Side Branch on a Thread¹

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So yesterday we were talking about music and reader Bear Claw brought up the idea of funeral music, as in "I want this ... played at my funeral."

For me it's this one -

And that, trust me, is a beautiful rendition of that tune.

Reader Timbotoo commented, on the aforementioned post, concerning funeral music, "Ah, new side branch on the thread."

On Monday, juvat mentioned wills and things of that nature, lots of good information in the post and in the comments (we have such a learned and distinguished crowd here, yes Beans, you too). 

Okay, now this post might be a wee bit morbid, but I thought I'd chase the aforementioned side branch (so to speak) with a standalone post.

I've given some thought to where I'd like to be planted when it's time for me to shuffle off this mortal coil (God willing, not for some time yet). In my younger years this is something to which I'd given very little, if any, thought. But now, as I'm in hailing distance of three score and ten, I suppose it's time to get downright serious about things. Well, as serious as I can be.

One thing I had given absolutely no thought to, back in the day, was where I wanted to be buried.

Then I visited Arlington.

Yup, there's where I'd like to wind up. But it's getting full, so would I consider cremation?

Hhmm, I dunno, fire and all that.

But all that aside, what music do you want to be played at your funeral?

Or do you even care?

Guess I need to get a will going sometime. Soon, no doubt.

Have at it.²

¹ Hat tip to reader Timbotoo, who gave me the idea.

² Yes, I'm in a weird mood today. Er, yesterday, when I wrote this.

Now Do Music ...

Dean Martin in 1958
(PD)

Paintings, places, movies ... What's next?

Music seems fitting. So here we go.

Dean Martin was a guy my brothers and I heard a lot of when we were kids. It was some of my Dad's favorite music. When we were little we listened because Dad listened. Here's one I love now, not sure how I felt about it when I was young. (I think Dad had one Dean Martin album, which he played over and over.)

We all thought it rather corny, but catchy. I heard that tune many years later in, of all places, Tuscany. Everybody on our tour bus, along with our Italian guide Carmine, belted it out. It brought a bit of a tear to my eye. Dad had been gone for two years at that point, but his music lived on.

We "suffered" through my parents' musical tastes for quite a while¹.  Then the British invaded.

We watched that show live, much to my Father's chagrin, we all, save him, loved it. (Mom did as well!) So for many a year we listened to The Beatles and only The Beatles. (I listened to the Rolling Stones at the suggestion of a school mate, I thought they were just "all right.")

High school led me to the Jimi Hendrix Experience, Led Zeppelin, Ten Years After, and a few other bands. I still listen to a lot of that music. (Heh, I listen to a lot of the Stones now as well.)

Those who've been here a while probably know my love of the Foo Fighters. Word on the street is that they will be touring again this summer. While I look forward to it, I wonder who will be behind the kit. Can't really replace Taylor Hawkins. (Can you image Rush without Neal Peart? I can't.)

Lately I've been listening to a lot of Sons of Apollo and The Winery Dogs, the two bands share a drummer and a bass player, both of whom are fantastic. I highly recommend them to you ...

I like this guy as well, fellow Scot he is -

I'd play some bagpipes for you, but I don't want dear Buck spinning in his grave. (He always gave me static for my love of the pipes. God do I miss that old fellow, a great friend he was!)

So now it's your turn, what do you like to listen to? I'm betting this crowd leans towards the classics, and I don't mean classic rock. But who knows, maybe you do.

Take it away lads and lassies!

¹ Turns out I love a lot of that music now!

A Few of My Favorite Things ...

(Source)

Uh, what's that, Sarge? Are you channeling Julie Andrews in the Sound of Music, what in the wide world of sports are you on about?

Well ... Not exactly.

It does seem that my Muse, being on vacation somewhere in the world with no cell service (or any other form of communication that I can discern), having deserted me has led me to write about other things. Like favorite paintings, favorite places to live/visit and the like. Well, this is part three, I guess, of what seems to pass for entertainment round these parts.

I guess you could call this post, Let's Go to the Movies, but I went in a different direction, title-wise.

So yes, movies. One of my absolute favorites is Last of the Mohicans, with Daniel Day-Lewis (that's the fellow in that opening photo, portraying Hawkeye, aka Natty Bumppo, from James Fenimore Cooper's novel of the same name. Yes, I read the book ...) and Wes Studi (that intense dude below, who, as a matter of fact, is one of my all time favorite actors) who portrays Magua, the bad guy so to speak.

I think I've watched Last of the Mohicans five times, yet never in the theater (I was in Germany when this came out, back in '92 of the last century - geez, I'm old ...). It was breathtaking on my TV, I have the Blue Ray and my old Sony TV is gigantic, by early 2000s-standards, though probably not by today's.

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I want to visit western North Carolina based solely on watching this film, scenery is spectacular, story is outstanding, and the acting is superb. But maybe that's just me.

So yes ... Oops, before I forget, head on over to  Toirdhealbheach Beucail's place and read this.  You readers have made the old Sarge a very happy (and may I say, proud) fellow. Your stellar behavior has been noticed by others. TB visits us daily (as I visit his place) and he's noticed that y'all are a fairly well behaved bunch. Proud of youse I am, damned proud. (As I commented over there, his folks are pretty well-behaved as well, kindred spirits, no doubt.)

Now, where was I, oh yeah, movies. Or films if you prefer, I can go either way on that. If ya want to talk about mini-series as well (those are just a really long movie broken into multiple segments if you will, kinda like the Russian version of War and Peace, which I believe takes two days to watch in the theater, but don't quote me on that), go for it.

What kind of film floats your boat? I gauge a film by how engrossed I am by the story, does it take me away to some other place and suspend my current realty, I guess you could simplify that by asking: "Does it entertain you?"

Any genre of film is fine, heck even musicals (of which I only really like three, which I might confess to someday). Here's a short list of my favorites, in no particular order:

• Last of the Mohicans
• Patton
• Tora, Tora, Tora
• Blazing Saddles (the funniest movie ever made, bar none, change my mind ...)
• Doctor Strangelove, Or How I Stopped Worrying and Learned to Love the Bomb
• Doctor Zhivago (The previous one reminded me of this, because both involve doctors and Russians, I suppose.)
• Saving Private Ryan
• Hunt for Red October
• Crimson Tide
• True Lies
• In Harm's Way
• We Were Soldiers
• Glory
• Braveheart
• The Patriot
• Dances With Wolves
• Wind River
• The Godfather
• The Godfather Part Two
• Heat
• etc., etc...

Yes, I like a lot of movies, that list merely scratches the surface.

What do you like?

All Good Things....

 Well, Campers, while I normally write my Monday missives on Sunday, this particular one is being written and posted on Saturday.  So, if something particularly newsworthy occurred on this past weekend (Say...Sarge gives us all a raise) that won't be reported until next week.  One can hope!

Why, you may ask?  Well, the juvat personnel delivery vehicle, and driver, have been contracted by Little Juvat to transport him to Austin Bergstrom Airport for his return flight to Honk Honk.  Since the flight is being done on the Government's dime and they are notoriously noted for being extremely frugal with spending (/sarc), this trip should only take him 35 to 36 hours in transit.

So, he's got that to look forward to.

On the serious side, it has been fabulous having the family able to get together on a more regular basis this past several months. And... Having the entire family sitting around the table eating dinner and telling stories, now, THAT was great.

The complications associated with the birth of our second granddaughter at 27 weeks notwithstanding, a lot of family bonding took place to help deal with that.  She's still on a breathing machine and also still has a feeding tube in use, but, she is taking more bottle and breast milk.

So...Progress.   Now that also is great! 

For the next couple of weeks, LJW and LJD will be staying in the guest room in our house.  The various equipment attachments can require more than two hands to handle, so having those extra hands immediately available is advised.  Once the tubes are no longer required, we'll re-evaluate quarters.

One of the other beneficial aspects of having Little Juvat home was help with various projects.  Having a physical equipment IT expert available was extremely advantageous.  Especially if he he was somewhat bored and needed some project to take his mind off "Things".

As many of you are aware, we live out in the country about 10 miles from the nearest town.  Which makes internet access, well, problematic.  We have had a wireless connection from one of the providers in town for several years.  The best they could do was about 4-5 Mbps.  OK-not great.  Streaming video AKA TV was "not optimum".  Little J got involved and....

Yeah, we're up with Elon and his gang.  So far this has been fabulous.  But, Little J went one step further.  Since we've also got two guest houses, he planned out the equipment requirements needed to broadcast our signal to them.  (Yes, Beans, I wrote the check).  We hired a wiring guy to do the cabling for the houses and get up on the roof and attach the antennas.  (Money is less important than no broken bones.) 

End Result?  Our guests have similar bandwidth access numbers.  Happier guests = Better Reviews=More reservations=Well...you know what.

We're very happy with that project and couldn't have done it without him.  Speaking of projects, a while ago I had posted a couple of columns about the Christmas project I was building for Mrs. J.  I even promised pictures.  So....

 Mrs. J had asked me to make her a new desk.  The one she had was a roll top handed down from my Dad who'd bought it when he went to University of Oklahoma in the 60's.  She wanted something a little bit "more modern".  So, having always wanted to try this technique.

I decided on a "River Table".  Learned a lot from the project, not the least of which is...

Some sanding is involved.

But, after sanding and polishing.

Not too bad, if I do say so myself!

Unfortunately, when filling in gaps on the bottom, some Epoxy Resin migrated its way to the top, so the current stage of the project is...

You guessed it, more sanding and then more polishing.  I have high hopes of completion by the End of the Month.  Mrs J. did give me Papal Dispensation to spend time with Family while they were in town instead of by myself in the workshop.  So.  I've got had that going for me.  

But, I don't have to plan what I'm going to be doing this next week. So...I've got that going for me.

On a final note, last week's post had an excellent comment, albeit from an anonymous source, which contained several excellent suggestions on how to improve Estate Plan Execution between generations.  Suffice it to say, the discussion after dinner with MBD and Little J about "Things" and our "Plans" while somber was well received.  I've contacted our Attorney, CPA and Financial Advisor and explained what we wanted record wise from them.  All were very happy to provide (We know them personally as well as professionally) and offered a few other good suggestions.  Trustee Identification Number being one.  This will help the Executor handle financial transactions (e.g. Mortgage payements and other bills) while the Trust is being settled.  Something to consider.  More to follow as I get into the execution of those suggestions.

That's all for now.  Gotta make the Austin Run.  Mrs. J only authorized me 15 swear words.  That is likely to make the trip quite difficult.

Peace out, y'all.  

Favorite Places ...

San Gimignano, Tuscany, Italy
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My favorite place on Earth is, of course, my native New England. From the shores of Narragansett Bay to the rocky shores of Maine, from the Connecticut River valley to the Green Mountains, it's where I was raised, it's where I chose to live after my retirement from the Air Force.

But there are other places I've been, places I've lived, that still call to me.

San Gimignano is one of those places. From the top of the hill, just outside the old walls, you look out over Tuscany, one of the most beautiful places on this planet we call home.

I could live there, if I had to.

Germany is much the same, we lived there for over seven years and I always felt comfortable there. (Being able to speak the language helps!)

Two assignments and going to college there, made me love Colorado. Though it's far from the ocean I love, it's magnificent mountains were incredible to see, day after day. You never got sick of them.

As for cities, I'm not a huge fan, but London and Paris impressed me like no other cities. It's probably the history that attracts me. I could literally spend weeks in the museums in those two cities.

The only American cities I have any love for are Denver and Sandy Eggo. (I dunno, does Alexandria, VA count? Love that town!) For many reasons, I just like it there. Or perhaps it's my memories of those places that I like. I know that Denver has changed a lot since I've been there.

Virginia and Maryland are two places I could live, without really being forced to. They're both lovely and I have ties there, family ties.

But for now, I'll tolerate the cold winters and the hot summers (and the weird politics) of New England. It's in my blood, always will be.

But truth be told, wherever my family is, I'm home.

What are your favorite places?

In a Pensive Mood ...

The Magpie
Claude Monet
(PD)

I've really got nothing to say today, Friday was a windy night, a morning visit to the dentist, a very rainy and windy day, wrapped up by a video visit with The Nuke and her tribe in the evening. That's pretty much it.

At some point in the day, it struck me just how much I like Monet's painting, The Magpie. It reminds me of my youth, of growing up, my home in Vermont. I'm not sure why, it just does.

Snow at Argenteuil
Claude Monet
(PD)

Yes, Snow at Argenteuil also takes me back.

I like Monet, something in his paintings speaks to me. We need art, I need art. Paintings, music, they make life beautiful.

Who do you like?

The Forlorn Hope

Colin Campbell¹ leading the 'forlorn hope' at the Siege of San Sebastián, 1813.
William Barnes Wollen (PD)

I may have first encountered the term forlorn hope while reading the excellent Sharpe series by Bernard Cornwell. (Though it's more than possible that I encountered the term in David Chandler's masterful work, The Campaigns of Napoléon.)

Collins English dictionary defines the term as follows -

forlorn hope

1. a group of soldiers detached from the main group for a very dangerous mission
2. a desperate undertaking; enterprise with very little chance of success
3. a faint hope

During the Napoleonic wars the term usually was associated with a group of men selected to be the first into the breach at a siege. To explain, cannon fire (usually large, purpose-design siege cannon) would open a bombardment on the enemy walls along a stretch deemed most practical for breaking into the town. The guns would fire until a breach was made in the wall. That's when the forlorn hope went to work.

"The Devil's Own"
88th Regiment at the Siege of Badajoz.²
Richard Caton Woodville Jr.

The forlorn hope was considered nearly a suicide assignment. Men  (usually the officers) were promised promotions if they survived. In the French Army they were known as les Enfants Perdus, the lost children. Contrary to British practice, all of the survivors in les Enfants Perdus in the French Army were promoted.

Why were they known as the forlorn hope? Well, a siege was a nasty business. Ordinarily a town (or fortress, most of the big cities and towns in Spain were fortresses) would be offered the opportunity to surrender, sparing the citizens of the place from any slaughter or looting. The garrison would be allowed the "honors of war," allowed to march off with colors flying and still bearing arms.

Refusal to surrender could lead to a long siege, starvation was a possibility for the besieged. Due to time constraints the Peninsular War saw a number of sieges where the artillery would open after entrenchments were dug bringing the besieging army closer to the walls.

Once a breach was opened, the place would again be offered the chance to surrender, if they did not, the forlorn hope would go in, at night if possible, to engage the defenders of the breach. If a foothold was gained, then the rest of the army would make its assault. Once they got into the town, all bets were off.

The garrison would be cut down without mercy, the citizens were liable to be robbed, beaten, raped, and murdered. This would last until the attacking troops were either brought under control by their officers or sheer exhaustion rendered them hors de combat.

Losses in the assault parties were heavy. The Siege of Badajoz in 1812 provides an example -

When dawn finally came on 7 April, it revealed the horror of the slaughter all around the curtain wall. Bodies were piled high and blood flowed like rivers in the ditches and trenches. Surveying the destruction and slaughter Wellington wept openly at the sight of British dead piled upon each other in the breaches and bitterly cursed the British Parliament for granting him so few resources and soldiers. The assault and the earlier skirmishes had left the allies with some 4,800 casualties. The elite Light Division had suffered badly, losing some 40 percent of their fighting strength.

After the capture of the city, the victorious British troops became drunk on stocks of captured alcohol and began rampaging through the city. During the sack of Badajoz, numerous homes were broken into, private property was vandalized or stolen, civilians of all ages and backgrounds raped and many British officers shot by the men they were trying to bring to order. (Source)

Very few of the forlorn hope would survive such a bitterly contested assault. Still and all, they were necessary to make that initial push into the defenses. The cost could be high, but the rewards might well be worth it.

I'm thinking of twenty conservatives who opposed Kevin  McCarthy’s bid for speaker of the House, a forlorn hope perhaps?  Will some good finally come out of Washington, DC?

Who knows?

¹ Sir Colin Campbell also fought in the Crimean War, commanding the Highland Brigade. The term "Thin Red Line" came from this war at the Battle of Balaclava when a two-deep line of Scotsmen stood off a massive Russian cavalry attack. (Same battle where the Charge of the Light Brigade took place.)

² It should be noted that the 88th Foot was an Irish regiment.