Free Pass...

I'm going to venture a wild guess and say that Israel will get one. If you haven't been splattered with the headlines yet, here's just one...

Concerning the flotilla carrying aid to Gaza through the blockade.

Of course, depending on which article you read, reports are varying from 2 to 10 people killed and dozens injured. Israel is saying that there was no attack and point out that the flotilla could deliver cargo through one of their ports (uh huh...it would have totally gotten there).

Now, let's look at it this way...let's just look at this situation like it should be looked at. Pretend Israel isn't Israel in this case, that it is some other country...say Iran...what kind of actions would be taken then, I wonder. Not a little "shame, shame" finger wagging...not a shake of the head with the "you're a bad boy" look on the face. Hell no. It would be loud, worldwide reprimands with calls for some sort of serious action to be made. But alas, it is Israel...there will be no serious consequences.

No wonder these people got punished by God so often in the Old Testament, no wonder that the New Testament focuses on spreading God's love to the rest of the world...someone up there knew that this particular leopard wouldn't really ever change its spots. There would be calls of foul play and war if the situation were reversed and Israel the one under a blockade that denies aid. Yup, sure would.

Since it is Israel that is doing the blockading, I'm guessing free pass. No big surpise there.

Tick, Tick, Tick....

That is the sound of the clock...if you couldn't guess. The clock on what? Who knows! There is soooo much that could go wrong right now, so many things making headlines, that it's virtually impossible to choose.

It could be the clock ticking on world currencies (not just the Dollar and the Euro, btw).

It could be the clock ticking on yet another North and South war that we (the U.S.) will naturally have to dabble in.

It could be the clock ticking on the slow, oily death that is the BP mess.

It could be the clock ticking on a North v. South war of our own...or pro v. anti...or gov't v. the people...whatever the hell it gets called.

Tick, tick, tick...wonder which alarm will sound first. Doesn't matter, I don't think there are too many more that will wake up. Most will just hit snooze and drift right on back to sleep. Those of us that have been awake since 10 minutes before the alarm will be the ones to watch the scramble once the others realize just how late they've slept.

A Good a Time as Any...

to post the mid-year goals. The Spousal Unit is having screamer issues this morning and I'm tired of the volume so I'm escaping here, lol.

On a slightly more serious note, I'm feeling this particular article (h/t to ol' remus) so my sudden desire to have a set of short and longer term goals works well. I know it's coming, it always does...no Empire, no matter how big or small, has ever gone untouched. No Empire has ever completely survived, they mutate and change, dropping into oblivion or becoming something entirely new. It's just the way things work. This Empire is no different.

So, I have some incredibly short term goals and a few longer term ones. Let's start with the short.

1. Have $1k in Euro on hand (cash, not in the bank) by mid June. Doable? Yes, it is. Sure, it is a lot...but no where near what we'd really need should something untoward happen to military pay (like a gov't IOU in the bank instead of cash).

2. Get all the credit cards paid off by end of June (assuming the crash doesn't do that for me). Not much to pay off (less than $500), but want it all paid and not sitting there.

3. Have all the little nagging, annoying things that are bugging me on the car fixed by the end of August. It passed inspection, but there are still a few small things that need to be fixed so that I'm totally comfortable with the whole long distance trip.

4. Be done with furniture purchase/replacement by November. We got rid of A LOT of stuff before the trek overseas...stuff that shouldn't have been hanging around because it was costing more to keep usable than it was worth. So, being that we are soooooo close to IKEA (don't start, it's good stuff) we are rebuilding the house. The only thing really left to get is a dining set, but since I'm making all the above plans and they take precedence the table will wait.

5. LONG term...since a deployment is forthcoming, so is some extra $$ (once again provided any upcoming crash doesn't mean an IOU in the bank). The plan is to stash all of the extra...all of it. If all of the above plans are complete, then there is no reason to need any of that extra for anything. Spousal Unit makes enough without the extra for us to get by and pay bills, so the extra will be just that.

See, simple and easy to achieve...without a market crash that affects the pay. Should there be a crash, well...just like everyone else the struggle will be a big one.

Mid-year goals...

since I don't do real New Year's resolutions, I'm going to take stock of where we sit over the next month and set some goals to have accomplished by year end. I know for sure a few monetary goals and such but will wait to post them all in one spot (for my tired brain to reference easily later on when I accidently delete my file or the screamers color up the print out).

Which leads me to this: did you set goals for yourself this year? Where are you sitting with them now?

#200...

Wow...there's actually a few good posts buried (as in John Wayne style of saying..."burreed") in here somewhere too...but this one is #200. Wouldn't have noticed if I hadn't been smacking a little hand away from the screen as I was clicking. Go figure.

Enough drivel...on to some chatter!

Made some nice purchases this weekend, danke to the bi-annual case lot sales that make their way around the military. Grabbed up some extra shampoo and the likes along with laundry detergent and tp...and for the oldest a case of his weakness...Cheez-its. I know, oh so healthy but now I can go grocery shopping semi-peacefully...no begging for Cheez-its!! The sale was semi-decent...lots of diapering stuff like those new Cruisers that have been in the news (which we don't need), paper goods (Charmin, Small Steps, etc.), bathtime stuff (V05 and St. Ives) and detergent (Tide, Gain, Purex, etc)...not much else that we are into though. I think when the next sale rolls around in September I'll make the drive to a bigger post to see what they've got...maybe. I do have to say that I miss the Statesides sales when compared with ours here. As it is, we added to the preps quite well with this sale and will hopefully continue to stumble on some rocking deals.

I do have to give our post Thrift Store some props though. We've picked up a good chunk of "new to us" furniture lately...'tis the season for PCS and everyone is trying to make a little extra $$ with the selling of extra stuff. So we win with great deals on gently used goods...works for me as I have no issues with perfectly good furniture that's been a little loved. Besides, we picked up two vintage pieces for practically nothing. Call it Shabby Chic, lol.

And last but not least, you'll be pleased to know that my not-so-obsessive fabric and yarn hoarding will come to good use. I don't have THAT much, but dang it...I've got enough to do a little self-decorating. Self as in making curtains (since they cost an arm and a leg at the PX and I've not yet made an IKEA run) and later this spring/summer the knitting of hats, gloves and neck sweaters (aka scarves) for the screamer and myself. Not that I need them but dang if these kids just won't quit growing on me. I knew saving all that stuff would come in handy, as did buying off-cuts and such from the sale bins at JoAnn's and Wally World (when Wally World still had a semi-decent fabric section). My only downfall is the closest fabric store to me right now is a quilt shop with killer high end fabrics...heaven help the pocketbook if I ever get the guts to go in.

But then, if the Euro continues to tank...I may not need so much help!

This...

article prompted this:


Dear Afghanistan,

I am unwillingly sending you my husband soon. I would like to ask you to care for him but I know you won't. Instead you will make his day to day life miserable and dangerous. You will ask so much from him and give so little in return. Your people with both welcome and condemn him for being there to do what he has been ordered to do. He will be there to help, when you refuse to help yourselves.

You will continue to allow the Taliban bullies to push you to submission while my husband fights back against an enemy you aide. You will continue to complain about the loss of business and the failure of the U.S. (and other NATO countries) to help you build/re-build. You will do little to nothing in order to stand up for yourself, but never fear...my man is one of thousands that will and are trying make something more for your children and your future. All the while, we...his family...his wife, his children, his loved ones....will wait to see what our future will be. I do not relish the thought of my husband being in your hands, but I realize that is his job. And until the day it is no longer his job, he will do his best. Because that's the kind of man he is.


Now, there is soooooo much more that I would love to say but I've got a bee in my bonnet on another subject. Cars. Have mercy on my ever-loving opinionated soul but I am sick to death of being screwed around with via car buying.

Honestly, the few people that we've made attempts to purchase from either get us to the point of going to registration then back out or suddenly change their minds/demands/wtf ever and the whole deal falls through. I am sooooooooooo (there aren't enough o's) pissed at this whole situation.

First the prices are horrible for cars that are on their last f'ing leg...seriously...you want me to pay what for a used, barely working BMW that dates to the '90s? Why, pray tell? Because it's a Beemer and I'm American and you think way more of the car than what it's really worth? Sorry, wrong American...not a sucker thank you very much. I do know how to check the value on the GERMAN market...not the AMERICAN market. Afterall, little soldier we are not in America (though it does feel like it if you don't bother to wander afar from post) and if you would bother to do the same, you would realize that you are asking about $400-600 way too much.

Never fear though, some sap will come along and snap up the car thinking they got a fantastic deal. But that sap won't be me. You see, I'm not afraid of the bus/train system and damn it I'll use it. Might mean an overnighter when appointment time comes for the oldest screamer but so be it. That will still be cheaper than being taken to the cleaners by a crazy soldier selling a junker for twice it's worth.

Okay, crazy rant over for the moment...off to put dinner in the oven for the screamers. Apparently I'm starving them to death (p.s. it's only 3:30 p.m. here).

So....

we totally thought we'd be able to swing it without a car. And we were!! UNTIL....it came to light that the oldest has some pretty big hearing issues which will require treatment at a medical facility that our post no longer has a shuttle to...go figure! Alas, we are now absolutely going to have to do the whole car purchase thing.

Yes, the public transit rocks it...but with the oldest screamer now in DoD school (and loving it, totally thriving) the extreme timing between buses and trains will make it a bit ugly on days that treatment is scheduled. So, I am studying up for the test since I can't just renew my now expired license because it's been expired for over a year. Not stressing though, the test is pretty doggone easy in my previous experience.

Speaking of dogs...we broke down and got the youngest screamer a dog. But nobody tell her that, she's under the impression she belongs to me. English Cocker that now goes by the name Brownie. I wanted to name her Snack but the Spouse nixed that. Oh well...she's here and doing really well.

Oh my dear flooded friends, I am sorry...we have your weather and you have ours. The sun was stunning all week last week here...but never fear, the usual clouds have moved back in and it's been raining off and on the past few days (more off than on). Hope you dry out very soon and the damage is repairable.

Now, I'm off to fix some lunch...since I totally skipped breakfast in my hurried need to get stuff unpacked (yay for finally getting our stuff) and my bed put together!!