Sunday, July 5, 2020

Stopping to Smell the Roses...


I didn't feel like writing about war on Saturday, it was far too lovely a day. It was also Independence Day, a very quiet affair this year. Our town did continue the tradition of having a parade. It's over two centuries old, they weren't going to do it, then someone said, "Really? Abandon the tradition? What kind of Americans are we?"

We discovered what kind, the traditional kind, rather than shrug their shoulders and say "Oh well..." they came up with the idea of doing the parade using just vehicles. Sure we had the usual parade marshals, past and present, we actually had a Chosin Reservoir veteran (a topic I should write about some day), even a couple of bands. A fife and drum corps on the back of a truck, and a pipe band on a flatbed trailer.

It was small, but it was very American, no big crowds, just the townsfolk, but hey, the tradition continues. We're Americans damn it, we find a way. We improvise, we overcome, we adapt, Hell, sometimes we even plan things. (And yes, I stole that from a movie, I'll let you guess which one.)


Early in the week I put in two ten-hour days (Monday and Tuesday). Not because I'm gung ho or anything, but I woke up early, the sun was up, so I was too. Made some coffee and jumped right in, had things to do dontcha know?

Spent some time in the lab on Tuesday which was rather unproductive machine-wise but productive in a talk with my lead to see if I'm on the right track. He said I am, so I've got that going for me. 😁

My son and his two kids stopped by last Sunday, we had an excellent time, maintaining distance (so one grenade doesn't get all of us, er, I mean so we don't spread the -19) and wearing masks. Which to be honest the littlest of The Naviguessor's progeny wasn't all that thrilled with. Hey, she's seven going on eight, I'm 67 and I don't like it either!

But there it is, we do what we should, rather than what we have to, some governors apparently think they have the powers of a Persian satrap. They don't, but I'm all for a wee bit of common sense.


Bottom line for the week is that I wanted/needed/earned some time off. Thursday and Friday were off days because of the holiday, so I took Wednesday as PTO. Nothing like a long five-day weekend to boost morale!

Had a couple of dear friends from church swing by, we can take advantage of the big back yard to maintain separation. All masked up we had a nice hour chatting about this, that, and the other thing. We haven't seen them since March so it was nice to catch up.


So it's been a nice long and lazy week. Enjoying myself I am and trying hard to do as little as possible. For those who like that sort of thing, there is a four part series on Amazon Prime titled How to Command a Nuclear Submarine. It follows five prospective nuclear attack boat commanders through the Royal Navy's Perisher course. Four Brits and one Yank are followed as they go through this very challenging course. (Spoiler alert, not all of them make it to the end...)

The first part of the actual course is done on land, we get to watch the best (and most challenging) part of the course when the students actually go to sea and are put through their paces acting as commander of a Royal Navy nuclear attack boat. I highly recommend this if you have any interest in undersea warfare. (Which I do!)


There were backyard fireworks last night (and every bloody night for the past two weeks) which were really just a lot of whistling, shrieking, and banging. No real loud booms, but you can well imagine that the feline staff were not amused. They handle it well, but I daresay if left alone in a room with one of those pyro-types, the claws would come out.





Not roses, but lovely nevertheless...



I thought I had taken a picture of a hummingbird in this photo, damned if I could spot the little beastie. It was there before I snapped the shot, it was there after I snapped the shot. Where it was in the shot? I have no ideer...


These next flowers are portulaca, also know as moss roses. The pond, when it was much smaller, used to be surrounded by them, there are still some there, but the majority live here. One of my favorite flowers, if not the most favorite.


So there it is, the week of Independence Day. Quiet and relaxing, a good time to reflect.

God Bless America.





26 comments:

  1. The roses look nice and in my mind's ear I can hear the gurgle of the waterfall.
    We've seen hummingbirds a couple of times at the butterfly bush but it seems to be a rare thing.
    It seemed there was more than usual private citizen fireworks yesterday evening.

    Thank you for reminding me I need to step aside and smell the roses from time to time.

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  2. Very lovely roses!! And other flowers as well :)

    Enjoy a peaceful quiet Sunday.

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  3. Roses do add a bit of color to the landscape eh? Neighbors at the dead end of my street put on a varied fireworks display for half an hour around 10PM. Starting around 8:45 there was a CONTINUOUS crackle until I fell asleep past 10:30, live in a first ring suburb so lots of dwellings close. Oh Sarge....I noticed a serious lack of detached man-caves on your street......my condolences......:)

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    1. Sounded like skirmishing from dusk until around midnight. People spent a lot of money this year on fireworks.

      Man-caves are not a Portuguese thing, most of the neighborhood is Portuguese. Everyone has a shed, where tools are stored.

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  4. That's some serious topiary next to Blue there. Very nice landscaping,like the pond too. Nothing as peaceful as the sound of running water.Take care,Al

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    1. The Missus Herself did all that, she's constantly trimming and weeding.

      I do love sitting in the shade and listening to that waterfall, very pleasant it is.

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  5. Nice flowers, Sarge. Always been interesting to me how colorful parts of New England can be in the summer compared to how bland and gray everything is during the winter.
    There is usually a big fireworks display put on by the town, but not this year. Think they didn't want to encourage a crowd. But there were quite a few impromptu semi professional displays around, the good ones having been smuggled in from SC. Glad our legislators have seen fit to,protect us from ourselves - not!
    We did have a nice, unannounced flyover of a C17 yesterday - low and slow about 500 feet, headed south right over the beach. Kinda awesome, very appropriate for the day.
    Enjoyed watching the fireworks and flyover at Mt. Rushmore, liked to speech as well, although most of the national media must have heard a different speech based on their reporting of it.
    Enjoy the rest of your holiday weekend!

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    1. The media are idiots, so are those who believe their blatant lies.

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  6. We have some stuff down here called Bird of Paradise. That runner on the scalloped fence reminded me of it. Roses were my mom's favorite flower. I love the smell and the feel of the petals. Zuzu's petals.....

    Happy Independence Day.

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  7. Many years ago I, and another young NCO were detailed to drive from Camp Pendelton down to LaJolla,to scout the location of the home of General Holland M (Howling Mad) Smith USMC. We were to determine exactly how long it would take to drive the general to Pendleton where he was going to be the reviewing officer at a big parade. Using maps, we had carefully planned the route, and found the house without trouble. We were in front of the house when General Smith suddenly appeared, and in a parade ground voice called "Are you Marines looking for me?" Sir, yes sir. was the only proper response. Well, park the car and come here and tell me what you are doing said the general.So we got out of the car, walked up and saluted him, and explained our mission. He then asked if we had had lunch, and when we said no sir, he said my wife is about to fix me a sandwich and she can fix one for you. So we sat around a table and had lunch with Howling Mad Smith. (which was probably far more cordial than any lunch he might have had with General Ralph Smith USA). I happened to tell the general that he had lovely roses and that my father was growing roses in his retirement. When we got back to Pendleton we couldn't wait to get to the battalion CP to brag about having had lunch with Howling Mad Smith. We attracted a small crowd of officers and senior staff NCOs who wanted to hear all the details. Everything went well until I mentioned the roses when an old Master Gunnery Sergeant roared "That son-of-a-b***** just raises them for the thorns!

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    1. Raises them for the thorns...

      Sounds about right.

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  8. Fortunately for Jeanie and I, there are some folks staying in the condo this month who feel they have money to burn (literally). We had fireworks from 2000 to 2300. Constant. We sat on the deck and watched it all.Most of it was pointed out over the water, but you could tell when a small kid got hold of a roman candle that supervision might be somewhat lacking. BIG BOOMS! Fifty yards away. Marvelous. This morning the beach was clean, no mess. Speaks well for those who put on the show for us.
    Happy day after our Independence Celebration Day!

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    1. It's nice when folks clean up after themselves.

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  9. We've had rain off and on for the last few days. You can tell when it's not raining by the sound of fireworks going off.

    Kegan the WonderDog did not mind them, until I went to take him for the after-dinner-treat piddle and right as we stepped out the door some jackanape set off a big boomer way too close and he basically said, "Yep, it's outdoors, I would like to go in now." Other than that, no negative reaction.

    But... the fireworks have gone on till at least 0300. Not bad for me, but all the kids and day-people, very bad. Lack of common sense seems to pervade the neighborhood.


    Must echo the sentiments of 'nice flowers' and such. One of the negative things about not having private lawn is no private plants. Of course, that's also quite a positive thing, too.

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    1. People who keep going past midnight are either intoxicated or stupid. Probably both.

      Some people's kids...

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    2. (Don McCollor)...Illicit fireworks have a special memory for me as a kid. My uncle would drive me on a 'Thunder Run' to SD to buy them. Ah, the tension on the way back looking behind to see if the MN cops were on our tail. Made shooting what little I could afford double sweet. Still go out to the farm to shoot off a few firecrackers and bottle rockets to salute the authorities...

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  10. (Don McCollor)...a lovely place...

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  11. Thanks for the photo of the portulaca "Moss Rose"! For years I've had this growing in between the stones of the parking pad out at my separate garage. Absolutely beautiful and I could not find them in the "Flowers of Texas" handbook! No doubt in my former military mind this is what is growing there. Absolutely beautiful flowers and I smile every time I see them.

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    1. A personal favorite, so many different colors delight the eye!

      Glad you like them too!

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