The Great Memorial

In Normandie, as the French spell it, there are many memorials to those who fought and died in the Allied invasion during June and July of 1944.  One of these is the American Cemetery in Colleville-sur-Mer, on a bluff above what English speakers call the English Channel.  

It seems appropriate that the largest seaborne invasion in history would take place in the area of France conquered by earlier seafaring invaders.  But the scale was quite different.

The remains of almost 10,000 souls are interred here, resting under rows of monuments installed with impeccable precision.  That the memorial is emotionally powerful is an understatement.

The names, rank, unit, and date of death of each are inscribed on the headstones.  The lives ended prematurely either on the beaches or nearby are predominantly short.  They gave up not only their lives, but future families, children, and grandchildren not even imagined.  

Michael Wess
PVT   325 GLI INF  82 ABN DIV
ILLINOIS   June 12, 1944

Sam Sandrowitz
PVT  120 INF  30 DIV  NY
June 15, 1944

And there are those unidentified.  Not granted even the small solace of recorded names, they lie there with all the others.

"Here lies in honored glory
a comrade in arms
known but to God."

But here, they are not forgotten.  They sacrificed so that a tyrant would not continue to impose his twisted will on France and all of Europe.

The inscription on the circular chapel in the center of the cemetery says, "These endured all and gave all that justice among nations might prevail and that mankind might enjoy freedom and inherit peace." Indeed.  But the fight continues, and will never end.

This place is both a memorial to the brave souls who died here in Normandie, 

and also to the insanity of War.

A Royal Pain

Available at fine retailers everywhere.

The most recent example of fawning over the British Royals is the reaction to the birth of a young lad.  It is all very nice that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex now have a presumably healthy baby boy. Any birth signifies new hope and is clearly worth celebrating.  However, having the world atwitter, and particularly Americans going gaga (not in a ladylike fashion) is disgusting.

A few hundred years ago, we Americans threw off the yoke of the blood-sucking Royal leeches that required our tribute.  In doing so, we established the operational fact that all men are created equal. We still struggle with application of the concept. Slavery is mostly behind us, but Pogo’s observation that “Some is more equal than others” remains true. However, we categorically denied the right, divine or otherwise, of Kings and Queens to rule us.  Not only that, the notion of equality dictates that we abolish the existence of royalty altogether.

Admittedly, the current status of the English Monarchs is royalty lite, but their existence is contingent upon funding from the state.  I’m sure their continued existence is a net positive, financially, for England, since they fuel an entire tourism industry for their properties and appearances, and also a huge speculation and conjecture business which follows their every move, but that’s not the point.  

Some insight into the British preoccupation with the Royals is provided by a chance meeting, many years ago, just prior to the State Opening of Parliament.  As usual for our brethren across the pond, a great deal of pomp was provided for the event. The Queen and much of her brood were being transported from Buckingham Palace to Parliament in fancy horse-drawn carriages.  On holiday (We vacation in the US. It’s “holiday” in England) with my own family, we blundered into the roadblock that allowed the procession to proceed, so stopped to watch.

As the gilded carriages clip-clopped past, I said to Mary, “Amazing what the accumulated tribute of hundreds of years will buy.”

My comment was overheard.  “Oh, no!” said the woman standing beside me. “They gave us everything.”

“Oh,” I replied.  Evidently, the Magna Carta and the like were just fake news.

This preoccupation with all things royal extends to us in the colonies...er ah..the United States.  It is amazing how much “news” coverage is provided to royal weddings, royal marriages, royal births, royal Halloween costumes, and so on.  

By buying into the hubbub, we Americans are buying into the notion of royalty.  “It’s OK,” we think. “It’s just the English doing their Royal thing. Fascinating to follow what they do.”

Ha!  Don’t you see it?  They’re just putting up the jolly front, waiting for the day when we the people are so fed up with representative democracy that we’ll beg them to re-establish the Ruling Monarchy.  And judging from current events, that day is not far off.

“Give us a King to lead us,” said the Elders of Israel.  “Give us a King to lead us,” cry those tired of Brexiting. “Give us a King to lead us,” demand those who lament the un-drained swamp.

But remember that he will claim all as his own.

“But anywhere has to be better than in this frying pan!”  

Pogo should have said that, too.

A Monarch worth supporting.

Another Loon Weekend in the Book

Yes, another burst of activity in the woods.  Good stuff got done.

Here the door is being nailed in place, never to open again.

Shelves in a closet!
Short ones on Gimp 1's side.

Taller on the other side.
Her Majesty approved.

Though all were quite worried he'd shoot his eye out,
No mishaps were reported,
though hearing loss was suspected.

Almost all the snow was gone.
Lefty missed the cameraman.

The lake was high.

And someone finally got the hat he's always wanted.

The effort was wrapped up with a fine bonfire,
first of the season.
While the spirit is still willing, 
the body has other ideas.
The fire was out and all were in bed by midnight!

And there were fabulous prizes.

FABULOUS PRIZES !!!