For Memorial Day--A Fallen Hero

You may not know this--may never have thought about it.  But O'Hare International Airport in Chicago, Illinois USA is not named for some local politician who made sure an airport was centrally located and had the start-up funding that it needed.

It's named for a hero.  A WWII fighter pilot who survived the event that earned him his Metal of Honor, and went on to other great feats.  The one that earned him a Navy Cross was his last action on Earth.  He was only 29, and left behind a wife, a daughter, and the life he did not finish.

On Memorial Day, give thought to the people who made and make everything possible for us.  Those who serve would tell us that they are not all heroes.  But they answered the call to protect our Constitution and our country.  They deserve all our thanks and courtesy, and whatever help we can give them to find a new place to stand in the flow of time.

They have returned from a far country, and can never be the same.

Learn about Lt Cmdr Edward "Butch" O'Hare.

Editing Days....

Well, I spent many hours yesterday doing the first pass on proofing a manuscript for Book View Cafe ebook conversion.  I start reading tonight, confirming what I've done and watching for errors a spellchecker doesn't pick up.  (I was reading one of my favorite indulgences last night, Clean Sweep by Ilona Andrews, and the errors jump out at me this time around.  Mostly missing words.  I don't think I would have missed them, but you never know.  No editor can catch everything, it's impossible.  We each have things our eye will correct.)

This am it's been another chapter of Spiral Path, the third Alfreda book.  Of course I don't know if I will keep the same places for chapter breaks, as I have been pruning with vigor, and inserting a couple of tiny but very useful scenes into the novel.  I have a major scene to write, at the end, and a minor but significant change to make closer to the end.  And the last few pages of falling action will change, because I suspect Allie gets to use Shaw's gift after all.  I hope to get this all done this week, but I start a class Thursday with rampant paranoia, and have no idea how much time it will demand.  Plus, unpacking/packing.

Later a client down south.  Maybe a second client, and some work for me.

No, self-employed people have to carve out their own vacation days.  And for me, it's been a long time since I've gotten any.  Memorial Day tends to be just another day, except for remembering those who serve and served.