Snow & DC = a BIG mess

ok, so it snowed a couple inches... you would honestly have thought we were in the middle of a blizzard! the Metro - I wanted to go "mooooo" when I got on, and got smushed by the folks behind me. I did get a seat after 2 stops. And I always get a seat when I get on in the morning, since I am near the beginning of the line.

The new job - GREAT! I am finally (I hope) out of the orientation cycle. For 2 days, it was reading two large binders of information and meeting with the various heads of department to learn this, that and the other... but you know I won't really learn it, until I have to DO it. My mentor finally took pity on my whimpers and gave me an actual file to work up. No office for me yet, but I'm told it won't be long. the open cubicle stuff would be better, if I didn't have someone next to me with the eating manners of a sloppy 2 year old. He's a nice guy, but listening to him eat - a great diet aid. wonder if I can use some headphones...

Christmas shopping - I'm not done, but then we aren't going nuts.. I can't tell you what I'm giving the family - they read this occasionally. But the Grandbaby - lots of books! some of them are noisier than others.... I also finished cross stitching her stocking. She won't care for the next few years - but I hope it looks nice.

DH and I got up yesterday to use the gym in the complex - I'll try for 3xs a week at first. Unfortunately, one downside of the job is the "no sneakers/trainers" rule. With some foot problems, it's uncomfortable wearing "real" shoes. So I'm shoe shopping for proper shoes that are comfy. And... I cheat... wear sneakers TO work, then change when I'm there. This also affects working out, I don't get on the elliptical or walk, I use the bike. small steps, small steps, soon I'll be going 5xs a week and maybe power walking again.

Green - anytime you are up here in DC, or I get a chance to come down - Cracker Barrel it is! But Dyke Street is a little street that the Tom Tom gizmo Kate was using made us go down whilst searching for an IHOP! SFW has decided we need a song... "on Broadway" tune... I started singing it for DH, he moaned a lot!

We thought we had a buyer for the house, but they only offered 50K under our price, and didn't counter our counter... DH doesn't think they were ever really serious, the wife wanted our house, the husband - a condo in the City. hmm.... bit of a disconnect there!

This weekend.. go down and see the National Xmas Tree, and maybe, maybe, I'll get to drive the new car! We have to hit the commissary, so I'm hoping the DH will be slow to get to the car, I'll get in the driver's seat and voila!

That's about it for here... y'all be good, or if you can't.... don't get caught, Santa is still watching you!

LAW

Spouse Buzz Live

I just returned from a wonderful weekend. Meeting those people, the ones I have blogged with, who have heard me cry and laugh and obsess and fight... was a truly amazing experience. Thank you all for being there, for all that hard work, the traveling, the setting up. Badger, Green, Butterfly Wife.. it was so incredible! Vince, thanks for dinner.

Now the hotel.. that was another matter altogether. But the camaraderie, the laughs, the tears, the "yeah, you get it" ... it was worth every second.

Thank you to SemperFiWife and the other "Dyke Street girls" for the carpool down.. anytime you want another body to hit Cracker Barrel.. I'm game! Biscuits!!

Oh, I just can't WAIT for next year!

LAW

The Cat Rules!

JJ is so clever! Since I am going to work, and we are planning on a few trips, we wanted to get the Cat Litter Box problem taken care of. Yesterday we went and bought the automatic type, the one that rakes by itself. After putting it together - and that takes a while- I put the litter in and sprinkled on some of the litter from the other box. I figured it would take a while for him to get used to it and decide to use it. 40 minutes later, I heard the sound of the little motor. TA DAH! he did it. No fuss, no muss... but it doesn't seem to work as well as I would like. I'll still need to clean it out every couple of days, but the worst of it will be taken care of.

His new bowls - you know, the ones with the reservoir for water and food - he didn't even blink. Of course, his favourite water bowl is STILL the people toilet...I will NOT buy the running water thing.. we had one before and it was just a mess!

OK, so now I have the cat taken care of - we got new lunch bags for both of us, since neither of us eat out for lunch. Clothes - I need to shorten some of my suit pants... Got some nice flat shoes... Need to get some more $ on my Smart Pass for the Metro...

BUT FIRST - SpouseBuzzLive3... I'm getting so excited! I'll be meeting some new friends and carpooling down. Then FUN!

See ya there!

LAW

I gotta JOB!!

Yay, hooray... I will start working at a law firm in DC on Monday! my wonderful head hunter did a great job for me. So if anyone is looking for work in the DC area - not just legal, she places lots of corporate and accounting people too- let me know, I'll get her info to you.

NOW I can go to SBL3 without feeling guilty! and do some clothes shopping, without feeling guilty. whew. It's been a hard slog this time, I guess I had expectations of being in the market to choose between job offers... but it didn't happen that way. This is a good firm, right on the Metro and close to some dangerous shopping! I was hoping to get a Federal job - but the application process is such a nightmare... I applied for a few, never heard anything, then found out from a placement person that I needed to completely rewrite my resume, write KSA's, and wait for months.

So... I'll see you at Bragg!

LAW

burp - Oh 'scuse me!

the meal went well! even the gravy worked out.. and the oven didn't burn everything to a cinder. Before we ate, DH put up curtain rods in the dining area and hung the new curtains. when they get the creases out, they will look even better. Glad we went with that colour. Then he put up shelves in the spare room closet, and moved the hanging rod up in the master bedroom closet and another lower rod as well. For a "day off" he worked his butt off.

Today, can you believe it.... after he gets back from an early morning conference call... we are heading to Michaels and Bed Bath.... Need a couple of things for a project, and one of those immersible mixer wands - the butternut squash was so good, we want to make soup out of the leftunders. -- yeah, leftunders, don't know where that came from, I think our son made that one up. I'm hoping everyone is at Best Buy or something!

With DH's encouragement, I have decided to go ahead and blow the $ on SpouseBuzzLive. Some networking... some fun... meet the people who know more about me than some members of my family - it'll be good.

Job hunting continues.. and dammit, SOMEONE out there needs me! maybe I should also get the "organizing" homebusiness started. If I only knew HOW to get a business started. Any hints gladly accepted!

See you at Bragg...

LAW

Happy Thanksgiving

To all my blog friends, especially those who are celebrating this T'Day without their loved one at home, may I wish you a Happy Thanksgiving. This is the first one with DH in a few years, and we are spending it quietly, "at home"... in this case a small apartment with an oven I am not sure of. The turkey will either be done in no time at all, or take all day... hope he doesn't mind eating at the drop of a hat!

As for news... still no job. I finally heard from the first interview firm - had a second interview Monday.. and now waiting.. waiting... waiting. Had an interview and offer from a total nut! Very odd duck, with a desk in HIS office that would have been mine, and when he told me that he had a couple of illegals working in his office... well lets just say I made my excuses and took off. Called the headhunter and told her NO WAY..

I may not be able to get to Spouse Buzz Live - without a job I don't think I can justify the expense... so if I don't see you there, maybe next year..

Lovely weather today... in the 70s. Tomorrow - who knows~!

Y'all be good, eat lots and go into that lovely T'Day coma.

LAW

onwards and upwards

and things go on and on and on.. I went to a good interview, and hoped that it would resolve soon, but so far, nothing. The headhunter keeps telling me that it looks good.... yeah. sure.

and the infection I have been fighting, came back with a vengeance. New antibiotics... and the new doctor (she's very nice) says that this should do it... yeah. sure.

The new doctor does endorse some of the herbal remedies I am trying for other problems... and she's young and willing to listen to me when I tell her there is something not right.. so that's good.

A nice long weekend coming up. Some shopping, some looking for a new car, and maybe a trip to the memorials on Sunday for Veteran's Day. The motorcycle trip may not be possible, too cold and I'm not sure I'm up for it.

So enjoy the weekend folks. Thank a Veteran or two or twenty. Spend some time with one, if you can.

LAW

Job hunting sucks

Seriously sucks. I have 4 headhunters, who need to be called to remind them that "HEY, I'm here, find me something!" Also have a very big Job Fair this week in downtown DC, so I need to copy LOTS of my resumes. I'm not to the point of taking a job at WalMart, but it sure is frustrating.

Spent Sunday at the National Portrait Gallery. We enjoyed most of it, but the modern art left us cold. The price for lunch was an eye opener too! The Kate Hepburn room was great, and the Asher Durand Landscapes were incredible. Of course, we didn't "do" the whole place, and didn't even make a dent in the Smithsonian Art Museum. That will be a great place for a rainy nasty Sunday since the Metro Station is right there and we won't get too wet getting to the front door.
The garage is getting to the point we can find things! yeah! Shelves are neat and organized. The spare room is better, there is clear floor to be seen. I need to get the big closet sorted soon.

Tonight- FRG meeting. I certainly hope it's better than the last FRG. I will go to it with an open mind, and brownies (it's a potluck)

Talk to you soon.

LAW

Marathons of all sorts

First - the BIG Marathon. The Marine Corps 2007 Marathon. Saturday was the Expo and Packet Pickup at the Armory.. lots of people, tiny space... I was disappointed that Military.com didn't have a presence, including SpouseBuzz would have been great. Then home for a pasta dinner (gotta carb up!) The next morning, at 4:30 we were up and getting ready - neither of us could sleep. Got on the Metro with a group of Brit Royal Marines, who seemed to have done the usual training... a few pints the night before, and lots of cigarettes. Got off at the Pentagon and followed the herd, around the Pentagon in the dark and got in line... no, not the starting line, the Biffies!!! DH stretched, I did my job as support.. he got into the starting corrals with at least 20,000 others... and off they went. Support people of all sorts walked from the line across the Arlington Memorial Bridge to the Lincoln Memorial and cheered them all on as they ran past. ... for an HOUR!! Walked back across the bridge and up to an old friend's apartment across from the IwoJima Memorial. There was supposed to be a text message to the cell phone way to track the runners... I got his halfway time 5 xs, but no notification of his finish! as for the "family meeting area"... ha! but AT&T had free phones so he called when he finished (26 miles...), we found each other, gave him lots of protein drinks and snacks... and got in yet another line. This one for the Metro. It looked like Ellis Island, a sea of people, runners in sweated through clothes and shiny "blankets" and support people with back packs and goodie bags. Trains were packed and watching sore runners trying to get up, trying to walk down stairs and getting in vehicles .... well I tried NOT to laugh, but didn't succeed. I'm so proud of him, he trained and trained, but having to run in the Sandbox heat was incredibly hard, and PCSing right before was not exactly ideal... and he still did it.

Next day - he was soooo sore. and so was I, the 6-7 miles I walked took a toll on my plantar fascitis.. ice for my foot, warm Thermocare wraps for him.. Thank goodness for the super large jar of Ibuprofen!

The other Marathon - job hunting and trying to get the apartment in some semblance of order... Job hunting is slower than I had hoped, but there was a job fair at Belvoir, met a couple of contacts, including someone whose job it is, to help milspouses get Federal Jobs - rewriting my resume and using all the right buzz words. Have a meeting today with another headhunter, let's hope she can find me a temp job soon! Because.... The Army has fouled up again - no pay... jeeeeez, what is SO HARD!?? Turned in the DITY paperwork - told it could take up to 8 weeks for that to get reimbursed! They really don't make PCSing easy, do they? since we have to pay for all the deposits, turn on fees etc., plus the final payments from the last place... the apartment is still not in any way done, need to find a desk, a sofa... and get the garage shelving done and the boxes out of the spare room!

The marathon of house selling - no news other than some folks who wanted to look at it, but no offers.

Sore and limping - talk to you again soon..

LAW

Settling in - or is that down-

the boxes are breeding! really, they ARE! as soon as I unpack one, more appear. Invasion of the Moving Boxes.... just seems like it, I guess. What is really happening is that I am worn out. I'll find one thing in a box that I need/want, the rest is re-packed for storage. So, unpack/re-pack ...ad nauseum. AND fighting off an infection. SOOOO much fun. On the positive side, I did find the hospital, and the pharmacy (2ce, the first antibiotic didn't work) and the commissary does carry all the lovely European yummies I had hoped, including the coffee (note to self, when they have it in stock, buy 2!) LOTS of retirees, and very very full shopping carts.

Sunday we did what we promised we would do, and left house/unpacking stuff and did something fun. There are a series of nature trails next to post, and we trekked out there and enjoyed the peace and tranquility. Moving into this high density population, from our country living, I miss that. Also drove around post, into the older part, and flag officer country- the Old Army DH and I remember from long ago. In one way, it's comforting to see that not everything changes!

Unit picnic went ok, although after 30+ days of sun, it decided to rain. Not enough to break the drought, but enough to dampen the festivities. Met some of the guys he'll be working with (no, not being sexist, no women in his little subgroup) and also some of the FRG folks. From what I heard from one of the women, this group has the usual problems (5% of the group does 90% of the work, some cattiness) but is still a lot better than the groups I left behind me.

Job related - well, I went for the interview, nice small firm, but it wasn't the right fit. Got a call from my headhunter, there may be a project for me... 2-6 months document review (my last 3 month project lasted a year and a half!) Hope to find out this week.

I am holding those California milspouses in my thoughts, hope that you are all ok, and you haven't lost your homes. BE SAFE!

Time to hit the boxes again...

LAW

Mattress pad - check

bookcase(s) - check. Cat to vet -check. Got a lot done, except that fate, as always, stepped in and urped on my parade.

This weekend, IKEA - found the bookshelves, picked them up at the furniture desk - the third box down says "a piece missing" right on the box... go back in, get another. unpack them in the pickup and schlep pieces up the 3 flights (too heavy to bring up the way they were packed) Spent a few hours putting them up (the piece with the dent is up on top/not visible!) no computer desk. got the foam thingie and had to remember that we now needed new sheets too since the 2 inch pad mean the other fitted sheets didn't fit anymore!

Cat went to the vet, they took blood and he was just the cutie he is, everyone loved him. Then we came home and I tried to get downtown for a meeting - The Fairfax Connector to take me to the Metro didn't come! So I cancelled THAT one. Came home, emailed a couple of resumes answering some ads, and 45 minutes later had an interview lined up! hmm. Then the cat let out this awful sound, he was lying on the carpet not moving, eyes were HUGE and black.. then he wobbled a bit, got up and went about his business. This morning, after eating a lot, urped on the rug (yup I KNEW I forgot something, Resolve Spot Lifter!) and now, sleeping it all off. He scared the crap outa me yesterday.

Today, rescheduled meeting happening and I'll take the shuttle from the apt. complex. So wish me luck.

LAW

A bed - and internet in house - what more could I want

Well, actually, quite a bit! That's why we are heading for IKEA! or will be when the sun comes up and DH wakes up. Yes, chillun (am I gettin' southern, or what?) we have a bed. It's a bit firm for me, but perfect for himself, so I'm going to get one of those "poofy things" mattress pads, with some memory foam.... if he doesn't like it, I'll slit it open, remove his half and stitch it. Why, you ask?? so the thing stays in place! The big builtin bookcase... well it's built in, so it stayed with the house, and we NEED a bookcase in the living room. and a new computer desk, our design table idea is not working out, so that's on the list... and some bins and organizers and baskets.... Glad we have a big pickup!

I don't like being without my own car. He's inprocessing, (which means running all over the post) and since the State of MN was soooo far behind on registrations, the motorcycle registration has not yet appeared and the base won't allow him to ride it without the permanent registration. So, here I am, sans vehicle. Cat needs to go to the vet, to get an exam prior to having surgery on his little gums, so we are playing the "you come home for "LUNCH", we go to vet, you go back, I head to the Metro for a meeting in the District". Time to job hunt too.

I'm getting used to the little apartment, sorta. If I could just get it all organized! hence the need for a good desk etc.

coffee... need coffee. The commissary has my favourite - Jacobs Kronung. and so many other yummies from Germany and England and Italy. shopping... shopping.

Later. Have a good weekend.

LAW

And we made it...

First - we made it safe and sound, after a lot of last minute packing. Since we left the house after noon, we didn't make it to our first stop unitl very late that first night. The cat being the reason we couldn't stop just anywhere, was a pretty good traveler. He did "talk" a lot after being let out of his new comfy box into the motel room, and was put back into the box so we could get some sleep. Holiday Inn in Morris IL... avoid it if possible. The second day was better, except that all the turnpikes in the upper midwest are under construction! Delayed us a bit. Comfort Inn at the Mars/Cranberry exit in PA - Great place to stay. The third day went alright... except I got lost at the 495/395/95 mixing bowl. DH on the other hand didn't. No, I won't live that down, for a while.

Unloading was great! Get Up and Go Movers in this area are fantastic. They were just there to unload, we got 4 guys, and it took 3 hours to get the entire truck unloaded and stowed. They are from Gallaudet and worked like crazy. If you are doing a DITY move, go to emovers.com - can hire folks to just load and unload. not expensive at all. But if you are coming or going from the DC area, go to emovers and get the guys at Get Up and Go. So far, nothing appears to have been broken, course I haven't unpacked it all, there's no place to put it!

Shopping for mattresses - internet/cable - organizing stuff - this is all very expensive! and trying to shove the stuff from a 3,500 sq ft house into this apt... oh my my. I'm losing what's left of my mind. and in this HEAT! On the good side, DH is here.. on the not so good side.. too! Lots of togetherness in a small disorganized box filled apt., and driving around getting lost (oh no one can give decent directions!) and the traffic here freaks me out completely!

To everyone who wished us luck, thank you, we appreciate your good thoughts (and I think it helped!) Back to work now. I am on a slow internet hookup at the "cyber cafe" here at the complex, can't wait to get my own connection!

LAQ

moving day

We picked up the UHaul yesterday, a nice new truck, clean too! and we have a couple of guys coming to help carry the heavy stuff. BUT it's supposed to rain - and DH woke up with a headache that is being stubborn... Now, of course, the NG has decided that they need a form, but the Big A Army has said, they don't. THIS should be fun, y'all.. NOTHING is more stubborn than a Minnesota National Guard fulltimer. Mulish, positively Scandahoooovian.

The phone calls to cancel stuff, start gas, electric... oh I forgot the PHONE! Think of me this weekend....

**** This evening. It went amazingly well. One of our neighbours did a fantastic job with arranging where everything went, he has a great grasp of space and order! my handyman brought a friend, who used to work at the bike shop where we bought the motorcycle.. and was invaluable at loading the bike. It's almost done. We are both so tired! Tomorrow will be packing the last of it, and cleaning with the help of a couple of neighbours. And then, taking the dog to our other neighbour, where she's going to live a happy life with kids to play with and cats to torment. We are going to miss her, but putting this dog in an apartment would NOT be good for her or us (or the new neighbours!) We also went out back and took movies of the back 8 acres in all it's fall colour.

LAW

ORDERS! whew.

They arrived this morning... name misspelled, but still valid. We can move!! Yay!

LAW

Hey, go congratulate her!

http://thoughtsbeforedinner.blogspot.com/

Go to that blog and congratulate Janey on becoming an American Citizen! She's a milspouse whose DH may be coming home soon too. LOTS of champagne over there.

This is a marriage, not a mortgage!

That's what I told someone at work the other day, who asked why I was moving when we haven't sold the house yet. OK, so we'll carry a mortgage and a rent payment, but we'll be in the same zip code! As I tried to explain to this putz, in the last four YEARS I have seen him for 8 months altogether, in little 2 week increments..

LAW

We're back on the frozen tundra

Oh, you think I'm kidding??? Freeze warnings tonight. there was sn-- (we don't say the word for the frozen stuff you ski on until November... just an avoidance for me) in Grand Marais... it is SOOOOO time to leave. We have a fire going in the woodstove and it's nice. Our new place doesn't have a fireplace, so we are enjoying this. One of the apartments we looked at had a wood burning fireplace - and white/beige carpet!!! good grief, who thought THAT one up!

Anyway..... (dumb way to start a sentence) we found an apartment! it's a lovely place, but ladies and gents..... it's tiny, compared to our house (3,500 sq ft) and 10 acres! but, at least I don't need to repaint, as the walls are a lovely cafe au lait with white trim and crown molding. The carpet is cream/beige, which should be soooo much fun with a gray/black cat! Large walk in closets but oh my, WHO designed the hanging area! the rod is waaaay too low, so you can't put another one underneath, so that's getting changed when we get there. The kitchen.. as Paula Deen would say "oh y'awl, this is just preeeecious" very small as compared to our present kitchen. But, if we can cut down on the crap we pack, we'll be fine. We have also rented a garage in the same complex, so storage isn't going to be a problem. GBear, Andi - it's in Kingstown, on South Van Dorn. gated community, quiet and only 20 minutes from Telegraph Rd Gate. We liked the look of the new quarters on Belvoir, but there's a 6 month waiting list, and we just don't want to move from one place to another that soon.

Now... we wait for Orders so we can rent the truck we have reserved and get moving. This weekend - the cat goes to the vet for shots and a check up and a couple of kitty valium, in case the trip upsets him. I got my hair cut really short, so I don't have to worry about it for a while, and then need to start looking for another good cutter.

This weekend is sorting and packing the kitchen. and the closet. I'm sure there's a lot more... but my list is in the other room!!

Later. Talk to you soon. LAW

First Showing!

To give you a picture.... boxes, boxes, tape, newspapers and shredded paper, piles of books to be donated, clothes to be boxed, suitcase waiting to be packed for the apartment hunting trip.. all strewn from one end of the house to the other..... ok, got it in your mind? Now, the phone rings. The realtor - "we have a showing scheduled!" in two days. Now, this house has been on the market for months, never had a showing. For many months, the house looked gorgeous, tidy, semi staged. Although, to be totally honest, for other months, it was a PIT (after the extension announcement it all went to hell). But recently, for open house etc. it was sooooo tidy and all that..

So, instead of packing and such - cleaning! at full tilt. ALL the boxes out into the garage (up on boards), pack up the clothes in a rush, put the books to be donated into the built in bookcase, and get that horrid RedWing pottery out of the to-be-sold box and into the empty china hutch, tidy the pantry again.... the list grows.

Wish us luck, both finding a nice apartment (GBear - we have a couple viewing in Kingstown first thing!) and selling this house! I may not blog for the days we are away, I may be totally insane when we get back.. but you know, it's all part of the milspouse adventure.

LAW

The Bike

Here 'tis.

LAW

Addio, Maestro

The voice went silent for the last time. Now we will hear "Nessun Dorma" until we get sick of it... but that voice will soar over and over again.

Pavarotti was so huge, not just his body, but his talent, his voice, his persona. when he sang with Sting - the Paulus -it was amazing, absolutely stupendous. He made those of us who don't like to sit through an entire opera enjoy Puccini and Mozart's arias, the bel cantos...

Addio.

LAW

Apartment hunting

I have been sending requests for availability, and trying to make appointments to see apartments in Woodbridge, Springfield, Lorton, Kingstown/Alexandria.... and really hoping that some of them are available! There is one across from the Springfield Mall that looks so nice, but then I wonder about the location.... and I keep hoping my trek/commute can be less than the time I now spend driving/on the bus. Sitting on the train/Metro would be great! We are hoping to be in the DC area next week to look at places. I refuse to sign a lease before actually SEEING it.

Rode on the motorcycle for the first time yesterday. It's been over 30 years since I was last on one - so I was a little nervous. One person tells me to sit still, one tells me to lean in the direction of the turn.... But it was soooo much fun! We went around an industrial park which is empty on Sundays. I really enjoyed it... the highway I am not so sure of. Sitting on the back of the bike really gives me a different vantage point (and I am hoping my back gets used to it!)

We took the cat for a ride again today, so he gets used to it. he ended up under my seat! quiet, not getting sick, but still obviously scared. I hope he doesn't spend the entire 2.5 day trip under the seat... Now we need to get hotel reservations for him as well.

Packing - packing...

TTYL

LAW

Oh HOLY COW!! ALMOST ORDERS

It's not in official writing yet... but we are heading for Ft. Belvoir!!!! Our First Choice!!!! whew... So, now the lists start, gotta get to transportation, reserve a UHaul.... well, what about an apartment... oh sooooo much to do!

yay. this has been a long few months..


LAW

Renaissance Festivalitis and computer woes

I had forgotten how much fun the Ren Fest can be. I didn't drink - so migraine didn't rear it's ugly head. DH bought a kilt... NO, I don't have a picture to publish. sorry. And big surprise Janey (her funny blog is on the right, the Brit Milspouse - head on over!) , I didn't eat my head off either!
The people watching was as fun as ever. lordie lordie, the strange ones do wriggle out from under whatever rock they are hiding beneath. hee hee

My poor computer has decided to melt down it's Hard Drive, so the Geek Squad is still hard at it. I am hoping like crazy I don't lose a lot. ALL those bookmarks...all the milspouse ones! I'm hoping I get them back. This is my DHs computer he is letting me use. nice of him.

I am back at work, temping at my last job again for a little while. and waiting waiting for those orders.

anyway... see some of you at Standing By for the Army Wives discussion.

LAW

Another new Grandma!

One of my bestests friends just became a grandma! So welcome, Jayden Christine! We are all thrilled you are here. Your grandma, she's a peach!

LAW

Back home... missing my grandbaby

I'm back. My computer died. or at least succumbed to the cludge. My antivirus software told me it was time to renew... so I did. And it took forever, kept telling me I needed this, that and t'other... and suddenly I couldn't do anything. We were out of town, visiting the most perfect grandchild on the planet, so had to wait until today to take it to the Geeks and get home to use my DH's computer.

Anyway, I tell you that so you understand why I haven't been posting and keeping you up to date on the aforesaid darling child. see... I do these these things for a reason. Since I haven't been able to get on, I haven't checked on any of the other blogs I came to depend on. I'll be doing that tomorrow. Tonight, I have a lousy cold, flying with it was just NASTY.

No, no orders yet. Hopefully soon.....

LAW

MRIs, motorcycles, and such stuff

It's been a busy few days, folks. Since DH is home, we are packing, and going through lots and lots of stuff... lots of it is trash ! We are finding boxes and bins of stuff, and we are wondering why on earth we saved it. We are even finding boxes that haven't been unpacked since the last move, over 9 years ago. Tell me why we schlepped that garbage from the house to the storage locker, to the new house when we finished it and moved it countless times from one side of the root cellar to the other... We will be making our third trip to the thrift shop to drop off stuff tomorrow, these have been full size truck loads! and I won't miss any of it. Now if we could just figure out where to get rid of that Black & White Photo enlarger.....

I've had a pain in my neck (no, a REAL physical pain...not just all the other krep) so the Dr. and I decided an MRI to check on the cervical fusion I had a few years ago would be a good idea. Now these tests are not awful terrible, they don't involve a needle (my criteria for awful terrible) but they aren't fun. Noisy! so I got the results the next morning and all is well, I can have the traction and physical therapy, as well as letting my massage therapist work. Have an appointment with her this afternoon.

And he got a bike. Yamaha VStar 1100 Silverado, used but by an older person. yeah, I AM the one who said no big purchases. So I caved. So.... fine, I'm a weakling. But it was a great deal, and he has time while we wait for those damned orders to tool around and get used to it. And... this is NOT news to him, so don't worry, this is HIS car. Unless we end up somewhere where he can't ride it close to 3/4 of the year, this is his mode of transport to and from work. We are leaving both vehicles up here, selling them for what we can get. Mine has 177 thousand plus miles on it.. not wanting to start paying for repairs, the AC is very bad and the radio sucks. The Big Truck, we won't need anymore, it's over 11 years old and we used it to build the house... besides the mileage is lousy.

And we wait... still don't know where exactly we are heading, they have given us a few options and we are weighing those... but as all of my military readers know, that means diddly squat to the powers that be. WE know where we would like to go, and where we really really don't want to go. They won't give a damn (ok... dream of Rhett saying that to Scarlett..... Gable really was yummmm.... time's up!) and we know it. I'm keeping a good thought and researching housing, jobs, transportation, utility bills etc for all of the places. Makes me feel like I'm doing something constructive!

Time to get back to packing. TTYL

LAW

Packing Hints ( part one of ????)

Get a GOOD heavy duty paper shredder. Take the bills, the duplicate cheques, the duplicate orders... from 1999 -2004. Shred. (took about 3 days, letting the shredder cool down when it quit in a fit of pique and a very hot odour) use the shredded documents as padding for the really delicate "good stuff" crystal and figurines.

Get Space Bags as well as good sturdy plastic bins. space bags are hard to put in the truck so put the bags in the bins. Remember, (unlike this twit "speaking" to you) that even though the bags LOOK small, put enough of them in a bin, the bin is HEAVY!

Make sure your Thrift Shop takes everything else... and keep really careful records of what you donate. (and no shopping while you are in there, although if you DO find that perfect little black dress....what the DH doesn't know won't hurt, right?)

Before you decide to use PODS, make sure they come to your area. We are going to have to either beg for one to come this way, or use UHaul... Best laid plans etc etc.

Ok, that's it so far. As I remember more of my long lost packing skills (Haven't PCSed in a long time) I'll put it down. But if any of YOU have any hints, for heavens sake, let me know.

LAW

Insult all military wives, you insult me

There is a blogger who has decided that all military wives are stupid, dumb, and idiots for remaining military spouses. She calls herself "a feminist" and she decides that after three years of screaming at all of us and the military in general who don't bow to her greater intellect and intelligence, she was done. She has quoted some idiot who decided that military spouses are all subservient, that we condone our spouses being unfaithful, that don't say boo.. well, that made my husband laugh!! I've been a feminist since before she was born! So has he.

When I commented on her blog, she got terribly upset, deciding that I was personally insulting her. However, of course, she won't publish my comment... oh, don't try to get to her site.... she's decided to make it invitation only. hmmmm. that's called not having the strength of your convictions, if you can't allow someone to criticise or oppose your way of thinking....ah well. so much for having a deep conviction in what you believe.

SO - to the Formerly Feminist military wife - Click here: On being a feminist & military spouse

Honey, you may have a dozen degrees, a veritable alphabet soup behind your name. Well, so do many others, including another blogger I have discussed this with, who is equally insulted by your ridiculous generalities. I told you that if you had that opinion about all military wives, you should look in the mirror since you are defining people, and if you don't like yourself, get some counseling. I also told you that you should take your degrees and your attitude and cram it, after you decided that anyone who willingly stays with their military spouse without demanding that the military change, was an idiot, and not a feminist. Course, no one knows how I insulted you, you are too scared to publish it. So do us all a favour, take your degrees, and leave us alone. We have enough problems. I refuse to be defined by anyone, especially someone who is so dismissive of thousands of women and men who are military spouses. I detest being slotted by any definition, feminist, liberal, military wife, white female.... whatever. Your decision to reinforce all the stereotypes that we military spouses are labeled with, is of no help to any of us at all, especially those of us who refuse to be categorized and stuffed in a pigeonhole. So don't, ever, label one of us again.... we are individuals, even you. After all, I didn't say that EVERY overeducated, self important female was a jerk.

LAW

The Bridge Collapse

I used to go over that bridge, every day, for the past two and a half years.... Today, we drove over the bridge for the first time in weeks (my project ended/temp paralegal about 2 weeks ago) But - I had a hair appointment and it's taken me YEARS to find this cutter and he's downtown - and I wanted to have lunch downtown with friends, then we were going to a mall - do some shopping and meet up with a friend for dinner. We went over the bridge the other way about 4 hours before it went down.

So... now the phone keeps ringing with people checking in, the family, friends... and I have been emailing friends to make sure that no one was there... and there wasn't a bus on the bridge, I rode the bus everyday across that bridge, and we all got to be "friendly" as one does on the bus, chitchatting.

Wow. I look at the rubble and know exactly where that is! and the signs I looked at ... holy crap.

LAW

He's home!

Surprise! yesterday morning, the dog started going bananas. I was busy, and disregarded her at first -well, she gets peeved at the wabbits, and the deer, and the kids playing next door need her attention, as does the mail carrier and that backhoe over at the other neighbour's house.... When she didn't obey the "quiet" order, I looked out the window and - HI!!! We didn't think they were going to cut him loose until Sunday!

Yay.

So... we have reservations for next month to go out and see the most beautiful toddler in the entire planet - oh yeah, and her parents... (they think we want to see them... HA! we just want the baby... they can go do something else....) and we are packing, the thrift shop will love us, and the Half Price Book store too. Space bags are a wonderful invention! We are trying to get brutal about sorting through "stuff".

don't forget Sunday on Standing by - to blog about Army Wives.

LAW

OK, done.

Done with my snit/sulk, whatever you want to call it. I should just realize that this Brigade can't do what they say, nay promise, to do. No one could, I suppose, but they have made a habit of messing up every plan I have ever had that depends on them. The question would be, I suppose, why I even start with the trusting them bit?? I don't honestly know. So, we'll live with the limbo a while longer.

Today is the last day at work. I need another week to finish what needs to be done before I turn it over to someone else! The brief from hell ate the last week. 132 pages... don't EVER do the table of authorities until everyone has put their two cents in. and make sure you tell everyone that any changes after a certain time... won't be put in. you need at least a day to get that done, the table of contents and exhibits as well.

I've started on a couple of projects, cleaning out the spare room chest of drawers (which became another clutter magnet) and getting all the Army stuff like extra uniforms etc put away properly so moving that will be easier. We both figure that if I get this type of thing done, this move may be easier .... (the sound you hear is the chortling from all the experienced military wives busting a gut.. go ahead... we all know it will turn into the stress peak it always does!) Need to get some bubble wrap.... boxes.... TAPE

Army Wives is starting to be an almost enjoyable show. but for heavens sake..THOSE BLOODY BERETS! some of these people look like they are wearing shower caps! and they have made Frank (the Major) into a cardboard cutout martinet. He's the worst of what most civilians expect of military parents. I know my father in law (a serving Navy sub commander) wasn't that way, rigid, etc. and nor was my husband. Denise, his wife, is the doormat type, at least she has been until now. Would be nice to see more of the spouses working outside the home. But I finally read the book (Tanya, good one,!) and I can see where they get some of the spouses' attributes. They sort of merged and blended them, and its easier to have most of the spouses at home.

How was your weekend? ours was SO HOT! and heavy and nasty. and then a thunderstorm with rain that made me think we were in a gale! better than the hail a couple of weeks ago, I suppose I should have expected it, I watered the plants really heavily that morning! it's the "if I water/wash the car, it's going to pour" syndrome.

LAW

gone again

I was asked if I had stopped blogging.. no, I haven't, but it has been a hell of a week or so. First, and most important, he's OUT of the Litterbox. After a hot couple days on the good side of the berm he called me from the first stop in the USA, having the now traditional lobster roll... it was breakfast this time. Then to the place where they were supposed to only be for a week... that's where it all began to go pear shaped. We had all been assured that the reintegration work would go on 24/7, no break for the 4th. So we didn't make plans, except some of us planned to work and make some extra $$. then....the first call - hey, we're getting a 24 hour pass, want to come down? well.. duh. So a friend of mine and I made plans to drive down, this was to be our 4th of July freedom date! We made reservations. (oh and when the folks at work found out, they called the hotel and paid for the room!) about 5 hours later... nope, we are getting a 3 day pass...but... (uh oh) it appears that we are going to be helping everyone else through the redeployment..... another 3 weeks or more. So cancelled the reservations. Friend drove down and picked them up, big reunion... in the parking lot of Caribou Coffee... no band, no flags... but he's THERE!

Here we segue into the work situation. I told the boss he was coming home and that we were going to be going to visit the grandbaby...so there was my last day, right? when this 3 week thing came up, I said I was available.... everyone at work was happy, except the boss, who had maintained that my last day is set, and he won't deviate from that, to the despair of some of my co workers. Then the monster brief from hell necessitated my working on two of the three days he was on pass, I had promised I would be there, and since 1/2 the office was off, I couldn't find anyone to take over..... I'm a contract employee and if I don't work, I don't get paid. It would have been great to have something to do for the next 3 weeks while waiting for him to be DONE with this deployment all together, and been able to save more $$. Thank goodness I hadn't made any plane reservations. Cancelled the hotel and the car for our grandbaby visit.

OK, I know, I should be and AM very grateful to have him back safely. But dammit... how many more goodbyes do we have to say! Everyone else will come back, flags and bunting and hooorah. and our guys, will come back in the POVs they drove back with this morning, after spending 3 weeks doing not much more than sheparding the returnees through the maze of redeployment and while the new groups go home to their families, turning around and helping another group through. ok, so I'm whiny this time. get over it.

And I will. but why is it "first in" has to be last out? Granted, he's safe, but living in barracks and eating mess hall food still... oh, LAW, shut up and get over it. I will... but I maintain that today, I'm gonna sulk.

LAW

"suck it up"

If I hear THAT expression again, from a military spouse no less, I'll pop a bolt. Just pisses me off. she got pissed because I said that we didn't deserve the nastiness and anger that a soldier dished out to us on Spouse Buzz. I mentioned we were the spouses at home, keeping our families together and "scared lonely and frightened". She maintained that we shouldn't be any of those things, after all we married the military etc etc.

I have had some support.. which is nice. I just don't get why that offended her! Let's see: been alone with the cat and the dog for 20+ months - ok, I think lonely would be a good description. Let's see - DH is in a country that isn't very happy or welcoming to him, sends little presents like mortars... I've been to 9 Brigade funerals, and believe it or not, I READ the news... so scared ... yeah. think so.

Frightened? yeah, the thought of being alone longer, or something happening to DH.. yeah, that's frightening.

so ya know what, lady - take that flagpole you are attempting to run yourself up, and cram it.... SIDEWAYS! I've been sucking it up for an awfully long time now, and when you hit my level, then YOU suck it up.

LAW

"Army Wives" with friends

I spent the evening watching Army Wives, but this time with friends. No, no one came over. We were all over the country, one at Ft. Bragg, a couple in Tampa, me in the Midwest and I even met another spouse who's husband is serving with mine, and a couple... I dunno where they are. But for one hour, we were together, thanks to Jan on Standing By. It was so much FUN! we could laugh at stuff... wonder WHY the Lt. Col had her collar like that, and cried at what Claudia Joy said about separations and what it means to us.

I'll "copy" from Jan at Standing By, if she doesn't mind

"It's the part no one really talks about. On TV you see the flags waving, big reunions. But it's later, when it's just the two of you and you're looking at someone you love and you realize years have gone by, years you'll never get back. And during that time you've both grown - changed - but not together."

She said it all, for a lot of us.

Opinions? Well, here's mine. They did some good stuff this week. The shots of Roxy and Trevor squabbling right before he gets ready to deploy (been there, it happens to most of us) Roxy trying SO hard to be the good little army wife, but not understanding about those things like cotton vs synthetic shirts, and the sobering reason as explained to her by Pam..... Trevor asking her to shut off the TV with the war news on and her wanting to KNOW what he's heading into. Roland and Joan - a bit accelerated, but the signs of the marriage falling apart and why, Joan wanting to go back..... too sad to say, there are a lot of marriages going through this, and I hope they show how you can recover from it. Some of the story lines... a bit far fetched, but the overwhelming impression was that they were doing a lot better.

So, next Sunday, c'mon over to Standing By and join the party. Bring chips, we ran out early

LAW

The Filly Did It!!

Rags to Riches just won the Belmont. and what a beautiful filly she is. a mile and a quarter and she did a great job. Curlin tried, he really did, but didn't have the kick to do it.

Girl power. And she's going to be a hell of brood mare. Wonder if she'll go to Ocala, or Kentucky.

LAW

Sorry, been a while since we talked.

So much to tell you, almost too much! Ok, let's get it out of the way first - "Army Wives" the TV show. For anyone reading this, let me first say that, yes I know the show is drama, and not supposed to be real. That's good.. cause it isn't. If you'd like to join a discussion, jump on over to "Standing By" (it's over there, on the right... no, down more... there) we are going to be live blogging on Sunday during the show. Should be fun, it'll be more fun to be able to say "can you Believe that???" to someone else.

Let's see. Trying to sell the house. This is a truly lousy, awful pain in the butt, nightmare thing to do. We have a "non traditional" house that will need that one person, who has been looking for a house like this. In this housing market, that just totally sucks! Got a new realtor, the first one (who was a friend, and still is) well... that didn't work out. So interviewed another one, who was a contractor as well and decided that we had to do tons of very expensive work, and of course HE would do it... so no, got rid of that one. New one walked in, we talked about the crappy market, and that it would be tough. Cut the price and hope for the best!

Lots of work at the office. Can't say too much about that, other than sometimes I detest lawyers. especially packs of them.. who can't put their egos aside for what's best for the client.

The Army is making me nuts! Trying to get paperwork through the unit... takes MONTHS. and then trying to get it to the right person at the right place, well my children, that will truly test your patience.

Countdown (sorta) I keep telling DH that I will believe it when I see him, not before.

LAW

Replay

Tonight's 60 Minutes was so hard. So incredibly hard. That unit 1-133 Iowa National Guard is in the same BCT with my husband's unit. When they showed the reactions of the families to the extension... one thing they forgot, was that we all found out from the news... that the meetings with the General etc., were after the fact. We knew from the media. Guess they didn't want to show that part, huh?

They talk about us being part of the small groups that are carrying the load alone. Yeah, that's us. And the people saying "it's not fair"... and the depression... it's common. Very common. and the questioning about the war, that's common too. The questioning by the troops, that's hard to see. The questioning here at home, is building and getting louder and louder. Is anyone out there listening? I don't think so. They are all so busy running for office. So busy wanting their own voice heard, so busy wanting all that power..... The last election said something, or so we thought. But it's not working, no one has the guts to stand up and do something. so we'll sit here, and wait. and want, and hope.

LAW

migraine & massage

After the last very stressful 24 hours, it was so wonderful to go for my weekly massage therapy. She found that muscle that was knotted and really worked on it. And ... although while she was doing it I wanted to jump off the table, she got it. not completely, I'm too tense and stressed out, but she stopped the migraine that I walked in with.

So if you are tense, stressed and hurting, find a licensed massage therapist..... it will help, no drugs, and the dopamine released by the touching will also help lift your mood.

LAW

It's OUR day today!

Happy Military Spouse Appreciation Day to all of US. Not just spouses, but all the family members who hold it all together. The ones who keep the homes and families going, who manage on a budget that would make Trump cringe, who cry in private for what could have been, who listen to the news and send a silent prayer for the family of the fallen (and pray it's not theirs), who answer the questions and fears of their children, who answer the insensitive and ridiculous questions of their families and strangers alike.

Happy MSAp to the families who try to make Christmas, Thanksgiving and Easter as happy as possible, with that empty chair at the table; to the spouse who sits alone in the house while friends celebrate; to the spouse, mom or dad, who waits by the phone, carries the cell phone clipped to the belt at all time, jumps at every "you've got mail" announcement.

Happy MSAp to the spouse who supports their soldier, when they don't believe in the war, and to the family member who does believe. Happy MSAp to that small 2% of the American public, for whom the news from Iraq isn't academic, for whom the latest casualty announcement is "one of us".

There's a line in a movie (Gardens of Stone) It's a toast I think fits today. "Here's to us and those like us" We deserve it.

LAW

I'm fine, thanks. really.

I have had a couple of my blogfriends ask me if I am ok, since I haven't been here in a while. I'm absolutely fine, I just had to clean the house (and I mean CLEAN!) the house before the Open House this weekend.

So thanks for worrying.. I'm here, I'm still waiting for DH to get home...and hoping it will end soon.

LAW

Will the Shrub go NOW?

The Preznit has, in the past, gone to Ft. Bragg for Photo Ops, making sure that he gets on the news with the troops and their families carefully spread out behind him. (and they are the really photogenic ones too!) Now that a truly horrendous week for the 82nd has happened, 9 troops killed and at least 15 wounded in one attack, will he go for any memorial service? I really doubt it. He babbles a great deal, tells everyone that only he and those like him support the troops. The rest of us, the ones who question, who don't blindly believe everything he says, are suspect, they don't come out directly and call us traitors, but the implications are there. Actually, Deadeye deferment Dickie isn't that circumspect...he'll tell us that we are!

All of them on Capitol Hill, Dem or Repub need to quit playing politics with us. The spending bill needs to be stripped of the pork, the non binding resolution needs to be explained to Preznit (non binding means we feel strongly about it, but it's not THE LAW!) and get the thing passed. No one's political career is more important than funding the troops, funding your latest silly self aggrandizing project is NOT more important, nor is your stubborn, (5 year old throwing temper tantrum) arrogant "cause I's the Prezint" refusal to deal with Congress. I suppose I am being ridiculous, hoping that Congress and the administration, the two parties, and everyone else will stop for a moment, and think about the troops and not themselves. Yeah.. I'm sure I am.

LAW

Busy days ahead

What a week! I got sick, again. I'm getting tired of this, but I realized that I needed to just stop and rest, sleep, recharge. But this cold was nasty. Now, I sound like Lauren Bacall (or was that Bogie....) Then back at work the desk was piled high, and the boss is sick.

This is the last weekend before the Open House. So, of course it's busy as hell, and I am optimistically hoping that most of what I want to accomplish will get done. Got a handyman coming to do some of the heavy stuff, need to pick up the pressure washer and stuff this morning and start the siding cleaning. My cleaning person will be able to get most of the straight cleaning done this week, and my mom is coming to help me stage the place. Yeah, I have been watching all of those "sell this house/Buy Me" type shows. Time to take down all the personal pictures, put the makeup and bathroom stuff in boxes, and hope like hell I don't throw away anything important.

My realtor had an inspector come through the house. I dragged myself out of bed (it was earlier this week) and into the shower, ran the vacuum, made sure the dog behaved herself, and waited rather anxiously. But except for cleaning the siding, he told me that the house is in great shape, don't have to worry about doing anything hugely expensive. I also don't have to worry about a buyer trying to spring something on us at closing. whew.

My little grand daughter (the genius!) is now trying to run, according to Son, who wondered why she was walking/running like a little sumo wrestler. I gave him the project - take a queen sized sheet, wrap it around your waist and between your legs, and try to walk. Ah HA! she can say bye bye on the phone too. She's been under the weather too, but with the usual baby bounce, the day after keeping her mom and dad up all night she was demanding more pancakes from the sitter and toddling around happy and healthy.

No politics today. Just too much to say, and I need to work out how.

Wish I was going to be at SpouseBuzz Live in San Diego or at MilBlogs conference... but NEXT YEAR! promise.

LAW

So, I'm whiny??? riiiiiiggghhttt....

On another blog http://blogs.tampabay.com/standingby/, I have been told that I am being "whiny". Well, sweetie, if you tell me I'm whining, I'M JUST NOT YELLING LOUD ENOUGH!

What we were discussing, was the discrepancy between the avalanche of coverage of the horrors of VTech, and the total and complete lack of coverage of the deaths of local soldiers... None of us are trying to minimize what happened at V. Tech and how truly horrendous it was, or minimize the pain that those family members are going through, or the horrors that those poor witnesses lived through. BUT the topic was were the sacrifices of the military being treated with less respect.

At that point, it somehow segued into the suppositions of some of the commentors that we military families were whining, when we asked for recognition or discounts or acknowledgment. That we should "suck it up". That our soldiers had, after all volunteered, and that if we didn't want to live that life, that we should not have married them... They shouldn't have joined up for training, or National Guard tuition assistance, they should have gotten grants, or second jobs..... We are whining, after all it's not THAT bad! We are getting paid by the taxpayers... blah blah blah.

Well, folks, don't tell me I'm whining, tell me TURN IT UP! I just went to a reintegration seminar, and talked to a few other deployed military spouses. They agreed... We aren't whining, we are trying to remind the rest of you that we are here . My husband's relatives don't seem to remember that he is in the Sand. And the rest of the State seems to have forgotten us as well.

When you forget that they are there, when you treat the wounded with the callous disregard we saw at Walter Reed, I start yelling. When the rest of the country spends more time worrying about who is the father of Anna Nicole Smith's baby, than the soldiers fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan, or the families back here, I start yelling. When the media would rather show more and more clips and pictures of Cho, than make note of a soldier's funeral that day, I start yelling. When we are forced to send troops back to Iraq after less than a year at home, and no one cares, I start yelling. And as for those damned discounts... at least in this State, they are few and far between! If a business wants to use the military discount as an advertisement, which they do, then I'll ask for it. If that's whining... fine. Ya don't like it, don't read this, don't listen. and in the words of many great philosophers of my aquaintance... bite me!

LAW

Want to see MAD??

Go to any military spouse link you can find. I have a few over there... on the right... yeah, there. A lot of REALLY PISSED OFF spouses. Not just the extension. The way we found out about our extension back in January, via the media.... yup, they did it again! There's some jackass cretinous son of a bitch at the Pentagon who gets his jollys by releasing this type of news, leaking it before the troops are told, and before the families were officially told. SecDef, to give him credit, got royally pissed too, and is supposedly trying to find out who it is. When they do, I would suggest, as many others have that he be caught and given to some Army wives. We need to get our frustrations out.. he'd be a great way to do it. Let's see... rusty butter knife, duct tape, iodine... are you getting the drift?

Now Homefront6 http://homefrontsix.blogspot.com/has a couple of WONDERFUL letters, I wish I had written them. She demands an apology from Pace and from the mystery leaker. All I can say is... YEAH, what she said!

By the way, today is NOT the day to say to an Army wife what some woman told me on the bus this morning. "they knew what they were getting into.. they are volunteers". No, dear reader I did not deck her, I simply got up and moved, after telling her today was not the day to say that. I didn't even curse her out. I am proud of myself for that one!

LAW

The other shoe just dropped

15 months. That's the new Boots in the Sand number for all those active duty Army (not Marine, Air Force or Navy) troops presently serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. "not less than 15 months" was how it was put in the press release. Then the part the families waited for "not less than 12 months " at home. well. ahem. Let's see, there are troops going back after 7 months home, and I suppose the 15 months Sandtime will apply.

I just don't understand. Don't the "powers that be" understand what they are doing to this Army, to the families? They are worn out. Stop loss, IRR recalls, multiple deployments, extensions, the overuse of the National Guard and Reserve, ... If this isn't a back door draft, someone tell me what is . Seriously, tell me.

We keep being told about all the good things the troops are doing. Yes, they are. They are rebuilding schools, clinics, taking care of children, trying to rebuild the shattered infrastructure. But they are also in the middle of a civil war, another country's civil war. The idiocy of going into this with too few troops, based on lies, half truths and mis statements is something I have posted about before. The continuing arrogant "because I said so" of this administration, the continuing lies and mis statements, make me wonder. The evidence is in front of them, but the spokespersons for the administration continue to make statements such as the drivel delivered by Senator McCain, the constant bluster of Deferment Dickie, and the smirking one syllable babbling of the Shrub.

I just don't understand.

LAW

Glad he finally found the time!

Well... well.. took him 6 damned weeks but the Shrub finally managed to go a few miles up the road and see the wounded at Walter Reed. Now the "visit" was supposed to be for three hours... but my my my... he just couldn't manage that, and cut it to 2 hours. 2 damned hours. Think he could spare the time, for the men and women HE sent to that hell hole?

Six freakin' weeks. Tell me he couldn't have broken away from getting ready for the correspondent's dinner preparations earlier? or from the "you're doin' a heckuva job, Al" backslappin'. Wait, hasn't he gone on vacation since the scandal broke? hasn't he had a couple of relaxing 3 day weekends at Camp David since then? But my my my... 2 whole hours... my goodness... couldn't find that time anywhere. TELL me that it took that long to schedule. Bullshit.

The whole bunch, dems and repubs should be ashamed of themselves. The PORK they loaded the appropriations bill with to get it passed was a disgrace. I'll betcha there will be more and more loaded in there in conference committee.

LAW

Rain, rain, puddles everywhere

It's been raining for days. Literally... days. The driveway is mud. The ponds are full, and the road is full of muddy potholes. Spring in the upper midwest. We are under a flash food watch!

Sewing my first Soldier's Angel blanket, 2 pieces of fleece with carpet stitch. ow ow ow. I need a thimble or three... This is the Marine one, one piece has Marine pattern, the other piece is dark blue and I'm doing Blanket Stitch in red. The Army pattern one is backed in black.. and the stitching will be gold/yellow. A friend of mine just called, she found sterling silver angels at a craft show for me. So it's all coming together!

The funeral for the latest soldier in our National Guard is this week. Please hold his family and those of the soldiers who were wounded in the same incident in your thoughts.

LAW

Spring! yup, it's sprung

I just heard the first harbinger of spring. No, not a bird, not a robin trilling or the bluebird, or the geese honking their way home. Nope. Around here the first harbinger is.... a Harley or even a herd of Harleys. There they were tooling down the highway, never thought I would be so happy to hear that sound.

The first load of laundry is hanging on the line, the windows are open, the dog is shedding like mad (I brushed a Pomeranian worth of hair off her yesterday) and the cat is kvetching at the window. Spring has sprung.

I haven't posted for a week, because I was having a little minor surgery. and DH got very very miffed (nicer than saying pissed) because I didn't tell him before I did it. I thought about it. This was not just a "wild hair" type of thing. They had a cancellation and instead of waiting for two weeks, I could get it done the next day. It was a very quick thing, I sat around for longer waiting and answering the same questions "when did you eat last"... "what meds do you take" over and over and over. The anaethesiologist was an Air Force Reservist.. and he made sure to keep me hydrated and made sure that he gave me something to head off the migraine I was sure I would get. No migraine. That was what I was dreading the most. Instead, I got a cold!

I honestly thought that he has enough to worry about, working those long hours and all the rest of it. But he didn't see it that way. so, I'm in the dog house right now.

Today I went to post office to mail a package to DH and to a guy in Afghanistan. The postal clerk has a daughter and a son in the reserves. So she starts talking about how awful it will be if Hillary gets in, "she'll just screw it all up". I'm usually very polite and nice, but I am SICK AND TIRED of being put into that little cubbyhole (right wing, conservative, republican, Bushie) So.... I snapped at her that ShrubBoy had screwed it up very well all by his little self, and that thanks to his latest great idea, I would be at the post office mailing for another 4+ months... Getting tagged with that "you are Army, so you MUST be right wing, republican etc" is making me crazy! She looked at me... I honestly thought she was going to burst into tears! Tough. Her kids are safe and sound here, one is AirForce Reserve and one is Navy Reserve.

Yesterday, it was the driveway guy... not ONE member of his family in the service, but boy, he was just gung ho. Amazing to me, those gung ho types never actually do anything.. lots of hot air but that's about it. But when I or one of those who think like me, say something like that, they just can't believe it... Well, I don't have to "prove my loyalty" to anyone any more. They don't like it, tough.

update: We just heard that we lost another soldier from the Guard. This hurts so much, since our units were supposed to be home this week. There were also 3 wounded in the same incident. Hold these families in your thoughts.

LAW

Where would I have stood today?

Today were the protest marches in DC. I keep wondering which group I would have stood with? I am, as my name implies, a Liberal. I don't agree with the invasion of Iraq, and I never have. But the military is my family, I am immersed in it right now, with the Brigade being in the Sand. I could NOT have stood by and watched peace protestors showing any disrespect to the wounded veterans that I know were at the Wall, but reading what the posters "The Eagles" were holding said about Liberals being pro AlQuaeda would have been close to impossible to take.

There are military bloggers out there, whose pages I have read and commented on, who are telling me that I am not really supporting my husband and the other members of the Brigade, if I don't support the mission, that I am, in effect, a traitor to my husband and the rest of the Brigade. Now supporting the mission... what does that mean? Do I support my husband in his mission of trying to make sure that the convoys go through safely? of course. Do I support Pat, Ashley, Phil, Todd and Nick in their missions to keep our people safe?? of course. Do I support the Brigade members who are riding convoys, building schools, hunting the men who plant IEDs? of course. BUT, do I support our continuing involvement in a civil war between two sets of religious morons?? no. Do I support the thinking that got us into that mess in the first place?? no. This entire war was mishandled from the beginning, full of the lack of planning, arrogance, and self imposed blindness that I have come to expect from this administration.

I try to show my support with care packages, planning all kinds of surprises for my husband and his troops, blankets for Soldiers Angels, try to help the families back here who slipped through the FRG cracks like me. I try to show it by making people remember that our troops are there, that the families are here and hurting so badly right now.

So where would I have stood today. I honestly don't know. Am I a traitor? that, my friends and posters, I will leave up to each of you to decide... But I have to tell you, there's only one person who's opinion matters. and no, it's not mine.

It's Pledge Week... Again

I truly truly hate pledge week. This is Public TV pledge week. a couple of weeks ago, it was Public Radio pledge week.

I just want to watch Lehrer! SHUT UP already about the wonderful radio gift and the mug and the DVDs.

We have had lovely warm weather for a few days, the snow is almost all gone (30 inches in a week) the mud is everywhere. As always, we have rivers overflowing and people in a small town being flooded out. But what amazes me, is that most of the people in that town... don't have flood insurance! excuse me, you live next to a river.. why do you NOT have flood insurance? These towns sprang up next to a river, and the only reason for the town being there, was because the river traffic stopped there. but you don't think it's going to flood??? the word "floodplain" is used for a reason, folks. I'll help people who also try to help themselves.

Have to say I'm a real downer this week. This is the week they were supposed to be leaving the litterbox. So I'm cranky, pissed off, and sad.

LAW

Yes, Virginia, some one had some sense today

Lt Gen. Kiley is gone. Not just gone, but gone as in clean out your desk today, retire today, now, immediately, don't let the door hit you in the ass on the way out, gone. He, I assume, will have 30 days to move out of that lovely home across the road from Building 18. Now, my children, if there was poetic justice, they'd make him move in there as temporary quarters! YES, that would be truly a righteous outcome.

Ah well, at least the man is outa there, and the Army. We don't need people like him, the old "circle the wagons, deny deny, blame someone else" type. This is something that has always made me angry, this need to pull up the drawbridge and NOT to admit that there is something wrong. Ok, now don't get me wrong. I wear those ARMY T shirts with great pride, I am incredibly proud of my husband and most of his troops (yes, there are oxygen thieves in the Army as there are everywhere) But sometimes I just want to scream at those who insist on saying "no, there's nothing wrong here, the media is slanted, you are all agin us" and stuff their heads up their 5th point of contact. NO. sometimes there really are things wrong. If we don't point them out, if we don't fix them, they just get worse. Don't you remember when you didn't 'fess up to your mom that something had broken, the punishment at the end was worse when she found out about it?

There are days my Army really pisses me off, and I wish my husband was doing anything else but this. And there are days they make so proud I want to cry.

I don't know how many civilians read this. I want you to understand a little how we feel. But sometimes I don't think you ever will, nor do you want to.

LAW

And it's not just Our soldiers

Seems the Brit soldiers from Iraq and Afghanistan are also being mistreated by THEIR health system. Folks, this whole damned thing needs to stop.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/03/11/nsoldiers111.xml

Enough, damnit. Enough. It's bad enough that we are in a war that is questionable, but to now treat the wounded like this, treating them without any regard, making their lives more miserable, is unconscionable. But I suppose that's what we should expect. After all, for most Americans and now it seems, most Brits, out of sight, out of mind. And to most, their support is limited to slapping a yellow ribbon magnet from WalMart or Woolworths to their SUV and slapping themselves on the chest! What is it going to take to wake you civilians out there up??? I know, it needs to be one of YOUR children, YOUR husband or wife, YOUR cousin or neighbour. Well, if we keep this level up, you might have to wake up and realize that it may be your family member.

LAW

one down, a bunch more to go.

In all the excitement about finally getting orders, and spending a bunch of time chasing them down, I didn't get to gloat! Let's see... "Scooter" is off to prison soon (but I'm sure Shrub will pardon him..... after all he got to fall on his sword for Dead Eye Deferment Dickhead) Gingrich proves that "morals" are not their strong point after all... The girl is enjoying this. As the Times said, "Gingrich had affair while hounding Clinton. "http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article1495077.ece

Yup, I'm enjoying this.

Then I read from a whole bunch of military bloggers, that they are 'upset' that the Dems are making noises about Walter Reed. OK.. so I'm trying to figure out why it upsets ANYONE that the Army is getting spanked for the digraceful conditions, not just the mould (which is the skim coat) but the insane bureaucracy and the 18 month waits for their discharge or retention paperwork, their disability ratings (which were undervalued, you would THINK they were private insurance companies....). This is true, it's something that veterans and military families have been screaming about for years, doing it the proper Army way, going up the chain. And folks, it didn't work!!

I grant you, there is a lot of talk, there are way too many commissions and reports and too much babbling and posturing, but this is the piss poor way our government does things. If we can actually change this screwed up system, I could give a damn HOW we do it. Let's get off the "Dems hate the Army" "Neo-cons hate democracy" bandwagon. Let's fix this. FAST!

Till then... support http://www.soldiersangels.org/ and http://www.sewmuchcomfort.org/

By the way, the Hospital in Landstuhl needs size 9 - 13 shoes, mens. Preferably sneakers. Here's the address:

Landstuhl Army Medical Center
Attn: Chaplains
APO AE 09180

LAW

Ta Daaaaah!

Orders............. are in! Well, in the system at any rate. This is a great relief to all of us. Planning for the BBQ they are having over in the Litterbox, actually two of them. One on each base that troops from our unit call home. Silly decorations, Rice Krispy treats and chocolate crispies are the favourite sweet treat, then we'll send some salty stuff too. Any of you have any ideas?

Not much else new, the snow is melting rapidly, all 30 inches! By Sunday all the sunny spots will be clear, and the mud will be everywhere. My dog, who is a real twit, hates mud. Finicky! and she's fun to watch when she picks her way across the gravel/mud driveway.

stay warm and dry.

LAW

Frustration!

Orders... still no damned orders. I have heard 5 different stories, from 5 different people. Why do the powers that be think that they can keep treating us with this level of disdain. We keep hearing that they are supporting the troops and their families. Is this how they show their high regard for us? the frustration level here is high. I find myself sniping at DH, very short tempered with others... and I want off this hamster wheel. We are all exhausted, angry, sick at heart, frustrated and furious that we are being swept under the rug again. This "surge" has done a great deal of damage to us all, the National Guard, the Army in total, the families trying to survive back here. At a recent seminar, I was told by one woman that her husband is glad to be staying there to accomplish the mission. I fail to understand why any man would say that to his family, he'd rather be there than with them. DH said he'd like to meet the guy, no one he knows is saying anything like that. They are working 14 hour days, and are so tired. This is a bad month, they were supposed to begin leaving in the next couple of weeks. So the Governor goes over and makes speeches and gets his picture taken with them, helmet on!! whoopdeedoo.

It's been a bad day.

LAW

Why does it matter!

I have been doing a lot of reading online about the Walter Reed debacle, as well as the mainstream media. What has amazed me is the anxiety and anger among some in the military and the families at WHO released the news. Alright, it was the Washington Post! so WHAT!! Can we get angry about what was reported, not who reported it? I wish they had published it sooner, that they hadn't waited 4 months to do so. But they did it. Yes, Andi, you are right, this information has been reported and reported, and told and retold to the chain of command. nothing happened! Same old, same old. Those of us in the military family know that we will often hear "we've always done it this way"..."it's someone else's fault"... "not in my purview".... "not my responsibilty".... To get rid of something bad, you need to put a bright light on it, a bit like getting rid of mould! Bleach, sunshine and fresh air. In this country, the media is used to shed light.

I honestly don't care if it was the Washington Post, Lehrer, or Letterman. I'm glad that the great American public finally is getting some idea of what is going on.

UPDATE: now the venerable Times of London has reported on the Walter Reed matter. Does this make it better? or is that paper also too "liberal" "anti military"...? Again. I don't care, as long as the problems are addressed


Secretary Harvey should have been gone a long time ago, but I assume the former SecDef liked his Yes man attitude. His decision to put General Kiley back in command... absolutely ridiculous ! This is the man who was in charge of the place for over 3 years, I could not believe his head up the butt statement that there are rats there because the soldiers brought food in. Blame the victims, that's just way too "raise the drawbridge and hunker down". I am relieved that he will not be back. His attitude was symbolic of the old Army way, that we have been told is no longer SOP. Of course I know that this is going to take a hell of a long time to fix, that the mould and such were the easy fixes. I'm not so foolish as to think that the sea of bureaucracy and forms and boards of review are just going to go away. But just maybe, this is a first step.

Let's forget about who gave us the news, let's try to fix the problem.

LAW

p.s. No orders yet....

BLIZZARD!

It's snowing again, but this time it's sideways! blowing like crazy and piling up quickly I'm very glad I stayed home today. Brought work home, thinking ahead for a change. Just went out for some wood for the little woodstove, and was really glad I had the guy dump it just outside the back door. Almost got blown off my feet.

otherwise... not much. trying my new glasses, and I feel like my eyes are being rotated! this is the second pair, the first were completely wrong, and I'm beginning to think these are too. getting a bit cranky about this.

JJ the cat (full name: J. Bertram Feline... hey, not my idea! ) has discovered cat nip. Last night he was stoned! I am trying to get him to use a new scratching pad, and put a little bit of catnip on it. He hasn't scratched it just rubbed himself over it, and licked it... and is just goofy. Even the dog is staring at him, she can't believe it either.

stay safe, stay warm, and if you are in this area... Stay Home!

LAW

It finally snowed.

This is taken out of the spare room window. When we planted those pines, the were about 18 inches high, if that. Now, they are at least 7 feet high, if not higher. Time flies. We finally got snow, thirteen inches so far. I was luckily plowed out by my very nice neighbour who did my driveway earlier this afternoon. Last night, it was so nasty, I literally had to yank the dog out of the door to do what she needed to do, she tried not to go into the blizzard.

Talked to DH this morning. Not much new or at least nothing he's going to tell me about. Talked to son the other night, seems the perfect child may have taken a couple of steps by herself. I told them, I need film of this amazing feat!

take care. stay in touch.

LAW

You MUST go to the site I have linked.

She wrote the post I wanted to right here

I challenge MY readers too. We have to do something to help the wounded. We have been screaming for a long time, out in the middle of nowhere. NOW that the Washington Post exposed what a lot of us feared was happening, maybe someone will wake up. Definitely go to Chuck's site that she links to. you will be stunned. absolutely stunned.

So do something, say something, write a letter, contribute to one of the sites she links you to, volunteer at YOUR VA or military hospital. But how we cure the bureaucracy.... now that's something we need to figure out too. but that's gonna take changing the law!

LAW

Various and Sundry Blatherings

Yahoo! I woke up and it was over 5 degrees (and that was above zero). After the last few weeks of below zero every night and barely above during the day, this is wonderful. I keep thinking, this will make moving away much easier. But watching the poor dog doing the frosty paws dance is rather fun.

Let's see. what else. Oh yes, going to buy an elliptical this weekend. Not one of those cheapo's either. I tried belonging to the Y downtown. but not exactly a wonderful experience, the classes were ok, but when I got used to one teacher, they replaced her with a terrible one, the music was horrible... then waiting in line for machines, took up alot of my lunch hour (and a half) showering in the large shower rooms.. no I didn't like that either. I was rushed the entire time, and then I had to make up the time at work. In the summer that wasn't so bad, but when the sun isn't up until after seven am, and goes down around 4 pm. I ended up feeling like a mole! So after consulting with the DH, doing a lot of research, (yay, consumer reports!!) I made the choice. Now it's just a matter of gritting my teeth, writing the cheque and getting it delivered. I really hate spending that much!

Today is massage day! yay! my massage therapist's kids play hockey, and every other weekend is hers to go from hockey game to hockey game. but the other weekend I get to go and have her work out the knots.

Good grief, this is a very ME ME ME post, isn't it?

DH is fine, thank you. very busy. Son emailed, told me grand daughter (the most perfect baby in the universe) loves spaghetti, or at least makes a lot of mess out of it! they seem to be fine, busy as is usual for a young working couple with a baby. Wish I could see her a lot more, but that's just not possible right now. maybe this summer.

a little political blather as well... I posted something on a blog that I had left. They had asked me not to leave, lots of Oh, we need your point of view,etc.... So I posted, about a Guardsman who was being buried the next week. Two comments... two. Now they know why I don't post there anymore. Bringing real life into the mix scares them spitless. When one debates escoteric matters, without getting ones hands dirty (metaphorically) they are just fine. But let it be real life.... oh no... too real. They live in their own little world and heaven forbid reality intrude! my my my. as someone near and dear said "just a buncha REMFs"

so... end the MEME post. Political one next, probably. but that will be a rant!

have a wonderful weekend. stay dry, warm, and safe

LAW

Happy V Day

Happy Valentine's Day! to those whose sweetheart is deployed.... to those who are sitting alone, watching tv.. and who are so glad this "holiday" is over. One more cutesy commercial of two lovers cuddling up while a little stuffed animal babbles, I think I'll snap. but it was funny watching the frantic grabs at the waaaay overpriced flowers at the little florist shops in the skyway today.. the little sweet shop (that carried chocolate thongs!!) was so full they were spilling out the door.. the card store was jammed. I got roses from DH at work, brought most of them home, but left two in a bud vase at work. And it's still cold! someone said it's lucky we don't have any snow, although quite honestly, I could use a snow day! a good excuse not to go to work.

So for those of you who have your honey around, cuddle up and stay warm.

Still cold

yeah, still colder than hell. yikes. even the dog is getting crabby about it.... doing the little frosty paws dance. course, since she decided to eat part of her bed again last night (no, I don't know why she does that!) she's needing to go out alot.. sorry more information than you need.

went to lunch with a very cool lady, who understands! A lot. She's another "old warhorse" (Sorry, LA, we ARE!!) been around the army since forever. and none of this put the flag pole up your arse, and drink the koolaid, follow the caissons crapola. Felt great... but the waitress was starting to wonder about us... loooooooong lunch!

A family member of my dear neighbour had a bad accident, so keep a good thought for him, ok? and another dear friend has a new broadband set up, so she's gonna be burning up the Net! AND even better, an old old friend of ours is out of Afghanistan!!!!! yay. He should be home in the next couple of days. I'm soooooo happy for him, and his family must be absolutely over the moon.

Don't want to write about anything negative today. so..... that's about it.

OH, go here... http://www.thestar.com/News/article/180331 let me know how you feel about it!

stay warm.

LAW

Cold! Cold! Oh it's colder than ....... that too!

Yes, my dear friends. -27 yesterday morning, with the windchill, -40 something. It was brutal, and nasty and miserable. Why am I here!

This past weekend has been mizzable. Dog got sick, coughing gagging... keeping me up all night. No sleep, means migraine. The only good thing... the massage. My massage therapist has an electric blanket under the sheet on top of the very soft mattress... sigh. What a lovely way to get warm.

A bunch of us on SpouseBuzz were discussing the fact that everytime you PCS (move in civilian speak "Permanent Change of Station) you lose the hairdresser/cutter that you finally found that did a great job. For me, we'll have to add my Massage Therapist. She is wonderful. great hands, she can really get deep or be very gentle, relax or charge up. DH found her, and misses her in the Sand.

Otherwise. still no orders, of course. next......

Miz Ann has company

Molly Ivins, one of those amazing writers who could make me cry and laugh hysterically at the same time, died today. No one I know could skewer our political world quite as well, with wonderful little "texass-isms" and when she and Gov Ann Richards got together on stage, it was a laugh riot, that still made you think. How sad that both are gone, but I betcha the party is in full swing wherever they are (Valhalla? Paradise??) My grandmother always said she didn't want to go to heaven, her entire bridge club was surely going to hell since they cheated, and she didn't want to be bored.

We rattled a few cages about orders (see another post below) and we finally finally got an answer. AT LEAST 30 days. this is going to hurt a lot of people. but hey, why bother themselves about us. we are just the little yutzes, the families that the DoD really would rather not have to deal with (the old adage, "if we wanted you to have a wife, soldier, we would have issued you one" is still the mind set!) Our State command is promising to get it all done as fast as they can. but... we've been in this position before. Went 7 weeks without pay once. So I'll believe it when I see it. one good thing, finally found out who my rear det person is. The one at our old company, still hasn't responded to requests for information, but then she doesn't like families either. My new one, as soon as he got the email, was right there, answering me.

the temp is about to hit bottom. the high on Friday is supposed to be -1.... Saturday even lower. and that's without windchill! So, I think I'll just stay in (except for my massage, it would have to rain snakes for me to miss that!) but otherwise, I'll stay in, keep the woodstove roaring and maybe get more baking done.

so, friends and neighbours, remember Molly with a smile, think of the troops overseas and their families at home, and stay warm!!

Nothing specific, really

From The Chief.... A little humour from the troops!



Anyway... it's been a long few days.. at work the boss, bless his little heart has gotten a few more bees in his bonnet, which results in a lot of research and running around. But today he actually took my advice about a case. Nice to know that he respects my opinion.

Right now, I am paring down my life a bit. I have decided not to comment on another site I was often on, they upset me too much, and my mental equilibrium is rocky, at best. I was on another blog today, and that particular blogger, who is another military wife from the Brigade, is taking time away from her blog. I don't want to do that here, it's a nice quiet way to talk to my friends. I find getting on the phone too much some days, it's easier to keyboard. Besides, I have to talk at work a lot, and when I get home, it's sometimes a bit much.

A little peace and quiet. That's hard to come by! the long commute is noisy, downtown is constant noise... and the dog is so nuts right now, chases the cat and really does need a good long walk! but it's too cold, icy and dark when I get home! my dear neighbour is not going to be working outside the home for a while, so she can let the monster out during the day and play some B-A-L-L (we don't say the word...) that could calm her down.

Well, friends, I may not get on as often, unless a lot happens in the next little while. And I am hoping it doesn't. As I always tell the Chief, quiet is good.

LAW

ok, so now what?

That was the question I heard a lot yesterday at a seminar I attended. It was supposed to be about reunion. But a lot of time was spent on extension. Many of us have questions, like where are the damned orders? Without orders, you can't do anything! For the civilians amongst you, Orders are something akin to the Grail. We need them to get new ID cards, to send to the student loan people to continue the deferment, to send to credit card companies, to the mortgage company and rental companies. Basically, we aren't "officially" extended until we get those.. Last time I asked (this morning) DH told me they hadn't been issued yet. Now c'mon, all they have to do is change a couple of dates in the computer... sheeeeeesh.

The seminar was run by Karen Pavlicin. For those deployed, for those about to be, and for those who may be, her books are great, lots of ideas, for people with and without kids. Lists too, for those like me who like having a list to check off.....

It's snowing.. and it's quiet, that quiet when it's snowing, everything is hiding and everyone is off the roads (it's sunday morning, so either they are in church, or sleeping, or having breakfast) I should be cleaning or baking, or something.

Time to get on with "the next chapter" as Karen called it.

LAW

Lack of respect from the cold hearted bastards

The extension is beginning to sink in. This has sucked massively. The dear Pentagon decided to "leak" the news, before letting our command structure know, including the General or the Governor! The families weren't notified by command, (since they didn't know) and we found out by listening to the radio, watching TV, the internet.... Me, I was driving home, almost put the car in a ditch! screamed, cried, cursed all the way home. Then watched that insane, delusional, head up his butt speech that Shrub gave. AND then he decided to tie 9/11 and Iraq together again.... stupid little man. After that, DH got online. We were IMing, with our web cams going.... and I realized he didn't know!!!! Thaaaats right folks... the troops weren't told by their command (since, once again, the command structure didn't know, and it was midnight their time) most of them found out from their family's emails and phone calls. So there I sat... saying things like .... check the news.... you were right.... trying NOT to say, you got extended... He read it on the internet, from the AP. Don't you think it should have been done in a much more professional manner? Don't you think the Pentagon should have done this in a proper military chain of command?

Somehow this made it all worse... the lack of respect that we were treated with, the lack of respect that the troops and our command structure were treated with... After all these years of being an Army Wife, you would have thought that I would be used to it. But I'm not. Just offended, angered and hurt.

LAW

Extended

A word no one wanted to hear. We have been notified that the Brigade has been extended in Iraq for a so far non determined length of time. I'm too angry, too pissed off, and too sad to write more.

LAW

R&R was great, but too short

Two weeks flew by. Absolutely FLEW by. From the beginning: DH arrived in the middle of the day, very very tired after all that flying from the litterbox. We were very lucky that he didn't have to sit in Kuwait for a long time, as did a friend of ours. The next day, even though I was expecting him to want to just sit and rest, we did shopping! Toys R Us... noisy toys, he was trying everything and only noisy ( and educational) got picked. The big Denver Storm #1 was going on, so when we went to pick up the car at the rental agency, we were happy to get a 4WD. Jeep Liberty, ok, but can anyone tell me WHY they only have one cup holder up front? Left for Denver, stopped at a great B&B in Lincoln NE, and were told the road from North Platte was closed. the next morning, it was "open"... glad we had the 4WD.

Then Granpa got to see his granddaughter for the first time. and they had a great time together... their own language even... and the noisy toys were a great success. the hotel we stayed at was lovely but was a businessman's hotel, so breakfast and internet weren't free, but the rate was super since they were empty for the holiday, and after everyone was able to get out of Denver finally! the roads were ok, but the side streets were lousy. We got to take her outside to see snow... NOT impressed at all. Lasagna eating was a lot more fun, messy but fun. Leaving was difficult, we hated saying goodbye to myrtle turtle, but there was another storm heading in.

Driving back.. the smell of Kansas and Nebraska and parts of Iowa... cow, lots of cow! peeeeeehew. then we spent the last few days of leave doing not much of anything. Baked a little, cooked a lot, he cut a bunch of wood for the burner. We spent time, just talking. and the dog enjoyed herself, the cat deigned to allow him to pet him...

And I took him to the airport this morning. The crappy part of leave, the part that hurts. another three months, so they say. I'll believe it when I see him step off the bus. Those of you who have been through this, you know how I feel right now. It was wonderful to see him, talk to him, touch him, but now it's almost worse than before!

So, back to the long wait, the alone.

LAW