Utah goes on forEVER! Yes you heard me it went on for way to long. The only nice thing about today's drive was watching the pup figure out that the little stream the fed into the Colorado River was fun and she could get her little feeties wet. She ever barked her concern of those in the rapids that it wasn't safe in the water. She got quite a few "awwwws" for that. At least we made it to Denver today.
So triva fans I would like to know why are Utah's state highways identified with with a bee hive?
Wednesday, July 26, 2006
Tuesday, July 25, 2006
Mommy says I have to
...The dog is killing me. We are in Salt Lake City tonight on the way to our new duty station. The dog has been sulking the whole way. She lies in her box facing the backseat staring at nothing for hours on end.
I guess it could be worse, she could be kicking the driver's seat for hours on end instead!
I guess it could be worse, she could be kicking the driver's seat for hours on end instead!
Sunday, July 16, 2006
I guess Momma forgot to tell you...
...you do not wear a baseball cap on your melon while sitting in a church or mission or just about any place of worship. No panama hats either.
...no matter how bored you are during the rehearsal, you do not put your feet up on the pew in front you & proceed to stretch your legs out fully using the pew as a foot/leg rest.
...you do not dip your hand in the water by the door just to see what it is and then flick the holy water off your hand onto the floor.
...you are not a bovine, please do not chew your gum and snap bubbles like a bovine during the entire ceremony and mass following.
...even if you are not Catholic and regardless of fashion trends of the summer you do not wear short shorts, old ratty capris pants, tevas, 99 cent flip flops good for shower shoes, skin tight tiny strapped tops that provided me with such a view I thought about the "plumbers crack joke", tubetop dresses (unless with a shawl or sweater while in the mission) or a tank top t-shirt with a cross bedazzled on it in bright shiny crystals in a mission that is so old that it was one of the original missions of California's El Camino Real.
At least no one took communion and spit out the host (or put it in their pocket).
...no matter how bored you are during the rehearsal, you do not put your feet up on the pew in front you & proceed to stretch your legs out fully using the pew as a foot/leg rest.
...you do not dip your hand in the water by the door just to see what it is and then flick the holy water off your hand onto the floor.
...you are not a bovine, please do not chew your gum and snap bubbles like a bovine during the entire ceremony and mass following.
...even if you are not Catholic and regardless of fashion trends of the summer you do not wear short shorts, old ratty capris pants, tevas, 99 cent flip flops good for shower shoes, skin tight tiny strapped tops that provided me with such a view I thought about the "plumbers crack joke", tubetop dresses (unless with a shawl or sweater while in the mission) or a tank top t-shirt with a cross bedazzled on it in bright shiny crystals in a mission that is so old that it was one of the original missions of California's El Camino Real.
At least no one took communion and spit out the host (or put it in their pocket).
Thursday, July 13, 2006
Gotta love 'em even if they drive you crazy
I haven't posted about this yet as I was still trying to make peace with the whole situation. On the 30th when we arrived after about two hours of sitting in my parents home, they told me some disturbing news.
In April 2005 my father found out he had a heart arythmia and diabetes. Yes that's right it was about a 1 1/2 years ago that they knew this but waited until I had been up about 20 hours straight to let me know. The heart problem included going to the hospital for them to purposely stop my father's heart and restart it in the hopes of correcting the rythm. My family then proceeded to forbid my brother to tell me anything about it until now.
All of this was kept from me because some how in their mind against my brother's advice, they thought it was a good idea. My parents felt that with the hubby being deployed that it was better to not tell me as it might upset me. I am no orchid that's for sure and they didn't need to wait a year and a frickin' half to tell me about it. What's even more irritating is that my father so much as said that if he deploys again he would do the very same thing time and time again.
Being tired, cranky and pissed as all hell that they basically withheld important information (such as killing my father and starting his heart again) I went nuts on them. I really was disgusted because they raised me in an environment that involved their children in the things that life threw them - because according to them they had no secrets and that we as a family would work on them together. So you may start to see the point here.
As a family I would have liked to know that he was going in to have his heart worked on, that he would need to lose weight and control his new found diabetes. It doesn't mean I have to fix it but that if there was something I could do I would lend a hand. It was a big slap in the face to be raised as a family working on problems together to completely shutting me out of all of it including not even telling me right after it was over and done with.
For the next nine years of my spouse's military career I will be faced with at least three more deployments and my family's crazy idea that hidding the truth from me would be a bright idea. This part of life does not thrill me, especially since my folks are getting older and will probably be faced with more health issues as time goes along. I am trying to focus on the positive of this such the fact that my dad lost 20 lbs, quit smoking for over a year now and controls his diabetes with diet. I must remember that these are all good things and with the best intentions my parents tried to spare me from them. No really they meant well (I just want to kill them for it first).
In April 2005 my father found out he had a heart arythmia and diabetes. Yes that's right it was about a 1 1/2 years ago that they knew this but waited until I had been up about 20 hours straight to let me know. The heart problem included going to the hospital for them to purposely stop my father's heart and restart it in the hopes of correcting the rythm. My family then proceeded to forbid my brother to tell me anything about it until now.
All of this was kept from me because some how in their mind against my brother's advice, they thought it was a good idea. My parents felt that with the hubby being deployed that it was better to not tell me as it might upset me. I am no orchid that's for sure and they didn't need to wait a year and a frickin' half to tell me about it. What's even more irritating is that my father so much as said that if he deploys again he would do the very same thing time and time again.
Being tired, cranky and pissed as all hell that they basically withheld important information (such as killing my father and starting his heart again) I went nuts on them. I really was disgusted because they raised me in an environment that involved their children in the things that life threw them - because according to them they had no secrets and that we as a family would work on them together. So you may start to see the point here.
As a family I would have liked to know that he was going in to have his heart worked on, that he would need to lose weight and control his new found diabetes. It doesn't mean I have to fix it but that if there was something I could do I would lend a hand. It was a big slap in the face to be raised as a family working on problems together to completely shutting me out of all of it including not even telling me right after it was over and done with.
For the next nine years of my spouse's military career I will be faced with at least three more deployments and my family's crazy idea that hidding the truth from me would be a bright idea. This part of life does not thrill me, especially since my folks are getting older and will probably be faced with more health issues as time goes along. I am trying to focus on the positive of this such the fact that my dad lost 20 lbs, quit smoking for over a year now and controls his diabetes with diet. I must remember that these are all good things and with the best intentions my parents tried to spare me from them. No really they meant well (I just want to kill them for it first).
Thursday, July 06, 2006
Thank You she says
My musings of our Independence day comes a little later than the 4th but still with just as much thought.
My friend and I have been trying to work on a friendship that over the years has had its thrashings where we didn't speak for several years. Mostly our issues were stupid things we've done to each other and as time passes and we grow a little we each learn to see the other's point of view and the error in our choices.
While riding in the car, a soft quiet but heartfelt apology comes from my friend over our last stupid human trick. We both start spouting out how we could have handled things differently, better and without so much drama. We've both grown and learned and wished that maybe if we had done it this way or not said that, that things would have never gotten quite so "two bears fighting over a fish." I am glad that with time (heaven knows I needed a few years to even look objectively over the issue) we learned a better way to handle things and treat each other.
Some where before or after our realization that not all things must be so rough & tumble while being friends, we were talking about politics, the hubby's deployment and the future of our military life. What blew me away and was a pretty cool thing to say was her thanks she gave to my spouse. She thanked him for purposely putting himself in harms way, so that her spouse didn't have to. I probably don't give the moment the proper justice, but she recognized that through my spouse's job, hard work and sacrifice - her family can sleep at night protected by those who serve.
Suburbia and Suburbanites, are keenly aware of what it is that a military member does each and every day....and they are thankful for their freedom.
My friend and I have been trying to work on a friendship that over the years has had its thrashings where we didn't speak for several years. Mostly our issues were stupid things we've done to each other and as time passes and we grow a little we each learn to see the other's point of view and the error in our choices.
While riding in the car, a soft quiet but heartfelt apology comes from my friend over our last stupid human trick. We both start spouting out how we could have handled things differently, better and without so much drama. We've both grown and learned and wished that maybe if we had done it this way or not said that, that things would have never gotten quite so "two bears fighting over a fish." I am glad that with time (heaven knows I needed a few years to even look objectively over the issue) we learned a better way to handle things and treat each other.
Some where before or after our realization that not all things must be so rough & tumble while being friends, we were talking about politics, the hubby's deployment and the future of our military life. What blew me away and was a pretty cool thing to say was her thanks she gave to my spouse. She thanked him for purposely putting himself in harms way, so that her spouse didn't have to. I probably don't give the moment the proper justice, but she recognized that through my spouse's job, hard work and sacrifice - her family can sleep at night protected by those who serve.
Suburbia and Suburbanites, are keenly aware of what it is that a military member does each and every day....and they are thankful for their freedom.
Saturday, July 01, 2006
On the ground & running
We said our goodbye's to Detuscheland for the last time. Yesterday's flight was long but we are finally on the ground. I am mixed about how I feel.
As I drove across the bridge to the East Bay, I had to laugh. The whole last leg of the trip from DWF to SFO all we talked about was going to In n Out Burger. A hamberger versus a Frickadelle never tasted so good! Now we have to hit a Wendy's so I can dip my fries in my Frosty and I will be set for quite a while.
It's sad to be leaving a place we actually got to stay in for six years but it's great to be in a place where you can speak without thinking about what you want to say. I never thought I'd say it but while talking to someone about our experiences in Germany I called it 'home.' You adapt, you learn to deal with what you can't stand and you learn to love where you are. We will miss good beer, assigned seating in the theatre, not worrying about idiots passing you on the right, and a few other things.
I'm still homeless for the next month or so but will be staying with folks that have a faster connection than my folks do. Maybe I can upload a few new pictures soon. I really want my stuff, my bed and just to inspect what the idiot packers broke while pretending to be a moving company.
Be nice to each other, I 'll check in as often as I can.....Honey can we go to Wendys now?
As I drove across the bridge to the East Bay, I had to laugh. The whole last leg of the trip from DWF to SFO all we talked about was going to In n Out Burger. A hamberger versus a Frickadelle never tasted so good! Now we have to hit a Wendy's so I can dip my fries in my Frosty and I will be set for quite a while.
It's sad to be leaving a place we actually got to stay in for six years but it's great to be in a place where you can speak without thinking about what you want to say. I never thought I'd say it but while talking to someone about our experiences in Germany I called it 'home.' You adapt, you learn to deal with what you can't stand and you learn to love where you are. We will miss good beer, assigned seating in the theatre, not worrying about idiots passing you on the right, and a few other things.
I'm still homeless for the next month or so but will be staying with folks that have a faster connection than my folks do. Maybe I can upload a few new pictures soon. I really want my stuff, my bed and just to inspect what the idiot packers broke while pretending to be a moving company.
Be nice to each other, I 'll check in as often as I can.....Honey can we go to Wendys now?
Thursday, June 29, 2006
Soldiers Angles (Germany) Needs a Hand
(This post will remain at top, see below for regular postings).
Dear Soldiers Angels,
We are in the midst of our fourth deployment, and I know you are all tired,
you have been restlessly trying to get supplies to our wounded in
The Mid east and Germany and we have been able to help many heroes.
Unfortunately we still have many wounded coming in daily and
Willie in Germany truly needs your help. Please consider once again
gathering all your energy and get needed items to our heroes.
We need T-shirts large sizes
boxers
socks
microwave food
letters of encouragement
entertainment items
blankets of hope
gifts for the families
ship to:
21st TSC, Medical Transient Detachment
ATTN: Soldiers' Angels
UNIT 23203
APO AE 09263
Dear Soldiers Angels,
We are in the midst of our fourth deployment, and I know you are all tired,
you have been restlessly trying to get supplies to our wounded in
The Mid east and Germany and we have been able to help many heroes.
Unfortunately we still have many wounded coming in daily and
Willie in Germany truly needs your help. Please consider once again
gathering all your energy and get needed items to our heroes.
We need T-shirts large sizes
boxers
socks
microwave food
letters of encouragement
entertainment items
blankets of hope
gifts for the families
ship to:
21st TSC, Medical Transient Detachment
ATTN: Soldiers' Angels
UNIT 23203
APO AE 09263
Tuesday, June 20, 2006
Missing Soldiers Found
Thankfully Pfc Thomas Tucker & Pfc Kristian Menchaca will be coming home. Not how I could have liked them to but they will be coming home. I have only kind thoughts for their families.
I hope the filth that did what they did burn in hell for it.
I can only pray that Spc Maupin will be brought home too.
I hope the filth that did what they did burn in hell for it.
I can only pray that Spc Maupin will be brought home too.
Thursday, June 15, 2006
Domani, Domani, Domani
Our move is finished and I had a few minutes at work today to write a line or two.
For the love of Mike, don't ever use Three Stars Moving. Book your moves as early as possible so that you don't end up with them. We thought we booked early but still got these idiots. I will file an official written complaint to help out as many as we can. Believe me I will file an official complaint.
They had to be threatened by transportation before they would actually make a pre-inspection appointment. The rest just went downhill from there....
Day 1: They showed at 0945 left one man & picked him up at 1630 after spending 15 minutes talking about the Italy World Cup game that night. He only completed 1/3 of the basement.
Day 2: They showed at 1000 (Yes I called quality control & their office erupted in laughter after finding out who our movers were). This time we got two men but they came and got the second man at 1300 to work at another job to finish them out. They came and our guy at 1630 & promised 4 men for the next day. Our lone man only spoke Italian & I gave him the pet name of Bruno (we think his name was Nunzio, but wasn't sure). Miss T & I had a field day listening and responding in the Italian we remember ( I took it in college, her family is from Sicily). The basement, the kitchen and most of the first floor was completed.
Day 3: They showed at 1100 & apologized as the Autobahn was closed due to an accident and he didn't have a map to figure out where to go. The foreman (Premil) brought two others & the driver. One was named Nico & the other I named Smartmouth. Smartmouth started by carrying an antique tri cornered table in its bubblewrap like it was a shopping bag. This puts stress on the corners as well as the possibility of it dropping onto a corner and breaking. I asked that he please not carry it that way. He told me he wouldn't break it. I snapped that I didn't care that wouldn't break it and to not carry it like that. He ignored me and started to keep walking & the spouse barked that "my wife said not to carry it like that, now carry one thing at a time!" He put it down and came back for it after placing the box on his shoulders outside.
I got to chase Nico all over telling him in Italian to not carry stuff outside without the inventory sticker. At least 20 things had gotten outside without being on the manifest. I shoved the foreman outside and made him inventory it all before it got loaded on the truck. They only had one trailer so only 7 crates could be loaded at a time. They attempted to take off without putting the seals on the backsides of the crates. They claimed that the curtain on that side of the truck was broken. The spouse said he didn't care and climbed right up into the truck & watched them place the back seals on there.
Unfortunately they left us with Nico & Smartmouth to finish packing while they took the crates to their warehouse an hour away. I sat upstairs and watched them pack. At one point I see Smartie putting board games into a suitcase and started to wrap the case. I stopped him and asked politely that he put those in a box. He started to argue again. Finally I told him that if he continued to argue with me I would kick him out of my house. Magically he said it was a misunderstanding and if I wanted them in a box that's where'd they go. I then asked about another suitcase that weighed a ton - "what's in here?" He ignored me and went down to grab a box for the games. When he came back, I asked again and was told that they were pictures. I made him unwrap it so I could see what was there. It was photographs which I guess was okay. Well later on he was talking to Nico and proceeded to make fun of me while I sat there in Italian about making him open the suitcase. Its not that hard to figure it out. I just wanted my HHG shipped so I bit my cheek and went downstairs to make the spouse sit there for a while. He made him upwrap things too and place them in boxes versus stuffing them inbetween shelves of a bookcase.
Finally at 2000 the truck returns (They left at 1530). I had to follow these kids around making them pack crap they kept leaving because they wanted to take the entertainment schrank apart. I sent them away from it everytime. It took from 2000 until 2300 for them to finish loading the trucks. The idiot twins broke a bookcase before it even got on a truck. They placed it on uneven ground & one of them bumped it. It wobbled, I yelled out the window just in time for Nico to turn and just watch it fall. It landed on metal patio furniture and busted right up the side. I think something along the lines of "You frickin' num-nuts." Here comes Smartie with what's wrong. He broke the bookcase I say. Who's bookcase he asks. I answered "duh, MY bookcase." (Not realizing it was a translation error he meant where). The driver gets out of the truck and starts yelling at them something to the effect of don't piss her off anymore than you already have. The Driver apologized but not the idiot twins.
They had to bring a special crate for the E schrank & couldn't get the top to fit. Again Smartie starts telling us how they will build a special crate tomorrow at the warehouse - I said no. He assured us it would be okay, they do it all the time - again I said no. He tried a third time as a plea to my husband and I told him, "The Army has rules and the rules say no, therefore this discussion is over and done with - No!" I hear the drive in Italian ask why they couldn't take it and crate it later and I answered in English that the Army won't allow us to. So he climbs into the crate and acts like a little spreader to push against the wall of the crate and the schrank to make room on the side for the top. It fits. He asks if she thinks that's okay and I answered, " Va bene, mil grazie Signore!" His mouth drops & he asks me how much Italian I speak. I told him 'some' & shot a nasty look to Smartie in the hopes that he'd figure out that I understood his joke he made earlier at my expense.
I can't stress enough that if you are military and you get a mover like this that you file a complaint to both transportation offices! Usually people skip it, but obviously by the quality control office bursting out in laughter they know this company is the pits, but if no one makes an official complaint nothing will happen. So PLEASE complain in WRITING.
Finally our goods are on the way, but not without a nightmare of a week. We are almost home & we're looking forward to it!
For the love of Mike, don't ever use Three Stars Moving. Book your moves as early as possible so that you don't end up with them. We thought we booked early but still got these idiots. I will file an official written complaint to help out as many as we can. Believe me I will file an official complaint.
They had to be threatened by transportation before they would actually make a pre-inspection appointment. The rest just went downhill from there....
Day 1: They showed at 0945 left one man & picked him up at 1630 after spending 15 minutes talking about the Italy World Cup game that night. He only completed 1/3 of the basement.
Day 2: They showed at 1000 (Yes I called quality control & their office erupted in laughter after finding out who our movers were). This time we got two men but they came and got the second man at 1300 to work at another job to finish them out. They came and our guy at 1630 & promised 4 men for the next day. Our lone man only spoke Italian & I gave him the pet name of Bruno (we think his name was Nunzio, but wasn't sure). Miss T & I had a field day listening and responding in the Italian we remember ( I took it in college, her family is from Sicily). The basement, the kitchen and most of the first floor was completed.
Day 3: They showed at 1100 & apologized as the Autobahn was closed due to an accident and he didn't have a map to figure out where to go. The foreman (Premil) brought two others & the driver. One was named Nico & the other I named Smartmouth. Smartmouth started by carrying an antique tri cornered table in its bubblewrap like it was a shopping bag. This puts stress on the corners as well as the possibility of it dropping onto a corner and breaking. I asked that he please not carry it that way. He told me he wouldn't break it. I snapped that I didn't care that wouldn't break it and to not carry it like that. He ignored me and started to keep walking & the spouse barked that "my wife said not to carry it like that, now carry one thing at a time!" He put it down and came back for it after placing the box on his shoulders outside.
I got to chase Nico all over telling him in Italian to not carry stuff outside without the inventory sticker. At least 20 things had gotten outside without being on the manifest. I shoved the foreman outside and made him inventory it all before it got loaded on the truck. They only had one trailer so only 7 crates could be loaded at a time. They attempted to take off without putting the seals on the backsides of the crates. They claimed that the curtain on that side of the truck was broken. The spouse said he didn't care and climbed right up into the truck & watched them place the back seals on there.
Unfortunately they left us with Nico & Smartmouth to finish packing while they took the crates to their warehouse an hour away. I sat upstairs and watched them pack. At one point I see Smartie putting board games into a suitcase and started to wrap the case. I stopped him and asked politely that he put those in a box. He started to argue again. Finally I told him that if he continued to argue with me I would kick him out of my house. Magically he said it was a misunderstanding and if I wanted them in a box that's where'd they go. I then asked about another suitcase that weighed a ton - "what's in here?" He ignored me and went down to grab a box for the games. When he came back, I asked again and was told that they were pictures. I made him unwrap it so I could see what was there. It was photographs which I guess was okay. Well later on he was talking to Nico and proceeded to make fun of me while I sat there in Italian about making him open the suitcase. Its not that hard to figure it out. I just wanted my HHG shipped so I bit my cheek and went downstairs to make the spouse sit there for a while. He made him upwrap things too and place them in boxes versus stuffing them inbetween shelves of a bookcase.
Finally at 2000 the truck returns (They left at 1530). I had to follow these kids around making them pack crap they kept leaving because they wanted to take the entertainment schrank apart. I sent them away from it everytime. It took from 2000 until 2300 for them to finish loading the trucks. The idiot twins broke a bookcase before it even got on a truck. They placed it on uneven ground & one of them bumped it. It wobbled, I yelled out the window just in time for Nico to turn and just watch it fall. It landed on metal patio furniture and busted right up the side. I think something along the lines of "You frickin' num-nuts." Here comes Smartie with what's wrong. He broke the bookcase I say. Who's bookcase he asks. I answered "duh, MY bookcase." (Not realizing it was a translation error he meant where). The driver gets out of the truck and starts yelling at them something to the effect of don't piss her off anymore than you already have. The Driver apologized but not the idiot twins.
They had to bring a special crate for the E schrank & couldn't get the top to fit. Again Smartie starts telling us how they will build a special crate tomorrow at the warehouse - I said no. He assured us it would be okay, they do it all the time - again I said no. He tried a third time as a plea to my husband and I told him, "The Army has rules and the rules say no, therefore this discussion is over and done with - No!" I hear the drive in Italian ask why they couldn't take it and crate it later and I answered in English that the Army won't allow us to. So he climbs into the crate and acts like a little spreader to push against the wall of the crate and the schrank to make room on the side for the top. It fits. He asks if she thinks that's okay and I answered, " Va bene, mil grazie Signore!" His mouth drops & he asks me how much Italian I speak. I told him 'some' & shot a nasty look to Smartie in the hopes that he'd figure out that I understood his joke he made earlier at my expense.
I can't stress enough that if you are military and you get a mover like this that you file a complaint to both transportation offices! Usually people skip it, but obviously by the quality control office bursting out in laughter they know this company is the pits, but if no one makes an official complaint nothing will happen. So PLEASE complain in WRITING.
Finally our goods are on the way, but not without a nightmare of a week. We are almost home & we're looking forward to it!
Sunday, June 11, 2006
Happy Trails
Our moving crew is due tomorrow (lets hope they actually show). Either way I will be out of the blog loop until we hit stateside at the end of June.
Keep safe, play nice and help each other. See ya soon.
Keep safe, play nice and help each other. See ya soon.
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