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"IN MEMORY OF MARY LOGSDON" - IN NOTE SECTION OF CHECK

JUNE 22-23, 2006 - PERHAPS A WAFER THIN MINT?

I managed to get a lot in between Monday and today. Yesterday (June 22) was spent just sitting and talking with my friends Don and Bob, and with Virg and Gino Maggetti, my mother and father in law, up in Romeo. I have known Don and Bob, since 2nd grade, and along with a couple of other guys from the "good old days", we usually try to have breakfast together at least once a week, when we are all available. In those sessions, we are able to arrive at the solutions to most, if not all of the worlds major problems in short order. It really is too bad that no one takes us as seriously as we take ourselves. We should be in the cabinet of the next President. Can you imagine the advice he would get from us?

When I visited with Virg and Gino, I brought a copy of Michigan Motorcyclist newspaper with me. Franz "The Preacher" Hoffer did an article about me and the reasons behind the trip to move a motorcycle around the edge of the United States. My father in law had a difficult time reading it, because it mentioned his late daughter (and my wife) so many times. He left the kitchen to make one of his daily rounds around the property.

I sat on the porch with Virg. We talked about a lot of things - er - SHE talked about a lot of things, and I mostly listened, because it felt better to just listen. Of course, Mary was mentioned, as was Gino and his need to be outside and tending his trees, crops and beloved fig trees. He has been trying for years to get a fig to actually reach maturity, and may have actually succeeded once. He might this year too. Virg, recently out of a cast on her leg, is still recovering from surgery to repair a torn Achilles tendon. She wasn't moving around too much, or too fast. Still, she kept apologizing for the length of the lawn. I was unable to convince her that I didn't much care about her lawn.

I left the Romeo area and headed for Brian and Marie's house for a BBQ dinner. On the way I stopped to see a student who is graduating, and whose party I will be missing because of the perimeter run. On that note, I know that I also owe a dinner to a recent Stevenson High School graduate, and drum student. Scott, don't worry, we'll get that dinner in, I promise.

Once I got to Royal Oak, I found the world's most beautiful grand daughter ever born in human history, to be a bit out of sorts. She apparently had to endure some shots at the Doctor's office earlier in the day, and was still somewhat of a grump. I couldn't blame her, either. I would be doing the adult version of what she was doing. I think I would have been screaming a ton of invectives, if I had to go through the same stuff. I had a wonderful visit with Brian and Marie, Lauren and Adam, and Tim (sort of a surrogate son).

While I was gone, from the 1st of June to the 20th of June, my daughter did a very thoughtful and noble thing. She had her hair cut and donated the long hair she once wore, to "Locks of Love". This organization enables women who have had to endure the loss of hair, to be able to appear "normal" to society, by taking the long locks donated and having wigs made. Most of the recipients are cancer survivors. Could I be any prouder of my thoughtful and beautiful daughter? I doubt it.

Friday, 23rd of June, broke with sun and some clouds in the sky, but no rain. My flight to Washington DC was uneventful, and my niece Terri, was there to pick me up just as I stepped outside from the terminal building. I convinced her that she didn't have to go back to work at the sweatshop of a law firm that she had been at for 6 years. She was required to make a phone call though. In the meantime, she and I headed for Ft. Meyer, Virginia. I was hoping to run in to some friends in the Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps.

We found the Army Band building, easily enough, and I went inside for directions. We drove to the current home of the Old Guard and were able to find some of the folks that I knew. They were in full kit, and getting ready to leave. When I asked what the event was, we were told that it was a retirement ceremony, being done on base.

Terri and I became "friends and relatives" (as the sign said) of the retiring Command Sergeant Major, Michele S. Jones. This was a ceremony I had never witnessed. It certainly was worth the price of admission, though.

Virtually every element of the Old Guard was in attendance to honor this woman. The fife and drum corps was accompanied by the Colonial Honor Guard Company, and three companies of Tomb Guards. Pershing's own was there as well. It was a moving and very memorable hour of pomp and circumstance, done to honor a woman who obviously deserved the accolades of her peers. There were upwards of 250 of the most well disciplined troops in the army present on the floor of building C.

Probably the most awe inspiring part of the entire ceremony was having the 200 plus armed soldiers fix bayonets to the signals provided by the OG Fife and Drum Corps. I only heard ONE click as bayonets were fixed on the modern weapons. The soldiers in Third Infantry 18th century dress, were equal to the task of their modern uniformed counterparts and all 25 of them made only one report as the old fashioned bayonets were affixed to their Brown Bess muskets. It was a very impressive display all around.

My niece Terri agreed that timing was everything in allowing her to witness something that - for outsiders - was extremely rare. We left Ft. Meyer, and proceeded to the local AMC Theater so that we could take in a movie. My niece allowed that in over two years she had only seen two movies. The movies she was talking about were the one's we saw last week end. So, I did the only logical thing. I decided that we were going to see "Click" with Adam Sanler. It was a very good object lesson for Terri.

See the movie. You will understand what she was putting up with at the law firm that she has worked for, for the last six years, and that she is leaving for better things, at the end of next week. To put it in her words "The people are NICE, over at the new job." 'Nuff said.

Tomorrow, June 24, I leave, with the compass pointing south. I hope to make it to Yorktown in time to see a fifer and good friend get married. Hopefully, I will have photos to share.

Good night. I have to get up early.