Monthly Archives: March 2008

A Love Story – Part 2

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It would seem that when we met, Jason and I were instant friends. We were both new to our unit and platoon, so I think as the newbies and the youngest we just naturally fell into a friendship. We talked to each other about regular ‘going ons’, and about the people who we had drill with. The ones who annoyed us both and the ones we liked. He knew I had a boyfriend and I knew he had a girlfriend, whom I lovingly nicked named La Femme Nikita…. Don’t ask me why. (she was a bit of a feminist) That was about it on the conversations about that. I went home from that first drill, and as any good ‘teenage girl’ would do, I instantly started talking my mothers ear off about all I had done. I went to my friends house and told her all about my time. I told her about Jason and how nice he was, and that little thing that I couldn’t figure out. He was different. He had an air about him. Then it hit me, he had a napoleon complex! You could see in the way he carried himself, the way he walked, how he talked. He was about 3 inches shorter than me, but that didn’t matter much. I had a boyfriend, so I didn’t need to worry if he was my type. But that didn’t stop me from talking about him. After all we were friends now. Who doesn’t talk about their friends? During the next month Jerk Boy came to visit me, but complained the whole time. He just came for the day, he had to be back home. It was such an inconvenience to him to drive all that way just for a day visit. He thought it would make more sense for me to visit him when I had drill. We could meet in the city and spend the afternoon together before I had to be to the base. When the next drill came, he never made it to the city. In fact, when I had called him the day before, he told me he wouldn’t be making it. So I offered to drive all the way to his house to visit, after all it was only 45 minutes past the base. This became the drill. I would go to visit him. He did try to come down to visit one more time, but his tire blew out and he never made it all the way. I drove to get him and we sat in his car until his dad came with a spare. I looked forward to drills. They were like little vacations for me. I got to skip that Friday and the next Monday from school. The platoon Mom was very much that. She was someone who would listen and give advice. The older guys were like crazy uncles, that you love to laugh at. And Jason. He was always there. I knew deep down in my heart that I liked him, but, wouldn’t, or couldn’t admit it. I had a boyfriend and never could I hurt someone like that. Plus, he had a girlfriend too, and I was just a little high school girl…….

Innocence

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I was recently reminded (again) of how innocent my kids are.

We were at Target looking for Easter baskets. Bam Bam raced as fast as he could to the blue one. Bam loves all things blue. Fred on the other had was looking and looking for the right one.

Me: Fred just grab one.

Fred: I’m looking.

Me: Ok, but try to hurry.

Fred: *sigh* all right, I’ll get the pink one.

Me: Pink? Are you sure?

Fred: Well I was looking for a red one, but they don’t have red. Pink is made from red, so I’ll just get pink.

Me: *Laughing*!

I am totally ok with my son carring a pink easter basket because of his love for red.  But I was a little worried that someone might tease him, so I found a green basket with pink flowers. He was ok with that.   But then he saw the basket that was like a hollowed out soccer ball and wanted that. Only problem was that the green one was $.99, compared to the $10 soccer ball!!! Yikes! At least soccer balls beat out pink.  Which by the way, sping soccer is starting at the end of this month. Fred and Bam can NOT wait.

A Love Story — Part 1

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August- September 1997

I got back from basic training at the end of August, just in time to start my senior year of high school. I had met and started dating ‘Jerk-boy’ before we both had left for basic training. Jerk Boy and I were both starting our senior years, and we were both 18. I was fairly happy with the way everything was going. Jerk-boy was my first boyfriend. I was basking in the glow of being in a relationship. This glow is wonderful, but it can also be dangerous. Jerk-boy lived in a town 3 hours away from mine, so we had a relationship over the phone. I was giving a lot of my waitressing money to MCI calling cards. Jason had just returned from active duty. He was going to finish up his second enlistment in the guard, while going to school at the local university. He was 25, and was dating a girl from his high school years, her name was ‘IT’. He had dated her on and off all through his Army years. He would come home on leave and they would start dating. He would leave, and she would break up with him. When he came home to stay, they thought that would try it again. My first drill wasn’t until September, and that was the first time Jason and I met. Drill was in the city Jason lived in, and I had to drive 2 hours to get there. I was very nervous about going to drill that first time. I was new, and didn’t know what to expect. I was scared to be in such a big town by myself. Would I get lost? Would my little beater car make it? Would I fit in? Would I know what to do? When I got to the base I had to register my car. The person in that building was quite short with me so that only made me more nervous. He pointed me in the general direction of the building I needed to go. I drove around for a bit until I found the building. For such a small base, nerves can wreck havoc on your sense of direction! The secretary was friendly enough and she helped me get settled in my room. Well in a large barracks. With cement floors and metal bunk beds. I was perfectly fine with staying there, only I assumed there would be others there with me. There was not. I was in a huge, cold, and deserted barracks alone. This did not help my nerves. At all. But I bucked up and I got dressed in my BDU’s and made my way to the drill hall. I met our platoon sergeant, and was issued all of my gear. This took forever. Sgt. G. took my on a very vague tour of what I needed to know. While I was standing in the drill hall waiting to follow Sgt. G. to wherever he planned on going, I was standing there trying not to look bored. I saw this guy come into the hall. He was carrying a Maverick coffee cup, and he was walking straight towards us, with such a confident stride. It appeared as if he didn’t have a care in the world. He was the first one to acknowledge my presence. I knew I was going to get along with him right away. He was funny and lively. Not stuffy and grumpy like the other men in the platoon. I was the only girl, besides the 40+ year old woman, who I quickly realized why she had the nickname of Mom. We talked effortlessly. It was like we had known each other for awhile. There was something about him that I couldn’t  quite figure out……………

Gone Green?

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I will admit to falling prey to some of the ways of the green living. We have switched every single light in our home to compact fluorescent light bulbs, we have a recycling center in our garage, and we don’t throw anything away that can and should be recycled.  We’ve always been bothered by frivolous waste, such as excessive clothing, home, car, etc. We try our hardest to be as responsible as we can be when it comes to taking care of this beautiful world that God made for us.

This being said, I think there comes a time when you have to draw a line.  As I was searching around different sites and blogs I ran across something very gross interesting.  Cloth toilet paper. No no no. This is awful!!! I can handle cloth diapers and baby wipes, but adult cloth toilet paper is just wrong!! All I can think of is the condition of my washing mashing after a load.  Pun intended??? 

I think I will stick with recycling our trash.  How about you?