And something for aging Goths...

Enjoy

Hallowblogging

This is the first year DH has been here for Halloween since the birth of The Collective. He gets the "door to door" duty with Pink Ninja.

Sir Rowland and I have the honor of schlepping candy to the door.

Normally, we run out of candy every hour. We get a lot of trick or treaters. However it is chilly out tonight, every church, zoo and communtiy center is having some sort of festivity so who knows.


DH just left with Pink Ninja. She lloks so cute. Sir Rowland insisted she do a "practice run here at the house".

OK...
It is 6:30pm

We have had 15 trick or treaters. Sir Rowland is telling people that "this candy will turn you into a frog".

After they leave the porch Sir Rowland says: HA Ha, my evil plan is working, they are all going to turn into frogs!!

UPDATE: Yeah!! As I am chewing a piece of candy and answering the door, my neighbor lady brings her boys to the door...she is very nice. Then she says "oh my husband and I happened to see you the morning you were on TV. I didn't recognize you at first, you looked fat".

Yeah, I will not be eating any more candy tonight...

ughhh...

Are you eligible?

While at the SpouseBuzz Live event, I was introduced to The Phoenix Project

First off...

Cost
There is no cost to deployed service members or combat veterans and their spouse . Travel (air fare and ground transportation), lodging and meals are paid through private donations to the Military, Veteran and Family Assistance Foundation.

Michael J. Wagner, Ph.D., Colonel (Retired) USAR
Executive Director and Chairman

Director, Medical Family Assistance Center, Walter Reed Army Medical Center; Serves on policy committees and working groups to develop assistance services for the wounded and their families; Doctorate in Educational Psychology, (minor in Management and Policy); Masters in Counseling; Fifteen years professional experience as a development and project manager, eighteen years in research, and five years as a counselor; Internationally recognized author; Colonel, US Army Retired Reserves Medical Service Corps; Served as operations officer, US Army Office of the Surgeon General.

Retreats for the Reintegration of the Family

The Phoenix Project retreat provides information and training regarding the effects of combat and the reintegration into the family and community upon return from deployment. In addition, it provides relaxation and the opportunity for couples to regroup and reconnect after separation due to their service.

Attention returning combat veterans

There are still spaces available for the November & December, 2006 Retreats

You can attend the

Phoenix Project Retreat.



For more information please send email to:

phoenix.project@mvfa.org or
Fax application to:

214-341-8774

How did it go?

I am still trying to find the words...

But some attendees are blogging about it!!

Why don't you go over and visit In Training, and see.

There is also the birth of a blogger, after attending the event. (Welcome her to the blogosphere!!)

Way To Go Little Rock!!

In other great news!! It turns out that I am currently living in the AP/ FBI 's 23rd most dangerous city in the United States.

Way to go Little Rock!!

First a dumbass for a President, then a Presidential library that looks like a trailer house, and now this!!

Only 18 cities to beat to get to Compton level violence!!

If I say "Samsonite Gorilla", does that date me?

First off I must say I woke this morning very anxious to get my post up about the SpouseBuzz Live event from the weekend.

Ha...

I was first hit with this discussion...

AWTM: "OK kids, lets get our shoes on, we must get your costumes today."

Pink Ninja: "Yeah!!"

Sir Rowland: (formerly known as Dash) "Mom, I have resolved to be healthy, so I do not want any candy. It is not nutritious."

AWTM: "I see"

Pink Ninja: (Who would love to walk around the house with a feed bag full of sugar around her neck looking at Sir Rowland in amazement)

AWTM: "OK buddy. I guess Daddy can take Pink Ninja, and you can stay here and help me pass out candy."

Sir Rowland: (relief)

~so the good news is, I do not have to run out and buy costumes. Pink Ninja wants to be Tinkerbell, and we just happen to have a Tinkerbell costume. This will be Daddys first Halloween with "The Collective". I really was intending on all of us going out, but this is OK. Maybe I can find a special movie, and pop popcorn for Dash and I tomorrow night. I must say I am a little sad.

So then I was excited, because I seriously had a little tiny bit of extra money saved.

-Hmmmmmm what to do with the extra money. An entire small amount....

and then


WHAM I note water leaking from under my wash machine.

HA!

Just my luck. So I have a look at the darn thing. It is very high speed, I have no idea. Not leaking from any of the hoses.

Leaking under the machine.

Oh great. I just replaced a dishwasher.

I DO NOT have the scratch for this right now.

CRAP...

I am also sure, you the reader, are beginning to wonder what in the hell goes on in the Casa De Dust to cause appliances to breakdown on a whim.

I am certain some of you have a picture of the Samsonite gorilla jumping up and down on shit around here.

Can I tell you, I am good to my appliances. I have no idea what the lesson in this is...

I really do not.

However, tonight I have visions of my Grandma, in her front yard. In her little town of 300. Standing there with her home made lye soap, apron on, scrubbing. It is laundry day, and she is using a ringer washer. The year, 1985. I wonder if my Dad still has the darn thing?

A snake in Wolfs Clothing...

another reason Wolf Blitzer bites...

(besides having a "pretend name")

SpouzeBuzz Evening One

Go over to SpouseBuzz.

Yes, I know its late, I know, I know, but of course my insomnia- along with "being away" seem to feed my monster.

So I am sitting here thinking of this evenings events. Taking moments out of the evening.

Why are we here?

The the local news shows a group from the First Cavalry deploying AGAIN.

I am with an inspiring group of women...more tonight!!

Go over to SpouseBuzz, feel free to place a question.

Whirlwind!!

I met Stacy's folks last night!! Her Momma was pretty and sweet as Southern Tea, her Daddy too. I was met with a HUGE basket of home canned pears, tomato juice, pear jelly, pear butter, squash relish, figs, strawberry figs....homemade fudge that is out of this World (yes I tried it in the truck on the way home). And a LARGE box of home canned goods. The Collective even got gifts!! Even large sacks of candy!! (The Collectives behavior....not exactly ideal or stellar....cough* This is another post all together.)

Stacy's folks are on a "bike ride" across the country, with family. They all have motorcycles!! Poor things, are on a ride to enjoy the fall foilage, and the rain put a damper on things...

DH and I were so glad we met up with them!! I will certainly be making the trip to see Stacy and them, in the future!! Please go OVER TO STACY, and wish her well Michael is still recovering from his motorcycle accident.

Stacy is only 6 hours away!! YEAH, I see a trip in my near future!!

Now I got to finish packing.

Of course I am not done yet, are you people crazy?!

( bI will recap this, this coming week...)

So baby let's sell your diamond ring, Buy some boots and faded jeans and go away.......

~Jennings Waylon
Lyrics for Song: Luckenbach, Texas
Lyrics for Album: Ultimate Waylon Jennings

*note to self, must have Waylon on my Shuffle TODAY!!!

Well I really must get to it today. Weeks go by here at Casa De Dust, and tumbleweeds go by, just our normal routine. And then suddenly.....AWTM is very busy. Odd.

Because of my involvement with this wonderful project, there have been a couple of opportunities come up. And honestly I was not going to put anything up, but than I noted Mr. Blackfive, went ahead and found it fit to read, so here you are a VERY small town newspaper article. . (Yes, the photo was supposed to be "serious"....Good luck in this house being serious, oh and isn't DH foxy in his ACU's. You finally get to mystery man known as DH!) The funniest part was this...a warning to my neighbors..

She doesn't edit her posts for grammar or spelling and she doesn't censor her language either,

HA!!

There was a local morning show as well last week. You all know how I am, I ALWAYS second guess myself, and am unsure what to wear, I fear tripping, or having lipstick on my teeth, or looking like an ass, ad naseum... However I think the interview went fine, DH was with me, and offered great support. The worst part of the interview (other than the TV adding 10 pounds, not wearing nearly enough makeup, because I did not want to look "whorish") was "almost" crying when asked to read my contribution to The Blog of War. It is still hard for me to think of the widows, and missed time, and the changes war brings to us that are involved in it. There are good changes, some families are better, some worse... But growing can be painful. Which is another post all together.

This in essence has brought me to another new interest and project. And that is SpouseBuzz. SpouzeBuzz which has been sponsored by Military.com, but was "birthed" by Mrs. Hell on Heels, Andi from Andi's World. Andi, is really about as gracious, and well spoken as they come. A true lady, and there are many lessons I can learn from watching her. So I am not taking her tutelage lightly. Almost all of us from SpouseBuzz are headed to Fort Hood Texas, to share our experiences as military spouses. It is a project very near and dear to our hearts, and I think The sidebar says it best...

SpouseBUZZ is your virtual Family Support Group, where we can celebrate and embrace the tie that binds us all -- military service. This blog exists because of you. We have authors and contributors to keep the conversation going here, but we need you to become an active participant. Submit your comments, questions and suggestions for topics you would like to see our authors address. SpouseBUZZ will make you think, make you laugh and make you cry. Most of all, we hope you feel instantly connected to the thousands of other spouses with whom you share a common experience.

I think each of The SpouseBuzz contributors, has a unique voice, and style. Most importantly I think Spouses, supporting spouses, by lending a word or and ear, even in the "blogoshere" is a humbling and wonderful thing to be a part of. Because, as I have mentioned a Million times before. It is exactly the blogosphere that saved me at 10pm, when I was ALONE, and the house was quiet, and I hadn't heard from my DH. (Mind you I had no blog at that time)...it was reading other women and letting out a sigh of relief and learning "my feelings" were NOT UNIQUE. AHHHH....and I was able to breathe. I think we want that for others. So thank you Andi. I am pumped and ready to put on my little mouth and BIG EARS, which can be hard. Go here for a free ticket. So tomorrow DH is donning the apron, for the weekend. (he has a very mannish camouflaged apron) I will be headed to Fort Hood Texas . I do want to go and visit the memorial, because DH was attached to the First Cav. During his deployment.

tomorrow, if all goes well, and there are no flight delays, etc...

Andi and I will be on CPR speaking to Andrea Shea King. I need to thank Andrea, and Third Wave Dave for spearheading the fundraising and auction efforts for A Storm in Afghanistan, and talk about the SpouseBuzz live event. So tune in at I believe 4pm CST, and give Andrea a listen.



Ok, so I am taking the laptop, and I am going to TRY my hand at liveblogging, if facilities permit. I should have an update if not here over at SpouseBuzz. So peruse all of these links for the next few days there are a lot.

Wish me luck, heck wish us all luck, a prayer for safe travel never hurt...

I will be back soon. I need to get this place ship shape, and pack. For tonight I dine with THIS LADIES FOLKS!!!

Auction Update....

Third Wave Dave, has been cleverly keeping track of the fundraising effort, and book auction for A Storm in Afghanistan...

The effort has been really amazing, so keep it up folks. I do not want anyone going broke, so do what you can.

Jim Dandy to the Resue...

Actually is was not Jim Dandy, it was Emily.


Emily from Swank

Emily had graciously offerred her abilities for a Soldiers Angels Auction a while , and I placed the winning bid (after hearing my plain pink blogger template was so horrible for the men to look at). So Emily, thank you for fixing me back up today. I notice you threw in a couple of extras!!

I guess the problem was an update to IE7, which btw, I was informed sucks...

Emily lives and works in Florida with her boyfriend and two neurotic cats. She’s always been “artsy”, and her love of drawing and painting took her to Art and Design school where she discovered that being a painter was not a feasible career choice if she wanted to pay her rent, so she chose to pursue the “design” part of her school and became familiar with programs like Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator.

Designing websites started as a hobby when she wanted to make her own layout for her blog, so she taught herself HTML and CSS. Today, she has designed for and has extensive knowledge of all the major content management systems, though she is partial to Wordpress.

When she’s not on the internet (ha!), she prays to the god that is her Ti-faux, and drinks too much Diet Rootbeer. Her favorite food is Mexican, her favorite TV show is Veronica Mars and she's in love with all things Joss Whedon. Is she a geek? Probably. But that's all the better for you. Geeks are really good at designing websites, it's a known fact.

Go over and look at her work...she does a terrific job.

Houston, we have a problem...

I am technologically challenged, which makes this an odd hobby I suppose. My frustration mounts every single time I crash a computer, or have a problem I cannot fix.

It also seems that AWTM is sufferring a minor glitch. I can see site from my lap top, but not from my PC. My PC is loading the sites header, and then it is blank. I thought I was the only one having the apperent problem. HOWEVER I recieved several e-mail messages this morning from daily readers saying they cannot access my site.

Darn...

I have no knowledge about how to repair this issue, and am now lating myslef at you "the readers feet"...begging for technological assist...

For the sake of Pete...

pulling hair out, and cringing teeth..

You want me to what?

I jumped rope today.

I recall doing this as a young pig tailed girl, and singing joyously while doing it.

Today there was no singing.

If you want to feel gelatinous try jumping rope.

I felt like the jello.

Honestly.

Jiggly, and not in just "the parts" that would make it interesting for DH to watch. I was jiggling in places one should NOT jiggle.

Fingers toes, legs...

I also played soccer with mostly Dash (who would prefer I call him Sir Rowland). Pink Ninja swinging on the swingset, singing sweetly. I won the soccer match, he is a cheater, but found my weak spot and managed dribbling around me each time.

*note to self, work on fixing weak spot*

Sooo Busted....

Upon my Mother In Laws suggestion I learned to adopt "Mother's Day Off" when my Dear Husband was deployed.

It wasn't really a day off, it was more or less a day every couple of weeks, where we broke routine, and rested and played. It was a day where pillows and blankets were thrown on the floor, and everyone including Mom got to stay in pajamas. It was the easy meal days, cereal, sandwiches, macaroni and cheese, or something delivered to the house.

I would suggest you try it, at least once...but...

I make this suggestion with one, minor warning.

Read the rest

Disturbing trend..

In the last month and a half or so, I have noticed "The Collective", are organizing some sort of coup.

First there is this. The volume at which they do all things. It has gotten loud in Casa De Dust. (I might mention here as well, we have a modest home, so I can HEAR EVERYTHING).

So the talking volume has went from about a 3 to a 6. Holy crap. Oh, and there is the added bonus of the screaming. Ick. "Pink Ninja" is the worst at the screaming. She screams when she is laughing, when she is unhappy. She is loud. I will add here, she is louder than me. Oh and the screeching, ouchhh. The other bad news here is that her teeny voice is so off the scale high pitched, it reverberates in my skull, pinging....

My threshold for noise...is like a 4 tops. So this development has made me edgy. I overload on auditory stimuli easily. '

There are rules that have ALWAYS existed in my home, NO yelling. I do not like it. I really do not like it.

So the three of us sat down tonight, and we talked about it. They still do not get it. I am sure they are almost 3 and 4 1/2.....when they heard me say "You guys, Mommy really can't stand loud noise, it drives her crazy." There was a twinkle noted in each of they're eyes.

I am sure this conversation has caused them to come at me as a sort of united front. It is my guess tomorrow might bring more of this noise.

my head hurts...There are still words and screeches pinging loosely in my skull...O
OUCH.

On The Nightstand

My nightstand currently looks like it might explode. An odd assortment of reading material there. All of it sort of contradictory...

There is this...Apathy, and Other Small Victories. Very light, and laugh out loud type of reading. A typical slacker novelette...

Booklist
Shane's a numb loser in a city full of freaks. He learned to swear in sign language so he could converse with his dentist's deaf hygienist, but now she's dead, and the police want answers and fluid samples. When it's not sending up crime novels, the narrative satirizes soulless corporate life, but Shane is hard to take either way. In a rare moment of honest assessment, he notes, "I have always thought of people as punch lines." And that's what this book is: an onrushing series of twisted gags, some of them hilarious, others not so much. (Neilan would be funnier if he wasn't so smugly sure of how funny he is.) A highlight: "And then there was some sex . . . We were like two dead fish being slapped together by an off-duty clown." Remember those "Deep Thoughts with Jack Handey" throwaways that used to run between sketches on Saturday Night Live? This is a (barely) novel-length version of that kind of humor. In other words, juvenile fun for undiscerning lads with two hours to kill. A mystery for the Maxim generation. Frank Sennett

Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Oddly enough, the other book sitting right next to Apathy happens to be "The Art of Happiness", by The Dalai Lama...yeah it was unplanned I promise. I am also much to lazy to capture such an odd combination.



Part Two: Human Warmth and Compassion
Chapters 5-7 are concerned with relationships between people. Take the chapter descriptions below with a grain of salt: these three chapters are very closely related, and the subject matter of each appears in all three to a certain extent.
5. A New Model of Intimacy. The Dalai Lama bases his relationships not on the specifics of people's personalities, but on the general aspects of the human condition: All people want to be happy and escape suffering. By developing compassion for the human condition, a person can relate to anyone and need never be lonely or lack for companionship.

6. Deepening our Connection to Others. Relationships based on compassion (on desiring that all people be happy and escape suffering) are based on unchanging aspects of the human condition, and so are more stable than relationships based on status, common interests, wealth, sex, or romance.

7. The Value and Benefits of Compassion. Developing the ability to view all people with compassion is a key component of having healthy, stable relationships with others and being happy.

An interesting book to be sure, and calming, makes sleep come a little easier...

Read both..

I am packing my Cowboy Boots and am headed to Texas!!

Military Spouses in the Fort Hood area are invited to attend a free event, SpouseBUZZ Live!, on Oct. 28, 2006. The event -- in connection with the new spouse blog SpouseBUZZ.com -- will feature panels discussing the joys and challenges of military life, deployment preparation and what to expect when a spouse returns from deployment. The event is free and will run from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. To learn more about SpouseBUZZ Live and to get free tickets, go to www.military.com/tickets.

Military.com is sponsoring SpouseBUZZ LIVE, an expo which will take place on Saturday, October 28 from 11:00 - 4:00 at The Plaza Hotel in Killeen, Texas. This expo will focus on topics and issues which are important to military spouses. Below, you'll find a list of panels/panelists.

THE MILSPOUSE EXPERIENCE: A warm-up discussion about the joys and challenges facing milspouses. This panel will feature a diverse group of spouses including active-duty, National Guard and a male spouse.

Moderated by Ward Carroll

Panelists: AWTM, Guard Wife, Sarah and Mike

DEPLOYMENT A-Z: A "potluck" discussion on a wide range of issues surrounding deployment.

Moderated by Vince Patton

Panelists: RedLegMeg, Airforcewife, Molly Pitcher, Love My Tanker

OVERCOMING LIFE CHALLENGES: How do you deal with the often-difficult reintegration period? What about PTSD? What happens if your spouse is wounded?

Moderated by Andi Hurley

Panelists: Joan D'Arc, Nancy Nuding (wife of Dadmanly), GBear, Ft. Hood representative




See you Saturday in Texas!!

Auction Update, and Fundraising Update

Go over and read A Storm in Afghanistan, he has an update on Elicia. I am glad to hear things are currently "ok". Her bravery is amazing.

He also says this...

What has truly stunned us has been the messages of support. In the donations, there are often words of support thanking ME! I am just a Soldier... I am surprised and humbled by this. Ellicia is the one who is so strong, and she gets my tremendous respect and adoration. I don't know how she does it, every day, so strong.

We're touched, too, by those who give when in need themselves. From the hastily scrawled note in the mail saying times were tight, but enclosing $5... to a donation of the last dollars in someone's PayPal account.

So I want to thank those of ou who have made whatever contribution you could. Even if it was $1.00 or a message of support.

You did something, and all of those donations add up in the end.

The auction continues, Buzz Patterson's donation of 3 sign books, is still available on e-bay.

Once Again Thank You Andrea!!

This one time, at band practice

The Dude, posts video of his band practicing. I wish I could sing like that at "practice".

Stanette has pipes

Doc is no longer in the box...

That is right Sean is home, and back with his bride!!

It is so nice to see he is HOME.

So Thank You SEAN, and Thank you to the bride as well!

It is all about the timing kid

I am going to put an Improv sign on the front porch, and throw a brick wall up...

because clearly someone will be famous.

I am talking Richard Pryor, Steve Martin famous.

Dash, (who I will add here, does not like to be referred to as Dash in my blog. He can read, and he does not like being referred to as Dash. His nickname is "SIR Rowland", whatever that means)I am afraid changing it might cause confusion to the reader...so I am thinking about it.

Anyway, Dash is trying to play his 1st Grade leapster game. Pink Ninja offers him no relief. (I will add here, that they have been good today, EXCEPT FOR THE SCREAMI
NG, RUNNING, and SCREACHING!! I am on audio overload already)

Ok again the story.

So Dash shuts the door to his room, so he can be alone.

Pink Ninja won't leave him a alone, she keeps knocking, and pounding on his door. Despite me beggin her to leave him alone.


So I am in the kitchen folding clothes, and I hear her wittle voice say...

"Knocka Knocka, Pizzaman"

"Knocka Knocka, I have candy"

*Note here, she is neither a pizza man, and had no candy*





I was reminded of the classic "SNL landshark skit."

Can I tell you, this kid is a comic genius, and she is not yet 3.

What you should be listening to in October

Tesco, posted this.....

it made me think...


Halloween is almost here. So you really should be listening to some Misfits. Since I have been on the laptop, I have been privy to more Misfits. It was after all the "deployment computer".

I forget how much I enjoy Glens voice. Honestly. I also think I enjoy it more each time I hear him.

I have never seen a Misfits show live. I am sure DH has, my guess is in El Paso or Jaurez, in some crazy shit hole dive. I do know he got to see Danzig at some show while we were married, he managed to meet Glen. He did get the CD signed I think...where is that CD? Damn...I missed it again.


Now I am too old to exist in a mosh pit. I think I would probably end up injured on the side. Heck my "gluiding harmony" and yoga with weights, has left me feeling like I have spent the last 4 weeks as a roller derby queen. Imagine what a mosh pit would do to me now...

or not.

Christmas is coming, DH would love this....too rich for my blood.

But I still have my ears right? There is a reason my computer speakers are blown out on the PC right? A SAHM needs something to clean to. Oh and repair things to....repairing.

and a girl can dream, can't she?

I coulda been a contender....

If I were Emma Peel.....

I would have had some place to go tonight...

One Piece at a Time

I'd get it one piece at a time
And it wouldn't cost me a dime
You'll know it's me when I come through your town
I'm gonna ride around in style
I'm gonna drive everybody wild
'Cause I'll have the only one there is a round.

~Johnny Cash

Today I walked in the hallway bathroom, after cleaning it for the third time today, and I this is what I immediately thought.

"They are trying to kill me"
"What in the hell goes on in here?"

I find myself saying those 2 phrases a lot. No certainly not out loud. But there is a certain phraseology that goes pinging through my head on certain days....

"The Collective", are destroying the house one piece at a time. I should have taken shop in high school. My time would have been better spent in a class called how to fix crap in your house, that falls apart, or kids break...

The favorite room de jour to destroy.

The hallway bathroom, which is the guest bathroom, and they're bathroom as well.

2 months ago Dash was swinging from the towel bar. (which he had been told not to do about 20 times) Yeah it broke. It was a cheap towel bar, but still. It is like having monkeys live in the house.

So there is no towel rack in the bathroom.

I think DH, was more pissed off than I was. DH, also is keeping a mental list of things we will break when we visit Dash when he is in his first home. I think towel rack made the list, I also am sure DH will put LEGOS on the floor by Dash's bed when he is sleeping. Payback is hell.

Pink Ninja, just dismantled the little plunger that reroutes water from the faucet to the showerhead. Nice. I tried to fix the damn thing for about 10 minutes tonight. I am sure a part or something is missing. Oh DH, please do not forget to put that on the list of paybacks.

At this rate, the house should be completely destroyed in about 6 months.

Ummm....yeah the list is growing.

One piece at a time.

The Stingrays are pissed or It ain't nothing but a G thang baby

Weeks after The Crocodile Hunter is killed by a stingray, these darn things strike again.

Last night, I was sitting in the living room listening to the lullaby of snores from a very tired DH, and watched the ever popular Greta Van Skankron of Fox news. Once again there is a "lack of news" on the planet, so, Greta started ranting and sensationalizing an incident that had occurred yesterday.

"A stingray jumped up onto the boat and stabbed the man in the heart "

I just kept thinking, these Stingrays are pissed, I am not sure what the problem is. It is my guess that it was simply an accident, the stingray was on its way home, made a wrong turn. The Stingrays might just be hungry for press, and sort of media attention is better than none. It may have very well been retribution for the recent slaughter of hundreds of stingrays on the Eastern coast of Australia by fans of Steve Irwin.

Reminds me of Biggie and Tupac back in the day.

It's an East Coast thing.

Peace Out

and Word to your Mother.

Let The Bidding Begin

The Auction for A Storm In Afghanistan has started!!!

Please go over and start the bidding!!

This collection of 3 signed books, would make a wonderful gift for 1 very special person, or heck break the set up, and you have 3 gifts!!

Thank You Buzz for the gracious donation, and for Andreas hard work!!
Remember THE REASON for this auction, there is a family in need..

Buzz Patterson 3 Book Military Family Benefit Auction
Personalized Autographed Books By Buzz Patterson



Up for auction is a very unique set of books by Robert "Buzz" Patterson, which will be autographed and personalized by Lt. Col. Patterson himself! 100% of the proceeds will go to helping a military family in need.


Military Family Compassionate Auction!!!!

Lt. Col. Robert "Buzz" Patterson, USAF (Ret.), Chief Operating Officer with the David Horowitz Freedom Center, is donating and will personally autograph a trio of his best selling books: "Reckless Disregard: How Liberal Democrats Undercut Our Military, Endanger Our Soldiers, and Jeopardize Our Security"; "Dereliction of Duty - The Eyewitness Account of How Bill Clinton Compromised America's National Security"; and his most recent book "War Crimes - The Left's Campaign to Eliminate the Military and Lose the War on Terror", debuting in January '07.

Patterson was the senior ranking officer of the five military aides serving in the Clinton White House, and carried the "nuclear football" - the top secret briefcase containing the launch codes for America's nuclear weapons.

Constitutional Public Radio is honored to join Buzz Patterson in this benefit auction for Army Spc. Reid Stanley ("SC Eagle" at Kafstorm.blogspot.com) and his wife Ellicia, who is battling cancer of the brain, breast, and lungs. They have three young children. And mounting expenses.

Dumped...

OK I am on the lap top. Thank God it was repaired, and it is in the house. I am a one computer lady. I prefer my PC. It is mine. Reminds me of an old car I had. I know all of the tricks etc.

So the PC was acting funny, so I tried to update it, and now it is locked up. This will require me to call Bangladesh in the morning. I will also be on hold for freaking 3 hours, all while trying to ref a game of "I am going to kill you", being played by the collective.

helper: "cleeck on eff 4 and tap"

Me: "Huh? wha? huh?"

Multiply this conversation by like 21, and throw in me trying to understand the rich Indian accent, while "The Collective" scream.

I am dreading tomorrow already.

I am a huge puss.

Let me mention here, Casa De Dust was hot as Hades last night. Thermostat said 92. I broke down and turned on the air. When I woke, grabbed the tots and headed to the gym...BRRRRR...51 degrees. Go figure.

OK...today. Oh I went to "gliding harmony" class. The Collective went to the gym nursery. All was well, the kids did great. I hurt, which I suppose means progress, although I thought I was in better shape than this.

Then we had to run to the bank.

Library. I picked up Season One of Dark Shadows. Heck there are 40 episodes, and it is creepy, and tis the season for creepiness. Dash got some wonderful books written by David MaCauley, and books on spiders. He hates "webs", and it seems wherever we go down here, we all get wrapped up in webs. Dash does not like this. I figure, maybe if he reads about them, he will feel better. Pink Ninja, got a couple of books about Halloween.

Whole wheat spaghetti, and a salad for dinner.

DH got home late, he is exhausted, and already snoring on the couch.

I have plenty I need to be doing. There is laundry. There are also 3 cards here to go out to people that really need a pick me up.

However, all feels funny, just because I do not have good old PC Gertie, to help. Funny.

I am attached to her so, whodda thunk?

Now I hope the laptop holds up, and doesn't get sick too.

Amazing Blogger

Amy Schlesing is a journalist with the Arkansas Democrat Gazette, and she was embedded with the 39th Infanntry Division while they were in Iraq. She did an amzing job of writing her thoughts while with them.

She is currently in Balad, blogging again!!

Go over and take a look, her archives are listed as well.

Thank you Amy

Mistakes

Mistakes

It's not so easy to find out later
About the necessary knowledge for survival,
You think you
know enough to get you through life
But find out too late
of chances passed by.
~Maddness

So I have added up 33 months of deployments, in our 16 years of marriage. This does not include schools, TDY, PLDC, OCS, drill weekends, shooting events and competitions, time spent at Camp Perry.

33 months of deployments.

Go over to SpouseBuzz to read more....

Great just GREAT....

So I have been blogging for how long? 20 months. 20 months of blog entries.

And I am #1 on Google for "how to clean poop out of carpet". Seriously, open a window and type it and goggle me.

Nice. It took one post. I guess it is a bigger problem than I had imagined...

Maybe I should change my blog title?

Rough Days...

The past two days have been rough around here. It seems as if The Collective have had excess energy. REALLY. Excessive...

Real excessive energy.

We are off to the park, so they can expend whatever they need to.

Dash requested the following this morning:

~his sister be turned into a boy, so they could play "boy things".
~the Rokenbok AGAIN
~everything

Wish me luck at the park, I am taking a book, but I do not know why. My guess is, I will be too busy top read.

Auction Countdown...

From Radio Patriot Blog

THE COUNTDOWN BEGINS
PLEASE NOTE: This post will remain here through the auction. Scroll down for more recent posts.


Military Family Compassionate Auction

The count is underway for an October 19th launch of the e-Bay auction of Lt. Col. Buzz Patterson's books benefiting Army Spc. Reid "SC Eagle" Stanley at KAFSTORM.blogspot.com and his wife Ellicia. The auction bidding will begin at 10 p.m. ET, Thursday night, 10/19.



Constitutional Public Radio is honored to join Buzz Patterson in this 10-day-long benefit auction for Army Spc. Reid Stanley and Ellicia, who is battling cancer of the brain, breast, and lungs. SC Eagle, stationed in Germany, was deployed to Afghanistan, and now faces another, more personal war, one with Ellicia's life in the balance. They have three young children. And mounting expenses.

I will also remind you, that every dime counts, do what you can.

Gliding Discs are made by the devil, and other foolishness.

So, I am ALMOST back to my full-time gym routine.

My somewhat smallish community cannot supprot 2 yoga studios, and of course the one with the child care nixed the yoga. All of my very hard physical work had went to the wayside while I was ill, even with the walking. Walking was not enough, even with nothing but hills around here.

So I found myself back in "gliding harmony" class yesturday. Yeah do not let the name fool you. The class is a combo class, yoga, pilates, small weights, and gliding discs,. Ouch. Ouch. If pain equals results, I should be back to "normal shape" in 2-3 weeks. Still struggling with side plank, and tri-cep push ups. Damn. Upper body stregnth, (never my strong suit) is a problem again.

The "gliding discs" are made by the devil. Ouch. We did push ups with them. Go ahead try it, try moving your arms in and out for a pushup on a disc that slides on carpet. It better be doing something, because it is genuinely hard. We also did "bridge" yoga pose, and then used the discs, also very difficult. Then my instructor tried some crazy ass series where, we would be in pyramid yoga pose, doing bicep curls. I am sure all of this is very good, it just takes some getting used to.

Also note, I always, ALWAYS am in the back. I own the back of the room in excercise class. ALWAYS.

However yesterday, we had an inactive bystander sitting in the back watching us all excercise. I am unsure what her purpose was, but it made me uber uncomcomfortable.

Closing shop....

Monday, October 16, 2006

Closing the Blog
I have been blogging for almost 2 years. Today, I've decided not to blog any more... at least for the foreseeable future.

I will miss you Carla....

Go over and wish her well.

Tricks or Treats

Last week we spent a lot of time "crafting" spooks and spiders.

We read you loud and CLEAR...

Last weekend DH and I took "The Collective" to the theater. I note a man ahead of us in line.

1) looking down
2) IPOD thingys in ears
3) has a book
4) sunglasses on

You are screaming, "do not talk to me". I think we all get the picture.

They don't call him DadManly for nothing.....

Well done!! Fantastic job, and I hope to see you and the Mrs. at Fort Hood!!

Go over and watch it for yourself!!

Turn off

Seems as if my head is in some sort of overdrive. I have to "go see a guy about a dog" in the morning. I have an outfit picked out, and have been practicing crossing my legs at the ankles.

I have no idea what they want to know, or what they will ask.

I have no idea if my hair will turn out.

I have no idea how I will come off.

I do know I need sleep or I will look old and tired, and puffy.

Foiled Again

I went to the salon Friday and got my roots did!!

Can I hear a hallelujah in the house!!

Seriously folks I need to hear a hallelujah!!

I was looking seriously trashy.

Ahhh...I feel like a woman again.

The color once again, caramel, chesnut type thing.

Of course my stylist straightens it for me in the shop, so I came home looking very sassy. My normally natuarally curly hair, straight with sexy bangs. cute.

Today it is piled on top of my head in a clippy, wild, curly as alway.

At least the 2 inch roots are not staring at me, in cut off jean shorts, and drinking Millwakes best-ick.

Plagued

The odd dreams continue, some more disturbing than others.

Dreamville, colliding just enough with past realities, that it feels like instant replay, but "not quite".

Dreamville that odd place where I know someone, but have no idea who they are. Or someone that looks like someone I know, but meows like a cat, or sounds like a stranger.

2 nights ago I dreamt my Mom was sick again, all night. I swear the dream lasted all night. (Although I know that this is impossible). However since I was in Dreamville, the sky was overcast, I was in that town by the lake again, Mom was ill, but I am unsure what her diagnosis was. She also died in the hospital in the dream, alone. (In reality she died at home.) I had missed her death by minutes.

It was a creepy dream, not pleasent at all. One of those dreams I have that I carry around for a week or so and then shake off.

DH had a dream about my Mom this week, and she had looked great, beautiful, and was VERY animated. They had a nice talk.


Anyway, I do not have these types of dreams often. Probably about once every 6 months or so some Dreamville dream will happen to show up, and will hang with me for a couple of weeks or so. It will fade with the rest of them.

Dreamville is an odd place, it is always overcast, and there is a lake, and a bridge, lots of steel and gray, little houses, a working class Dreamville. Reminds of something David Lynch might come up with. Creepy...

Happy Birthday!!

To my DH, who also happens to have the best legs on the planet!!

Extreme tampons?

I was just sitting here sipping a turkey and coke watching television with DH, when I see a commercial for THIS.

For the sake of Pete. A high performance tampon? I mean it might be a fantastic tampon. The BEST tampon on the planet. I have not tried it so I will not say anything about the quality of said product.

I do want to know which marketing team at Playtex won out with this idea? My guess is the "EXTREME team" . You know the four douchebag, skateboarding, marketing guys that are turning every product into EXTREME toothpaste, EXTREME bread, ultra performance water. I seriously have doubts if this tampon marketing team was made of women. I just doubt it. Women would have created a quieter packaging, or a free coupon for chocolate at the bottom of every box, perhaps a $1.00 off coupon for midol. Something useful..But high performance? We are not buying it.


The announcer on the commercial even lauds a "no slip grip applicator". Has anyone ever had a tampon accident due to slipping? I do not think I want to know, but really a no-slip applicator? That is just plain silly.


Playtex, my suggestion to you, loose the skateboarding 18 year old male marketing team....I do not need the bag boy at Krogers handing me my sports tampons and saying "Dude......These tampons are supposed to ROCK.."

And We are off....

The Commissary, always good for a laugh...hold on to your hats.

Walking and chewing gum

OK, so I have spent a lifetime as the "not jock" of the family. My Dad: All State Football, college scholarship offer (not used) , my Brother: played baseball in college, 2 cousins have played for UNL. Me? No not much.

I run like a girl, and I am slow. Oh-- and I do not like running as sport. It is confusing to me, pain. I can throw a ball straight, and fairly fast but not far. I played volleyball, and basketball, both horribly. I tried both for my Father (who was my coach, yeah the coaches daughter sucked at both--poor Dad) . I tried cheerleading, and suprisingly I did not like doing halftime "shows". Too much attention. It was probably good I "tried". My golf swing horrible, but I do enjoy a good 9 holes of golf, I am great with a pitching wedge, my drive needs work it is low, but straight. I also like a tennis game, if you do not make me RUN everywhere. I do respect athletes, and the ability to make athletic activity look effortless. I enjoy sports, really I do, I would enjoy them more without an audience. I am not athletic...I KNOW this.

exercise has turned into a necessity for me,it has made me feel physically better, it has made my head clearer.

So this morning I went to "yoga". The calendar said "gliding harmony", and had the yoga instructors name by it. So I showed up, dropped "The Collective" off at the gym nursery, grabbed my yoga bag and headed on in. OMG?

Confusing, there are weights and small Frisbee thingys on the floor? Huh? Oh crap? WTF am I doing here? So of course there were niceties, and then the explanations about my subsequent illness, and gynocological updating. Oh-- and then I was told the straight yoga class had been scratched. Our little suburb is not interested enough to support the studio down the road and a yoga class so "gliding harmony" has taken its place.

I of course asked questions, and offered a plethora of excuses for my current state poor physical condition.

Has anyone fallen off of these little gliding thingys yet?

Has anyone died?

ad naseum....

My instructor actually asked me if I wanted to "practice"...I replied quickly with a "yeah no thanks, audience not needed!!"

So I did hang in, although combining movements makes me look ridiculous.

Arms up holding weights, right leg up, left leg up and out and over.

OMG? I tried and tried to get it all going "together" and by the time the series of 12 would be over it would be time to do something else.

Then I hear this...

from participant to instructor

"Why are we doing series of 12 instead of 6 today?"

OH great it is my first day and I came on increase day?

Well I made it through "increase day". I looked awkward and felt awkward, but I did not bail out, I made it through class with the regulars.

Will I go back?

yeah.

Skittles

My Favorite commercial.

What NOT to Wear....

OK, I have a thing Monday.....

Can I wear a chocolate brown turtleneck, a dark denim below knee pencil skirt, and chocolate boots?

Santa Baby....

The Christmas wishing has started. Yeah yeah I know it is early, but I wanted requests, so "Santa" could use layaway, and budget his energies. Santa only has a certain amount of elves, and money. I have even explained this to "The Collective". Telling them Santa has to buy a lot of children gifts all over the World.

Dash's wish list:

Rokenbok. Go ahead click on the link and watch and read. VERY cool. He saw it at the toy store in Hot Springs. I of course felt this thing was WAY too advanced, and might cause frustration. But, Dash had it figured out within seconds. I never did get the damn thing figured out.


Pink Ninja's wish list:

The talking Dora the Exploreer house:



The suprising thing here, well ALMOST everything is sold separately. So, I guess I know what else she will be getting.

So Santa, get to it. There are only a few shopping days left. Oh, and thank God some places still have layaway!!

Prayers answered...

Stacy updates over at her place today!! It is good news too.

Just wanted to tell everyone thanks so much for all the prayers. They have been answered. He is going to have a long long recovery. The surgeons are saying two months at the least, but I really think that he will be back up and going before that. He hates that both of his arms are broken, and someone will have to do everything for him for the first couple of weeks at least.

A girl has to have a goal right?

Goals for the Thursday:


1) Find a babysitter for Friday afternoon I desperately need to get rid of my very trashy looking roots. "light" is also the preference for my hair color (AGAIN). Although this will be the final time before winter, my hair and wallet need a break!!

2) Do all laundry available in the house (except linens, which will be done this weekend, because DH has drill, and I will do it then)

3) Dreaded task bills. Make them out, and mail them.

4) Go to post office, and mail dreaded bills.

5) Return movies, and books to the library, and check out more!!

6) vacuum Dash's room

7) vacuum Pink ninja's room

8) vacuum livingroom if LEGOs are ever all off of the floor.

9) invent a special lego only vacuum for The Collective".

Movie Night

Stanley Kubrik's Dr. Strangelove or or How I learned to stop worrying and love the Bomb.

based off of the book Red Alert.

A Penny Saved....

*Dash delighting at the smell of money.


When Granny was here, I promised Dash he could empty his piggy bank.

You see, he had diligently been saving his $$$ for a Thomas the Tank Engine "sights and sounds ice cream factory" (Note here it is a small wooden toy, does not make ice cream, and retails for $60.00) Santa did not bring it last year, because Santa thought it was a ridiculous amount of money to spend on a small wooden building. Who knew Santa was so sensible?

So Dash has been saving, every penny from heaven. Every dime. He also has earned a little money by being a fantastic helper around the house. He is always willing to lend a hand, even when no money is offerred. His work ethic is fantastic for a 4 1/2 year old. He has raked, and scraped plates, and cleaned up his room, the living room, washed finger prints off of mirrors, washed cars for an entire year. (I wish I could say the same for Pink Ninja, yeah she does not care)

So, when Granny came down, we got Mr. Piggy Bank down, and can I tell you he felt light. There was no way there was there was $60.00 in that piggy bank. Only $11.00 in bills, and the rest in change. However. Granny and I stacked and sorted with Dash's help.

He had $56.00!!

So, we all got into the "truwk" and headed for the bank. We have photos of Dash in front of the bank with his pig, with the teller, by the change machine.

It was a very proud day for him. He was polite and proud, I sat him on top of the counter. He gathered the reciept from the change counter, and handed it to the teller. She gave me the reciept to sign. No way, Dash signed his name gathered his cash, and thanked them. He kept sniffing his money the entire drive across town, talking about how "I just love the smell of money and banks!!"

Then we headed to Books A Million to find the "ice cream factory" for 50%, and with DH's discount Dash was able to buy the "ice cream factory for $26.97!! He has money left to buy himself something else.

It was a valuable lesson for all of us.

"The Blog of War" eBook free for Enlisted Military

Courtesy of Mr. Blackfive, and Simon and Schuster...

The Blog of War eBook is free to enlisted personel.

This offer is only good until the end of October.

You can use this link to Simon & Schuster's download page. The password to unlock the download is blogwar .

Please forward this to any enlisted people you think might be interested.

Thank you Mr. Blackfive.

Thank You....

Oh man, it sucked giant donkey dicks having him leave. My hat goes off to those spouses who seem to hold it together. I cried all the way home like a little baby.

Leave it to Katy to NEVER mince words, and thank you to Katy and Clint for their service.


Go over and let them know you are thinking of them.

If I Were Emma Peel.....

I would make someone else "open bills", I would only open notes, and letters...

A Storm In Afghanistan: How Is Ellicia Doing?

A Storm In Afghanistan: How Is Ellicia Doing?

Looks like we will be praying without ceasing....

I just returned home to find an e-mail with the following from Some Soldier's Mom

Michael was awake during the night and they removed the breathing tube, but they had to re-insert the tube this morning. He has not been conscious long enough to assess his neck and spine, but they are hoping that adjusting his pain medications will help rouse him. Stacy and her family are at Michael's bedside. Michael is listed in stable condition.

After doing a bit of research, yes I was right...

Stacy's son Michael who had returned from a deployment months ago, was in a motorcycle accident.

Start praying now folks PLEASE...

A Mother and Wife....

A Storm in Afghanistan updates us.

Ellicia has just completed radiation treatment to her brain. Remember she had 11 metastatic tumors. Please also note here, that radiation not only destroys cancerous cells, it destroys healthy cells as well. Ellicia's Husband writes this....

Day to day life? Well, she has good days and bad days. She no longer carries anything breakable or sharp as we never know when something will give out. Driving is a long-ago memory now. And, of course, I don't leave her alone with our toddler. For her to get in/out of bed, we like to have me there... just in case.

Now they are getting ready to meet with her regular oncologist. There is still the metastatic lung tumors, and the breast cancer to contend with.

This is the fight for life...

Ellicia is married to an active duty military man , and has a 1,3 and 5 year old.

Lets please try to help them keep her at home.....

There is an Auction in the works, more on this tonight.

Picnic

I was allowed the luxury of sleeping in this morning. Dash woke at his "farmer time". 5:30am. It is after all harvest time. I wish I had a goat or chickens for him to care for.

So I woke to pancakes being made in the kitchen by DH, and freshly brewed coffee. Nice. Cool out. I was able to leave the air off, and the window open in the bedroom, brisk upon waking. Nice.

So after everyone, ate dressed, rummaged through the Sunday paper, I packed a picnic, and we headed to the park by the marina.

A beautiful morning, and quiet since it is Sunday and we are in the Bible Belt. Quiet, for a while anyway.

DH took a book, and I took my sewing. I took tonka trucks and buckets for "The Collective".....

Quiet.


At about 2pm, the park was filled to the brim, with family reunions, and church picnics, we got phased out.

Pink Ninja fell asleep on the way home, and DH was able to transfer her in the house without waking her, a rarity.

Dash and I made peanut butter chocolate chip cookies. Actually, Dash made them, he even cracked his first egg, used the mixer, measured the oil, formed the balls, made the criss crosses. I even let him put the cookie sheet into the preheated oven!! I think he may have a career ahead of him. After all he loves Paula Deen. Who knows. He likes directions, and rules, and following recipes.

The cookies are delish, and now I am busy with Sunday dinner

cornbread from scratch (left over from last night)
mashed taters
corn
gravy
fried chicken
tossed salad

cookies and ice cream for dessert!!

The chicken is delicious!! Go ahead and try it the recipe is HERE

I still ache....

Like I said Wussville. However, I am headed out in the morning to do it again. I am on a pain countdown...

the pain travels. Today it was my abs,

the culprit....

The Hundred:
~ is a breathing exercise & is meant to begin circulating your blood to warm up the body in preparation for the exercises to follow.
1. Lie on your back with your knees bent in toward your chest. Deeply inhale, and as you exhale feel your chest & belly sink into the floor beneath you.
2. Bring your head up to look at your belly, by keeping the neck straight and curling your upper torso.
3. Lift forward until you feel the bottom of your shoulder blades pressing into the floor.
4. Stretch your arms out beside you as if you were trying to touch the wall across from you.
5. Keeping your arms straight, pump them as though you were slapping water just above the floor.
6. Inhale & exhale for 5 counts all the while reaching forward as you breathe.
7. Continue this exercise for as long as possible (or until the count of 100).
8. End by lowering your head and placing the soles of your feet flat on the mat to prepare for the roll-up.

I am gonna stomp my feet all weekend...

Yeah looks like Tesco has been shut down...

You have 24 hours to grab what you want and leave.

Go get what you need, he has to have something you want...

Verbal Assault
Dead Boys
Bob Mould
Pink Floyd
Ani DiFranco
Jane's Addiction
David Bowie
Guided by Voices
Smiths
Beastie Boys
Elvis Costello
Misfits
Louie XIV
Bad Brains
Uncle Tupelo
Hedwig & Angry Inch
Anti-Nowhere League
Skrewdriver
Vince Guaraldi
Feederz
Samiam
Samiam
Government Issue
Agnostic Front
Cure
Minor Threat
Chris Cornell
Operation Ivy
Sublime
Clash
Specials
So-Cal Christmas
Nihilistics
Seven Seconds
Blitz
Damned
Dead Milkmen
Void
Black Flag
Suicidal Tendencies
Germs
Cult
Drive Like Jehu
Pantera
Fishbone
Pixies
X
Misfits
Girls Against Boys
Church
Tool
Cure
White Stripes
Psychedelic Furs
Slayer
Cure
Jane's Addiction
At the Drive-In
Business
Wilco
De La Soul
Hex
Mental Abuse
Joy Division
Circle Jerks
GBH
New Order
Husker Du
Killing Joke
Radiohead
MDC
Angry Samoans
Sneaker Pimps
Son Volt
Social Distortion
Buzzcocks
Reagan Youth
Church
Subhumans
Superchunk
Skinny Puppy
US Chaos
US Chaos
Sepultura
Kyuss
Minutemen
Glove
Stiff Little Fingers
Walls of Jericho
RKL
Hot Snakes
Cramps
Motorhead
English Beat
Bauhaus
Fear
Hold Steady
DRI
Poison Idea
Love and Rockets
Rose Tattoo
Peter Murphy
Echo & The Bunnymen
Monster Magnet
Testament
Siouxsie & The Banshees
Kiss
Beastie Boys
Clutch
Replacements
Rage Against the Machine
Van Halen
Gun Club
Reverend Horton Heat
Distorted Pony
Sisters of Mercy
Godflesh
Smashing Pumpkins
Mars Volta
Infa-Riot
Business
Combat 84
Madness
MC5
Stooges
COC
Jesus and Mary Chain
Curve
SOD
Big Black
Catherine Wheel
Shudder to Think
Madness
Sundays
Quicksand
Crass
Samhain
Damned
Portishead
Flunk
Dead Boys
Tool
Exploited
TSOL
Motley Crue
Nashville Pussy
Deftones
Twelve Tribes
Catherine Wheel
Front 242
Earth Crisis
Lords of Acid
Bobby Previte
Ministry
INXS
X-Ray Specs
Sonic Youth
Believer
Bjork
Jesus Lizard
Jimi Hendrix
Clan of Xymox
Clash
Tool
Soul Coughing
Boards of Canada
Peter & The Test Tube Babies
Bosstones
Joy Division
Cult
Sigur Ros
Nouvelle Vague
Walls of Jericho
Youth Brigade
Negative Approach
Nekromantix
New Order
Walt Mink
Gun Club
Helmet
Plaid
Expelled
New Bomb Turks
Suicidal Tendencies
Battles
Turbonegro
Peter Gabriel
Wolfmother
Messengers
Germs
Supersuckers
Amboy Dukes
My Life w/t Thrill Kill Kult
SOA
Girls Against Boys
Black Flag
My Life w/t Thrill Kill Kult
Ramones
Burn the Priest
Slayer
Generation X
Candlemass
Mr Bungle
Kraut
Vice Squad
(the) Locust
Diamond Head
Chaos UK
Pixies
Partisans
Kate Bush
Fugazi
Mission of Burma
Pegboy
Breadwinner
MD.45
Angry Samoans
Morphine
U2
Cyberactif
Chelsea
Clash
Clash
Yes
Nomeansno
Bad Brains
The Who
Converge
Atheist
Skinny Puppy
Cure
Mars Volta
New Wet Kojak
GBH
Talk Talk
DOA
Cure
Birthday Party
Godflesh
Shudder to Think
Swans
Jawbox
Modern English
Speedealer
Brian Eno
The Union Dead
Mars Volta
The Raconteurs
Dramarama
Radiohead
Barkmarket
4-Skins
Stabbing Westward
Loud Lucy
Sex Pistols
Hot Water Music
Therapy?
XTC
Stone Roses
Talking Heads
Chemical Brothers
Autechre
Melvins
Smashing Pumpkins
PEACE / WAR Comp
Prodigy
Butch Walker
Helmet
Church
Stiff Little Fingers
Strokes
Sham 69
Misfits
Misfits (the rest!)
Misfits
Jim Carroll
Minutemen
Mummies
Blowoff
Angelic Upstarts
Velvet Underground
Devo
Cure
Duran Duran
Clash
Beatles
Social Distortion
Police
Superchunk
Queens of the Stone Age
Siouxsie & The Banshees
Mouth of the Architect
Echo & The Bunnymen
Expelled
Neurosis
Gang Of Four
Gary Numan
Nirvana
Dag Nasty
Negative Approach (rev)
Ikara Colt
Elvis Costello
KMFDM
Big Drill Car
Bad Manners
The Hold Steady

Damn Tesco, just damn...

Thanks, looks like I will be wearing black all weekend...

Out For Chores

Pink Ninja, on the back 40....

Baby Doll

Dash feeding "Baby Doll" sheep at the zoo....

2 years ago, this would have terrified him. This year, he talked with the sheep in a quiet and calm voice the entire time....

Pink Ninja version 3.0

Pink Ninja will be 3 soon, hard to imagine.

Do do that voodoo
that you do so well.
For you do something to me
that nobody else could do!
~Cole Porter

I just took Motrin. It hurts to fold laundry. There are muscles in between ribs you know.

Today call Casa De Dust , Wussville

Caged Animals...

So I am over at SpouseBuzz this morning, and I read a piece submitted by Andi. Hillarious certainly.

There are a lot of things that are not fun about being a military spouse.

The first and foremost deployments, and all that comes with them.

Second, I would have to say are the odd questions I am asked. These questions are particulary more frequent being in a town filled with civilians.

I have seriously, had people ask TERRIBLE things, and say things to me that I can never imagine saying to anyone.

One of those things "Well you knew when you got married what you signed up for".

The other "How do you know he isn't cheating on you?"

oh, and my favorite "so did he have to kill anybody?"

Sometimes grown people are ignorant....

“Umm, Sir. What is it?”

“Well, ladies and gentlemen, what you are looking at is called ‘the Military Spouse.’”

Collective Oooo-ing and ahhh-ing. Hands go up all over the room.

“Ahh, yes,” the tour guide says, “you in the back row.”

“Yeah.. umm.. How is it made?”

“Very good question. Well, you see, a member of the Armed Forces, in this case, a Marine, marries one of these creatures and they become ‘the military spouse.’”

Go over and give it a read, I am sure you will enjoy it.

I went back to yoga last night, and boy are my arms tired....

When I was "ill", with "female trouble". (which by the way is a funny movie) I stopped going to yoga, and pilates. I think that has been clear around here. No photos, of odd positions for everyone to try. So instead of yoga and pilates I had started walking as much as I could. As much as I enjoy walking, I have learned this. A walk does not do it on a daily basis for me. I love walking when I am frustrated or upset, even angry. It gets pounded out, but my thoughts generally do not clear. I am thinking the entire time I am walking, so it offers little relief for me.

Well those around me, had noticed, I really needed my yoga, and pilates back. First to notice. DH of course. He is used to a mellower, kinder AWTM. And with all of the female trouble I was having, and a progeseterone level that was higher than normal, and not dipping back to where it should be monthly. Well, lets just say poor DH, to be around me and extra female hormones. I pity him, and you should as well. (Which is usually is a non-issue).

Second to notice were friends and family. I guess it is noticeable when my chi is out of whack, and I have no extra physical outlets.

What is so different about yoga? Well it requires FOCUS. If I let my mind wander during yoga, I will tip over, I will lose balance, I will not be focusing on my breathing. In order for "me" to be a successful yoga practicioner, I need to FOCUS. Focus is good for me. In case you haven't noticed, my mind wanders. The yoga is great for me.

So last night, and went back and started with yolattes. ( a blended yoga and pilattes class) Frightening. It really was, to be out of yoga commission for that length of time, and jump right back in. I jumped with both feet as well.

There was this, my upper body strength, suffering. I noted this while doing tri-cep push ups. Damn. So here I go again. Also, my right plica (knee) , is going to require a cortisone shot before the end of November. Damn.

The good news is, I hung in. I bailed early out of a series twice. Once tricep push ups, the other some awful side lying series on my gluts. I got a cramp in my glut. Ouch.

The ab work felt great. Great and painful, which means. Damn. But at least I knew I was working hard.

There was also this..."OMG, where have you been?" discussion. After the first explanation I was sick of it. Maybe I could get t-shirts made, with the lengthy explanation on it?

The bad news is this. There was no way I could go this morning. NONE. My neck, my gluts, and my arms. OUCH!!!

I am paying for neglecting my body. OUCH!! Seriously, I feel like my arms weigh 50 pounds a piece, my tush feels like I did 400 squats. Oh and Pilates requires your head be off of the floor, for most exercises, and my neck.....ouch.

So I bailed out this morning, there is no class tomorrow, so it looks like Saturday morning, I will need to get my butt in the gym early. (and take "The collective").

Ok, I gotta go and rest my arms, I did not know typing could hurt.

Can you say yummy!!

I read SoldierDeb, almost daily. She was busy for quite some time and wasn't blogging real regularly.

Well she is back. She has a delicious looking EASY recipe, that is just in time for the Halloween holiday.

Yummy!!

And on your right folks....

We have been on this nature trail a lot lately, which I think is evident by Dash's ability to lead the tour now.

She would have been 65 today

A photo of Mom and I at White Sands, New Mexico. I think it was around 1996? I cannot recall. I do know it was Thanksgiving time, I recall it getting cold, when the sun went down. It was the last "family vacation", with all of us.

Today would have been her 65th birthday. Today was the day she had waited for.... "Retirement". Seriously, she had the days counted.

So today is a good reminder of one of the greatest lessons I have from my Mom.

"Do not wait"

Oh, and in case you are wondering, it was a long day.

Must Listen

Tesco has New Order!! Go over and take a listen.

Early to Bed, Early to Rise...

Makes AWTM, have crazy ass dreams.

I was spent yesterday, do not ask why. I cannot put a finger on it, the day was not much different than normal for us.


Last night I went to bed early. Which means I was in bed at 10:00pm, I did sit and watch the news and worked on my embroidery (Christmas is coming FAST-must work on gifts NOW.)

Sometime during the night.....

I ended up at some Private terminal at L.A.X., wearing a lavender chemise looking for a bathroom. There were only childrens and mens and private bathrooms. Even stranger, the private bathrooms were for television B listers. I ended up going into a jewelry store at the terminal, and note Debbie Reynolds behind the counter. She ended up taking me on a 3 mile trek to "the restroom". She also told me "You would make a great hand model". She was very nice and helpful.

However inside all of the bathrooms, were complete spas that were coin operated. Lots of people sitting in pedicure chairs, soaking feet.


ESPN, also had its own gate, and there were a lot of atheletes wearing IPODS sitting in chairs.

Not to be undone Nashville had its own gate as well, and I got to watch and listen Willie Nelson and Merle Haggerd play guitar.

Wierd....

It must have been the apple/bourbon pork loin.

Up, down, turn around, go to Town Poop Scoopin' Barbie

Pink Ninja has a birthday coming up, she is going to be 3. she is currently fascinated with "barbie and her pooping dog". Which is ridiculous, but whatever. It doesn't bother me that the darn thing poops. Dogs poop, people poop. Everyone poops.




Frankly, I am concerned about loosing the poop somewhere in the house. I am already tripping over Thomas The Tank Tracks, Legos, Potato Head parts, baby dolls. I spend hours sifting through messes, and toyboxes to find "missing" toys and pieces daily.

Honestly I do not want to spend 2 hours looking for faux poop. The poop is small, it is gonna get lost, and then I will have a 3 year old girl in tears because she wants her Barbie dog to poop and we cannot locate the faux dog poop.

Replacement poop will run $5.00, and we will have nothing to show for it.

Whatever happened to the Barbie Yacht, or the Corvette?

Be Back Later...

*photo from the zoo while Grandma was visiting Pink and Dash are "naturals"

Where I am from..

My Sister called tonight, I hadn't spoke with her for a few days. Tonight, she celebrated. She has worked for the same employer for 25 years. 25 years.....at the same place. WOW. The dinner was not just for her, there were several people celebrating anniversaries. She had a great time. She recieved a nice crystal candy dish, which she was pleased with. I need to send her candy for her dish and a note!!
However when we speak and names, and places come up I travel to the place I grew up. Sometimes I miss it.

Here are some interesting things about where I am from.

It is a beautiful and clean town. Well manicured.

Men love Thousand Island salad dressing

The Legion has hamburger night (you get a large burger and a pile of fries for $4.00)

There is a main street

You can dine on Prime Rib, with dessert and a drink a bit for under $30.00

They carry your groceries to your car.

There are a lot of butchers.

It is home to the cleanest grocery store on the planet, where the staff might run you over just to help.

The "girls" who work at the "ice cream place" are always pretty.

On fall nights, you can hear the high school football game ALL over town.

"everyone" knows a lady that makes the best pies and cakes.

Some of the best sunsets ever....

Another good find...

Look what Tammi found. A must read, especially if you are headed to Washington D.C.

Food freak...

Tonight while eating dessert, my Dear Husband and I were talking about how the apple crisp could be improved.

We came up with something...

Baked apple/bread pudding lasagne!!
apples on the bottom
raisin bread pudding next layer
cover with caramel, sliced apples on top, and sprinkle pecans all over the top!!

Now for me to make a recipe, and retire off of the stuff. I mean really....

I would love for us to be able to retire off of some crazy bread pudding lasagne.

The bad news is, I NEVER measure, NEVER. Even when I post a recipe here, I follow it loosely. I put extra this, substitute that.

I am crazy in the kitchen.

Most things turn out delicious.

Few things turn out bad..

Because they are made with love baby.

Telephone Line, Give me some time ....

Hello, how are you?
Have you been alright,
Through all the lonely, lonely, lonely, lonely, lonely nights,
That's what I'd say, I'd tell you everything,
If you'd pick up that telephone

Hey, how you feelin'?
Are you still the same?
Don't you realise the things we did, we did,
Were all for real not a dream,
I just can't believe,
They've all faded out of view


I look into the sky,
(The love you need ain't gonna see you through),
And I wonder why,
(The little things are finally coming true)

Telephone line, give me some time,
I'm living in twilight,
Oh, telephone line, give me some time,
I'm living in twilight

OK, guess no one's answering,
Well can't you just let it ring a little longer, longer, longer?
I'll just sit tight, through the shadows of the night,
And let it ring for evermore

~Electric Light Orchestra

Continued at SpouseBuzz

I heard it on the radio .....

Looks as if Mr. Blackfive will be on the radio TONIGHT!!

Go over to Radio Patriots to find out the whens, and whys.

Thank you Andrea!!!

Sunday Dinner

Sundays are usually my big cooking days. I enjoy cooking on Sundays perhaps more than any other day of the week.

Today I am going to take a break from my normal recipes. There are some days where I am sick of my own cooking, today is one of those days.

So I asked around the house.

Pink Ninja wants squash. A fall favorite around here, so I will oblige.

Sweet Acorn Squash1 acorn squash, halved
2 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons honey, maple syrup, Hickory Syrup
2 tablespoons firmly-packed brown sugar
Salt and coarsely ground pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Cut squash in half lengthwise and remove fibers and seeds.

Add 1 tablespoon of butter, 1 teaspoon of honey or maple syrup, 1 tablespoon of brown sugar, salt and pepper to the hollow scoop of each squash half. Place upright on a greased cookie sheet and roast for 20 to 30 minutes or until tender when flesh is poked with a fork.

(On a personal note, "The Collective will eat a whole squash, so I will make 2)

Dash wants spaghetti (I do not, so I found something that should make everyone happy) Thank You Aunt Leggy!! This is a varient of her recipe!

Chicken Tetrazzini

9 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 1/4 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1 pound white mushrooms, sliced
1 large onion, finely chopped
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups whole milk, room temperature
1 cup heavy whipping cream, room temperature
1 cup chicken broth
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
12 ounces linguine
3/4 cup frozen peas
1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
1 cup grated Parmesan
1/4 cup dried Italian-style breadcrumbs

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
Spread 1 tablespoon of butter over a 13 by 9 by 2-inch baking dish. Melt 1 tablespoon each of butter and oil in a deep large nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat. Sprinkle the chicken with 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Add the chicken to the hot pan and cook until pale golden and just cooked through, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a plate to cool slightly. Coarsely shred the chicken into bite-size pieces and into a large bowl.

Meanwhile, add 1 tablespoon each of butter and oil to the same pan. Add the mushrooms and saute over medium-high heat until the liquid from the mushrooms evaporates and the mushrooms become pale golden, about 12 minutes. Add the onion, garlic, and thyme, and saute until the onion is translucent, about 8 minutes. Add the wine and simmer until it evaporates, about 2 minutes. Transfer the mushroom mixture to the bowl with the chicken.

Melt 3 more tablespoons butter in the same pan over medium-low heat. Add the flour and whisk for 2 minutes. Whisk in the milk, cream, broth, nutmeg, remaining 1 3/4 teaspoons salt, and remaining 3/4 teaspoon pepper. Increase the heat to high. Cover and bring to a boil. Simmer, uncovered, until the sauce thickens slightly, whisking often, about 10 minutes.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the linguine and cook until it is tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 9 minutes. Drain. Add the linguine, sauce, peas, and parsley to the chicken mixture. Toss until the sauce coats the pasta and the mixture is well blended.

Transfer the pasta mixture to the prepared baking dish. Stir the cheese and breadcrumbs in a small bowl to blend. Sprinkle the cheese mixture over the pasta. Dot with the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter. Bake, uncovered, until golden brown on top and the sauce bubbles, about 25 minutes.

For Dessert

Easy Apple Crisp

EASY APPLE CRISP

1 c. sugar
2 tsp. lemon juice
1/4 c. water
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
6 peeled and sliced large apples
3/4 c. flour
1/4 tsp. salt
6 t. butter

Combine 1/2 c. sugar, lemon juice, water and cinnamon in bottom of small baking pan. Slice in apples. Blend remaining 1/2 c. sugar, flour, salt and butter until crumbly. Spread over apples and pat smooth. Bake at 375 degrees for 40-50 minutes, until apples are tender and crust is browned. Serve hot with ice cream. This is a good recipe for apple crisp if you don't like the over-sugary oatmeal taste. It's basically a rectangular apple pie, but healthier (no lard).

I am between loads of wash, linens and the like. The kitchen needs a mopping. DH is out of doors, power washing the grill, that is in DESPARATE need of a wash.

I hope your Sunday is a good one, and enjoy your dinner!! Try the apple crisp it looks easy!!

damnation

Looks as if, the air conditioner will have to begin its work again...

damnation.

It is supposed to get to 93 degrees today, and the rest of the week.

Of course, the day after "The Collective" and I put out Halloween decorations. Perhaps I should put a swimsuit, and sunglasses on the witch.