "It's nice for them to have company."
"Two?" The idea burst like a thousand watts in Bryan's brain.
"Yeah, Mom, we'll take two. One would be lonely!"
"Bry-"
"And it wouldn't be any more trouble. We've got lots of room
now. Cal's going to want somebody to play with, to hang around with."

"And anyway," Bryan went on, because he'd come out of his
own excitement long enough to see the way his mother was
cuddling the orange kitten, "this way we could each pick one.
That's the fair way, right?"

The Pride of Jared MacKade

baby's first haircut

Through the barbershop window, he could see a toddler
experiencing his first haircut, while his mother bit her nails and blinked
damp eyes.

The Heart of Devin MacKade




________________________________

Auckland Museum [CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0)]

Today we were talking in the office about keeping our baby's first locks, the trauma of first haircut... hint, hint...  the hardest in NOT on the baby, most mums recognize  it (or should ;)) as a passage rite and some  even cry witnessing it... no more gold locks baby, hello towhead toddler!

Worried your baby will freak about the first haircut? These snippy strategies will keep the baby calm.

PARENTS 

Memorial Day

The banners were flying for the annual Memorial Day parade and picnic. He
could see several people busily scrubbing or painting their porches in
preparation for the event.
It was an event he enjoyed, even with its logistical and traffic headaches.
He liked the continuity of it, the predictability. The way people would
plant themselves with their folding chairs and coolers along the curb, hours
before parade time, to ensure that they would have a good view of the
marching bands and twirling batons.

The Heart of Devin MacKade

______________________________

Fire up the grill and kick off summer with juicy burgers and festive flag-themed decor.

Burgers

(Perhaps no one dish represents grilling season better than the hamburger)

MARTHA STEWART

Crafts

(Patriotic Red, White, and Blue)

MARTHA STEWART

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