Going My Way?

I have written about the new building we're about to move in -- called the Sustainment Center of Excellence (SCOE Building). The building is right across the street from my current office and the schedule has started whereby some tenants have already started the occupant process. Our turn is in 5 weeks.

Last week a co-worker and I went to the SCOE for a meeting. As we approached the front of the building there were three Fort Lee police cars out front. Not a good sign, but nonetheless we walked in, and went directly to the elevator to make our way to the 4th floor. As we approached the elevator door, there was a young Sergeant Military Police (MP) standing a few feet away from the elevator door....staring at the elevator. We pushed the button and when the elevator door opened, we entered and he just stood there. Dave asked if he was going up and he calmly replied, "no, I just got a distress call from this car."......and the doors closed. We heard a clanking (rather loud!) noise. I told Dave -- "hang on!" We made it to the 4th floor for the meeting and opted to use the stairs upon our exit of the building.

Flash forward 3 days.....The safety director stopped by my office, just to say hello on Friday morning. I asked how his week had been and he started to tell me how one of the elevators in the SCOE building had dropped. Imagine my thoughts! I asked him if it were about 9:15 on Tuesday morning. He quickly asked, "where you the poor lady on the car when it dropped?" I had to disappoint him, but assured him it wasn't me, but did share the story about the non-chelant MP that frankly didn't care who entered the lame car about 9:00 a.m.! Thankfully, the lady didn't get hurt as the car only dropped one floor.

I think I'll stick to the stairs for a rather long time!

Til later ~~ Mom/Candy/Chief

Spring Break -- For All

Greetings ~~

Ok....I know it's been a while since I blogged. But....I have been on Spring Break!!! Actually, Becky was on Spring Break, so she and Ed flew out to spend a fun-filled, whirl-wind week at the Martin Virginia Bungalow!

I picked them up on Saturday, the 14th of March. We spent Sunday with Maryland Martin Family -- Dan, Diana, and Alex (sorry...no pics -- we forgot the cameras!) at the Potomac Mills Outlet Mall. We ate, walked, shopped, ate some more, and then bid farewell. Great visit.

Monday, Ed, Becky, and I headed toward Washington D.C. We parked on the south side of the city and took the Metro into the city. One pic reflects we didn't know much about the machines, nor how to buy a ticket! But, we learned quickly and found our way to the White House, the Viet Nam Memorial Wall, the Lincoln Memorial, the Washington Monument, the WWII Memorial and then on to the Pentagon for a guided tour.

Tuesday was a partial day at Fort Lee. The week prior was an especially exciting time on Fort Lee as we hosted the Annual Army Culinary Arts competition. The largest culinary competion in the world! We went to the Culinary Arts building, where some of the exhibits will remain for this next year. Below is a chocolate leprechaun. The picture doesn't really do it justice -- the detail was truly amazing. Other sculptures were out of fat and lard! Seriously -- a beautiful dragon complete with all the marbling found in fats. Amazing!

After Fort Lee, we headed toward the Jamestown Settlement, but just missed the tour! So, we drove 20 minutes to Colonial Williamsburg and spent the rest of the day and evening. The carriage ride pic is from our trip "around town". I learned the city of Williamsburg was bought by the old Rockefeller money in the 1920's and established as a foundation. 98% of the buildings are original. Also learned the city was the original capitol of the Virginia Colony. The Governor lived in the Governor's Palace, the place where we enjoyed a beautiful 1700-period concert in the evening.

Wednesday morning we woke early (yep, Becky really got out of bed before 10!) and were on the road about 5:30. We had a 9:10 tour at our Nation's Capitol and what a thrill! We found our way to the Jefferson Memorial, then on to Arlington National Cemetery where we toured and also got to witness the humbling Changing of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown.

Thursday was museum day at Fort Lee. This is my opportunity to BRAG about my Army! The Quartermaster Corps is the second oldest branch in the Army -- second to the Infantry. The Infantry was born the same day as the Army -- June 14, 1775. Two days later, it was recognized the Infantry couldn't do much without supplies, fuel, ammo, etc. So....the Quartermaster Corps was born and is today the largest branch of the military at 118,000 total soldiers. Second largest is the Infantry at 112,000. Infantry may be older (by 2 whole days!), but we're bigger (by a bunch!) The Quartermaster Museum is tastefully done and exhibits are very interesting. Fort Lee is also home to the Women's Army Museum. I find it humbling because the first type of uniforms I wore are now on display in the museum!

Ed and Becky flew out late Thursday and we all felt we needed to get back to school and work in an effort to rest up! We did have a wonderful week! Can't wait to have a repeat!!!

Speaking of uniforms in the museum displays -- I celebrated a milestone this past Sunday (22 March). It was 34 years ago I raised my hand and enlisted in the Women's Army Corps. Not many WAC's still serving in the Army today. In fact, not many in the Army today even know what a WAC is!! That's frightening. But, I tell 'em! The Army celebrates Women's History Month every March. This week I was asked to sit on a panel of 5 women leaders to talk about Women in the Army and leadership. It was well received and we had about 40 people in attendance. Each of us spoke about what it was in our time of early Army years. I remember how I enlisted for three years, and how those first ten went by in a blur. I remember being the last basic training class that DID NOT have weapons training! We had make-up, etiquette and poise classes! We did push-ups from the knees. Push-ups from the toes were for the boys! Many jobs were closed to women and women in combat was an absolute taboo! Girls, have we come a long way!

Til later ~~ Mom/Candy/Chief

P. S. One day I'll learn how to space the pictures properly -- until then -- enjoy them. I think they speak for themselves!

Woo Hoo!

Woo hoo is right!! This is my application for graduation that went in the mail today! I'll be finished in May!!! It has been a good experience and I must admit I have learned a great deal. But.....I'm tired of living in my procrastination world. OK.....my kids come by it naturally! There. I said it!

On another note -- I went to Burger King for lunch today, stopping by the drive-thru to grab something to take back to the office. Upon approaching the microphone to place my order, I hear a voice, "you need to know, we are completely out of burgers, so please make another choice!" That meant EVERY type of burger -- the little shooters (new on the menu), whoppers, the steakburgers, etc. All burgers. Wait.......I thought I was a BURGER King. I guess he lost his crown, or tiara, or whatever he was wearing today.

On to homework this evening!

Til later ~~ Mom/Candy/Chief

President's Day UBI

Happy Federal Holiday to all those who were lucky enough to get today scheduled off. I've called this post "President's Day UBI". For those of you who don't know -- a UBI is a useless bit of information. I love UBI's. They're fun, harmless, and most importantly useless. However, one never knows when a UBI can come in handy.

When I was a kid the pictures of George Washington and Abraham Lincoln hung in our classrooms. Every kid in America knew who #1 and #16 were. It was part of the curriculum. So....when the feds decided they needed to add a Federal holiday to the calendar, so people like me and those I hang out with, could get another scheduled day off -- they choose the month of February because as a small child, we also learned their respective birthdays are February 22nd and February 12.

Here's the UBI part -- but very fun to remember if you were among my sibilngs! My dad was a twin. His first name was Robert and his twin's name was Herbert. Not sure where the names came from. Just plain ol' names anyone would give to two identical twin boys born in Sioux Falls, South Dakota in the year 1923. But....they happened to be born on February 12th -- so they were named respectively -- Herbert Abraham and Robert Lincoln. I was always glad my Dad was the younger of the twins, because I always though Robert Lincoln had a very nice ring to it. Poor Uncle Herb.

Wherever you were today -- enjoying the holiday, now you can laugh at a small little UBI involving #16.

Til later ~~ Mom/Candy/Chief

Home Sweet Home -- Sort of

I have never posted this many pictures and then attempt to write in amongst them!

Here we go!

As promised -- here's pictures of "the Virginia place".

Most everything is self-explanatory.The bathroom is brown and sort of an aqua/blue color deco. The bedroom is the same aqua/blue color. Colors I would have never picked out -- but very much fun!

Llaura will especially LOVE the floor lamp next to the sofa!! I'm sure she'll like the baskets in the bathroom, as well. See what you get for leaving things at Mom & Dad's!!!

The living room furniture will be absolutely adorable in a Sun Room somewhere -- someday. There are actually seven different pieces of fabric in the sofa and the chair. Girls, please know I had a difficult time trying to find doilies!!! They are hard to find!

But....alas I found some! I'm thinking of dying them a deep rose/almost red color. I think they'll look cute on the white tables, with the white lamps.

The bedroom furniture is a knock-off version of the our bedroom set back home. It's functional and provides a place to rest my head at night and store clothes! I should have taken pictures of the night stands before the new furniture was delivered. They were the "McGyver" version -- one was a microwave box and the other a box that some pans came in!!! Gosh, I miss having Ed around!

Don't you just love the bathroom? The picture of the hat is actually a little rug. I thought it was pretty dang cute. I didn't go too crazy with ALL the bath accessories -- most of them looked pretty cheesy. The shower curtain, the rug, and the cute towels were quite enough!

YES -- I do have room for guests!!! The sofa pulls out to a queen-sized bed. And.....I do have a sewing room equipped with a blow-up bed! No pics of that room quite yet -- as it's still a work in progress.


OK -- time to post this blog. I truly can't figure out how to get the right words with the right pictures. I know you can figure it out!

Til later ~~ Mom/Candy/Chief

Welcome Home!

Finally.....after living like a gypsy for the past six weeks, the eagle has landed!!! Previous posts have shed some of the horror stories about living out of my car and it has been a challenge. Not literally living out of the car, but storing nearly everything in it, because I had too much junk to haul it in/out and I was fearful I may have had to move -- just one last time!

Alas, apartment life will be grand! Here was my welcome home gift from the apartment complex. Yes, that is a toilet plunger!! On top of the plunger is a roll of toilet tissue (OK....it was one-ply, but still exciting!) and some liquid and bar soaps. The wine? What wasn't from the apartment complex. That was from me! But, I thought it looked great alongside the "real" welcome gift. Check out the crystal-like handle of the plunger. Obviously, the prettiest one I've ever seen.

Then, today I found this welcome site. My personal delivery man. What a great day. I got to see Ed and Chip. It will be great having them around for more than a week. We got the truck unloaded and started putting things in places.

All in all -- a good start!

Til later ~~ Mom/Candy/Chief

Here's Your Sign

You've heard the joke -- "here's your sign!"

I just hate stupid people.They should have to wear signs that just say I'm stupid.That way you wouldn't rely on them, would you?You wouldn't ask them anything. It would be like, "Excuse me...oops,never mind""I didn't see your sign."It's like before my wife and I moved from Texas to California our housewas full of boxes and there was a u-Haul truck in our driveway.My friend comes over and says, "Hey, You moving?""Nope.""We just pack our stuff up once or twice a week. Just to see how manyboxes it takes.""Here's your sign."

I felt like that today!!! Only the joke was on me. I am still somewhat living out of my car (literally!) I left San Antonio on December 23rd bound for points North then East. I have packed and unpacked my car too numerous to count. When I arrived at Fort Lee Lodging (where I'll be until the end of the month when I can finally get into the apartment!) I was told I would have to move rooms one time during my four week stay. Great!

Today was the day. I inquired at the lodging office (in another building) and asked if I'd be in the same building -- nope -- a totally different building. So last night I made at least 6 trips back and forth to the car to load the trunk and the back seat of the car. This morning I made an additional six or seven trips to get all the little totes (Laura taught me to use them :) ) to the car. It was full -- trunk, back seat, passenger seat, every nook and cranny everywhere. I could NOT see out the rear-view mirror. Thank heavens for side mirrors. I drove over to the lodging office to check out of one room, to get the new key for the new room.

Here's the good part -- the door to my new room was literally 20 steps away from the old room!!! It is a different building, they're connected with covered walk-ways. I felt like I was on Candid Camera or something. The walk to the parking lot is about 75 steps (one way!) I could not believe it.

I had to laugh and think -- "Candy, here's your sign!"

Til later ~~ Mom/Candy/Chief

P. S. I would have taken pics, but it was dark (AND COLD) by the time I got off work and had to "unpack" this evening.