After checking into our luxurious hotel in Paris, we were impressed with the Asian decor, including a fancy bidet and even a shower massage. Excellent!

We showered and got almost decent when the power went off... and then on... and then off again. This time it stayed off, so we went out into the hallway, bumping into other members of our tour group. We were on the sixth floor, trying to find our way around in totally unknown territory. Luckily, hubby's watch has a light beam, so we were able to find the stairs.

Going down, we gathered more people on every floor. Some of our tour group was on the 20th floor! There were few emergency lights so it was scary and for all we knew it could have been a real fire or something. None of the doors were marked properly. Some we opened went to nowhere! Some we thought might be an exit were really utility closets. A door on the fourth floor had an exit sign on it but it went out to the roof!

Hubby started laughing saying this reminded him of the original Poseidon Adventure. He was Ernest Borgnine and I was the unsinkable Shelly Winters --- I was going to have to swim to save every one!

Eventually, we make it down to another lobby, not the one where we entered to check-in. It was pouring the rain, but most of us decided to go to our bus without umbrellas or raincoats. It felt safer and the sky was lighter than the insides of a dark building. We all agreed that there are no building or fire inspectors in Paris!

Ahoy, Mateys!

Some of you may remember that I use to be in the Navy. It was during the Viet Nam era and I was stationed at Charleston, South Carolina. That was before women went to sea and before they went into combat. Heck, if they got pregnant, they got booted out! Back then, women were put into safe jobs so that the men could be freed to fight for our country. Apparently, I was okay with the situation because that was how things were in those days. Today I would sure stir up some trouble!

My service to my country was spent as a clerk in the records department. I only did the paperwork! Well, you know what they say --- the work's not over till the paperwork's done. Anyway, I helped people retire, reenlist, discharge them, change their names, or any other addition and/or corrections to their records. One other thing I did was give people their marching orders to other place --- one of which was to Viet Nam. In those days men actually volunteered to go because " that's where the action was" they said. Of course, there was also a form for that.

I often wonder how many came back home again. A few of those good-looking young men who graduated with me in high school went off to war and never returned. All of my old classmate buddies I'm still in touch with were in one of the armed services. Their experiences varied, but thankfully all came home.

Memorial Day to me is to remember all those Americans who gave their lives in the fight for freedom around the world. That is the greatest bravery --- going into a situation and knowing you may not come out alive. Some of our U.S. citizens do it every day. Many do not make it back home and we all see their faces and stories in the special obituaries in the daily newspapers. The loss of life is staggering.

There is a nearby park where a mother who lost her son in the war, puts up white crosses for each person killed in combat. The neat rows of crosses have grow to an overwhelming display this year. I felt the same way last year.

As always, join me in praying this year the wars will end and all of our military will be home soon with their families.