FReeper Canteen ~ The Star Spangled Banner ~ 14 September 2017

Serving The Bestest Troops and Veterans In The Whole World !! | The Canteen Crew

[DoughtyOne]

I think they’ll push their hand too far, and folks are going to backlash on them something fierce.

Football is finding out.

ESPN is finding out.

Tennis may.

We’re the majority, and we’re sick of this stuff. Every Trump voter is, and I’ll be there are a lot of old school Democrats who despise it as well.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good evening, ML...((HUGS))...are your hiking shoes getting a workout? Is Penny’s winter coat ready?

[ConorMacNessa]

GOD BLESS AND PROTECT OUR TROOPS AND OUR BELOVED NATION!



"The Star Spangled Banner"
Verse Four
(Click)

Oh! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their loved home and the war's desolation!
Blest with victory and peace, may the heav'n rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation.
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: "In God is our trust."
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

Please let me know by Freepmail if you would like
to be admitted to or released from my music ping list.

[ConorMacNessa]

Welcome To All Who Enter This Canteen, To Our Serving Military, To Our Veterans, To All Military Families, To Our FRiends and To Our Allies!



Missing Man Setting

"The Empty Chair"

By Captain Carroll "Lex" Lefon, USN (RET), on December 21st, 2004

"In the wardroom onboard the aircraft carrier from which I recently debarked was a small, round table, with single chair. No one ever sat there, and the reasons, both for the table being there, and for the fact that the chair was always empty, will tell the reader a little bit about who we are as a culture. The wardroom, of course, is where the officers will dine; morning, noon and evening. It is not only a place to eat – it is also a kind of oasis from the sometimes dreary, often difficult exigencies of the service. A place of social discourse, of momentary relief from the burdens of the day. The only things explicitly forbidden by inviolable tradition in the wardroom are the wearing of a cover or sword by an officer not actually on watch, or conversation which touches upon politics or religion. But aboard ships which observe the custom, another implicit taboo concerns the empty chair: No matter how crowded the room, no matter who is waiting to be seated, that chair is never moved, never taken.

The table is by the main entrance to the wardroom. You will see it when you enter, and you will see it when you leave. It draws your eyes because it is meant to. And because it draws your eyes it draws your thoughts. And though it will be there every day for as long as you are at sea, you will look at it every time and your eyes will momentarily grow distant as you think for a moment. As you quietly give thanks.

AS YOU REMEMBER.

The small, round table is covered with a gold linen tablecloth. A single place setting rests there, of fine bone china. A wineglass stands upon the table, inverted, empty. On the dinner plate is a pinch of salt. On the bread plate is a slice of lemon. Besides the plate lies a bible. There is a small vase with a single red rose upon the table. Around the vase is wound a yellow ribbon. There is the empty chair.

We will remember because over the course of our careers, we will have had the opportunity to enjoy many a formal evening of dinner and dancing in the fine company of those with whom we have the honor to serve, and their lovely ladies. And as the night wears on, our faces will in time become flushed with pleasure of each other’s company, with the exertions on the dance floor, with the effects of our libations. But while the feast is still at its best, order will be called to the room – we will be asked to raise our glasses to the empty table, and we will be asked to remember:

The table is round to show our everlasting concern for those who are missing. The single setting reminds us that every one of them went to their fates alone, that every life was unique.

The tablecloth is gold symbolizing the purity of their motives when they answered the call to duty.

The single red rose, displayed in a vase, reminds us of the life of each of the missing, and their loved ones who kept the faith.

The yellow ribbon around the vase symbolizes our continued determination to remember them.

The slice of lemon reminds us of the bitterness of their fate.
The salt symbolizes the tears shed by those who loved them.
The bible represents the faith that sustained them.
The glass is inverted — they cannot share in the toast.
The chair is empty — they are not here. They are missing.

And we will remember, and we will raise our glasses to those who went before us, and who gave all that they had for us. And a part of the flush in our faces will pale as we remember that nothing worth having ever came without a cost. We will remember that many of our brothers and sisters have paid that cost in blood. We will remember that the reckoning is not over.

We many of us will settle with our families into our holiday season, our Christmas season for those who celebrate it, content in our fortune and prosperity. We will meet old friends with smiles and laughter. We will meet our members of our family with hugs. We will eat well, and exchange gifts and raise our glasses to the year passed in gratitude, and to the year to come with hope. We will sleep the sleep of the protected, secure in our homes, secure in our homeland.

But for many families, there will be an empty chair at the table this year. A place that is not filled.

WE SHOULD REMEMBER."

Many Thanks To Alfa6 For Finding Capt. Lefon's Chronicle Of "The Empty Chair."

"Träumerei"
Robert Schumann
(Click)

Never Forget The Brave Men And Women Who
Gave Their Lives To Secure Our Freedom!!

[radu]

Greetings to all at the Canteen!

To all our military men and women, past and present,

THANK YOU
for your service!

[V K Lee]

THE STAR SPANGLED BANNER, as You’ve never heard it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YaxGNQE5ZLA

[left that other site]

Today, I put on my hiking shoes, threw in a load of laundry and got ready to leave, when the washing machine died in mid-cycle!

It is an older model, and current machines cost big bucks and will not fit into the tiny space in the closet, so I had to wait all day for a repairman.

I found a great company in my area, who was prompt, professional, and not horribly expensive compared to the prospect of redesigning a whole laundry room to accommodate the newer models which cost a HUGE amount of money.

After that, I crawled under my 50 year old trailer to wrap the drains in fiberglass so they won’t freeze like they did last winter (ew)

After all that aggravation, drama, bugs, and fiberglass, I washed up, hopped on the bike and took myself out to dinner. Sometimes you gotta do that.

[luvie]

Our Military Helps People Stranded
in the Florida Keys

[radu]

Howdy, Kathy.

TGIW!! Paychecks all out on time?

Hope all’s going well this evening.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Hi Larry...do you know if your house is ok?

Prayers for all those in Florida and Texas.

My brother and 2 nieces had water up to house, but not in, in the Houston area.

[spel_grammer_an_punct_polise]

During Harvey rescues last week in Houston there were Jolly Green Giants buzzing all over.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good evening, Publius, and thank you for Rachmaninov’s “The Star Spangled Banner”.

[luvie]

Challenger The Eagle Flies
At The Denver Broncho Game
...as the Star Spangled Banner is Sung!
He is breathtaking!

[left that other site]

AWESOME!

[luvie]

Chris Botti~Star Spangled Banner [live]

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good evening, mountainlion...they seem to being a pretty good job of it, too.

[MS.BEHAVIN]

Hello Ma and gang..
Home at last!
Got discharged from hospital Monday afternoon.
Things are going well!

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good evening, Biggirl...how was your day?

It’s trying to rain here.

[luvie]

They are awesome!! Gotta love our troops!

[luvie]

SIS!!! (((((hugs)))))

I’m so glad you are at home! I was wondering when you got out but didn’t want to be a pest. :)

You have had many prayers hoping for your recovery...and it looks like they are being answered!

Did Tigermouz miss you? :)