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| OAFS Photo |
Well, right here, that's where I am.
Right here being Annapolis, in Maryland, visiting The Nuke and her tribe. In her new job she travels, a lot at times. The completion of the mulching and the cleaning of the pond at Chez Sarge coincided with her having to travel for most of two weeks. Tuesday through Thursday, then a second trip Monday through Friday. As Tuttle is also gainfully employed, it was thought that a visit from us would help with the grandkids.
As my birthday fell into that two week period as well, we headed south. The weather has been grand, a little rain here and there, but mostly sunny and not abysmally hot and humid as it can get around the Chesapeake Bay area. So we've got that going for us.
I'd mentioned before my departure that I didn't plan on blogging much, if at all. Juvat, being his usual useful self, stepped up and entertained y'all. That seems to have gone well, but as he's about to undergo a slew of medical stuff, I need to step back up.
So here we are.
Have I missed blogging? A little, but the extra free time has been appreciated. Am I going to continue my Franco-Prussian War tale? Yes, indeed I am. To that end I bought two books on the war and the one I've started reading has already given me some ideas of which directions that tale might take.
The two books are:
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| The Franco-Prussian War Bismarck's War |
I've started with the book on the right as the author looks at the social backgrounds and culture of the participants, a different take on some histories of the war which has, so far, proven rather refreshing. The book by Michael Howard (a favorite historian of mine) I bought because I've read Mr. Howard's work before, he's a superb historian.
Anyhoo, in addition to reading I've been running errands with my daughter as her car is in the shop. While she's in town she's got things that need doing and I enjoy her company, so we use my vehicle.
I was in DC on Friday (my birthday) and it was a very lovely day. We went down the Potomac, across the river from the Jefferson Memorial, and it was grand. I'd never seen the Jefferson Memorial from that angle.
Drove by juvat's "favorite" place, the Pentagon and saw the Air Force Memorial up the hill from there. As much as many of you don't like DC, I do, so hold your water. Lots of history in the place, some good, some bad, but hey, that's what history is.
I'm enjoying the down time and will continue to do so for a while.
Y'all stay frosty now, ya hear?
Did you see the Lincon reflecting pool that I hear Trump had cleaned up?
ReplyDeleteLast time I saw it, it was a murky mess.
Didn't see it on this go-round.
DeleteGood timing on helping out Family and getting to enjoy Family Time Sarge. Boy, a hardcover copy of Howard's book costs an arm and two legs.
ReplyDeleteBeing retired gives one a certain flexibility. 😎
DeleteWell, glad to hear from you and glad you are having productive, enjoyable Family time. As to the Pentagon, there is a lot of neat stuff there. When ever the BS got a bit too deep, I'd walk around and see the memorials. As I gazed at them, I figured that if THEY could do it, I could try. I stayed for my full 3 year tour. When I spoke with my assignment officer on what my next assignment would be and he said I'd be assigned to a different office in the Pentagon. Well...straw/camel's back. Fredericksburg was great as was teaching HS. Being with Family , Kids and Grandkids now is great.Haven't looked back (and won't).
ReplyDeletejuvat
Back to back assignments at the Pentagon? Argh! Your assignments guy didn't like you?
DeleteSarge, for one horrible moment I thought the picture was really "Find Sarge" and I thought "Is he up on the roof?" Glad to see it was a general picture and you have not picked up a retirement job as a roof inspector.
ReplyDeleteNew books are always a pleasure. Good new books, especially by a reliable author, are even better. I am jealous.
The book by Ms. Chrastil is proving to be excellent. She does refer to Mr. Howard's book on occasion, so I think I chose well.
DeleteOh, DC is great to visit, with all the museums and monuments and such. If you can avoid the politicians, the depressing five-sided building, and crime which seems to be much less these days, it's a great place!
ReplyDeleteActually, the Pentagon is more soul sucking than it is depressing.
DeleteTuna, agreed on the soul sucking, but it is extremely good at that!
Deletejuvat
Tuna #1 - I've been to DC many times, have yet to encounter a politician, which is good!
DeleteTuna #2 - Many HQs seem to share that trait, populated as they are by many strap-hangers and time-servers. Don't know how the real folks tolerate it.
Deletejuvat - One of the few things the Pentagon is good at I'm guessing.
DeleteThe last time I was in the D.C. area, I eschewed the more popular tourist sites and visited some other, less-traveled ones (shades of Mr. Frost.) :- )
ReplyDeleteIt's been a few years (2018), so some of these may have changed their visitor hours, or closed to the public altogether. I dunno.
The Holocaust Museum; Ford's Theater; the National Cryptologic Museum; the Phillips Collection; Tudor Place, the Bureau of Engraving & Printing; and the like.... There are numerous websites that point one to even the "off beat" D.C. attractions.
While "refreshing my recollection" of places I visited, I found this page at Atlas Obscura that has some really, really obscure(!) places:
https://www.atlasobscura.com/things-to-do/washington-dc/museums
There is much to see there.
DeleteD.C. A place I've never visited. The stars have never aligned.
ReplyDeleteIt's better than most people paint it.
DeleteThere's some awesome history there in D.C. (and thereabouts), some beautiful classic architecture, and some highly-emotionally-moving sites: like Arlington National Cemetery (I dare anyone not to tear up during the solemnity of the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier).
ReplyDeleteAnd the war memorials.... Like, when you find a fellow HS student's name on the Vietnam Memorial Wall, and realize that you've lived more than half a century longer than he was given....
https://virtualwall.org/dh/HayesNB01a.htm //
MOS: 1542: Infantry Unit Commander: CASUALTY DATA: Start Tour: 03/21/1970; Incident Date: 05/22/1970; Casualty Date: 05/22/1970; Status Date: Not Applicable; Status Change: Not Applicable; Age at Loss: 24; Location: Quang Ngai Province, South Vietnam; Remains: Body recovered; Repatriated: Not Applicable; Identified: Not Applicable; Casualty Type: Hostile, died outright; Casualty Reason: Helicopter - Noncrew; Casualty Detail: Air loss or crash over land
I strongly believe that every American should visit at least once in his lifetime. YMMV
Arlington is a must for me. Been there multiple times, always leaves me emotional.
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