Thunder and lightning, a big homecoming

After the rains that began last night, I suppose we can actually call it spring. That's great, except for the fact that with the rains comes the occasional thunder and lightning storm.

It wasn't until I was about 18, that I learned to enjoy the real beauty of thunder and lightning. I simply forced myself to sit on the deck through one of the most ferocious storms I'd ever seen. Unfortunately two of my three dogs haven't learned the lesson.

It's not so bad when Gizmo, my Pekingese, gets nervous about a storm. Normally, the dogs aren't allowed to sleep in the bed, but I'm a little more tolerant when the thunder crashes and the house lights up late at night.

Very seldom does she wake me up as she lightly jumps up on the bed and lays against me, quivering in her fear.

Max, the golden retriever, is a different story. He doesn't even like the thunder on the television. This is a dog that loves the sound of a gun being shot. He enjoys chasing the fireworks my 15-year-old-son lights during the July 4 holiday, but when it comes to thunder, he's a puppy.

If he's in the living room with us when the storm appears, he begins panting much as I would if I'd tried running the Boston Marathon, and then places himself face-first into a corner.

If the storm comes at night, his hurling 140-pound body nearly knocks me to the floor as he joins me on the bed. His body quakes, making the bed feel like a coin operated Magic Fingers bed and somehow, through all that heavy panting, he finds enough oxygen to throw in a nearly constant serenade of howling and whining.

The third dog, Chewy the mutt, is oblivious to all of it.

One of these days, Gizmo, Max and I are going to take a trip out to the deck so I can explain to them that the thunder won't hurt them and the lightning is miles away. Either that or they're going to have to start sleeping in the spare bedroom.

The Gazette has received a news release that members of the Nebraska Army Reserve in McCook are coming home.

In celebration, the McCook Police Department will be escorting them into town on Monday.

Here's my challenge:

At approximately 1:45 p.m., on Monday, I challenge every citizen in McCook to stand out on the parade route with flags waving. These young men and women have given us so much -- let's show them how much we appreciate the sacrifices they and their families have made.

The route will begin on U.S. Highway 6 at East 11th Street. They will go north on East 11th to H Street, west to Norris Avenue, south to C Street and then west to Seventh Street, where they will be reunited with their families. The event is open to the public.

Then on May 1, there will be an open house at the Armory from 1-4 p.m. honoring soldiers who have served in Iraq, are currently serving, or have been called to duty.

Many people are referring to this war as "another Vietnam." Let's not let that happen. No matter how we feel about the war, we have to support the individuals who have answered the call of their country and put their lives on the line, it's nothing more than they deserve.