The Bookstore

When I called to wish my parents a happy Thanksgiving yesterday I was informed I had not updated my blog in ages. Feels like just yesterday. Time has been slipping by so quickly I hardly know where in time I exist. The other day I saw a sign telling me to vote no on something on November 4th. I told Jeff, are we voting about something again on November 4th. He looked at me and informed me that I already voted on November 4th it is now the end of November. I looked at him a little puzzled for a moment before I remembered that it is actually the end of November in 2008. Wow, seems like it just turned 2000. Remember when I'm gonna party like it is 1999 was about a long time in the future instead of about a time in the distant past.

Life here in Mississippi is going well. Lily is still sick. She is on her second course of antibiotics, this one seems to be working. Mandy is still deciding about college, a local friend of mine went to the college Mandy is thinking of attending and gave me about a thousand reasons Mandy should go away to college. We were volunteering at the school and all the moms who had gone away to college and one mom who had a child away at college now piped in. I was able to take all this information home to Mandy and I think I have convinced her to try it for at least a semester. While the college is only an hour to an hour and a half away she is worried about things like her braces. How will she go the orthodontist? I reminded her that due to her weird under bite we had to pick an orthodontist that is almost an hour from our house and we make it there every month. Come to think of it she might be closer at the college. She didn't seem reassured. I will lose the only baby sitter Lily has ever had.

Jeff retires from the military in four years. He has during his time in the service earned an associates degree, a bachelor's degree and a masters degree. Seems that he would be prepared for the transition to a civilian life. However, it is hard to find a job. He searches and searches for jobs relating to his degree in this area and so far has been disappointed. We are trying to come up with a plan for the future, to begin to plan for his retirement. How will be pay our mortgage? Will we stay here in Mississippi or move elsewhere for a job? Do we want to be near family or do we wish to stay here? Even the question of do we wish to try and get another overseas assignment, just one more before Jeff retires. All these questions swirl in our minds. We are gypsies after all and the thought of staying in one place forever is a little bit daunting. Even thought we love it here, we love it everywhere - is the adventure really over?

We have been toying with the idea of opening a bookstore. Here where we live there isn't a bookstore. We all drive about 45 minutes or order online. We live in a well educated spot and we feel like a bookstore would do well here. We are also possibly eligible for a small business loan through the VA. We are just thinking about it and trying to do the research to see if it would be profitable. How many books we would have to sell per day to pay the bills etc. But, I have to tell you I really have my hopes up about this. We shall see.

PS. To Kim, it has been so warm here today our house got up to 77 and we considered turning on the a/c due to the humidity. Haven't frozen yet.

I am about to freeze to death

I got up at four this morning to drive Jeff to the airport. Upon arriving home I found that my mouse was no longer working. I got Lily off to school. She was in a mood. She did not want to eat, or take her medicine, or wear her jacket, and she cried all the way to the bus stop because we left the house four minutes later than she likes to leave. All the morning crying combined with her sinusitus caused a lot of coughing. For Lily coughing often leads to throwing up. However she has been at school for an hour now and no phone call to come get the sick kid. She is also upset that I am coming at lunch time to give her a dose of medicine. Not about the medicine but about me disturbing her during her lunch. I am planning on staying and eating with her, won't she be thrilled. My conclusion is that Lily is feeling better and she now has enough energy for the demons to come out and play. Only kidding, but I have noticed that she is meaner and onrier when she is less sick. Heaven help me if she fully recovers from this illness.

My job is going to be a nightmare today with a laptop and no mouse. Oh well I guess life goes on.

The temperature here went from nearly 80 to the low 30's and it is annoying. I keep having to change my thermastat from a/c to heat and back again. Last week I was wearing shorts and flip flops this week I am bundled up and cold. I miss the warmth. We are having a few leaves on the trees change colors. I saw a couple of red and a couple of yellow leaves. I guess that counts as fall colors.

I am thinking of buying myself a new computer while Jeff is out of town. Don't tell him. I don't think he has internet access at his hotel. I always give him a hard time when he goes away for "classes". This one just happens to be near his family. I call it a vacation.

In January Jeff might have to be deployed. He won't know for sure until closer to the date. He was supposed to go sometime between June and January but he was not chosen. Now he is supposed to not be eligible again to go for 12 months. However his boss decided to make him eligible again in January. It all hinges on whether or not one of his co-workers manages to get pregnant between now and then. She is trying but can't be removed from the list unless she is. If she is he goes, if she isn't she goes. Jeff volunteered for the June to January bucket so that he would be home in time for Mandy's graduation. He didn't get sent, but looks like now he will be sent and have to miss her graduation. Wow January thru July with no husband fun times. I think I might need more than a new car.

A friend of mine here in Mississippi attended the college of Mandy's choice. If she decides to go to a University that is. My friend gave me a very hard time for allowing Mandy to even consider going to community college. She took me through a day in the life of going to the university and living in the dorms. I mentioned all this to Mandy. I told her that she should probably try the University for at least one semester and see. The next day and ever since she has been in a very good mood. Coincidence? I wonder. Sometimes I think she just tells me what she thinks I want to hear. I am going to a parent night at the school tonight to learn all about planning on how to pay for college.

Wednesday, I am spending the whole day going around with my friend begging for donations to our Relay for Life team. We are trying to put together a gift basket that we will be auctioning off. Anyways, I wonder if I can say - and do you have any spare change for my daughter's college fund. Do you think Obama will make college free by summer? Or pray that the Air Force will let Jeff trasfer his GI bill to Mandy. I think because he used a portion of it on himself it is not going to be eligible for transfer, but we will see.

Ponders of a Muddled Housewife

Lily and Jeff are currently at the ER having Lily's ear checked for an infection. She has been complaining of an ear ache off and on for about a week. Yesterday she came home from school and went to straight to sleep. She didn't wake up until 11:30PM and that was only long enough for some more Tylenol and drops in the ear. She doesn't have a fever though. Military doctors are so dissmissive toward me, or that is my impression, so I sent Jeff. He seems to get better results from the doctors. She hasn't ever been on an antibiotic, not because she hasn't been sick more because the military is stingy with allowing us to get appointments and giving out medicine. Or so is my impression of the whole being insured by the military situation.

Did I tell you that I am a team captain for the Relay for Life this year? I asked everyone I know to be on my team. They all said yes, but at the first team meeting only two came. So we will see how successful I am as a team captain. I did coerse Jeff and Mandy to be on my team too. We are planning some fund raisers for December right now. Next week I am going around town begging for gift certificates and or small items for a gift basket. We are planning to raffle the gift basket at a Christmas market on Dec. 6th.

But first we have to come up with a team name. This has proven to be most difficult. This is the 25th year of Relay for Life and our town is using the 80's as the theme for the event. The colors of the Relay are purple and white. We have been thinking of names like: Purple Rain, Purple People Eaters, Like Totally Cured!, Friends for a Cure... Any suggestions from you creative people?

My job has doubled in work load this last week. On top of everything else that has been a major pain. But, the money is nice. Speaking of money, my anniversary was on Thursday. Jeff and I have now been married 8 years. We decided to forgo presents and instead we went out to dinner at a fancy restaurant we have been wanting to try for the past year and a half. The cheapest meal at this place was $25 per plate, plus drinks, etc. At first I was going to get whatever was least expensive, water and nothing else. Jeff convinced me we, this is our anniversary and we should enjoy whatever we really want. So I did. I even got a glass of wine. We had appitizers and I had the most expensive thing on the menu. I have never eaten anything like this in my life. It was the most amazing meal. I had so much fun. I can still taste the food. I wish I could cook like that. If you ever come to visit me we have to go there.

Speaking of visits. Our friends from Japan. Our Japanese National friends are thinking of coming here for a visit next year. I am so excited. They were so kind to us during our four years in Japan. Enhancing our experience so much by taking us under their wing and showing us the Japan that most Americans never see. Camping, festivals, local spots - I can't wait to do the same for them. I keep filing away all the things I want to show them. Jeff and I both do, we keep a list. And the food, wow. Do you think it would be rude if someone flies half way around the world to visit you, and you ask them to cook for you. My friend Ristico can cook like you cannot believe. Even over a campfire in the middle of nowhere the food she would whip up was amazing. I guess she should be allowed to relax on her vacation while I pamper her. But, I miss her cooking so much. I wonder if she could make do with the American ingredients? What do you think? Is it rude to ask your guest to cook for you?

*update to add: Jeff just called, my poor baby has sinusitus? She got three perscriptions, however the on base pharmacy is not open and we have to go figure out how to aquire and pay for the prescription at an off base pharmacy. I was looking for our insurance information and found a hand written note on an old receipt from years ago in Japan. On this note one of my Japanese friends was teaching me how to cuss at my husband in Japanese. She wrote it all down for me and I have kept it in my wallet ever since. Omae no Kasan Kussotare (you mother fu**er). In case you ever need to cuss in Japanese.

The Thoughts Dripping From My Busy Brain

Decisions that effect the rest of your life are always the decisions of the young. My decisions only effect dinner.

Mandy is still debating her decision between community college and university. She is leaning toward community college. She is also trying to decide her major. She has it narrowed down to becoming a nurse and joining the peace corp or becoming a marine biologist and trying to get a job at sea world training the dolphins. Coincidentally we stumbled upon an intern opportunity this summer studying wild dolphins. I think she is leaning toward the dolphins.

I believe Mandy got her spirit for adventure from her father. Maybe all those trips we drug her on while stationed in Europe and Asia have effected her. It is very nice that she has finally getting excited about becoming an adult and actually thinking of options. I love seeing the sparkle in her eye.

Little Lily is still doing well in Kindergarten. As all my wise friends advised me, while she is a rebel at home, she is a darling in class. I have just returned home from helping at the school. I usually help on Wed, Thurs, and Fridays. We had a Kindergarten Hoe Down today. It was so much fun. I am so tired. I am not accustomed to so much physical work. I worked about 4 hours today. I was sweaty and sore, but it was a lot of fun. If you have never volunteered at an elementary you should give it a try. Kids are fun. Even if you don't have kids, our school asks for volunteers to read with kids. I do that on Thursdays. That way kids get the undivided private attention of an adult to listen while they read. It helps because they all have the attention span of gnats. They totally need an adult to keep them on task.

The Voting Line

Every time I vote it reminds me of my grandma. She used to go and work at the polls every election. I always miss my grandma on election day.

Today I had to stand in line for about an hour in order to cast my vote. Where I had to stand in line, I bet some people would pay for that view. We were right along a bayou with beautiful birds coming to drink. I saw heron, storks, and lord knows what else. I even saw a fish jump. Didn't see any alligator today, but I know he is out there - somewhere.

As I stood in line the election officials were calling out, N-Z anyone with the last name starting with N-Z - they all got to move to the front of the line. At one point a different elderly gentleman with an election official sticker on his shirt came outside and called M-Z. Many of the folks with a last name beginning with M had been turned away from the N-Z line previously. They were hesitant to move forward and try again, they asked the gentleman calling M-Z - M as in Monkey or N as in Night? He assured them M as in monkey. About 25 people moved to the front of the N-Z line, all of them having a last name that begins with M.

When they arrived at the front of the N-Z line they were again turned away - they were told no, this is the N-Z line. Poor M's. I had been standing in line for about 40 minutes at this point. All these M folks had been there less than 10 minutes. Still they became irate and unruly. Especially one guy with slicked back hair and a Jersey accent. Damn Yankees (I say this tongue in cheek as I am a Yankee myself - can one be a former Yankee? Or is being southern like royalty something you are born with? Is being from Seattle/Sacramento Yankeeish?).

On a side note, last night at a Relay for Life committee meeting one nice lady was talking about a city that raised a lot of money. She said she couldn't remember the name of the city. Somewhere in the North. We all shook our heads, we understand, the North - like it is another country. Then she remember the name of the city, it was Jackson, Tennessee. I thought that was funny. Tennessee is about 500 miles north of here. It is all perspective.

Back to the guy who might have stepped off the set of Sapranos, he was a fish out of water standing in line to vote in Mississippi. He threw a fit you would not believe. He got up in a little old man's face and started yelling. You need to walk over there and talk to the lady at the door. She says N-Z and you told me M-Z. I even asked you N or M and you said M as in Monkey. The poor little old man then got in his car and attempted to leave. He was so upset that his car kept stalling. I am thinking it had a clutch. With the car pointed directly toward many of the M's from the line and others he was alternatively gunning the engine and stalling the engine trying to turn the car around and get out of the parking lot. He finally made it out. Poor guy.

Five minutes later, the lady at the door changed her mind and started letting M's in the previously N-Z line. When she called for the M's no one moved. Finally she was able to convince the M folks to come up and vote. Even Mr. Ass Wipe came up to the front of the line, voted and left. I continued to wait in line with my fellow A-L people for another 10 or 15 minutes. It took me an hour tops. I didn't get to go in the short line. I wonder if when Jeff voted tonight after work if they will have a more efficient system in place? One of the election officials said, he hadn't seen this many people stand in line since the day after Thanksgiving at Wal-Mart. Another said, or waiting in line for water after Katrina.

Any of you have fun in line today?