June 11, 2010

We’re gonna try one more time to get to Greenfield. It has RAINED for days! The painters are havin a terrible time tryin to get our house finished. It frustrates me cause they’re movin around and makin all kinds of noise I’m supposed to be the watch dog and protect the family. I can’t get a decent nap around here with all the work I have to do. And I have to try to follow Mamaw’s instructions this morning about not going out the door ahead of her. It’s hard work too—I’ve done it all my life and now she decides it has to stop. The Bark Busters lady says it has something to do with passive-aggressive (whatever that means). I suspect though, that it means I’m tryin to be the boss…

Poppy has his work cut out for him this morning too. He’s goin to get that new lens made so Betty can read her books! Maybe it’ll stop rainin by the time he gets back from doing that.

Alright—we’re On the Road Again…this time instead of Willie Nelson we’re takin Patsy Cline music with us. We’re headin west on I-80 to Highway 25 in Iowa, about a mile south of the town of Greenfield exit from I80. The Freedom Rock is there—and we’re goin there too. Got lots of great pictures and this artist guy, Ray “Bubba” Sorensen II (Des Moines resident who works as an ad/web designer) stated, “It was right around Memorial Day, and I was driving by that rock (generally featuring graffiti) and wondered what it would be like if I actually took the time to go out there and paint it. And so I painted it with the flag-raising at Iwo Jima. I got such a huge response that I kept painting it. I’ve been painting it for the last five years with tributes to veterans on Memorial Day. “

According to Margie Moore, Innkeeper at the nearby Brass Lantern, the Freedom Rock has become more than just a curiosity or tourist attraction. Sorenson paints a new mural every Memorial Day. People come from all over the US and foreign countries to see it. There are photos of murals from years past and a guest book for visitors to sign. Ms. Moore says a family of a deceased Vietnam veteran came to visit the rock, carrying an urn of their sons’ ashes. They wanted to scatter the ashes around the rock, but it was too windy. Mr. Sorenson, who was painting at the time, put the ashes in the paint so they would be affixed there forever.

The artist never destroys his murals; instead he paints the entire rock with white paint prior to his next inspiration. “You come away feeling as though you were at someplace sacred,” Ms. Moore says. And we felt that way too! It is awe inspiring, sad, beautiful, and a tribute to our Vietnam Veterans.

We just got home and rested for a little while and then off to Mercy Hospital to see Miss Betty. Yes, I GOT TO GO TOO! Mamaw told me I had to “behave” cause I’ve been like a disobedient teenager yet today. Ya know I’m not over that awful training session we had the other day and while I’m happy to jump in the Lexus with Mamaw and Poppy and RIDE, doesn’t mean I am willing to “kiss up to them.” I hope this mood passes though—it’s hard on all of us.

Betty is doing wonderful. And I got to see Lori, Brianna and Alan Dale. Miss Betty was pretty tired so we didn’t stay too long but Poppy was able to mark her new glasses he had made for her so she can read! Okay—we’re gonna leave now. I’ve had a big day and somebody in this hospital needs to rest. Come on Mamaw, grab her laundry and let’s go.