Huzzah for Commander Farrell!

When you live in a place that's chocked-full of history, you don't tend to notice all that history surrounding you. At least not it you're me.

Every few days, I walk by the monument that memorializes Robert Gould Shaw and the Massachusetts Fifty-Fourth Regiment, which was made up of African-Americans, and their Civil War heroism. (Their deeds were the basis for the movie Glory.) Do I ever really notice it? Not really. At least not often.

Every few weeks, I walk by Paul Revere's House and the Old North Church of one-if-by-land-two-if-by-sea fame. Do I ever really notice them? Not really. At least not often.

Every few months, I walk along the waterfront overlooking Charlestown Navy Yard, where the U.S.S. Constitutions is anchored. Old Ironsides, a warship, was commissioned in 1797, and took part in the War of 1812 and the Barbary Wars, and is the oldest still-operating ship (although not as a warship) in the U.S. Navy. Do I ever really notice it? Not really. At least not often.

And every year, on the Fouorth of July, there's a turnaround, when the Constitution makes its way - nudged by tugs - into Boston Harbor. Every year, I plan on walking down to the waterfront to catch a bit of the journey. Do I ever? Well, no.

But I did notice an article in the Boston Globe the other day on the new commander. Billie Farrell is the first woman to command the ship. 

She's an Annapolis grad who just prior had been the Executive Officer of a guided missile cruiser.  The USS Vicksburg isn't a brand-new ship. It's been around for 30 years. But I suspect it's a tech marvel when compared to the Constitution, which is mostly a living museum - and, if you're in Boston, well worth the tour. In keeping with the living museum theme, the sailors all sport ye olde garb, with the snappiest of garb reserved for the Commander.

Although they do get to fire the two working cannons off each day - gunpowder only, not cannonball - for those stationed on the Constitution, it's not all cosplay. They also attend the funerals for Navy veterans in the area. And, in addition to learning how to keep an over 200 year old ship ship-shape, they have to keep up with current Navy whatevers. (By the way, over the course of its long lifetime, about 90% of the original materials of the Constitution have been replaced. But somehow, it's not a fake replica in the way that the Mayflower in Plymouth, Mass. is not.)

I don't know whether you get plucked from wherever to get this post, or whether you put in for it, but congratulations to Commander Farrell. And welcome to Boston! (She's married to a local - also a Naval Academy grad - and one of her dogs is named Fenway. So although she's from Kentucky, her kids are half-Massachusetts. So she's practically a native. But welcome, nonetheless.)

On one of my walks, I may not just not notice Old Ironsides. Maybe I'll actually cross the bridge into Charlestown and take a tour. Looking forward to getting piped aboard!