After taking a break for some much-needed relaxation from the taxing world of blogging, I am back at it and ready to go! Since the last post, which I think was way back in October of last year, there has been a ton of life, living, and other fun things going on around the Northwest. Here's what all you missed in the "gap months:" Dereck's parents came out for Thanksgiving, we went home for Christmas, I quit my old job and got a new job- woot, woot!, we went home and to Key West for two weeks in May, and Dereck is now deployed halfway around the world. See? Not too much has been missed when you look at it in these terms!
In all honesty, I have been wanting to get back to the blog for quite a while now, but couldn't justify doing it while Dereck was still home, especially in these last two months. Now that he's gone though, I am a free woman! Next thing you know, I will be hitting up the casinos and buying flashy sport cars, simply because no one can stop me :) For those of you that are wondering where the deployment thing came from, we've known about it for a while, but thanks to Army rules like Operational Security, or OpSec, it wasn't in our best interest to broadcast that he was going anywhere until right before he left. So, my apologies if it was a surprise in any way. Dereck is now on a grand tour of a country in the Middle East for twelve months, and has had to acclimate to a literal doubling of temperature. The Northwest has been having a less-than-stellar summer, and while the rest of the country is broiling, we have stayed at a cool/cold 50 and 60 something with rain. Now before you start to think that this sounds heavenly and become jealous, remind yourself that you most likely had beautiful warm months called March, April, and May to enjoy while we soaked in a consistent drizzle of coldness. A girl could use some heat here!
But I digress.....Dereck left earlier this week, and I was able to talk to him for a good ten minutes on Wednesday morning, so I have no complaints. He survived a 42 hour flight to get there- that's right- 42 hours on one stinking plane. We found out after the fact that his group was in a smaller plane that needed to refuel every so often, and so landed four times during the journey from Seattle to the desert. One highlight for Dereck was eating schnitzel in Germany, so all was not lost. And he got ample time to read his new Kindle (e-reader) that we purchased for the deployment. I don't think Dereck has ever been that excited about a purchase. It was glued to his hands most of the hours before he left, and for that reason, I am thankful he bought one small thing to make the long days ahead more fun. He even got a cool case that has a reading lamp attached for the dark nights when he will be sleeping in trucks and tents.
In order to gear myself up for this next year, I have been thinking on positive aspects of the separation and here's what I have so far: I get to sleep anywhere on the bed I like, I can buy skim milk without any objections, TLC is the channel of choice when the TV is on, girl time is guilt-free since no one is waiting at home, the house is immaculately clean, I rock the Tacoma whenever I need to drive somewhere (the Civic was totaled in February thanks to evil black ice, and the NW's refusal to salt icy roads- thanks salmon, thanks a lot), no one goes hungry when I refuse to shop for groceries out of pure laziness, Ritter suddenly finds me much cooler since his favorite person is gone, Army gear doesn't litter every free corner of the house, I suddenly have time to ponder life's mysteries, I have had great phone chats with friends, and God loves on me every time someone prays for us. See- there is a lot of good to be had given the situation.
One other highlight is my "happy deployment" present to myself. Instead of going to the casino or buying that sportscar I thought about earlier, I am now the proud owner of a Keurig Coffee Machine- one of those cool machines that takes a pod and gives you hot coffee, tea, or cocoa in less than a minute. It's perfect for someone who only needs to make coffee for one (or a small group), and only wants to make coffee every now and then. What really sealed the deal is that the PX (like the Army version of Wal-Mart) finally has some in stock, and you don't have to pay sales tax at the PX! That's a big deal when sales tax is near 10% in the state thanks to the lack of income tax- so, with a big purchase like a Keurig, that's a difference of roughly $13. After standing and debating whether I needed it or if I was being crazy for twenty minutes, finding a random couple to debate with in the coffee aisle, and then a quick conversation with the lady ringing up my purchases, I found myself the proud owner. Two days later I am still happy, have no regrets, and can brew a mean cup of coffee in less than a minute. Shazaam!
And there you have it. Life without Dereck for 12 months is underway, I am working on finding small joys in daily life, and the Kennedy house is host to one cool coffee machine! Now start booking your flights to come visit! No seriously....we have a guest room, and Ritter likes to cuddle......
Saturday, July 23, 2011
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Blog-itis and the Ensuing Life
Looking back at the blog, I am stunned to believe that it has been more than two months since my last entry. And it amazes me how much life can occur in such a short time. I'm not sad that I took the time off from blogging though. I needed a break to do some things more important, like keep a journal to Dereck while he was TDY at Sapper School (combat engineer course, similar to Ranger school), pump out some major work projects, and invest a little deeper in people around the Puget Sound, whether through church, socially, or for Army events. It was like I had blog-itis and the only medicine was living life and using this contemplation time for Dereck's journal. He left at the end of August for Sapper school in Missouri, and every step was a lesson in faith, from whether he could go (ankle injury) to whether he could get in (missing paperwork) to whether he would tab (decided by a single event of land navigation at the end of the course). Luckily for you the reader, you get to find out now, just like in the movies, rather than waiting the exhausting month like I did with little to no contact. Sometimes I wish I could choose areas of life to set on fast-forward; patience has never been my strong suit. Dereck passed the school, got his tab, and came home a happy boy in the end. The journaling part came out of a wedding gift from church members who wrote to each other during separations and would then swap and read during the next separation, and I have to say now after doing it, it was a great idea. Each day I got a chance to reflect on the day and tell him things that would become obscure by the time he got home, from the funny moments with the puppy, to the days that were rough and not so stellar. It all went in there, with nothing polished for his reading. I felt like that would be dishonest in recording life here at Lewis. In fact, Dereck is currently (not so much this moment as these three weeks) reading the journal while he is out doing trainings at Yakima, Washington. That's right, he was gone for a month, home for a week, and is now gone for three weeks. I am trying to take it as an opportunity to practice for the 2011 deployment, and surprisingly this time has been much better than Sapper, but I think a good deal of that can be attributed to the lack of stress that was omnipresent the first time. I feel much more chill. The only thing that would make this better would be if he had phone reception in the field, but a girl can't have everything, so I am spending three weeks guessing how he is doing, and whether he ate all the beef jerky we bought at Costco yet- those fascinating aspects of being married and sharing the most intimate and mundane tasks simultaneously.
In my two months of life since last blogging I have been doing the work thing, going to physical therapy, and trying to get my behind more involved at the risk of becoming one of those ladies who talk to their pets otherwise. Might be a little too late in retrospect, but to date Ritter hasn't talked back. You never know though, they say Vizslas are a smart breed, to which I want to ask why they eat poop! But I digress. The physical therapy has been going well, and they are getting my back and hips back to neutral, something they haven't been in quite a while. The drive out to the office takes 30 min one way, but I am finding that I get some great thinking and phone calling done along the journey. I also had the exciting event of my parents coming to visit in September. We have been planning for the Eller invasion for quite some time, so Dereck being gone for Sapper was never part of the plan, but it worked out nicely to have some family in the midst of the long month. In one short week we traveled to every part of Washington I could show within reason. Each day we made the most of the time by hitting the road early and coming home late. My favorite part had to be visiting Vancouver, Canada. Surprisingly, given all my travels, this is a country I have never seen before, and I really liked how international and blended everything felt. It also didn't hurt that we hit the jackpot on weather for the whole visit, and only our visit to Mt. Rainier was cold and rainy, the norm up here for any time of the year. I tried to point to the clouds and explain where the peak was, but it wasn't quite the same. The best thing about the visit was that it helped me realize that I am happy where I am. I loved having them visit, but I also wasn't crying at the airport demanding that I go home with them. Living 2,500 miles from home is harder than I expected, but has also been a good chance for Dereck and I to grow up fast, as we only have each other to lean on this far from home.
In the time Dereck was home we did manage to sneak in a visit to a pumpkin patch, and we had a blast! We got to scout the patch for the best looking pumpkins and settled on buying three, one for each member of our little family (Ritter simply licked the pumpkin when we brought it in- not too much excitement there). Picking them out was quite the task since you have to balance size, color, markings, and overall pumpkin likability. Dereck also insisted that he carry the pumpkins rather than us using a wheelbarrow, so I got stuck holding his caramel apple while we picked out little gourds for the table. We then had a rather interesting conversation about the Vibram Five Finger toe shoes with the lady who weighed our goods for pricing. In the end we came home with three pumpkins, three mini pumpkins, and three mini gourds for $14- what a deal! And the caramel apple was a bit extra, but it was a necessity of celebrating fall and the pumpkin adventure. I even talked Dereck into helping me pick out a wreath for the front door, so we now own our first holiday decorations. They may not beat the giant inflatable black cat down the street, but I gotta think we style points for not having an inflatable cat in the front yard. Army housing is nothing if not a giant mixing bowl of people, lifestyles, and areas of the country. Case and point, our new neighbors are from Kenya and just moved here when the husband came back from Afghanistan.
Which reminds me to mention the small fact that in the last two months we have had upwards of 30,000 soldiers come back to Lewis from various deployments. That is a number hard to imagine in the first place, but I quickly got an idea when I tried to drive anywhere on post, or tried to go to the commissary or PX (food and general goods store). This place is packed! I feel like a sardine, and that can get pretty stinky and sticky. Luckily, I have quickly learned adaptations, and plan my travels around post on a certain schedule that doesn't coincide with all the soldiers trying to get to PT (morning workout), work, or home in the evenings. Now I'm ready for soldier 30,001- the husband- to come back home and be within cell phone reach. This single dog parenting is hard work!
In my two months of life since last blogging I have been doing the work thing, going to physical therapy, and trying to get my behind more involved at the risk of becoming one of those ladies who talk to their pets otherwise. Might be a little too late in retrospect, but to date Ritter hasn't talked back. You never know though, they say Vizslas are a smart breed, to which I want to ask why they eat poop! But I digress. The physical therapy has been going well, and they are getting my back and hips back to neutral, something they haven't been in quite a while. The drive out to the office takes 30 min one way, but I am finding that I get some great thinking and phone calling done along the journey. I also had the exciting event of my parents coming to visit in September. We have been planning for the Eller invasion for quite some time, so Dereck being gone for Sapper was never part of the plan, but it worked out nicely to have some family in the midst of the long month. In one short week we traveled to every part of Washington I could show within reason. Each day we made the most of the time by hitting the road early and coming home late. My favorite part had to be visiting Vancouver, Canada. Surprisingly, given all my travels, this is a country I have never seen before, and I really liked how international and blended everything felt. It also didn't hurt that we hit the jackpot on weather for the whole visit, and only our visit to Mt. Rainier was cold and rainy, the norm up here for any time of the year. I tried to point to the clouds and explain where the peak was, but it wasn't quite the same. The best thing about the visit was that it helped me realize that I am happy where I am. I loved having them visit, but I also wasn't crying at the airport demanding that I go home with them. Living 2,500 miles from home is harder than I expected, but has also been a good chance for Dereck and I to grow up fast, as we only have each other to lean on this far from home.
In the time Dereck was home we did manage to sneak in a visit to a pumpkin patch, and we had a blast! We got to scout the patch for the best looking pumpkins and settled on buying three, one for each member of our little family (Ritter simply licked the pumpkin when we brought it in- not too much excitement there). Picking them out was quite the task since you have to balance size, color, markings, and overall pumpkin likability. Dereck also insisted that he carry the pumpkins rather than us using a wheelbarrow, so I got stuck holding his caramel apple while we picked out little gourds for the table. We then had a rather interesting conversation about the Vibram Five Finger toe shoes with the lady who weighed our goods for pricing. In the end we came home with three pumpkins, three mini pumpkins, and three mini gourds for $14- what a deal! And the caramel apple was a bit extra, but it was a necessity of celebrating fall and the pumpkin adventure. I even talked Dereck into helping me pick out a wreath for the front door, so we now own our first holiday decorations. They may not beat the giant inflatable black cat down the street, but I gotta think we style points for not having an inflatable cat in the front yard. Army housing is nothing if not a giant mixing bowl of people, lifestyles, and areas of the country. Case and point, our new neighbors are from Kenya and just moved here when the husband came back from Afghanistan.
Which reminds me to mention the small fact that in the last two months we have had upwards of 30,000 soldiers come back to Lewis from various deployments. That is a number hard to imagine in the first place, but I quickly got an idea when I tried to drive anywhere on post, or tried to go to the commissary or PX (food and general goods store). This place is packed! I feel like a sardine, and that can get pretty stinky and sticky. Luckily, I have quickly learned adaptations, and plan my travels around post on a certain schedule that doesn't coincide with all the soldiers trying to get to PT (morning workout), work, or home in the evenings. Now I'm ready for soldier 30,001- the husband- to come back home and be within cell phone reach. This single dog parenting is hard work!
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Muscle Milk Mania
My confession for today is that every time since the last blog entry, when I honestly think about sitting down and typing out another, I am overcome with a sudden realization that I need to do something else. I like to think this is something like the school mania where everything other than homework suddenly sounds like a great idea, even cleaning! Now don't mistake me, writing my blog is far more enjoyable than doing homework ever was, but I have been suffering the same sort of syndrome. And to that end I think it is because I have issues with finding acceptable amounts of time to do the blog justice. I want my entries to be fun and entertaining, and that somehow equates in my mind to hours of dedicated typing, when in reality it only means a short bit of time and concentrated effort. Maybe I should blame the Eller ADHD syndrome. Maybe I should blame Ritter for getting into stuff whenever I am not looking. Maybe I should blame Dereck for doing the same thing as the puppy (ok- not really, but he does know how to leave Army stuff in every corner of the house!). Call it what you will, but I have a blog issue and the only cure is more....(cowbell, you know you want to say it)....blogging sessions, getting back on the horse, etc.
Most of my time lately has been occupied with work stuff and the continuing stream of marketing tasks that are picking up. Most of Dereck's time has been occupied with Army work stuff- he is still on the 4.5 days on and 3.5 days at home schedule. No complaining on this side though, I am enjoying the random weekdays he spends at home, and since the days change each week, it means that each week looks a little different. And I am blessed enough to be in a job where I can request random days off when needed. Did I mention Ritter also gets free doggie daycare? As silly as the concept sounds, it is awesome for days when I am gone more than six or seven hours at a time. When he gets older I might not feel as guilty leaving him alone for long time periods, but right now he is a pup and should be treated like one. Especially when he does things like break into a Muscle Milk drink from Dereck's backpack. In the time it took me to find the Muscle Milk, put it on the ground next to bag, talk to Dereck about where he got it from (I'm inquisitive!), and realize it was too quiet, Ritter managed to bite holes into the top portion and drink the Muscle Milk while it spilled onto my white carpets. That's right, Ritter bit holes where the straw normally goes- think of juice boxes- and then enjoyed some delicious CHOCOLATE Muscle Milk. It took me two days to get most of stain out, and while Dereck claims he was simply trying to bulk up , I have yet to see Ritter gain any big muscles from the treat.
Other big news from the Pacific Coast include Dereck's sister Lesli getting to visit us for a long weekend visit. When she graduated last LDAC last week we still didn't know whether she would be "released" to us, so we had to go to the ceremony ready for anything. Luckily, Lesli was able to be checked out from Warrior Forge after graduation, and we then promptly dragged her to our house. We then changed her ticket for flying home, and Lesli and I made a grocery trip to stock up for the weekend- having the Kennedy siblings in the house means lots of milk consumption. Overall, I think we consumed almost four gallons in four days, and I only use milk for cereal! Friday morning Lesli and I headed to Gig Harbor, a quaint port town across the Tacoma Narrows from, you guessed it: Tacoma. We had a great time walking around with our Pacific NW coffee fix while visiting knick-knack stores and checking out all the boats and seagulls in the bay. We then drove from Gig Harbor to Steilacoom, another fantastic little town on the water; and I want to say it is the oldest incorporated one in Washington State. By our late lunch the clouds finally broke up and the sun came out to visit, something of a common occurrence here where it starts out in the 50s in the mornings only to hit the 80s in the afternoon. Psychotic. Finally, to wrap up our day we drove down to Olympia so Lesli could get a great view of hippies up close and personal. Except sometimes the homeless and hippies blend together, so it's hard to say whether I showed her hobos or hippies, but either way I like to chalk it up to a cultural experience. And to add to this fun, we took Lesli to my favorite cupcake shop in Tacoma before introducing her to IKEA on Saturday. Just like her brother, she fell in love with the crazy Sweedish store and all its amazing deals on furniture, and so we spent a good bit of time simply wandering around. IKEA has to be the perfect Saturday location for doing just that. Sunday we hit church and then caught the ferry into downtown Seattle to visit the market and shopping district. Dereck didn't even mind how long we spent in H&M when he saw the Niketown across the street and went to investigate. Monday Dereck and Lesli hiked Mt. Rainier while I hung out with the puppy at home. Have I mentioned how much it stinks to have a gimpy knee at my age? Tuesday morning we sadly had to say goodbye to Lesli and put her on a plane back to Alabama, and all I could wish was that we could stay in family visit mode a little bit longer. It was fantastic to have someone on my side in epic house battles, like Dereck's need to clean the bathroom more often, and to simply tease him. Someone has to keep the LT humble ;)
The rest of the week has been filled with work at the office and a unit function that we just returned from. We got to visit the big "LTC" quarters on the other side of post and eat BBQ with our friends, helping me to realize all the moreso just how young we are in the Army game. I feel like a baby at some of these events, and I have had people tell me I look like one too (although I am just going to say this means cute and young rather saying I look like a teenager). I am sure it will be no time until I am the "crusty" Colonel wife giving parties at my house for young whipper-snappers, and who knows, maybe I will make it BBQ too! So long as Ritter stands by the buffet and uses his drink-opening skills....
Most of my time lately has been occupied with work stuff and the continuing stream of marketing tasks that are picking up. Most of Dereck's time has been occupied with Army work stuff- he is still on the 4.5 days on and 3.5 days at home schedule. No complaining on this side though, I am enjoying the random weekdays he spends at home, and since the days change each week, it means that each week looks a little different. And I am blessed enough to be in a job where I can request random days off when needed. Did I mention Ritter also gets free doggie daycare? As silly as the concept sounds, it is awesome for days when I am gone more than six or seven hours at a time. When he gets older I might not feel as guilty leaving him alone for long time periods, but right now he is a pup and should be treated like one. Especially when he does things like break into a Muscle Milk drink from Dereck's backpack. In the time it took me to find the Muscle Milk, put it on the ground next to bag, talk to Dereck about where he got it from (I'm inquisitive!), and realize it was too quiet, Ritter managed to bite holes into the top portion and drink the Muscle Milk while it spilled onto my white carpets. That's right, Ritter bit holes where the straw normally goes- think of juice boxes- and then enjoyed some delicious CHOCOLATE Muscle Milk. It took me two days to get most of stain out, and while Dereck claims he was simply trying to bulk up , I have yet to see Ritter gain any big muscles from the treat.
Other big news from the Pacific Coast include Dereck's sister Lesli getting to visit us for a long weekend visit. When she graduated last LDAC last week we still didn't know whether she would be "released" to us, so we had to go to the ceremony ready for anything. Luckily, Lesli was able to be checked out from Warrior Forge after graduation, and we then promptly dragged her to our house. We then changed her ticket for flying home, and Lesli and I made a grocery trip to stock up for the weekend- having the Kennedy siblings in the house means lots of milk consumption. Overall, I think we consumed almost four gallons in four days, and I only use milk for cereal! Friday morning Lesli and I headed to Gig Harbor, a quaint port town across the Tacoma Narrows from, you guessed it: Tacoma. We had a great time walking around with our Pacific NW coffee fix while visiting knick-knack stores and checking out all the boats and seagulls in the bay. We then drove from Gig Harbor to Steilacoom, another fantastic little town on the water; and I want to say it is the oldest incorporated one in Washington State. By our late lunch the clouds finally broke up and the sun came out to visit, something of a common occurrence here where it starts out in the 50s in the mornings only to hit the 80s in the afternoon. Psychotic. Finally, to wrap up our day we drove down to Olympia so Lesli could get a great view of hippies up close and personal. Except sometimes the homeless and hippies blend together, so it's hard to say whether I showed her hobos or hippies, but either way I like to chalk it up to a cultural experience. And to add to this fun, we took Lesli to my favorite cupcake shop in Tacoma before introducing her to IKEA on Saturday. Just like her brother, she fell in love with the crazy Sweedish store and all its amazing deals on furniture, and so we spent a good bit of time simply wandering around. IKEA has to be the perfect Saturday location for doing just that. Sunday we hit church and then caught the ferry into downtown Seattle to visit the market and shopping district. Dereck didn't even mind how long we spent in H&M when he saw the Niketown across the street and went to investigate. Monday Dereck and Lesli hiked Mt. Rainier while I hung out with the puppy at home. Have I mentioned how much it stinks to have a gimpy knee at my age? Tuesday morning we sadly had to say goodbye to Lesli and put her on a plane back to Alabama, and all I could wish was that we could stay in family visit mode a little bit longer. It was fantastic to have someone on my side in epic house battles, like Dereck's need to clean the bathroom more often, and to simply tease him. Someone has to keep the LT humble ;)
The rest of the week has been filled with work at the office and a unit function that we just returned from. We got to visit the big "LTC" quarters on the other side of post and eat BBQ with our friends, helping me to realize all the moreso just how young we are in the Army game. I feel like a baby at some of these events, and I have had people tell me I look like one too (although I am just going to say this means cute and young rather saying I look like a teenager). I am sure it will be no time until I am the "crusty" Colonel wife giving parties at my house for young whipper-snappers, and who knows, maybe I will make it BBQ too! So long as Ritter stands by the buffet and uses his drink-opening skills....
Saturday, July 10, 2010
The Day the Flowers Died
Today tragedy befell my new garden under the paws of a tyrant puppy named Ritter. I really can't place all the blame on him. It has been a particularly busy Saturday, and as such Ritter got left for a couple of hours in the back yard to enjoy all the sunshine we have been denied so far this summer. The new garden was just too tempting for an inquisitive puppy and by the time I returned several flowers had been ripped stem from stem, and holes from digging spotted the flower bed. From the looks of it, Ritter had the time of his life destroying, not eating, the purple flowers and redecorating the space. Originally this area was an old flower bed that Ritter liked to poop in (sorry all you faint of heart at the mention of things like dog poop!), but Dereck and I started to hate this, and decided to make it a fenced-in bed area. I should have taken pictures of the demolition before I set about cleaning it all up, but I simply left Dereck a message about his dead dog before grabbing a shovel and evening everything back out. Even now as I type these words I can see Ritter grinning in his sleep, and wagging his little paws in some heated chase sequence.
Another highlight of today was a BBQ held by my neighbors that has restored my faith in the Army community for being sociable and fun. Growing up in the Army has made me full of ideas and memories of what this life should be like, but Dereck is quick to remind me that my life was "Old Army," aka pre-Iraq and Afghanistan. Many of my neighbors are friendly enough, but there are also many that I have yet to see or even meet, some of which are women with husbands deployed. This makes for a very different dynamic on the street. The sun however has been making a huge difference, and I have seen the families crawling out of the dark houses and into the light for the first time. The best times we have experienced in meeting people have simply been when we are hanging out in the front yard, washing cars or doing lawn work. We also like to make an effort to take new neighbors banana bread, and that is how we met our neighbors across the street, and how we ended up getting invited to the BBQ. Dereck and I headed over before he had to leave for work (he is on a crazy work schedule of four and a half days on, three and a half days off), and we ate some delicious shishkabobs and ribs. Even now my stomach hurts from all the laughter and fun. Thank God for His ability to put people in my life just when I need them most. After hanging out for a couple of hours I headed back to the house and let Ritter out of his slammer (or crate) for a walk around the neighborhood, and I am happy to say he walked off leash like a pro.
This last week has also been full of fun times thanks to Dereck's schedule that found him off Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. We took advantage of this by hitting Mt. Rainier State Park on Wednesday and Friday, in perfect coordination with the weather getting nice. And to emphasize just how important this weather break is, allow me to paint a picture of my first 4th of July here: I worked Freedom Fest on post for my marketing job, and I sported jeans and a jacket. Did I mention I was freezing? That's right! I was cold and shivering on 4th of July- definitely a first. The hiking was too perfect, and while I was breaking in my hiking boots, Dereck got to break in his new Vibram Five Finger shoes, the crazy grip shoes that have a slot for each toe (think of a glove, whereas a normal shoe would be a mitten). I asked him if he felt like Spiderman in the cool new shoes, and he responded by wearing them nonstop for two days. The idea is that this shoe strengths leg and foot muscles to help restore a natural gait and better running position, and believe it or not, I have seen more than a few pairs on Army guys at the gym. The hiking was insane with the scenery of the active volcano, and there is still snow closing all the trails at the summit. I was worried that a mountain lion or bear might eat us after reading all the warning signs everywhere, but the most wildlife we saw were mosquitos and deer- but the deer did have a baby with them, so I count that as double points! Our first hike was a 5miler that was super hilly and challenging, and our second hike day started at a glacier-fed alpine lake with the most insanely blue water ever, clear to the bottom where I could see every rock and stone. The only catch? We had to drive 11 unpaved miles in my Civic to reach the trailheads- something we didn't anticipate on the onset, and the roads were switchbacks on logging treks, where the scenic views were paired with sheer cliff drop-offs on either side. Naturally, I was pumped to not be driving this time, and instead commented on how much damage could happen if we dropped off and rolled down like slinkies.
During the "weekend" week we ran errands and visited the Olympia Farmers Market, something I am surprised I have not seen already. Between the "hippielicious" hemp ropes, soaps, and bags were tons of tasty looking food stands and deserts, and I am proud to admit I ate a snowcone, something I have forgotten the sheer joy of in my aging. Who doesn't like crushed ice and sugary flavoring oozing together? This place will make for a fantastic tourist thing for anyone looking to visit. My parents are coming in September, and I have already been tasked with planning the most mack-daddy vacation for their enjoyment. No complaints here though, I have a hunch they might take me out for food a few times while Dereck is in Missouri for training. And to that end, Ritter and I are sitting here, on a Saturday night, enjoying the "World's Ugliest Dog Competition," the last few rays of sunshine, and a cool glass of water- I couldn't be happier, unless Dereck were sitting here with us, but then he might judge the ugly dogs harshly, and that could ruin our chill vibe. It's hard to be cool, especially when the house has no A/C!
Another highlight of today was a BBQ held by my neighbors that has restored my faith in the Army community for being sociable and fun. Growing up in the Army has made me full of ideas and memories of what this life should be like, but Dereck is quick to remind me that my life was "Old Army," aka pre-Iraq and Afghanistan. Many of my neighbors are friendly enough, but there are also many that I have yet to see or even meet, some of which are women with husbands deployed. This makes for a very different dynamic on the street. The sun however has been making a huge difference, and I have seen the families crawling out of the dark houses and into the light for the first time. The best times we have experienced in meeting people have simply been when we are hanging out in the front yard, washing cars or doing lawn work. We also like to make an effort to take new neighbors banana bread, and that is how we met our neighbors across the street, and how we ended up getting invited to the BBQ. Dereck and I headed over before he had to leave for work (he is on a crazy work schedule of four and a half days on, three and a half days off), and we ate some delicious shishkabobs and ribs. Even now my stomach hurts from all the laughter and fun. Thank God for His ability to put people in my life just when I need them most. After hanging out for a couple of hours I headed back to the house and let Ritter out of his slammer (or crate) for a walk around the neighborhood, and I am happy to say he walked off leash like a pro.
This last week has also been full of fun times thanks to Dereck's schedule that found him off Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. We took advantage of this by hitting Mt. Rainier State Park on Wednesday and Friday, in perfect coordination with the weather getting nice. And to emphasize just how important this weather break is, allow me to paint a picture of my first 4th of July here: I worked Freedom Fest on post for my marketing job, and I sported jeans and a jacket. Did I mention I was freezing? That's right! I was cold and shivering on 4th of July- definitely a first. The hiking was too perfect, and while I was breaking in my hiking boots, Dereck got to break in his new Vibram Five Finger shoes, the crazy grip shoes that have a slot for each toe (think of a glove, whereas a normal shoe would be a mitten). I asked him if he felt like Spiderman in the cool new shoes, and he responded by wearing them nonstop for two days. The idea is that this shoe strengths leg and foot muscles to help restore a natural gait and better running position, and believe it or not, I have seen more than a few pairs on Army guys at the gym. The hiking was insane with the scenery of the active volcano, and there is still snow closing all the trails at the summit. I was worried that a mountain lion or bear might eat us after reading all the warning signs everywhere, but the most wildlife we saw were mosquitos and deer- but the deer did have a baby with them, so I count that as double points! Our first hike was a 5miler that was super hilly and challenging, and our second hike day started at a glacier-fed alpine lake with the most insanely blue water ever, clear to the bottom where I could see every rock and stone. The only catch? We had to drive 11 unpaved miles in my Civic to reach the trailheads- something we didn't anticipate on the onset, and the roads were switchbacks on logging treks, where the scenic views were paired with sheer cliff drop-offs on either side. Naturally, I was pumped to not be driving this time, and instead commented on how much damage could happen if we dropped off and rolled down like slinkies.
During the "weekend" week we ran errands and visited the Olympia Farmers Market, something I am surprised I have not seen already. Between the "hippielicious" hemp ropes, soaps, and bags were tons of tasty looking food stands and deserts, and I am proud to admit I ate a snowcone, something I have forgotten the sheer joy of in my aging. Who doesn't like crushed ice and sugary flavoring oozing together? This place will make for a fantastic tourist thing for anyone looking to visit. My parents are coming in September, and I have already been tasked with planning the most mack-daddy vacation for their enjoyment. No complaints here though, I have a hunch they might take me out for food a few times while Dereck is in Missouri for training. And to that end, Ritter and I are sitting here, on a Saturday night, enjoying the "World's Ugliest Dog Competition," the last few rays of sunshine, and a cool glass of water- I couldn't be happier, unless Dereck were sitting here with us, but then he might judge the ugly dogs harshly, and that could ruin our chill vibe. It's hard to be cool, especially when the house has no A/C!
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Je'taime Creme Brulee
Today being Sunday I feel super relaxed and happy to be taking things slow. It has been more than busy at the Kennedy house lately, and so this quietness is a welcome change of pace, especially with both of the boys sleeping at the moment. All the thoughts bouncing around in my head are beginning to settle down, and I am finally thinking that the summer state of mind has arrived. To top things off, I had an amazing Thai lunch with a friend after church, and have cheese soup in the crockpot for tonight- yummy things are ahead indeed, and to that note here is a quick recap of our week:
Last weekend Dereck competed in his first triathlon. Most people train years or months to get ready for something as grueling and taxing as swimming, running, and biking altogether in one race. But not Dereck, that's not his style. Dereck and his friend decided two weeks before the race to enter, and so last Saturday I found myself standing out in the freezing rain watching over 200 people in wetsuits start the tri. I somehow convinced my friend Scarlett to join in the cheering fun, and so we stood among the crowd of spectators for almost two hours while competitors swam half a mile, biked 15 miles, and then ran 5 kilometers- not a race for the weak-hearted. In my infinite wisdom of the NW I also made a poster for Dereck and some of my other friends that were competing, and did it with a combo of Sharpie and other random markers. Within the first ten minutes select parts not done in Sharpie were oozing down the posterboard, and I soon found myself with rainbow hands if I didn't pay attention. The whole race was impressive to watch, especially the transition areas where people would run slipping off their wetsuits and later pop off their bikes to get their running shoes on. The thing that most impressed me though were the racers who could slip out of their bike shoes, leave them in the bike clips, and run barefoot to the transition point- it added just the right polish of being someone who knows what their doing. The first finisher in the elite category came in at 1:04, and Dereck came in at 1:19, earning him a 3rd place medal for his age group. Beyond the complete lack of training, the other thing that made this all so impressive was that Dereck did that well while changing out of a swimsuit and into biking shorts, something most triathletes skip. I am incredibly proud of him, and can tell that he was excited about the finish from his huge smile and energy to talk. In fact, I don't know if I have ever seen him that social with complete strangers! After the victory of the morning, Dereck, Scarlett, and I went to Panera for a huge lunch of warm sandwhiches and soups. Then, to round out the day, Dereck and I picked up our new loveseat and moved it into the living room, making the space finally look complete. We are blessed to have even got the loveseat since we decided to not buy it at the same time as when we got the sofa, and four weeks ago when we went back to purchase, it was nowhere to be seen on the show floor. We quickly talked to an employee in panic that it was no longer for sale, and were fortunate to ask about it only a day after someone else had placed an order for the exact same piece. This meant that our order got added to the other one, and we would not be destined to eternally mismatched furniture. The Army does that enough in the frequent moves, so we have decided to have at least one house where everything is together, matching, and not broken or scratched beyond recognition. It's temporary, we know, but let us entertain the fantasy it will always be like this, if only for a bit.
Saturday night Dereck and I celebrated our six month anniversary at a local restaurant in Steilacoom called "Le Creme Brulee." Seeing each other dressed nicely was great enough, but when you add that amazing dinner, it became one of my favorite nights here at Lewis. The restaurant is owned and operated by two French men who spoke broken English and French even when I mentioned I only know German. This left us laughing a ton, both sides getting confused at different points, and a dinner I thought existed only in dreams. We started with creamy tomato soups, moved on to Beef Bouillon and Filet Mignon, and ended the evening with, what else? Creme Brulee. Typing that very word makes me think back and I have to work to keep from drooling on the keyboard. I would sell my puppy for more of the tasty custard and caramelized sugar, or maybe even Dereck.....it was that good. We also had a beautiful red wine paired with the meal that made everything all the more enjoyable and smooth- and this is coming from a proud drinker of white wines when given choice. All in all, between the great company and conversation, food, and atmosphere, I could not ask for a better anniversary. Perhaps I will stick around for more anniversaries, but only if they promise food this good!
The work week picked up as normal after a relaxing Sunday, and after I kicked Dereck out the door for work, I would like to say I got down to my own. Instead I went to a spin class, ran laundry, got allergy shots, and connected with friends. I like to balance the play and work citing my mental health as defense. I wouldn't fit my clothes without exercise, couldn't wear them if they were all dirty, and couldn't work if I had an allergic reaction to something. So really, if you look at it that way, I was preparing myself for work the whole day! Tuesday the sun came out of a two week hiding routine, and it was glorious. I mean the glorious type of day where you want nothing more than to spend every single second outside, and the twenty degree rise in temp. didn't hurt either. After going to personal training in the morning, I spent the afternoon with my friend Jackie drinking smoothies and walking around the lake before heading to cross country and track practice with the little kids. The sun still felt good enough in the afternoon to lay on the astro turf of the track and praise God for the remission of the NW weather, for however long He chose. Then I got home and made a chicken casserole for dinner, and while I thought it was pretty tasty, it got to Dereck in all the wrong ways, and even today he is recovering somewhat from what looks to be food poisoning. Ahhhhh, it only took me six months to do him in!
I am proud to say that, past the procrastination and food poisoning at the beginning of the week, things got progressively better. Wednesday night I attended an AUSA (Assoc. of the US Army) meeting for work and got to meet some big movers and shakers in the local Army community. The meeting turned out to be much more enjoyable than I guessed, and when the good company was paired with strong public speakers I felt motivated to help the cause and support the Army, which is a good thing considering I am married into it. The best part? The age gap from myself to the next person was a good 10-15 years, so I was something of a novelty, and that all the more helped in my marketing for work. Call it a ploy if you will. Friday I spent the majority of the day moving around town with my boss, and that meant I learned about a ton of new places to visit. Locals are the best when trying to get a tap on places to go beyond the normal scope of Army life. For example, I learned about a local micro-brewery in Puyallup that used to be the power station for area trains, and it apparently has some of the best beers and burgers in town- I am pumped to try it out! Saturday morning Dereck and I woke up late- a first in the last month, and headed to the Original Pancake House. I love pancakes, and had a major craving. We spent our time there laughing, talking, and drinking coffee to get ready for the day. I then split off to a Beth Moore bible study with friends, and Dereck tackled our yard- no small feat given the number of pine cones alone that needed raking. The monster trees of the NW are awesome until they drop pinecones everywhere and continually put sticky sap on your dog. The day rounded out with dinner and a puppy walk before crashing on the couch to watch a little TV before bedtime, which leads us to today, with me back from church, Dereck back from work (he had to go in this morning), and Ritter beginning to chew on one of Dereck's socks. I should probably stop and get the sock from him, but sometimes you just need to let things slide, and I am feeling a slide coming on!
Last weekend Dereck competed in his first triathlon. Most people train years or months to get ready for something as grueling and taxing as swimming, running, and biking altogether in one race. But not Dereck, that's not his style. Dereck and his friend decided two weeks before the race to enter, and so last Saturday I found myself standing out in the freezing rain watching over 200 people in wetsuits start the tri. I somehow convinced my friend Scarlett to join in the cheering fun, and so we stood among the crowd of spectators for almost two hours while competitors swam half a mile, biked 15 miles, and then ran 5 kilometers- not a race for the weak-hearted. In my infinite wisdom of the NW I also made a poster for Dereck and some of my other friends that were competing, and did it with a combo of Sharpie and other random markers. Within the first ten minutes select parts not done in Sharpie were oozing down the posterboard, and I soon found myself with rainbow hands if I didn't pay attention. The whole race was impressive to watch, especially the transition areas where people would run slipping off their wetsuits and later pop off their bikes to get their running shoes on. The thing that most impressed me though were the racers who could slip out of their bike shoes, leave them in the bike clips, and run barefoot to the transition point- it added just the right polish of being someone who knows what their doing. The first finisher in the elite category came in at 1:04, and Dereck came in at 1:19, earning him a 3rd place medal for his age group. Beyond the complete lack of training, the other thing that made this all so impressive was that Dereck did that well while changing out of a swimsuit and into biking shorts, something most triathletes skip. I am incredibly proud of him, and can tell that he was excited about the finish from his huge smile and energy to talk. In fact, I don't know if I have ever seen him that social with complete strangers! After the victory of the morning, Dereck, Scarlett, and I went to Panera for a huge lunch of warm sandwhiches and soups. Then, to round out the day, Dereck and I picked up our new loveseat and moved it into the living room, making the space finally look complete. We are blessed to have even got the loveseat since we decided to not buy it at the same time as when we got the sofa, and four weeks ago when we went back to purchase, it was nowhere to be seen on the show floor. We quickly talked to an employee in panic that it was no longer for sale, and were fortunate to ask about it only a day after someone else had placed an order for the exact same piece. This meant that our order got added to the other one, and we would not be destined to eternally mismatched furniture. The Army does that enough in the frequent moves, so we have decided to have at least one house where everything is together, matching, and not broken or scratched beyond recognition. It's temporary, we know, but let us entertain the fantasy it will always be like this, if only for a bit.
Saturday night Dereck and I celebrated our six month anniversary at a local restaurant in Steilacoom called "Le Creme Brulee." Seeing each other dressed nicely was great enough, but when you add that amazing dinner, it became one of my favorite nights here at Lewis. The restaurant is owned and operated by two French men who spoke broken English and French even when I mentioned I only know German. This left us laughing a ton, both sides getting confused at different points, and a dinner I thought existed only in dreams. We started with creamy tomato soups, moved on to Beef Bouillon and Filet Mignon, and ended the evening with, what else? Creme Brulee. Typing that very word makes me think back and I have to work to keep from drooling on the keyboard. I would sell my puppy for more of the tasty custard and caramelized sugar, or maybe even Dereck.....it was that good. We also had a beautiful red wine paired with the meal that made everything all the more enjoyable and smooth- and this is coming from a proud drinker of white wines when given choice. All in all, between the great company and conversation, food, and atmosphere, I could not ask for a better anniversary. Perhaps I will stick around for more anniversaries, but only if they promise food this good!
The work week picked up as normal after a relaxing Sunday, and after I kicked Dereck out the door for work, I would like to say I got down to my own. Instead I went to a spin class, ran laundry, got allergy shots, and connected with friends. I like to balance the play and work citing my mental health as defense. I wouldn't fit my clothes without exercise, couldn't wear them if they were all dirty, and couldn't work if I had an allergic reaction to something. So really, if you look at it that way, I was preparing myself for work the whole day! Tuesday the sun came out of a two week hiding routine, and it was glorious. I mean the glorious type of day where you want nothing more than to spend every single second outside, and the twenty degree rise in temp. didn't hurt either. After going to personal training in the morning, I spent the afternoon with my friend Jackie drinking smoothies and walking around the lake before heading to cross country and track practice with the little kids. The sun still felt good enough in the afternoon to lay on the astro turf of the track and praise God for the remission of the NW weather, for however long He chose. Then I got home and made a chicken casserole for dinner, and while I thought it was pretty tasty, it got to Dereck in all the wrong ways, and even today he is recovering somewhat from what looks to be food poisoning. Ahhhhh, it only took me six months to do him in!
I am proud to say that, past the procrastination and food poisoning at the beginning of the week, things got progressively better. Wednesday night I attended an AUSA (Assoc. of the US Army) meeting for work and got to meet some big movers and shakers in the local Army community. The meeting turned out to be much more enjoyable than I guessed, and when the good company was paired with strong public speakers I felt motivated to help the cause and support the Army, which is a good thing considering I am married into it. The best part? The age gap from myself to the next person was a good 10-15 years, so I was something of a novelty, and that all the more helped in my marketing for work. Call it a ploy if you will. Friday I spent the majority of the day moving around town with my boss, and that meant I learned about a ton of new places to visit. Locals are the best when trying to get a tap on places to go beyond the normal scope of Army life. For example, I learned about a local micro-brewery in Puyallup that used to be the power station for area trains, and it apparently has some of the best beers and burgers in town- I am pumped to try it out! Saturday morning Dereck and I woke up late- a first in the last month, and headed to the Original Pancake House. I love pancakes, and had a major craving. We spent our time there laughing, talking, and drinking coffee to get ready for the day. I then split off to a Beth Moore bible study with friends, and Dereck tackled our yard- no small feat given the number of pine cones alone that needed raking. The monster trees of the NW are awesome until they drop pinecones everywhere and continually put sticky sap on your dog. The day rounded out with dinner and a puppy walk before crashing on the couch to watch a little TV before bedtime, which leads us to today, with me back from church, Dereck back from work (he had to go in this morning), and Ritter beginning to chew on one of Dereck's socks. I should probably stop and get the sock from him, but sometimes you just need to let things slide, and I am feeling a slide coming on!
Friday, June 18, 2010
Millersylvania Bound
I am currently sitting at that beautiful point in the week where we are on the cusp of entering the weekend, and cars are slowly starting to fill our street as people finish up their work week. This is then made even better because of the fact that I got to talk today with Erin and Katie (two of my Madison girls) and catch up on life. And to that end, all I have to say is that we are all going a million miles an hour in different and very interesting directions. Between marriages and grad schools we are beginning to spread across the country, and now I have to start convincing people to fly all the way out to Seattle for a visit. So, if you are looking to rack up some major frequent flier miles, start heading this way, especially all you East-coasters- there is a lot of country in-between! I am also pumped at the simple fact that I am typing in peace thanks to Ritter playing outside in the yard. Dereck has been digging in one area to lay bricks down, and Ritter is having a field day playing in the soft dirt and looking for roots and other various items to eat. He will probably need a bath in the end, but the few moments of quiet solitude at the moment are well worth it. Maybe I'll wait until Dereck gets home and then stick him with the bathing....hmmm.....
After the last blog, Dereck and I went to an FRG meeting (Family Readiness Group) for a fundraiser. FRGs are the Army's answer to deployments, and they provide a one-stop shop for any answers, training, and support a family might need before, during, and after a deployment. Every FRG runs differently depending on the unit, and some like to raise funds for events that support families, like movie nights, pizza nights, etc. We are in a fundraising-type FRG, and so last week Dereck and I headed to a pie-your-leader bonanza. At first I thought people were simply paying to pie their boss like you would at a typical carnival, but being the Army, this had a twist. Pies were up for bid, and then those pies were worth specific prizes, like a day off of PT (physical training) or a week of using your boss's parking spot. This made the whole pie auction twenty times more fun as people went crazy trying to win pies for certain bosses or prizes. Most every leader got pied, and when Dereck had somehow escaped the whole night without a bit of damage, he got attacked by two friends who covered him in pie parts that had already been smeared on them. The best part about the pies? These were no simple pies of whip cream and cherries. These pies had beans, horseradish, sardines, chili peppers, and several other ingredients that made them smell like hot garbage melting in the summer sun. Needless to say, Dereck got pretty well covered, and we had to ride home with the windows down while he sat on a garbage bag. Even now I can almost smell the stench that permeated the whole room by the end of the FRG meeting. What a way to make money! What a stinky mess of clothing to wash!
From there, our week fell back into its normal routine, with Dereck going to work and me coaching track and cross country on Thursday after getting a Fitness Assessment in the morning. A few weeks back, I met a trainer named Rich who works at one of the gyms on post, and I asked him about how I could start doing his workouts. He informed me that I needed to first get a fitness assessment that shows the Army I am not going to die of a heart-attack while working out. So, I had the pleasure of riding a bike hooked up to a computer- result: good, taking a test for flexibility- result: bad, and answering some questions about my lifestyle- result: need to eat more veggies. Then, after receiving my clean bill of health, I headed over to the gym, met with Rich, and then got scheduled into one of his workout groups, and I was pumped to say the least. Friday, I worked in the kennel office all day and had the pleasure of making a new brochure with updated info. Working on Publisher on Windows is no easy task when I have become accustomed to using my Mac and its Leopard OS, but I pushed through and had a new product in a matter of hours. I also met some interesting people while at the front counter, and I got to know the staff better, so I call that a win-win. At the end of the day Ritter and I headed home for some relaxation before Dereck got there, and then we kicked off the weekend in grand style by going out for dinner.
While at dinner we talked about what we wanted to do over the weekend, and all I knew was that I needed to get away from the house. It wasn't so much that I was getting cabin-fever, as I needed a change of pace. So, we brainstormed day trips that were feasible with Ritter in the mix- darn those responsibilities- and this pretty much then boiled down to a couple of options that included camping. Camping in the NW can be a tricky thing given the propensity to rain and cold temperatures, but we hit the jackpot on weather last weekend, and decided to brave the elements. Saturday morning Dereck ran a road race in Tacoma with his Army unit, and I went on a fantastic bike ride before we got together and began packing for the camping trip. Soon enough we had all the equipment we figured might be needed over the weekend, loaded the truck, and hit the road. We are lucky enough to have several state parks near us that take pets, so the trip to the campsite took a whole 45min, and we were setting up in no time. Our campground was called "Millersylvania," like Pennsylvania, but with Miller. Dereck and I both decided this was a Dracula-esque sounding campground and therefore decided the campground has to be haunted. Millersylvania is way too creepy sounding to not have some type of horror stories! Alas, we saw no ghosts, werewolves, or scary creatures to support our theory, but I still remain a believer. Before we went camping I had this grand idea that Ritter would be a good puppy and sit and watch us while we worked, but that was just a short-lived dream. In reality, Ritter wanted to run around like a maniac and sniff everything that was and wasn't moving, so Dereck ended up setting up our entire campsite himself while I held Ritter on his leash and he terrorized the park. After setting up camp, we went on a short hike and then ran to the grocery store for key camping foods, like hot dogs, hamburgers, chips, soda, and the ever popular s'more makings. Once we got back we met our camping neighbors that were interesting, to say the least. They looked nice enough, but our suspicions were confirmed true when they stayed up the entire night drinking and yelling curse words at one another. Luckily, we had a great dinner and time around the campfire (props to Dereck and his mad fire-making skills here) before the craziness stirred up, and we fell asleep in no time with Ritter next to us on his little blue blanket. In the nighttime though I woke up to Ritter in-between us and snuggled beneath the covers. He must have gotten lonely and cold on his little blanket and decided that we looked much more cozy at some point and then made himself at home. In the morning we had a delicious meal of pancakes before setting out to hike one more time, and made it home around 3 or 4pm. Between the madness Ritter liked chewing on firewood and barking at little kids, so all in all I call the trip a success, especially considering how late we planned it all. I think every Kennedy was satisfied on the way home.
The rest of the weekend went smoothly as we watched World Cup soccer and played with Ritter before kicking up this week. Monday Dereck got swamped with work, so I ended up going to small group alone, but still had a fantastic time with our new church family, and I have to admit that it feels mighty nice to be planted finally. For the first time I am beginning to feel like we really live and are settled (till the Army says go) in Washington. Tuesday I had my first workout with my new trainer Rich, and I am still a little sore even today from all the ways he kicked my butt. I went in thinking it would be hard, but also giving myself more credit for being in shape than I deserved, and that quickly turned out to be a bad idea. I had a great time, and left there feeling very well worked out. Rich really made me work on lateral (side to side) movements, something I am super weak in as a runner, and that's where I learned how much I have to work on. I am excited to see what types of torture he has in store for me this next week, and am sure that I will have more tales of pain to tell in future blogs. Tuesday I also got to help my neighbor whose husband is deployed, as she pulled her back and was stranded on her couch. I was more than happy to get her to the doctor and Walgreens after seeing how much pain she was in, and since then I have had the opportunity to feed her my horrible cooking and to buy her groceries. All I can think is, "how could I not help?" She is living alone and far away from family, and that is one prime example of why the Army helps you make such powerful friends. When you have no one you know and love anywhere near, it is all the more important to build family wherever possible. We even have a woman in our bible study small group who lost her husband six months ago in Afghanistan, and when I see the family that she has created around herself here it makes me feel all the better for when Dereck heads out. It gives more hope and comfort that my Army family will watch out for me.
After the last blog, Dereck and I went to an FRG meeting (Family Readiness Group) for a fundraiser. FRGs are the Army's answer to deployments, and they provide a one-stop shop for any answers, training, and support a family might need before, during, and after a deployment. Every FRG runs differently depending on the unit, and some like to raise funds for events that support families, like movie nights, pizza nights, etc. We are in a fundraising-type FRG, and so last week Dereck and I headed to a pie-your-leader bonanza. At first I thought people were simply paying to pie their boss like you would at a typical carnival, but being the Army, this had a twist. Pies were up for bid, and then those pies were worth specific prizes, like a day off of PT (physical training) or a week of using your boss's parking spot. This made the whole pie auction twenty times more fun as people went crazy trying to win pies for certain bosses or prizes. Most every leader got pied, and when Dereck had somehow escaped the whole night without a bit of damage, he got attacked by two friends who covered him in pie parts that had already been smeared on them. The best part about the pies? These were no simple pies of whip cream and cherries. These pies had beans, horseradish, sardines, chili peppers, and several other ingredients that made them smell like hot garbage melting in the summer sun. Needless to say, Dereck got pretty well covered, and we had to ride home with the windows down while he sat on a garbage bag. Even now I can almost smell the stench that permeated the whole room by the end of the FRG meeting. What a way to make money! What a stinky mess of clothing to wash!
From there, our week fell back into its normal routine, with Dereck going to work and me coaching track and cross country on Thursday after getting a Fitness Assessment in the morning. A few weeks back, I met a trainer named Rich who works at one of the gyms on post, and I asked him about how I could start doing his workouts. He informed me that I needed to first get a fitness assessment that shows the Army I am not going to die of a heart-attack while working out. So, I had the pleasure of riding a bike hooked up to a computer- result: good, taking a test for flexibility- result: bad, and answering some questions about my lifestyle- result: need to eat more veggies. Then, after receiving my clean bill of health, I headed over to the gym, met with Rich, and then got scheduled into one of his workout groups, and I was pumped to say the least. Friday, I worked in the kennel office all day and had the pleasure of making a new brochure with updated info. Working on Publisher on Windows is no easy task when I have become accustomed to using my Mac and its Leopard OS, but I pushed through and had a new product in a matter of hours. I also met some interesting people while at the front counter, and I got to know the staff better, so I call that a win-win. At the end of the day Ritter and I headed home for some relaxation before Dereck got there, and then we kicked off the weekend in grand style by going out for dinner.
While at dinner we talked about what we wanted to do over the weekend, and all I knew was that I needed to get away from the house. It wasn't so much that I was getting cabin-fever, as I needed a change of pace. So, we brainstormed day trips that were feasible with Ritter in the mix- darn those responsibilities- and this pretty much then boiled down to a couple of options that included camping. Camping in the NW can be a tricky thing given the propensity to rain and cold temperatures, but we hit the jackpot on weather last weekend, and decided to brave the elements. Saturday morning Dereck ran a road race in Tacoma with his Army unit, and I went on a fantastic bike ride before we got together and began packing for the camping trip. Soon enough we had all the equipment we figured might be needed over the weekend, loaded the truck, and hit the road. We are lucky enough to have several state parks near us that take pets, so the trip to the campsite took a whole 45min, and we were setting up in no time. Our campground was called "Millersylvania," like Pennsylvania, but with Miller. Dereck and I both decided this was a Dracula-esque sounding campground and therefore decided the campground has to be haunted. Millersylvania is way too creepy sounding to not have some type of horror stories! Alas, we saw no ghosts, werewolves, or scary creatures to support our theory, but I still remain a believer. Before we went camping I had this grand idea that Ritter would be a good puppy and sit and watch us while we worked, but that was just a short-lived dream. In reality, Ritter wanted to run around like a maniac and sniff everything that was and wasn't moving, so Dereck ended up setting up our entire campsite himself while I held Ritter on his leash and he terrorized the park. After setting up camp, we went on a short hike and then ran to the grocery store for key camping foods, like hot dogs, hamburgers, chips, soda, and the ever popular s'more makings. Once we got back we met our camping neighbors that were interesting, to say the least. They looked nice enough, but our suspicions were confirmed true when they stayed up the entire night drinking and yelling curse words at one another. Luckily, we had a great dinner and time around the campfire (props to Dereck and his mad fire-making skills here) before the craziness stirred up, and we fell asleep in no time with Ritter next to us on his little blue blanket. In the nighttime though I woke up to Ritter in-between us and snuggled beneath the covers. He must have gotten lonely and cold on his little blanket and decided that we looked much more cozy at some point and then made himself at home. In the morning we had a delicious meal of pancakes before setting out to hike one more time, and made it home around 3 or 4pm. Between the madness Ritter liked chewing on firewood and barking at little kids, so all in all I call the trip a success, especially considering how late we planned it all. I think every Kennedy was satisfied on the way home.
The rest of the weekend went smoothly as we watched World Cup soccer and played with Ritter before kicking up this week. Monday Dereck got swamped with work, so I ended up going to small group alone, but still had a fantastic time with our new church family, and I have to admit that it feels mighty nice to be planted finally. For the first time I am beginning to feel like we really live and are settled (till the Army says go) in Washington. Tuesday I had my first workout with my new trainer Rich, and I am still a little sore even today from all the ways he kicked my butt. I went in thinking it would be hard, but also giving myself more credit for being in shape than I deserved, and that quickly turned out to be a bad idea. I had a great time, and left there feeling very well worked out. Rich really made me work on lateral (side to side) movements, something I am super weak in as a runner, and that's where I learned how much I have to work on. I am excited to see what types of torture he has in store for me this next week, and am sure that I will have more tales of pain to tell in future blogs. Tuesday I also got to help my neighbor whose husband is deployed, as she pulled her back and was stranded on her couch. I was more than happy to get her to the doctor and Walgreens after seeing how much pain she was in, and since then I have had the opportunity to feed her my horrible cooking and to buy her groceries. All I can think is, "how could I not help?" She is living alone and far away from family, and that is one prime example of why the Army helps you make such powerful friends. When you have no one you know and love anywhere near, it is all the more important to build family wherever possible. We even have a woman in our bible study small group who lost her husband six months ago in Afghanistan, and when I see the family that she has created around herself here it makes me feel all the better for when Dereck heads out. It gives more hope and comfort that my Army family will watch out for me.
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Marley and Me
It is gloriously sunny outside and I could not be happier about it. I don't think that weather has ever been such a source of excitement or anger in my life as it is at this very time. Whenever I talk to people from home, I have something to say about it. Whenever I visit people here we end up inevitably talking about it. I should be a pro by the time I hit the appropriate age to be doing so, but until then I feel justified in my endless fascination given that it is June and I am still wearing sweats and jackets to track practice, and my sweaters are beginning to have worn holes on the elbows- I either need to rock the old-man elbow padded tweed jacket or buy more "winter" wear. But to counterbalance the never-ending rain and dreary 50s the Pacific Northwest likes to hover around, today is sunny and supposedly going to hit 70. I remain skeptical, but we shall see, and the sun at the moment is too promising. This then begs the question, "Why the heck am I inside when it is warm and sunny for once outside?" and that can be attributed to simple curiosity. Dereck normally comes home around 7:45am from his morning workout (PT) and gets ready to go back to work for the day, but it is 9:15am at the moment, and his cell phone and ACUs tell me he was planning on coming back at some point. So, between curiosity, and more curiosity I am waiting to see what the heck is going on.
And he actually drove in as I finished writing the last sentence, which leads me to wonder what else might come true if I type it...... I would like to be a millionaire, go skiing in Colorado all the time, win the next Pulitzer prize, and create world peace. No response yet, but I remain hopeful.
Since getting back from Becca's wedding Dereck and I have been working on finding a rhythm to married life that works best for us. It normally gets compounded by ever-changing schedules and weeks, but I think that we are finding a rough pattern that fits our lifestyle. A good deal of our time together especially evolves around our crazy puppy Ritter. He demands way more time attention and energy than I ever could have guessed. I am beginning to wonder if I could become rich off a puppy blog, "Marley and Me" style. We are now at a point where he sleeps through the night and I can leave him at home for more than 3 hours without feeling guilty. Just last night however Dereck left him in the backyard while we went to bible study and we came home to him sitting at the kitchen door waiting for us- sans collar and outside the fence. He looked very pleased about his escape abilities and even now we aren't quite sure how he escaped, but we have a suspicion that it involved wiggling under the fence on a sloped portion of the yard. The fun part about Ritter is how much he loves to be around people and the never ending energy. I have taken him on 2 hour walks and still seen him run around the house like its a racetrack. And, he can walk off leash and actually not run away, something this prior Beagle owner never knew could happen. He is actually much better behaved off leash, and so I try to find times in my schedule when there are not as many people outside so that he can roam with freedom and eat all the grass and tree bark he pleases. I do have to give him credit though for landing me my new job with the Pet Brigade, as hinted in the last post.
Two weeks into the job I am much better prepared to tell you, my favorite reader, all about what I do, or don't do when being unproductive and blogging instead of working. I am officially the Public Relations Manager for the kennel on post and another one in Graham that is also owned by the same man. I have really enjoyed working with him and the kennel manager so far, and feel like I am going to gain so much experience here that I can use in the future. I have been able so far to work on two major publicity events with booths, evaluate internet/mobile marketing and where we want to go with that, and I am learning how to work with government bureaucracy as a contracted business, and anyone who knows how government/Army stuff works can imagine just how complicated that can get. The thing I like most so far has been the respect and authority entrusted to me. I feel like I am being treated as a professional with ideas and valuable input rather than a recent college grad, and that trust goes so far in motivating me. My favorite part of the new job? Talking to people about our services. Last week I set-up and ran a booth for 8 hours and had the best time honing my pitch to get people's interest and then talking with them all about pets- one of the easiest selling points in the market. Everyone loves their pets, they love talking about them, and they love taking the best care of them possible, to include boarding and grooming. So, while the women sitting next to me selling financial investments had much fewer takers, I found myself at a table constantly busy with interested consumers. Maybe it's the aspect of being a salesperson without feeling super slimy, or the chance to talk to new people, or showing myself that I can integrate quickly into a new job. Whatever it is, I am thanking God for the opportunity, and the flexibility that working part-time allows me to do things like PWOC bible study and workouts.
In addition to being a working woman and taking Ritter on walks to tire him out, I am in the throws of getting allergy shots again and have currently finished my last rounds of physical therapy that have been ongoing since I got here. The hope is that all my frequent visits to Madigan hospital mean less allergies and a better knee. At this point I could have some serious points on a punch card program, although in actuality the senior retirees who like to sit in the lobby and block all the walkways everyday could beat me hands down. They are one devoted crowd!
On the Army side of life, I have been busy with battalion events, such as our monthly coffee that we had last week. We decided to play Bunco since it came up at the previous coffee that some women didn't know how to play, and in the Army that is "unAmerican." So, wine glasses were pulled out, tables set up, and the dice got to rolling. At first I was doing awesome and winning every round until Jodie got a Bunco on her first roll, and from there it was up and down for me. The best part about Bunco though is that there are tons of winners in the game- most wins, most losses, most ties, most buncos, most mini-Buncos, so the odds are normally good even for someone not having a lucky night. In honor of my mother who seems to win at everything, I am proud to say that I won for "most wins" and earned a Starbucks giftcard that I forgot about until yesterday when I was digging through my purse and found it. If that isn't pure joy then what is? The coffee then rolled into a four day weekend for Dereck, and I could not have been more happy about it. We didn't do any traveling or finish any massive projects, but we did manage to spend tons of time catching up and sleeping, something he has been behind on with training. And, we got to spend time with my friend Scarlett and build a flower box/bed for her garden. I say "we" like I contributed to the planning or the sawing or the nailing, but I like to think I was there for moral support and general entertainment. The boxes actually turned out nicely and I am now contemplating maybe having one for us also, but then I look at Ritter as he finds any and everything inside and outside the house to chew on and realize what a bad idea that could be. He is literally tugging and chewing on my robe as I type this and try to remember where he left his kong bone for a substitute.
Last week kicked back into the normal after the fantastic long weekend, and I got back to work at Pet Brigade and life, to include the crazy kids at cross country and track and field practice. I love the difference between the two practices. I tell cross country kids that we need to do 400s and they are excited. I tell the track kids the same and they look at me like I am the most insane person on the infield. It is easy to see how much patience they are teaching me while we spend time in the cold rain together. But for all the infuriating things they do and say, those kids are also some of the most hilarious people I know, which either means I need to get out more, or they are blessing me in return. I now know all the cool bands, tv shows, and toys for the 8-11 year old crowd, and they like to ask me when I am having kids since adults obviously have kids. Over the weekend Dereck had staff duty from 9am Saturday- 9pm Sunday, so Ritter and I took the time for a super long walk on a new trail during the day and I biked with a friend, making me tired enough for a long "veg" session on the couch Saturday night watching girly tv shows Dereck would never like on TLC. Sunday was a catch-up day of sleep for Dereck, and yesterday I hit spin class, ran laundry, went on errands with Dereck during lunch, got allergy shots, took Ritter for a walk, and made Sausage Pin Wheels for our bible study at my neighbor's house (the same one during which Ritter escaped captivity).
And now I have learned my lesson on putting off blogging for such a long period of time. There is a rush to include so many things, while other good things are forgotten, and it leads to a bigger picture, less detailed story, and I like details- they make the picture more rich. Must be more disciplined! For starters, I should be getting ready to go to the pool for a swim workout, and instead am typing to my heart's content. Hopefully Dereck will understand my need for expression while he waits in the pool....
And he actually drove in as I finished writing the last sentence, which leads me to wonder what else might come true if I type it...... I would like to be a millionaire, go skiing in Colorado all the time, win the next Pulitzer prize, and create world peace. No response yet, but I remain hopeful.
Since getting back from Becca's wedding Dereck and I have been working on finding a rhythm to married life that works best for us. It normally gets compounded by ever-changing schedules and weeks, but I think that we are finding a rough pattern that fits our lifestyle. A good deal of our time together especially evolves around our crazy puppy Ritter. He demands way more time attention and energy than I ever could have guessed. I am beginning to wonder if I could become rich off a puppy blog, "Marley and Me" style. We are now at a point where he sleeps through the night and I can leave him at home for more than 3 hours without feeling guilty. Just last night however Dereck left him in the backyard while we went to bible study and we came home to him sitting at the kitchen door waiting for us- sans collar and outside the fence. He looked very pleased about his escape abilities and even now we aren't quite sure how he escaped, but we have a suspicion that it involved wiggling under the fence on a sloped portion of the yard. The fun part about Ritter is how much he loves to be around people and the never ending energy. I have taken him on 2 hour walks and still seen him run around the house like its a racetrack. And, he can walk off leash and actually not run away, something this prior Beagle owner never knew could happen. He is actually much better behaved off leash, and so I try to find times in my schedule when there are not as many people outside so that he can roam with freedom and eat all the grass and tree bark he pleases. I do have to give him credit though for landing me my new job with the Pet Brigade, as hinted in the last post.
Two weeks into the job I am much better prepared to tell you, my favorite reader, all about what I do, or don't do when being unproductive and blogging instead of working. I am officially the Public Relations Manager for the kennel on post and another one in Graham that is also owned by the same man. I have really enjoyed working with him and the kennel manager so far, and feel like I am going to gain so much experience here that I can use in the future. I have been able so far to work on two major publicity events with booths, evaluate internet/mobile marketing and where we want to go with that, and I am learning how to work with government bureaucracy as a contracted business, and anyone who knows how government/Army stuff works can imagine just how complicated that can get. The thing I like most so far has been the respect and authority entrusted to me. I feel like I am being treated as a professional with ideas and valuable input rather than a recent college grad, and that trust goes so far in motivating me. My favorite part of the new job? Talking to people about our services. Last week I set-up and ran a booth for 8 hours and had the best time honing my pitch to get people's interest and then talking with them all about pets- one of the easiest selling points in the market. Everyone loves their pets, they love talking about them, and they love taking the best care of them possible, to include boarding and grooming. So, while the women sitting next to me selling financial investments had much fewer takers, I found myself at a table constantly busy with interested consumers. Maybe it's the aspect of being a salesperson without feeling super slimy, or the chance to talk to new people, or showing myself that I can integrate quickly into a new job. Whatever it is, I am thanking God for the opportunity, and the flexibility that working part-time allows me to do things like PWOC bible study and workouts.
In addition to being a working woman and taking Ritter on walks to tire him out, I am in the throws of getting allergy shots again and have currently finished my last rounds of physical therapy that have been ongoing since I got here. The hope is that all my frequent visits to Madigan hospital mean less allergies and a better knee. At this point I could have some serious points on a punch card program, although in actuality the senior retirees who like to sit in the lobby and block all the walkways everyday could beat me hands down. They are one devoted crowd!
On the Army side of life, I have been busy with battalion events, such as our monthly coffee that we had last week. We decided to play Bunco since it came up at the previous coffee that some women didn't know how to play, and in the Army that is "unAmerican." So, wine glasses were pulled out, tables set up, and the dice got to rolling. At first I was doing awesome and winning every round until Jodie got a Bunco on her first roll, and from there it was up and down for me. The best part about Bunco though is that there are tons of winners in the game- most wins, most losses, most ties, most buncos, most mini-Buncos, so the odds are normally good even for someone not having a lucky night. In honor of my mother who seems to win at everything, I am proud to say that I won for "most wins" and earned a Starbucks giftcard that I forgot about until yesterday when I was digging through my purse and found it. If that isn't pure joy then what is? The coffee then rolled into a four day weekend for Dereck, and I could not have been more happy about it. We didn't do any traveling or finish any massive projects, but we did manage to spend tons of time catching up and sleeping, something he has been behind on with training. And, we got to spend time with my friend Scarlett and build a flower box/bed for her garden. I say "we" like I contributed to the planning or the sawing or the nailing, but I like to think I was there for moral support and general entertainment. The boxes actually turned out nicely and I am now contemplating maybe having one for us also, but then I look at Ritter as he finds any and everything inside and outside the house to chew on and realize what a bad idea that could be. He is literally tugging and chewing on my robe as I type this and try to remember where he left his kong bone for a substitute.
Last week kicked back into the normal after the fantastic long weekend, and I got back to work at Pet Brigade and life, to include the crazy kids at cross country and track and field practice. I love the difference between the two practices. I tell cross country kids that we need to do 400s and they are excited. I tell the track kids the same and they look at me like I am the most insane person on the infield. It is easy to see how much patience they are teaching me while we spend time in the cold rain together. But for all the infuriating things they do and say, those kids are also some of the most hilarious people I know, which either means I need to get out more, or they are blessing me in return. I now know all the cool bands, tv shows, and toys for the 8-11 year old crowd, and they like to ask me when I am having kids since adults obviously have kids. Over the weekend Dereck had staff duty from 9am Saturday- 9pm Sunday, so Ritter and I took the time for a super long walk on a new trail during the day and I biked with a friend, making me tired enough for a long "veg" session on the couch Saturday night watching girly tv shows Dereck would never like on TLC. Sunday was a catch-up day of sleep for Dereck, and yesterday I hit spin class, ran laundry, went on errands with Dereck during lunch, got allergy shots, took Ritter for a walk, and made Sausage Pin Wheels for our bible study at my neighbor's house (the same one during which Ritter escaped captivity).
And now I have learned my lesson on putting off blogging for such a long period of time. There is a rush to include so many things, while other good things are forgotten, and it leads to a bigger picture, less detailed story, and I like details- they make the picture more rich. Must be more disciplined! For starters, I should be getting ready to go to the pool for a swim workout, and instead am typing to my heart's content. Hopefully Dereck will understand my need for expression while he waits in the pool....
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