In Repose

Sitting here in my den, reclining in one of my overstuffed chairs, watching one of my favorite movies whilst pondering the last few months and weeks. I'm at the scene in the movie, Notting Hill, where Julia Robert's character says " Remember, I'm still just a girl, standing in front of a boy, asking him to love her." And this is where I was, looking over at Micki several months ago. And love her I do. To hell with the naysayers, the doubters, the bastards who want nothing more than to put others' marriages down. They are undoubtedly the ones who haven't a clue what marriage is truly about. That it not about eating wedding cake every night. It is about ups and downs and joy and pain and birth and death and friends and enemies and love and hate. It is about everything. It may even be about typhoons and poetry and Scotch Tape. But at the end of the day my marriage is about Micki and Me. Even if I've been a daft prick.

Have a Ball, Navy!

Friday was the 231st birthday for my Navy and we at Corry Station had our Birthday Ball at the New World Landing in Pensacola. It was a great time for our Sailors and we had over 400 in attendance. The entertainment was provided by our students in both the Choral Group and the Precision Drill Team; one word for them: FANTASTIC! The cake was actually four separate cakes that formed one very large cake. Captain Hooley provided some words of encouragement based on our Naval history and the interlacing of our sister service brethren throughout our history. The evening was topped off by the awesome DJ and his musical stylings. And when I say
stylings, I mean crazy line dance music that everyone danced to (ok, for like 5 songs) including the Captain.

The rest of the evening was left to dancing and conversation.

Micki and I had a great time, sat with my colleagues Jeff Dyer and Tom O'Neill and their wives Amy and Malaysy, enjoyed a meal of prime rib and chicken cordon bleu, and chatted the night away. It was rather strange wearing white for the ball after wearing blue for the last one. We stay in summer uniforms until the first week of December here in Florida. I had not worn my chokers for three years, so that was strange in and of itself. Micki looked great and we enjoyed the evening seeing all of the young kids (ok, the youngest Sailor was born in 1988, C'MON!)
in their pretty dresses and suits dancing and enjoying the evening away from their intense studies that will resume on Monday.

I can't wait to see where we have next year's party. Enjoy the pictures on my Picture Page .

Next up for me, I get my household goods on Monday 16 October. 11,500 pounds that have been on a ship and truck for two months. And they are being delivered the DAY they were guaranteed to be here. SCARY!! Pictures to follow, probably in a rant.