St. Patrick's Day in the K.S.A. 15 years ago today!

Hard to believe it's been 15 years since Desert Storm.

March 17th was Sunday, and the first HOT day of the spring.
The war was decided, we were scaling down the 410th Evac.
and since the OR was quiet, in the afternoon, our section
rolled up the sides of our barracks tent to allow a dry breeze,
and lazed in lawn chairs or on our cots.

What made the day really memorable was something that
arrived in the mail that morning- as Sunday was just another
work day for most, and mail is a lifeline for soldiers.

Erik Dillard , a reservist from Omaha- like me,
got a small package from his sister containing
a cassette of Irish folk music, what perfect timing!
We must have listened to it for 2 or 3 hours,
resting in the shade of the tent,sipping lukewarm
diet pepsi or near beer, and chatting.

Erik's wife Julie was expecting a child, she had sent him a
video of the ultrasound which we saw a few weeks before.

John Cordry and Trent Mengel talked about their plans for
school when they got home, Jim Torbett was regular Army,
and ready to get back to family in ,Germany, I think.

Travis and Dave were from a reserve unit in Lubbock,
great Texans , both.
Curtis told some wild stories of his experiences in an
orthopedic hospital in KC.
Ron was a young kid easing his stress with quotes like,
"If only I had a shotgun, things would be different!"

Reid , Bob Roberts, and another guy
whose name I'm blanking on were from the Topeka area.
I never knew till I met these guys that there is such a
thing as a Kansas accent. Remember Ken Curtis as
Festus in Gunsmoke? That is a Kansas accent,
and these three had it in spades .

Oh, and spades? Yes we played that most days
(I have a deck of cards we about wore the spots off of
playing 'spades' and 'hearts') but not that day .
That day was for talking , thinking of home ,
and hearing songs from a green, green place.
The only green near Quasuma was on our uniforms,
it was refreshing to think about the Emerald Isle,
and the sweet green grass of Home.

Good Grief, it's been 15 years and I still
remember some of the words to "Nancy Whisky" ,
sort of an anti-drinking song when you look at
the lyrics, I remember it mainly for the distinctly
Irish sound of it .
Thanks to Google the lyric follows.

This time of year reminds me of the 100 or so days I spent in
Saudi Arabia with the 410th.

There's no place like home.

Happy Saint Patrick's Day.

NANCY WHISKEY

I'm a weaver, a Calton weaver

I'm a rash and a roving blade

I've got silver in my pocket

And I follow the roving trade

-

Chorus: Whiskey, whiskey, Nancy Whiskey

Whiskey, whiskey, Nancy-o

-

As I rode in through Glasgow city

Nancy Whiskey, I chanced to smell

I went in, sat down beside her

Seven long years, I loved her well

-

The more I kissed her, the more I loved her

The more I kissed her, the more she smiled

Soon I forgot my mother's teaching

Nancy soon had me beguiled

-

So I rose early in the morning

To slack my thirst, it was my need

I tried to rise, but I was not able

Nancy had me by the knees

-

So, I'm going back to the Calton weaving

I'll surely make them shuttles fly

For I made more at the Calton weaving

Than ever I did in a roving way

-

So, come all you weavers, you Calton weavers

Come all you weavers, where'er you be

Beware of whiskey, Nancy Whiskey

She'll ruin you like she ruined me

-