CrazyBetter: August 2009

There are so many things I'd like to share, so this is going to be a pretty lengthy post. Grab some coffee or a nice size Coke and sit down to visit a while...
It's going to be all random and scattered, so please bear with me while I muddle through my bulleted list.

"Duty First"- This is the motto of the Big Red One. It is everywhere, but most interesting to me is that every.single.time a car goes through the gate, ID cards are presented, and the guard says, "Thank you (sometimes "for your service") DUTY FIRST!" and returns the ID cards. It just seems very something...I can't find the word.
Familiar Face - We went to school (over 20 yrs ago!) with a sweet girl named Dodie K. She is now Heather F. Dodie is a nickname, and K her maiden, so as she has grown up and married (an Alvin boy, no less!) her name has changed. We refer to her to one another as Heather Dodie K. F. Anyway, we went to lunch and then to her house Monday and we had the nicest long visit with her (and with her husband via yahoo chat-he's in Iraq another 5 wks). She gave us some tips and tidbits about post and the area, and after about 4 hrs we got around to talking about high school and people we've had contact with since. It was really nice to just have an Alvin connection. - OH, and then we went to dinner Tuesday night and saw her driving down the street. We both waved and smiled huge smiles because how crazy is that?!
In looking for all things familiar, I was so excited to see the snow cone shack, looking just like Sno Wiz, but bigger! After dinner last night, we pulled up and surveyed the huge menu. I ordered a pina colada and SB an orange creamscicle one. Both were a disappointment. I think what was missing was that cream stuff they use to put on them at Sno Wiz. Remember? If you got something that would have some type of cream (both of these would have) there was a separate squirt from a plastic bottle added to the colored syrup from the glass one. I also think the syrup was off, and I'm blaming it on corn syrup. I bet the Sno Wiz ones were real sugar and this was corn syrup. Something was off and after eating just the top mound that is on top of the cup, they were both thrown in the trash. We were glad we'd ordered smalls.
In getting settled in, we have made some major accomplishments. The truck has KS plates, or plate I should say. They only do the back plate. So SB is probably going to end up putting a UT plate on the front. We (he) has also programmed radio stations, kindly adding a couple country ones in there for me. :) We are working on cell phones, cable, and internet connection for the house (see house bullet next). GOSH! I don't remember all these decisions having to be made and I don't remember anything costing so much! Maybe because they were things I got one at a time, here and there. But when you try to go from nothing but American Forces Network, a prepaid cell (that you rarely use anyway) and the closest internet/phone provider to the house, it's a lot to take in! All things communication and high tech are kind of freakin me out!
The House - We almost have it! I am waiting on a call to schedule signing the contract, and we hope to move in Friday. The trick will be getting the movers to deliver our stuff on 2 days notice...cross your fingers and say a prayer! I NEED THAT BED! Here it is:

Walking in the front door, down a 1/2 flight of stairs to the left is the family room and bathroom, right is the door to the garage. Up a 1/2 flight is the rest of the house, living room to the left, kitchen straight ahead, and hallway to 2 rooms, a bathroom, and master bed/bath. The lot to the left is empty, so that will be nice to have some space over there, and will really be great if no one buys that lot. There are SO MANY houses for sale in that subdivision, and really all over the area because soldiers are always coming and going, and in anticipation of the 1st Infantry Division build up, they over built homes. Add that to the housing mkt slump and you've got an over abundance. Anyway, there will be more pics as we get in it and get settled.

One of the best things about moving in will be the kitchen. I am SO SICK of eating out. We have a small refrigerator and microwave in the room, but I'm kind of scared of the microwave, and I'm not sure that processed food (microwaveable) is much more healthy than eating out. We have pbnj and some fruit and oatmeal bars (SB) for breakfasts and some lunches, but really, we just want a kitchen and some groceries!
The beauty of the guesthouse has been the television. When it's on, it is on ESPN, CMT, or whatever channel has a Law and Order episode running! We've missed this!
I have registered at the Civilian Personnel office and hope to be placed in a job by October-ish. We are specifically looking for a Public Affairs position, that would rock!
OMG! Movers just called! They'll be there Friday!!! YAYE!!!
Oops, spoke too soon. That was for the small shipment, unaccompanied baggage. Now I'm on the phone with the household goods shipment people (that's the bed...the most important!) crap. she's going to have to check with dwayne and call me back. :(
On with the list...Oh, this is a good one...Army Lodging. It's a giant pain in the ass! (sorry 'bout the language mom!) We got here Aug 12. It's dumpy. I'm never shoe- or sockless, and trying hard not to let things I touch touch other things that are icky. I've wiped down most surfaces, and just had to get passed it. Then, because they are going through some kind of take over (hostile? don't know) we had to go back and recheck-in Saturday. Saturday night we were locked out and had to go back to the front desk. (side but very important note: the front desk is across post, a 10 minute drive) They revalidated our key cards. Monday, locked out again! Same song and dance, except this time it was almost an hour as we drove to the desk and back (20), then had to call the maintenance guy, he came and his key didn't work so he had to go back and get the maintenance supervisor (25 mins), then the supervisor came and popped the whole thing off the door to get us in and change the batteries or something. The one good thing is that since the take over, the cleaning staff has been better. Here is the lock out team at work:

The one working the door is Rafael. The one holding the instructions didn't have a name on his name tag. We named him Brad, Chad, or Brian.

:( Household Goods Dwayne just called. TUESDAY the 25th. So...that means airmattress Friday-Monday. 's okay, we slept on one for longer when we first got married, we'll deal.

We had briefly considered living on post, but when we went to the Housing office, they looked at our position on the waiting list (that we signed up on 2 months ago) and we were #54. She said it would be 3-6 months. This was Monday. Wednesday we got an email, a house will be available Sept 1. ?? I have no idea what their system is, but whatever. It is in an older area that we weren't impressed by, and were specifically advised against, so we pressed on with the off post option.

When you sign for off post housing, they (they being the off post housing people) make a big ordeal of going on and on about how you MUST NOT enter into a rental agreement without notifying their office and how you MUST NOT do this or that and MUST do this and that. Then when we visit their office, they do NOTHING. They tell us about the Automated Housing Referral List (which I have been scouring for months) and tell us to make sure we have a military clause which allows us out of a lease if we get orders to move. Do you need a copy of the lease contract or something? Nope. k...uh...then WHAT exactly do you DO? *head shake/eye roll*
All the little mishaps and moments of frustrations aside, we are in America, and for that I am thankful. We see little reminders of those we know and love all over the place. Carr Hall is one of the buildings on post. We looked at a house on Christy Ln. We will probably eat soon at Stacy's restaurant on the highway. There is a Longstreet on post. Cars like those of people we know make us look twice.

Soon we will be settled into a routine and life will go on. And blog posts will be shorter! ;)

Wow, two weeks since the last post! I am certain this will be about as random as they come, but here are the happenings of the past couple weeks:

1. We moved! Or rather...we are moving. We left Mannheim August 7, spent a few days relaxing and visiting with Mary and Chris in Lee's Summit (just outside Kansas City), picked up the truck in St Louis (that was a 500 mile round trip) and then drove to Ft Riley August 12.

2. Since our arrival in the states, we have eaten mexican food, barbeque, fast food, and a few home cooked meals. I've become a Chick-fil-A supporter! I have been battling a bad cough and cold-like mess. The soup was excellent.

3. Having stayed at the Benjamin Franklin on post guesthouse, and then arriving at Ft Riley and checking into Will Hall, we discovered that there seems to be a choice...clean, nice and very small; or roomy, but kind of scary and better wear shoes all the time. Either way, we are just ready to get settled.

4. That means finding housing. After 3 days that have seemed like 3 weeks, we think we may have located something. More to follow on that, I don't want to go all into it until it's a done deal.

There have been so many other things. So many times I have said, "hhmmm, I should put that on the blog." but it just escapes me now. The main thing is that we are back in the USA, and while the transition is kind of trying, we'll get settled soon. Then we can start furnishing our new digs! :)