"Turn at the Rotary"

I was blog stalking Domesticated Combat Boots, and she is currently in Boston. It made me reminisce of when we lived in Western Massachusetts, in fact we lived there when I started this little blog. Paul was stationed at Westover Air Reserve Base in Chicopee, working with a reserve unit, as basically a guy who trains the Reserve Marines. We had lots of wild and crazy stories there, and lots of really good friends were made. But one funny memory that sticks out, was when we very first entered New England. 

sunset at cape cod 

It was beautiful a sunny day, and we were totally lost. This was before smart phones, and google maps. I had a list of directions printed out, and my trusty Rand McNally map in my lap as Paul drove. It was me and him, the Jeep and the U-Haul. Trucking along interstate 95. We were in New York City, and desperate to get to Massachusetts. Traffic was probably horrible and we were desperate for a short cut. The "Merritt Parkway" would get us off Interstate 95 and maybe even be a little faster! So we took our exit and ventured off our "Mapquested" path.

Somewhere around Greenwich, Ct we saw a sign on our little, beautiful, scenic highway that said something along the lines of no towing, or no trailers. This would explain people waving at us and giving us the finger, yelling from their cars, they were not welcoming us, We were not supposed to be there with our little U-haul. So we got off, unsure of where we were, and hoped for the best. We could not find our way back to the Interstate, and after, who knows how long (seriously, that was 10 years ago, I am surprised I remember this much) we stopped and asked for directions. 

somewhere in our neighborhood in Chicopee

I remember it was a mechanic, some older guy, gave us directions. "Go blah blah blah, to the rotary, and blah blah blah" 

So we drove off, and starting going over his directions, and looked at each other and said "So, What's a Rotary?" We pulled over again, and started making phone calls, I think we called everyone we could think of and no one knew. Again this was before smart phones, so we didn't have google at our fingertips. Finally I called my grandmother, thinking she has to know. Her best guess was an old pay phone, like a rotary phone. So we drove on, looking for an old pay phone. We never found one, but we did eventually find the Interstate. We arrived in Chicopee late that night and I think it was several days later when we saw a sign that said Rotary with a big arrow, this is how we learned that a rotary is a traffic circle, and not an ancient pay phone. 

Snow and Knitting

those two seem to go hand in hand these days, with me currently residing in new england and all, today we have gotten a substantial amount of snow, i'd say 10-13 inches, its looks amazing. without further adieu:

Terrified Taco

the view from the porch

Paul's valiant efforts

Taco still unsure

he's such a pretty boy

Paul, shoveling the neighbors walk too

i swore i'd wear flip flops until it snowed. see i wasn't lying
more snow at about 8pm
again he tried to shovel so there was less to do in the morning
okay i suppose now we will move on to knitting, while i have been keeping myself busy the last few days knitting hasn't been one of the things i have been doing, unfortunately the travel channel and Anthony Bourdaine have been the only things to keep my mind busy, with the occasional Gilmore Girls. Late last night i decided that though my heart is aching, knitting will help me to keep my mind away from the things that hurt. so i started a pair of wrist warmers that will be a christmas gift for a good little girl i know.
I have about half a dozen gifts i need to work on, the moving company should come for the first pickup next week, we finally have our flight scheduled, and tomorrow the cat his his last appointment here before we leave New England. oh and i went to the eye doctor yesterday and i need bifocals. i am 25 and i need bifocals. perhaps someone else has experienced this but apperantly i have problems focusing, between near and far, where the normal person focuses instantly my eyes take a few seconds, which causes them to ache and strain. so the answer: bifocals. he did tell me to go to the drug store and buy some cheep reading glasses and give them a try so i am now the proud owner of some silly pink reading glasses. i'll post pictures as soon as i am no longer embarrassed of them.

vacation, one day at a time

we'll start with the Big E

Mom & Paul eating some deep fried Oreo's

Dad and Me

Mom & Dad

Sheep?

Elephant

i have been working very much on my garden. i am so proud of it, i have never been one who can keep things alive and now my home is just bursting with green and yellow, pink and red. its amazing. i have flowers inside and out, this is the first time in the history of the world that i have been able to keep something without a pulse alive.

So what about things with a pulse how about an update on those?

Well the husband is good, i keep him well fed, we just had family day this last weekend and it was nice the weather was crummy, a bit overcast and some sprinkles but it was nice to see everyone, Paul actually introduced me to his new Lieutenant and Gunny, i think this is the first time in the history of the world where he has introduced me to someone. here is a picture of him with a gun thinking he's so cool. yeah we all know the truth.

we just need to get to the gym a bit more, i would like to loose about 15-20 pounds before we move to Japan next year, that gives me about 6 months, i can do it. especially since i am leaving work in september that will give me more time to go to the gym. i will be less exahusted then.

Taco the cat is doing quite wonderfully he has been getting into all kinds of everything, the other day i picked up some live catnip plants at the store and have been brining in leaves for him, he has been rolling in them quite often. i love him so much. He has been such a good boy throughout everything i have put him through, preparing to go to Japan and all, he has had 2 rabies shots, blood taken, poked, prodded and had to sit in the vets office full of stinky dogs. but he behaved so well, with him being a bit on the larger side he doesn't fit in his carrying case so we have to put the harness on him and attach a leash and walk him into the vets, it works quite well surprisingly, he doesn't squirm much, he is very well behaved and the girls in the vet's office think he is the cutest thing ever. damn right he is.

well thats all i can think of for today kids, perhaps more tomorrow.

The Begining

I will make this first post a sum of my life, and by sum i mean i will type until i am bored. I do like to talk about myself but one can only type so much.

I was born in the summer of 82 a vibrant, loud, chubby baby. my life began like most others in middle class Arizona, there wasn't alot to do, we played outside all winter and in the summer we sweltered inside with swamp coolers or at the pool swimming until we went temporary blind from all the chlorine. I went to public school, didn't learn much but i graduated on time spring 2000. I remember thinking there wasn't much to do in Tucson and i would kill to leave, we spent our free time, hiking in the mountains, camping, fishing, picnicking, mountain biking, driving through the beautiful mountains. I was also close to other nice places, about 7 hour drive from San Diego, 6 hours to Rocky Point Mexico. Eventually i met my husband a United States Marine. His mother and mine were friends back before either of us existed, they were pregnant together, her with his younger brother and my mother with me. (he is 2 years older than i) we met early 2004 while he was driving to 29 Palms California where he was to be in school for the MC, we spent the whole summer together seeing each other every weekend possible and when the holdiays came we spent them together. he got his orders here January 2005 and now we are stationed at Westover ARB in Chicopee Massachusetts, and wow this place sucks, there ain't nuthin to do here. We got hitched Thanksgiving Day November 23 2006 in Arizona. Right after we got here i got a job on base and was quickly promoted, i am currently the Facility Manager at the base exchange here. we spend most of our time drinking, or watching movies, or BBQ'n because that is all there is to do. We are trying to make the most of our last few months here in about 7 months we will be leaving on our journey to Okinawa Japan. I am beyond excited. mostly because i totally LOVE sushi. Sushi and the beach my two favorite things ever!
well thats all i can think of, i have a rockin sister Andrea and i think she is the coolest person i know. thats about it.