RIP Arwen

We had to put our cat Arwen down today. Her liver had failed, she went peacefully. She was a cool cat with extra toes. We got her as a stray seven years ago and gave her a good home until her end. She purred as soon as I came in to see her at the vet. All the destruction I see in my days and a sick cat upsets me.

The kids

Couldn't get Spencer's attention for a second as he plays Pokemon.
Lil however indulges me.
I finally offed the dog.

Sunny day in El Paso

It was a nice day here in El Paso. Not as nice as the UP but probably as good as it gets around here. I took a few pictures of the Franklin Mountains from the hospital parking lot today and photoshoped the ugly shit out of the picture. Did a lot of running around today, doctor appointment, some Army stuff and had to pick up some soldiers from the hospital. Oh and my 'trip' has been delayed for an unknown length of time.

Soldiers work hard

Here's what we do in the ADA when not shooting missiles, nothing!

Three buddies shootin' the breeze.











Waiting for formation with the guidon and kickin' back.











My Korean interpreter and his war face.

Happy B-day from George W.

I have a friend who is a retired Army Colonel and now works at the Pentagon. We met on the internet when I was looking for a grant to help with some college expenses. My friend founded a group in Virginia called Eagle's Watch Foundation.

They provide encouragement and charitable support to current military members. He's really a great guy and this is a great group who's helped us out. If you want to support the troops in a real way consider contacting David and making a donation. I assure you it will go to a good cause.

Strangely when I first began talking to Dave he asked me what the family's birthdays where. I didn't think much of it until a large envelope arrived addressed to my wife with a return address of the White House. I thought, "Oh shit what did she do now?". I opened it and found a letter from our Commander-in-Chief.

Not too bad of company for a wife of an enlisted guy.

TA-50 must taste like chicken.

So the kids woke up around 8:30 this morning and of course so did we. I awoke to discover Roscoe (the ugliest dog in creation) had eaten my ballistic goggles. I had just received the goggles yesterday because I lent my old ones out and I never saw them again. So they lasted almost 15 hours in our home before the dog ate them. I guess I should have put them away but who would know Roscoe was a goggle aficionados? What perplexes me is I cannot find the lens. Did the dog swallow it? Will he pop out a very clean lens today? Will it get stuck and require a trip to the vet? (we shall call him VB) Or (way less exciting) is the lens under the couch?


The poor victim. Notice the copious amount of dog hair on the cover, the chewed up pad on the reverse side and the missing lens.


The perpetrator. Distinguishing features include teeth that don't fit into head, googly eyes and general smushed face ugliness. Looks like he's looking around you doesn't it?

P.S. Just had a thought.(I know amazing) If these goggles are supposed to protect my eyes and are official US Army gear, then how come they where bested by a 25 lbs Boston Terrier?

Fluffy

Here's Gracie, my wife's favorite. If you notice she's the same color as my uniform. She used to be slim but I came back from Basic and she was not anymore. We all get older and rounder right?

Quality time with a cat and a book.

Chanda put the book in her face when she saw the camera come out. Corn (yes her name is Corn, Lil named her) is really interested in the camera.











Look Chanda's face, can you believe it! Corn wants to read too.

Next semester's class schedule

Next semester's schedule at University of Maryland.

LIB 150 Information Literacy something, something, blah blah

Dumb prerequisite, glad I'm not paying for it.

BIOL 101/102 Human Biology
Science requirement.

GEOL 100 Intro to Geography
Just an elective I think may be easy.

All classes online while in The Land of the Morning Calm. (and free thank you US Army)

Some Pictures from our trip home Easter 2008

Spencer looking kinda sleepy in the back of the car on the way to the U.P.





















Lily drinkin' at Mom and Dad's up north.















Frozen Lake Superior between Munising and Marquette.












Road to Christmas.














Near the village of Au Train.










Spencer and Lil being goofy back at home in El Paso. Lil's new thing is to put stickers on herself anf others as you can see.

Some military related quotes

I guess it doesn't make any difference once a man has gone. Medals and speeches and victories are nothing to them anymore. They died and others lived and nobody knows why it is so. There's nothing we can do for the ones beneath the wooden crosses, except pause and murmur, 'Thanks pal.'

Ernie Pyle

If you are able,

save them a place
inside of you
and save one backward glance
when you are leaving
for the places they can
no longer go.
Be not ashamed to say
you loved them,
though you may
or may not have always.
Take what they have left
and what they have taught you
with their dying
and keep it with your own.
And in that time
when men decide and feel safe
to call the war insane,
take one moment to embrace
those gentle heroes
you left behind.

Maj. Micheal Davis O’Donnell
Republic of Vietnam 1970

A man fires a rifle for many years, and he goes to war.
And afterward, he turns the rifle in at the armory, and he believes he is finished with the rifle.
But no matter what else he might do with his hands,
Love a woman,
Build a house,
Change his son's diaper,
His Hands remember the rifle.

Unknown

Three-quarters of a soldier's life is spent in aimlessly waiting about.

Eugen Rosenstock-Huessy