connie's space

A Midwest Fourth of July goodie, strawberry pie. Yum!

Happy Independence Day!

It’s been many years since I’ve been able to enjoy my small town’s July 4th celebrations with my parents.  Plans for this evening will begin with hamburgers and baked beans, TV viewing of Washington, D.C.’s special concert before the fireworks begin and then live fireworks in my hometown beginning at 9:15 p.m.

It’s the custom to have our town’s fireworks at the fairgrounds, with the Marshall City Band playing at the race track before the grand show begins for those in the grandstand.

But for many of us residents, we prefer what I call the  “drive-in theater” showing of the festivities.  We drive our cars to the high school parking lot, near the fairgrounds, where we park.  Some bring lawn chairs to set outside their vehicles but with my dad and his oxygen tank, we will just remain inside to see what our town has to offer this year.

We should have a great view of the night sky filled with the Fourth’s dazzling display, so be looking for postings of that tomorrow.

Naturally, Lao-lao (our Chi earthquake rescue) will come along as part of the family.  He’s so deaf now that the “Boom!”s and “Pop!”s don’t bother him at all.  My mom reports he usually just sleeps in his little blanket through the whole thing.

We’ll see if that proves the same this evening.

In the meantime, let me post below my visits to:  Elmwood, Canton, Morton, Lewistown and Carlinville. No mishaps with the car this time around but quite a few wrong turns for me to get to the different churches.  I made it but on a couple of occasions, not on time.

Now I know why new cars are often fully equipped with a built-in GPS.  Sure beats struggling with paper maps, stopping in gas stations  for directions or grabbing a local from a nearby sidewalk to ask  where the heck I’m going.

Hope your celebrations are great ones!  Wishing you Ping An (Peace) from Marshall, IL. Enjoy the below.  I certainly did!

Elmwood UMW’s salad luncheon, before the program

Elmwood UMW

Pekin Grace UMC 8:15 a.m. service. Me with Pastor Gary Ford with my good friend Sally Morris (former UM missionary to Africa) and her mom

These young folk at Pekin UMC had quite a few Chinese phrases to share with me.

A dash to the next city over had me in Morton for their 10:45 contemporary service. For once, I was able to enjoy the pastor’s message. (Afterwards, we had a luncheon program led by me.)

6 years ago, Don and Rena hosted me for an overnight and also came to China where we met up in between their touring schedule. Happy reunion for us

Canton UMC was next for a potluck supper.

An overnight and late-night talk with my good friend, Virginia (90) in Lewistown.

Lewistown UMC evening potluck

A glittery gift, “China,” from Pastor Derek and Mavis’ grand-daughter.

Carlinville UMW

Jayne Hanlin (a Christian Science Monitor Home Forum essayist, such as myself) made a special trip to see my presentation in Carlinville. We had a lot of catching up to do afterwards!

A few miles from Marshall, an evening with Emmanuel and Zion UMW (Strawberry pie was our feature dessert, as seen for my blog greeting.)

Driving straight for three and a-half hours is a long time to go without a potty break, especially if you’ve just had 3 cups of coffee before starting out.  But that is the predicament I found myself in last week.

After giving an evening presentation in Mason City, spending the night in a parishioner’s home and then enjoying a lovely breakfast spread (including the 3 cups of coffee), I eagerly hopped in the car to speed out of town on my way back to Marshall.

I wasn’t more than 20 minutes on my way when the incident occurred, sealing my no-bathroom- break fate.

The story is as follows.

An Old Car, A Cracked Remote and A Nubby Key

During my journeys around the state, I’ve been using my parents’ 2008 Ford Sedan while my mom and dad use, for hometown use, the auxiliary car — the gas-guzzling Hyundai.

My dad made sure there were new tires on the Ford and new brake pads so I wouldn’t have any major difficulties on my travels.  No hesitations about the cost.  A daughter’s safety came first; no arguments there.

What did give cause for discussion centered around the two sets of keys for the old car.  One set’s remote control no longer worked for some reason.  Our Ford dealer said it would cost $130 to get a new one.  Rather than spend the money, we all decided I’d just use the other set, which worked but with a hitch.

The plastic on the key-holding remote was giving way, pulling apart at the seams.  It was holding up fairly well when I left Marshall but during my drive up to Mason City, I could feel the mechanism crack even more every time I started up the car.

I knew it was on its last leg, but what I didn’t expect was that pitstop I took at the Russell Stover chocolate store to become the be all and end all of its lifespan.

The key snapped off in the ignition.

Fortunately for me, the car was still running at the time the remote holder attachment popped off into my hands.  I say “fortunate” because the only way to turn the car off or on was with a set of pliers to grab the key’s little nubby metal protrusion and turn it.

Using fingers definitely wasn’t going to do it (I tried – wouldn’t budge).

I didn’t have a set of pliers with me, and even if I had, I was concerned the nub might break off, creating an even bigger mess than I was already in.

Nothing to do but drive straight through, keep the car running and “hold it,” so to speak.

 Doing Battle with The Car Dealer

“You’ve got to be kidding!” Connie on a mission: getting a new key and remote

As it turned out, I did make a quick dash at a Casey’s gas station with my parked car running.  I just made sure the windows were rolled down so the automatic lock wouldn’t kick in.  In my estimation, someone stealing the car was preferable to me having an accident. (For my Chinese readers, it’s not a vehicular accident I’m talking about here!)

Once safely back in Marshall, I readied myself for battle with our town’s Ford dealer.

Upon inspection of the second key, which was fine for use aside from the broken remote, I saw that the plastic was likewise cracking, giving way in the exact same place as the other one! Obviously, these particular keyholder remotes were defective.

Replacing one at $130 was understandable but two for $260?!  When it wasn’t even my parents’ fault but a product flaw?

While my father was happy to replace one, I certainly was not satisfied that one was enough.  At the least, our dealer should either give us a discount or, better yet, give us a set for free.

Thus I headed down to the dealership and asked to speak directly to the manager.

The Maiden in Distress

Armed with both key holders, including the one with the nubby key pulled out of it, I lamented my 3 ½ hour drive, far from home with a bursting bladder and a  car I was worried to turn off.  I also produced the identical cracked remotes, mentioning that I felt the Ford company needed to know this in case it happened to another person.

Our dealership owner respectfully listened to my story before carefully inspecting the keyholders.

“Mmm,” he said, turning them both over.  “Well, that is strange.  Let’s go talk to our car service personnel.”

I trotted after him, down the hallway to where those servicing the cars hang out in the office.

“Take a look at these,” he said, handing them over.

The mechanic present examined the key holders, especially the one where the metal key had popped out of the plastic.

He looked quite stunned at the condition of what he saw.

“I’ve never, ever seen remotes rip apart like this before,” he volunteered.  “And I’ve seen a lot of cars since these things first came out.  Looks like they both are coming apart at the same place, too.”

The two men stood silently, contemplating the items before them.

I waited patiently, holding my breath.

The manager weighed his final decision, then spoke.

“Well, replacing one of these is $130 so two would be $260,” he said slowly. “I think we can do Bill (my dad) a favor and pay for one of these. No reason for both of these keys to break like that, even after 9 years.”

Ah-ha!  Victory!

Of course, I thanked him profusely for his generosity.

“You know, it would be such a great relief to have two of these in working order,” I said, in true sincerity. “My dad was only going to get one of them but I just didn’t feel safe, being a woman and all, if I were stranded somewhere on my travels and no one was around to help me.  Having that second key around would be a great comfort.  I honestly appreciate you helping us out.”

I must admit, I don’t often play the maiden-in-distress card but if it’ll save my dad 130 bucks, you bet I’ll go for it!

Victory! Two for the price of one.

Heading Back Up North

Tomorrow, I’ll be driving back up north about 4 hours for a 5-day presentation block  in Elmwood, Pekin, Morton, Canton, Lewistown and Carlinville.

No worries about keys coming out of their holders or broken remotes not locking or unlocking car doors.  I’ve got two brand new ones in my possession, thanks to our dealership owner. . . and a little wisp of feminine wiles.

From Marshall, here’s wishing you Ping An (Peace) for your weekend and a joyful upcoming July Fourth holiday, filled with good food, good company and outstanding firework displays.

Yesterday’s Memorial Day service had me driving my parents to the American Legion, where our American Legion Post 90 members hold their annual commemorative  ceremonies for the public.

My father is a Korean War veteran, having served from 1950-51 in the U.S. Marine Corp, so this is one of his yearly highlights:  attending our local Memorial Day service and standing for recognition during the program.

Our Marshall Memorial Day ceremony always includes the selling of paper poppies at the entrance, programs which outline the events that will take place (numerous marches played by the city band, posting and retiring the Colors, Pledge of Allegiance by audience members,  introductions by the Legion commander, a main speaker, symbolic toast to those who have fallen, presentation of Quilts of Valor to area veterans, and  gun salute) and a free dinner afterwards served by American Legion / VFW and the lady Auxiliary members.

I tried my best to photograph as many aspects as I could of this special day.  Hope it gives those who have never experienced this a little taste of our American holiday.

Ping An (Peace!)

Many of us decorate our yards with flags. This is my parents’ front lawn, as we are getting ready to drive to the American Legion.

On our drive to the Legion building, we passed many houses, such as ours, with flags out to commemorate the day.

After a few minutes, we arrived at the  American Legion building in my hometown.

Dedication memorial on the American Legion lawn.

Entering the building, we have our greeters, American Legion members getting ready for the ceremony, and the poppy table to pick up your poppies.

I made sure to get programs and also poppies for my parents, already seated. My donation was $5 for the Poppy Program helping our disabled veterans.

In my small town, we always have a good turn-out for Memorial Day.

My father (striped blue shirt) and mother sitting beside him put on their poppies.

The Marshall City Band plays throughout the service, both festive marches and more solemn numbers.

Commander Yeley of Post 90 begins our service.

The Color Guard posts the colors (i.e., brings in the US flag and Legion flag)

The audience faces the US flag and says the Pledge of Allegiance, right hand over your heart.

Those in the military, or who have been in the military, will give the military salute. (Notice our WW 2 vet in the front row is doing this.)

After the speaker, veterans were invited to stand when the band played their military branch anthem. My father stood when the Marine Corp march was played.

Others stood for their recognition serving in the US Army, Airforce and Navy.

The Quilts of Valor, seen here, were made by our local Marshall women and presented to WW 2 veterans for their service to their country.

The first quilt presented to a veteran.

Yet another quilt: “Thank you for your service to our country” followed every presentation.

To close our time together, the color guard retires the Colors (removes the flags) from the auditorium.

Everyone exits outside where we will have the gun salute.

The color guard, getting ready for the gun salute.

3 rounds are fired (line of riflemen in the distance)

Taps (a sleepy, somber melody) is played by a trumpeter and echoed by another trumpeter in honor of the dead.

Those of us present honor the dead, hand over hearts or military salute, until Taps is finished.

All are invited to lunch in the basement of the American Legion. Our American Legion Auxiliary ladies are here to serve you!

The men in the kitchen were busy frying up batches of catfish and chicken for the crowd, along with mashed potatoes.

No one was going home hungry on this day.

That included our young folk as well.

My mom and I were among the well-fed. (My dad went home due to his health issues and we later brought him a take-out container of catfish.)

My neighbors, the Commers, along with many others, decorate their lawns for Memorial Day.

Yesterday, I honored those individuals in the military (past and present) at my hometown’s American Legion post for our Memorial Day services.  Today’s papers are full of articles and photos of others who also celebrated May 30^th as I did.

Before getting to my personal photos of Memorial Day, let me introduce its history to my Chinese readers and others interested.  After researching a bit on the Net, I found out quite a bit of information which I myself wasn’t even aware of.  Read on!

How did Memorial Day get started?

 Three years after America’s Civil War ended, on May 5, 1868, the head of an organization of Union veterans — the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) — established Decoration Day as a time for the nation to decorate the graves of the war dead with flowers. Maj. Gen. John A. Logan declared that Decoration Day should be observed on May 30. It is believed that date was chosen because flowers would be in bloom all over the country.

The first large observance was held that year at Arlington National Cemetery, across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C.  Various Washington officials, including Gen. and Mrs. Ulysses S. Grant, presided over the ceremonies. After speeches, children from the Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Orphan Home and members of the GAR made their way through the cemetery, strewing flowers on both Union and Confederate graves, reciting prayers and singing hymns.

Local Observances of Memorial Day

 Even before the nation’s capital took on this special memorial to fallen soldiers, many local observances throughout the country had already been commemorating those who died in the war.   Decoration Day then took on a new identity, being called by many Memorial Day.

By the end of the 19th century, Memorial Day ceremonies were being held on May 30 throughout the nation. State legislatures passed proclamations designating the day, and the Army and Navy adopted regulations for proper observance at their facilities.

It was not until after World War I, however, that the day was expanded to honor those who have died in all American wars.

In 1971, Memorial Day was declared a national holiday by an act of Congress, though it is still often called Decoration Day. It was then also placed on the last Monday in May.

What Do We Do on this Day? Memorial Day Services and a 3 p.m. Moment of Silence

To ensure the sacrifices of America ’s fallen heroes are never forgotten, in December 2000, the U.S. Congress passed and the president signed into law “The National Moment of Remembrance Act,” P.L. 106-579, creating the White House Commission on the National Moment of Remembrance.

The purpose of this act was to “encourage the people of the United States to give something back to their country, which provides them so much freedom and opportunity” by encouraging and coordinating commemorations in the United States of Memorial Day and the National Moment of Remembrance.

The National Moment of Remembrance urges all Americans to pause wherever they are at 3 p.m. local time on Memorial Day for a minute of silence to remember and honor those who have died in service to the nation.

The Official Flower for Memorial Day: The Poppy

The Poppy, from my mom’s garden

It is a custom on this day for us to wear paper poppies (a poppy is a kind of red flower) to show the sacrifice of service made by our veterans.  These red crepe paper poppies are handmade by veterans as part of their therapeutic rehabilitation. They are distributed across the country in exchange for donations that go directly to assist disabled and hospitalized veterans in our communities.

The poppy, made by our veterans for Memorial Day and Veterans Day

The poppy itself was chosen due to an epic battle at Flanders Fields in Belgium where many men died and were buried during World War I.

After the battle, a Canadian soldier named Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae noticed how quickly red poppies grew over the graves of his friend and other fallen soldiers. That inspired McCrae to write the poem “In Flanders Fields” May of 1915.

McCrae was a soldier, physician and writer. As it turns out, he wasn’t happy with his poem. Legend has it he threw it away and another soldier plucked it out of the trash.

The poem soon began to circulate throughout magazines and newspapers, becoming quite well-known.

In 1918, Moina Michael read the poem and later started a movement to sell red silk poppies as remembrance flowers on Memorial Day. The money raised was donated to veterans in need.

Just before Memorial Day in 1922, the VFW (Veterans of Foreign Wars) became the first veteran’s organization to sell poppies across the United States. Within a couple years, it was called the Buddy Poppy program and ever since then, paper poppies have been made by disabled vets.

Before My Part 2 Entry: The Poem that Immortalized the Poppy in America

In Flanders Fields (originally entitled “We Shall Not Sleep”)

In Flanders fields the poppies blow

Between the crosses, row on row

That mark our place; and in the sky

The larks, still bravely singing, fly

Scarce heard amid the guns below

We are the Dead.

Short days ago

We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,

Loved, and were loved, and now we lie In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:

To you from failing hands we throw

The torch; be yours to hold it high

If ye break faith with us who die

We shall not sleep, though poppies grow

In Flanders fields.

–Lt. Col. John McCrae

I’ve been in my hometown  for almost a week now after trips to NYC and several church visits in South Carolina. Before those reports, I’ll add something which is appropriate for today, Memorial Day.

I submitted this article to our local Marshall paper which  I’ll share with you now.  In the next few blogs, I’ll tell you all about our American Legion Memorial Day services, which I attended this morning with my parents, and add some of my recent adventures along the East Coast.

A Memorial Day Tribute: “Do not stand by my grave and weep”

Note: Connie Wieck is a Marshall, IL, native who has spent 19 years in China as an employee with the United Methodist General Board of Global Ministries. She works for the Chinese Christian-founded organization, the Amity Foundation, as a language teacher. Connie is placed at small 3-year colleges teaching English to English education majors (i.e., Chinese college students entering the education field to later teach English in the country’s junior and senior high schools.)

It’s been 18 years since I was last in the US for Memorial Day.

As an English language teacher in China, my college school year ends in mid- July rather than mid or late May as in the States. Due to this schedule, I have never been able to return early enough to celebrate this day with other Americans in our country.

But this year, I’ve had a change of plans.   After having work visa difficulties, I spent the year on a student visa, studying Chinese at Sichuan University in Chengdu. I left my spring semester early to return to Illinois where I will be traveling the state, speaking at various churches and giving presentations about China and my work there.   Thus I have the opportunity, for the first time in 18 years, to once again enjoy Memorial Day services in my country and community.

A Memorial Day Message for All

As Memorial Day is upon us, let me share with you one of the most famous poems often read for this special day, as well as about its author and history.

Mary Elizabeth Frye was a Baltimore housewife and florist, best known as the author of the beloved poem “Do not stand at my grave and weep,” written in 1932. She was born Mary Elizabeth Clark, and was orphaned at the age of three. In 1927 she married Claud Frye.

As the story goes (according to my Internet research), Frye  had never written any poetry before, but the plight of a young German Jewish woman, Margaret Schwarzkopf, who was staying with her and her husband, inspired the poem. Margaret Schwarzkopf had been concerned about her mother, who was ill in Germany, but she had been warned not to return home because of increasing anti-Semitic unrest. When her mother died, the heartbroken young woman told Frye that she never had the chance to “stand by my mother’s grave and shed a tear.” Frye found herself composing a piece of verse on a brown paper shopping bag. Later she said the words “just came to her” and expressed what she felt about life and death.

Frye circulated the poem privately, never publishing or copyrighting it. She wrote other poems, but this, her first, endured. Her obituary made it clear that she was the author of the famous poem, which has been recited at funerals and on other appropriate occasions around the world for 60 years.  This claim, however, wasn’t proven until 1998, after an investigation by journalist Abigail Van Buren.

A Poem Spreads Round the World

The poem was introduced to many in the United Kingdom when it was read by the father of a soldier killed by a bomb in Northern Ireland. The soldier’s father read the poem on BBC radio in 1995 in remembrance of his son, who had left the poem among his personal effects in an envelope addressed ‘To all my loved ones’.  Due to this, “Do not stand at my grave and weep” is now considered one of Britain’s favorite poems.

Taking Time to Observe of Memorial Day

In honor of Memorial Day this year, I would like to share with all of you Frye’s moving message.  It is currently listed as the 17th most favorite poems treasured by Americans.

Let us remember those who have strengthened and blessed our lives through their commitment and service to country, family, church and community.  Post this poem somewhere in your home.  As you read it this Memorial Day, think of those individuals who have gone before us that we hold dear to our hearts.   While no longer physically with us, they encircle us every day with their spirits and our memories of their love.

Do Not Stand by My Grave and Weep  (by Mary Elizabeth Frye, 1932) 

Do not stand at my grave and weep.

I am not there.  I do not sleep.

I am a thousand winds that blow.

I am the diamond glints on the snow.

I am the sunlight on ripened grain.

I am the gentle autumn rain.

When you awaken in the morning’s hush,

I am the swift uplifting rush

Of quiet birds in circled flight.

I am the soft stars that shine at night.

Do not stand at my grave and cry.

I am not there; I did not die.