I'm back from the funeral, and the skies have just opened up.

[Critters2]

It went well, except for the military guys who couldn't remember how to fold the flag. I nearly got up and said "Gentleman, I have ten years of Campfire camp on my resume. There are things I can't do..but I can damn well fold a flag. Stand back and let me show you how it's done." But I didn't.

[Haole Girl]

1. grrr... that is so aggravating!

Same thing happened at my Grandfather's funeral. It was a lumpy mess when they folded it. I felt almost superstitious, as if it was disrespectful, to unfold it and fold it the correct way... so that is how it has stayed... inside the box I bought for it... all these years. :-(

[Critters2]

2. I did a funeral a couple of years ago where there was no bugler,

so they had it recorded. And the battery ran out in the middle of taps.

I don't understand doing these things, if you're not going to be really careful about doing them well.

[Hobarticus]

3. Surprisingly, buglers are hard to find...

I had a girlfriend who used to play funerals for the Legion, a long time ago. No bugle, just trumpet, which works in a pinch. But both my navy uncles were buried with a recording, kinda sucked. Something about Taps played on a REAL bugle gets me.

[Critters2]

4. Tonight they had a live musician. A trumpeter, but still

much better than a recording. Taps is so moving, when played well.

I know buglers are hard to find.




Batteries are fairly plentiful, though.

[Hobarticus]

5. Yeah, no excuse for the battery thing....

That'd be hard to take during a funeral.

[FloridaJudy]

6. "Amazing Grace" on the bagpipes

Always turns on my water-works. Bagpipe players should be easy to find: they seem to haunt Medieval Fairs and SCA meetings.

[murielm99]

7. My father, a WWII veteran, has mentioned that to me.

He thinks it is sad they buglers are hard to find. The recordings seemed pathetic to him. Before his dementia set in, he volunteered to do the gun salutes at many, many military funerals.