WARRIORS--WELCOME HOME & THANKS FOR ALL YOU HAVE DONE

 

 

I AM HONORED TO HAVE A FRIEND WHO SERVED IN THE 82^ND AIRBORNE DIVISION..OUR FRIENDSHIP STARTED IN HIGH SCHOOL AND CONTINUES TO THIS DAY..HE REFUSES TO SHARE HIS STORIES OR HIS NAME ON THIS BLOG AND I RESPECT HIS WISHES..ANYWAY, BACK IN 1969 I SKIPPED SCHOOL (ONE OF MANY TIMES) AND DROVE HIM TO BRADLEY FIELD IN WINDSOR LOCKS..

                       

BACK THEN THERE WAS A OBSERVATION DECK WHERE ONE COULD WATCH THE PLANES LANDING AND TAKING OFF..I WAS THE ONLY ONE PRESENT ON THE DECK..I WAVED AT THE PLANE AS IT ROARED PAST AND LIFTED INTO THE SKY..HE LET ME KNOW VIA LETTERS TO HIS GIRLFRIEND THAT HE SAW ME OUT THERE WAVING.. “I’LL NEVER FORGET THAT,” HE SAID..AND SO STARTED THE FIRST LEG OF HIS JOURNEY TO THE REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM WHERE HE SERVED IN SUPPORT OF THE GREEN BERETS..

                

NO MARCHING BAND AWAITED HIM UPON HIS RETURN—NO WAVING FLAGS—LIKE THE MAJORITY OF VIETNAM ERA VETERANS ONLY A GRATEFUL FAMILY WAS EAGERLY AWAITING HIS RETURN..THE MEMORY OF THAT TIME PLAYED ITSELF OUT IN MY MIND ON SATURDAY NIGHT, THE 27^TH OF APRIL, AS I WAS AMONG THE HUNDREDS THAT HAD ASSEMBLED TO WELCOME HOME 120 WORLD WAR TWO VETERANS..THEY HAD BEEN FLOWN TO WASHINGTON D.C. FOR THE DAY BY THE NORWICH BASED ‘AMERICAN WARRIOR PROJECT.’ THIS WAS THE NINTH TRIP AND THE PROJECT HAS FLOWN 938 VETERANS TO VISIT THE WAR MEMORIALS IN D.C...



ARMY VETERAN EARL COLEBUT-88 YEARS OLD AND STANDING STRAIGHT AS AN ARROW-A MEMBER
OF THE MASHANTUCKET PEQUOT TRIBAL NATION..WITH MEN LIKE EARL AMONG THEIR NUMBERS
THEY ARE A JUSTIFIABLEY PROUD PEOPLE..I CONSIDER MYSELF HONORED TO HAVE MET HIM..

ANOTHER WORLD WAR TWO WARRIOR FROM THE PROUD MASHANTUCKET PEQUOT TRIBAL NATION..
ANOTHER MAN WHO I WAS EXTREMELY HAPPY TO GIVE THANKS TO AND SHAKE HIS HAND..
I WAS HONORED TO MEET STAN HARRIS THE SECOND.

 

I CANNOT POSSIBLY POST ALL THE PICTURES—BUT I SHOOK HANDS AND THANKED AS MANY AS I COULD..MY EYES WELLED UP A FEW TIMES AS RECOLLECTIONS OF FRIENDS PLAYED IN MY MIND AND ONCE AGAIN I SAW THEIR FACES IN MY MIND’S EYE..I WOULD LIKE TO THINK THAT EVERYONE THERE WAS SOMEHOW WELCOMING AND THANKING ALL THE VETERANS WHO HAVE EVER SERVED TO PROTECT THOSE WHO COULD NOT PROTECT THEMSELVES AND DEFENDING AGAINST TYRANTS WHO WOULD SEEK TO DESTROY THE GOD GIVEN RIGHT OF FREEDOM…

OUR VERY OWN HOME TOWN HERO-ED RICCIO JR...
AN INCREDIBLE MAN WHO SURVIVED AGAINST INCREDIBLE ODDS..
I DID A POST ON HIM AND IT IS STILL THE HIGHEST READER NUMBER RANKING..
TAKE A FEW MINUTES TO READ ABOUT HIM IN THE ARCHIVES FROM MAY 2011
'WARRIOR-SERGEANT ED RICCIO JR.'
HIS SON 'EDDIE' AT HIS SIDE

I AM HONORED TO HAVE WALKED AMONG AND WELCOMED THESE MEN, SHAKEN THEIR HANDS..  

'BELA' ALSO A VET..SERVED AS A BOMB-SNIFFING TROOPER

THE 'PATRIOT GUARD RIDERS' PROVIDED A MOTORCYCLE ESCORT FOR THE VETS

 

ME AT THE REAR OF THE LEAD BIKE OF THE 'PATRIOT GUARD RIDERS'
I'VE MENTIONED THESE GUYS BEFORE
NOTHING BUT THE UTMOST RESPECT FOR THEM.
LIKE I SAID BEFORE-WISH I COULD POST ALL THE PICTURES BUT I AM JUST ABOUT OUT OF SPACE AS IT IS--SO UNTIL NEXT TIME--
STAY SAFE AND THANK A VET FOR YOUR WAY OF LIFE
AND YOUR FREEDOM
IT IS DEFINITELY NOT FREE
THE MEN ABOVE PAID FOR IT
MANY MORE PAID WITH ALL THEY HAD..
TILL NEXT TIME
JIM
 

THINGS-PRO GUN RALLY--HARTFORD CT--CAPITOL BUILDING

FIRST OFF-I AM HAVING A BIT OF TROUBLE WITH MY BLOG, AMONG OTHER THINGS, MY FOLLOWERS LIST HAS DISAPPEARED—HOPEFULLY THIS POST WILL MAKE IT ON LINE—HERE WE GO…..

 

I’M THE TYPE OF PERSON THAT ISN’T COMFORTABLE IN THE CITY..FOR THAT MATTER I DON’T EVEN ENJOY BEING IN A MALL OR FINDING MYSELF IN A CROWD..I DO LIKE PEOPLE BUT I AM JUST A ‘COUNTRY BOY’ TYPE OF GUY..

HOWEVER, THERE ARE ALWAYS EXCEPTIONS TO THE RULE..THERE HAVE BEEN TIMES WHEN I ACTUALLY LOOKED FORWARD TO BEING AMONG LARGE NUMBERS..THREE EXAMPLES: BACK IN THE SEVENTIES CONNECTICUT LAW MAKERS SAW FIT TO PASS A HELMET LAW..THOSE WHO TOOK PART IN THE PROTEST RALLIES THAT FOLLOWED NUMBERED IN THE THOUSANDS AND I EAGERLY TOOK MY PLACE AND STOOD AMONG THEM..ANIMOSITY BETWEEN CLUBS WAS SET ASIDE AND WE UNITED TOWARDS A COMMON GOAL, RESPECTFUL OF ONE ANOTHER—THE LAW WAS REPEALED..

ANOTHER EXCEPTION TO THE ‘I NEED MY SPACE’ MENTALITY WAS WHEN I SERVED AS A MARINE..PICTURE US MILLING AROUND TOGETHER, EACH WITH AN M-16 (A REAL ASSAULT RIFLE WITH 20 ROUND MAGAZINES) HAND-GRENADES, M-60 MACHINE GUNS, 45 CALIPER PISTOLS, BAYONETS AND A FEW CLAYMORE MINES..STANDING IN THE MIDST OF ALL THESE LETHAL WEAPONS AND EQUALLY LETHAL WARRIORS, I WAS COMPLETELY AT EASE..IN SPITE OF OUR DIFFERENCES WE HAD COMPLETE RESPECT FOR ONE ANOTHER-WE KNEW WE WERE SAFE..

 

THE MOST RECENT EXCEPTION TO MY ‘ANTI-CROWD’ MIND-SET WAS THE PRO-GUN RALLY HELD AT THE STATE CAPITAL..I EVEN LOOKED FORWARD TO BEING A PART OF THIS GATHERING OF HUNDREDS, IF NOT THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE (I AM UNSURE OF THE NUMBERS)..MANY WOULD BELIEVE THAT THIS WOULD BE A MOST DANGEROUS CONGREGATION..YOU’VE HEARD THEIR VOICES, YOU’VE HEARD THEIR PROCLAMATIONS THAT ‘GUNS KILL PEOPLE.’ I AM HAPPY TO SAY THAT IN SPITE OF THE HUNDREDS OF GUNS BEING CARRIED, NOT ONE GUN JUMPED OUT OF IT’S HOLSTER AND SHOT ANYONE..

 

WE STOOD UNITED IN OPPOSITION TO LAWS PASSED IN IGNORANCE, UNITED AGAINST THE BLATANT INFRINGEMENT OF OUR RIGHTS AS LAW-ABIDING CITIZENS WHO SEEM TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE AND PUNISHED FOR THE ACTIONS OF THE LAW BREAKERS AND THE MAD-MEN WHO HAVE NO RESPECT FOR THE GOD GIVEN GIFT OF LIFE OR THE LAWS THEY PASSED..WE STOOD UNITED AND IN SAFETY KNOWING THAT GUNS DO NOT KILL PEOPLE—NEITHER DO KNIVES, SCISSORS, BASEBALL BATS, BOWS AND ARROWS, OR HI-JACKED AIRPLANES, NOT EVEN PRESSURE COOKERS KILL PEOPLE-THE SIMPLE, BUT UGLY AND UNDENIABLE TRUTH IS—PEOPLE KILL PEOPLE…THE ABERRANT EPISODES (HORRIBLE AS THEY ARE) BY A FEW DERANGED INDIVIDUALS IS NOT LEGITIMATE GROUNDS TO PUNISH THE MILLIONS OF LAW-ABIDING CITIZENS..WE ARE NOT THE PROBLEM …

 

SCENARIO::MARTIAL LAW IS DECLARED AS LAW ENFORCEMENT SEEKS A SUSPECTED TERRORIST..HE IS WELL TRAINED AND MOTIVATED, NOT JUST A YOUNG FRIGHTENED FUGITIVE RUNNING FOR HIS LIFE..INSTEAD OF SEEKING TO HIDE, HE REALIZES THE MUCH GREATER VALUE OF TAKING HOSTAGES..HE DOESN’T JUST PICK A HOUSE AT RANDOM..HOW MANY CARS ARE IN THE DRIVEWAY?? PERFECT, A MINI-VAN WITH A CHILD’S SEAT AND A ‘SOCCER MOM’ BUMPER STICKER ALSO!! CUTS THE PHONE LINE AND STARTS TO KICK IN THE DOOR…WHAT HAPPENS NEXT??? WELL, IF HE WAS UNLUCKY ENOUGH TO PICK A HOUSE WHERE ONE OF THE MANY PEOPLE IN THE PICTURES I’VE POSTED LIVE—THE END…

 

WE DO NOT NEED MORE LAWS--THEY ONLY AFFECT THE GOOD PEOPLE..AFTER THE SANDY HOOK TRAGEDY, ANOTHER 62 PAGES OF ANTI-GUN LEGISLATION WAS DRAWN UP--MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES WERE A SECONDARY CONCERN...THE LAW MAKERS NEED TO WAKE UP-THEY SHOULD FIRST LEARN WHAT THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT..NOT PASS NONSENSE LAWS THAT CRIMINALS COULD NOT CARE LESS ABOUT TO BEGIN WITH..(CHECK OUT MY POST 'GUNS' FOR SOME STATS)..I REFUSE TO MENTION HIS NAME (THE MEDIA HAS ALREADY IMMORTALISED HIM ENOUGH) BUT I'LL BET THAT THE ANIMAL WHO DESTROYED SO MANY LIVES AT SANDY HOOK WAS NOT IN THE LEAST BIT CONCERNED ABOUT THE LAW WHEN HE PLAYED OUT THE LAST FEW HORRIBLE HOURS OF HIS LIFE..MAY GOD BLESS THE VICTIMS AND THEIR FAMILIES...

                             ****************TILL THE NEXT TIME****************
                                *************STAY SAFE AND HAPPY**************
               DO NOT SURRENDER THE RIGHT TO PROTECT YOURS AND YOURSELF
           ***********************************JIM******************************

PLACES--A MISSION TO 'CABELAS'

FIRST OFF THIS WAS NOT THE POST I HAD PLANNED TO DO THIS TIME AROUND, BUT GOD WILLING, THERE WILL BE TIME ENOUGH LATER ON TO DO THE 'WEIRD' POST THAT I HAD MENTIONED PREVIOUSLY..


I AM GOING TO ASSUME THAT 95% OF THE FOLKS READING THIS BLOG HAVE HEARD OF 'CABELAS' OUTDOOR SPORTS CATALOGUES AND STORES.. HOWEVER, NOT EVERYONE HAS HAD THE CHANCE TO VISIT ONE OF THESE OUTSTANDING OUTLETS...

I WAS NOT ABOUT TO RESEARCH HOW LONG THEY HAVE BEEN IN BUSINESS-WHO STARTED THE BUSINESS OR HOW IT GREW TO BE SUCH A FAMOUS OUTFITTER FOR THOSE OF US WHO ENJOY THE OUTDOORS..RATHER I JUST INTENDED TO TAKE YOU ALONG ON A PHOTOGRAPHIC JOURNEY OF THE OUTLET IN EAST HARTFORD ...

I WAS ON A MISSION--AND REMEMBERING HOW IMPRESSED I WAS WITH MY LAST VISIT, I DECIDED TO TAKE THE CAMERA ALONG...I WISH I COULD POST ALL THE PHOTOS I TOOK BUT THAT WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE ON THIS BLOG...HOPE YOU ENJOY THE SIGHTS....









MISSION ACCOMPLISHED-GIFT CERTIFICATE FOR  STEVE-GREAT GUY YOU'VE MET HERE BEFORE
HAPPY 60TH BIRTHDAY STEVE
*JIM*

FINALLY !!!!

WELL FINALLY!!! TODAY WAS THE FIRST DAY THAT ACTUALLY FELT LIKE SPRING HAD FINALLY ARRIVED IN THIS LITTLE CORNER OF THE WORLD...SEVENTIES AND SUNNY--WOW, ABOUT TIME!! THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE REGULARS WILL REMEMBER THE LAST POST I DID AND THE PHOTOS I SHOWED OF THE FLOWERS GETTING READY TO BLOOM AND THEN THE VERY NEXT DAY THEY WERE COVERED IN SNOW...WELL I AM HAPPY TO SAY THAT THEY HAVE FINALLY SHOWN THEIR HAPPY LITTLE FACES (SEE BELOW)...I'M NOT REALLY A FLOWER TYPE OF GUY, I LIKE THE MAJESTY OF TREES, BUT I AM ALWAYS HAPPY TO SEE THESE LITTLE HARBINGERS OF SPRING...                                             

GOT TO ADMIT, FEEL A LITTLE GUILTY…TOOK OFF HALF A DAY BECAUSE OF A LITTLE BIT OF BACK PAIN…ACTUALLY I’VE DEALT WITH MUCH WORSE BUT TODAY IT WAS IN THE LOW SEVENTIES, JUST A LITTLE BIT BREEZY AND WHAT THE HECK, EVERYBODY WOULD BE AT WORK SO I WOULD HAVE THE ROAD MOSTLY TO MYSELF (KIND OF)…



THIS OLD ELEGANT BUILDING USED TO BE A HORSE STABLE OUT IN BURLINGTON CONN..

PUT THE CAMERA IN MY POCKET BUT DIDN’T REALLY PLAN ON USING IT, JUST WANTED TO RIDE AND DIDN’T REALLY FEEL LIKE HUNTING DOWN PICTURES FOR THE BLOG…BUT I DID GET A COUPLE ANYWAY…SO—HERE I AM…ACTUALLY THIS IS MORE LIKE A FACEBOOK POST RATHER THAN MY USUAL BLOG POST…

UNFORTUNATELY THE NORTH SIDE OF THE BUILDING IS NOW SUFFERING THE EFFECTS OF TIME AND NEGLECT  AND IS NO LONGER IN USE..

 

THIS IS USUALLY MY FAVORITE TIME OF YEAR TO RIDE…ON THE BACK ROADS, THAT I PREFER, THE VEGETATION HASN’T BECOME THICK ENOUGH TO HIDE ANY CRITTERS THAT ARE THINKING ABOUT CROSSING THE ROAD IN FRONT OF YOU (TURKEYS-FOX-DEER ETC.)…SO OFF I WENT…

DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED HERE

BACK DURING THE WINTER I HAD POSTED ABOUT OUR WICKED STORM THAT HAD SOME FOLKS SNOWED IN FOR UP TO FOUR DAYS...IN THAT POST I HAD MENTIONED A NEIGHBOR THAT SAID HE HAD HAD ENOUGH OF OUR WINTERS...HE PUT HIS HOUSE UP FOR SALE (REALLY NICE PLACE) HIS WIFE AND HIM PACKED UP THEIR GOODIES (INCLUDING A BRAND NEW HARLEY-DAVIDSON SWITCH BACK) AND OFF THEY WENT TO SOUTH CAROLINA--(GOOD LUCK TO YOU TWO)...

 

LOVE THIS LITTLE FELLOW-LOOK AT THOSE EYES

ANYWAY, YESTERDAY I HAD THE PLEASURE OF MEETING ONE OF OUR NEW NEIGHBORS..'OTIS' A SIMPLY BEAUTIFUL BLACK LAB PUP...LOVE THE LITTLE GUY .. WELCOME TO PLANET EARTH OTIS--HOPE YOU HAVE A LONG AND PLEASANT STAY .... COME OVER ANY TIME AND CHASE THE SQUIRRELS... 

WELL, NEXT POST I'M GONNA GET A LITTLE ON THE PERSONAL AND WEIRD SIDE (WHAT'S NEW RIGHT?)..KIND OF JUGGLING IT AROUND IN MY MIND SO STAY TUNED..
*****************************TILL THEN--HAPPY TRAILS*************************
                                                                             JIM