GDG- "Near" Muster memorys

[keith mackenzie]

Lisa. Thanks for clearing that up for me. I know I must seem like an ignorant slob, not knowing what monument it is and all, but there are SO MANY and just not enough time.  I'll make a point of stopping there next time and paying my proper respects.
Sorry we didn't get a chance to meet at the muster, maybe next time?
K.

I came in from the wilderness, a creature void of form.
"Come in," she said "I'll give you shelter from the storm."

--- On Mon, 6/9/08, Lisa Malandra <lisam3860 at embarqmail.com> wrote:

From: Lisa Malandra <lisam3860 at embarqmail.com>
Subject: Re: GDG- "Near" Muster memorys
To: "GDG" <gettysburg at arthes.com>
Date: Monday, June 9, 2008, 6:55 PM

Esteemed GDG Member Contributes:


The lightnng struck monument was the "one with the eagle", the 1st
United 
States Sharpshooters Co. F.  It stood damaged for many years until its' 
restoration a few years ago.  One of my favorites!
Lisa Malandra
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "keith mackenzie" <bluzdad at yahoo.com>
To: "GDG" <gettysburg at arthes.com>
Sent: Monday, June 09, 2008 2:30 PM
Subject: GDG- "Near" Muster memorys


> Esteemed GDG Member Contributes:
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> I'm sorry to say that I was unable to attend all of the muster
activities 
> this year, having a recently planned family function that trumped any 
> personal, prearranged activities. As a matter of fact, all that I was able

> to attend was the Lew and Tom's 140 things, the Cocktail hour/meeting,

> dinner at Gina's and the book signing at The Mine.
>  
> I've all ready related my "discovery" (with Jim B.) of
Berdan's Avenue, a 
> place Dean told me used to be a popular drinking spot amongst the local 
> teens. I suggested another teenage activity that an isolated spot

> such as that brought to mind, but Dean denied any knowledge of such 
> going's on. It may have been the lighting, but I believe he blushed. 
> Anyway, I'm a bit confused about which of the two monuments in the
area 
> was damaged by a falling tree limb, the one with the bullet shaped 
> obelisk, or the one with the eagle. If anyone can set me straight,
I'll 
> sleep easier.
>  
> Friday morning saw me wandering lonely through the overgrowth at the foot 
> of Round Top, looking for a group of aficionados who where parsing the 
> ground for the alternate Farnsworths charge. Now before the fans
of 
> the accepted theory start throwing pebbles at me from behind trees, let me

> say that people whose opinions I have learned to respect espouse both 
> sides of this particular controversy, with equal fervor, so it has caught 
> my attention.
>  I'd really like to know what that "cage" is doing
in the middle of 
> everything.
>  
> After the morning romp through the thickets, I did a real quick run 
> through of the new VC, and I'll say it's big, brash and
beautiful,  
> First impression: It addresses the slavery issue hard
when you 
> first walk through the door, then the Gettysburg campaign, than the CW in 
> general. All, I think, good things to cover in such a
museum. I'll 
> need another couple of hours of devoted time to the 
> place to really come up with an opinion that matters.
>  
> Lew and Toms 140 place's is always a crowd pleaser. it's fun to
find stuff 
> that's beyond the beaten path, as it were. High points for me were the

> dinosaur tracks ON the bridge,  that was me that jumped out of
the 
> car to see them. And the Sickles "Witness Tree". Which
I swear has 
> the initials "DM" carved into it. and finally, the Ellis stone,
which Lew 
> suggested is situated directly under his monument, and with good 
> reasoning, I thought. After all, why would the veterans consider putting 
> it anywhere else?
>  
> The bar at the Holiday Inn, where the traditional Cocktail hour/ general 
> meeting is held is always an adventure for me. this year was no exception.

> The Young Gentleman behind the bar insisted that as a Bartender with Two 
> Full Months experience, he needed no instruction as to the mixing
of 
> a martini. After I tasted his product, I wondered idly if it had
been 
> anywhere near ice during its construction. "No." he told me, (a
little 
> proudly, I thought). "Did you want it with ice?" I won't
elaborate any 
> further, though I believe the "Bartender" in question
now has a much 
> better grasp on the  fundimentals of the proper formation of the
Dry 
> Vodka Martini. I didn't buy any books or anything, and I listened only

> half heartedly to Dr. Laschers comments as I was still musing over 
> the confluence of events that would allow such a high 
> class establishment to put in place a bartender to which the
>
words        
" Cocktail Shaker" 
> are a mystery.
>  
> I invited George Pyle and Bill Hewlitt to join me for a beer
after 
> the meeting, which they did, and we enjoyed a few minutes of conversation 
> before they had to leave. George is the photographer who took the

> picture that I think captures the essence of me, which is why it's
posted 
> on the GDG map, and Bill is the guy who carves the walking 
> sticks. Bill told me he's been receiving orders
for copy's 
> of Lee's field desk, a project that takes a lot of time. I felt it was

> possible to tool up for production on such an item without losing artistic

> integrity, but I don't think I mentioned it.
>  
> I had to walk back to the Quality Inn to get my car to go to Gina's
for 
> dinner, and cut through the National Cemetery to do it. I was the only 
> (living) soul in the place, and I kept trying to think of words to 
> describe the experience. the best I could come up with was
"Sweet". and 
> not the Sweet that the stoners use to describe something over the top, but

> more like the sweetness of making eyed contact with an infant child for 
> the first time. I remember that moment with all my kids, and although not 
> a perfect description, it's as close as I can come.
>  
> After Gina's which I can't relate much about because I got there
so late, 
> I went back to the Mine to get my copy of Eric, J.D and Mike's book. I

> said Hello to Bobbi and inquired after her health, which she insists is 
> good. I saw Frazzanito, who recognized me and asked me Scottish 
> Questions. " Is it true that Scots with the surname
"Mac..." were 
> catholic, and is it true that the Highlanders were a minority whose 
> lifestyle and music (IE: Kilts and Bagpipes)
> where taken up by the majority population as an expression of national 
> pride?"
>  
> Answer's: Once upon a time EVERYONE was Catholic and Yes, I believe
that 
> to be a true representation, much as today's popular culture in
America is 
> gleaned from a minority elements (IE: Jazz, Blues, rock,Hip Hop 
> and chalupa's).
>  
> I had to leave by 5:30 am Saturday Morning in order to be home on Long 
> Island  by noon, so I missed all of the muster events
other than 
> those I have mentioned. 
>  
>  
>  I'll throw my thanks in to Sal, Chris and Jim for
volunteering to 
> keep it going and my admiration and warmest regards for all the members of

> the GDG who keep coming back for more.
>  
> And Peggy, I asked someone I trusted to deliver that quarter to you, but 
> evidently I didn't explain the Debt of Honor thing well
enough. So I 
> swear before all those here gathered, I''ll get it back
to you.
>  
>  
> K.
>  
>
>
>
>                  
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