"...One gets so bored with good wine." (Disraeli)

…..I”’m having a helluva time adjusting to this desultory life.  I get up every morning (thankfully) use a gripping device to help me dress, another device to get a sock on my right foot. The left foot has a sore so I cannot put a sock on it; well, I’ll spare you all of the details.  I get hold of my walker, go into the kitchen, take my morning medication, then read the sports page.  Right now, nothing but football; boring.  My breakfast usually consists of coffee and three Oreo cookies, or an Eggo with some syrup on it.. Finished with that chore, I idle into the den and turn on the computer.  I go to read my e-mail, but there isn’t any, except some notice from a bank about a CD maturing.  I keep my financial matters on the internet, and I wonder if Rhoda will ever be able to get all that’s coming to her if she can’t find the information on my computer.  I keep showing her, but she doesn’t appear too interested to write it down.  Then, I have the inclination, I will write a post to my blog.  I don’t want to write too many, because then I”ll have to publish them in another book which no one will ever read. That blog has five year’s worth of reading.  I think that one who has never read the blog would find it quite interesting in book form.

.....I think I had better see if I am able to drive my car; it would solve a lot of problems, not the least of which Rhoda would not have to drive me to the VA for a doctor’s appointment..  “The world is too much with us, late and soon. We lay waste our powers.”  Man I wish I could also stand upon a  pleasant lea like Mr. Wordsworth and have Proteus rise from the sea and hear old Triton blow his wreathed horm.  What a relief it would be from this world to live like the Pagans, at least for a couple of days, in order to be introduced to all the Gods and Goddesses and Heroes.  That would certainly relieve the boredom of these days of illness.

"O God of battles! Steel my soldiers' hearts" (Henry V)

.....The fonts I’ve been using are getting boring so I’m being adventuress and  now for this posting I’m using Verdana and it looks very nice.  I’ve been very bored in another way; I am housebound and I cannot go anywhere by myself. Haven’t yet tried out the car.  I will, though; as soon as I can get down there.  I’ve been asked to describe my events in WWII and since VJ Day is coming on September 2, I’ll describe one of many leading to my DFC award.  I do have a log book, but we were forbidden to put them there; only facts about the mission such as the number of hours involved and possibly our destination.  I did fly 60 combat missions and for that I received 11 Air Medals & perhaps one DFC; I don’t know if that qualified for one of my two DFCs; I’d like to think so.

…..On one disastrous mission our plane was loaded with a full tank of fuel and armaments such as depth charges and sleeves of 50 caliber machine gun bullets.  We were halfway down the runway before taking flight when a right front tire blew and the plane skidded and careened about a 100 yards before stopping with the right side of the aircraft tilted on its side.  We all quickly abandoned it before it blew up with the exception of Gordon who was stuck in the nose turret.  I could not leave him there to die alone, and so I rushed back into the plane, and forced open the door to his turret.  And since the plane had not blown up as yet, we decided that we, too, had better leave, and so we did.  Luckily the plane never blew up, and our crew was given a week’s leave to London.  I am fairly certain that I left two or three ladies to carry my offspring, and so now there may be some 60 year olds who are carrying around the Ross genes.

However, I am sure that this was not one of the events for which I received the Distinguished Flying Cross.

OK OK I'll tell a story!

.....Number one son sent the following email to me today.

"Got this note from a guy I work with who saw your medal ceremony on Utube some time ago." Some time in the distant past Joel means. And I will share that guy's note with any reader who has an interest in history.

These are fascinating.  He’s a true national hero.  If he is ever interested in recounting war stories, I hope he lets you record them for archiving purposes.  Rarely, do we encounter men that put boots on the ground in so many different lands,  that serve their country as noble patriots, and that give of themselves as much as your father has given.  We may meet teachers that have taught for decades.  We may meet veterans of various wars.  But it is the combination of the two -- think of all the people he has helped mold into citizens because of his influence -- that is what’s truly extraordinary about him.  And the selfless manner with which he has done it all is most remarkable.  I’d pop a crisp salute to him if I ever get the opportunity to meet him.  You should be proud.  


.....Joel did not include the man's name, but I do appreciate his comment and if I ever meet him, I'd return the salute. But I don't know if Joel is recording, for "archiving purposes" my stories. Speaking of teaching and wars, right now I am returning to my acting class for the first time in five or six months. Not that I'll be doing any acting--just commentary of others' monologues in the manner of Piers Morgan on "America has talent." For me, it would be very difficult to act on the stage with a walker--unless of course there's a role for a man with a walker.