Day 214

The pneumonia is gone and so, it appears, is my malaise. Thoughts of the future, getting home to see family and friends, are a boost to the spirit, and about the only way to make it to the next day. We had an interesting event earlier tonight. My immediate supervisor, Charles Craig, and his wife, Monica Craig, both here with the 287th, renewed their wedding vows. The ceremony was on the roof of the Chaplain's office with the Ziggurat of Ur in the distance and about 50 people in attendance. (I knew that everybody in attendance had to be in the Army; they were all there 5 minutes early). They asked me to play for their ceremony, and in honor of their friendship I think I did an ok job. Had I known they were going to march down the isle, rather than glide, I would not have had to learn so much of each song. A short phrase of each tune would have been more than enough. As it was, Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring, of which I figured the final twelve measures would be enough, ended up being shortened, on the spot, by the four measure I skipped. (and still got looks from people that I needed to stop) The Trumpet Voluntary, final eight measures, went, while not quite at circus tempo, moved faster than the composer intended, I'm sure. It was a neat ceremony. Monica received special permission from the Brigade Commander to wear a civilian dress for the ceremony, and only in the building, or as was this ceremony, on top of the building. As the sun was setting behind the ever present wall of dust, the temperature in the mid 80's, birds of Iraq chirping in the nearby trees, with 50 people in attendence, on the second of May, it was like a cry to break the bonds of winter and to finally allow spring into the world. Granted our winter was in the 60's and 70's every day, but I believe the metaphor is apt. While not really listening to the ceremony, I looked over the heads of the crowd, past the Chaplain, past the Craigs, past the post, and looked at the Zig. Historial and biblical records show that Abram, to become Abraham, lived there. One of the earliest figures of the bible, post flood, lived two miles from where we were, while two people, deeply in love, renewed their wedding vows in front of the people they care about. Talk about a circle of life. If that's not a metaphor for spring, I don't know what is. Only 136 days left, but who's counting?