But what would the chickens say?
Yesterday on Facebook
The suggestion on FaceBook that some branch of the military make Bernie an honorary colonel seemed perfect to me – not even a joke. I asked General Nyel of The Honorary Oysterville Militia (THOM) what he thought and he checked the hat box. Yep! There it was! The Colonel’s hat waiting for occupancy!
Readers may remember that THOM was organized at the time of Oysterville’s Sesquicentennial in 2004. It was Nyel’s idea that the village should have a cannon to replace the one that was used here in the early days on ceremonial occasions.
General Nyel
According to all accounts, R. H. Espy (who had been accorded the rank of Major in the briefly formed Oysterville Militia of 1855) donned top hat and linen waistcoat to give the starting signal for the Oysterville Regattas. It is also duly recorded that sometime in the ‘80s (the 1880s, that is) a few of the celebrants got a bit overly enthusiastic one night, loaded the cannon with too much black powder, and blew it to smithereens. Years later (like about a century) Pete Heckes found a part of that cannon down on Oysterville’s waterfront and, for a time, it was mounted on the hood of his pickup.
Ready for Bernie?
Well… these days cannons are expensive, so we formed The Honorary Oysterville Militia and offered friends and family the opportunity to buy commissions. We raised enough money to purchase an 1842 replica of a mountain howitzer and have it shipped from the factory in Coolville, Ohio. It, like its long-ago predecessor, is fired only on ceremonial occasions and only with blank charges.
Never mind that Major Espy and most of the other movers and shakers of 160 years ago were probably political opposites of today’s Democrats, not to mention the more progressive party representatives. And the entire fast food bucket thing would be completely lost on them. Time marches on, as they say. Making Bernie an honorary colonel in THOM seems too fine an opportunity to pass up. Colonel Sanders of The Honorary Oysterville Militia! Perfect!
But what would the chickens think? General/Farmer Nyel has it on his agenda for today’s roll call.
Beloved Cuz, I think the chickens would heartily approve raising their voices in clucked accolades to the Colonel (not to be confused with the anti-chicken Colonel Sanders)… That reminds me, I MUST join the militia!
Sign us up! Fred used to be in the Airforce and I marched in parades with a flag (several in Long Beach) when I was a kid and a member of the Drum and Bugle Corps! So we’re both qualified!
Probably over qualified for this group! Remind me to give you an application next time you are here!