“Have you ever been in love? Horrible, isn't it? It makes you so vulnerable. It opens your chest
and it opens up your heart and it means that someone can get inside you and mess you up.
You build up all these defenses, you build up a whole suit of armor, so that nothing can hurt you,
then one stupid person, no different from any other stupid person, wanders into your stupid life...
You give them a piece of you. They didn't ask for it. They did something dumb one day, like kiss you
or smile at you, and then your life isn't your own anymore. Love takes hostages. It gets inside you.
It eats you out and leaves you crying in the darkness, so simple a phrase like 'maybe we should be
just friends' turns into a glass splinter working its way into your heart. It hurts. Not just in the
imagination. Not just in the mind. It's a soul-hurt, a real gets-inside-you-and-rips-you-apart pain...”

- Neil Gaiman
(b. 10 Nov 1960)

It is with a great loss and broken heart that I wanted to let everyone know that I lost my daughter, Susan Marie Bradley, on Sunday, February 5, 2012. She died very unexpectedly. Her father,   Edward Bradley, also graduated from NNHS in the Class of '62. This has truly been the hardest thing I have had to handle. Thanks for letting the NNHS family know the loss that we have had.

Thanks for all you do in keeping the NNHS family together!

Elizabeth Tedder Nunnally '68

   Oh, Elizabeth! I'm so very, very sorry! I cannot begin to imagine your pain and loss, but you're the thoughts and prayers of all our Typhoon Family.

Posted: 06 Feb 2012 10:46 PM PST

By NORMAN M. COVERT

 

We threw out King George III and his Red Coats from the 13 colonies with the Declaration of Independence in July 1776. However, we never lost our fascination with royalty, its trappings and splendor. An excuse may be that many of us have the blood of our English antecedents.
 

Newly crowned, Queen Elizabeth II and consort Prince Philip flank heir to the throne Prince Charles and Princess Anne, while acknowledging well wishers at Buckingham Palace June, 2, 1953.

Therefore, we are alert to the latest news from Windsor Castle. Queen Elizabeth II has captured the headlines with the launch of the year-long Diamond Jubilee, feting her as the longest ruling British monarch.  Elizabeth assumed the throne Feb. 6, 1952 when her father King George VI died of lung cancer at Sandringham Castle.

Title page of souvenir book (Credit L. T. A. Robinson, LTD, London S. W. 9)

Then 25, Elizabeth was vacationing in Kenya with husband Philip and family when the tragic news of her father’s death arrived. She was hustled home as Parliament and her new subjects in the Empire swore fealty to the new Queen.

A personal connection to England at the time included a long-time family friend. She was a U. S. Air Force wife living in Ramsgate Kent, outside London.  She introduced my brother Harry Covert to a teenage acquaintance. They struck up a pen pal relationship.

Formal portrait of Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace.

The long-distance friendship yielded a commemorative book, “The Queen Elizabeth Coronation Souvenir,” recording the elaborate rite in June 1953. It revealed a Walt Disney-like window into the world of British aristocracy, which continues to dazzle us plebian Colonists. In addition to a narrative account of the event, the book includes roto-gravure color and black and white prints of Elizabeth, the family and coronation from beginning to end. Its life on the book shelf reveals yellowed edges and the evidence of frequent use.

Arrival of the book came some months after the marathon event, which was broadcast live by British Broadcasting Corporation. American audiences had to wait several hours for the ABC and NBC broadcasts, which came via hookup with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.

The BBC telecast was recorded on kinescope film at Heathrow Airport, then put aboard aircraft and flown to Gander, Newfoundland, thence to Montreal, where American television networks could tap the feed and broadcast nationwide.

Elizabeth II seated in King Edward's Chair as Archbishop intones, "God crown you with a crown of glory and righteousness."

It certainly did not compare to today’s high definition transmission on flat screen monitors, but it was a curious and historic broadcast. BBC reported 20 million people watched the broadcast, which was transmitted in 44 languages.

Our black and white, 16-inch Admiral Console television became an amazing household appliance that day. Despite the irritating signal interference from our Norfolk, Va., broadcast station, television suddenly overshadowed Howdy Doody, Hopalong Cassidy and the Friday night fights. History and tradition exploded on our little window on the world.

Historic Orb and St. Andrew Crown.

We watched as the rain fell on the endless procession of military units escorting Elizabeth and the Royal Family between Buckingham Palace and Westminster Abbey.

Although Elizabeth ascended to the throne the moment of her father’s death, the formal coronation of Elizabeth did not occur until 16 months later. Tradition dictated an appropriate period of mourning for the deceased King George VI.

Hundreds of thousands lined the streets of London that day, while Westminster Abbey hosted an overflowing assembly of the world’s elite. They witnessed Elizabeth seated in her Chair of Estate as the Archbishop of Canterbury placed the historic St. Edward’s Crown on her head. He had presented the royal Orb, reminding her, “…the whole world is subject to the power and empire of Christ our Redeemer….” Elizabeth then received the Scepter in her right hand, “The ensign of kingly power and justice.”

Throngs outside gates of Buckingham Palace hoping for glimpse of Royal family and new Queen Elizabeth II.

I was a few days from my ninth birthday when Elizabeth succeeded her father. Time has not dimmed the wonder of the 1953 coronation broadcast, nor the elaborate rite that marked Elizabeth’s ascension to a throne dating to the English and Scottish monarchs circa 1000. The book remains a treasured possession.—©Norman M. Covert 2012

#  #  #

You may contact Mr. Covert at nmcovert@thecovertletter.com or nmcovert77@aol.com.

   Thank you so much, Norm! One of my favorite childhood memories (I was five years old) is of watching the coronation on a friend's television (we did not buy our own set until 1954 when we moved to Newport News).

The Jeopardy Question No One Could Answer

ARLINGTON CEMETERY Jeopardy Question:

On Jeopardy (recently), the final question was "How many steps does the guard take during his walk across the tomb of the Unknowns?" ---- All three contestants missed it! -- This is really an awesome sight to watch if you've never had the chance. Very fascinating.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j8lPkJU7cnI - Tomb of the Unknowns: Changing of the Guard

Tomb of the Unknown Soldier


1. How many steps does the guard take during his walk across the tomb of the Unknowns and why?

21 steps: It alludes to the twenty-one gun salute which is the highest honor given any military or foreign dignitary.

2. How long does he hesitate after his about face to begin his return walk and why?

21 seconds for the same reason as answer number 1

3. Why are his gloves wet?

His gloves are moistened to prevent his losing his grip on the rifle.

4. Does he carry his rifle on the same shoulder all the time and, if not, why not?

He carries the rifle on the shoulder away from the tomb. After his march across the path, he executes an about face and moves the rifle to the outside shoulder.

5. How often are the guards changed?

Guards are changed every thirty minutes, twenty-four hours a day, 365 days a year.

6. What are the physical traits of the guard limited to?

For a person to apply for guard duty at the tomb, he must be between 5' 10' and 6' 2' tall and his waist size cannot exceed 30.

They must commit 2 years of life to guard the tomb, live in a barracks under the tomb, and cannot drink any alcohol on or off duty for the rest of their lives. They cannot swear in public for the rest of their lives and cannot disgrace the uniform or the tomb in any way.

After two years, the guard is given a wreath pin that is worn on their lapel signifying they served as guard of the tomb. There are only 400 presently worn. The guard must obey these rules for the rest of their lives or give up the wreath pin.

The shoes are specially made with very thick soles to keep the heat and cold from their feet. There are metal heel plates that extend to the top of the shoe in order to make the loud click as they come to a halt.

There are no wrinkles, folds or lint on the uniform. Guards dress for duty in front of a full-length mirror.

The first six months of duty a guard cannot talk to anyone nor watch TV. All off duty time is spent studying the 175 notable people laid to rest in Arlington National Cemetery. A guard must memorize who they are and where they are interred. Among the notables are:

President Taft,

Joe Lewis {the boxer}

Medal of Honor winner Audie L. Murphy, the most decorated soldier of WWII and of Hollywood fame.

Every guard spends five hours a day getting his uniforms ready for guard duty.

ETERNAL REST, GRANT THEM, O LORD AND LET PERPETUAL LIGHT SHINE UPON THEM.

In 2003 as Hurricane Isabelle was approaching Washington, DC, our US Senate/House took 2 days off with anticipation of the storm. On the ABC evening news, it was reported that because of the dangers from the hurricane, the military members assigned the duty of guarding the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier were given permission to suspend the assignment. They respectfully declined the offer, "No way, Sir!" Soaked to the skin, marching in the pelting rain of a tropical storm, they said that guarding the Tomb was not just an assignment, it was the highest honor that can be afforded to a service person. The tomb has been patrolled continuously, 24/7, since 1930.


God Bless and keep them.

I'd be very proud if this email reached as many as possible. We can be very proud of our young men and women in the service no matter where they serve. God Bless America

http://www.snopes.com/military/isabel.asp

   Thank you so much, Don!