Tag: Retired

New Book Prologue Part 2

3 days in Arras - learn more about the battles of World War I

…I can also see narrow avenues or streets that exit and enter the square at its corners, like rivers entering or feeding a small lake. Amazing. The Grand Place of Arras is like an interaction of time, space, and place. To me this whole scene has a synergy to it. A beautiful synergy to some folk as everything falls into place. No matter the significance or insignificance of the place or the people, the Grand Place, as they call it, is the heartbeat of this city. It is here that you will find your government offices, your cobbler, fishmonger, boulangerie, patisserie, cafes, and even a cloth factory. Typically, the weekly market takes place at this location every Friday. Is it synergistic? It is—a beautiful synergy, like nature itself, where everything has its place and functionality by grand design.

And while it may seem beautiful to most, for me the whole scene is boringly beautiful.

But it wasn’t always this way.

No, it was not. And given the sad state of this place when I was last here twenty-two years ago, I cannot believe how much it has changed over a brief period. It seems like only yesterday that I was walking among the ruins of this place. It was a dreadful, terrible domicile of death. Arras is a dichotomy to me in that while the scene before me now is amazing—peaceful, restive, and reflective—I did everything in my power to shield my consciousness from the terror and horror that this place represents. Up until this point in time, Arras, and its vicinity to the plains and the hills and the outlying farms—did not exist.

“Dad…dad…DAD!”

Hmmm? Hmmm? I turned away from the window toward the sound of a familiar voice. Ah yes, my daughter. My beautiful daughter Charlotte. She has come to fetch me, no doubt. Just in time to pull me out of my funk.

I smiled at her, knowingly and lovingly.

“It is that time, sweetie?”

“Yes, dad. We must go. The dedication ceremony is scheduled to start in two hours. They want us there early.”

Of course they do, I thought. To form up, no doubt. The Army never changes its stripe. Early, early, early. Just in case. Hurry up, hurry up, lads. Hurry up and wait. That is the Army’s credo. To hurry up and wait. For what? To die?

I chuckled to myself.

“What’s so funny?” my daughter asked.

“Nothing sweetie. Nothing really.”

“It is going to be hot today dad. You will not need much. An umbrella perhaps, although they do not call for rain today.”

‘They? Who are they?’ I thought. ‘Ah yes, The Army brass. That is who they is.’

“I will bring a brollie sweetie. It gets stifling hot and humid around here at this time of year. You never can tell when the sky decides to fall in its thunderous fury, just like an Alberta summer blast.

More Al Stewart. For all you retired Navy types: Old Admirals

A musical metaphor for getting old and irrelevant!

Check out my books at the links at the top of the page. Good reads and would make great Christmas gifts. You would be helping out an old retired Royal Canadian Navy veteran.

www.johnmorrisonauthor.com

Also the Caminoman

Cheers.

Ask Me Why!

If you want to help out a struggling Canadian writer, check out my two published books by clicking on the titles at the top of the screen. They are available at Amazon.com or .ca. Just type in the titles in the search bar or click on the links at the site…thanks.

This is my personal blog. While I have had this site up in my mind and “to do list” for a very long time, this is day one. But hey, I live for procrastination – and sailing! I cancelled this blog about a year ago due to some bad publicity coming my way but I had to reset myself as the world has really gone bizarro and my only defense against the madness out there is this blog. It keeps me sane.

I live in British Columbia. That’s Super Natural BC. Hippie-dom’s last vestige in Canada and probably on earth. Canada’s Greenie Province of protestors and environ-mentals – the wet coast and the left coast of Canada – Birkenstock paradise – land of fleece vests, Tilley hats, granola crunchers, tree huggers, cappuccino suckers, and…Salt Spring Islanders. Long skirts and gum boots. Hoelay Cliche! And, I am also a poor speller!! I repeet: I am also a poor speller. Live with it.

The site’s header reflects one of the island’s  great views – looking east – across the beautiful Saanich Inlet, and the rest of Canada. But don’t eat the shell fish here. It will kill you. And you can’t swim in the water. It will freeze your bollicks, and other things, off. But hey, that is progress. This land of septic tanks and red tide.

From this viewpoint you can see the Saanich Peninsula in the distance: Cole Bay, Pat Bay Airport, Brentwood Bay and the famous Butchart Gardens (infamous if you suffer from environmental allergies) down the way south a bit. US Gulf Islands in the near distance, beyond the peninsula, with majestic snow capped Mount Baker on the far horizon towering majestically and menacingly over us all. Just hope the big one never comes. We will be screwed. But then again winds are westerly here. Ha, whew! Vancouver and points east??…you’re screwed. Perhaps the environ-mentals can clap their hands and change the plate tectonics, tsunami dynamics and vulcanology …er.. volcanology of the area, just as they arrogantly claim that they can control the weather and climate. If only they could just increase taxes, destroy the economy and donate everything to Gaia. If only they could just…wait…that is already happening. Destroying the economy that is…covidly speaking of course.

I am a retired Naval Officer. Just about 37 years of dedicated, loyal, unadulterated, blemish free service to her Majesty, the Queen. Yes, her Majesty the Queen, I am proud that I served my Queen and my Country – Canada. By the very essence of the military’s left, right; left, right; left, right cadence I am non partisan but I am very relieved that Harper signed my retirement scroll. I retired as a Lieutenant Commander, or a Two-and-a-Half in the vernacular lexicon of naval life. Being the second most senior Two and a Half in the Navy when I retired I like to think of myself as a Two and Five Eighths!

Writing this blog is somewhat therapeutic. Hope you enjoy it. Please contribute.

ShakeyJay

We’re Guys, After All.

Hey, we’re guys after all. What can I say? So true isn’t it ladies:

Today, my wife said to me,
“Honey,” get off your butt and fix that gutter downspout!  And, I want it done before the end of the day!”
“Well, as you all know, at my age, most of my friends are retired and do have the time to address such “Honeydos”….So, I invited some of my buddies over to help with the project.
One is a sheet metal worker.
One is an Iron Worker so he came with his welder.
One brought beer and Nachos.
One brought a grill and burgers.
Took us about 6 hours, and 30-40 beers, but we got it done just as we finished off the last of the beer and burgers.
As usual, the wife is still not happy!!
Can’t understand, cause all us guys love it! Personally, I cannot wait for it to rain.
I love it. I want one!

This is cool. I saw Tellez up close down in Dunedin (Tampa Florida)during the Jays Spring Training Camp

a baseball player swinging a bat at a ball
Tellez hits longest home run in Fenway (Boston) Park history at 505 feet.
My girlfriend got his autograph on a baseball down in Dunedin as well. so cool!

Trump Derangement Syndrome is hitting a new eye, or low.

Look at what President Trump has in his eye! CNN’s Jeanne Moos reports that he can’t blink this away. Terrifying isn’t it.
And that is why I no longer watch the Cable News Network.
Songs are not working for some reason. Just cut and paster into your browser.
https://youtu.be/h5HRhGOJ27I
Have a great Navy day.
SJ……….………………………Out