Change of Command

So Friday was the Change of Command on the ship. Sadly I was unable to attend due to an appointment that I could not get out of. Dolia Gonzalez is a really neat woman. If you watch the video you get to see a snippet of her. And at 1:40 you might recognize the sailor that the camera pans over. Dolia does consider the sailors her family and that extends to their spouses and children. I was very fortunate to meet her the night before.

Gonzalez Video

This morning my little cockatiel, Princess, passed away. I couldn't let it just go without saying something. She was a quiet and unassuming thing and always greeted me in the mornings with, of all things, a hiss and nibble on my finger nail. This is a routine that I will greatly miss.

My few lines just didn't seem enough for the joy I think she honestly gave me. She was nine years old, which is a good long life, but it seemed too short to me. I already miss you Princess.

So here's Emily Dickinson's 'In The Garden - A Bird Came Down The Walk'.

A bird came down the walk:
He did not know I saw;
He bit an angle-worm in halves
And ate the fellow, raw.

And then he drank a dew
From a convenient grass,
And then hopped sideways to the wall
To let a beetle pass.

He glanced with rapid eyes
That hurried all abroad, --
They looked like frightened beads, I thought;
He stirred his velvet head

Like one in danger; cautious,
I offered him a crumb,
And he unrolled his feathers
And rowed him softer home

Than oars divide the ocean,
Too silver for a seam,
Or butterflies, off banks of noon,
Leap, splashless, as they swim.

Hail And Farewell

The title pretty much says it all. When a new person comes on board or someone leaves the ship the wardroom holds a 'Hail and Farewell'. We had one of these on Monday at The Winehouse in Ghent.

Normally it would be held at someone's house, but this time we held it at The Winehouse in Ghent instead.

This time we were saying farewell to our current CO and his wife. And we also hailed our new CO.

There's normally a few speeches, some longer than others, and of course gifts. Gag and heartfelt gifts. The wardroom wives also pool together and give the outgoing wife a gift of some sort to remember the ship by.

A nice time was had by all. There was food and wine. And lots of conversation.

So farewell Fort family. I hope all goes well in at your next duty station.