Saturday 9: G.I. Blues

I'm linking up with Sam and the gang for the Saturday 9 after a week of being mostly absent. The school year is winding down and it has been a bit crazy these last two weeks. I am really looking forward to this long weekend...and then only 3 more days to go after that. I shared a meme over on Facebook that sums it up pretty accurately.

Anyway, on to the Saturday 9, which features a song from my favorite Elvis movie. Sweet pick, Sam!

Saturday 9: G.I. Blues (1960) 

Unfamiliar with this week's song? Hear it here. 

Memorial Day is a federal holiday that honors men and women who served and died in the United States Armed Forces. We want to make sure that message is not lost this weekend.

1) Are you a veteran? Are there veterans in your family? Do you know anyone who is active military? (We are grateful and want to hear about it.)  I'm not a veteran, though I very seriously considered entering the military after high school. My husband was a Marine. My dad served in the Army. My uncle was a Marine during WWII. He worked with the Navajo Code Talkers and landed one beach down from Iwo Jima, arriving there the second day. My husband's father was an aircraft mechanic attached to special forces. He was deployed to the Bay of Pigs among other places, a fact we didn't find out until after his death. My husband's brother-in-law just returned from Afghanistan yesterday and we have a nephew who is in training and will probably be deployed before the year is out.

2) In this song, Elvis sings about marching, and complains that the Army doesn't give Purple Hearts for fallen arches. Do you have any aches or pains to report this morning?   Well, I've got the fallen arches (flat feet), a sore shoulder, my neck and back always ache to some degree thanks to degenerative disk disease, but why complain...it doesn't make me feel better and people get tired of hearing complaints. I'd rather try to focus on something else.  

A bit of my family's trivia: flat feet kept my grandfather from being accepted into the service during WWII.

3) This song is from the 1960 film of the same name. In the movie, Elvis is in The 32nd Armor Regiment of the United States Army. That's the same regiment he served with in real life. He had the 32nd written into the script as a shout-out to the soldiers he came to know, but realized he'd likely never see again. Is there an old friend you're missing this weekend?  It's possible that my dad met Elvis. They were both part of the 32nd and they both were in Germany during the same time period. Dad never mentioned it, but he never spoke much about his time in the army. Oh, to answer your question...I can't think of any old friends I'm missing. Family? Yes.

4) Memorial Day kicks off the summer season. What's your favorite picnic food?  Toss a steak on the grill, throw on some potatoes and onions in foil packets with butter, salt and pepper, and toss a salad....I'll be a happy camper.

5) Let's celebrate the Memorial Day holiday with ice cream. What's your favorite flavor? Cone or cup?  White House Cherry or plain old chocolate in a sugar cone, please.

5) This marks the weekend when Americans step up their outdoor activity and do things they may not have been able to do during the winter months. For example, when is the last time you applied mosquito repellent?  It's been several years.

7) Or swam?  Not since my husband took down our pool three years ago. Still a sore subject.

8) As you answer these questions, is there an air conditioner or fan on?  The air conditioner went on when I got home from work to get the house cooled down (it was 85 and humid here today). I switched it off a while ago and turned on a fan to keep the air circulating. Our littlest grandson had his own way of keeping cool today.

Check out those patriotic swim trunks!

9) Random question: How do you define success?  Doing something that you like, being content with what you have, helping others, and in general living a life that pleases God.