After Dark

This is the final post about the Sunset Ceremony at my son Jeffrey's university - Royal Military College in Kingston, Ontario. You can scroll down to see the previous posts, or you can find Part One here and Part Two over here.

As the sun began to set, music filled the night air. The RMC Band was originally a Pipe and Drum band when it was founded in 1953. It has grown to include a Brass and Reed Band, a Choir and a small group of Highland Dancers, and is now the largest volunteer band in the Canadian Armed Forces.



They marched in with all of the pomp and circumstance fitting of a military band.



The pipers piped.. the drummers drummed to the beat of our proud history.


Highland Dancers did a fling.



The Honour Guard, with their sixty nine Officer Cadets marched onto the parade square carrying our provincial flags. The graduating Colour Party handed off their duties to the incoming Party.



The darkening night made a clear shot difficult, but you can see how colourful our flags are.



When troops were garrisoned in inns, drummers were sent through the streets to sound the Tattoo (from the Dutch "taptoe" - to close the tap) in order to get the troops to return to their quarters for the night.



The tradition of Feu-de-Joie (Fire of joy) is the sequential firing of rifles to ensure that they were cleared of damp charges, and were in good working condition before the night guard was posted.



A lone piper stands atop the McKenzie Building clock tower and plays a goose bump-forming rendition of "Amazing Grace."



As the ceremony drew to a close, it was time to lower our flag.



The band faced the Canadian flag and played the National Anthem as it was being lowered.

The RMC Band played as they marched out of the parade square, signaling the end of the Sunset Ceremony. It was followed by one of the best fireworks displays I have ever seen - too good for my camera to do it justice.



Back at his dorm, we said good-bye to our boy for what we thought was going to be the full summer. As it turns out, Jeffrey's training has been postponed until mid-June, so he'll be home tomorrow for a couple of weeks. I can't wait!

Sunset Ceremony at RMC

This is the second part of our visit with Jeffrey in Kingston last week. To catch up on the first part, please read the previous blog post.

Before the ceremony began, our Skyhawks did a couple of flybys, dropping streamers in order to determine wind direction and whether or not it would be safe to demonstrate their signature Canadian flag parachute jumps. Shortly afterward, they decided to cancel the jump due to the increasingly inclement weather. It was disappointing but, unlike last year when they canceled the full evening's events, the rest of the show still went on.



Once 7:30 rolled around, the rain clouds joined in. First with a spit, then a spatter and finally with a steady downpour. We watched as umbrellas in front of us dripped onto our laps, which were gratefully covered with a ground sheet. One of the good things about having a son in the military, is that he's always prepared.



RMC is the only Canadian university which has Tai Kwon Do as an official varsity sport. The evening started out with a demonstration of their skills.




Though the mats had been turned upside down until the demonstration was about to begin, they quickly became wet, causing this fellow to miss his footing on his first attempt to jump over his teammates and break the board. This second jump proved successful.




Old Eighteen refers to the first 18 cadets who entered RMC in 1876. Tradition dictates that first year cadets are required to memorize their names. The Old Eighteen Historic Drill Team demonstrated their daily training from over 130 years ago.



The Naval Gun Run was first used toward the end of the 19th century and into the 20th as a means to supply the army with artillery support. The guns were removed from their fixed mountings on naval ships and transferred to shore, where naval crews fought alongside the army troops.




Shortly after the drill demonstrations, Old Eighteen had some help from some faux American soldiers to reenact a battle from the War of 1812. Ready, aim...




Fire!




There were many casualties on both sides.




And the dead bodies littered the parade square where they fell.




After the historic battle reenactments, the RMC Sandhurst Military Skills Team demonstrated the skills they've learned and used in competition against military academies in other countries such as Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in the UK and West Point in the US. They are the proud World Champions for 2005, 2006 and 2007.

The Sandhurst team arrived on campus in a helicopter, which hovered over the field behind us. They then rappelled out of the helicopter and headed into the parade square for their demo. Don captured this film on his video camera.




The team showcased the various skills required to compete in combat.




These soldiers demonstrated the teamwork required to climb up and over a twelve-foot wall.

At some point in the evening, the rain began to let up. After another few minutes, it stopped completely, and umbrellas that had partially obscured our view were put away. I was already finding the photography challenging since the subjects were at a distance and it was overcast, but even more so now that it was getting darker, which shows in the grainy appearance of the pictures. This was a sunset ceremony after all. Not that we had actually seen the sun, but at least now we were no longer being rained upon.

I have a few more photos from the rest of the ceremony that day in Kingston which I'll save for next time. Stay tuned for part three which I'll post in a few days.

A Visit With Our Boy

Last week, we took advantage of what might be our last opportunity to see our older son, Jeffrey before sometime in August. He finished his second of four years of academics, and is now awaiting the information which will tell him where he'll be spending most of his summer in training. Recent course changes have left his plans to be at the Canadian Forces Base in Gagetown, New Brunswick up in the air for now. As soon as he knows, he may find himself on his way there, to nearby Trenton, Ontario or to somewhere in Alberta. If it weren't for the fact that the course in Trenton would be teaching him how to jump out of planes, I'd be hoping for the nearby location. But that choice is not mine.

About a month ago, Jeffrey began telling his Dad and me about the upcoming Sunset Ceremony at RMC (Royal Military College), suggesting that we take the time to come visit for the day. Don and I decided to take him up on it, and drove there together on Wednesday. We left after the morning rush hour and arrived in Kingston shortly after one o'clock. We picked up our hungry and tired son, who greeted us in uniform, and headed into town to share a lunch at Morrison's where we knew we could order a classic all-day breakfast.



The restaurant was as I remembered it from previous visits to this university town - an old-fashioned diner-style setting where they care about their customers and the food they're serving. If you're ever in Kingston, you won't regret giving them a try.

Once our appetites were sated, we spent some time wandering around the campus. RMC is situated on Point Frederick peninsula at the point where The St. Lawrence River begins its journey from Lake Ontario to the Atlantic Ocean.


The centerpiece of the entire campus is the Mackenzie building with its clock tower which overlooks the parade square. Built in 1878, it's one of the many historic buildings on the peninsula.



This is one of four Martello towers built in Kingston. The one you see here, is contained in Fort Frederick, a fort made mostly of earth mounds and a stone wall. It's situated on the point of the peninsula and now serves as a museum.


This view is looking toward the Martello tower through the doorway of the stone wall.



Small sets of steps like these can be found all around the earth walls. That's my boy at the top of them.



You'll also find cannons strategically spaced along the earthen mound. This little sparrow was perched at the end of one of them.



Meet Brucie. He represents the cadets with their motto "Truth, Duty, Valour."



The folks at RMC have a casual approach when it comes to Brucie. He can often be found dressed up for various occasions. During the last hockey playoff series, he was sporting a Montreal Canadien's uniform.

Jeffrey was very tired when we arrived. He had been out celebrating the end of the academic school year with friends, since he was free of obligations for the next day's Sunset Ceremony. That was a rare treat for us, as we usually sit through these events while trying to keep an eye peeled for a glimpse of our son, dressed identically to hundreds of others. This time Jeffrey would be able to spend the full time with Don and me. The only problem was this growing fatigue he felt from an inadequate night's sleep. Knowing he'd feel better after a short nap, Jeffrey sent us into town for a while so that he could catch up on some missed sleep. Don and I wandered along the harbour and through the city streets, stopping for a coffee and waiting for the "I'm awake" phone call from our son.


It was a hazy, drizzly day, but that didn't keep people from enjoying the waterfront. Kids fed and chased seagulls, and groups strolled along the walkway.



As we continued toward the city streets, this curious site caught my eye. The mismatched footwear seemed to be abandoned in just this manner, nowhere near any of the many people who dotted the pathways and grassy area. There was no apparent reason for these "sole mates" to be there, except to be photographed - so I did. Don commented that he'd be willing to bet that there's another pair just like it somewhere...




This locomotive was built in 1913 for the Canadian Pacific Railway on the exact spot where it stands today, in front of what used to be the train station, now serving as a tourist office. The city of Kingston has plans to restore it by the time it reaches its 100th birthday in 2013.

We soon got the phone call from a much refreshed Jeffrey, who had worked up an appetite and was ready for dinner. While we ate, we made our plans to be back at the parade square with about 45 minutes to spare before show time. The sky was getting grayer and the rain we had been promised all day looked as if it was planning to put in an appearance just about.. now. We grabbed an umbrella, ground sheets to cover our laps, and towels upon which to sit, and settled in for the show.

I'll post some photos from the Sunset Ceremony in a few days.

Looking Through Diamonds

One day last week, a good-looking man dressed in army fatigues walked right into my house, smiled at me and gave me a great, big bear hug.

It had been far too long since I'd last seen my boy, having not had a leave pass since early August. Jeffrey attends RMC (Royal Military College) in Kingston, Ontario, where he is acquiring both his university education and the military training that will sculpt him into an Officer in the Canadian Armed Forces.

He visited for a few days between exams and will be back again on Friday for three weeks, during which time we'll catch up, and settle into our old roles of Mom and son. I'll cook his favourite meals. He'll eat enough for three. I'll ask him if he's dressed warmly enough. He'll roll his eyes at me and nod. I'll remind him to drive carefully. He'll allow me to believe that he's the only driver on the road. I'll tell him that it's good to have him home. He'll try to avoid talking about how one day, in the not-so-distant future, he will be deployed - quite possibly to Afghanistan.

From the time he was a newborn, twenty years ago, I'd heard warnings from other parents, to enjoy this time while it lasted because it flies by all too quickly. They all spoke the truth. Jeffrey seemed to grow from infancy and training pants, to the infantry and training with weapons in a misty blink of an eye.

Last month I wrote about my younger son, Alex. Prompted by a semi-regular visit inside the pages of his baby book, I posted some of the memorable things that he said though his early years. Of course, I have a similar book for Jeffrey, and this week, between visits, it seemed like a right time to flip through the pages of his childhood. His too, includes the letters that I wrote to him on each of his first several birthdays, covering the previous year's events.

Here are a few excerpts from my letters to Jeffrey.

Third Birthday:

• On a particularly difficult behaviour day, I asked you why you weren't listening to anything I'd said. With a most serious and thoughtful look in your eyes, you explained. "Well, some childrens listen to their Mommy and some childrens don't. Today I'm a children that don't."

• When it came time to announce to the rest of our family that you were going to be a big brother, you got on the phone with Nanny and proudly declared "Mommy has a baby in her uterus!"

• You also wondered about how the baby would be fed once he was born. When I explained about how he would get nourishment and that only Moms can breast feed, you lifted your shirt and took a look at your own chest, shrugged and said "I guess my nipples are only decorations."

• Favourite misused word/phrase: (Singing at the top of your lungs) "Take me out to the hallway..."

Fourth Birthday:

• During my pregnancy, and after Alex was born, you had a lot of questions and you readily absorbed the answers. One day, between mouthfuls of muffin, you casually asked cousin Marcy, "Did you have two eggs inside your body that Howard fertilized and one of them became Leah and the other was Miranda?"

• One time I forgot to buckle up as we were backing out of the driveway. You were quick to remind me, and waved my forgetfulness off with "I guess you didn't recognize that we were actually driving"

• Favourite misused word/phrase: (When a lamp nearly got knocked over) "Oh oh! Is it breakalish?"


Fifth Birthday:

• Dad became angry with you one day and you were sent to your room crying. Later, when the two of you talked it over, you told Dad "It's not so bad to be crying because just before the tears spill out of my eyes, it's like looking through diamonds."

• You had a really bad cold, complete with runny nose and the need to blow it often. I tried to make you feel better by fluffing pillows and re-tucking the blanket, and I asked you "Isn't it nice to know that when you're feeling bad that you have a family that loves you so much, and who wants you to feel better?" You gave me a disgusted look and said "No, it's nice to know I have Kleenix!"

• Today, on your 5th birthday, Grandma and Grandpa were telling you how everyone came to see you on the day you were born. At bedtime, you slipped your hand in Dad's as you headed upstairs for bed, and said "Yep Dad, I guess that I'm the first baby that you ever spermed."

• Favourite misused word/phrase: (After I found the house keys that were hidden in my shoe on April first) "April kidding!"


Sixth Birthday:

• As Alex was learning to speak, your pride for him showed when you announced "He said that good, didn't he?" I agreed that he had, and emphasized that he had said it very well. You absorbed that, and the next time Alex said something to evoke your pride, you piped up with. "Alex said that well, didn't he? And I said 'well' well, didn't I?"

• Favourite misused word/phrase: (After devouring an apple) "I have a good appletite."


Seventh Birthday:

• In grade one, Mrs. Pattendon conducted an experiment. She filled three jars with snow and asked the class to predict which one would melt first - the one in the shade, the one in the sun or the one to which she added salt. Your hand shot up first and when called upon, you insisted "I know exactly which one will melt first, and I know why." Given the floor, you stated "The Urban Peasant (a cooking show chef at that time) always warns never to salt your meat before cooking it because the salt will suck the juice right out of the meat, and since water is the snow's juice, the salted one will melt first."

• Favourite misused word/phrase: (After learning that there had been dinosaurs in Canada - Albertosaurus) "Oh, and what about the Torontosaurus Rex?"


Eighth Birthday:

• You had a particularly nasty cold with a persistent cough, but you still wanted to read a story to Alex. The story went something like: "'Meow, meow, meow' purred the little cat. 'Whinny, whinny, whinny' said the happy horse". Then you had a fit of coughing, after which you immediately followed up with "cried my poor, sick body."

• Favourite misused word/phrase: (Upon learning that one of the teachers at your school was leaving to have her baby. "She's never coming back because she's on eternity leave."

Jeffrey has always been logical and cautious, so I know that he has not embarked on his career choice without considerable thought and certainty. I have no doubt in my mind that he will do well on his life's path. He's proud to wear his uniform and I'm extremely proud to call him my son.

One day a tiny hand will seek his out, and a little voice will be calling him "Dad." And like those long-time parents before me, I'll be telling him the truth when I say "Enjoy it while it lasts, because it flies by all too quickly".

Here are a few photos from around my neighbourhood - a place that Jeffrey will always call "home."

This sparrow has been happy about finding a full feeder in out back yard each day, and happier still about having a full beak.


A cautious blue jay watches to as I snap a photo through the glass.


In the frosty winter air, the sumac still holds its brilliant red, and contrasts against the frozen lake.


On the opposite side of the lake from my home, this little ledge juts out over the water near the dock. Occasionally, I'll see people fishing off of it in warmer seasons.


Same spot with a different camera setting, creating a golden hue.


Branches reach out to embrace one another, creating long, intertwined shadows in the snow.