Sunday, July 1, 2007

VACATIONS OVER and other crap

Fresh back from seven great days and nights in Maine, and the toilet is open!!




In case you forgot how, here's a little reminder.



And something to ponder.


All joking aside we had probably the best stretch of weather that we have ever enjoyed at Hermit Island.
The days were crystal clear,




The sunsets were outstanding.


Couldn't have asked for better company.

And our adopted pet Mike liked it.


We called him Mike, because he liked everything we gave him to eat.
Here's a pic of Mike watching the cook preparing our breakfast.

Thanks to all who stopped bye and left messages while we were away.

Mic

Nigel

Ben

And Mark, who doesn't have a blog, or at least that he's admitting to yet, but shares a common bond of having a son in Iraq.
Who, by the way is home on leave.
I sure hope he enjoys every minute of it. He certainly deserves it.

Mark, if you read this, say thanks to Mark for his service to our country, and tell him that he's in my prayers daily.

I wish him the best of luck, and a safe completion to his deployment.

For a whole week, I got little to no news about Iraq. I'm thankful of that, because the only news I would have gotten would have been bad.
We had a email from Matt when we got home. It alluded to the fact that he is now a gunner on a Stryker. The news was that it was 130 degrees the other day, but where as the Stryker is air conditioned, half of him was cool. The other half was sticking out of the hatch, all sweaty and smelling of exhaust.
I don't think he was standing on his head!!

To be honest, I'd rather he was in the Stryker than a Humvee.

19 comments:

  1. Welcome home, the vakay looked relaxing.

    I don't know how all you military families are keeping yourselves together while your sons and daughters are deployed. You have as much courage as they do. Truly.

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  2. I'm glad you had a great vacation. It looks like a spectacular setting. Mark is home but goes back next week. It's been great not watching the news although we still flinch when we hear an occasional headline. Appreciate the prayers. Matt is in ours. Mark had a very nice homecoming. Our house is bit like a college dorm now...and we are enjoying the chaos.

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  3. Suzy, Sometimes we keep ourselves together, and sometimes we do a good job of faking it.
    I think having been in the military helps a little. I know matt is amongst a group of brothers who are as dedicated to coming home in one piece as he is.
    The comaraderie is something that can't be explained.
    Thank you for your thaughts.

    Mark, I bet you're enjoying every minute of it!!!
    If all works out, Matt should be home for Thanksgiving. That's the mid point of his deployment, and coincidently, his mother's birthday is on the 20th.
    I can't think of a better present.
    Hope you enjoyed the holiday.

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  4. Hello infantry dad, thanks for coming by my place today. I try to always return the favor. If you're interested. My hubby is a Retired Submarine Sailor of 22 years. His blog is www.agangershome.blogspot.com you may find things there that interest you. Yikes, I've spent too much time with the hooligans (kiddos) I'm repeating myself. I enjoyed your post. the humor and the serious. I do believe that an intact sense of humor will get us through all things (I pack it right after I pack my faith.)
    I'm adding you to my blogroll so I can visit frequently. God Bless you and yours and Happy Independence Day. (As I said at my place, I'm not wishing happy 4ths, I want the reason for the season right out front just like at Christmas.)

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  5. It was quite the holiday. Probably the biggest party we've ever had at our little house....no casualties :)
    I hope it works out for Matt at Thanksgiving. Mark's deployment should be over by then. When he ships out next week, it will be just 123 days to go. His birthday is Nov. 23...so maybe it will be a good time for all.

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  6. Mom,
    Thank you.
    I will be certain to check out Subvets blog. I don't think I could spend much time on a sub. I thought the idea was for the boat to float? Sort of like jumping out of a perfectly good airplane never made much sense to me??
    i enjouyed your post, and will be back. I remember the days when I had three little ones running around, messing the house up..
    Wish I could live it again!!!
    I hope this mess in Iraq will be over when yuors are old enough to serve, but fear that there will be something worse going on.
    Take care.

    Mark,
    While I worry about wishing my life away, I hope that those 123 days go bye quickly!!
    And that we see the day when we can say I remember when my son was in the war!!
    Anytime you want to contribute pictures, or comments to my blog, you are more than welcome to.

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  7. Glad you had a good time.

    I've been bugging suz for ya, K ?

    Glad they gave your son a gun too.

    Whats a stryker anywho?
    I'm too lazy to google it ( ;

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  8. Mickey, This is a Stryker!
    Comming soon to your local auto dealer.
    (Hey the Hummer started out military). Could happen.
    http://bp1.blogger.com/_zPDDOeeZ0Jg/Rm3v3-DnLWI/AAAAAAAAAOs/7BMhdorXptw/s1600-h/LAND_Stryker_With_Slats_lg.jpg

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  9. Appreciate the offer to post pics or comments. I've never done much blogging before so I am bit of a novice. Mark used to be a gunner but now carries an M203. However, he is often in the turret of a Humvee when out on patrol. I agree about your comments about Strykers....

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  10. Hey! Glad you had a really swell time. One question though... what would you have named the gull, if you didn't like it?

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  11. Ah, I was under the ass-sumption it was like the green beret(spec force)I didnt know it was a vehicle.

    I'm still lazy so I'll take your sword on it.

    Oh, hi

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  12. That's hard to say Chief??
    I've never met a gull I didn't like!

    Mic? When have I ever lied to you?

    Oh yeah

    HI

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  13. Hey, thanks for coming by my place, come back anytime. As for when my kids are old enough to serve. Well, that's a long time from now and very hard to imagine. Right now I'd just like em all talking and out of diapers :-) If they do ever decide to serve our country I'll do just like you do now. Pray constantly and tell the world how proud I am of them. Sending prayers your way, and Marks. Remember my cousin SPC Baker in yours please.

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  14. Well, we are in the same boat again. Mark departed for Baghdad today. He seemed OK but it was a long and quiet ride to the airport. It was great not watching the Iraq news feeds for two weeks. I think of Matt often and hope everything is going well.

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  15. Mark, gee that was quick. sending prayers your way.

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  16. oh, hi










    *tapping foot

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  17. Chief-hat would you have named the gull, if you didn't like it?

    Bet I know...I'd tell ya but sometimes dad has company...

    ID- You still, like, blog?

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