Well here's another fine mess...

Reason #1 why I have not been posting - enjoying my son being home from Iraq, home from the Army, home from anywhere else.
#2 - WORRYING about my son and his situation - you know - 'is that ptsd???', what is up with the girlfriend situation, how is it going with school, etc., etc., etc.
#3 Oh this one is the fun one.... I'm be-bopping along through life and realize my computer anti-viral (Computer Associates) is getting ready to go out of date and I need to PAY and download the update. Remember how they always tell you to be sure you are firewalled and anti-viral protected, etc. - it's sort of like insisting you have a condom on your internet processes, if you will. EXCEPT you need to disable your firewall, uninstall your anti-virus -- you know go out on the internet buck naked and download their new and updated program to protect you so your computer will be safe from computer diseases. Mind you, I live out in the sticks and we, yes I am embarrassed to have to admit to you, have dial up. So I follow the instructions, go out in the ether to download the updated computer virus program and hours later have only 2 to 3 % of the download. I try several different times and even at one point get (whoo-hoo!!) 25% of the download done and I say to myself "Self, this is ridiculous. Let's go to Office Depot, buy the program on disk and not so sorely tempt the patience level (very, very, very low) so you won't want to throw your computer through the window and into a blazing fire." Ooh, good idea!!

So I go to OD, buy the program which I have indeed already paid for on line, and happily enough try to load IT onto the computer.

This little program practically JUMPS onto the computer (well, I guess that would be more like INTO the computer) and I get to the part where it informs me I now need to go online to finish up. Okay, no big deal. And so the computer happily starts downloading stuff - from the correct location and all, and then informs me to complete the process the computer will need to be restarted. This is all perfectly normal and I am confident that I will then be able to go to the Computer Associates people on-line and request them to refund the download that I paid for as I then went to the store and bought the program on disk. No problem, right?

Not so much.

Somehow in the whole download process with "no protection" - as per the download instructions my computer has gotten some wacked out mental disease and informs me that I do not have a modem. Interesting since I do, indeed have a modem, it is an internal modem, it was working absolutely fine the day before, and what the heck is going on here?????

So I figure - hey I've used computers for quite some time now and I am confident I can fix this - it's some minor something and I should be able to fix this with minimum effort. Oh dear. I do a restore to a previous point, test the modem which is working quite well, making that lovely little dial tone hum and all's right with my computer world... almost.

Somehow the evil internet has viralized (yes, I made that work up, language is a living thing and I enjoy making up words and YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHAT I MEAN by that word) my pc and I try and try and try to fix it to no end. Finally I get the name of a good computer guy who is now in my cell phone as Computer Paul and I take him my computer for fixing.

Oh, boy. He has to mentally jiggle with it quite a good bit and has it almost fixed when the hard drive crashes. Like into a big brick wall at 90 miles an hour. He ends up having to up my Windows XP to XP Professional, does lots of other little fixes and fortunately I do have the discs of the software programs I wanted. However - I have lost everything, I mean everything on my computer. Email addresses, emails I wanted to keep (and I had plenty), all my personal documents, photos, you know - EVERYTHING - favorite blogs and websites...

So I am recreating my computer history.

Computer Paul also advised me - don't ever pay for anti-virus programs. Have I ever heard of AVG Free? How about Spy-Bot? Well, he took care of me and put those in the machine and they work pretty well and wonderfully seamlessly.
So I go to Computer Associates, tell them my sad story and they advise me that since it was past 30 days when I requested my refund, they could only give me aprotion thereof. Freakin' fine - except I contacted them for this refund early in December and they have thus far failed to contact me any further about the refund (portion) and I'm getting tired of that silliness!!
I mean come on - I paid for a program TWICE that not only didn't work - it messed up my computer and cost me more money to have it repaired and it doesn't look as though they have any intention of returning a penny to me!!

Personal recommendation for computer protection - DO NOT use McAfee (I had a similar problem with them previously) do NOT use Computer Associates, do NOT pay for anything!!!!
Go with AVG!!

Okay I'm tired of typing, time to share.... I do miss some of my favorite blogs!!! WHatever happened to contact right???? who else am I missing??? Yankee Mom I remembered you, Chuck Z, gunnutt, several others ....

Memorial Day, 2007

I haven't posted for quite a while! My son returned from his second deployment on September 7, 2006. He came home - physically relocating to under my roof when he was released from the service shortly thereafter. It has been a time of readjustment for all of us. That is not a bad thing - just a thing. He needed a place to stay short-term while he lined up his life (and finances,) and I think he needed a place to find his balance again, a shelter where he could let go of some of the sharp edges that surely come for all GIs after combat deployment.

He moved out Friday (yes - only 3 days ago) and it is a little strange for ME!

This man, my son, my little baby son who is a man in ways that some men will never be is back on his own and I want that for him and he wants that for him. It's just that even though I have been SO READY to have him move forward again, I have to now find my own balance from him having been in a combat deployment - twice.

This few months has been reassuring that he is really indeed alive and breathing on the planet - which I needed!

So, now he is out again and won't be here to tell me to stop watching the news and reading blogs related to Iraq, the mililtary in general, the war, etc., etc. because I don't need to know about that. Yes I do. He is simply trying to protect his mother by telling me that, I know. And I do need to know. I need to know that there are some people who really do love and appreciate our GIs, that I am not alone in that feeling.

This day - this Memorial Day - let all of us remember, let all of us honor, let all of us appreciate those of our brothers, our husbands, our fathers, our sons - and also our sisters, wives, mothers, and daughters - who have sacrificed so much so that we may be free. Of course, that means ALL of our military men and women, and particularly let us honor, appreciate, and remember our GIs who have made the ultimate sacrifice, giving their very lives that we may be free. A stand for freedom anywhere is a stand for freedom everywhere.

Thank you and God bless you to those of you who serve. Thank you and God keep you to those who have served and lost their lives from a grateful wife of a Viet Nam vet, a grateful mother of an Iraq vet.

holding pattern for blogging

It's been a while since I've posted. Partially I haven't posted because I really do have to step over laundry and weapons to get to my computer - what, you thought I was kidding??? There are more reasons than that one, however. Mostly I have not WANTED to post. I have not wanted to feel the feelings and let them out. I haven't wanted to cry.

And I am happy, mind you. I really am. I have so much for which to be grateful. My son is home safe - and whole. This also kind of engenders some feelings of guilt for that but I know it is a normal feeling to be both joyful and to feel a bit of guilt so - I'm okay with that. I have good health, my marriage is good, my family members are all healthy, I KNOW that I am so blessed. I am grateful for and happy with all of these things and many, many more.

And this old world - oh man. How can I keep from crying? When I see so many sorrowful and deadly things going on in the world, all of them deserving of, each of them calling out for tears to be wept for them.

So, I will hold off for a little while more to really post. I have to find a balance and not be so vulnerable to just bursting into absolute sobbing when I think too long (and that can be just a nano-second!) about our beautiful GIs and their situations. I can do no one any good if I am a blubbering mess!!!

Keeping all our GIs in my prayers - and their loved ones, who also serve.

Life is Good

My soldier, my hero, my son has been home now for almost a month - I mean actually here in the flesh, with stuff all over my house which had seemed large and roomy theretofore but now seems cluttered and MESSY and that's really not totally horrible. I may have lost my mind but it doesn't seem entirely unusual now to have to step over a pile of laundry and a couple of weapons in order to access my computer. :>

He is home from Iraq, he is home from war, he is home from the Army. In fact he will officially muster out as of December 15th.

I am so proud of him I could just burst and for those who embrace their anti-war sentiments, their anti-America sentiments, their Bush-hatred sentiments like lovers they wish to hold ever near - I can only say how sorry I feel for the empty, cold inability to EVER have a clue how this feels.

Yes, I was worried about him for every instant of his deployments. Yes, I prayed constantly for his well-being, his safety, and - indeed- for the end of violence in the world. But there will always be violence and hatred and evil in the world. Our GIs do not, are not, never will BE that evil. They are what stands between good and evil in the world - even if, even when some few of them choose to go that easy road and walk the path of evil themselves.

They are heroes. They stand when their nation - OUR nation - asks them to, where our nation asks them to, how our nation asks them to stand. They stand in the freezing cold, in the vilest heat and dust and filth you could never even imagine. They stand and face cowards who have kidnapped a religion and claim to be 'chosen by god' and 'the one true faith' and 'the religion of peace.' Peace? When it is acceptable, normal even, to hide behind women and children and shoot at whoever they have decided is their enemy? That is peace? That is good? That is what God wants? No, and no, and no. That is evil, war-mongering, hatred for self-serving, immature and irresponsible liars and despots.

And our GIs stand - so that Americans can sleep peacably in their beds at night. Our warm, soft, clean beds while GIs sleep in noise, in dirt and dust and mud and cold and heat and squalor - because that's what they have at the moment. They stand so that Americans can hold and voice opinions even against the stand of our GIs, even against the GIs personally.

I do recommend to those hate-mongering-morons - don't you start, even START to say or begin to act in a negative manner toward these our heroes, past or present around a GI-mom. No, not a mom who is a GI - a mom OF a GI. I don't think the military is fully aware of the secondary army/navy/air force/marine force - that would be those of us who also serve -- moms, dads, siblings, spouses. Had anything happened to my child I was willing to be armed and air-dropped in to clean house - to take out any and everyone who had harmed him. And I'm a pretty peace-able person!!!

Thank you to our military men and women - whenever, where ever you have served. Thank you to our second force - those who also serve for the fear, anxiety, breath depriving terror of your service!

Now my son is home. I will write about some of that later, but know that I do not forget those who are not at home, those who are not safe, those who are injured. I do not forget and I keep you all in my prayers. God bless and keep you all.

To Honor our Veterans

Tomorrow is the official holiday to honor our Veterans.
I post this today to honor my husband - an Air Force Viet Nam Veteran. I honor him for his time in the service of our nation during an unpopular war. I honor him for doing his duty, for standing when he was asked to do so. I honor him for traveling home in civilian attire because he was told to for his own protection because in that time and day he might have been spat upon (spitting should be a criminal offense punishable by death - okay only if it's on or at another human), beat up, harrassed and called a baby killer for serving his nation.

I honor a friend of ours, Rod "the M&M man", another Viet Nam Vet who was told when he was in D.C. with another serviceman (and I apologize to him for forgetting his branch of service) in that ugly time to leave a restaurant because the owner was fearful for his property as there were so many protesters in the city at the time.

I honor my son Troy, recently redployed from his second tour in Iraq. I honor him for being my hero - for doing what was hard and lonely and acting with honor and strength in OIF 1 & 4.

This generation of military men & women are volunteers, every one. Oh what moron (you know the one - the rich, pickle fortune marrying cowardly liar who claims his own 'veteranship' when it serves his purpose) calls men and women stupid whn they volunteer to serve their nation. These volunteers may not all be the brightest bulbs in the fixture, yet they all shine. And the many are intelligent and honorable soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines. The vast majority of them serve with honor, with courage, discipline, intelligence, compassion and let me reiterate - honor.

That one word - honor - may be precisely what the aforementioned moron (aka Kerry) can never understand, never appreciate, never even begin to comprehend or SEE its very existence. You see, you must have it within you yourself in order to see it in another, in order to even know what it is, and I don't believe honor or integrity are in the makeup of that individual nor is it in the makeup of many of the politicians we have in office today.

God bless and keep all of our military -- men, women, all branches, all MOSs - who served with honor and integrity. All who suffered fear, discomfort, lack, and carried on anyway. All who did what they were asked to do to stand for freedom, to stand for America, to protect the interests of a great nation. Thank you. Thank you to the families, who also serve. Thank you to those wounded and worn. Thank you to those who made the ultimate sacrifice -- dying for my freedom. I understand now, after 2 deployments in an increasingly "unpopular" war, how much is at stake every single moment of every single day.

Thank you.

The Cool Dad Affair

So there we were - Troy - my soldier-returned-home-from-war son, my husband Ruben, myself, my sister Linda and her son Malcolm, my sister Nancy and her sons Jamie & Jackson all in Clarksville, TN getting ready to go out to dinner. Troy is getting dressed in his Perry Ellis suit (I told you - he is READY to be a civilian and he is also quite a clothes-horse.) As he ties his tie, young Malcolm says "you look like my dad getting ready for work." Troy, always the modest one, replies "Well then your dad must be a real cool dude." Malcolm jumps off a proverbial cliff by saying "well, actually, my dad is not cool."

Oh-oh. HUGE MISTAKE.

Troy immediately says "What the heck are you talking about?!" - please note, even though he is JUST returned from Iraq he edits his language around this young (10 year-old) cousin.

He jumps into a veritable litany of exactly how off-base Malcolm is and why - "Not cool?? Your dad is the coolest! Before you were even born he used to take us out on the lake in his boat and he would let us drive the boat (with absolute patience and gentle direction giving might I add) -- he let us shoot his pellet-guns--he took us to ball-games --he runs tri-athalons -- he went to AFRICA - AFRICA to help build clinics (with Engineers Without Borders) -- he climbed Mount Ranier -- he is always doing something cool -- he is the ULTIMATE cool dad. What are you talking about?? Have you lost your mind?"

Mind you, Troy is the model of what is cool for his younger cousins, and has always been cool to them. If HE says someone is cool - well he is an authority on this. And, I must add, that he has gotten out of that stage (long-since) where too many people think 'cool' is - that place of trying so hard to be what one perceives other people think is cool. Troy long ago attained the comfort level of being who he is and confident in his self that is what 'cool' REALLY is.

This conversation continues as we all gather and everyone contributes as Malcolm, for once dumb-struck, listens in a state of awe as we all add some tidbit he had not considered about David (his dad).... We get to the restaurant and are still talking about this and Malcolm finally is so convinced that he ventures to say "well, I only said he might not be cool." Troy is not letting him off the hook so easily and I assure you we all love Malcolm and wouldn't torture him with ridicule so the correction is made "Oh, no little dude, you said "My dad is not cool."

Suffice it to say that after this evening spent together Malcolm probably has a whole new outlook on "cool" and has been adequately brought to a realization that his dad - IS COOL.

Of course, when we get together in Huntsville with Dave, naturally we tell him about the conversation and the results. David is a truly kind person, a modest person, and as well as being cool, he is also a really good dad. He takes it in with a bit of a twinkle in his eye, then directs - well that's enough then. He lets Malcolm "off the hook."

I told you he was a cool dad.

Coming soon to a home near you...

I know I haven't blogged in for a bit so I'll have to play catch-up a bit!! First of all - check out tgslTakoma's blog - (http://tgsltakoma.blogspot.com) for her October 18 posting. I'm thinking Takoma that, indeed it's got to be the Crimson Tide leanings!! Just kidding - my husband's a Gator!!

We had a fabulous get- together in my home to celebrate my son's return from Iraq. Quite the family gathering and both sides of the family were well represented! Both of my sisters, their spouses and 3 of the 4 nephews made it for my DNA group. Dad's gene pool was represented by dad, mom #3 (Sorry, Marilyn - "mama P" -- the mother of Troy's best friend since they were 3 years old -- was really his other mother first), the 'Don' of the family - who is both great-uncle and godfather to both my boys, his oldest daughter (who is really quite gorgeous and a sweet, dear person), Grandma C, and uncle Frank. The beauteous Maria (sweet girl friend) and, of course, "mama P" and group were there. Troy introduces his buddy Andrew as "my brother from another mother" - they have been pals for 22 years now!!!!

We all had a good time and were all delighted to have such reason to celebrate. Troy commented in his "speech" to the effect "okay, I'll admit that enlisting was the worst decision I could have made."

Before the lunatic fringe goes off let me say right here and now - what a load of mularkey that is!!! I must add, here are the reasons why:
1> He served his country -- for 2 deployments to a harsh, bitter land (my description) he stood where he was asked to stand, he did what he was asked to do. This was a hard thing, a difficult thing, a dangerous thing. He comported himself with honor and stood.
2> The military was good for him. Does he currently have some resentments for time lost form his "real life" - yeah. Big deal, he'll get over it. He is whole and healthy and there stands a man where there had stood a boy.
3> There are such atrocious, ridiculous anti-American tirades all around - MSM, the UN, politicians - yes, unfortunately they seem to be mostly Democrats, "celebrities", etc. that it has to get these young returning combat veterans off center - and still, they are mostly good guys (and girls) who upon leaving the military just want to get on with their lives.
4> Now that he has been through the military experience - where he got many new and useful skill sets - he is ready to go to school where before he was so ready to never under any circumstance consider such a thing before.

5> When you fight for freedom anywhere, you fight for freedom everywhere. That IS what he did in Iraq. Maybe some of the things were silly, stupid things on their own - (okay, remove the maybe from the commentary) - nonetheless he went and fought for freedom and that matters. He did something that matters.

And why did I say "unfortunately they seem to be mostly Democrats" in point 3 above? I am a registered Democrat. I am so appalled at what BOTH parties are blaming each other for and yet - oh my - the Democratic party has gone anti-American, anti-military, anti-God. They have gone out of their individual and collective mind(s)!!!! Howard Dean, Nancy Pelosi, Charlie Rangel, the deservedly despicable (in my opinion) John Kerry, Jack Murtha, Ted Kennedy, and oh I'll be unpopular with a certain crowd for saying this name - Hillary Clinton - these represent who exactly? NOT ME!!! I know the war is losing popular ground, if you will - does it also need to lead to the actual destruction of our nation and our way of life? Absolutely, if these nut-jobs have their way - which they seem to be doing. Looks to me like I'll be voting mostly Republican this ballot!! If only I could personally vote out those aforementioned - yes, I know Howard Dean is only head of the DNC-you follow my thinking, stop being difficult - and maybe send them to Gitmo for a tour of duty - both as guards and then a tour as prisoners without their entourages, without their yea-saying go-fers, without their beloved TV cameras, and especially without all their privileges, their celebrity which they adore and which they cling to with an addiction and a desire to continue for their lifetime that I believe cannot be broken. There are more, of course, and certainly the so-called celebrities of the entertainment world should also be mentioned with disdain, resentment, and despair for the simple STUPID which they wield and the complete unawareness of how abolutely stupid, ignorant, self-serving, and self-promoting they are.

Okay - better sto before I go off on a REAL diatribe!!

More to follow sooner than later!!