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