Entry #10: October 4, 2005
Wackernheim, Rhineland-Pfalz, Germany (just west of Mainz and the Rhine River)
McCully Barracks
Germany will never be the same. The Long family has come for a kleine (little) visit. Momma and Poppa Long are staying at mi casa along with my youngest brother, Joseph. They arrived yesterday morning in Frankfurt, jet lagged and red eyed. Even though I have to work the first four days, it allows them to see the sights on their own and explore a bit. I gave them a quick lesson in key German phrases to my parents, but it appears that the one they will be using the most will be Spreche sie English (Do you speak English?). Mainz, my adopted German hometown, is home to perhaps the rarest and valuable of all books, a Gutenberg Bible. Johannes Gutenberg, inventor of the famed printing press, which gave birth to the Renaissance period and books for the masses, was a native of Mainz and performed his early printing here in Mainz. Thankfully, I’ve already endured this tour and will be unable to participate this time around with the family. Luckily, I do have Friday off and we will be able to cruise the Rhine and enjoy various other sights to be determined this weekend. The part of the Rhine in which I am located has a multitude of medieval castles that are still in great condition and are majestic sights to behold. I really haven’t had much of an opportunity to tour any myself, so I guess it takes a reason to go out and do it, such as my Mom saying, “We’re going to do a tour on the Rhine.”
With the family here and the company packing equipment up to go to Iraq, things are a bit hectic to put it mildly. By October 17, everything will be packed, ready to ship, and we can relax and let our hair down a bit—provided anyone has hair that can be let down. Military haircuts don’t really allow for that. Nonetheless, I am sane. Sane as can be expected I suppose. I’m still eagerly anticipating my return to the States for an all too short week’s leave October 19th thru the 27th. I’ve got a lot of people to see, hang out with, and cherish before I embark on my little journey to the sandbox of civilization known as Iraq. Hope to see many of y’all then. So the Soldier’s life continues…
The family. We were a strange little band of characters trudging through life sharing diseases and toothpaste, coveting one another's desserts, hiding shampoo, borrowing money, locking each other out of our rooms, inflicting pain and kissing to heal it in the same instant, loving, laughing, defending, and trying to figure out the common thread that bound us all together.