Today is another ugly day, dark, chilly and cloudy. I have nowhere I have to be. It is a stay at home day. It is a wash the kitchen floor day.

My house is dark. The TV is on pause. Everything is quiet except for the occasional blast of heat. The dogs have finally settled down on the couch. I’m ready for another cup of coffee.

The dogs are loving his weather. On sunny days, Nala lies on the grass soaking in the warmth. Henry wanders. On the chilly days they run all over the yard. Nala comes inside panting. Henry comes inside hoping for a snack. They both take a morning nap. They have tough lives.

Yesterday I watched a video about Ghana. It was filmed at Yeji, on the shore of the Volta Lake. A ferry leaves from Yeji, crosses the lake and takes the road again on the other side, in the Northern Region on the road to Tamale. I rode that ferry many times. Sometimes I had to wait for it to come from the other side. I bought food and water while I waited. I bought plantain chips cooked over a charcoal fire. The grills were large white enamel bowls filled with burning charcoal. A metal grid was across the top. The aunties also sold dried fish which never tempted me. I think it was the eyes looking at me. The water was sold in green beer bottles. I used to hold the bottle up to the sun to see how many floaties there were. I bought the bottle with the fewest floaties.

I know how lucky I have been to see a good part of the world. Even now, so many years later, I am amazed that I actually lived in Africa. When I was a kid, the only glimpse of it I had were pictures in my geography book. Usually there were giraffes. I never saw giraffes. I remember on the way to Ghana we flew over the Sahara. Later I would ride a camel in the desert, but on the plane I was thrilled to see it. I will never forget stepping off the plane. I felt the blast of heat and saw palm trees. I was in Africa.

This is my traditional post for Veteran’s Day.

On the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918, World War I ended. This day became known as “Armistice Day.” In 1921, an unknown World War I American soldier was buried in Arlington National Cemetery. Similarly, unknown soldiers had been buried in England at Westminster Abbey and at France at the Arc de Triomphe. All of these memorials took place on November 11th to commemorate the end of the “war to end all wars.”

In 1926, Congress resolved to officially call November 11th Armistice Day. Then in 1938, the day was named a national holiday. Soon afterwords war broke out in Europe and World War II began.

Soon after the end of World War II, a veteran of that war named Raymond Weeks organized “National Veterans Day” with a parade and festivities to honor all veterans. He chose to hold this on Armistice Day. Thus began annual observances of a day to honor all veterans not just the end of World War I. In 1954, Congress officially passed and President Eisenhower signed a bill proclaiming November 11 as Veteran’s Day. Due to his part in the creation of this national holiday, Raymond Weeks received the Presidential Citizens Medal from President Reagan in November 1982.

In 1968, Congress changed the national commemoration of Veterans Day to the fourth Monday in October. However, the significance of November 11 was such that the changed date never really got established. In 1978, Congress returned the observance of Veterans Day to its traditional date.

National ceremonies commemorating Veterans Day occur each year at the the memorial amphitheater built around the Tomb of the Unknowns. At 11 AM on November 11, a color guard representing all military services executes “Present Arms” at the tomb. Then the presidential wreath is laid upon the tomb. Finally, the bugler plays taps.

Each Veterans Day should be a time when Americans stop and remember the brave men and women who have risked their lives for the United States of America. As Dwight Eisenhower said, “…it is well for us to pause, to acknowledge our debt to those who paid so large a share of freedom’s price. As we stand here in grateful remembrance of the veterans’ contributions we renew our conviction of individual responsibility to live in ways that support the eternal truths upon which our Nation is founded, and from which flows all its strength and all its greatness.”