Wilderness Blues- Ramblings from the Great Land

  You know, when you tell enough stories, you're bound to repeat yourself now and then. I guess it's to be expected from us older types. Ideas are rattling around in my head like the marble in a spray paint can until something comes out. I was looking back through my portfolio to see if I'd written anything about my navy days, and I don't see anything, but I'm sure I've commented somewhere using an experience from then. If you've seen these stories before, please forgive me. If you plunk enough coins in a gumball machine, you're bound to get the same color more than once. When I first joined the navy back in 1972, it wasn't because I had any desire to see the world, like their posters suggested. I was number 52 in the draft, and I didn't relish the idea of waltzing around rice paddies and swamps picking leeches off my body. Although I do like green, and camouflage is kind of cool, I settled for thirteen button wool pants and a pea coat. I hated t...

 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 sm...