Military Family

 Wahoo! It finally started raining yesterday and already the snow is starting to melt. I feel like a new man. Don't get me wrong, I'd much rather have sunshine and sixty degrees right now, but as long as it's not snowing, I'm a fairly happy camper. I've tried unsuccessfully to  get a good picture of the collage that we have hanging in the dining room. I know this isn't very good at all, but it's the best I can do.  Somehow Brian has a huge picture and is centered right in the middle. Don't let it go to your head Brian. Obviously my picture is the smallest- let me be clear- the size and order of things has nothing at all to do with the standing of any of the individuals pictured here. If that were the criteria we were using, I would probably have a picture that took up half the wall. Oh well... in terms of people who seemed to be having a good time in these pictures, if you observe closely, you can see in the picture on the left hand side that I'm smiling like the Cheshire Cat from Alice in Wonderland. I'm not sure why, I think it must have been taken just before we were due to get out of bootcamp and the idea made me giddy. My dad on the top looks pretty happy too. He was probably thinking about mom. Ben looks pretty stern and Brian is sober as a judge. They both look pretty good though. I have to admit, I love the doo-dads and braids and the wings on Ben's uniform. He's got wings because he's a paratrooper, just like my dad was. I've always kind of liked the idea of staying inside the plane myself. I really like the maroon beret too. It reminds me of the one that Buffalo Bob donned when we drove around Hoonah on our way to the dump. All the girls swooned when he waved at them; he was a handsome fellow. If I wore a maroon beret I suspect they would throw eggs. Brian and I are both wearing the dixie cup hat that is part of the traditional navy uniform, but he looks better in his than I do in mine. Mine looks like I'm waiting for it to rain so I can water the plants with it. When I only had about six months left in the navy, some brainiac decided they were going to change the navy uniform from the traditional blues with the thirteen button pants and pullover top to a black jacket and a cap that made you look like you were selling ice cream out of one of those trucks with the music blaring. I was afraid that they were going to make me buy the new uniform even though I was  a short-timer. Fortunately it didn't happen. I have to admit, at first I wasn't a big fan of the thirteen button pants. When you have to pee really bad, they can be a hindrance, but with time you learn to just lift the top of the pants and all thirteen buttons let loose. I wish I had a picture of my grandpa in his army uniform. He was in World War I. I don't know if either of my great grandparents were in the military or not. I suspect that there's a strong possibility that one or both of them could have been in the Civil War though I don't know if they would have worn the blue or grey. I believe both my mom and dad's family were from around Kentucky and I'm uncertain if they were part of the union or the confederacy, though I imagine it wouldn't have been hard to find people sympathetic to both trains of thought.Speaking of the Civil War, I just read Killing Lincoln by Bill O' Reilly. Even if you don't like him, the book he wrote was a pretty good read. Lots of history that you didn't learn in school. Anyway, back to the immediate subject. I was one of five children and the only one to have boys. Of course we had five girls first, but we persevered. The guys had a chance to visit with my dad before he died and he seemed to have a pretty good impact on them. If he were around today I know he would be really proud of both of them; Jan and I sure are. Anyway fellows, tell your fellow soldiers and sailors that I really appreciate the sacrifices that they and their families are making. Guard your integrity and make your families and America proud. God bless all of you.