How our Christmas went down...

So, it is New Years Eve. We are doing nothing!  LOL  We are hanging around doing nothing at all.  We could have gone to the club for the dinner thing they are having there.  Or perhaps hanger 949 where they are having a concert with Tops in Blue performing.  We are going to watch a movie and drink ourselves into 2006 at home alone.  This is what four years of marriage can do to a couple.  We aren't upset though.  We had an awesome Christmas and I cannot believe it is already over. 

Now before I tell you about our Christmas with Sandy and Sean let me fill you in on a few things.  Our dog Wendy is sensitive.    From what I have read  on the net , she is submissive.  We thought she was defective when we were potty training her.  She would go outside to use the bathroom, however you would say something like 'want a cookie?', and she would squat and piddle.  We of course would tell her she was a 'bad dog' and this would result in more piddle.     She did this at the store when we bought her, but we thought it was because she was still a puppy.  Well, after many months of these stressful encounters, I decided she must have a leak in her pipes, if you know what I mean.  I looked online and discovered it is a behavioral thing.  If I stand and look down at her and say anything she squats and piddles.  She is submitting to me to show respect.  It goes back to a dog pack thing.  So while scolding her was making it worse, the poor pooch didn't even know she was doing anything.   Our problem is under control now, and the fact that we know how to keep her from submitting has made her more comfortable with us all around.  We can play with her and do normal doggie- human things.  However, when people come over it takes a little bit of time for her to get use to them and keep her from submitting to them .   Usually when people enter the house they look down and say, 'awe, hello puppy', and she squats and piddles to show them she is bowing down to them.  (It seems sweet doesn't it? she is always trying to please others).  It took a while for her to get used to Melissa K.  The main thing is to crouch down to their level and pet the under the chin.  This really works!  ( I was so impressed that it does)  And if she does do something that deserves a 'bad girl' we can't look her in the eye.     So, now that you know this I can tell you about Christmas....

Well, I had to work on Fri the 23rd but after work I ran home, picked up Dave and we headed up to the train station.  We got there a few minutes after they arrived and  I am sure they must have been  nervous we would never show up.  LOL  It was really cold I felt so bad.  We took them home  and they met Wendy with a little piddle at the door to greet them.  We sat and caught up a bit, Wendy trying to play the entire time.  Dave tried to keep her distracted with  a treat ball.  Well, she was excited running around and she ended up throwing up on Sean's foot.  It was  really sick and from what Sean said it smelt bad.  LOL  It was so embarrassing!   Luckily Wendy ate  it, almost before we realized what was  happening.  That was also gross beyond words but make the cleanup a little easier.  LOL

So the next day started out reasonably well.  I don't remember when exactly this happen, but Sean was sitting on the love seat with Wendy and Sandy came up and was petting Wendy.  Wendy thought she would be respectful and she peed on Sean.  This was her way of telling them she likes them, however you can see how these messages are sometimes forgotten during the clean up for a person she has peed on .  Really Sean  should consider this a compliment she thinks you are the Top Dawg! 

Well, Wendy did alright the rest of the visit.  She tried to get as much love and attention as she could.  Most of these attempts are annoying and bother some.  There was one morning when Sean was sleeping in and Sandy wanted him to wake up.  SO she sent Wendy in to do the job.  She thought that task was to submit again so she piddled.  This has to do with when the sleep in the cave the Top Dawg sleeps higher than the other dogs. 

So, those are the  'the dog almost ruined Christmas' stories.  Now we can talk about the normal and best parts of Christmas. 

On Christmas Eve we went to the grocery store off base that we love so much.  I guess the store was nicer than China's stores.  We went to Cheese Roll for lunch.  Which was so good.  (Dave and I hadn't eaten there since the time Dave accidentally ordered 100 cheese rolls instead of five.  Woof!!)  After Cheese roll we went home, we had planned on watching Christmas movies and ordering Pizza which is our tradition.   Melissa Koza came over and it was so fun.  We spent the evening in the kitchen baking.  We make the pecan pie (which sandy make the crust for and I will be eternally grateful to her for doing that).   I showed Sandy how to  make the cranberries.  I made banana bread  to give to my coworker for Christmas.  We made Dave's sweet potato casserole.  The most exciting part was making the Pumpkin spice roll.  It was really easy and it was so nice to have Melissa there since she is such  a pro at making pumpkin roll.  After  we finished baking all of Christmas dinner stuff,  we made the breakfast casserole that we were to have the next morning.  It is so good and it is really convenient  since I could bake it the night before and then in the morning I tossed it back in the oven to heat it up  while we were opening gifts. ( I'll post the recipe soon)  After all of that baking we only had time to watch one Christmas movie, the classic National Lampoon Christmas Vacation of course.

Christmas Morning I woke up stuffed the bird and sent her in the oven then went back to bed.  We woke up around ten and opened gifts.  After all  of that  ripping and tearing, ohhing and aahhing we were hungry so we dug into the breakfast bake.  By the time Melissa came over at around two the table was set and the meal was ready to be finished up.  It was so nice to have two girls with me in the kitchen helping.  It was so great!  We got dinner on the table around three but it was nearly late since Koza brought over this amazing spinach and artichoke dip which we could barely tear ourselves away from to  finish cooking and take everything out of the oven.  LOL

Dinner was great!  Desert was good and we had such a great time spending the holiday with family and such a great friend.  I don't think we could ever go back to spending Christmas alone again after having such a great time this year.

The week that followed Christmas we mostly spent  going around checking out the places nearby.  We went to shimoda mall and another mall in hatchinohe.  We were in search of an ipod and a couple of nice digital cameras.  Our search ended in  two camera purchases from the Base Exchange.  We love our new camera and the great news is that it had a neck strap so I wont be responsible for breaking this one.

We really enjoyed having Sandy and Sean here.  We hope they had a good time despite the barf and piddle.  LOL  Well, I don't want to be written until next year(ha its 1109 pm nearly 2006) so you will  have to get any other details from the Haleys.   We hope all of you had a nice Christmas too.  We wish you a wonderful and safe 2006. 

Haleys in a Funny Hat

This is too funny huh? 

Merry Christmas!!!

Merry Christmas everyone.  We had a wonderful Christmas eve and Christmas day.  I t is so wonderful to have family to spend the holidays with.  We were spoiled with gifts and food.  Lots of ripping and tearing.  And lots of eating yummy food!  The Pumpkin Spice roll was the BEST!!!  We hope you all have a great Christmas also! 

Its off to shop in Japan tomorrow!! Yippie    

We are getting snow right now supposed to get 6 inches tonight.  Yikes!! 

Melissa's Birthday

Here is a pic of Melissa with her birthday cake.  She came over tonight for dinner.  Thank goodness she isn't sick anymore.  I made pork loin with the recipe Jennifer uses for roasts.  I made it last week with a roast and I am planning on making again next week with roast again.

 It is so easy everyone should try it.  All you do is put your roast in a pan sprinkle a packet of onion soup mix on it then add a jar of medium salsa and a can of coke, cover and roast.  Melissa S and Jennifer  do it in the crock pot I did it in my oven the first time and liked it better than today when i used my crock pot.( only because the carrots weren't really done)  I used a 375 oven the first hour and a half then turned the heat down to 325 for the rest of the time which was another hour and a half.   it is super yummy and be sure to add taters and carrots and onion.  And if you make gravy with the liquid  in the pan it is super awesome.  I have been telling Melissa S she needs to blog these really great recipes she has.  I have waited and waited but I cant wait anymore to share it with everyone else.  I also think Becky should blog her stuffed zucchini recipe.  It is one of my favorite things to make now.

Well, anyways  Happy Birthday Koza!   

Its going to be a Very Merry Christmas

Can you believe all of the gifts under our tree?  There are a ton!  We are so excited!!  

Sean and Sandy arrive this FRIDAY!  

We cannot wait!

SNOW

We got dumped on last night.  About six inches over night and the rumor is that we are due for another 15 inches today and tonight.  I am hoping that is a lie maybe they meant 5 inches.  Dave spent all morning shoveling.  Now he is shoveling a path in  the backyard for Wendy because she sinks in and it is so deep she can barely move.  It is going to be a very long winter.  

I was thinking that last year we got 157 inches the average here  is 120.  I am going to predict that every year that we are here the snowfall will be more than the average.  Then I predict the year after we leave, which will be 2010, they will have a winter with little to no snow at all.  I am just saying it now.  I could be very wrong but I am going to stick with my predication.  I think everyone will be calling me psychic Sylvia brown  soon.  Montel will be calling me to make appearances on his show.  LOL  Please be sure to pick up on the sarcasm in the last two statements. 

Well, we are off to main base to do my final grocery shopping before Christmas and to do a little project up at my work.  we better make it home before she snow hits.  eeeee

SNOW!

yeah so I just blogged yesterday,  but I have more to say. 

Well, I colored my hair last night.  See, I have white hair already.  And i mean WHITE not gray.  SO last fall while we were still in Arizona I colored my hair to try to cover the white hair.  However, it turned out really super blond and it was supposed to be a light brown.  SO lately my roots are dark and my ends are still really light so it has been driving me crazy.  SO i did  a medium brown and it looks better.  I really think I like it actually.   Thank you Melissa K for helping me pick the color out and being the first one to notice.

I stopped at the post office on my way home today.  We got three boxes from the states.  We have so many presents under the tree you can barely walk by without tripping.  Erin sent a box with lots of fun stuff in it.  She included Christmas decorations and a thing of jiffy pop.  I was kinda like whoa jiffy pop.  Then I got really excited I usually don't get jiffy pop.  I don't think i had ever used one.  It popped nice and no scorching and I think i am going to get jiffy from now on.   It was way faster and didn't burn like using microwavable popcorn does.                                                                    

So this is the thing.... In Japan they use the same plug as we do however the hertz are different.  We use 60 HZ while Japan uses 50hz.  Now when I heard this i was like, does it even matter it only a difference of 10.  Well, it does.  Things work, just not very well.  Our stove clock cant keep time (which really stinks while baking, I cant set the timer), alarm clocks from the states wont work and  most importantly the microwave doesn't work well.   So like to do popcorn in the microwave you have to set it for six minutes and then sometimes you have to add minutes.  I usually cheer it on.  This makes me sound like a crazy person but if you stand there and say encouragingly,  'you can do it.  come on"  You can get a full bag of popcorn.  If you don't cheer it on it burns, or it will deflate half way thru and you get nothing.  It is crazy I know but its true.  To reheat a dinner plate used to take three minutes it takes about 12 here.  to warm up water your looking at about 6 to 7 minutes.   SO now you know.  just appreciate your microwave when you use it.  I cant wait until we go back to the states and i don't have to curse our anymore. 

SO it is really snowing tonight.  I went out at eight and shoveled for two hours by the time I got the four inched up there was another inch on the ground.  I am pretty sure i came in just in time I believe I was in the beginning stages of frostbite.  My legs were cold and hot and red and blotchy.  It was the first time I have shoveled.  i know there will probably be a ton more before Dave gets home.  I feel bad that he comes home at two or three in the morning and shovels. 

Wendy is doing okay i guess.  She is  in a lot of discomfort.  When i first brought her home she was shaking really bad.  I hope she feels better tomorrow.  She cant get comfortable and she is confused because I wont let he go outside to pee because there is so much snow and I don't want her to get her stitches wet.  I put a puppy pad down but she is confused and drunk so she missed.  LOL  She'll understand when she gets out of her fog. 

Well that's it for now.   The picture is from last year when we got here.  They were unloading our stuff and as soon as they got it out of the crates it started snowing.  Notice the piles of snow in the picture please.  Last year we got 157 inches of snow.  That's more than 13 feet!  Its going to be a long winter

A HAT

Well, it has been awhile.  I have been in such a funk lately.  The snow is here.  I am so excited.  NOT!!!  I wish there was a better way to express sarcasm through blogs and emails.  I am actually really geeked about Sandy and Sean's visit next WEEK!  I have a lot of crap I need to take care of though and not enough time.  Usually I am a list maker.  Ill make like thirty lists and then I can feel organized but for some reason I keep putting off my lists.  That's probably why I am not sleeping.  I'm freaking tired.  Wendy had been good lately although, just a little bit ago she  got up the balls (I mean bravery you know, she is a girl) to go in our closet and get one of my shoes, and she chewed on them a bit.  She has never done that so i am assuming she was just bored.  I cant see why, its not like I spend every waking moment I'm not at work on the computer or anything.  (again insert sarcasm) I was really mad because  they are pretty shoes but I never wear them so I guess this will end my, 'should I keep  them anyways?' dilemma. 

She'll  get hers though.  We are taking her to get fixed tomorrow.  Dave is so funny when he was getting ready to make the appointment he asked me, "is it spaydered or neutered?"  I almost peed myself laughing.      I hope he was joking.  We are looking forward to her being laid up for a few days we can use a puppy excitement breather.  I feel really bad for  her.  She has no idea whats coming.  I guess it is better though.

 I freak out before I have to go to the dentist.  I kind of wish Dave  could make my appointment secretly and then just ask me wanna go to the store and then take me to the dentist.  I know it would be a little shocking but at least I wouldn't have time to work myself up to  freaking out before hand.  I just recently worked up the courage to go to the dentist to get some sealants done and I was betrayed.   The dentist ( who is in the USAF but speaks broken English which makes me very nervous) was going to drill a few spots before he sealed them.  However, he didn't think it was necessary to numb me.  He said I wouldn't feel anything but to wave if I was feeling some sensitivity.  I was waving both hands and my legs were shaking so badly the whole chair was shaking.  I spent an hour and a half  trying to get through the pain only to cry the second I got out of the office.  I am supposed to call and make another appointment so they can finish but that wont happen.  I am officially scared for life.  My fear of the dentist has been validated.

Well, I'm in the list making mood now.  Blast from the Past is on.  I really like that movie.  I really love the holidays because every night the Navy movie channels play Christmas movies.  I love it I wonder what will be on tonight.  Last night Wendy and I were watching Elf.  I love that movie!.

Hah! 

PS I'm wearing a hat in this pic and I think this pic makes my face look ginormous

we got the tree up!

Hey we got our tree up .   I love having a live tree. It smells so good in the house!  I put it up myself it was tough I thought I was going to pass out because i have a really bad cold.  Tree stands are crap and there should be a better way but I think it is pretty straight for putting it up alone.  TaDa!!

Please don't let your attention focus on the shoes thrown about on the left.  Crap I  should have cropped this photo.

Dave finally gets to write about INDIA Part one

Hi everybody,  I have finally found some time off to write to you all about my trip to INDIA.  I have been so busy since I have been back, they only gave us one day off then it was back to the flight line to work.

Well today is Friday, and our Commander decided that we have worked enough over the past few weeks and gave us the day off.  YEAH!!  I love getting days off.  But to tell you about my trip to INDIA will take a while, there is soo much to tell.  So here it goes, if it doesn't make sense just ask questions, as I am not good at getting all of my thoughts down on the computer, lol.

So where to start.  We left out of Misawa on Sunday evening, and flew down to Tokyo and did whole airport switch with the bus.  its not as confusing as I thought, everything was in English and easy to understand.  So we took a really nice plane from Tokyo to Singapore. It was an air bus 380.  pretty big plane.  But there we were all sitting and enjoying our free movies on the plane, and I say movies, cause nowadays they give you a choice of like 12 movies, a bunch of TV shows, and even video games, but anyway we're enjoying the ride, its late at night and dark on the plane, and all the sudden I hear and feel this thump, and I thought to my self "that was kinda weird" and then I notice that everyone around is sitting up in there seats and looking down into the aisle in front of , so what do I do, of course I look down the aisle too, well to my amazement there was a guy laying down in the aisle passed out cold.  And there is all of these people sitting around poking and prodding at this guy to get him to wake up.  finally someone says to hit the call button to get a flight attendant, so what does everybody, we all hit all call buttons at almost the same time, so for the next minute you can hear nothing but dings going off. and then finally an attendant shows up, then another, then another, and next thing we knew we had all the flight attendants on the plane hovering around this poor guy that has been poked at for the past few minutes. so the attendants didn't really know what to do, so what did they do, well you guessed it the poked and prodded him to get him to wake up. ( just Joking) they actually took over the situation and di a great job.  one of them held his feet up another stabilized his head, and for some reason another ran straight to back of the plane to grab the defibrillator.  she must have been new.  but then after he still wasn't waking up we told the attendants to call for a doctor, well luckily we had brought a military paramedic with us. but it was so surreal hearing a flight attendant call over the intercom saying " if there is a doctor on the plane please identify yourself" it was like being in the movie.  well to cut this little story short, the guy that passed out was one of our back shop workers he fixes fuel problems on the jets,  he passed out because he was dehydrated. but he was alright, except that for the rest of the trip we gave him s#!t for it. it was funny.  Well we got to Singapore with no more problems, except for when we got into the lobby of the airport, no one really knew where we would be spending the night (actually day since it was 0600 and we were leaving at O' dark thirty the next morning.)  so here is a big group of about 30 military members just huddling around trying to figure out what to do.  so finally our Captain decides to call the embassy, to find out where we were staying (the embassy was suppose to set up our Hotel and bus). well the embassy said we had room reservations at the Regent hotel, and the bus should be their.  so we start looking around and we see this guy holding a sign that says "embassy Regent" that's got to be us, we said.  so we talk to the guy and find out that yes it was us.  so we get on the bus and realize that just one bus wont fit all of us and our luggage, so we had to get a van to load the luggage in, then we were all pretty nervous about getting our bags back because half way through the bus ride we didn't see the van any more.  but we were on the bus for about 30 mins or so, and we got to this street and looked around and saw all of these big Hotels.  there was the Hilton, Four seasons, The Hyatt.  and were like I wonder where we are staying.  then we pull up to this beautiful hotel just a huge hotel with cheofers and bell boys and luggage boys.  and I thought to my self, there is no way that we are staying here.  But we did.  and we had a great time there.  I suggest any one that has a chance to go to Singapore to DO IT.  its worth the trip.  Singapore is on of the richest places in the world, and one of the cleanest.  this is because they have so many rules, cant chew gum in public ( so that you don't spit it on the side walk), you cant spit on the side walk(200 dollar fine) cant jaywalk(200 dollar fine), there is rule after rule after rule.  But it works, because everyone follows them and it has got to be the cleanest country in the world.  the side walks are clean and all one color, there is no trash strewing about, all the grass we saw was nicely mowed, there was flower beds everywhere.  just a great country to see.  not to mention the shopping to be done. if you want any high end item they got it.  any electric item they got it and its cheaper there than in the states.  and apparently the beaches are 3even more beautiful, we didn't see them because of the short time we were there.  Oh one last thing about Singapore, I was finally able to get a Moosehead Beer, its been almost a year, oh it tasted so good, I was happy.WEll we left after a busy day and hopped on the plane the next morning to ge to Kolkata India.

I'm sorry but I need to end this blog here for now.  Teresa and I going out to eat and bowling with some friends.   So Iwill continue this soon (hopefully by the end of the weekend) but for now you all can look at the pictures I posted in our photo album under INDIA.  sorry I haven't filled out all the captions yet either, geez I'm lazy! well that's all for now love you all

glad to be back  DAVE

universe

Hello all.  I was just writing to say that Dave made it home yesterday alright.  He has been busy trying to unpack and put everything  away.  He is washing everything that touched India!!  LOL  He has lots of funny stories about the trip.  I cant get him to stop telling traffic stories.  He swears the India drivers are worse than Japanese but i cannot imagine that is possible.  I am sure he will post a blog soon.  He is hoping to get his pictures developed soon.  We went off base today to get a few things I have been waiting a month to get.  LOL  We also needed to look for tires .  We need two for his car and four for my truck.  Yuck buying tires is expensive and so confusing.  It is even worse  if you cant read the tags!!!  We went to the store we always depend on.  It is called Homac.  They were starting to add on before Dave left.  We went today and it was completed and open.  It is a grocery store called Universe.  It is connected but not part of Homac.  I was so happy.  It is very much like a Western grocery store.  It was organized and clean and there was produce!!!!  tangerines and tomatoes and kiwi and pineapple and grapes!  We were like kids in a candy store.  I am so happy. 

We hope you all had a wonderful thanksgiving.  Take care 

Here are my newly finished projects

Hey here are the three prints I was writing about a few blogs ago.  I framed them today and I really love them.  They make me happy!  No one has told me what they think so I am assuming everyone thought my other project was crap.  Thanks a lot!  JK

Dave called today he is suffering big time in Calcutta. They are roughing it at the Hyatt with room service, and massages.  He said he really loved the pampering.  LOL  They will be home in a couple days and he is really looking forward to being home he says. 

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone.  It is already thanksgiving here and it doesn't really feel like it.  Other than the fact that I am alone there is no parade and no football game.  They wont be on for hours.  LOL  Kinda like we wont see dick Clark's rocking new years eve until the 2nd.  LOL  Dave was supposed to return tomorrow however you know how the military is.  Things changed.  He wont be back until Sunday night.  I was planning on making our thanksgiving on Sunday and that is still the plan. Dave however will be eating leftovers.  Matt and Melissa from work will be coming over to partake in my thanksgiving feast.  I still need to tidy up this Saturday though.  I am looking forward to getting everything ready for Sunday.    

My sister Loraine had her baby.  We have a new niece, her name is Hope.  I am so excited.  I cannot wait until someone sends me pictures.

Well, just wanted to say hello today since it is a holiday and all.  So go and enjoy your feast!

PS  This is Melissa K and me today when we were leaving for dinner at Cherry's house

Look what I made

Hey I had today off and I finally framed something for myself!!  I went to work today and did a self help project.   I love it and I wanted someone to see it.  Since Dave isn't here you all will do.  LOL  What do you think?  I have three  more prints coming from Art.com, one of them I used for a blog picture  a few blogs ago it is the poppy field I am going to put them in the living room.  I cant wait until they arrive.  I received some of my eBay stuff today.  It was like Christmas.  A lot of sellers wont ship here so almost everything has been going  to my mom's house.  I am so happy today!!!

Dave's message from India

Dave emailed me asking me to post this as an entry in our blog.  Here it is...

Hi everyone.  This is a message from Dave in the far off  land of INDIA.  Ive been here for 2 weeks now, and feels like 2 months.  The weather is hot and  muggy, which is completely opposite of what we were told.  So everyone  has long sleeve shirts and we are all sweating like crazy, but fortunately it does cool off a little at night.

INDIA is a very different place than I have ever visited before.  When I get home,  Ill try to elaborate more, "Dad will understand why".  But one  really cool thing is to see all of these old migs " Russian Aircraft" fly.  Some of these date back to the fifties and sixties.  And the Indian Air force has done a great job on keeping them up in the air for all of these years.  Some of the aircraft that we have seen are the mig 21, mig 27 mig 29.  This past week we saw the mirage 2000, and the newest mki su 30.  Now I understand that not everyone knows what these are,  but you should be able to get some pictures from the  Internet, and if you can't  we are suppose to be having a media day so hopefully I'll be able to get some nice photos of me in front of these aircraft.

Well I'm sorry to keep it short,  but the internet access  for  over 200 people is just  2 computers.  So,  I cant hog the time up.  But when I get back I will write up a whole page on how my trip was.  One thing though, I was able to go the Taj Mahal for a day, photos will be coming soon.  Well, you all take care, and I write as soon as I get Back.  Love you all Dave

Is anyone reading Icy sparks with us?

Hi all I was just wondering if anyone else had started Icy Sparks?  Let me know if you are.  I talk to Melissa nearly everyday on the phone.We talk about the books we are reading while on the phone.  I f anyone else is reading the book the will chat about it in a blog instead.  We are having so much fun reading books together, sometimes after I have been reading I can hardly wait until it is an acceptable time to call Melissa.  I kinda hate the time change because now I have to wait an hour longer! 

Dave called today.  Things are fine there.  Well, he said he has a lot to tell me when he gets back.  He said they are taking a little trip this weekend.  Taj mahal, sounds like fun.  I hope they are safe.

Wendy has settled down a bit.  I took her for a walk tonight after dinner and she went straight to bed when we got home.  She was pooped.  Thank goodness. 

I hope everyone is well, I am sad no one has been blogging lately.  Whats going on over there in America?  I am sure everyone is getting ready for the holidays.  

Dave Called

Dave called the other night.  He called in the middle of the night actually.  He has to use an international cell phone that some one brought with them.  He only gets a second to talk and he wont be able to call anyone back home.  I think he was going to try to check in with his folks but he said I most likely wont be able to.    He said things aren't great.  It isn't quite as terrible as he was expecting.  I believe he said something alone the lines of "This is F*$# ed up."  I believe he said that a few time.  He liked the night they spent in Singapore.  He went into Gucci and a lot of high end stores.  He hopes their return flights wont be changed.  They are supposed to stop in Singapore again but they might not fly commercial home and just take a cargo plane instead.  I don't understand this they already spend 4700 on round trip tickets.   I don't really care how he gets home just as long as he does.  I am a little worried that the change in travel plans will mean a longer time away.  I am trying not to worry about it too much though.  It will drive me crazy.  I already feel crazy enough having entire conversations with Wendy.  She looks at me like I am crazy.

I took care of the yard today.  I had the day off (thank goodness I had a bad week).  I cleaned out all of my containers and put the hose away.  I wanted to mow the yard one last time before the snow comes but I couldn't get the dang thing started.  I hate that!  Why cant they just have a key that turns them on?  I went to a winter awareness briefing on Wed.  It scared the crap out of me!  I am not ready for snow but they say it should start this month.   They already have the snow sticks up.  They have poles along the roads with reflective tape.  It is the only way they can make out the side of the road when there is so much snow.  Yikes!! They said  in the briefing that the record snowfall  was in 1984 with a total of 250 "  How the heck?  Can you imagine? 

Well, I have relayed Dave's message.  Have a great weekend everyone!

not much happening here

Well, I  had fun at the bazaar this weekend.    I took Dave to the airport in Misawa City  on Sunday morning.    Later Sunday Melissa K. and I went to the bazaar again.  This wedding cabinet was half off.  How could I pass it by?  I love it.  I am going to use it to store all of my scrapbooking things. 

I heard from Dave today.  He called while I was at work, but he left a message.  He was still in Calcutta(I am pretty sure that is spelled wrong)  They were heading for the base.  I am not sure if he will be able to call once at the base.  He leaves India on Nov 25th (the day after thanksgiving)   I don't think he will get to Misawa until Saturday though.  I believe they spend the night either in Singapore  or Tokyo. 

I have been trying to get used to being home alone.  I have caught up on laundry and dishes. I  am sure it is only because it has been two days but so far I kinda  like doing dishes and not finding more dirty dishes in the sink the next time I go to the kitchen.  I really do miss Dave just not his dishes or excessive laundry.  (Please does anyone else change like three times a day?  I don't understand why one would need to do that. ) 

Wendy has taken to destroying things.  I think she is home alone too much.  She has torn up pictures,  a pillow, a pkg of ex-lax, and most recently $25 she took from my purse.  I think she needs a playmate.  Maybe Ill get Dave a puppy for Christmas.  I am just kidding I am sure that would just equal double the trouble.  Plus Dave would kill me.  

I should be shipping everyone's Christmas gifts soon.  The Post office recommends that we have all pkgs shipped by Nov 16 if we want everything to arrive before X-mas.  Please do not open them until Christmas. 

Dave leaves for india tomorrow

Well, Dave is leaving in the morning for India. He wont be returning until after thanksgiving.  It kind of stinks. 

We went to the bazaar today.  I fell in love with this cabinet.  I love it.  The man said he got it from an antique place in China.  I don't know I just know that I love it and we are going to keep our DVDs in it. 



Melissa and I  decided to read the other book by Alice Sebold  it is called Lucky.  We loved Lovely Bones so much we thought we should read her other book before we start Icy Sparks. 

Where does the time go????

It is late Sunday night.  Where does the weekend go????  You always think you will get to do all of these things and you never get to half of them. 

Dave has been preparing for his trip to India this weekend.  He has a big test on Tuesday but he may not be here to take it.  He could leave anytime with little to no notice.  We don't really know when he will return.  They have to tell them Nov 21st.  But the chances of that aren't likely.  We are told to prepare for their return after thanksgiving.   SO while trying to pack and study he has had little time to relax.  He has been given antibiotic for malaria and he is stocked up on Imodium since sickness unavoidable.  His Purell is packed along with every other sanitizing product on the store shelves.

I did have a little fun this afternoon my coworker taught me how to do stained glass.  It took me awhile since the grinder wasn't working well.  I am looking forward to this new hobby.  Maybe I can find a grinder on eBay!!  That would be so fun to work on it at home.   I finished the book I was reading(lovely bones).  I really loved it.  I had told Melissa that she should read it and she went and got it from the library.  She read it in one day  She loved it too.  I couldn't believe that she beat me though! 

The picture is from a break Dave took a little while ago.  Our dog loves to play with this hippo mitten we got her.  She goes crazy when she sees us walk by it.

Funny pic to make you laugh

It has been a while since our last entry.  We have been working a lot.  Any time that I do spend on the computer is on eBay.  I have been having so much fun on the site.  What amazing buys I have found!!

The weather here feels a lot like fall.  It has been sort of warm during the day,  in the sixties.  At night though it gets chilly!!!  It is dark by six, the days seem so short. 

Dave is going to work at 630 pm this week.  It is going to be a tough week.  The base is having an exercise.  He has to wear full gear(flax vest, helmet, and a snowsuit like outfit that protects from chemicals.)  The 12 hour shifts are long and he gets home and goes to bed a couple hours before I wake up and go to work.  Oh well, its only one week. 

I am reading a book that I am loving so much!  I hope you all read it.  It is called Lovely Bones.  It is so good!!!  Run to the library right now if you haven't already read it.    Melissa and I were talking about reading a book at the same time so we can chat about it together.  If anyone else thinks it sounds like fun let us know.  Wouldn't it be fun to get online and IM after we finished a book together.  Melissa needs to get a computer.   It would be so fun!!

I hope you all received the card we sent out.  LOL 

TaTa-

I heart E-Bay

WHY HAVE I NEVER TRIED E-BAY BEFORE?  I cannot believe how fast I have fallen for ebay.  I love it and cannot get myself away from it.  Why has no one ever told me to try it before?  WHy would everyone keep it secret.  I am determined to get everyone I know to try ebay.  I stayed up until 4 am last night waiting to see if I won my first item.  I did, and I cannot wait until my next bidding ends to see if I get those things.  Yippie!!!

Anyone can post comments on our blog we want to hear what you have to say.

Entry for October 02, 2005

Well, it is the beginning of another week.  My how time flies.  I cannot believe it is already October.  What happen to summer?  Today is Sunday.  Dave is fixing breakfast.(see picture)  The menu is scrambled eggs, turkey bacon, and hash browns. He loves making breakfast.  Its his thing he does.

We get our third framer this week at work.  I am so excited.  We have a lot of huge orders that are due this month and we will need the extra help.  He has actually been working in our building but he was working in the graphics shop until one of the employees over there returned from leave.  It will be nice because now he will know how to work in both shops. 

I found out this week that I am getting a new position at work.  I was hired as a flex employee.  I am not guaranteed any hours.  My supervisor let me know this week that I will be a regular employee.  I get at least 20-30 hours a week and I get sick, vacation, and holiday pay.  I am glad.  I have been working more than thirty hours since I returned from leave.  It is nice but I hardly see Dave. 

I tried another offbase restaurant this week.  I don't know if it has a name.  Its just the place next to the crap store.  That's what we call it.   It was different.  I like the swan better.  They had soup but it had seaweed in it. yuck!  and they also had these very strange noodles. They were long and looked slimy.  they looked like long clear gummy worms.  They were crunchy and I don't think I like them.  But  it was very cheap. 

ta-ta for now 

Entry for September 26, 2005

Well, the week has started.   We had a nice weekend.  Although we didn't really do much.  We rearranged our living room yesterday.  The room looks a lot nicer.                                                       
The typhoon that was headed for us changed direction.  Thank goodness.  Watching everything that has happened in the south I am crossing my fingers we wont see any big typhoons.  Oh, remember when I was saying that it rains a ton here.  I looked it up and we get more than 7 inches of rain each month of the summer.  I was wondering how much Mich gets, so I looked it up.  Michigan gets 3 inches in the summer months.      HA!

Please if anyone is watching Desperate housewives please keep me updated in your blog if you can remember.  thanks.                                                                               

Crazy Day! September 24, 2005

What a crazy day we had.  We didn't do anything we had planned on doing today.  I went shopping this morning with a friend from work.  This may not seem like anything special but today I drove off base for the first time!!!!  I have been living in Japan for seven months and I have been so terrified of driving off base I have avoided it until today.  I am so glad I finally did it though.  I am so proud of myself.  David leaves in a few weeks and I wont be stuck on base looking for someone to drive me to the store.  It was very scary though!  I had one close call with a biker.  They are crazy darting into traffic like that.

Dave and I went to Swan a Chinese restaurant off base.  I had been there with my coworkers but it was Dave's first time.  He loved it.  I am so glad I love it there too.  We had a fun time getting freaked out in the tiny upstairs restaurant.  The room is tiny with four small tables.  We chose a table by the window overlooking the street.  While we were sitting there the room began to shake.  Dave and I both looked at each other like,  'oh, crap. an earthquake'   The place was really shaking.  It wasn't an earthquake though.  The shaking was from trucks driving by on the street below.  We were so scared.  I cannot imagine what  it would be like in there during a real earthquake.   I would probably pee my pants.

We didn't end up attending the Everclear concert.  We went to the bx before the concert and we ended up buying Dave a new toy he couldn't wait to get home and hook up.  He hasn't left the seat in front of the new 42 " Sony Vega LCD we bought.  He is in heaven.  I don't think he has even noticed me in the past three hours. 

Entry for September 22, 2005

The week is nearly over and we are looking forward to the base Octoberfest happening this weekend.  The band Everclear is preforming on Saturday.  Along with the food and beer we should have a fun time.  Hopefully the weather will co-operate.  It seems every time something is going on it rains.  After the Fourth of July fireworks were cancelled due to rain they were set to go off at the labor day beach bash.  It rained all day and let up only an hour before the fireworks began.  The airshow which took place three weeks ago also had rain as the main event which of course caused the show to end early.  It sure does rain a lot here.  I know 147 inches of snow is a lot of moisture but it lasts all year just in the form of rain.  I think I will look up the rain fall average.  Ill report back next time on my findings. 

We will update after the festivities.

Entry for September 21, 2005

Where does the time go?  It has been more than a week since we started this 360.  We have been busy working.  Although David has finally been working shorter shifts.  Ten hours on Monday and Tuesday.   Today he got out of work really early, we got to eat dinner together. 

It has really been cooling off here lately.  During the day its comfortable but by early evening the air is cool and crisp.  Fall is definitely coming soon.   We took Wendy for a walk this evening and I mentioned to Dave it feels like Michigan weather.  Then I realized it felt like an Arizona winter.  We are really enjoying the change of seasons.  Although shoveling the snow isn't something we are looking forward to.   

Hopefully this weekend Dave and I will finally get to go to Hatchinohe, which is a town about an hour away.  There is a large mall there and a lot of other things to do there.  Maybe we will stop at the mall and watch a movie.  Everyone has been telling us to try the movies off base.  They are nice and we can see more recently released movies. They have Japanese subtitles but that's okay.   When we see movies on base we have to wait a long time before they come here. Usually a month before they are released on DVD.   

Well, that's all for now. 

Our First Entry September 11, 2005

Hey all.  We were playing around and thought we would check out this 360 thing.  It seems like it will be a nice thing to try.  It can be hard to try to email all of you to keep in touch.  Hopefully this will be somewhere you can check in on us when you haven't heard from us in a while.

Things here have been a little hectic lately.  Since I got home last month we have been busy.  My work has been crazy.  We are short one framer.  Hopefully we will get someone soon.  Dave has been working 12 hours everyday.   He is on swing shift so we never see each other.  He goes to work in the afternoon while I am at work and he gets home after I am already asleep.  We have Sundays though.  Hopefully he will be able to switch soon.  One of his troops has been requesting to be moved to swings so Dave is planning to take his spot on days. 

It has been hot and humid here lately and there is no ac on base.  It makes things miserable.  When we go to the movies we get there early so we can get a spot in front of a fan.  I am sure it will be back to cold and dreary very soon though.  This past week we had typhoon warnings.  But nothing ever came of it just a little wind. 

We are really looking forward to Sandy and Sean's big move coming up in October.  We cant wait to have family in Asia!

Dave is leaving October 25th for his TDY in India.  He will be gone for a couple of weeks.   

Well, we will add-on soon.  Check next week for another entry.