DOG DAYS OF SUMMER * Every summer has a story! Hope yours is a fabulous one! * Did you know the term “Dog Days of Summer,” was coined by the ancient Greeks and Romans to describe the hottest days of summer that coincided with the rising of the Dog Star, Sirius? The best time to see the star this summer is from July 3rd through August 11th. * I am one hot dog! * A perfect summer day is when the sun is shining, the breeze is blowing, the birds are singing, and the lawn mower is broken! * Every dog must have its day.

* My sister and I attended the Firehouse concert at the Wild West Fest. During one of the songs everyone got out their phones and turned on their flashlights. It was quite an amazing sight! But what I want to know is who remembers when we used to do that very same thing with our Bic cigarette lighters? You didn’t have to smoke cigarettes, you just had to remember to bring a lighter to the concert!

* Thank you, and God bless USA Olympic first-and second-place hammer throwers Deanna Price and Brooke Anderson for standing on the podium with your hands over your hearts during the Star-Spangled Banner at the Olympic track and field tryouts.

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY! Oliver Wendell Holmes: "One Flag, One Land, One Heart, One Hand, One Nation evermore!" Gerald Stanley Lee: "America is a tune. It must be sung together." John Dickinson: "Then join hand in hand, brave Americans all! By uniting we stand, by dividing we fall." * Yes, this is very dangerous, and should NOT be attempted, but who remembers having Roman Candle fights back in the day? Or was it just our family? Here are some interesting facts about the 4th of July….

THIS AND THAT * I can’t believe this happened—I met a person who doesn’t know who Davy Jones was, or for that matter who The Monkees were! How can that be?! * I read this about the legendary Kobe Bryant. His wife Vanessa asked him why he wouldn’t sit out a game when he was hurting.

IT’S JUST WHAT DADDIES DO Chase, this is for you! Giving them bear hugs And tying their shoes, Or reading them books, It’s just what daddies do. Barbequing them hot dogs With a tator tot or two, Or ordering from the Bowling Alley, It’s just what daddies do.

I have earned the right to be heard. I will speak from the wisdom of life.

Yes, it’s time to write about my beachfront dream home! First off, it HAS TO BE right on a beach of white sand and crystal blue waves lapping inches away from my door. I want a large one-story house with an over-sized deck facing the ocean, preferably situated on the Gulf Coast in Destin, Florida, known for its white sandy beaches.

MEMORIAL DAY EDITORIAL * On Memorial Day and Veterans Day, it is customary to spend time remembering and honoring the countless veterans who have served the United States throughout the country’s history. However, there is a distinction between the two holidays: Memorial Day commemorates the men and women who died while in the military service of their country, especially those who died in battle or as a result of wounds sustained in battle.

THIS AND THAT * My family always laughs at this when we read it online.….“I had this delicious omelet this morning. I seasoned the eggs with sugar, oil and chocolate and threw in a little flour for texture.” * The unleaded gasoline price per gallon at the end of April was $2.56.