Daily Journal - June 19 & 20, 2007
ALICE'S - we always stopped here after our baseball games &
bought the kids on the team one thing-- like a red dipped cone.
bought the kids on the team one thing-- like a red dipped cone.
From the Richmond, Virginia Sentinel, 5/18/1863 {NOTICE THE DATE}
Hollywood Cemetery. - It is a disgrace to humanity that this beautiful place of repose for the dead is not secure from
the desecrating touch of those who, by their sex, are naturally expected to set a good example to the vicious. On
recent occasions, graves have been robbed by young females, of the flowers planted there by the hand of affection,
and bouquets, carried away to adorn their persons or their parlors. This would scarcely admit of belief, in the absence
of proof; but the fact is attested by the persons who have witnessed it, and therefore cannot be controverted. He or
she who would botanize upon a grave, may be deemed capable of almost any wickedness.
Hollywood Cemetery. - It is a disgrace to humanity that this beautiful place of repose for the dead is not secure from
the desecrating touch of those who, by their sex, are naturally expected to set a good example to the vicious. On
recent occasions, graves have been robbed by young females, of the flowers planted there by the hand of affection,
and bouquets, carried away to adorn their persons or their parlors. This would scarcely admit of belief, in the absence
of proof; but the fact is attested by the persons who have witnessed it, and therefore cannot be controverted. He or
she who would botanize upon a grave, may be deemed capable of almost any wickedness.
Wednesday, June 20, 2007 - If we don't honor the
dead, our ancestors, the ones who came before us, who
do we think will honor us when we die?
Last year or the year before, I heard about some flowers
being stolen from Blackberry Cemetery. As usual, I
thought, "that won't ever happen to me."
It reminds me that I thought my kids would never be
killed in a car accident - THAT will never happen to me.
I'm never going to win the Mega Millions - that will
NEVER happen to me.
Who in the world would go to a cemetery, ON
FATHER'S DAY no less, and steal flowers from a
grave that is obviously well taken care of and visited
often as is evidenced by the fact that whoever stole the
flowers would notice that they had just been watered.
I can't fathom who could walk up to Andrew and
Jarrett's grave and NOT notice that they died two days
apart. They were just kids. How could you look at their
gravestone and not have your heart touched by their
tragedy? Obviously, a person with no conscience!
When I did a search on the internet, I came up with the
above piece from almost 150 years ago. So, I guess the
cemetery flower thieves have been with us for ever and
ever. How very, very sad.
dead, our ancestors, the ones who came before us, who
do we think will honor us when we die?
Last year or the year before, I heard about some flowers
being stolen from Blackberry Cemetery. As usual, I
thought, "that won't ever happen to me."
It reminds me that I thought my kids would never be
killed in a car accident - THAT will never happen to me.
I'm never going to win the Mega Millions - that will
NEVER happen to me.
Who in the world would go to a cemetery, ON
FATHER'S DAY no less, and steal flowers from a
grave that is obviously well taken care of and visited
often as is evidenced by the fact that whoever stole the
flowers would notice that they had just been watered.
I can't fathom who could walk up to Andrew and
Jarrett's grave and NOT notice that they died two days
apart. They were just kids. How could you look at their
gravestone and not have your heart touched by their
tragedy? Obviously, a person with no conscience!
When I did a search on the internet, I came up with the
above piece from almost 150 years ago. So, I guess the
cemetery flower thieves have been with us for ever and
ever. How very, very sad.
Tuesday, June 19, 2007 - I have a lot of mulch to move
around today. We've been having temps in the high 80's and
low 90's for the past week. Today is in the upper 70's.....
perfect temperature for working outside. It is absolutely
perfect out there. Not that I don't dearly LOVE the heat but a
short respite from it is welcome.
On Father's Day, Bob went into Alice's Restaurant to get
some food. He went out to the cemetery and ate his lunch
with the boys. I stayed home not knowing what he was doing
exactly but aware that he was going by the cemetery.
Then, later in the afternoon, Elliot came over to swim. A short
time after he arrived, Lizz, DJ and James came by. They all
wished Bob a Happy Father's Day. It was an
acknowledgement that he's a father....even though it's not a
particularly happy day. He really appreciated their kindness
and so did I.
When I read that book about what impresses our angels and
spiritual guides and God after we die, they always mentioned
any sort of unexpected and selfless act of kindness to others
was more important than all of the money we accumulate, all
of the power we wield and our coveted social status.
It's simple kindness that counts more than anything else.
What about love? Well, if you love someone, then you'll be
kind to them, right!! How well I know that ---- and how simple
is that - to merely be kind to one another.
It's my only regret about Andrew and Jarrett. I wish I had
been kinder to them. It's good advice - be kind. see ya later,
djb
around today. We've been having temps in the high 80's and
low 90's for the past week. Today is in the upper 70's.....
perfect temperature for working outside. It is absolutely
perfect out there. Not that I don't dearly LOVE the heat but a
short respite from it is welcome.
On Father's Day, Bob went into Alice's Restaurant to get
some food. He went out to the cemetery and ate his lunch
with the boys. I stayed home not knowing what he was doing
exactly but aware that he was going by the cemetery.
Then, later in the afternoon, Elliot came over to swim. A short
time after he arrived, Lizz, DJ and James came by. They all
wished Bob a Happy Father's Day. It was an
acknowledgement that he's a father....even though it's not a
particularly happy day. He really appreciated their kindness
and so did I.
When I read that book about what impresses our angels and
spiritual guides and God after we die, they always mentioned
any sort of unexpected and selfless act of kindness to others
was more important than all of the money we accumulate, all
of the power we wield and our coveted social status.
It's simple kindness that counts more than anything else.
What about love? Well, if you love someone, then you'll be
kind to them, right!! How well I know that ---- and how simple
is that - to merely be kind to one another.
It's my only regret about Andrew and Jarrett. I wish I had
been kinder to them. It's good advice - be kind. see ya later,
djb
Father's Day (two words), plus Andrew & Jarrett's grave (two dead
boys) minus two red geraniums equals incredulity and astonishment
Loss of trust: cannot be calculated
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On Father's Day (June17th), I went to the grocery store to get the usual
food type items. On my way there, I stopped at the cemetery shortly
before 10 a.m. to water the red geraniums and Jarrett's illegal tree.
No one else was there, however as I was leaving, I did notice a man
at the top of the hill driving a red tractor with a small boy on his lap. I
had previously seen him driving across Hwy 47. Suspicious???
hmmm?
After meandering through the grocery store for a while looking for this
and that, I got in line, unloaded my cart and paid for my purchases....
my receipt was printed at 10:46 a.m. Rebecca was my cashier. (I've
been waiting for many years to use that type of information!)
Bob was working on the pool when I got home. After a while, he said
that he was going into Alice's (as I reported yesterday). When he got
to the boys' grave at approximately 12:15 p.m., he noticed that the red
geraniums were GONE. However, he knows that I like to bring them
home from time to time (when they look sickly) so he didn't think
anything of it or even mention it to me.
Since it was overcast and we had rain on Monday, they obviously didn't
need watering. When I stopped by the cemetery yesterday at 4:35
p.m., the shepherd's hooks were empty. As Bob did, I looked behind
the gravestone. GONE! STOLEN. WHY? WHO? For real????
It took me a while to figure it all out. That's when I realized that on
Sunday, the Lord's Day, Father's Day, someone came to the cemetery
between 10 a.m. and 12:15 p.m. and purposely stole our sons'
flowers. It isn't the cost, it's the complete and utter lack of respect for
the dead.
Years ago, I always said that nothing would happen to anything left at
Andrew and Jarrett's grave because anyone who "might" do that sort
of thing would most likely be one of Andrew's buddies. But they would
NEVER steal anything from Andrew's final resting place because they
learned the lesson of respect for the dead the hard way.
The last time I saw my sons in their matching caskets was right below
the scene of the crime. How perfectly pitiful that someone with larceny
in their heart can wander unfettered in such a lovely, peaceful place. I
feel sorry for the perp, but I feel sorrier for the rest of us that we live in
a world with someone so low who would steal from a cemetery. ~djb
boys) minus two red geraniums equals incredulity and astonishment
Loss of trust: cannot be calculated
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On Father's Day (June17th), I went to the grocery store to get the usual
food type items. On my way there, I stopped at the cemetery shortly
before 10 a.m. to water the red geraniums and Jarrett's illegal tree.
No one else was there, however as I was leaving, I did notice a man
at the top of the hill driving a red tractor with a small boy on his lap. I
had previously seen him driving across Hwy 47. Suspicious???
hmmm?
After meandering through the grocery store for a while looking for this
and that, I got in line, unloaded my cart and paid for my purchases....
my receipt was printed at 10:46 a.m. Rebecca was my cashier. (I've
been waiting for many years to use that type of information!)
Bob was working on the pool when I got home. After a while, he said
that he was going into Alice's (as I reported yesterday). When he got
to the boys' grave at approximately 12:15 p.m., he noticed that the red
geraniums were GONE. However, he knows that I like to bring them
home from time to time (when they look sickly) so he didn't think
anything of it or even mention it to me.
Since it was overcast and we had rain on Monday, they obviously didn't
need watering. When I stopped by the cemetery yesterday at 4:35
p.m., the shepherd's hooks were empty. As Bob did, I looked behind
the gravestone. GONE! STOLEN. WHY? WHO? For real????
It took me a while to figure it all out. That's when I realized that on
Sunday, the Lord's Day, Father's Day, someone came to the cemetery
between 10 a.m. and 12:15 p.m. and purposely stole our sons'
flowers. It isn't the cost, it's the complete and utter lack of respect for
the dead.
Years ago, I always said that nothing would happen to anything left at
Andrew and Jarrett's grave because anyone who "might" do that sort
of thing would most likely be one of Andrew's buddies. But they would
NEVER steal anything from Andrew's final resting place because they
learned the lesson of respect for the dead the hard way.
The last time I saw my sons in their matching caskets was right below
the scene of the crime. How perfectly pitiful that someone with larceny
in their heart can wander unfettered in such a lovely, peaceful place. I
feel sorry for the perp, but I feel sorrier for the rest of us that we live in
a world with someone so low who would steal from a cemetery. ~djb
