Bacon, Bacon, Bacon

Yes, we did it. We adopted a dog. Are we crazy? Maybe, but I want a companion to accompany me on my morning walks and since our new house is one of only nine in our development we just want some extra security. Nothing against Buddy my chihuahua, but biting ankles is just not going to cut it.

So may I introduce Lucie (yes Crafty, we now have dogs with the same name!)

Lucie was rescued on May 8th and has been with a lovely woman who takes in animals that are due to walk the last mile. God bless these people.

So Lucie is so far very sweet natured and loving. She took right to us and I do believe this is going to be a great and long relationship. We are not quite sure of her age, paperwork says 1 yr 7 months. Lady said 7 months. So who knows. She is housebroken but needs to learn how to walk on a leash, sit, lay down and the usual dog stuff.

And she totally looks like the dog in Beggin Strips commercial.

Corvette said when he comes home he is going to say, "Lucie, I'm home!"

Maybe we should change Buddy's name to Ricky. Tehe (;

Oh, the cat is in hiding.

~

~

~

Quote of the Week

"Our Country won't go on forever, if we stay soft as we are now. There won't be any AMERICA because some foreign soldiery will invade us and take our women and breed a hardier race!"
-Lt. Gen. Lewis B. "Chesty" Puller, USMC

A Better Mousetrap?

As I postedon Tuesday, we spent most of the weekend trying to rid our kitchen of a mouse. We decided to fore go the traditional mouse trap and give the sticky paper things a try. Corvette was going to stop today and pick some up from the store. Last night I moved the mousetrap away from my stove. Yesterday once again the mouse managed to eat the cheese off of the trap without springing it. I was getting ready for work this morning and and I heard a noise coming from the kitchen. It sounded like something rattling around in the cabinets so of course I went to investigate. I kept thinking that damn mouse was having a heyday in my cabinets. After a few seconds the noises stopped so I went further into the kitchen and I saw it! There was the mouse in the trap! Finally, gone from my kitchen!

Now, the thing that makes this kind of funny is there was no food on the trap. After trying nearly every cheese known to mankind, peanut butter and whatever else we thought that mouse might eat we catch it with nothing. nada. zip.

Not so smart mouse after all.

Wordless Wednesday - Golden Gate Bridge Dedicated 1937

~

~

~

A Mouse in the House

I hope everyone had a great Memorial Day Weekend and took time to honor our fallen.

 LCpl Honda made it home for the holiday and our granddaughter Butterfly was able to spend the weekend with us too. We had a fun weekend, which included swimming and movie viewing. Just let me say that if you are any kind of a Star Trek fan go see this movie. Most people my age probably will remember the original series on TV. For Corvette and I it was like a walk in the past except with different actors playing the original characters. Capt Kirk is just a hunky. Mr. Spock was dead-on. Bones just as cantankerous as always. Lt Uhura, Mr. Scott, Mr. Sulu and Mr. Chekov, all played perfectly. I will not spoil the movie for anyone but it reveals the answers to many questions and of course makes you think. Loved it.

 Well you would think that all this would be enough excitement for one weekend. But NO!! We came home from the store on Sunday and LCpl Honda informed us that we have another guest. Sort of. Somehow, a mouse got in my house and took up residence in my stove. Nice.

 So, back to the store goes Corvette to pick up some traps and after repeatedly reassuring Butterfly that no, the mouse will not get you and do not worry we will catch it by tonight and it will be over with we set out on the mission to rid the stove of the little squatter. Or so we thought...

 So first off, Corvette set the traps with peanut butter and sets them on the floor next the stove. Bad move already. I am getting dinner ready and I am not too happy about the traps near my toes but I figure I will keep my eyes open. There is only one thing we did not think about. You see we have a Chihuahua, Buddy. Note: small dog with large appetite. Likes to stand in kitchen while I cook in hopes of catching a falling crumb. Are you getting the picture? All of a sudden, we hear one of the traps spring and at first, we are overjoyed at catching the little uninvited guest. Yea. no. I look down and see my dog exiting the kitchen and a rather fast pace with a not-so-happy look on his face. More like an almost barring teeth look. I am just glad his nose was not caught in the trap or we would have added trip to the vet to our weekend activities. Needless to say the traps then were moved.

 Ok, as I said I was in the middle of cooking dinner and I turned on the stove to preheat the oven. I walk outside for a few minutes and when I come back and walk to the stove Yikkkkes! It is the mouse on its way back into the stove. Ok so after some simultaneous screaming on me and Butterfly's part things return to normal and we get on with the day and our resolve to catch the damn thing.

 Fast foreword to later that night. Corvette goes in the kitchen what does he see? Empty mousetraps licked clean. Stupid mouse. Ok so we go to bed with assurance that we will have that pesky creature in the morning. Right? Wrong. We get up and once again, empty mousetraps licked clean. Smart mouse. Same story the rest of the day. Same story this morning. Damn ingenious mouse.

 So I guess the next step is decon. Did not really want to go there but SuperMouse has left us no choice. Because we will prevail. I hope.

 By the way, we do have a cat. She apparently was off duty this weekend.

hmmm...

Pink is the New Camo

A soldier sleeping on his post in Afghanistan  was awakened by Taliban terrorists attacking the post. He rushed out to help his fellow soldiers defend the post. Not so unusual but there is a twist. He was wearing pink boxer shorts, a red t-shirt and flip-flops.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates praised Army Specialist Zachery Boyd on Thursday and said he would like to meet the young soldier who is only 19 years old.

Secretary Gates said, "Any soldier who goes into battle against the Taliban in pink boxers and flip-flops has a special kind of courage." He added, "I can only wonder about the impact on the Taliban. Just imagine seeing that: a guy in pink boxers and flip-flops has you in his cross-hairs. What an incredible innovation in psychological warfare."

Read the full story here.

Just another example of courage under fire. It takes quite a man to run out in pink boxers to defend our country. Thank you Spc. Boyd!

I just love this country!

Quote of the Week

And I'm proud to be an American, where at least I know I'm free, and I won't forget the men who died, who gave that right to me and I'll proudly stand up next to him to defend her still today, 'cuz there ain't no doubt I love this land, god bless the USA. -Lee Greenwood

Wordless Wednesday - Memorial Day

 ~

~

~

BuildASign.com

I want to let you know about BuildASign.com, a generous company that has been supporting our Nation’s Troops for the past year. They have already donated over 20,000 welcome home banners to military families like ours and they want to continue their support of the military community in the future. They also proudly display welcome home stories and pictures from military families on their website. I believe we should support the companies who support us, which is why I am asking you to help me get the word out about this company. If you or someone you know needs a sign or banner, please tell them to buy from BuildASign.com. BuildASign.com is offering us a special 25% off all of their products through the end of June to help them continue their support of our troops. I hope you will help support this company that has done so much for military families around the country. This is a generic copy of the jumbo card I sent my nephew in the Sand for Christmas last year. It measured 18" x 24". CpL Red now (Sgt) loved it! Sshhh. I think LCpl Honda will get one during his upcoming deployment.

25% Off All Products at BuildASign.com

(If this link does not work, you can use the promo code NEWFRIENDS09 to get 25% off your order at checkout.)

Military Monday

I am sure that everyone knows how much seeing eye dogs help blind people. Well Southeastern Guide Dogs decided to take it a step further. In 2003 they heard about a young Marine who had been blinded by a roadside bomb in Iraq. Southeastern learned that the military does not provide guide dogs to wounded military.

So they decided to contact some military officials and see what could be done to help the wounded military out. General Tommy Franks was very impressed and argreed to become a spokesperson at no charge.

Paws for Patriots now provides guide dogs at no charge to blinded soldiers and Marines. Southeastern did not stop there. They also placed therapy dogs at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C. and the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, MD.

Paws for Patriots receives receives no governmental funding and relies completely on donations. If you wish to donate you can go here.

Comment about A Mother's Silent Scream

Laurie, another Marine mom left this comment about my Parent's Zone article A Mother's Silent Scream: Coping with Impending Deployment.

Your story is mine. My son is USMC Lcpl. somewhere in the world traveling as I write this to his first deployment. God help me I had no idea I could hold my breath this long, let alone how long it will take until he is safely back home.

My motto is "It is what it is." I also avoid the subject w/ non-military families. It is just too difficult. I am consumed at the moment, looking for distractions and move between pride and fear every second.

I remind myself that I (we) raised a Marine and that he represents everything the embodies the few and the proud. He is my hero in every sense of the word.

Set your intentions high and know that our fears are insignificant compared to the job our boys have volunteered to do. Find peace in friends and family, and remember to have courage. Our boys sent to war need to know that we will be okay.

Thank your son for me for his service to our country. Thank you for raising a Marine.
Semper Fi,
Laurie

It is good to know that we are not alone. Sometimes it feels that way. It gives me great comfort to belong to this huge "family."

Thanks Laurie and your LCpl will remain in our thoughts and prayers through his deployment and when his feet are again on American soil.

Quote of the Week

Army: A body of men assembled to rectify the mistakes of the diplomats.
--Josephus Daniels--

Snips and Snails and Puppydog Tails

I had mentioned awhile ago on my original blog that my son Hippie guy and DIL Flower Child were expecting a child. Originally they did not want to find out the sex because they wanted to be surprised.

Well she went for an ultrasound and as soon as the technician put the wand on her stomach she blurted out, "It's a boy!" Well my DIL was not upset and she said she would have figured it out because by looking at the screen that it was VERY obvious that there was a little man in there!

So everyone is happy and the kids are excited because they were hoping for a boy. So that makes one girl grandchild, Butterfly and two boy grandchildren, LollyPop Kid and hmmm...guess I will have to think about the new one's blog name.  I could stay with the hippie theme but then again he might not be a hippie like his parents. He could be a rocket scientist, concert pianist or even President of the United States! Yea I think I should at least see his personality before naming him. For now I will call him Baby C because C is the third letter of the alphabet and he is my third.

Wordless Wednesday - Tulips

~

It's Promotion Time

 

Just got word that on this past Sunday my nephew, CPl Red is now SGT Red!!! Congratulations to you! Way to go and we are proud of you!

Not only did he get promoted on Mother's Day but he also took the time to send his mother, Crafty a big, beautiful bouquet of flowers. Nice move SGT Red.

So I guess this makes up for the lack of enthusiasm in his unit's newsletter. 

 

 

 

Military Monday

The GI FilmFestival was established to exclusively celebrate and honor the men and women of the US Military.  It will be held May 13-17 2009 in Washington D.C. So if you are near here you can go and check out some of these movies.

Some of the fimmakers are active duty and retired military so they have first hand experience.

If you visit the site you can watch the trailers and decide which films you would like to see. Many celebrities will be appearing such as Gary Sinise, Robert Duvall and Fred Thompson.

Sounds like a fun thing to do this weekend!

Got Yardwork?

Besides defending our freedom, providing humanitarian efforts around the globe and training for combat, the Marines are now venturing into new realms. I wonder if the government is paying for this?


Just wait until LCpl Honda comes home on leave...

A Mother's Silent Scream: Coping with Impending Deployment

This is my newest post to appear on Parent's Zone

My son, LCpl Honda is set to deploy to the Sandbox later this year. It is still a few months off so I decided I just cannot freak out and go out of my mind with worry just yet. Nevertheless, I have to admit that each day that comes to pass, I feel a scream welling up inside of me. I know that this is probably normal and I know that I am not alone in feeling this way.

When my nephew, Cpl Red went on his first deployment I watched my sister, Crafty go through this process. I was with her when she had to say goodbye as his unit left. That experience is forever stamped in my memory. I watched other parents, wives, girlfriends and children say goodbye to their loved ones. I saw the look on their faces. I came home and told my mom, "I don't want to ever have to do this again." However, in my heart I know I would.

I remember when I was very young and Vietnam ended. I naively thought that there would not really be any more wars. Why? I guess because I was young and not very informed about the way of the world. I never ever thought that a child of mine might have to go off to combat. I think after 911 that changed. With my daughter, Cinderella, active duty army at the time, for the first time ever, I felt the fear that I feel now.

I have only told family about LCpl Honda's deployment. I cannot bear to divulge this information to other friends and co-workers just yet. LCpl Honda worked at the same place I worked before going off to boot camp. So everyone there likes him and knows him well. I just cannot bear the sympatric looks that I know will come. Please do not get me wrong. I know people mean well, but non-military families just do not have the understanding. It is not their fault. They are just not in the situation.

I have also found that I purposely do not do things like watch war movies. My husband wanted to watch 'Saving Private Ryan' this past weekend. I could not do it. HBO is replaying 'Taking Chance' at the end of the month. It is about a fallen Marine being escorted home. I plan to record it, but I do not think I will watch it until this deployment is over and my son and nephew are home safe.

I am not sure how well I will cope in the days ahead, but I will at least try to "soldier on" and if anybody asks, I will just reply with, "Good to go."

 

Quote of the Week

Some people live an entire lifetime and wonder if they have ever made a difference in the world, but the Marines don't have that problem.
--Ronald Reagan--

Wordless Wednesday

I've moved!

I decided to move my blog to a different site. Please visit me here.

Military Monday

Yes, I know it is Tuesday. As I said before just a little writer's block. But I am glad to announce that when I checked my email today I had a nice little post just waiting for me.

My nephew Cpl Red is still on his year-long delployment to the Sandbox. The group he is with sends a newsletter every month. Whoever writes the newsletter decided to include quotes from the guys to their family and friends.

Here are a few:

"Happy mother’s day Nancy and to all the wonderful mothers who supported us during this deployment. Your job is the hardest. Ours pales in comparison to what you do everyday. To Kerry, Isabella, Sean, and Ryangela – I miss you tons and can’t wait to see you again. I can’t wait to build your animal cage, play Barbies, shoot your BB pistol, and dress up your babies. I love you all. Love Hubby/Daddy"

"To Family, Thank you so much for all the birthday gifts, love you all so much & miss you. Daddy will be home soon. Can't wait to see how big my two little angels have grown. LaShed continue being a good brother to your sister Tatyanna, and a good boy for your mother. Baby I love you so much and miss you. I know this is hard for you but you’re doing a great job all around. You’re an amazing wife & an outstanding wife. So happy to have found you, you’re my wife, best friend, soul mate, partner, better half and my heart. Love you all Love Daddy/your Husband"

 "To friends and family: Thank you for all your support during our time in country thus far. It’s been one heck of a year so far, but we’ve had a lot of good memories. However, we all look forward to returning back home, and seeing everyone again."

This must be the poet in the bunch.

 Sandstorms – A haiku 

Sandstorms come and go

Blowing dust and blindness around

Misery on post

I was reading all these really heartfelt messages and then I come to Cpl Red's message:

"This has been a very long deployment, can’t wait to get home."

That's it. No love you, miss you, Happy Mother's day Mom. Oh well, he never was long on words.

Here is a picture of his group. I can't find him in here so maybe Crafty will chime in a let me know.

 

My new site.

I decided to move my blog here to WordPress for reasons I think I will keep to myself. Let's just say accesibility is a factor.

I haven't really posted in awhile but hope to change that. Just having a bit of writers block these days.

Anyway hopefully I will be happy here.