Warren's B-day ...

My old friend, Warren, celebrated his birthday (honestly I forget which one, but I think it was his 90th or 91st) and we wanted to take him out for a celebration.  He is a WWII Veteran and his birthday just happens to be celebrated on D-day, not that he was born on the day US troops invaded the European shores, but his birthday and D-day just happen to be the same date on a calendar.

But this year, it was kind of a a special celebration because we went to Wright Patterson AFB to the National Museum of the Air Force.  We had been there several times before, but on this date, the Museum just happened to be opening up the display of the Memphis Belle which had just recently been rebuilt and taken out to the museum to be put on permanent display.  In addition to the Belle, there was also a group of WWII re-enactors wearing the 101st Airborne patches and Airborne uniforms.  They were in the Normandy section of the museum and we took Warren there to see them.

The "guys" might have been as impressed with meeting Warren as he was with seeing them in the uniforms, and equipment of an earlier part of his life. 

There was one of the "guys" who played the role of a First Sergeant.  He spent quite a bit of time talking to Warren and they got to telling "tales" like all soldiers are likely to do.

I  rounded up a group of these re-enacters and asked them if they could take a moment and sing a happy birthday song to Warren.  It was pretty cool and several of the people standing around who saw what was taking place joined in.

When it was time to leave, we ran into a "Marine" who was parked in the lot with his Jeep.  As I went to get our car, Warren talked his way into a trip around the parking lot with the "Marine" and the jeep. He really enjoyed that too.

All in all, it was a pretty good time.  After seeing the museum, we went to lunch at O'Charley's because it was "Free Pie Wednesday" and Warren would get to take a piece of banana cream pie home to enjoy later that night.

I know it was Warren's day to celebrate, but Pam and I probably got just as much out of it as he did.  He is funny, friendly and really appreciates it when people thank him for his service.  He is humble and always seems to be embarrassed when people do that, but he just shakes their hand and smiles.

Now that we have moved to NC, we obviously won't be doing these things with him, but we will have our memories.  We call him once a week or so, and he "butt dials" us at least that many times.  But that's Warren and we hope we have him around for a while yet.

Celebration of birthdays is a good way of affirming the dignity of an elder's life (maybe even the flamboyance of their life), and that it is a good thing to be alive.  

Hooah

Partial knee replacement...

OK. So here it is -- a hard reminder that I am getting older.  It seems that the inside part of my right knee has crapped out and will need some mechanical help.  My golf game was really suffering (although there are some who would tell you that my game has been on a death spiral for a while), and I am barely able to walk 9 holes, let alone walk all 18.  Now don't get me wrong, I don't mind riding in a cart, but it seems that doing it that way hurries my pace, my swing, and I don't get to think about what went right or wrong with the last swing. It just kinda throws me out of sorts (but you know what, when our group goes to away courses like on the "Man Trip," we always use carts and I don't seem to have that problem. Hmmmmm.).  Walking just seems to help me keep an even pace and keep my mind in the game.

So, now it's off to find a good surgeon.  I asked around and came up with a pretty good guy who also was a golfer.  He said that after the surgery I would be back on the course in no time and back on the putting green sinking every shot.  I asked him if he guaranteed his work because I couldn't putt very well before.  Man was I looking forward to getting this done.

So we got the surgery done, and I think I set a land speed record for walking around the surgery center that afternoon.  They said I had to be able to walk around the halls before they would discharge me.  So, after I woke up, it was off to the races.  And then at home, the visiting nurse was certainly impressed by the progress I was making.  One day, when she told me I had to walk around the house with my cane, I picked it up and took off.  I think she wanted me to use the cane, not carry it. But anyway, the therapy went pretty well for an old man who is 40 pounds overweight.  Think I probably ought to work on that sometime.

So now its back to the golf course, and I'm getting my walking legs back so when I go to visit the battle fields of Europe later this year I will be able to enjoy it.

He actually did a pretty good job.  Here it is almost two years later and everything seems to be hanging in there.  But you know what, I think I'm gonna have to check back with him about that guarantee.  Still can't putt very well (although my drives and short game have improved). 

I'm just kidding about all the negative stuff I may have suggested above.  I am extremely thankful for that doctor's skills, for the insurance that paid for it, for the nurses and therapists who got me back on track.  I sometimes forget to count my blessings.  Gotta get better at that.

Don't know if this will be the last time a surgeon has me at his (or her) mercy, but knowing all the things I like to do, and all the people I like to be with, I guess it will be my job to take it, recover and move on.  After all, the alternative isn't very appealing. I've got a lot more 40-footers to sink, and lots more tee shots to hit right down the middle of those lush, manicured fairways.

But at some point in the future if some doctor tells me I have only six months to live, I wouldn't brood. I think I would go out and hit some into the rough and go see what is out there.

Hooah

I'm Back...

WOW....... I just looked at the date of the last post I did.  I have been a neglectful blogger this past year.  Not that I have vegetated all that time.  Far from it.  I have been extremely busy and have had a lot on my plate.  So somewhere in there is a not-so-legitimate excuse for just being old-fashioned lazy.  Well, now that things have settled down a bit, I intend to catch everyone (at least anyone who still might have the fortitude to check back in after over a year away) up on the things that have been going on.

Over the next 15 to 20 entries or so, and not in the correct timeline,  I will detail my travels, our move, the sale of our beloved house on McCartyville Road, the loss of family and friends, the adventures of consolidating Veteran groups into one canteen building, my travels abroad, the trials of learning a new phone operating system, and so much more.

So let's get started.

This picture shows us with the U-Haul on the morning of our move.  What you don't see is the moving van stuffed to the gills with "stuff." The key thing here is the snow and ice ...this is early November.  More on this later.

This is a picture of the Saturday of this year's Army-Navy game.  Thought I would put my flag out and let the neighbors know just who they were dealing with.  Sounds tough!! Didn't last long though.

Oh well.  I soothed my bashed ego by going golfing a couple of days later (65 degrees and sunny). So that's just a little taste of what's ahead.

"Truly great friends and places are hard to find, difficult to leave, and impossible to forget.”  (Annon.)

Hooah

P.S.  Guess what ... they actually have pizza delivery where we live now.  GOLLLLYYY!!!