Thank a Veteran

This nation will remain the land of the free
only so long as it is the home of the brave.
-Elmer Davis

Even casual readers of this blog will have noticed that my husband is presently deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. And that I myself wear the uniform. You might expect that I would have a lot of thoughts on this Veteran's Day. Heck, I might expect that, too.

My first thought is that I'm happy to be off from work, because it afforded a rare opportunity to video chat with my husband. The eleven-hour time difference can be challenging, and I've gotten used to some late-night phone calls. My next thought is that I'm awfully lucky to be able to see my husband in real-time, even if he's a little blurry. (And for those of you who know him - check out what the Marines did to his hair!) Although I, too, am a Lieutenant in the United States Navy, I presently find myself feeling more and more like a Marine wife. As much as I don't love being here while my husband is in a combat zone, I can only imagine how much worse it was when letters took months and packages arrived not at all. When deployment orders said "for the duration" and there were no scheduled replacements. Instead, I get a reasonable expectation (although not a guarantee) of seeing my husband in another 6 or so months, and lots of photos.

This would be the iconic shot, and a reminder of another thought of mine. As you know, we just had a landmark election, and while my liberal soul is personally filled with hope, that hope actually has little to do with my military affiliations. It has to do with the promise of America.

As I see it, America has given two great gifts to the world. As the longest-continuous democracy, we have had a continuous expansion of the franchise. After 221 years of expanding the vote, nearly every adult is now eligible to cast a ballot, and over 60% of us did last week.

The second great gift is civilian control of the military, rather than military control of the civilians. Ponder that the greatest military strength in the world will turn on a dime should the democratically-elected leaders order it so. This was unprecedented in the Second Continental Congress, and it remains rare today. With great strength comes great responsibility.
Lastly, remember that each of these flak vests belongs to someone who is far from home. Remember that it is an all-volunteer force. Remember how lucky we are that they are willing to wear these vests over somewhere, over anywhere, so that we don't have to wear them here.

Vote Today

Ballots are the rightful and peaceful successors to bullets.
-Abraham Lincoln

The strength of the Constitution lies entirely in the determination of each citizen to defend it. Only if every single citizen feels duty bound to do his share in this defense are the constitutional rights secure.
-Albert Einstein

Need a reason to vote today? I've got one:
My husband in Kuwait, on his way to Iraq some 35 days ago. Not that I'm counting.

We have enjoyed so much freedom for so long
that we are perhaps in danger of forgetting
how much blood it cost to establish the Bill of Rights.
-Felix Frankfurter

Sunday Best

Sir, Sunday morning, although occurring at regular and well forseen intervals, always seems to take this railway by surprise.
-William S. Gilbert

This post will consist of two parts. The first will be random observations about having my husband deployed. The second will consist of lots of knitting.

Observations about having my husband deployed

1. Random strangers can be very nice about helping you lift bookcases into the back of your car.
2. Why is it that I suddenly felt the compelling desire to go buy bookcases immediately after my husband left?
   
3. I've had them for 3 days and still not put them together.
4. The fraud prevention people from the credit card were going crazy.
5. If you or your spouse deploys, you might want to call them and let them know. Otherwise they will call hourly for 2 days straight.
6. Good to know that someone's paying attention.
7. A heated mattress pad was the best idea ever.
   
8. I don't eat half of what we when he's home; it's more like 1/3.
9. Guess I don't have to go grocery shopping again for a couple of weeks.
10. It's rather astounding how many cheesy romantic comedies and NCIS episodes the DVR can hold . . .
11. And, you can even send flowers from Iraq. Lucky me :)
    

Works-in-Progress (wahoo conference knitting!)

I took a big black bag with me to the conference, and alternated projects, roughly by lecture. Over 2 1/2 days, I knit

11 inches of sleeve for Park Citythe entire center part of the Swallowtail shawl (which is 1/2 the total, according to the handy-dandy shawl calculator here, which tells me that the border will be in a complementary color)
all but the toe of my second Socktoberfest pair of socks, Old Navy (yup, seemed appropriate)
And that's just what I took with me . . .

Independence

I would rather be exposed to the inconveniences attending
too much liberty than to those attending too small a degree of it.
-Thomas Jefferson

Whatever America hopes to bring to pass in the world must first
come to pass in the heart of America.
-Dwight David Eisenhower

In the spirit of Independence Day, I'll share some photos (distant flag included) of a lovely beach spot across the country on my favorite Jersey shore.

My folks and many friends are there this weekend. In fact, this time last year we were there getting married on that very beach. I (almost) wish I could join them. Almost, because tomorrow my lovely husband and I are off for our honeymoon/first anniversary/vacation to a beach far off in the pacific. A little place called Hawaii.

I have my knitting for the plane, my beach reading, and a hat to keep my hair contained in the convertible. We'll see how much knitting gets done, but that's not quite the point.

Plus, I've been making great progress on my stash reduction - check out the sidebar!

See you in a week!

Weekend Roundup

Love is like a virus. It can happen to anyone at anytime.

-Maya Angelou

It's probably no coincidence that as soon as I started working nights (you try sleeping in San Diego in the middle of the day!), I got knocked down by a nasty summer cold. The kind of cold that fogs your brain and makes you think it's a good idea to stare at the wall and do nothing. In other words, the kind that makes me feel very much not like me. This means that sewing up last month's cardigan, starting my Nantucket Jacket, and really anything else that takes brain power is off limits. Good thing that June is Kitchen Accessories Month at A Loose Knit Group! I just happen to have an enormous ball of Sugar and Cream gifted to me some time ago, and a few of Abigail's dishcloth patterns in hand.

Two down, working on the third. Just how many do you think I can get from this huge ball?

On a related note, apparently the dishcloth bug is out there. Check out my sister-in-law's first cables - nice, huh? It looks like we'll be meeting up in Phoenix in a couple weeks, so I think we'll limit the knitting to cotton. Phoenix in June is hardly wool sweater weather.

There has been just a little bit of other knitting. Flitgirl and Toasty Joe came to town and cheered me up in the middle of that cold-of-which-we-shall-not-speak. If you've ever read Toasty's blog, you won't be surprised to hear that we went to the Padres-Mets game. A perfect opportunity for some knitting. My yarn of the month for June is some Morehouse Merino laceweight that a friend gave me quite some time ago - I think early in med school, but it mmight even have been college. Regardless, it's stash-marinated long enough and now it's happy to become the Lace Ribbons Scarf from the Spring (or was it Summer?) Knitty.

Now, if only my voice would come back . . .

The Other First Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving, after all, is a word of action.
-W.J. Cameron

Thanksgiving Day Proclamation, Abraham Lincoln,
October 3, 1863

The year that is drawing toward its close has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften the heart which is habitually insensible to the everwatchful providence of almighty God. . . .

Needful diversions of wealth and of strength from the fields of peaceful industry to the national defense have not arrested the plow, the shuttle, or the ship; the ax has enlarged the borders of our settlements, and the mines, as well of iron and coal as of the precious metals, have yielded even more abundantly than heretofore. Population has steadily increased, notwithstanding the waste that has been made in the camp, the siege, and the battlefield, and the country, rejoicing in the consciousness of augmented strength and vigor, is permitted to expect continuance of years with large increase of freedom.

No human counsel hath devised, nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the most high God, who while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy.

It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently, and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and one voice by the whole American people.

Observed

This nation will remain the land of the free
only so long as it is the home of the brave.
-Elmer Davis

People - even other people in the military - often ask me why I joined the Navy. (For those of you joining in late, I'm a Navy doctor in San Diego.) In honor of Veterans' Day today, I thought I'd tell you.

I don't always seem like the obvious person to join up. I can't hit a target with a handgun, much less a rifle. (One of these days I'll learn . . .) I struggle to do my push-ups in the semi-annual Physical Readiness Test. (Getting much better, thanks to the Navy.) I knit. (People scratch their heads.) I have an Ivy League education. (Somehow this one really seems to get people.)

So why did I raise up my right hand and swear to support and defend? Quite simply, because I didn't have to. I was born free and American, not by any particular merit or virtue of mine, or even my parents (although I think them particularly virtuous and meritorious). I just got lucky. A good family, a good education, and the perspective that - in another time and another place - I wouldn't have had the choice to serve or not to serve. It's an all-volunteer force and I volunteered. Somebody has to. Why should I assume that doesn't mean me?

I do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter.
On this Veterans' Day, pause for a minute and think about all those folks who served and who are serving now. It's not political. It's definitely not conservative. (I went to Brown, remember? And the United States Constitution remains a rather radical document, even 230 years later.) And it's really not about sales at the mall. It's a personal stand for public service. Because I believe 1787 was a really good year.