OPERATION: VALENTINE

OPERATION: VALENTINE

Valentine's Day Card Drive for Troops

Let's show our troops we love and support them!! Let's help them chase away those after-Christmas blues!! We are now collecting Valentine's cards to send to our troops stationed in Iraq and Afghanistan. If you wish to participate, please send light-hearted, silly, cheerful cards to this address:

Mrs. Kat Orr
Operation Valentine
P.O. Box 1660
Loganville, GA 30052

Please make sure to leave the envelopes unsealed – every­ card is read before it is shipped, to ensure appropriate content.

I am also collecting "Hershey's Kisses" and "Hershey's Hugs" candy, and any other silly Valentine's candy you'd like to send – lollipops, candy hearts, etc. It's cold over there now, so we can, for the moment, get away with sending CHOCOLATE!

The cards can be handmade or store-bought... for that matter, they don't even have to be cards; a hand -written letter is just as wonderful! Let's all band together and overwhelm our heroes with support! This is a great project for Scout troops, churches, or other organizations to get involved with!

ALL CARDS MUST BE RECEIVED NO LATER THAN

JANUARY 30, 2007

Thank you so much for having a heart for our heroes!

If you have any questions about this campaign, please e-mail me at LoveFromHome@gmail.com. Also, you might wish join my Yahoo Group, http://groups.yahoo.com/group/LoveFromHome in order to receive updates about the progress of this and other card drives.

**IMPORTANT NOTE: This is not a "dating service" of any type. Please do not send suggestive or otherwise inappropriate cards or pictures. Remember: This is strictly to let the troops know that we love them, we are proud of them and that we HAVE NOT FORGOTTEN them!

**IMPORTANT NOTE 2: This card drive is an individual effort and not done in conjunction with or on behalf of any organizations or groups

Zen Judaism

Let go of pride, ego, and opinions. Admit your errors and forgive those of others. Relinquishment will lead to calm and healing in your relationships. If that doesn't work, try small claims court.

Though only your skin, sinews, and bones remain, though your blood and flesh dry up and wither away, yet shall you meditate and not stir until you have attained full Enlightenment. But, first, a little nosh.

Accept misfortune as a blessing. Do not wish for perfect health or a life without problems. What would you talk about?

Be here now. Be someplace else later. Is that so complicated?

There is no escaping karma. In a previous life, you never called, you never wrote, you never visited. And whose fault was that?

The Torah says, "Love thy neighbor as thyself." The Buddha says there is no "self." So, maybe you are off the hook.If there is no self, whose arthritis is this?

Wherever you go, there you are. Your luggage is another story.

Do not let children play contact sports like football. These only lead to injuries and instill a violent, warlike nature. Encourage your child to play peaceful games, like "sports doctor."

The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single "oy."

Holiday Box Drive

Marine Family Support Group Holiday Box Drive

Soldiers Angels Fund Raiser Competition

Wal-Mart.. Go Figure

This came from a friend of mine- too funny!!!
We had a "going away" party yesterday for a lady at our Little Rock claim office. One of the supervisors called a Wal-Mart and ordered the cake.
He told them to write:
"Best Wishes Suzanne" and underneath that write "We will miss you".
As the picture shows, it didn't quite turn out right. It was too funny not to keep it.

My Day at the Princeton Civil War

My Day at the Princeton Civil War

Yesterday I went to the Princeton, IL for the Civil War reenactment known as the Shadows of the Blue and Gray. I had registered to attend as a reenactor months earlier and brought my response post card with me. At registration, the registrant said I was the only one to present that card.

I spoke first person as Belle Reynolds of Peoria, the vivandère and heroin of Shiloh.


While there, I met and discussed the vivandère with another reenactor, Carolyn Richards. I told here that I recalled seeing her on the web at http://www.vivandiere.net/photos2.html. Apparently Princeton would have been a fine intersection point of our historic overlay driving distances.

Although I don’t like to take too many pictures while staying in character, I wish I had seen the picture that one of the guests had taken of us together.

I also had some pleasant discussions with the others there and am always in awe to see the great lengths that these great volunteers make to impart a bit of history. Noteworthy was the assembled full cabin including stove and rope bed, the bath house with real whores, the undertaker’s tent, and the evening cannon fire with fireworks balls replacing the battlefield ammo.

I remembered the “laundress” from Grierson Days in Jacksonville whom we shared the stage during the ladies fashion show. I had to remind her I was there because I wore my more traditional vivandiere outfit then whereas Belle would not have been dressed in such manner. We both shared our roles with each other.

The battle itself was preceeded with a memorial of Civil War taps to Greg Bowman who died in a motorcycle accident and had been chairman of the the Shadows of the Blue in Gary for the last four years. All taps versions are "tear jerkers" and this was no different.

Veteran's Day At The Illinois Stat Fair

After church, I put shorts and tee on for the state fair. Free to veterans today.

Frank said "What? No riding today?" I haven't worn shorts in a long time. It was hot so I drove, even parked for free blocks away. What a cheap skate I am! Even the lunch was free to veterans compliments of the Mayor of Springfield.

It was hot - 99 degrees. Even my neck cooler needed refreshed. Someone left a cup of ice from a lemon shake up on a chair so I dunked my neck cooler in it. The heat kept the crowd down

I saw the Marine Silent Drill Team. I hugged 2 marines today. Asked each if I could hug a marine and was given the "Yes Mam" routine. The routine was very professional and touching to see such discipline.

Families of Eisenhauer, Garbs, Belchik (who died in Iraq but was a former Silent Drill member) and I forgot the 4th were at the Veterans Day at the state fair honors.

Bumped into Grace and Jean, local WOSL
(I'm a member but the older ladies have more free time for events and such like Camp Butler ceremonies)

I wanted to stay longer for the 4pm parade but left at 3 because of the heat and went shopping in AC stores instead. Got a memory foam mattress pad for a better night's sleep. Getting ready to try it soon.

How to Make a back rest for a motorcycle seat

Steps for making your own motorcycle back rest.

And if you get really good at inventing......

Step 3