Tick Tock..

If you look to the right of this post, you can see that the "Count Down" clock is Tickin.... as we edge closer to our departure time to Sydney .... I'm so excited!!!

The picture to the left is is my "Bundle" Pile it may look like chaos to you .. To me, this looks perfect. I started packing this way a few years ago & I honestly believe it does a very good job. This only works well, if you don't need to pack and un-pack alot, Ergo: Great for a cruise.

This www.onebag.com website has an abundance of helpful information, for the professional or novice traveller.


PACKED!!! I am officially done. Everything is in here for a 22 day Holiday in Austrialia & New Zealand. I'm packed for Hot Days, Chilly nights, Wet Days & Formal Evenings...



Our next hurdle will be getting to Los Angeles (LAX) as a Non-Rev (Airline Employee) for our departure flight to Sydney (SYD) You are nothing if not creative as Non-Revs, it may take us an entire day and two/three or four flights to get us to LAX . . We just need 2 seats, problems is ... Flights are pretty full!! Not a surprising fact these days.


Wish us luck!

Gobble Gobble

I know Thanksgiving has come & gone, This was just one tiny thing I was Thankful for!!

The day The Better Half (TBH) met my family, He announced right in the middle of my Mother's kitchen he was a Washington Redskins Fan.... It was like that EF Hutton commercial.. Where you could hear a pin drop, ( I know I'm dating myself)

I'm trying to make a point here...

My Family is from TEXAS... Fort Worth to be exact..

Not, the best time to introduce my Fiancee to my family after a statement like that...

18 years later, I still feel the need to rub a score in like this. . Even if it is Seattle Seahawks...

Cowboys: 14 ~ Redskins 10 By the way...

Thanksgiving Traditions

Every Thanksgiving we put up our Christmas Tree, This year was no different,,, Even though we are not home in Texas, we make due here at Fort Jackson. We had a little bit of help this year... The above picture is my Great Nephew... Kye.. He was a big help, Not to sure I could of done it without him...

Now, if you are looking at our tree & thinking to your self, it looks a little sad, Not to worry,,, It is supposed to look like this... This is our special tree... It is our "Travel Tree"!!

You may be asking yourself, what is a Travel Tree... I coveted a grand idea from my BFF "Nett".. She told me how every time she went anywhere they purchased a Key Chain, and at the end of the year they would put it on the tree, I LOVE THAT IDEA!... So, for the past few years we have been collecting our Key chains where we go... (I wished we'd started years ago) It is especially wonderful this year to share our travels with my Niece Chancie & Nephew-In-Law Justin..

Justin is based at Fort Bragg just down the road a bit.. He leaves for Iraq on Monday 1 December 2008, Our hearts & prayers will be with him.. While he is gone, My niece is expecting Kye's brother in February,,

HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO EVERYONE!

UPDATE: Laparoscopic Nissen Fundoplication

6 Month Update: No More Purple Pills!!!!!

Hello everyone who does a google search for:
Laproscopic Nissen Fundoplication.. I notice I get quite a few hits about my blog on this subject, My surgery was 6 months ago,, How am I doing?

I'm doing GREAT! I'm so happy I had the procedure, I wished I'd done it sooner....

PROS:

• No more Purple Pills
• Sleeping all night with "zero pain"
• I've actually lost weight
• My eating habits have changed for the better
• I can't finish a soda
• Smaller meals, More frequent

CONS:

• I can't eat bread that has not been toasted
• I can't burp to save my life
• The air has to find a way out (You do the math)
• You must eat slower (which is actually a Pro)

These are just a few of the highlights, It has actually changed the way I do everything from exercise to sleeping.... Those of you with Gerd/Acid Reflux know the misery we have (Did have, Ha ha)....Those who are considering this procedure I say what are you waiting for..? Please, by all means if you have any questions ask your Doctor, If you want to talk to someone who has been thru this along with with all the other goodies that goes with it ... don't hesitate to ask ..... @ FlyAArmy@gmail.com. My Doctor gave me the text book spiel about what I could expect, she handed me all the pamphlets, I read all the information... I just wished I could of spoken to someone prior to the procedure. Not that it would of really mattered, Once I heard that I would not have to deal with heartburn anymore... I ran to the operating room and said: "I'm next"...

Of course, I went thru all the pre-op procedures:

• EGD with biopsies
• Esophageal manometry
• 24 hour pH study off acid medications (7 days off PPIs; 48 hrs off H2 receptor blocker)
• I was @ 87% stomach acid level...A Normal person is at 14%
• Barium esophagram

TBH (The better half) & Nurse Maid, said he was actually impressed at how quick I recovered. I followed the "Diet" they give you for about 3 weeks, Then I said the heck with this and started eating real food as tolerated... (Nacho's not a good idea for awhile.. just an FYI) I wish you all the best & Thanks for lookin ....

Better late than never....

I clicked & clicked my Combat Boots together & said "There's no place like home, there's no place like home",, Pooooooooooooooffffffffffffff .....17 days later .... here I am "Home"....

I was so happy to arrive last night, late, but HOME!

I slept in my bed, with my sheets, snuggled up to The Better Half on my left & our fuzzy 4 legged creature on my right, I am home!

I am an ANCOC Graduate!!

Thank You, Thank You...

To those of you who are Military,, you understand, To you all civilians, It's like receiving a degree, after years and years of studying. . . . It's like crossing a finish line!!

I took pictures of my cell ~ I mean Barracks ~ they were accidentally deleted...I had a basic trainee tell me a few weeks ago "Being in Basic Training ..was like being in prison", I asked her .."Have you been in prison?".. "NO" She said: Then how would she know..?!!?!!?!!

That got me to thinking, One of my classmates is a prison guard, I came into class one day and asked him,, "Do prisoners have more bennies than we do here @ Fort Devens?"... He let out a hardy belly laugh & he said, "Yes, they do".. I'm not complaining mind you... (Okay, I am...) You just don't know what you miss, till you don't have it,,, No Television, No Internet, No Phone (thanks Sprint), No Private bathrooms, lumpy bumpy mattress, 100 thread count sheets, fuzzy green wool blankie, no coffee pot, & mess hall food & No Blogger. It is what it is!! The class rooms were top notch and I excelled in class 94.87 GPA, What else was there to do? You had to study, the sun set @ 4:30pm and around 8pm.. you were thinking, well I might as well go to bed!

My calender is busy busy, for the next 2 weeks.... Keep lookin for Updates!

• My Bifolcals
• Laparoscopic Nissen Fundoplication (6 Months & Going)
• Unpack, Laundry, Pack, Unpack, Laundry & Pack
• DFW/Wedding
• Meeting the Son's new Girlfriend!!

What would you do with 30 hours?

Check into a Crown Plaza of course!!!!!!

I know it has only been 5 days since I checked into GI Jane land here @ Fort Devens, MA. They gave us break...An entire 30 hours... What to do, what to do.... ???

I took my good ole trusty rental car, my GPS & found a hotel in Natick, MA 27 miles from base. I decided to treat myself to a real bed, TV, Internet & Pizza!!!!! I've been living in the Barracks and eating Mess Hall food, No Television, No Internet, No cell phone signal (Thanks, Sprint) 100 threat count sheets & a nice comfy green wool blanket, Hot or Cold water, NOT BOTH! Torture I know, Someones gotta do it,,, If you didn't have the yuck, how would you know when you have the good?

When I return to Fort Devens we go on our FTX mission, (FTX = Field Environment) for 72 hours! Nothing like a bunch of Admin type folks in a field type environment playing war games!! Half our class has been deployed to Iraq and or Afghanistan, I will be leaning on them for guidance, since we are graded on this exercise. Then back to the class room for our last three classes/tests before graduation on the 16th!!

Now, that we are all caught up... I'm going to log off and enjoy my room... & if anyone is counting... We have 23 days till we depart for Sydney, Australia!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Where did all the "R's" go!!??

That is a better header, than.....This may or may not be my last post for the next 15 days, I'm currently in Boston!,, Heading to Fort Devens, Mass.... Ergo, my question .. Where did all the R's go... They Don't use them hear.... To a Texas gal this is an uncommon accent!! Which I'm sure my "Fixins" & "Ya'lls" drive them crazy as well! My waitress this morning was killing me, telling me the story how her son had gotten a scholarship to college ,, Not Haaaaa vaaaad, mind you . .. Just state college & now he wanted a Caaaaaa...the college was small and paaaaaaaking was haaaard for people with a caaaaaa,, okay okay, I'll hurry up and eat!!

I know another luggage picture, This is PART of what I brought for the next two weeks of Arrrrrrrrrrmy Training!!! I will be in a course called ANCOC (Advanced Non Commissioned Officers Course) Wish me luck!! I will update when I can!! Even if that means hanging out in a local parking lot searching for Free WiFi!! You know you've done it!