What's Cookin' at the Garvers?

MREs! That's what! Meals Ready-to-Eat are the modern Army's equivalent of the C-Ration for the former military, and a different version of freeze-dried food for the non military former backpackers. They come with everything you need for sustenance for a meal except with less of the taste.

There was a minor sibling squabble over the MREs Sam sent home. He thought Wilson should eat healthier, so he sent some leftovers. Wilson immediately went to the Reese's Pieces and the FRHs(Flameless Ration Heater), ever the scientist. The FRH is a plastic bag that when water is added heats up and is used to heat, not cook, the MRE or at least some portions. It really works to some extent. Better living through modern chemistry, I guess.

Annie is deciding what to eat for this weekend. Dad was trying to figure out what "hunky eanut utter" was when he realized the bag was folded. The hit today may be the "Nutritious Energy Bar," which brings to mind the question... How nutritious is something if it has to be labeled nutritious?

Sam sent these both for us to try and because he's sending home most of his personal stuff before the next phase. He said these were his dinners and lunches many days during Airborne. They would get off about 5 or later and instead of taking them to the mess hall, the instructors would throw them an MRE and dismiss them. Sam would walk across the street from his barracks and eat at Subway and save the MRE. Sam has other stories he can tell of MREs being traded and thrown at him because the owner didn't want some of it and Sam would eat it.

Sam called Tuesday night after his first day in RIP Holding. He was excited, but reserved. Or maybe that's just Sam. They are being heldover in barracks next to the Ranger barracks for those stationed at Ft. Benning, within the gated Ranger section of Benning. He didn't get to talk to any in RIP now, but did with other Rangers he comes in contact with along the way. He and his class were told stories and given advice about the mind games the instructors will play. One involved a rainy day, when doesn't it rain in Georgia? The class was out on maneuvers in the rain and the instructors set up a tent, built a fire and prepared a meal. They offered the the class a chance to come in get warm and have some food. Two did and were kicked out of RIP.

Sam is excited and knows it will be tough, but to him it's a challenge. He said they cut his hair again and took away his cellphone. He said he would write and send the address. Today is the end of the first of two weeks in RIP Holding, then four weeks of RIP. He shared two new facts. They are starting his class a week earlier so they will be done before Thanksgiving. He also said when they pass RIP they get to request their duty station, though they might not be assigned there. Sam wants out of Georgia and will request Ft. Lewis, Washington.

Whether 'tis Nobler to suffer the Slings and Arrows of Outrageous Fortune. . .

A long time family friend, Sue Holt, sent the following joke.  If you spend and time in the vicinity of small ones you will have experienced something like the following.  The key is to remember the story and tell it later.  I hope to keep this one in the file of  'Stupid teacher Jokes'. 

We who have taught or love children know this is funny!

From the diary of a Pre-school teacher.

My five year old students are learning to read.

Yesterday one of them pointed at a picture in a zoo book and said, 

"Look at this! It's a frikin elephant!"

I took a deep breath, then asked, "What did you call it?"

"It's a frikin' elephant!  It says so on the picture!"

...and so it does.

African Elephant

Hooked on Phonics, ain't it wonderful?

If You Had to Pick. . .

Before I pick, I have to praise my sons. Above is a picture of Brad and Sam helping with drywalling a ceiling. Probably one of modern man's terrible jobs. Think about it, how many old men do you see drywalling? It is physical, hard work. All of the boys did yeoman's work in the studio addition.

But the question before us Un-Derrs and Derrs, what six musician's library of work could you listen to for the rest of your life? Only these six to spend time with. Only these six to revel and to lament with. I may be a bit stuffy, but who would you spend money, plenty of money, to see live.

My Six?

James Taylor--Addictions aside, name a singer/songwriter that exemplifies the genre better? And continues to get better with time. Try this and this and this to decide.

Pat Metheney--Jazz from the past and into the future.

The Beatles--Brad reacquainted me with the Fab Four this last summer on a trip to Lampyradaie Vineyards.

Chicago--Try this for the coolest make-out song from the '70's. But that doesn't define this group.

Nanci Griffith--Old and new great music that touches the soul.

Jackson Browne--The voice of the 70's on SoCal? You know, those songs that are a part of you before you know their names.

I know there are many more, The Eagles, Sting, Carole King, Cat Stevens, Rolling Stones, John Prine, Tony Bennett, Frank, Ella, Amy Grant, David Grisman, many more that I have forgotten; but this is just a few.

It Must be Baseball Season

One of the older "events" in the Garver family is the shaving of Dad's beard for the beginning of baseball season. Usually I keep head and face closely cropped, though one year I didn't shave for over half the year. I guess that is when the boys started calling me Old Man River. The pictures above show a progression of hirsute to clean shaven that takes days or weeks to fully complete. I dislike shaving; but for the good of the cause, I shave during baseball. It seems hypocritical to require it of the athletes, even when all they can muster is a bit of peach fuzz on their chin, and show up as their coach with facial hair.

The origins of the slow procession of shaving really has roots with brother-in-law Ken. One evening when the Kelloggs were living on Andrea Court Ken, being the dutiful husband he is, puts the kids to bed. He then shaved off his beard. The next morning he was off to work before sun-up to bring home the bacon. That evening when he tried to enter the house found the door locked. David, manning the door, refused to let Ken enter. He was being obedient to the "Don't talk to Strangers" rule, let alone let them into your house. Try as he might, Ken could not convince David that he was indeed David's father and that he'd better open the door. Eventually reason, wisdom or Stephanie interceded, and Ken was allowed to enter.

This morphed into the Garver tradition of plopping a young Garver on a stool next to the sink as Dad shaved part of his beard off. This repeated over a period of time resulted in Steve with no facial hair and no Garver child refusing entry to the Pater familias.

Thus a tradition was born.

P.S. Certain Exeter raconteurs, upon seeing me grow my beard back, will comment on how bad the Exeter baseball season must have been if I was trying to go incognito by growing a beard.