Package

Just a quick note before the phones start ringing and I get side tracked again today.

I stopped at the post office on my way to work yesterday morning after visiting my local vampire. There is another package on its way to you, DA. Think of it as a belated Valentine's Day treat. Any requests for the next one?

We got snow yesterday afternoon. HUGE, wet flakes. They didn't amount to much and it did rain a little afterwards, but the slush we had froze and even though the temp was 40 at my kitchen window this morning, the front stoop was a little slick. I salted it before I left, so hopefully it will melt and dry up before I get home tonight. I AM GETTING VERY TIRED OF THIS WEATHER. I want spring. One of the gals at the office brought in tulips yesterday - a definite harbinger of spring (or as they say here in Massachusetts, hahbingah of spring!)

Hope the gang is having a good time on their cruise. I talked to the mom the other night and she sounded tired. They were just relaxing.

How does it feel to be back with your unit?

Be well and KYHD. Watch for your new package.

Love you ~

Shennie

Lazy Sunday Afternoon

Actually, I should be diligent about getting stuff done around here, but I'm taking it slow. I did do up a HUGE sink full of dishes and also tried a new brownie recipe. I'll let you know in my next post how they turned out. They've got maraschino cherries in them along with some of the juice.

I also hate this time between football season and baseball season - or vice versa. There's nothing good to watch on TV on Sunday afternoons. UCONN played yesterday and they didn't even cover that up here. Even the grapefruit league is better than NASCAR or skateboarding! Spare me. And, how many times can you watch Tiger win with out yawning? zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz!

The same Irish washer woman who stood up the mom also stood up the aunt, so I've got to go down and do a load. I also need to pick up a little - the cleaning woman is coming tomorrow. Maria is good, but I need to find some surfaces for her to clean!

I've also been pulling together the stuff to do my taxes - and grandpa's. I've started taking them to an accountant - life is way too short for me to figure them out.

Well, I shoveled 8" of snow from my front stoop and sidewalk yesterday morning. ENOUGH, ALREADY! Most of the snow was gone - just a couple of small mounds in parking lots and now it's everywhere again. It was a little slick on the stoop this morning. A lot of stuff melted yesterday but then froze overnight. They're saying more yuk Tuesday night into Wednesday. However, the storm may change to rain down here in southern New England - now that's a good thing.

Glad to hear that you're back safe and sound. I'll do my best to get to the post office this week to get a box off to you. I have a couple errands I need to do during my lunch hours, so I'll get there one day!

Be well and KYHD!

Glad you made it back safely!

DA - Good to hear from you safely back to Iraq and it was also good to talk with you Wed evening. You sounded tired, but then it was 0230 hours where you were calling from!!

Well - JJ, B, JS, C, B, & K made it safely to Ft Lauderdale yesterday. They flew out just in time. We woke up to 2-3 inches of snow this AM on top of the snow,sleet, & ice from Thursday and Friday! Have already heard from them that it is sunny and warm and a great day for sailing in FL!!

J&B's cat, Jet, has already hissed, meowed and rubbed up against my legs as if I were her best friend. All in the same day! She is soooooo messed up!! Matt has been taking care of Coop this weekend. On Tuesday he (Coop, not Matt!) gets to go to Doggie Day Camp!! Can you believe it?? He passed his "interview" with flying colors!! I guess he didn't pee on the interviewer's leg!!

Well - mounds of laundry await in the laundry room.....I guess the Irish washer woman couldn't make it out in this weather!



Love you and KYHD!!



the Mom

Safe

Hey everyone, just wanted to assure everyone that I made it back to my FOB safely (not exactly in a timely matter, but it was nice spending a few days in Baghdad). I must say that compared to my FOB, my little visit to baghdad makes me wish I was stationed there! They definitely have it made for the luxury style living. They have virtually every convenience at their disposal (and they know it too!!) So maybe if and when I deploy next I can get one of the camps located in Baghdad.

Anywho, I am hunger and havent anything to really all day except some of the Peanut Butter Blossoms that Chelsey sent me (YUM!!)

Safe Trip

Was surprised to see a Blog from you so soon. How long was your Layover in Germany? From Germany you go to where? No, I am not doing Typos; I found out from a Friend that in the German Language, all the Nouns are capitalized. Makes for some interesting typing. Back to normal...

It was great talking to you the other afternoon. I hope you made it to the Arch. How was the view once you got there? Better you than me. I get dizzy on a step stool.

You were right on Sunday - we had rain all day yesterday here in Massachusetts. Any more and I would have been able to do laps in my cellar. Speaking of cellar - I went down there Sunday to do a load of laundry after talking to you and on my way back to the stairs to come up, I spotted a dead mouse! EEEEKK! After fretting about it for a couple hours I decided that I was going to have to face dealing with it, so I mustered up my courage and grabbed the dustpan and brush. After I finished exchanging loads between the washer and dryer, I scooped the carcass into the dustpan and carried it to the bathroom window (it was the closest without a screen) and tossed it outside. As of yesterday it was still in the backyard; I was hoping some larger critter would find it a delectable midnight snack! Yet another reason I don't have a cat.

I'm back to work today - YUK! My next life I'm going to be born rich instead of beautiful. I did not want to come in this morning. It wasn't that I hated to get up (tho' that wasn't all that pleasant), but I just don't like work interrupting my life.

I hope the rest of your trip back to the base is safe and uneventful. Those are always the best kind. I'll try to get the care package I've been saving ready to be shipped by the weekend. It needs some rearranging and some padding. Think of it as a belated Valentine's Day present.

Vaya con Dios! KYHD!

Shennie

Germany

well who would have thunk that I would be back in germany on my way back to the sandbox huh? Oh and I am writing from a net cafe computer that has all kinds of weird keys so instead of a qwwerty keyboard, its a qwertzuiopü keyboard. lol. Some of the new kezs are and AltGr, a Strg key, the z and y key are reversedand its has öäµß€ keys...Weird huh?? anywho, I am going to get back to talking with Chelsey... Love zou guzs... (thats german for Love you guys... lol)

A Big Thank You

As most of you know, I recently returned from a 10-day cruise with the mom, the dad, and a friend. I had to fly to Miami to get on board the ship. A rather normal occurrence, wouldn't you say? Yes, except...

Several weeks ago, amongst all the emails that I have received, I opened and read one about gratitude to our soldiers. It shows folks in an airport making a very simple gesture to our uniformed friends that expresses our gratitude to them without creating a huge scene. It shows people placing their right hand over their heart and then pulling it away from their chest, palm up, until it is even with their waist. It is a simple, yet sincere, way of saying thank you. See http://www.gratitudecampaign.org

So, when I was in the Boston airport heading to my gate to catch a flight to Atlanta where I would change and fly on to Miami, I saw a fellow in complete desert camo getup heading my way. He was young and alone. I simply made the gratitude gesture with a smile. He nodded, smiled and went on his way.

It brought tears to my eyes. I silently wept tears as I walked to my departing gate. As it was, he was on my flight, yet we never made eye contact again. I am sure he was on his way to Ft. Stewart - where my nephew was stationed before being shipped to Iraq.

If I was able to make one soldier a little happier by a simple, quiet gesture, then it couldn't get any better. I just hope that someone will do the same thing for our soldier when he is alone in an airport.

Thank you, Scoots!

Shennie