tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8140814948262466589.post2313913122810873354..comments2024-03-09T04:17:11.014-04:00Comments on One can't get over the habit of being a little girl all at once...: Lest We ForgetWendyMcLeodMacKnighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04830981147524921562noreply@blogger.comBlogger38125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8140814948262466589.post-23799355311095321492013-11-11T20:19:28.754-04:002013-11-11T20:19:28.754-04:00Sending best wishes your way for the next few days...Sending best wishes your way for the next few days as they are bound to be emotional. Veterans Day always makes me so thankful for all of the sacrifice. Shopping Cellehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08609287005914939866noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8140814948262466589.post-78697374770041600732013-11-11T15:52:07.253-04:002013-11-11T15:52:07.253-04:00It seems odd at times that we humans come to love ...It seems odd at times that we humans come to love and respect who our parents were and what they did after we have enough distance to see these things more clearly. Sadly it is often too late for this clarity to affect our relationship with each other. After I did some research on my fathers war years I realized I never knew that man. By then it was too late, he had passed away. Lovely post WMM.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01649567646783537650noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8140814948262466589.post-2220526194512715662013-11-11T15:14:56.808-04:002013-11-11T15:14:56.808-04:00Thanks CSW - I agree completely. Every family has...Thanks CSW - I agree completely. Every family has a story, all over the world, we only have to tell them...WendyMcLeodMacKnighthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04830981147524921562noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8140814948262466589.post-18235822898664159172013-11-11T15:09:42.426-04:002013-11-11T15:09:42.426-04:00Very touching post Wendy...Even the Queen looked g...Very touching post Wendy...Even the Queen looked genuinely moved as opposed to solemn due to ceremony. It is important to share these stories because sometimes the sheer number of casualties lessen the individual traumas and memories...Coulda shoulda wouldahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12507021618497645667noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8140814948262466589.post-85805908181139975322013-11-11T13:28:54.197-04:002013-11-11T13:28:54.197-04:00what a great story! I imagine that your mum (and ...what a great story! I imagine that your mum (and you) had quite a few stories to tell!<br /><br />My mother's best friend is still alive and is a war bride. I think of those women who left their families to follow love as well and what that was like. What a generation they were!WendyMcLeodMacKnighthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04830981147524921562noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8140814948262466589.post-48478559256787106992013-11-11T12:54:16.862-04:002013-11-11T12:54:16.862-04:00I find this post both fascinating and deeply movin...I find this post both fascinating and deeply moving. I was a baby during the Second World War with my father away in the army. I am famous for messing up the very smart uniform of a young Canadian air force pilot, my mother's relative. He came to visit and was politely leaning forward to admire me when I bashed my spoon into my bowl of porridge, with disastrous results!<br />I've visited the Canadian landing beaches and war graves in France, a very emotional experience. Thank you for writing this piece. I think that this is what makes blogging so worthwhile, enabling experiences and stories from all over the world to be shared and appreciated.Share my Gardenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08817611851604816123noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8140814948262466589.post-55571325198784016192013-11-11T12:37:30.672-04:002013-11-11T12:37:30.672-04:00thanks AB! Barry great-great uncle died in northe...thanks AB! Barry great-great uncle died in northern Germany and is buried in Holten in the Netherlands. We went to visit his grave and it was very touching He was just a young man, too - so sad...WendyMcLeodMacKnighthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04830981147524921562noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8140814948262466589.post-84329150733949788272013-11-11T12:18:15.016-04:002013-11-11T12:18:15.016-04:00Wendy, I have tears in my eyes reading this. Deep ...Wendy, I have tears in my eyes reading this. Deep thanks to your grandfather for his service, and thank you for sharing this beautiful story with us. I know your parents see you, and are so proud of what you are doing. <br />It breaks my heart to think of all those vets who come back to a home that is not prepared to integrate them into society. My great uncle never came back from the war. He was 21, and on his last mission when his ship sunk at the hands of the enemy. Not a day went by that my grandmother didn't think of him. Let his memory, and that of all those who we have lost, be our (and their) blessing. Thank you for keeping these people alive by talking about them. Anthro Bloggerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15923838563131831044noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8140814948262466589.post-81196355527267430952013-11-11T11:52:51.819-04:002013-11-11T11:52:51.819-04:00Louise - I think it is a generational thing - we t...Louise - I think it is a generational thing - we talk about our pain. My parents, and my grandparents were more "let's keep going, don't look back" and they didn't really want to talk much either, though I found that when I would sit on the balcony of the condo we rented on the Gulf of Mexico and my dad had had a few glasses of Merlot, the stories would fly!WendyMcLeodMacKnighthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04830981147524921562noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8140814948262466589.post-68688565051651974172013-11-11T11:50:49.030-04:002013-11-11T11:50:49.030-04:00Marie - I couldn't have said it better! We ne...Marie - I couldn't have said it better! We need to go more to held those folks who come back and try to fit back in, but who struggle! We are blessed to have them!WendyMcLeodMacKnighthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04830981147524921562noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8140814948262466589.post-6972462422819069902013-11-11T11:49:49.598-04:002013-11-11T11:49:49.598-04:00Wow - what a great story!!! when my dad died my s...Wow - what a great story!!! when my dad died my son inherited my grandfather's army sewing kit - the odd thing was, I never knew it was a military-issued sewing kit till we went to Juno Beach in Normandy to the Canadian museum there and saw one similar.WendyMcLeodMacKnighthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04830981147524921562noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8140814948262466589.post-80824761520546514192013-11-11T11:48:28.686-04:002013-11-11T11:48:28.686-04:00A - what a great story!!! I think of those people...A - what a great story!!! I think of those people who go forth every day and put themselves in harm's way - it is so inspiring and humbling!WendyMcLeodMacKnighthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04830981147524921562noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8140814948262466589.post-1027522349717719912013-11-11T11:28:54.246-04:002013-11-11T11:28:54.246-04:00Beautiful post, Wendy. Thank you so much. You are ...Beautiful post, Wendy. Thank you so much. You are so lucky to have all these memories. My parents immigrated here when I was young, so I did not grow up surrounded by family (all my relatives are on the other side of the world) and know very little of my family history. I wish I knew more - I try to talk to my mother whenever possible about it, but it's not easy.Louise @ INGREDIENTShttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09883303245642039938noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8140814948262466589.post-26614092035186902292013-11-11T10:53:07.751-04:002013-11-11T10:53:07.751-04:00What beautiful writing and such a stirring post. W...What beautiful writing and such a stirring post. What I know of the wars I have read in books and the horrors should prove a cautionary tale for generations to come. It's so easy to start one but hard to end it. We don't do enough for those who fought and survived but end up broken or without jobs. A big thank you to all the families who sacrifice to keep us and our freedoms safe. Mariehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02708265736473324024noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8140814948262466589.post-41596983312964515902013-11-11T10:05:44.692-04:002013-11-11T10:05:44.692-04:00Just a wonderful post about your ancestry as fitte...Just a wonderful post about your ancestry as fitted into world history. My paternal GF had the most influence on me; he was a Swedish peasant who worked with the King's horses before he immigrated. Like many immigrants, he became "more American" than those born here. I like to remember working with him in his garden. The war was not something many of these discussed easily.Lanehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13175229460841379583noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8140814948262466589.post-57734932996446660082013-11-11T09:04:12.957-04:002013-11-11T09:04:12.957-04:00That made me cry. You are a beautiful story teller...That made me cry. You are a beautiful story teller. <br />My paternal grandfather changed his<br />documents so he would get accepted into the Army. All of his brothers were fighting in WWII and he didn't want to sit bye. He was an incredible man and he never wanted to talk about his time fighting, but I know that he ended up in Germany and he had many medals. Not bad for a 16 year old kid. All of my other grandparents were younger and spent the war fleeing the nazis. I remember my great grandmother and my gradmothers telling me about what they went through and how much family they lost. I will never forget their stories and make sure that I pass them on. What incredible people they were! I learned so much about WWII growing up in Europe, but not so much here in the US. It is much more of a reality there because everyone had a family member or their entire family who was impacted by the war. <br />Eternally grateful to all the Veterans and everyone who serves to protect us. Ahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12773160182688791338noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8140814948262466589.post-72047218842339924052013-11-11T07:15:02.255-04:002013-11-11T07:15:02.255-04:00I love it that you have learned about your grandfa...I love it that you have learned about your grandfather! I am always trying to piece together my family history and it is so rewarding!WendyMcLeodMacKnighthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04830981147524921562noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8140814948262466589.post-31507094063727678732013-11-11T07:14:08.551-04:002013-11-11T07:14:08.551-04:00M- that is a great image!!! I expect to be met my...M- that is a great image!!! I expect to be met my parents and my dogs. That will be a good day, but I also hope it is a long ways off..WendyMcLeodMacKnighthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04830981147524921562noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8140814948262466589.post-51479573149751123762013-11-11T07:13:06.644-04:002013-11-11T07:13:06.644-04:00Ruth - I hear you! I really do not recall my dad&...Ruth - I hear you! I really do not recall my dad's mother - she was 3 when I died, but I think I am equal parts her and equal parts my mum's mother. It is such a gift to know your grandparents!WendyMcLeodMacKnighthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04830981147524921562noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8140814948262466589.post-47745690640983022462013-11-11T07:11:38.577-04:002013-11-11T07:11:38.577-04:00Thanks TR - your kind words mean a lot!Thanks TR - your kind words mean a lot!WendyMcLeodMacKnighthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04830981147524921562noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8140814948262466589.post-67370271951862144012013-11-11T07:11:01.635-04:002013-11-11T07:11:01.635-04:00Me too! I was weeping at the vets before, now wit...Me too! I was weeping at the vets before, now with my parents passing on the same day (or in my dad's case, close enough) it is just so sad...WendyMcLeodMacKnighthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04830981147524921562noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8140814948262466589.post-16871468741138934852013-11-11T07:09:58.111-04:002013-11-11T07:09:58.111-04:00Ah Longfellow. Only poetry can do sometimes...Ah Longfellow. Only poetry can do sometimes...WendyMcLeodMacKnighthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04830981147524921562noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8140814948262466589.post-53799136449243336472013-11-11T07:09:25.003-04:002013-11-11T07:09:25.003-04:00wow! That would be a good mystery for one of my b...wow! That would be a good mystery for one of my books!!!!WendyMcLeodMacKnighthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04830981147524921562noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8140814948262466589.post-57626254034392390092013-11-11T07:08:27.403-04:002013-11-11T07:08:27.403-04:00Isn't that amazing? I think we forget how bra...Isn't that amazing? I think we forget how brave and uncomplaining these folks were....WendyMcLeodMacKnighthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04830981147524921562noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8140814948262466589.post-61925695395118113472013-11-11T07:06:58.166-04:002013-11-11T07:06:58.166-04:00Thanks Marsha! Thanks Marsha! WendyMcLeodMacKnighthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04830981147524921562noreply@blogger.com