I know I've been MIA for a few weeks, but it's been crazy here trying to coordinate everything before we move, *and* trying to keep up on my revisions. Moving creates "Lists of Things To Do", and I keep crossing things off, and finding even more things to put on another List. Thankfully, dh is great on helping organize and take things off my plate, such as booking reconnections for utilities, the "Net", etc. at the other end.
I can't believe how much stuff we still have to "purge" - things we don't need/use anymore, that I don't want to drag with us this time. It's definitely true that we're a consumer society and have too many material things piled up. I didn't think I could ever accuse myself of that, but as I make lists for the movers of DVD's, videos, our Folio collector books, my writing books....it's clear we've fallen into the entertainment trap just like everyone else we know.
We went to a formal Mess Dinner last Friday p.m. for the graduation of three of my dh's classmates who're going on fighter jets. It was wonderful to take part in all the Air Force traditions, even the "stranger" ones such as the men/women in uniform getting up on their chairs and putting their right foot on the table (white linen, no less) while the Air Force Anthem was played, and then yelling "AIR FORCE!" before pouring a shot down their throats. I was wishing I'd known about it before hand and gotten a quick picture of it.
At Mess Dinner's there's an empty table set, with a chair leaning up against the table as though it's "saved" for someone. The glasses are all turned upside down, to symbolize that no one will sit there, there's a wedge of lemon on a plate to symbolize the bitterness of the loss of our comrades in arms, a bowl with salt in it to symbolize the tears shed by the families of lost loved ones, a single red rose to symbolize the blood shed for our country, and a red ribbon around it's vase to symbolize the current member's pledge to shed their blood for their country. The description of this table setting is read at the start of every Mess Dinner, and it's very touching.
I'll try and pop in and keep up with other's blogs and news before we move. Sorry it's sporadic, but those closets are calling my name right now! Hope everyone's having a great August, and getting every last squeeze out of your summer. :)
2 comments:
Have a great move! Very excited :)
I know about moves. Good luck!
The Army does the table for the fallen soldiers at all the mess dinners too. Our tradition is the grog bowl--you don't want to know what goes into that--then all the soldiers try to find "problems" with someone else to make them drink from the grog bowl. There's a required statement and a hooah then they drink it down in one breath.
The last one I was at they had shots, unlike the year before where they used full sized glasses. Some guys went home waaaayyy too drunk that night. Learned the hard way.
I can't wait for our next formal mess. A great time to meet all the other wives!
Post a Comment