All I wanted was to put up the flag for the 4th

So I started over a month ago to look for the brass mounting bracket that went with the flag kit I bought several years ago. Couldn't find it in the moving boxes. Then I purchased a good bracket at the Henderson (NC) Wal-Mart in late June. GREAT! I'll have it up before the 4th! It didn't take but a few turns of my dinky drill to realize it was not going to do the job. But Casey at church let me borrow his drill on July 3rd, and I was set! The problem was he forgot to drop it by on that Monday morning, and when he did drop it off Monday night and hide it behind the plant on the front porch, we never saw it.

The 4th of July passed without a gallantly waving flag. Apologies to the Founding Fathers.

On Wednesday night the 5th, Casey asked if I'd seen the drill which I hadn't. Shootfire! I could have had it up on the 4th! Thursday afternoon I found an extension cord and drilled the holes. Boy was I happy! The flag would still get up soon and I'll be having visions of amber waves of grain before nightfall! The plastic whatchamacallems went right into the holes (after I moved up to the right size bit), and in no time that beautiful bracket was up!

I went in the house to retrieve the hallowed flag that had patiently waited its glorious American debut. Ceremoniously, I brought it outside to put it in its beautiful, new display bracket. AND IT DIDN'T FIT! The pole was too big around for the bracket. Uggh! Why didn't I think of that? Back in the house went "the grand old flag, it was a no-flying flag." I shoved it in the corner.

Amanda to the rescue. "It's OK honey. I'll just go back to Wal-Mart and buy one of the poles that are sold along with the bracket you've got up. That way we'll know it'll work. No sweat." Dum spiro spero. (While I breathe, I hope.) Amanda returned triumphantly with a beautiful wooden pole which she had so wisely checked in the store to make sure it would fit the bracket. Smart woman, she.

There was only one problem: The pole was for flags with sleeves which fit over the pole, not flags with grommets. So here I sit. Still flagless except for the little 12 inch Memorial Day graveside flag I stuck in the bracket. So we're going back to Wal-Mart or Lowe's to see if we can find another kind of pole or a bigger bracket. Yes, I'll check them out this time to see if they fit each other.

Hey -- I just got an idea! Why don't I just tie it to the pole through the grommets? What genuine American engineering insight! God shed His Grace on Thee!

Now if I can just find some string . . . .