{"id":102402,"date":"2026-11-07T21:17:42","date_gmt":"2026-11-08T04:17:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lilesnet.com\/dailydiary\/?p=102402"},"modified":"2026-11-08T12:02:41","modified_gmt":"2026-11-08T19:02:41","slug":"today-we-salute","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lilesnet.com\/dailydiary\/?p=102402","title":{"rendered":"Today We Salute"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

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It was a perfectly normal Saturday\u2014until I got up and found the coffee machine warm and a cup of lukewarm coffee waiting for me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Odd,” I thought. “Did I get up, make coffee, and forget about it? Is this how it starts?”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I drank it anyway and headed to the office, where I found another lukewarm cup of coffee beside my Ensure Max Protein drink.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At this point, I was fairly certain my remaining brain cells had called it a day without telling me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A few minutes later, Mary wandered in. I confessed my coffee-related memory crisis, and she explained that she\u2019d gotten up before me, made coffee for both of us, then decided it was too cold to be awake and went back to bed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mystery solved! I’m not losing my mind\u2014Mary just made coffee and abandoned it like a very considerate little barista.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The case of \u201cThe Extraneous Coffee\u201d was officially closed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We spent the next few hours getting ready for the special event honoring veterans at the Elks Lodge. We may have arrived a few days early, but we celebrated Veterans Day in style, welcoming more than 200 people from 1:00 to 6:00 p.m. By then, I was ready for another cup of coffee\u2014though I wasn’t about to trust my memory about who made it!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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FYI: Veterans Day is a U.S. holiday honoring people who have served in the armed forces. It\u2019s observed on November 11 each year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The date began as Armistice Day, marking the end of World War I fighting on November 11, 1918. In 1954, the holiday\u2019s name was changed to Veterans Day to honor U.S. veterans of all wars and periods of service.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s different from Memorial Day, which honors those who died while serving.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

We had assigned seats, and Mary must have made friends because we sat right up front with a special guest! I was also promoted from a Liles to a C\u00f4t\u00e9! I am glad it didn’t say Private C\u00f4t\u00e9!<\/p>\n\n\n

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We walked around, saw the displays and other interesting items, and stopped in the middle of the stage to get a shot of Captain C\u00f4t\u00e9! Wearing her real, genuine 1970 fatigues!!<\/p>\n\n\n

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Attention!!!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

When Mary signed up for this event, they asked for her uniform, and Mary dug hers out. She planned to wear it, but after 50 years and three children, the jacket was a little tight! The buttons were under so much pressure that if one got loose, it would have shot across the room at the velocity of a .44 magnum bullet. The lanyard does have her 1975 picture on it!<\/p>\n\n\n

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We walked out onto the patio, and they had things for sale, plus tables full of images of vets from years gone by! I loved this sign, and although it is beautiful, I couldn’t think of where to put it on our walls at home!<\/p>\n\n\n

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Yes, I polished Mary’s boots before she came tonight!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

At our table was a colonel, 103 years young. His kids and some grandkids were there to assist him, but he did fine. He enjoyed the festivities!<\/p>\n\n\n

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Welcome Colonel Russo!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

As part of the program, we offered all the vets a microphone and asked them to share a bit about themselves and their military service. Some remarks were right on, but several rambled for several minutes. Bob and I were looking for the Vaudeville Hook.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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FYI: The vaudeville hook was a long pole with a hook at the end, used as a comic stage gag to pull a performer offstage when the audience disliked the act.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It became a familiar symbol of vaudeville’s tough, fast-paced variety shows\u2014if an act fell flat, the performer was supposedly “given the hook.” The image is more famous than its routine historical use: stories and cartoons often exaggerate how commonly real performers were hauled offstage this way.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

 Mary spoke briefly (because dinner was almost an hour late). She was the highest-ranking woman in the group of 250. She did well!!<\/p>\n\n\n

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I never tjhought of a soldier being “Arm Candy” but here we are!!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Bob Z sat next to us taking Robin’s seat (Robin was cloistered away at home because of the 91 freeway closure this weekend). Bob did well, but I was sorry I didn’t have eggs, tomatoes, or a cream pie to use!<\/p>\n\n\n

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Bob did well to remember that far back!!!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

The entertainment got going after a hamburger dinner. We were treated to a 14-year-old girl who sang the National Anthem, bringing tears to many eyes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The next act was a group that did the Hula to “America the Beautiful”. They were marvelous. Mary and I were moving our hands as they performed. <\/p>\n\n\n

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It was very interesting!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Then we got down to the serious swing dancing singers and dancers. The Andrews Sisters look-alikes (The Swing Dolls) were fantastic! Mary and I got out there and beepopped to show our dancing skills.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of my Elk friends asked what happens if I missed a step? I told him Mary usually says, “Drop and give me ten!<\/p>\n\n\n

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The Swing Dolls were rocking the room!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Since I couldn’t get a picture of us dancing, I got the next best thing! I asked Bob to take Mary out and “wear her out.” That way, I could get a picture of her and also avoid having to throw the squeaky toys for her and Oreo when we get home!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the professional dancers came by and tapped Bob on the shoulder (she must have seen him dance), and she wore old Bob out! They really looked smart!!!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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It was 5:30 pm, and the three of us were ready to go home! One last pose! Sargent Zaitz and Captain C\u00f4t\u00e9 say goodnight to all!!!<\/p>\n\n\n

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OK kids, BEHAVE!!!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Several folks I talked to this evening shared their opinions about people today, especially after the election. <\/p>\n\n\n

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When we got home, Oreo gave us a suspicious look. Oreo changed clothes, put on her army uniform, and we both snapped to attention immediately. <\/p>\n\n\n

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Oreo is a no-nonsense dog!!!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

We were dismissed, went to the barracks, and returned in our jammies to watch TV. Mary found something called “10,000 BC” that we watched, and three squawks for the next 90 minutes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

10,000 BC is a 2008 adventure-fantasy film directed by Roland Emmerich, starring Steven Strait, Camilla Belle, and Cliff Curtis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It follows D\u2019Leh, a young mammoth hunter whose village is attacked and whose beloved, Evolet, is taken captive. He sets out across unfamiliar lands to rescue her, encountering other peoples and a powerful civilization along the way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The film runs about 109 minutes. It’s known for sweeping landscapes, mammoths, and large-scale action, though it takes considerable liberties with history and received a mixed response. Approach it as a pulpy prehistoric adventure rather than a historically accurate account.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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