My dad wrote this:

Veteran honors citizens of Kingsport

In recognition of Veterans Day, I would like the reverse things. This veteran honors the citizens of Kingsport and Eastern Tennessee.

Upon our retirement nearly seven years ago, my wife and I relocated from western New York to Kingsport. We chose Eastern Tennessee for numerous reasons, such as climate, affordability, mountains and laid-back lifestyle.

Never being active in any veterans organizations, this past spring my wife and I joined the Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 979. Subsequently, we participated in the Fourth of July parade in Kingsport. While marching in the parade I was overwhelmed with emotion by the genuine outpouring of appreciation and gratitude exhibited by the spectators lining the parade route. With tears flowing, I remarked to my wife “I left Vietnam 37 years ago, and now I feel as though I finally arrived home.”

Thank you Kingsport and citizens of Eastern Tennessee for giving me and my wife one of the most heartwarming experiences of our lives. It was an honor serving Americans such as you and makes me so proud to be an American veteran!

Paul Rebrovich

Kingsport

I bought a hand-held battery-operated milk frother today. Just 9.99 at Target. So, now I can make my own spiced chai tea latte. I've already made myself a cup - made with vanilla soy milk. Mmmm. . .


arovd, are you starting to drool yet?

So, I worked in retail for nine years. I know it sucks. At the end of the night, I wanted to get out of there as badly as anyone. But, even at a young, naive age, I knew that without customers there would be no store. With no store, no job. No job, no money.

I was at Cato today. They were closing at 6:00 - because of the holiday, I suppose (although Best Buy was open until the normal 9:00). I was there at quarter after five. I wanted to try on a few articles of clothing, and one of the girls was at the register ringing people up. She said she would be right with me. No problem, but why the hell couldn't the chick who was vacuuming stop to let me in a fitting room?

So, when we got to the Crossroads Cafe or Coffeeshop or whatever it's called, arovd wanted the ceiling fan turned on because she had the vapors. The chick who took my order came over and was having difficulty flipping the switch or pulling the chain. But, after three and a half minutes, she got it working. Another three and a half minutes, and the fan was up to speed. It's about 164 degrees outside, so the fan was much needed. But you know, it's not really the heat, it's the humidity.