I just got this email from him:
I will be leaving for Kuwait on the 18th and then from there on the 20th-22nd. Then hopefully leaving Cali on the 28th.
IT’S GETTING CLOSER AND I’M GETTING SOOOOO EXCITED!!!
LOST
This is my new favorite show this season that I have become totally hooked on. I follow a newsgroup that dissects each episode and brings so much more to my enjoyment of the show. If you haven’t watched it, I highly suggest doing so if they repeat the entire season in reruns (there are reruns on now, periodically, but you must see the show from the beginning to fully comprehend everything).
I was slightly upset that Tom wouldn’t be able to see it…because it was so good and I knew he would like it. So imagine my surprise when he told me he had access (via computer) to all the episodes! In a matter of a week, he got caught up on all 17 episodes so we’ll be at the same level when he comes home!
Micsellaneous Updates
I found my Diet Wild Cherry Pepsi last night!! I was getting gas last night and thought “Hey, I should check here!” Of course it wasn’t on sale like the Coke was, but I bought it anyway! You can tell I was desperate to have it, since I’ve NEVER IN MY LIFE paid $4.49 for a 12-pack of pop! (I rationalize it by saying it’s still only 37¢ a can.)
Tom should be heading home in two weeks!! Of course I’ve known that he’s coming home soon, but I was looking at the countdown clock last night and “14 days” just hit me like a ton of bricks! FOURTEEN DAYS! TWO WEEKS! Of course, he may not actually make it home for 3-4 weeks at most, but still… I’m getting excited!
It’s time to start seriously watching carbs again!! As most of you probably know, I’ve sort of given up on the whole STRICT no-carb thing since Tom’s been gone. (Well, I did okay for the first three months…but Christmas sucked me in and it’s been downhill ever since!) I had been thinking I would wait until Tom came home and then we’d both start again, but I HAVE to start now…a pair of khakis that used to be loose straight from the dryer are now just a bit tight (definitely still wearable, but definitely not loose). Uh oh. I’ve consciously known what I’ve been doing, though, so I only have myself to blame. So, it’s back to being strict again…which is good, since I’ve been feeling sluggish again. I just find it amazing that the food you eat can have SUCH an effect on your body and your outlook! So, I’m actually looking forward to starting!!
Cruise Headache
Can I just say that shopping for our honeymoon cruise is OVERWHELMING me beyond belief! Too many cruise lines, too many destinations, too many trip lengths… But, since we don’t want to fly anywhere (saving money on plane tickets), we are limited to local departure ports—Norfolk, VA, or Charleston, SC (both about 4.5 hours away). So, you would think these limitations would be a good thing, but the problem is that unless we cruise by April, there aren’t any cruises until November (if I’m remembering right—I have so much cruise info floating around my brain right now)!
So then there’s the research. I’ve been reading reviews of the cruise lines and individual ships and it seems every one has varying opinions. One review will say Ship A is great but the food is blah. But the next review on another site will say Ship A is blah but the food is excellent. Even personal reviews vary. And of course the ship that sounds the greatest is the most expensive. Or the ship that has the best deal (10 days for like $800 each) is a smaller ship that doesn’t appear to have all the cool amenities.
So, I’m done with research. I’ve told Tom it’s HIS job to plan the honeymoon!!
Anyone have any recommendations??? Right now, we’re looking at Holland America, Celebrity, Carnival, and Norwegian for anything from a 5-10 day cruise to the Caribbean.
Another Dud Weekend
I have such high hopes every weekend….and then nothing happens and before I know it, the weekend is over and it’s back to work.
BLECH.
So let me tell you about my EXCITING weekend. (I’m being sarcastic if you were unsure.) I went to town Saturday morning! WOO HOO! Can you feel the excitement begin? Let me just say it was bizzzzzz-e (as usual). First I went to BB&B looking for a hair trimmer—Tom will need one since I had to send him his—but I just couldn’t decide on one. Then I went to Petsmart to get cat food and litter, but thought litter was cheaper at Target so waited on that. I wanted to get a new water fountain because it looks SO cool, but couldn’t bring myself to spend $40 on a water fountain when ours still works fine.
Then I went to Target…and realized I forgot my receipt for the cold sore cream (one of the only reasons I went, to get my $2 back) so roamed around and got some water and litter. Then I decided to brave Walmart. And believe me when I say “brave Walmart.” If you’re laughing at me, you’ve obviously never been to our Walmart! I lucked into a parking spot after only driving up and down five rows (about five minutes) and it was only because someone was leaving. (I’ve often left Walmart because there was not ONE space to be had.) Anyway, it was not a very productive trip. I mean, I got what I needed but they didn’t have the things I wanted the most! NO PLACE AROUND HERE has the low-carb Doritos Edge chips anymore (I used to be able to get them at Walmart, Target, Food Lion, Piggly Wiggly, and the commissary). NO PLACE AROUND HERE has Diet Vanilla Pepsi OR Diet Wild Cherry Pepsi in cans (I’ve never even seen it, but it’s not as frustrating as having something and then not having it)! Also, now that I know I love Emeril’s specialty sausages (I love the Chicken & Apple), no one has them (again, I used to be able to get them at Sam’s Club, Walmart, and the commissary)! Sometimes I wonder what the hell is up with this town. Give me a Glen’s or Meijers any freakin’ day of the week…
And so ends my exciting expedition to town.
The rest of my weekend was spent watching TV, watching movies, and for a moment or two, actually twiddling my thumbs because I was SO DAMN BORED. (No suggestions from the peanut gallery, thankyouverymuch. There’s stuff to do…I just don’t want to do it.)
Losing my mind.
So it’s 11 on a Friday night and what do you think I’m contemplating doing? Going to Walmart. Can you believe it?!? I think I’m losing my mind! I’m not super tired plus I haven’t been there in ages plus I’m hoping it wouldn’t be that busy this time of night… but do I really want to go out?? It would save a trip into town later this weekend, since I could in essence get everything I want in one place… but do I NEED to go? Not really. I will need to go to town sooner or later since I actually do need bread and eggs and cream…and I generally run my errands on the weekend so I don’t have to stay in town after work. But I’ve been hmmming and hawing for 20 minutes now as to whether or not I should actually go…thinking the trip will take an hour at the minimum (20 minutes there, 20 minutes back, plus at least 20 minutes to shop—but probably more) and do I really want to go out at 11? (Geez, it sounds like I’m 80 years old!) Part of me wants to go just to DO something, since I rarely do anything on the weekends anymore. (I know, I know…I’ve wanted my weekends off for three years and now that I have them off I don’t do anything! I will, though, when Tom gets home! I promise!) But part of me, even though I’m not that tired, just wants to crawl into bed and channel-flip. But I know if I don’t go now I won’t go at all—Walmart is NOT a place to go on a weekend afternoon… So now it’s 11:21 and I definitely could have been there by now. So it looks like I’ve procrastinated long enough that I won’t be going. And so goes my typical boring Friday night… LOL
Support hose are evil!
As I’m sure most women will agree, one of the most uncomfortable things we have to wear is pantyhose. Now, just imagine (if you will) the need to wear support hose. And we’re not just talking the suck-in-your-gut-and-smooth-out-your-cellulite variety, but the actual medically-necessary support hose…which are like support hose to the Nth degree. Otherwise known as the type I am supposed to wear.
Now, if you will, imagine wearing a pair of these support hose…and imagine that they are just a bit too small for you. So they pull. And they rub. And they chafe. And what ever else they’re doing (or not doing) under there that I can’t even begin to describe—other than to say it’s actually almost PAINFUL. Let me just say the grass is NOT greener… Before, I was whining about my other pair that was a tad too big so they constantly gathered at the knees ALL DAY LONG and I spent all day pulling them up. But at least those aren’t painful.
So I have been suffering with these since 7am and I am seriously ready to peel them off, doctors orders be damned… except I have dinner plans tonight and am stuck in town (and in public!) until probably 8pm…and I don’t think I want to go stockingless in a dress and boots…although, honestly, it’s sounding VERY tempting!
Six Months of…nothing?
So I’m getting around to cleaning up the house for Tom’s arrival home. (I figure if I start a month ahead, I might actually get it done.) And it just hits me that nothing here has changed. Nothing. Not that I really expected it to or planned for anything to change, but you would think that after six months, something here should be different. Look different. Hell, even smell different! But it’s all the same! Tom has been in such a dramatically different environment that I’m sure he’ll be thrilled to just get back to normal, but I just feel like “What the hell have I been doing the past six months?” Sure, I got a new job, but big whoop: Tom has been in a new job…in Iraq! The only “new and different” things around the house are 1) a new car in the driveway, 2) I moved the kitchen table, 3) there are Christmas boxes in the living room, and 4) the Christmas lights are still up.
And then sometimes I think I think too much. And decide it’s time to go to bed.
Chase sucks!
I used to have a Chase credit card. USED TO. I finally decided to close it…and that’s where the fun begins…
Since I no longer needed the account, I wanted all my online information deleted. Easy request, right? You’d think. I emailed them via their own secure message center.
No luck.
They gave me an 800 number to call. Fine, I did.
No luck.
They told me to email [via my own email] to request closure. Fine, I did. They told me to reconfirm I wanted Bill Payment cancelled since it would be final and I would no longer be able to make payments.
Um, not quite.
I responded that I wanted ALL my information (i.e. login, account, bank account, etc.) deleted in addition to the Bill Payment service. They responded…are you ready????
After reviewing your account information, I have needed to forward the information onto our research department for further evaluation.
For further assistance please log on to Chase Online at http://www.chase.com and access your ‘Pay Bill’ link. This will launch the Chase Bill Management Center window where you can select ‘Contact Us’.
Please note that replies sent from within your personal email account will travel unsecured through the Internet. Therefore, we recommend that you access our website to send a secure email inquiry.
ARE YOU KIDDING ME? ARGH!!! They’ve now recommended I email them via their own secure message center—which is the first %(*&#* thing I did!
Is it over yet?
Oh. My. God. How dreadfully boring. Not that there was really EVER any question in my mind as to whether or not I was into politics, but last night definitively confirmed it. Neither Jane nor Dick are political, either, so we had fun making fun and talking amongst ourselves.
The best part of the night for me was being able to dress up for the occasion.
Turns out the only reason we were there, really, was because the head commissioner or President of the Republican Committee (or Head Poobah or whatever his title is, I forget already) is also a builder who “gave” Jane some new construction listings…if she bought these tickets! (You have to figure $100 is a small price to pay for the eventual commissions!)
But this meant we had to sit through THREE HOURS of The Glorification of all Things Republican, hallelujah to God Almighty. (When things seemed over-the-top, I had to remind myself that we were the ones out of place. We were in the middle of 250 staunch republican supporters.) There were introductions and awards and more awards and speakers and music (hoo boy, the music—I actually said to Dick “These people either know the mayor or they gave a large contribution.”) and then finally dinner. A BUFFET. What? A buffet dinner for $50? Oh, that’s right. What was I thinking? We were at a FUND-RAISER, which means the dinner is half that and the other is a donation to the Party. Eeesh. But the food wasn’t too bad (I almost took a full plate of mashed potatoes, then stopped myself!).
We passed the evening nicely by drinking (and drinking…and drinking)—in honor of Tom! Yes, it’s true! Dick and I drank Tom Collins’ all night!! Jane was buying, so I figured why not? There have to be SOME benefits to this evening, right? (I also told her later that these benefits were MUCH better than any I ever got at Staples!) During dinner there was more music (we were right next to them so they were TOO loud and therefore way too distracting) and then more awards and more talking and blah blah blah blah blah blah. I swear I felt like I was in Charlie Brown’s class—you know how the teacher sounds!
Then it was time for the keynote speaker—some guy who didn’t win governor but is apparently going to be running again. Lovely. Oh my, did he talk WAY TOO LONG. You can’t keep people’s interest for 25 minutes right after they’ve eaten a big meal—especially if you are a losing gubernatorial candidate. (But then again, I’m not Republican. Maybe they thought he was great.) He wasn’t a great speaker, either—good, but not great. I could listen and pay attention to any great speaker talking about anything…but my mind wandered with him and I just keep looking at my watch. And drinking.
Then, mercifully, it was over…and we were out the door like a shot…across the hall back to the bar! (Can you see a pattern here?) I was done drinking by that time (since I had to drive home later) so I just finished my drink while we visited and Jane went around talking to all the people she knew. I got to talk to Dick and learned more about him and his life, so that was cool. About 11, we headed back to Jane’s and started to watch a movie. I was getting tired and really wanted to come home (although she said I could crash there if I wanted) so I was home by midnight.
So, it was a fun night out with friends…but I never need to go to a Republican fundraiser again!
Iraq Buddies
Republican Dinner
You’ll never guess what I’m doing Saturday night. 🙁
Going to a Republican dinner. HA. HAHAHAHA, I know.
I sort of got suckered into it…one of those sorta-work things that I found it hard to say no to to get out of. Jane just came in and said “Can you rustle up a date for this Saturday?” Long story short, she has two tickets to this Republican dinner thingy (at the Country Club—ooh la la) and a local celebrity (store owner) said he’d give her two more tickets if she wanted them. I told her I doubt I could rustle up anyone (especially not on such short notice) so Kathy (another agent from down the hall that’s close with Jane and Dick) is going to go. So, I didn’t really say I’d go or that I wanted to go, but it was just sort of assumed and before I could weasel my way out of it with some great excuse, I was meeting them at Jane’s at 5:30.
Oh boy.
Not only am I NOT political in the least, if I had to choose, I’d go with Democrat. Like I want to waste a night of my life listening to politicians babble about who knows what, just for a free $50 dinner?
But just think, Tom…you’ll surely get roped into this shit when you come home!!!! BWAHAHAHAHAHA.
Damn Sneaky Giblets
So this morning I go to put on my shoes and EEEEEK! I got a wet foot! Damn giblets…I gave them some ice cubes before I went to bed last night (one of their favorite things to play with on the vinyl kitchen floor—they come running when they hear me getting ice from the refrigerator)…and they generously left me a present! This isn’t the first time it’s happened!! I’ve actually seen them carry around an ice cube in their mouth.
Deployment: Yippee For Taxes
Wow. That’s all I can say right now—wow.
I got our taxes done this week. This was the first year since we’ve been married that I’ve had to do it—we get it done on base for free, and Tom always does it because it’s more convenient for him. So, thanks to the deployment, it was my turn!
So, as per the past few years, I wasn’t expecting much back (for example, last year we got $159 federal and $229 state). So imagine my complete and utter surprise when the tax guy finished and said, ever-so-casually, that my return was $1451. My first reaction? “I’m sorry, that must be a mistake!” He reassured me that the amount was correct. Why the big difference? You won’t believe it. Deployment. All money earned while deployed in a combat zome is not taxed…but they keep taking out taxes as normal! So, we obviously overpaid by a large margin—so it’s all coming back! Talk about a great morning…
Clean Sweep!?
Too bad this show is only looking for people in California…otherwise, I’d be signing up in a heartbeat!
So, I’ve decided this is what we have to do at our house (surprise, Tom!). We have actually discussed it before—but we both agree that we really don’t have that much big-stuff-type clutter to get rid of (I’ve seen the show and I don’t think we’re like the people they showcase)—but we have to do something because I’m tired of the clutter!
Here’s a good example that I was talking to our friends about… We probably have 3-4 large Rubbermaid containers of plain ol’ odds and ends crap. From when we moved from Virginia and just threw a bunch of shit in a container to not have to decide what to do with it or pack it. And once we moved here, and people were coming over and we had to hide a bunch of stuff quickly? Another container. And another. And how every so often I decide “THIS CRAP HAS TO GO!” and I make Tom drag out a box so I can go through it and either “put it away or throw it away” — yet at the end of the night, most everything is back in the container to be stored again?!
ARGH!
So, back to the friends. I said it’s obvious I don’t need any of that shit in there, but I just can’t throw it away because…I…JUST…CAN’T! I might need it someday, even though I obviously haven’t desperately needed anything in there YET. Well, Roger suggested I just throw the entire container away—sight unseen—that way I wouldn’t have to look inside and worry about what I was throwing away! I laughed, but I have to admit he has a valid point. At this moment, I couldn’t really tell you anything specific in any of those containers—so why do I need anything that’s in there? It’s obviously not that important. And I know if I even just peeked in there “just to see” then I would lose all momentum and I would be back to square one! (But I have to admit that sometimes I do find treasures…on my last “dig” through one of these junk containers, I found our wedding DVD—can you even imagine how sick I would be if I had tossed that? Although, if I tossed it without looking, I guess I would never know—and I would just assume I lost it!)
So, my goal, before Tom comes home, is to start getting rid of the small stuff. (My stuff, hon, don’t worry.) I may need help getting the boxes out of the attic (because that’s where I think they are) but I refuse to keep crap any longer. I’ve already started on a small scale (baby steps, baby steps)…I went through the bathroom cabinets and threw out lots of crap (like half-full bottles of products I don’t use anymore and don’t know if I ever will again).
My goal, once Tom does get home, is to get rid of even more crapola. Bigger boxes of crapola. Maybe even bigger chunks of crapola!? There, I’ve made the decision, LOL. (According to today’s Oprah, you have to make the decision in order for there to be any chance of success. If you start out by saying “I will try” then you’re already defeated. She was talking about weight loss, but I believe the theory still holds true here.)
So, with the TV show Clean Sweep as my guide, I’m hoping for a less clutterific house. Anyone want to come and help? I think we’re going to need a neutral third party!
US Airways–what can I say?
So you all know the trouble I had trying to get home AFTER Christmas…but I’m not sure how many of you know the trouble I had trying to get home FOR Christmas. But let’s rewind to October, when I was on my way back to Jacksonville after my grandfather’s funeral.
I took a bump in Charlotte and got a free round-trip ticket. Cool! I thought, what could be more perfect—I now had a free ticket to go see Tom in California when he comes home…or, when I realized I could go home for Christmas (when I wouldn’t be working at Staples), I could use the ticket to fly home! So, I called the first part of December to get my free ticket to Michigan. I didn’t worry about calling last-minute because the ticket was free—I didn’t care how much it cost! So imagine my complete and utter shock when the rep told me my ticket wasn’t good for that flight! WHAT? It’s a free round-trip ticket on US Airways?! How can it not be good? Long story short, she told me that since I took the bump on a US Airways Express leg, the free ticket was only good for a US Airways Express leg. WHAT? I tried to clarify, and she assured me that was protocol. So it was a mad rush to find a cheap ticket to Michigan!
Fast forward two months, when I find out Tom is coming home. I want to go to see him in California if at all possible, but not if I have to pay for a ticket (unless he’s going to be there a month, then I might cough up the dough)! So I research online to see about any Express flights…and of course, there are none. So, I figure I will just fly to Chicago for the weekend to see my girlfriend because I was pretty sure that was an Express flight. But just for the hell of it, I decided to call again, just to check ONE MORE TIME. And you know what the rep tells me? That my voucher is good for ANY US Airways flight!! I said “Are you sure? The last time I called, the rep said it was only good for an Express flight since that’s what I took the bump on?!” And he assured me that was not the case, and in his nine years of working there, he’d never heard that. He did say I might have trouble getting a ticket since it’s Easter and Spring Break travel times, but that my voucher was perfectly good!
OORAH! So it looks like I will be heading to California when he comes home! (I’m getting goosebumps just thinking about it!!!)
Tom’s “house”
Good news and bad news…
I finally heard from Tom today.
Good news…. I am safe at Blue Diamond. I got here yesterday at 0830, but left at 10 pm the night before. I was stuck in a hummer for nearly 12 hours in 25 degree weather! I WAS FREEZING MY ASS OFF!
Better news…. I got in and my bed was filled with boxes! Not to mention the there were so many that they started putting them under my bed too!!!
Best news…. I am leaving Blue Diamond in 4 weeks and 1 day!!!!!!
Bad news…. As soon as I stepped foot in the COC yesterday, Maj Allison said “Tom, it is great to have you back! You had better get some sleep, we have another project for you to work on now!” Needless to say I didn’t get to sleep. I started planning in my head…. Ohhhhh boy!
This just means he is going back out into the field. He assured me it will be “by far less dangerous” than it was before. Then I asked if he finally got my Christmas presents that I sent [way back the first week of December]…
I opened it, but I have had to make so many reports and prepare for the upcoming project, I haven’t unwrapped the presents. I will tonight and will tell you tomorrow. I no shit had 20 boxes!!!
What exactly are weekends for?
It seems all I do all week is look forward to the weekend…and then the weekend gets here and what do I do? Nothing exciting, that’s for damn sure. So far, I’ve done three loads of laundry, watched some Tivo, cleaned up the bathroom (i.e. not a full clean, more like a move stuff around, dust, and throw old things away clean), cleaned off the bedroom dresser—and there’s still so much to be done!
I don’t like these kinds of weekends, but there’s not much else to do since Tom is gone and all our friends have moved… I usually feel like I should run to town on the weekends (since I don’t go during the week because I hate getting home that late), but if I go to town, I just end up spending money I don’t need to spend on crap I don’t really need. But if I stay home the entire weekend, I feel like a bump on a log. I am going out tomorrow for a baby shower/housewarming, but it still doesn’t feel like much. I think I need a life. Or just maybe having Tom home again?! 🙂
Waiting sucks!
I haven’t heard from Tom in over two days…the last email I got was Wednesday afternoon. Now, I know two days is nothing…but when I’ve been spoiled by emails every day, two days gets me worrying. However, he was transitioning back to Ramadi from Fallujah, so I’m sure he’s extremely busy. I know he will contact me the first chance he gets, but in the meantime, waiting just sucks. It doesn’t help that I’m getting more and more paranoid as time goes on, either…it’s at times like these that the mind can be a terrible thing!
Termination of Mail Services
Since Tom has been gone, I’ve been getting emails from Camp Pendleton with announcements related to the deployment (as well as related to spouse events in the Pendleton area—of which I have absolutely no use!—but most of the deployed marines were originally from the area, so it makes sense for them). However, once in awhile, I get one that I actually read! This week, they announced the Termination of Mail Services…because the guys are getting closer to coming home!! They make this request 45-60 days out (I’m guessing at the number of days, but it seems to fit with the timeline Tom has given me) so that there’s less chance of packages getting lost in the transition from Iraq to California (during which time the marines may be moving around frequently). Any mail sent after Feburary 15 will be held at Camp Pendleton, so there’s really no use in sending anything else unless you want him to receive it there. Personally, I would not take the chance!! If you want him to get something in California, I’d wait until he’s settled in to Cali and I can give you an address (most likely, he will be at a hotel again, as he was on his way out). Please feel free to contact me with any questions!
PITA New Home Buyers
Wow. Having worked in real estate for just over two months (just over one if you don’t count my vacations!), I have to say that certain new home buyers are a TOTAL pain in the ass! We have one lady in particular…her file is about 1″ thick with all her correspondence about what she wants and doesn’t want and things she wants changed and added and deleted and things that don’t meet her approval. Oh. My. God. Every time she calls you know it’s going to be another problem. Nothing can be simple.
You want upgraded carpet padding? Fine. But not her…she only wants it on the second floor. Which necessitates a call to the builder to see if we can even do that and how much it is. Then she wants to buy her own windows. No. How about just the one picture window? No. Can you take this wall out? Yes. Can you change this wall to include an arch so we can put a window there? No. Where are those windows that are supposed to be there? You didn’t ask for them in time. Well I want them now. We’ll they are $250 each since they have to be reframed. I’m not paying $500 for two windows. Well then you’re not getting two windows. And I could go on and on and on.
You know what? If you have THIS many specifications, why don’t you build your own house from SCRATCH. Don’t come in to a pre-designed house and make 42 million changes. It annoys us AND it annoys the builder.
Granted not everyone is like this… but I certainly hope WE weren’t this bad!
FINAL NOTICE MY ASS!
Tonight I received a notice from our credit union’s insurance department telling me they hadn’t yet received the insurance policy that covers the collateral [on Tom’s new car]. Specifically:
FINAL NOTICE BEFORE PREMIUM IS ADDED TO YOUR LOAN BALANCE AND LOAN PAYMENT IS INCREASED.
HUH? Could someone please tell me how on earth I could receive a FINAL NOTICE without ever having received any PRIOR NOTICES?
Also, have they never received ANY insurance information? Since November when we bought the car? Or do they just mean the renewal (since it’s due this month)? Of course, it’s after 5 so I can’t call (and I can’t email since no email address was given—even though it SAID to email)…so I faxed it.
Of course I had all the necessary information, but what the hell? I want to know who is slacking—Marine Federal Credit Union or USAA—because it sure as hell wasn’t me.
Admin in Iraq
I have had another stressful day. Admin up the wazoo! Maj Alison wants me there [Blue Diamond] as soon as the Marines leave, I have to do more work on this investigation,* I have to prepare fitreps and the best thing… I was asked by one of my marines to promote him! That I am geeked about, he wants me to do the swear in and to pin him!
* Tom has been working on an investigation of an incident that happened with another marine—doing interviews, taking statements, writing reports, etc. I originally thought it was a big deal that HE was assigned to it, but he assured me that ALL the lieutenants are blessed with the job! There’s just no JAG officers over there to handle all the incidents that need to be investigated, so it falls to the other officers.
A Pasta Lesson
Wow.
I didn’t really think much about eating pasta last night. I mean, I’ve eaten LOADS of crap (i.e. carb-o-licious meals and snacks) with no major problems…until last night. Or should I say “until about 4am,” at which point I started having serious digestive issues. I seriously thought I might have to call in sick to work! I figure the pasta was the ONLY suitable answer—that was the only thing I consumed last night that I haven’t eaten in 1+ years (low-carb pasta doesn’t count, and you can’t eat much of it anyway because it doesn’t taste that good). So, the lesson learned was NO MORE PASTA.
Coldwell Banker Awards Night
We got free dinner at Ducks, a local hot spot, so why not go, right? 🙂 It was actually pretty good—I know more people now than I did at the Christmas party, so I didn’t feel quite as uncomfortable. And of course, Jane and Dick saved me a seat with them, so that was great! (They are so cool—I love them!) There was an open bar (great!) and great appetizers (the garlic bread and crab dip was TO DIE FOR). Let’s just say it’s a good thing I saved up my carbs all week for this night…three Amaretto Sours, probably a half loaf of the yummy garlic bread, and Pasta Alfredo! DEE-licious!
But the most awe-inspiring part of the night was the awards. The staggering amounts of money involved overall were unbelievable (well, maybe just for a newbie to real estate). Of course they had Top Rental Agent and the Million Dollar Club, but that’s nothing compared to the level my boss is at! In 2004, Onslow County had something like $285,000,000 in sales (approximately 2800 homes). Our office did (approximately) $44,000,000 in 2004 (compared to like $32M in 2003). Of that $44M, my boss was responsible for 25% of that, or $11,000,000 (give or take a few thousand). I knew she was a player, but I didn’t realize she accounted for 25% of the entire office’s sales! She received Top Lister, Top Sales, and International President’s Premier (I think it was). Phew!
Jane then thanked her “team” and gave Dick and me a card and gift certificate! (Tom, we’re going to Rucker Johns when you get home!) Then, to top off the evening, Countrywide Mortgage (the mortgage people in our building) had a drawing for a $40 gift certificate to Pier One…and I won! YIPPEE! I also got to take home one of the glass fishbowl centerpieces!
There were only two slightly not-good things about the evening (and I say not-good because they don’t really even classify as bad). First, it was cold and very rainy…and we happened to be on the enclosed patio…so they had those large patio heaters going…which created condensation…so we were constantly being dripped on throughout the night! Second, and I didn’t realize it until I got home…I smelled like smoke! There was NO smoking in our room, I didn’t smell smoke the entire time I was there, and the only access I had to smoke was on the 10 second walk to the patio and the 10 second walk back outside. Yuck!
But, all in all a very nice night!
Almost done…
I was cleaning my office. Man, just getting everything in order. Getting convoys and flights ready for the 8 marines that have to leave…. I have also been getting equipment bake here and getting ready to send out new gear in two points… What a pain!!! News flash…. I just got off the phone with Maj Alison, looks like I will be leaving Fallujah in the next week or so. Since I will only have 9 marines, there is no need for me to be here, so I have to make sure that everything is set in place, get the Marines that are leaving out safely, and then I go back to BD [Camp Blue Diamond, where he was originally in Ramadi] and my house of packages! Maj Alison said I might be doing something else, but who knows what. I will put in my application for night watch officer though. 🙂
Being on the night shift again means he can call during more normal hours!
Stupidity, Smoke & Spatulas
You know those spatulas that are rated to 500°? Worth every penny.
You know those stoves that run on gas? Want one.
Let’s just say I wanted to make hot chocolate. Seems innocent enough, right? Put water in the kettle, turn the burner on. Jump on the computer to check my email. Then I start smelling something…like heat. Well, I did just turn the furnace on. Mmmm, no, more like…cooking? Maybe something was on the burner under the kettle that I missed. Hmmm, getting stronger…I better go check it out.
THE KITCHEN WAS FULL OF SMOKE! What the…? ARGH!!!! I had turned on the wrong burner—the one that still had my fry pan [from dinner] left on it…with the spatula laying in it! I tore open the porch door, threw the pan on the grill, turned on the microwave fan, opened all the windows in the kitchen, and set up a fan (leftover from summer) to blow the smoke out. I was keeping my fingers crossed that the smoke alarm didn’t go off—it takes forever to quiet it down again! (In fact, I’m surprised the smoke alarm hadn’t gone off. Well, I guess I could still see, so maybe it wasn’t THAT bad.)
A few minutes later, all was well. I went to retrieve the pan from the grill and it was still smoking, so I retrieved the spatula, expecting to have to trash it. But what do you know? It was my fancy schmancy Williams Sonoma one…so no damage done!
P.S. Did I forget to mention this isn’t the first time this has happened? I miss gas stoves, where you can instantly see which burner you turned on!
I LOVE EBAY!
I just have to say how much I love ebay—although I’m sure most of you already know I’m an ebay freak because I freely admit it! It’s especially great living in a small town where there aren’t lots of clothing stores…I find brand name things (my current fave is Tommy Hilfiger) for a FRACTION of the price! I love selling, too… right now I’m selling a bunch of things I won on ebay but didn’t fit or decided I didn’t like! Hey, it keeps me busy while Tom’s away…
What does a March flight mean?
I asked Tom… “When you say you have your flight for March, what exactly does that mean? Does it mean you have a specific date already? Does it mean you just know you will be leaving in March? Or only March unless something else comes up?
I have my ULN (U…… Line Number), which means that I basically have a “ticket” or a seat with my name on it, for a specific flight out of Kuwait in March, probably the 2nd or 3rd week to be more specific. I will be in Cali for awhile after that, but I have no idea as to when I can leave to actually come home. My orders say a month, but as we will see, I will not be here for as long as they say either.