Memorial Day has come and gone, but I would still like to take a moment and thank all those who have served and sacrificed to preserve our way of life.

Pensacola is the home of the Blue Angels, so they hold a special place in our hearts, here in the Florida Panhandle. I have seen their shows over and over again, from Flint, Michigan to Pensacola, Florida, and I never cease to be amazed at their skill and love of flying.

Unfortunately, accidents happen, whether during an air show or during a training mission and two such events are currently on the news. I am surprised that more accidents don’t happen, considering how often our service men and women are training or serving in one capacity or another. I think that says a lot about them and their abilities.

A special thank you goes out to Marine Captain Jeff Kuss, 32, who has been flying as one of the two solo pilots for the Blue Angels. He paid the ultimate price when his jet crashed as the Blues were preparing for an air show in Tennessee. My heart goes out to his wife and children.

The last Blue Angel crash was in 2007 and to me that shows us how very good these men and women are at what they do. Not just anyone can become a Blue Angel. They have stringent requirements and qualifications to meet, but their biggest hurdle is the team, who are the ultimate power when it comes to choosing their teammates.

The Blue Angels shows have been cancelled for the foreseeable future and they will be missed.

Pensacoleans are showing their “colors” on the 17th Street Bridge, which is also known as Graffiti Bridge. The City allows its people to paint the bridge and most of the artists are very respectful. Every so often they paint over the bridge and the artists begin anew…painting everything in sight…from the rocks, to the poles, to the bridge itself.

Mr Wonderful and I saw photographs on Facebook, honoring our fallen soldier, and we knew we had to pay our respects. So we hopped in the car and drove downtown.

In honor of Jeff Kuss…

Our hearts and minds are with you Blues!

As we were driving home, the weather was warm and rainy and I marveled at the display that nature was providing. The sky is a wondrous place.