The Hobbit Hole III - Journey to the Cross-roads!

[HairOfTheDog]

Welcome to The Hobbit Hole!

Journey to the Cross-roads
The Two Towers Edition

Come on! Come in! -if you would like to have some seedcakes and a pint and relax a while. (If it is a special occasion, we still have a few bottles of the old wineyards left!)

Our first thread ( New Zealander builds Hobbit hole ) reached 4,100 posts, and we thought that was big. Our second thread (The New Hobbit Hole ) held us for over 48,000 posts, and we loved it dearly. We talked about moving to a new thread for the last 38,000 posts, but we are really slow to muster! Finally, the time has come. Tomorrow (at 12:01 am, to be precise!) The Two Towers comes out, and we start a new chapter.

[g'nad]

Tomorrow, friends, is my last day as an active duty Marine. This is what I sent to all my fellow Marines that I've served with, from Maj General to sergeant. This is a bittersweet time for me, so please forgive me if I get into a funjk... I just can't believe that come sundown on May 31st, 2003, I'll be a slimey civilian... no offense to you...

Here's what I sent...

Jacta alea est... The die is cast...

Marines,

It is with a heavy heart that I must announce my retirement from
our beloved Corps. I have accepted Medical Retirement, effective 1 June
2003.
For 15 years I have had the joy, honor, and distinct pleasure of
serving with best that this country has to offer. You have served with me
in the jungles, deserts, and mountains around this world, enduring
blistering heat and freezing cold. We have lived together, shared our food,
joys and sorrows... we have laughed together in memorable ports of call
over beers, and we have held each other as we've cried for fallen comrades.
We've shared sweat, blood and tears, and savored the rich taste of victory
and friendship. I will never forget you. You are my brothers, and I love
you all as only a fellow warrior can.
It grieves me to leave our ranks at this critical time in
history. But I can no longer contribute what the Corps needs and deserves.
I have striven hard to get back to full duty, to join you, my brothers, but
I have fallen short. For that, I ask your forgiveness.
I pray that I have given you the service you deserved. I can
honestly say I have been blessed to serve with such fine Marines. I will
cherish the times we've shared.
I pray that I have left the Corps a better Service. And I pray
that I've had a positive influence on you, and the Marines we've served
with.
I will depart Quantico and go on terminal leave 19 April. We
have bought a homestead on a hundred acres outside of Lebanon, Missouri. We
are expecting our third child, another boy, in mid May. I look forward to
the new life ahead, but I will forever feel a part of me is here, with you.
You are always welcome in my home. What's mine is yours. I will do my best
to keep in touch, but if you haven't heard from me, give me call and a kick
in the ass.

Again, I do not have the words to express what you all have meant
to me. Thank you, my brothers. Fair winds, and following seas.

Semper Fi,

Mat Bxxxxxx
Maj USMC
Crusher
Dingo One-Zero
Viking One-Zero
Hammer One-Zero

[Wneighbor]

Are you saying that PJ and Hugo lived up to your imagination with the book Elrond?!?

no, it can't be, nobody imagines Elrond that way. please, say it isn't so.

[Wneighbor]

Happy Friday! >:-) Thank you. That is all.

That my dear is not all!!! I miss your day to day presence here. You must come by more often!

[g'nad]

I'm off to drink myself into a stupor...

[Pippin]

How was your day?

[2Jedismom]

Wow. What a great post. Hard for me to read, and who am I?

You're gonna drink yourself into a stupor? Is there enough alcohol in the world?? From what Corin says, you hold your liquor pretty well!

[Wneighbor]

Gees. I don't like getting all sappy either. But, that really did it.

Well, I'm not a marine, never was in any service. And I don't know how things in service are done. So, I have to take the civilian standpoint and say,

I will stand up and take my hat off to you any day for the rest of your life because you've done what it took in your life to stand in the defense of my country. And for me, that means in the defense of my children, grandchildren and who-ever comes after them. But, more importantly, I feel you've stood in the defense of this country that was contrived for us by God. Made to be a cradle of liberty for His people and founded on a foundation of His Word.

If I was in the service I guess this is when you salute people. But, I'm more of a "I'm proud to shake your hand and call you a friend" person. And if any of your family is ever in need. I think it's us as civilians who are honor bound to be there for you. We need only know you have a need.

Thanks.

[Wneighbor]

Gees, g'nad made me have tears and then goes off to get into a stupor. Fine thing that.

[2Jedismom]

I'm here with ya, sis.

[Pippin]

Hi, W!

[Pippin]

Hi, 2JM!

[2Jedismom]

Actually, I'm going to my mom's now. Got the chicks all settled into their box. They are really sweet. The white and black one is more subdued but I think it's because it's younger. The older one gets really upset when you take the younger one out. Really squawks and hollers. Matthew picks it up and loves on it and it calms right down.

Funny!

[2Jedismom]

Hi Pippin! See ya later!

[g'nad]

ain't started yet... the young 'uns is still up... thank you for the kind words and understanding... it was a pleasure to serve...

[Wneighbor]

HI Pip!

What's up?

You have great weekend plans?

[Pippin]

Yep! Tomorrow I'm going to my nephew's graduation party.

[Wneighbor]

One of my closest and dearest friends is another retired marine. Disabled from Viet Nam. I would have to say that he's about the most upstanding guy I know. Despite all his downfalls.

Enjoy your homestead - you deserve it.

[Pippin]

Hi, g'nad!

[Sam Cree]

Thanks g'nad, for being a marine and for your service. I'm honored to know you.

[Wneighbor]

The ergonomic thing that bothers me is if the monitor is too high....hurts my neck, it does.

I don't think that's ergonomically correct. The doctor that succesfully got me through a broken neck said I must always have the monitor lower so I look down. He says looking up puts a strain on the discs.