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Praetorium Honoris

Sunday, October 15, 2017

Sunday Déjà Vu


As I'm up in the homeland for the weekend, thought I'd share this post from three years ago, when I was, yup, up in the homeland. Same time of year, same reason. My mom's birthday.

Buck was still around back then. I miss him...


Sunday, October 12, 2014


In The Valley of the Connecticut

Memorial to the men of the Great War
It never ceases to amaze me, the memories which come surging forth every time I set a course for the land of my birth. This weekend The Missus Herself and I went up to New Hampshire to see my Mom for her birthday. (Which is still a couple of days away, but the weekend prior to that day worked for us and my brother The MusicianThe Olde Vermonter? Not so much, he was working. There's a lot of projects he and his crew need to complete before the winter sweeps in. It ain't that far off ya know!)

We drove up on Friday after lunch, yes I did take the afternoon off, thank you for asking. Had good weather, noted that the fall foliage was sketchy at best. There are spots where the leaves are all gone, some trees are a riot of color, while others still sport their summer green. Sometimes all within a few hundred yards of each other. Still and all, it was a lovely day for a drive up to the homeland.

Now there's a restaurant we went to on Saturday. Right across the road is that war memorial you see in the opening photo. On one of those stones is engraved the name of my grandfather, Louis. The memories are everywhere.

Just up the hill is where my Father lies.


It's a lovely spot, but my heart is always heavy when I visit there.

For I remember a cold day in March. Myself, my two brothers, my son, my nephew and my parents' dear friend Mike carried Dad's casket from the hearse to the grave. I was offered the lead, I declined. I always followed my Dad's lead, I learned at his feet, I would carry Dad to his final rest, in trail, at his feet.

I have no remembrance of what the minister said by the graveside. While the sun was shining, the snow lay deep on the ground and the wind was bitter cold. I remember coming to attention and raising my hand in salute as taps was played. I jumped a bit at the first volley of the honor guard, but quickly settled in as the rifle shots echoed in the crisp cold air. Everything glittered. I claimed it was the wind causing my eyes to tear, everyone knew that was not the case. There were many wet eyes that day.

Mom took us to the Senior Center near where she lives. There is a memorial garden with benches and a fountain. The benches have plaques, with names. One of the names on those benches there is that of my grandmother, my Mom's Mom.

Entrance to the garden.


Often these trips home are somewhat bittersweet. But with the shadows there is also light. My Mother is still doing well at 84 and has the joie de vivre of a woman half her age. Dinner on Saturday was fun, the time at the Elks Club afterwards even more so.

Oh, once again we also went to the Apple Festival in the home town. Remember last year, I bought a new USAF hat (yeah, yeah, I know, be still my heart, too much excitement) so in order to establish a new tradition, I did the same this year.


Take note Buck, it is an Air Force hat. Pretty fancy I thought. Only ten bucks!

Anyhoo...

I'm back in Little Rhody and woefully behind in my perusings of other people's blogs.

Also, I am much appreciative of Tuna for his superb post on Saturday. My lads Tuna and Juvat always seem to have my back.

It's back to work tomorrow. Yes, I know it's Columbus Day, that's one of the holidays we don't take off. We get it back between Christmas and New Year's when the whole place shuts down. I'll take it. Ten days (or so) off at Christmas beats the odd Monday here and there.


So, I'm off then.

10 comments:

  1. Nice photo of the trees in your top opening of the post. Thanks for sharing some of your family memories with us. Thank you for the post.

    Paul L. Quandt

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  2. There is something about returning to the land of my youth. The ground seems to rise to meet my feet, the air smells familiar, the sun shines clearer, and I feel a bit of youthful vigor that doesn't normally exist. There is something about old stompin' grounds.

    I start to feel that when I climb the caprock at Post, TX northbound on 83. When I hit the mesa, I can see for 30 miles in every direction... That is home to me. It's where my kin are buried, and I miss it....

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  3. US83 between Post and Slaton is one of the most black and white changes in topography I've come across. And when you're up on top of the Llano Estacado, the "see 'em comin'" distances are phenomenal.

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  4. Thanks for the comments, apparently some incompetent at Google has decided that the ability to answer individual comments is no longer required. Idiots.

    Anyhoo. Foliage was nearly non-existent in the homeland, spotty in some areas, leaves gone in some places, looked like mid-August in some.

    Mom is good, her birthday was fun, which is why we went after all.

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  5. I wondered about that. Thought I'd just fat-fingered the button when I replied up above. Looks to still be a problem.

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  6. Most annoying, I reported it. We shall see...

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  7. You are a dutiful and caring Son. Well Done, That Man!

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  8. Thanks Scott!

    (For those wondering, the inability to answer reply to an individual comment has something to do with the way I imported this rerun. Yes, my bad, not Google's. This time.)

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  9. I think of Buck often - wanting to get his take on happenings in the world today - wanting to share with him - knowing he would take the time to read and answer anything I wrote. I miss him. Speaking of the Llano Estacado and Buck, I once visited Buck after driving to Lubbock to visit family and then on over the plains to Portales. That was our first face to face meeting.

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  10. Never got to meet him in person. I regret that.

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Just be polite... that's all I ask. (For Buck)
Can't be nice, go somewhere else...

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