Off Base

With no oven and everything closed, my family and I walked off base to an Okinawan Soba (noodle) restaurant. It was a 20 minute walk. The Soba was nice. I wanted to sit at the low tables but Hubby has sore knees. So, Sunshine (you know who you are) I was out. And...No, hubby didn't have to drag me out.
I can not wait to get our Internet at home (My camera's card is full)

We made it to Okinawa

We made it. Three flights and over 15 hours.

The children were great. The girl was restless, but that is to be expected. Both the girl and the boy slept most of the time. Dad slept when the girl let him. I worked on the last arm warmer.
The10 plus hour flight had interactive entertainment. You could watch movies, play games and/or listen to music. i watched the new Batman and Wanted.
When we arrived in Tokyo airport we had to get our bags and go through customs before we could get on our last flight. But the service people are so efficient. They check your stroller and/or car seats. You get a airport stroller to get to your gate.
When we got the to Okinawa the airport was deserted at 9pm. The place is full and I do mean full of live orchids.
We met our sponsors at baggage claim doors. They are very nice. They had our hotel room set for us, with baby food, bead and milk. The next day they showed us to a store out in town. I spent yen and even played in a grab prize game. I won a set of hello kitty rice bowls that retail for about $15 for only about $5.

NOTE the yen to dollar rate is about 90 yen for every dollar.

I have to study for the drivers test. I have to remember they drive on the left side of the road here. We have a welcome abort meeting this week and we get to pick our housing( a choice of only three locations).
With this week being a holiday we will not get a lot done. So, I will get back online about two weeks. Now I am at the base hotel, but when I get my home I will not have Internet for a few days.

I see that I am about 16 hour ahead of California.

Hope for Okinawa

My pesky adopted sister gave me an ultimatum in the form of a top ten list for my trip to Okinawa. ( BTW I leave in one week) 

She and almost everyone who knows that I am a homebody hope that:

10. I get out and about.  Not as a tourist, I should get lost and see some cool shit.
9. I need to meet real people to hang out with that know the Okinawan ropes.  
8. I get some self time. Away from the Man and children, as long as that does NOT include being home. 
7. I stay open minded about my loving friend suggesting I get  life. I don’t take offense sunny. LOL
6. I will have to learn the language. 
5. I have to do one thing that I may not think i’d like, that I'll end up loving.
4. Spend 38 minutes a day out side. (inside joke)
3. remember not t get caught up in the inevitable B.S.on most military base.
2. Miss my adopted family. I already  miss you. :)

And the number 1 thing hoped for me:

1. I can't come back with excuses about why I didn’t do the most and/ or have a SHIT LOAD of fun.

writing assignment: haiku I saw

Writing assignments from Mama's losin it Writer's Workshop .

The prompts I write about are (5 of 5):

1.)Write a haiku about what you see out the window.

the moon full, so bright

haloed in heavens mist

stars go unnoticed

2.) Begin with "I thought I saw..."

I thought I saw a prompt I could come up with something clever, nope it was a dust bunny.

3.) If I could live in any era of history, what would it be -- list 10 reasons why

I would have loved to be a adult during the 70s

1. The clothes (funky)
   
2. The hair (long head scarves)
   
3. The beginning of the discovery of international cultures
   
4. College was more about leaning not paying
   
5. The music
   
6. Women rights
   
7. gas prices were lower
   
8. less pesticides
   
9. housing cost were lower
   
10. cleaner water

4.) Write a light hearted piece on how to get along with an enemy.

Smile. Do your job well. Never let them know that you see them as an enemy.

5.) The first time you...

The first time you get a glowing comment on some writing you thought was mediocre is the coolest.

Eating out

Twice this week my family and I have gone out to eat.  Tuesday we went to Outback.  My "Grilled Salmon" was charred on the outside.  The second time it was sushi on the inside.  When asked, if I wanted to try for a third time or order something new, I declined.  

On the way home my husband heard me burp.  

Him: "You didn't eat anything to burp!  This could be a new type of diet."

Me:   "I did have a soda."

I thought it was funny that he and my girl ate.  Even the baby was eating while I just sat there waiting for two meals I didn't get to eat.

Then tonight we went to Applebees.  My steak was medium rare not the well done I asked for.  They just put it back on the grill for me.  Again, I sat while my family ate.  The girl and my husband were eating desert before I got my second steak.  Then, it came back just warmer and still medium.  I boxed for him later.  

In the car.

Him: "Man, I really need to stop taking you out." 

Me:   "Well, it's not like I ordered anything special either time.  May be I will start a diet!"

technical difficulty

I am in the process of getting a dot com for my blog.  But I have very little technical ability.  For about a week I my blog has been offline.  I still don't know what I did wrong.

Marine Corps birthday

233 year and going strong.

oorah Devil Dogs.

Veteran's Day. Tuesday November 11, 2008.  

Thank you to all branches that serve, die and the families that want them home.

Love to my Marines 

One down and one to go

I finished one arm warmer. My freind loves it. I had to hid it from her because she threatended to keep it. Know, the second arm warmer should be faster.

Change

Here on my soap box I tell you what I think.

I was born in the early 70's.  Growing up in the 80's  I was exposed to  the history of my country.  

  

Rosa Parks or Martin Luther King were before my time.  I leaned about slavery and the ratification of the 13 amendment. 

I witnessed a race and culture grow from hate. 

I personally  have been exposed to positives all my life.  I have always been taught that I can be or do anything humanly possible with my life.   It wasn't until I was in high school did I find out about low to no expectation of others for some races.  However, I meet more and more people of many races not willing to entertain any hate.  

I  see this election as much a turning point as the freeing of slaves.  A nation that held a people in a lower regard than animals is now to be led in to a NEW world by one of that race.

Change doesn't happen over night but, it does happen.    

Thank you all who VOTED regardless of for who.

writing assignment: amnesia and text messages

Writing assignments from Mama's losin it  Writer's Workshop .

The prompts I write about are (1 & 3 of 5):

1.) You awaken with amnesia in what looks to be an igloo. You have $4 and a rock in one pocket, and a toothbrush in the other. Someone is staring at you. Write this scene.

I open my eyes to see dark purls looking back ate me.

"Sir...Sir are you aright?"  

"Where am I?  Who are you?  Why is it so cold in here.  Is that ice on the walls.  No, wait the walls are ice.  What is going  on?"

"I am Atka.  I am your guide her ate the Ice House Resort."  She helps me sit up.  Let me explain.  My son..."

"Do you know why and I on the floor?  Ouch!  Something is in my pocket.  A toothbrush.  The other one has four dollars and a rock.  What the hell?  the last thin I remember is walking into a lobby."

"As  I was saying, you came in to the lobby for a toothbrush.  Which I have you a complimentary one.  Then as you were leaving to o to you individual ice hut my son tried to sell you some candy for his school drive.  I saw you give him a bill and him give you a few bills back. Then I saw him through a rock at the back of your head when you walked away from him."

"My head?  Then why is it in my pocket?"

I saw you pick it up as if nothing happened.  I decided to check up on you and found you passed out on the floor.

"Your son is a brat.  I remember, he wanted me to buy five bars."

3.) You're sitting at work one day and receive a text message from an unrecognized number. The text says, "I have the money and hid the body." You think this is a practical joke from a friend, so you play along at first. But the more texts you receive, the more you realize that it isn't a joke. Write the text conversation you have with this unknown texter.

Unknown: I have the money and hid the body

ME: Cool now what?

Unknown: You kill your target!

ME: ?

Unknown: Do it.  I know where you live.

Me:think you have the wrong number

Unknown:  no! you do! watch your back

Me:

Unknown: be seeing you.

First Award

And the heart is from to The Scattered Mind of a Tattooed Minivan Mom

who awarded me with the I Love Your Blog award!  She is the first blogger to pull me fully into the blog world.  

As a winner I have read that I need to 

~Put the logo on my blog.
~Link the person I received my award from.
~Nominate 5 other blogs / with links
~Leave a message on nominees' blogs (so they know they were nominated!)

Five blogs that I love!

1) Laural at Mamaspere soon to be Laural Out Loud  opened the blogging doors 

2) Lynette at My So Called Life  will have me a tee shirt made with 38 on it  & she knows why

3) MamKat at Mama's losin' it for allowing me to write

4) Lisa at Workoutmommy  for reminding me that "it only take a moment to be happy and fit" 
5) Heather and Tiffany at The secret is in the sauce for connecting us all

Thanks to them and all of you who read and comment.

Cleaning house

We are not selling.  No duh.  Not in this market.

So we are living out of suitcases and sleeping on an air mattress.  So glad we are renting with the washier and dryer.  So, I have a few comforts.

So,  we are having the house painted.  

The first quote said 5,000.00 for primer and one coat on all walls and ceiling.  the second quote said 480.00 for a one coat spray.  He told us that if we are renting it out, why over paint when each time you get a new renter we will have to paint again.

We (my husband) has to sand and touch up the ceilings before the painter comes.  He started Sunday night.  The painter will be here Wednesday.

I told him:  Hey wished we'd done this while we lived here.  

He told me :  Wished I had a month off work like I do now.

Me: -------( he told me)

Later the new carpet goes down.  

I am still trying to knit arm warmer in the mist of all of this too.

To knit, or to blog ?

My best friend works in a very cold office.  She wants arm warmers.  I found a great pattern at whatifknits . With my family moving soon.  I really want to do this for her.  She has don so much for me and my family over the last 9 years.

Also, her cousin has a scarf coming too.  Just a basic scarf with every expensive yarn.  It will be so pretty when it is done.

So my blogging may suffer for a few days.  I will try to keep up on my comments for other.   I hope to have pictures too.