A Sordid Recap

It is I: your long lost blogger. No, you are not reading the words of a ghost, dear subscriber, but merely the ramblings of a once forgotten story teller.
Ok, enough of that. I'm sorry it's been so long. I'd love to have a great excuse for why I have been so remiss in my writing, but alas, I just haven't felt like it.
Things have been really crazy around here as most of you know. Bart has officially deployed to Afghanistan. He is safe and sound and getting a good handle on his new job out there. He's also been able to spend time with his brother Bill, and that's a good thing. On top of it all, he's found a stray kitten on base that he has decided to befriend. I am now charged with sending a care package to said Combat Kitty and finding a decent name for her. I'll try to supply a picture if Bart ever sends one.
As for me, I'm currently trying to keep my head on straight. I was able to spend some really good time with Mom right after Bart left, and we got to visit with my grandparents over Easter (not to mention a totally excellent, if not short, lunch with Bradley along the way). I also had a wonderful visit with Beth and Stephen when they were in town, and I'm sorry for the lack of recap on that one. Suffice it to say, it was an amazing time for all of us. Now I'm starting to plan all my trips and visits for the next couple months. So far I've got St. Louis, Nashville, Lexington, Denver and Indy on my list of places to go, and I'm sure my Mom will supply me with a few more as she is traveling extensively this summer. I also have a visit from Katie to look forward to, as well as a fun weekend coming up with Conley and Bradley.
I am also trying to start some sort of vocation up here from home. Jobs are scarce here in NOLA, so I am looking into doing some proofreading online. If anyone knows of a good way to break into this business, I am all ears. It seems like a great thing for me to do, with as much as I love to read, and it will also allow me the freedom to travel whenever I want. Sounds like a dream job if I can just get going.
Beyond all this, I am taking care of Sherlock and PJ, who are constant joys and companions for me. They made the trip to West Palm Beach over Easter and Mom and I had a blast taking pics of them in the car. PJ wasn't thrilled with the arrangement at the start of our trip, but eventually settled down for the drive. Sherlock, on the other hand, slept as if he'd been drugged (hence the glasses).

Anyway, I hope you all are doing well and that you haven't completely given up on me. I will keep up from here on out, now that my head is a bit more properly aligned with my body. Also, if anyone wants to send Bart a letter or email, let me know and I'll get you his info. Take care all, and I promise to get back in the saddle again ("I'm BACK in the saddle again...").

PS- Here are Bart and Bill on base together in A'stan. How awesome to get a picture of them both. Enjoy!

Blessed

Not that this is a long or extremely verbose entry, but I would like you all to know that I am truly blessed. I have the most wonderful friends and family in the world and I wouldn't trade them for anything. For all of you who have called, emailed, texted, etc., I would like to personally thank each and every one of you for checking on me and Bart. Your love and support means more than I can ever say to you. Thank you all and I will post more details about his deployment as I get them. Love you guys. Thanks!

A Not-Quite-Drunk Dial

The reason I haven't posted in so long was that I was looking for the good in this world. Instead, all I came up with were some less-than-positive alternatives. At this point I am saying goodbye to quite a few things, which I love more than anything:
1. My husband (you may email for more details; and, no, we aren't splitting up)
2. A long friendship based on trust and honesty (which will never be over on my part)
3. My childhood (apparently at 27 you are no longer allowed to be a child)
4. My dignity (which is gone with all the crying I've done lately)
To explain: Bart has left. He is on his way to training for an OIC (officer in command) position in Afghanistan. His training will take him across the US and back before he leaves for the dessert at the end of April. All I can hope and pray is that God will bless His safety and mercy on Bart and all the troops overseas. Regardless of your opinions, I hope you will pray for the troops as well. Beyond those issues, we would have to be intimately close to discuss numbers 2 through 4. Better days to follow soon. I hope you are all well and holding your loved ones as close as you can. I know I would love to do so.

A Rant

It has come to my attention that the entire world is just going mad. This isn't a new development, nor is it shocking that it has occurred, but good Lord when will it all stop? Now, I am speaking/typing on many different levels: state of the union, economy, mental capacities, etc. All in all, we're going crazy. At some point we have to think that whatever it is that is going on in our lives, whatever it is that is going on in this country, we have brought this on ourselves. We have made poor decisions and are now seeing the effects of those choices. It seems to me that we have all forgotten how to take responsibility for our own actions. Instead of fessing up and saying, "Wow, I made a mistake and I need to fix it," we scream at the top of our lungs that someone else has wronged us and that there wasn't any way we would have made said mistake if it weren't for someone else. Or, in our attempt to right a wrong, we take completely ludicrous steps down the wrong path in the hopes that no one will point out the error of our ways, but allow us to continue in a manner that best suits our liking. Nope. Sorry folks. It is time to be responsible. It is time to stop feeling entitled. We aren't entitled to jack except for Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness. That's it. You don't get to cut people off just because you want to be ahead of them in traffic. You don't get to spend the country's money simply to further socialism (in the name of democracy). You don't even get to walk away from your mistakes because you don't feel like dealing with them. That's not how this whole thing works. When did humans stop being humane? Honestly, I am tired of lying and cheating all in the name of something better. When did bad things ever lead to good ones? Maybe I'm way off base and maybe I'm just getting things off my chest, but in my humble opinion (and on my own blog) it is time for every one of us to evaluate ourselves and make sure we are all making good choices and bettering the places in which we live. Ok, I'm done now, I promise. Happier and friendlier blogs to come.

An Ode to Angela

Oh my dear Angela, how I love thee! Let me count the ways:
1. Talking and singing clams!
2. Great songs in a dirty pub.
3. Being brave enough to be "Lucid" (but you got a T-shirt for it).
4. Doing the pajama thing for an entire day.
5. Watching movies until our butts were sore.
6. Puppy Gras.
7. Searching out mask stores ('cause only one will do).
8. Seedy gay bars.
9. Seedy bars in general.
10. Playing pool with the locals.
11.... I could go on for a while here.
Suffice it to say, we had a blast with Angela in town. She blew in on a cloud of traffic-riddled frustration and it seemed the laughter didn't stop until it was time for her to go. I would post pictures of our grand and adventurous weekend, but not one of us had a camera and that's probably a good thing. It was great to show her around and show off our little town. I can't say that we did much of anything, but we did brave the French Quarter for a day and our timing was perfect. In the midst of Mardi Gras madness, we managed to go on the one day they were having a parade of dogs (thus "Puppy Gras"). Now when I say "parade of dogs," I'm not doing this thing justice. There were literally hundreds (maybe thousands?) of dogs dressed to the nines. They were decked out in everything from sailor suits to bumblebee costumes, had their toenails painted, fur dyed, all kinds of things. Needless to say, we could not have gone on a better day. The atmosphere made for a family friendly and tame crowd and it was awesome to see everyone all gussied up. This was just one of our many adventures, and there was so much more, but this blog just isn't big enough for all the details. I am so grateful Ang decided to come down and I'm pretty sure she enjoyed her visit. Ang, the door is always open and your room is ready whenever you'd like to come back. The offer is also open for my faithful readers. Come on down to the Big Easy and see what all the fuss is about. As for me, I'm off to Denver to see my Mom. Have a great weekend, everyone!

A Battle Almost Won... Part II (read Part I first)

An "I'm-going-to-rip-my-hair-out" story: When last we left our lovely Princess, she was galloping to meet the good wizard Zinsel in the hopes of amending her befouled Altima. The Princess bravely met the hoards of traffic and wound her way through the kingdom towards the wizard's abode. In she strode, head held high, with all the confidence in the esteemed wizard. The Princess handed over the Altima's entry tools (keys) to the wizard with hope-filled eyes. As the Princess settled into a not-so-comfy chair with a predestined tome to while away the time, the wizard returned suddenly. "Alas, fair maiden. I have not the backing plate necessary to reattach your mirror." "Can't you conjure one?!" wailed the Princess. "No, I am unable. My skills are no match for your considerable issue. You must return to the dreaded Nissan doctor." "Never!" replied the Princess in haste and anxiety. The Princess stormed from the wizard's domain, broken and bereft of hope. "I refuse to spend 478,392 gold pieces, but I will find a way to make this right," she vowed to the Altima. Tears brimming in her hazel eyes, the Princess fled to another evil place, the market. Not only could she not fix her precious Altima, but she had to shop, like a peasant, for supplies. Upon returning to the castle and carrying in her supplies, the Princess even broke a nail. What a tragic and horrid day! The Princess was about to give up completely when suddenly her glorious Prince called with some wonderful news: He had found a replacement mirror, complete with backing plate, for a mere 894 gold pieces! The Princess was overjoyed and felt herself blessed to have such a wonderful Prince at her disposal. Much rejoicing ensued, with a bit of lunch to follow. Our benevolent Princess now rests. Thrilled with the outcome, even through the trials of her day. More merry-making will come later in the evening, but after the Princess enjoys last night's episode of Bones. There is happiness in the kingdom once again. The End.

A Battle Almost Won... Part I

A sad story: Once upon a time there was a precious (and wonderful) blue '07 Nissan Altima that belonged to a gorgeous Princess. The Princess had moved into a new kingdom that was full of strife and messed-up-ness. Against the Princess's will, the pretty Altima had to be parked in front of the castle beyond the moat, instead of in the carriage house as it should have been because there simply wasn't a carriage house to be found for miles. One day, when the Princess went to visit her trusty steed, she found that a side-view mirror had been ripped from her darling car. She searched everywhere for broken glass to see if the Altima had been damaged by some "hoopty" of this realm, but to no avail. The mirror had been ripped off, leaving the casing fully intact but sadly missing its reflective gem.
An annoying story: In her sadness and remorse, the Princess took the Altima to a respected Nissan doctor who told her, "For sooth, great Princess, I cannot replace just the mirror. I must remove the entire casing because the Nissan God does not allow the mirror to be sold separately of its component. You must purchase the entire entity for 478,392 gold pieces." (This roughly translates to just over $300) The Princess was outraged by the doctor's analysis and refused to allow him to treat her valiant Altima and vowed to find the mirror on her own. For days and days she toiled over the phone and computer to find that every replacement was either not worthy of her gorgeous roadster, or was simply a cheaper form of the full component that the Nissan doctor had promised her. The Princess was saddened and dismayed, feeling that she had completely failed her beloved Altima.
A redemptive story: The Princess was near wit's end in her search. She had called and typed and researched until her fingers were sore and her melodious voice harsh from begging for the lowly replacement. She decided to make one last phone call; a last ditch effort to save her noble friend. The Princess called upon Zinsel, a glass wizard, and told him her long and sad tale, in the hopes that maybe he could help. The gentle and kind Zinsel replied, "Fear not, lovely Princess! I can heal your broken Altima! I can replace the appendage for a pittance. Only 893 gold pieces and your beleaguered motorcar will be as good as new!! (This roughly translates to $35) The Princess was overjoyed. She praised the glass wizard and promised to bring her Altima as soon as the mirror had been conjured. And even now, good denizens, the Princess rides to repair her Altima and the kingdom will rejoice. There will be much laughter, singing, and mirth. To the mead hall!!