a privileged life

I am thinking today how privileged I am. I meet so many interesting people, and am allowed to share some special moments with them.

Yesterday I drove a little over 200 kilometres with my house guests, following the progress of the 19th Armoured Battalion from their waiting place at Piedimonte d'Alife some distance south of Cassino. There was varied and interesting conversation, and of course there are always interesting things to see along the way. Each time I take visitors on such trails I travel new roads myself, and learn more.

Thanks to information gleaned form the New Zealand Official Histories available on electronic texts and a photograph in the new book The Battles for Monte Cassino by Plowman and Rowe I was able to take the daughter of a veteran to the street where her father was injured, and to places where he was most likely to have been before and during the battles for Cassino.

It is a very special experience sharing days like these with visitors from New Zealand and other parts of the world.

Today I am grateful for new friends.