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Wednesday, December 30, 2015

Christmas and Global warming

Wholly Shit is it HOT!!! It is December 30th and this last week we had high temperatures around 80 degrees with humidity over 80% it is sticky and nasty. For the week of Christmas we had hot weather, and several tornado warnings. This is Satan's armpit. It is hot, moist and sticky here ALL THE TIME!!!  Funny thing that also ties into my theory on why they are SO religious here - this kind of intimacy with Satan confirms his existence. Oh and the rain I have to keep draining the pool before it overflows some how the rain and draining pool aren't leaving standing water in the back yard - gotta wonder where it all goes?? I am worried that the trees are going to lose their grip on the mud back there and fall, or maybe a hell mouth will open up and demons will walk out. Either situation will lead to more work for me.

Grandpa was going to fly in for Christmas, he only comes for visits of 2-3 days (that includes flight days so he was arriving on the 24th and leaving on the 26th - why bother? And it was like God got the memo cause 4 hours before we were going to pick him up at the airport he called to say he couldn't make it. I was angry that he was visiting for such a short amount of time, then oddly didn't really care when he canceled. Maybe that was because I knew it wasn't his fault that he wasn't going to make it - well not directly his fault but who travels on Dec 24th if they don't need too?!?

The up side to the wet weather - Binge watching Netflix!!  I am into Criminal Minds (which I had not watched before) and we are going through the comics based shows right now The Flash and Arrow.  I am a bit of a wimp so it is surprising that Criminal Minds doesn't leave me sleepless and whimpering in a corner. It is a scary look at the depravity of humanity, but wow I like the characters. Reid the young super genius is fun, and Morgan is nice eye candy. Hope your Yule is Merry and Bright!!

Wednesday, December 16, 2015

Trying to settle in

I mean to write really I do, it seems all my great ideas occur in the shower and I don't have a computer or a note pad ready when I am wet and naked . . . .

It is Yule or here they call it Christmas :-). Kids settled in and spouse is enjoying his job, I do well in fits and starts. My Army wife duties are plenty here (don't get me wrong they don't make me do anything) and I like the ladies (no male spouses present yet) that are involved. The weather is as always a challenge for me, you see I like it cold and that doesn't happen here for example today is December 16th and the temperature range according to iPhone is 49 - 65. For me that is a nice fall day, but at least it is cold enough to put on pants, and even a light jacket if you wear short sleeves.

With the back to back to back moves I am having real trouble getting unpacked, at least that is the excuse I am using this year. I went from trying to get the house organized to just shove it all in a cupboard and decorate for the holiday. The Holiday I decorated for was Halloween, which I am happy to report did get put away, now I am trying to get Christmas out. It seems most of the Brigade planned on getting their events done in the first 2 weeks of December so it has been non-stop. Funny thing about that I really enjoy the actual social functions - it is just the pre-event doings that stress me. AND to make it worse I have gained 15 pounds - so clothes are tight and it is not cold enough to layer and hide the lumps UGH!!

Most of all I have confirmation that I am actually allergic to this place!! Wait, wait, -hear me out; I am back on Zyrtec and Singular daily and if I miss a dose I have trouble breathing the next day. My skin is a wreck it is really bad - all the facial scars I have were earned here as an adult, when I move away skin gets better (but not perfect I am a little shinny naturally). Eyes, and nose run all the time, I should have bought stock in Kleenex before we moved. And my ears itch, it is a really strange feeling and I am sure at some point I will jab something in there and cause an ER visit. All of this and it is winter, sorta I mean at least there shouldn't be new stuff blooming right?!? I have even started to try and track if rain helps to clear the air making breathing easier but that doesn't seem to work. In addition to whatever is causing the trouble I learned over the blistering heat of August that humidity makes it hard to breathe. Yup loving the 11 months of summer they have here!

Tuesday, October 20, 2015

The Move


I wrote this with no preamble - so here goes. We got orders to leave Korea and move to Ft Rucker AL after only 11 months in Korea. That makes 3 moves for my family in 23 months. We have been to Ft Rucker before, 3x before to be exact and I hate it. You will learn all the reasons why as the posts pile up. Here is a bit about the actual move in July.

Ha-ha-ha you can't believe the fun. We were supposed to fly on 12 July and got to the Airport at 7am left Humphreys at 5am, our flight was set for 1135. The united desk opened at 840AM and we found out the dog and crate were 1kg over weight that is 2.4 lbs and the guy called the us 3x to get an exception to policy and they would not give it to us. In Korea they don't do pets so we had no way to get back to Humphreys, we had to call a soldier to bring the mail van to get us. Oh and the 12th was Sunday so no one at the airport could help us. To be overweight he needed to go as cargo and it takes them 10 days to process it, and the health certificates are only good for 10 days and our SOFA stamps were going to expire, plus we were living in a hotel with no car borrowing from people for everything. 

We went back to the Hump Sunday night and then on Monday redid paperwork and certificates, reworked the tickets, and found a lighter crate then shaved plastic off the crate all night Monday so we could fly on Tue. It must have terrified the guy at the counter when he came in and saw us again. Hemi was a great ambassador for large dogs having Koreans pet him all day Sunday and Tuesday - because the bus goes to the airport at 6am and our flight wasn't until 435pm (the pets can ride that one bus from Humphreys underneath with the luggage in their crates - Mooshu is in therapy). Our new flight went to SFO where you have to pick up everything go through customs then recheck everything even the pets to get back on the next flight to Reagan - they couldn't get us to Richmond because the dog crate would not fit on that plane. So we left the hotel then about 30 hours landed in VA and got to drive 2 hours to Richmond. Dad picked us up but we filled the mini van and an SUV, that we rented from Alamo. Longest day ever!!!!

Kids, pets, luggage all made it we rested for 4 days and drove down to Alabama. Because we still own the house in NC we have to rent here and the choices are so sad. The first place we saw I told Mike I would cry everyday if I had to live there. It only got slightly better; we wanted 2000+ sq ft, 4 bed, 2 bath (the idea is the 4th bedrm could be an office). After living in 1700 3/2 for the last 2 years I just want some room to be able to get away from each other. The houses that size have had all the life rented out of them and need SO MUCH work, better places go fast like before I even hear about them. We found a house for rent by owner but she is moving ahead of the service member so she doesn't have any real pressure to go - the school year starts on Aug 6 so with out a property management company to hold her accountable I am worried she wont leave fast enough.  Our saving grace on that, there are several properties that come on the market in August - but I can't register the kids with out an address. So much fun in my life.

AND 7 years didn't help this place much, there are more shops and places to eat but there aren't jobs and I just hate the heat it was 106 today (that is the index real temp was at 93). It is hard to find positives I feel like this is a huge case of deja vu, I have been burned here trying to find positives before and then none of it works out and I end up so fed up, and done I am just going to embrace the bitter rage and work with that :-) 

So once they work out the lease, get kids in school I get to fly to El Paso and drive Mike's car back - then I can try to find a job. Our stuff should arrive in September the van then too - right now we are using Mom's van. So I have some stuff to keep me busy for a few months before the depression sinks in :-)

Our house is on the market with no renter for now, we are going to carry that until September before we search for a renter again. Makes our budget really tight should be a couple of fun months.