Sunday Kipling

A week gone past and another to look forward to. The kid's rooms are essentially done except for carpet and odds and ends. The carpet has been ordered and if it gets here soon enough we'll be completely move in done next week. Carpet or no our part of the project is finished and we are glad. We started the first of January. Throw in Angus' injury and surgery and Lu and I are feeling the need to get away and unwind for a bit. Sometime in the next week we're going to throw a few things into the truck, load up Angus and hit the road, letting the wind blow us where it will. Take a few days and just pretend we have no responsibilities, deadlines or worries. Listen to me whine. I don't have problems just temporary difficulties. Life is to be challenged and dared. Come on Life, take your best shot. I can take it and give as good as I get.

Life is good my friends and don't think Lu and I don't know it. We do and we are grateful. I hope you all have a fine day and an even better week.

Six

The Jacket

Through the Plagues of Egyp' 

we was chasin' Arabi,
 Gettin' down an' shovin' in the sun;
An' you might 'ave called us dirty, 

an' you might ha' called us dry,
 An' you might 'ave 'eard us 

talkin' at the gun.
But the Captain 'ad 'is jacket, 

an' the jacket it was new --
 ('Orse Gunners, listen to my song!)
An' the wettin' of the jacket 

is the proper thing to do,
 Nor we didn't keep 'im waiting very long.
 
One day they gave us orders for to shell a sand redoubt,
 Loadin' down the axle-arms with case;
But the Captain knew 'is dooty, 

an' he took the crackers out
 An' he put some proper liquor in its place.
An' the Captain saw the shrapnel, 

which is six-an'-thirty clear.
 ('Orse Gunners, listen to my song!)
"Will you draw the weight," sez 'e, 

"or will you draw the beer?"
 An' we didn't keep 'im waitin' very long.
  For the Captain, etc.
 
Then we trotted gentle, not to break the bloomin' glass,
 Though the Arabites 'ad all their ranges marked;
But we dursn't 'ardly gallop, 

for the most was bottled Bass,
 An' we'd dreamed of it since we was disembarked,
So we fired economic with the shells we 'ad in 'and,
 ('Orse Gunners, listen to my song!)
But the beggars under cover 'ad the impidence to stand,
 An' we couldn't keep 'em waitin' very long.
  And the Captain, etc.
 
So we finished 'arf the liquor 

(an' the Captain took champagne),
 An' the Arabites was shootin' all the while;
An' we left our wounded 'appy 

with the empties on the plain,
 An' we used the bloomin' guns for projectile!
We limbered up an' galloped -- 

there were nothin' else to do --
 ('Orse Gunners, listen to my song!)
An' the Battery came a-boundin' 

like a boundin' kangaroo,
 But they didn't watch us comin' very long.
  As the Captain, etc.
 
We was goin' most extended -- 

we was drivin' very fine,
 An' the Arabites were loosin' 'igh an' wide,
Till the Captain took the glacis 

with a rattlin' "right incline,"
 An' we dropped upon their 'eads the other side.
Then we give 'em quarter -- 

such as 'adn't up and cut,
 ('Orse Gunners, listen to my song!)
An' the Captain stood a limberful 

of fizzy somethin' Brutt,
 But we didn't leave it fizzing very long.
  For the Captain, etc.
 
We might ha' been court-martialled, 

but it all come out all right
 When they signalled us to join the main command.
There was every round expended, 

there was every gunner tight,
 An' the Captain waved a corkscrew in 'is 'and.
  But the Captain 'ad 'is jacket, etc.