Christmas of Long Ago!!

Well it's good to be home. The short tour in Bryan/College Station is over and I'm certain I didn't want to spend Christmas at the "EZ".

Christmas at the Sarratt Place was very nice this year. It was quiet but I think that was a good thing.

Just to be home sitting on the couch with Domenica and taking in a movie or two was relaxing.

But it wasn't always that way. I can remember one Christmas when I was on the road. A dirt road to be specific. It was back in the 1880's when I rode with the Legendary Jesse James.

No, I didn't rob any trains. I was his PA media escort. He was so famous that I had to make his appointments to meet with the press and dime novelists.

Anyway, we were riding on a long dusty trail in Missouri on December 24th, 1883. Jesse wanted to stop into town and see Santa. I advised him not to because I knew the press would be all over the Santa event in town and someone might recognize him.

Sure enough, as Jesse was on Santa's lap someone recognized him and he had to leave town in a hurry. The picture above is me in the saloon with BOB, the guy that recognized Jesse.

It was a long time before I met up again with Jesse.

me & Jesse

Believe it or not, in 2006 I was his escort again. He came over to Iraq to meet with the troops and he and I were able to just hang out together. Just like old times.

I'm a GUY

I was sitting at my desk today doing some busy work during lunch and started playing some of the music I have stored in I-Tunes. The very first lyrics in the song came out loud and clear to me: "Everybody needs a little time away..." by the mellow group Chicago.

This is true for most couples as we all need a little time away from each other to re-energize, but when you've been away almost four years into a five-year marriage, I think the title of this song is more apropos: "Hard to say I'm sorry."

Staying at the "EZ" is not the most appealing place to be away from home, alone and trying to keep a relationship interesting. Especially when you're a GUY!

If I don't have much to say on the phone when my wife calls (probably because I'm watching football), it's still "Hard to say I'm sorry." Why? Because I'm a GUY!

Last week was not a good time to be away from home. Domenica was not feeling well, the heat wasn't working properly in our home and her puppy was being a royal pain in the BUTT!

She called me yesterday hoping to get a little sympathy and all she got was...,

well... let's just say:

I'm a GUY!

So I continue singing...

"Everybody needs a little time away,

I heard her say,

from each other.

Even lovers need a holiday,

far away

from each other.

Hold me now,

It's hard for me to say I'm sorry.

I just want you to stay.

After all that We've been through,

I will make it up to you.

I promise to.

And after all that's been said and done,

you're just the part of me I can't let go."

Why?

CUZ I'M A GUY !!! I LOVE YOU!

I've been around!

"No #*&% there I was..." seems to be a standard preamble to all of my conversations with the young Soldiers of the 211th MPAD. Me being the "Oldest living 1LT" in the Army today, I have succumbed to the fact that if it happened anytime before today, I was probably there.

For example; I served wine at the last supper, I participated in the Civil War alongside General Lee and some say I even helped sign the Declaration of Independence. I don't want to shatter anyone's illusions of grandeur about me, so I keep quiet.

In reality, I only got to stomp on the grapes, work in the blacksmith shop where he kept his horse and was the hired help in the printing office. Needless to say, it gets interesting around here while we train.

But at the end of the day, all is fair. They keep me laughing and I keep reminding myself that the great thing about having grown kids is that they get to go to "their" home (or hotel room in our case) at the end of the day. I'm then left alone in my room to enjoy a good read, the Readers Digest-Large print, and take my Geritol and Silver Vitamins without ridicule.