Farewell to My Friend

It is with a sad and broken heart that I write today. My friend Ruth has passed away. Her passing has left a great hole in our hearts that cannot be filled. As some of you know, she was also my children's step-mother. Since day one, we have always been civil to each other, with no malice in our hearts. Sometimes life hands you lemons. It is your choice what you do with them. She accepted my children into her life, if not exactly as one of her own, so close no one would notice. She will hold a special place in my heart forever.

Because of distance we did not become friends until I moved here. She was still working then, so we didn't get to see each other a lot. But when we did, it was just like we had been friends forever. We had made plans to sit on the porch of the "Old Folks Home" and make fun of everybody and to have wheelchair races in the halls. Now I guess I will have to it for both of us. Boy, will I be a bitch. LOL She would laugh at that. I can see her in heaven now shaking her head and saying "You go girl !" I never took the chance to let her know how much I thought of her because I thought I had plenty of time. I was wrong. So grab your best friend, or your loved one today and give them a big hug. Tell them it's from me and Ruth.

No Title

OK So how come I cannot think of a Title for my blog this morning? I'm not sure. So much has gone on this week. Big things like Christmas Eve and Christmas day. They are all over with now and it is officially "After" Christmas. The stores are having their annual sales and the kids are trying hard to find even half of the toys and do dads they got for Christmas. Mom's and Dad's all over the world are still cleaning up trash from Christmas morning. A stray bow here, a missed gift there. Little wads of wrapping paper stuffed in the strangest places. This is the time of year for the let downs. No more visits from the family, friends and added visitors to our homes. No more trips to the store for that one forgotten gift or ingredient that has to be put in the pumpkin pie. But, sometimes this is a good thing. Stress has reduced by 90%. Parents are sitting on their couches deflated by the sheer magnitude of power that has run through their house in the last three days. So, now is the time for de-stressing. Just remember this. NEW YEARS is coming

A SPECIAL CHRISTMAS POEM

This entry is dedicated to all of the members of the USMC, ARMY, AIRFORCE, NAVY, and RESERVES.

The embers glowed softly, and in their dim light, I gazed round the room and I cherished the sight. My wife was asleep, her head on my chest, My daughter beside me, angelic in rest. Outside the snow fell, a blanket of white, Transforming the yard to a winter delight. The sparkling lights in the tree I believe, Completed the magic that was Christmas Eve. My eyelids were heavy, my breathing was deep, Secure and surrounded by love I would sleep. In perfect contentment, or so it would seem, So I slumbered, perhaps I started to dream. The sound wasn't loud, and it wasn't too near, But I opened my eyes when it tickled my ear. Perhaps just a cough, I didn't quite know, Then the sure sound of footsteps outside in the snow. My soul gave a tremble, I struggled to hear, And I crept to the door just to see who was near. Standing out in the cold and the dark of the night, A lone figure stood, his face weary and tight. A soldier, I puzzled, some twenty years old, Perhaps a Marine, huddled here in the cold. Alone in the dark, he looked up and smiled, Standing watch over me, and my wife and my child. 'What are you doing?' I asked without fear, 'Come in this moment, it's freezing out here! Put down your pack, brush the snow from your sleeve, You should be at home on a cold Christmas Eve!' For barely a moment I saw his eyes shift, Away from the cold and the snow blown in drifts. To the window that danced with a warm fire's light Then he sighed and he said 'Its really all right, I'm out here by choice. I'm here every night.' 'It's my duty to stand at the front of the line, That separates you from the darkest of times. No one had to ask or beg or implore me, I'm proud to stand here like my fathers before me. My Gramps died at 'Pearl on a day in December,' Then he sighed, 'That's a Christmas 'Gram always remembers.' My dad stood his watch in the jungles of ' Nam ', And now it is my turn and so, here I am. I've not seen my own son in more than a while, But my wife sends me pictures, he's sure got her smile. Then he bent and he carefully pulled from his bag, The red, white, and blue... an American flag. I can live through the cold and the being alone, Away from my family, my house and my home. I can stand at my post through the rain and the sleet, I can sleep in a foxhole with little to eat. I can carry the weight of killing another, Or lay down my life with my sister and brother.. Who stand at the front against any and all, To ensure for all time that this flag will not fall.' ' So go back inside,' he said, 'harbor no fright, Your family is waiting and I'll be all right.' 'But isn't there something I can do, at the least, 'Give you money,' I asked, 'or prepare you a feast? It seems all too little for all that you've done, For being away from your wife and your son.' Then his eye welled a tear that held no regret, 'Just tell us you love us, and never forget. To fight for our rights back at home while we're gone, To stand your own watch, no matter how long. For when we come home, either standing or dead, To know you remember we fought and we bled. Is payment enough, and with that we will trust, That we mattered to you as you mattered to us.'

PLEASE, would you do me the kind favor of sending this to as many people as you can? Christmas will be coming soon and some credit is due to our U.S service men and women for our being able to celebrate these festivities. Let's try in this small way to pay a tiny bit of what we owe. Make people stop and think of our heroes, living and dead, who sacrificed themselves for us.

LCDR Jeff Giles, SC, USN 30th Naval Construction Regiment OIC, Logistics Cell One Al Taqqadum, Iraq

Sunday, December 21, 2008

WHY?

This is what I keep asking myself every morning my eyes open up at the "BUTT CRACK OF DAWN", as my daughter so lovingly puts it. She phrased this little jewel one morning when she woke up and her kids were already up, but that is another story. I use to hate to get up and would literally have to be drug out of bed to go to school, work or wherever I had to be. Sleep was my friend, my lover, my protector. Now every morning I am up at the "butt crack of dawn". I am not the type of person that can just roll back over and go back to sleep. When I wake up, I am up for the day. So, where do I have to be this early? NOWHERE ! I do not work, or go to school, or even have to be up for anyone else. So, pray tell me, WHY?

Home Again, Home Again Jig-da-de-gin!

Just thought I would let everyone know that "The Day At The Spa" went wonderfully well yesterday. Tina and I were successful in getting them to their appointment on time and with all of us in one piece. They were very excited, but Bella was a little nervous. She has never been to the groomers and did not know what to expect. I was told that she was "so cute". She pitched a fit when they came to take the other two dogs for their bath. She did not want to be separated. She finally decided that all was well, and calmed down. They were all so cute when they came out. Each one had a bandanna around their neck, but Bella was also wearing a little bow in her hair. They were really happy to be going home. It was a full day for them and when they got home they lay ed down on the floor and slept like there was no tomorrow. Bella still looks like a rag-a-muffin, but short of shaving her to the skin, she is going to. She got all the worse hair traits of her breed. That doesn't make me love her any less though. LOL

A Day At The Spa

Ok boys, and girls it is time again for a great adventure. The appointment has been make, and I cannot wait. It will be a wonderfull day. Tina and I are headed to New Bern for the 9:00 appointment. I can hardly contain my excitement. It will be a day of shampooing, massaging, manicures and pedicures. Doesn't that sound wonderful? TO bad it won't be Tina, and myself getting it done. No boys, and girls, this appointment for all the pampering is for Login, Susi, and Bella (the dogs). The adventure part is me and Tina trying to wrangle three dogs in a Ford Escort for the 9 mile trip. The bigger dogs should not be a problem, but Bella is going to want to drive again. She evidently does not trust my driving because she always try to take the wheel when we travel. She swears her eyes are better than mine, but even though that is true her legs will not reach the pedals. I have tried to explain this to her on several occasions, to no avail.
Tina is going along as my co-pilot this morning. She will also help me wrangle the bigger dogs into the shop. I can barely handle Bella on a leash....So, off we go on another "Janet and Tina" adventure. Roaddogs unite!
PRAY FOR US!!
WE'RE GOING TO NEED EVERY ONE WE CAN GET !

Trashy Tuesday

Well here we are again on trash day. It's the same day every week, four times a month, 12 months a year. I hate it just as much today as I did last week. I don't hate the day itself, just taking out the trash. I don't hate getting trash out of the house either, I just hate trash. We collect trash from various parts of the house and deposit it into a large can and roll it to the street. What could be more simple you ask? Just the fact that I always miss something I wanted to throw away every week. After the trash men are gone, I always find something I wanted to throw away.
It's the same way when I am doing dishes. I can search the house over for all the cups, glasses, and other things I leave sitting here and there. I pop everything in the dishwasher and start her up. Not 5 minutes into the cycle I find somethig that should have been put in. I am really bad at losing my latest cup of coffee, or drink, I search in vain, but never remember where I left it, Sooo, I finally give up and just make me another drink.
I am sitting here, waiting for the notion to hit me and I will collect all the trash and take it to the curb. But I promise you, as soon as the trash men pull away, I will find something that should have gone