OK, so I've been meaning to write since Cambridge, which was about 100 years ago. Then I tossed up the Miscellany to ease my guilty conscience, but here I am, end of the month, and I still haven't written the 47 things (give or take) that have happened to me in the past few weeks. So, fasten your seatbelt and read this as fast as possible.
Went to Cambridge. Very cool. Old stuff. Really old buildings. Met Dr. I. Howard Marshall, a New Testament guru, who I've been a fan of for about 15 years. (He was very cool by the way. I introduced myself and said 'Dr. Marshall, it's an honor to meet you.' He reached up to shake my hand and said: 'Hi Ron, I'm Howard.' Is that cool or what? Just your average, everyday bloke with more degrees than a thermometer.) I also had Tea (Supper) with Dr. John Drane. Dude is scary smart. Didn't go punting (google it), but all in all, a successful few days.
Came back. Did work. Ate. Slept. (Fast-forward).
Went to France last week. Normandy to be precise. Met my nephew Jonathan there. We saw the beaches. Point du Hoc. Pegasus bridge. All very moving. Went to the American Cemetery and Memorial. (You can slow down for this part out of respect.) It was simply overwhelming. I never felt so proud, sad and indebted at the same time in all of my life. And that's saying a lot when you take into consideration that I used to go to Gettysburg, the Korean War Memorial, the Viet Nam Wall, and the World War II memorial on a regular basis. I can't do justice to the place, but I offer you a photo or two in hopes of a giving a bit better sense of the experience.
There are 9,000 markers in this one cemetery. 9,000 people who gave their lives in the first week of the assault. Here's the kicker, are you ready? That's not even a tenth of the total number of American men and women killed, missing, or wounded during the Normandy invasion. Like I said, all I can think to call it is overwhelming.
(Fast-forward to today.)
My family and I are packing to make the trip back across the pond tomorrow. We'll be in the States for three weeks. It's been 6 months. We're looking forward to being back, eating Chic-fil-A, and driving on the right side (quite literally) of the road. I'll see if I can't write a bit while I'm away. It may be tough though, I have some shopping orders I have to fill for my mates here in England.
Thanks for reading. Keep the faith.
ron
