BasketBaller

A moment to myself so I'll report in. Yesterday older brother, DePaul twin, and I went to a morning briefing on how the summer had been going (Plebe Summer technically goes through next week), then went to watch noon formation, our first glimpse of the Plebes in their summer whites, not the pajama-like sailor suits they wear during training. We then waited for them to be released, standing by the letter sign that corresponded to our last name. When the hordes of Plebes began to swarm out we were looking for him in a sea of white uniforms. Then a voice from behind us-- "Who are you looking for?" He had missed us and overshot, and we hadn't seen him go by! A whoop from all of us and we had a four-way bear hug, laughing. He looks great, and he seems happy. He gave his twin a second hug, another long, tight one. But they were smiling and when they broke they just looked at each other for a moment, and laughed again. Older brother rolled his eyes and laughed, too. Off we went to see his room, one of only two times we'll be able to do that in his time there. We met his company officer, some of the upperclass detailers, and his roommates and their families. Each time anyone saw the twins they said "Wow." And one of the platoon leaders saw DePaul twin standing in the hall and was about to go ballistic because he thought it was Plebe twin in civilian clothes, which aren't allowed this weekend at any time. Both roommates seem nice but he's right, one did not seem happy, an only child of older parents. Most of the Plebes turn down the opportunity to eat with their families in the mess hall, because they can't wait to get off the Yard! But he was amenable, so we saw how efficiently they serve 4000 Midshipmen at once, three times a day. Meals are all served family-style, with platters and bowls delivered to each table within 5 minutes. The staff is enormous. Then finally-- liberty! At his request, first stop was the mall to see Spiderman, which is pretty good. Then back to the hotel to relax, talk on the phone to girlfriend, and play on the computer. We have connecting rooms, one for the twins and one for their brother and me. After a bit the other room got very quiet, so I went to see what they were doing. Plebe had changed to PT gear (still a uniform) and was fast asleep. Twin was quietly playing on the computer, watching him sleep. I will freely confess I, and even older brother, crept back from time to time to watch him sleep. Eventually we had to rouse him to go eat, since he had to be back in the company area by 10, er, 2200. He sprang up as if he was worried he'd overslept. Then off for a dinner of soft shell crabs (a family favorite), ice cream in downtown Annapolis (DTA in Mid parlance) and plenty of time to get back, so we sat at city dock by the water and he told us stories, told us what he'd liked and what he hadn't, and for the third time this summer, said the food was better than he'd expected. A stroll back to the Yard, a hug for each of us, twin last, and in he went. We headed back to the hotel and talked about it all, and how good he looked in the uniform. This morning at 8:30, er, 0830, there was a formal dress parade, and his girlfriend and her parents drove over from DC to spend the day. Her family has only been in DC for a few years, and they'd never been to the Academy and were blown away by how beautiful it is, they'd expected a Naval base. The parade was impressive and full of traditions, lots of music and pageantry. Afterwards the Plebes marched back to Bancroft Hall, the dorm. to change back into summer whites. We waited at the same spot, and this time saw him coming. Girlfriend's mother is from the South, and at the first sight of him in his uniform, she blurted out, "Oh, my Lord!" Today girlfriend got the long hug, followed by a quick hug for mom and a handshake for her dad. They were all a bit speechless, I think. No big plan for the day except to visit, and find at least some time for Plebe and GF to be together. So he was kind enough to show them around a bit, even though I'm sure he wanted to leave. He took them in the Chapel, filled with Tiffany windows, and described them all in detail, and he showed them the public parts of Bancroft Hall, including Memorial Hall, where the name of every graduate who died in combat is enshrined, a very grand vaulted room. Then off to lunch where he ate everything anyone left on their plate along with his own, and back to the hotel to swim in the pool. Older brother went off by himself to poke around DTA, GF's parents hadn't brought suits so they're just sitting by the pool, and twins and GF are swimming (his bathing suit is his issued one-- still a uniform.) I had been sitting with her folks but came back to the room to check email, and figured I'd fill you in. We keep him until midnight, er, 2400, although I imagine GF et al will leave before that. The vague plan is hanging out, dinner eventually, maybe another movie. Dunkirk has been requested but that may not be a good choice for a newish Navy dad to see. Possibly the kids will go alone anyway. Tomorrow we have until 6, er, 1800, he wants us to go to the chapel in the morning and then, well, hanging out, eating, maybe more sleeping. To be continued.

In Annapolis for Plebe Parent's Weekend. We got a hotel so his free time wouldn't be spent travelling to and from DC. He's free to leave after noon formation, but has to be back at night. We get to see his room, and eat lunch in the gigantic mess hall, then off to reconnect, probably going to see the Spiderman movie. Brothers are excited. I'm embarrassed to say I can hardly breathe. I'll report in when I can.

My parents had an odd idea-- my two older brothers and I have always been called by our middle names. I like my first name, but I never use it. I get junk mail addressed to that name, though.

I've been wrong before! But I have a suspicion...

Too true. Anything's possible but it's hard to imagine her death serving the story, except, of course, it's a story that routinely upsets expectations. As much as I regret Lady Olenna's death, it made sense, and made for a great scene. I think the following will make it to the end: Bran, Arya, Dany, Tyrion, Sam. I can see the following going either way: Varys, Sansa, Littlefinger, Jaime, The Hound, Jon (although I think he'd last until near the end at least.) I think the following won't make it: Cersei, Melisandre, The Mountain, Qyburn, Grey Worm, Theon. And since he said, "I'm a survivor," I think Hot Pie has a target on his back

I've read the books, but have pretty much assumed he'll never finish the series. And I'll bet that if he gets the next one published it will contradict the HBO series in some way.

I've read the books, but have pretty much assumed he'll never finish the series. And I'll bet that if he gets the next one published it will contradict the HBO series in some way.

Hey I have no idea how he's hung!! I'm not going to think about my sons' roommates' endowments!

Hey I have no idea how he's hung!! I'm not going to think about my sons' roommates' endowments!

We had the second call on Sunday, and being the second it seemed less fraught with importance. He sounded great, and asked for cleaning supplies. The upperclass who are training them switched out later in the day to a new set, and he was worried about that. He said his detailers had been hard but he knew them, now he was going to have to meet a whole new crew. Older brother was not here, visiting his girlfriend in Boston, and twin didn't ask for private talk this time, although most of the chatter was between the two of them anyway. We again let Plebe and his gf have a few minutes alone on the phone, and while we didn't eavesdrop there was a lot of laughter on her end. One more call next Sunday, and the following week is parents' weekend when we can not only see him and meet his roommates, but take him away for a meal or a movie or whatever-- he wants to see the Spider-Man film, I know. DePaul twin has been put in touch with his roommate-to-be, and they've been skyping, it seems like a good match, he's from Ireland, a soccer player, also planning to major in computer science. I think some of his struggle had to do with his brother's new life starting earlier than his, now that he is near to leaving for his adventures he seems to be happily looking ahead. Although he still is sleeping in his brother's bed.

Last year on a network talent show, a 12 year old girl came on and announced she would sing. The music started and it was the intro to Puccini's "Nessun Dorma," which has apparently become the thing for young girls who sing opera to perform, despite a) it being written for a tenor, and b) the absurdity of a 12 year old girl singing those lyrics. No matter, since when she began to sing (not badly but I believe unwisely to sing that way so young), it was a jumble, phrases out of order, and at least one line that was Italian-ish gibberish. All sung with a tragic, pained expression. There's no way she had any idea what she was singing. The judges loved it.

Hospital? I hope all is well! Thanks for asking, it was pretty great. We were waiting with his girlfriend when he called and the first words out of his mouth were that he had 30 minutes instead of 20. We'd discussed some questions, but hardly had to ask them since he talked a lot. We had him on speaker phone and he told us, again, that the food was better than he'd expected (that seems to have been a very significant thing), he's learning to sail, he sees his cousin at the chapel on Sundays but they can't talk to each other (upperclass who aren't part of the training cadre are off-limits), and the non-stop physical training is hard. He likes his two roommates, but one of them is so homesick he's not sure he'll stay. Neither of them has ever experienced the heat and humidity of a Maryland summer, and it's hard on them. He chattered away, and sounded happy for the most part. We gave him some time with his girlfriend (not on speaker phone, and we left the room) and as I thought, his twin asked to talk to him alone for a bit. I didn't eavesdrop, but it sounded as if twin brother turned the tables and did most of the talking. Then, because we had longer than we'd expected, we all came back, put him back on speaker, and finished up that way. We could hear the upperclass warning that time was almost up, and he sighed and I think choked up a little, said not to worry about him, and made sure we would all come to parents weekend at the end of the summer. We each said good-bye, older brother with a joke, girlfriend quietly, twin seriously, dad trying to be reassuring. He blurted out, "Miss you!" to us and hung up. He sounded good, and it was very good to hear his voice. Girlfriend thanked us for including her and left. Twin seemed a little down, but without a beat older brother suggested a bike ride, and the two of them went off and were gone a long time. At dinner both brothers talked about the call, rehashing everything he'd said. On the Facebook USNA parents page quite a few posted about tearful or unhappy calls, but ours was a good one. Two more to come.

Sean was in that MTV gay-4-pay documentary. He has a wife and kids but was dancing at a gay club before doing porn. But he has a pretty big social media footprint under his own name (which he does nothing to hide) and I think if he escorted it would be widely known.

Sunday, he'll have 20 minutes. The gf will come to our house and we'll do speakerphone first, then let them talk alone. Twin might want some private talk too.

I didn't with my first text, and he never asked, but I did send one eventually just to show I'd read his ad. But we'd basically already set everything up. He's not exactly chatty but the text exchange was fine, and when I told him I had to cancel, he said to let him know if I'd be coming later. As I said, he's added new pics to the ad so he may be more serious about it nowadays. And he gave me the password to his private pics. Whoa, that's a whopper. He certainly lucked out in the gene pool.

We came to the same conclusion, even his twin thinks it's best. We got a short note from the Plebe, saying he's surviving and the food's better than he expected. He also said the upperclass Mids who lead their training work so hard, getting up before the Plebes and going to bed later, that he doesn't mind how much they yell!

I wish! No, just kind of my ideal guy.

Update-- my SF trip was to be this week, and I noticed he had several new pics in his ad. So, I texted him, he texted back reasonably soon, we agreed on an appointment. And this morning my work trip was cancelled! Grrr...

Thanks for those thoughtful words.

This is totally possible, and maybe what I hope for.

We've talked it over and are fairly resolved to wait for parents' weekend, mostly to spare him any unexpected exposure. Thansgiving or Christmas might well be the time for the "talk", depending on how things go as I test the waters.

This is one of my all-time favorite dance numbers. Note how long it goes before there's an edit!

Quick update-- We went to a cookout at DePaul twin's girlfriend's family's house for the 4th. Lots of people there we don't know. Both twin and, to a lesser degree, older brother told everyone about Plebe twin being at the Naval Academy, it was practically the first thing out of their mouths-- "My brother just started Plebe Summer at USNA." Girlfriend was very amused, each time he said something about it she'd catch my eye and laugh. An older woman said, "You must be very proud of him," and twin replied, "I can't say how much." He's missing his brother but he's doing okay, I'd say.

Thanks for asking! The very next day he was obviously upset. He now is a little quiet and preoccupied (I think he's thinking about him) but not mopey or moody. He spent a lot of time with his girlfriend over the weekend and we're going to her family's house for a 4th of July cookout. He is sleeping in his brother's bed still-- I haven't said anything about it because I don't want him to be self-conscious. And all three of us are having a good time putting together CARE packages for the Plebe. Older brother of course wants to send him things that will embarrass him or get him in trouble. We have a conundrum, too. We can have no direct contact with Plebe twin during the summer, except the three phone calls, until parents' weekend when we can visit and even take him out. But the Academy is open to the public, so we could always visit and see if we get a glimpse of him during formations or drill practice or chapel. But even his twin thinks that might be worse, to see him (and possibly have him see us) when we can't even wave to him or he'll be in trouble. So we're thinking about it. There's a Facebook group for Midshipmen parents and I do find myself checking it way too often as people tell stories of past Plebe Summers, post pictures of what their upper-class Mids are doing this summer, (whoa do these kids get to do some great stuff!), and offering advice. Not the kind of advice I'm getting here of course...