Puffs

The weather . . . “Everyone likes to talk about it, but nobody can do anything about it.”

For many years I was unhappy with the weather forecasters on television and the radio when the forecast they gave was wrong. Now . . . I just feel sorry for them as they have an impossible job.

I thought I’d start this week with a little bit about the weather. Again, for many years I had listened to many folks talk about how “great” the scenic views were in the mountains or along the seashore. They were correct, there are tremendous sights in those places.

However . . . Have you noticed that during these past few months, those of us here in the ‘Great Plains’ have been having tremendously outstanding sunsets and sunrises. I am just amazed at the beauty of these mornings and evenings when the sun catches the clouds and gives us thousands of colors, ever our imagination has trouble appreciating.

Then . . . talk about snow.

Last week we had the snow I’ve been talking about for years and years. The perfect snow (at least in Lawrence, Nebraska).

I have always described the perfect snow as one that fell on the grass, crop fields and pastures, but did not pile up on the roads and sidewalks.

Last week’s snow did just that. My first look out the window gave me the view of our grass covered with maybe an inch or so of snow, but . . . the sidewalks and roads were clear as could be.

We had a pretty good wind that came with the snow and that kept the roads and sidewalks clear.

I was asked last week: “Is this the ‘January thaw’ we look for every year?” I had to admit this year it will be hard to know just when that reprieve from the cold will come as we’ve had a pretty mild winter to date.

This year puts that old limerick sailors of the oceans have used to forecast the weather to question. “Red in the morning, sailor’s take warning . . . red at night, sailor’s delight.”

My favorite insight on this whole weather question comes from an old song, the name of which I don’t remember. One line of the song goes something like: “as long as old men sit and talk about the weather . . . old women will sit and talk about old men.”

That doesn’t help determine the weather forecast, but it does help put a little humor in life.

A O

I’m going to pass the following along to you. I find it interesting and I hope you do as well. I’ve been looking for information on Arlington National Cemetery recently and this was sent to me by a friend. “The tomb of the Unknown” is located in Arlington. To wit:

On Jeopardy the other night, the final question was: “How many steps does the guard take during his walk across the Tomb of the Unknown?”

All three missed it.

Tomb of the Unknown Soldier:

1. How many steps does the guard take during his walk across the Tomb of the Unknown and why?

21 steps. It alludes to the twenty-one gun salute, which is the highest

honor given any military or foreign dignitary.

2. How long does he wait after his about face to begin his return walk and why?

21 seconds for the same reason as above.

3. Why are his gloves wet?

His gloves are moistened to prevent his losing his grip on the rifle.

4. Does he carry his rifle on the same shoulder all the time and if not, why not?

He carries the rifle on the shoulder away from the tomb. After his march across the path, he executes an about face and moves the rifle to the outside shoulder.

5. How often are the guards changed?

Guards are changed every thirty minutes, twenty-four hours a day, 365 days a year.

6. What are the physical traits of the guard limited to?

For a person to apply for guard duty at the tomb, he must be between 5’ 10’ and 6’ 2’ tall and his waist size cannot exceed 30.’ Other requirements of the Guard:

They must commit two years of life to guard the tomb, live in a barracks under the tomb, and cannot drink any alcohol on or off duty for the rest of their lives.

They cannot swear in public for the rest of their lives and cannot disgrace the uniform (fighting) or the tomb in any way. After two years, the guard is given a wreath pin that is worn on their lapel signifying they served as

guard of the tomb. There are only 400 presently worn.

The guard must obey these rules for the rest of their lives or give up the wreath pin.

The shoes are specially made with thick soles to keep the heat and cold from their feet. There are metal heel plates that extend to the top of the shoe in order to make the loud click as they come to a halt.

There are no wrinkles, folds or lint on the uniform.

Guards dress for duty in front of a full-length mirror. The first six months of duty a guard cannot talk to anyone, nor watch television.

All off duty time is spent studying the 175 notable people laid to rest in

Arlington National Cemetery. A guard must memorize who they are and where they are interred. Among the notables are: President Taft, Joe E. Lewis (the boxer) and Medal of Honor recipient Audie Murphy, (the most decorated soldier of WWII) of Hollywood fame. Every guard spends five hours a day getting his uniforms ready for guard

duty.

In 2003 as Hurricane Isabelle was approaching Washington, DC, our US Senate-House took two days off with anticipation of the storm. On the ABC evening news, it was reported that because of the dangers from the hurricane, the military members assigned the duty of guarding the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier were given permission to suspend the assignment. They respectfully declined the offer, ‘No way, Sir!’ Soaked to the skin,

marching in the pelting rain of a tropical storm, they said that guarding the Tomb was not just an assignment, it was the highest honor that can be afforded to a serviceperson.

The tomb has been patrolled continuously, 24/7, since 1930.

A O