One of the best parts of being a nurse is some of the people you get to meet and care for. I count it a particular honor to care for veterans, as I have the utmost respect for all- young and old.
A few days ago I recovered a gentleman who was a WWII vet and survivor of D-Day. I thanked him for his service and shook his hand.
"That must have been terrible", I said. He just shook his head and looked down. What could he say?
I'm always in awe when I'm around such a person. He's just a regular guy- no different from anyone else. Yet 60-something years ago he was a young man with a rifle, running like hell on a beach of death, hoping just to make it out alive.
How often I forget that for every minute I stand in this country, a hero has fallen in my place. Someone has paid the price for me, for America, for her freedom, and for her ideals.
If you are reading this and you have served our country past or present, I thank you.
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Another Great Read
Recommendation for another book: Lone Survivor by Marcus Luttrell.
If you don't know the story, Marcus Luttrell is the surviving member of a Navy Seal fire team that was operating in Afghanistan in 2005. When his team came under attack, they engaged in a long firefight that claimed the lives of 3 Navy Seals, as well as over a dozen other special forces soldiers that attmpted a rescue. As of this writing, that day became the largest single loss of life in US special forces history.
Marcus recounts his Navy Seal training, events leading up to the fatal mission, and describes in detail the firefight that ensued. He covers the week he spends in Afghanistan waiting for rescue, and his life afterwards.
I read this book in 2 days. It is heartbreaking and inspiring all at once. Its a must read.
Homeowner Lessons
As a newer homeowner, here's some lessons I've learned:
1. Home inspectors don't catch everything.
2. Turn off the water before disassembling a faucet.
3. Measure your PVC pipe before tackling that new garbage disposal install.
4. If you fail to measure that pipe, you won't want to brave a blizzard because its 1/2" short.
5. I hate plumbing.
6. Snowblowing in the wind: An exercise in futility.
7. If your wife won't let you buy a toilet plunger because "we can get one when we need one", try to convince her that's not good reasoning. Its embarassing for the house guest who creates the "need".
8. If swearing is not your vice, and you wish to keep it that way, avoid plumbing, dryer vents, and all other projects requiring tools.
9. Replacing outlets is easy, anyone can do that.
10. Replacing ceiling fans seems to be more difficult for me.
11. A Dremel is quite useful.
14. Don't cheap out on an electric drill.
15. Forget flowers, dinner, and cards. Actually finishing a long promised project around the house scores just as many points with the wife.
16. Its easier- and maybe even cheaper- to replace an entire doorframe and door rather than one piece, should a dog choose to eat half of said frame.
17. Pop in the garage in the winter = a mess on your clean new door and frame.
18. Store unused potatoes in your small basement laundry room with high humidity. Then watch em' grow and take over a small, forgotten corner.
19. Measure twice, cut once.....I'll still screw up.
20. Measure three times, cut once, tweak the cut a little.....still wrong.
21. Measure four times, cut once, return to hardware store for more wood, call father and father-in-law for advice, measure 6 times, walk away, eat some toast, return, measure twice more, cut once ever so delicately......ahhhh there we have it!
22. Your wife has the best opinion on decorating.
23. I hate plumbing.
That's all for now!
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
AR 15
Well heck, its been....May of 2009 since I posted. I'm sure this blog has been declared dead.
But ah, resurrection!!
I recently bought an AR-15. Olympic Arms UM-1P. 20" bull barrel, JP muzzle brake, JP gas block, 6 position adjustable stock, Wilson trigger, free float handgaurds, winter trigger guard, adjustable cheek weld. Its a super gun.
However, it is not for me. I want a lightweight carbine. This gun is a bit heavy, meant for a bipod and nailing prairie dogs from 300 yards away. As such, I am selling the rifle, to get something I'll shoot. Closet queens have no place in my home. This is a good gun for target shooting and hunting, but not the kind that I do.
If anyone is interested, its on gunbroker.com. Buy it now is $1500. Reserve is lower.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
