Hi Everyone!
I've taken a bunch of photos this last week - and here are a few!
We've had a fun week - playing at the park, going to the beach. It's been good to get out of the house and have some fun!
So I've been messing around with photoshop a lot lately and I just thought I would share some stuff that I've made or modified. Enjoy!!
-Señor Tortuga
Everyone has been all excited about these new working uniforms for the Navy. Well, everyone but me it seems. Maybe it because I've been with green side too long and and hated the blue and gray color scheme. Maybe it's because of the way you have to roll the sleeves. Maybe it's because most Navy personel just look good in them because of their capacious stature. Either way, I just wasn't digging them.
Not that these uniforms are all bad though. These, like the new service uniforms, cut back from 2 uniforms for the seasons to 1 year round. They are easy to maintain and very derable. One thing that everyone has been complaining about is the button issuse. Buttons fall off like lepers in a mosh pit. I've had 2 come off in just the last 6 hours! I spent half of my lunch sewing them back on. One should not have to carry a needle and thread around them in fear of buttons coming off randomly. I'm very tempted to go home and reenforce all of the buttons just in case.
[/rant] <--html humor :P
-Senor Tortuga
Today was a beautiful day. Sunny, warm, still. Just beautiful!
So, instead of spending the day cooped up in the house doing nothing - we decided we would head to a massive park in the area called Mt. Trashmore. It's a park that has been built on landfill! There is a lake, lots of playgrounds, picnic tables - it's fantastic!
Wesley has started to really enjoy playgrounds, even though he can't run with the bigger kids (despite his desire to!)
Here are a few photos from the day!
Figured that would be a good title for it since I'm finally writing something for the first time in a long while. Been busy, which is good. Let us see...what's been going on..
Work - Work is work. I'm not thrilled with where I am right now, but I expected as much seeing as I'm back blue side. I'm having to do compentencies for things I already know how to do and can teach most of the people in the clinic to do. If I don't know how to do an IV by now, I need a different rate. Sadly, I know some other second classes that have yet to start one, which makes me wonder what they've been doing all of this time. I guess as the saying goes, "The Marines of Corspman, the Navy has Hospitalman."
It's different working with females again. Most of the section is female. About 1 male to every 10 females. For a single guy, this is a great ratio. For me, it just means that I'm having to put up with drama that I had forgot comes hand in hand with blueside commands.
I have a co-worker that has been complaining about not being able to move from the clinic and how she can't get orders anywhere and about how she wants to deploy anywhere for any amount of time, just as long as it gets her out of the clinic. Well, she finally got orders, deployable like she wanted, and now she is boohooing because she going to be away from her family. Umm...that's kinda what happens when you pick sea billets. What did she think expect...seriously?
Everyone is lazy and wants to just point blame at people instead of stepping up and doing something about it. No one wants to help each other. I miss being with the Marines. I miss the comradery. I miss the loyalty. I miss knowing that someone has my back if something came down the pipe and I didn't know about it. Ok...enough whinging.
Bike - As you've all know I have my scooter and I love it. I changed the oil the first time and that was an experience. I know little to nothing about cars or the maintanence that is involved with them other than changing the tire and taking it in to get it serviced every 3000 miles. Oh, and I can add wiper fluid on most models, lol.
So this was pretty exciting for me. Getting to do "guy" stuff, lol. I managed to change it with only minor complications. I managed to put the oil pan bolt back on with putting the spring and filter back on first, but didn't realize this until after I had already put a quart of oil back in the bike. Great learning lesson, lol.
I finished a motorcyle safety course a week or so ago. Great class! I got a lot out of the class. Highly recommend it for anyone that rides. You won't regret it. Military has now made it mando every 3 years, annual if you own a sports bike. Which makes me wonder in a year or so, when (and if) I decide to upgrade do I go for a cruiser or a sports bike? Hog or crotch rocket?
This Saturday I'm going on a bike ride with a bunch of other bikers. It's a habitat for humanity ride. I have a feeling I'm going to be the odd man out with my scooter, but I don't mind. I'll be able to keep up with no problem too. Plus, I might make some friends out there.
Well, I think that'll do for now. Long enough post as is. Thanks for reading and enjoy the weekend!
-Senor Tortuga
Wesley has pink eye. Poor guy. I've no idea where he picked it up from, as we've not been out a lot since coming home from Australia - we've been working hard on getting back in to routine. But, where ever he picked it up from, it stuck. And it breaks my heart a little bit. His left eye is all red, and sticky. And despite our best efforts, Tommy and I can't seem to stop him rubbing it - and then the kicker - rubbing his right eye. It's only a matter of time before he gets it in that one, too! Poor kiddo.
But moving on to other Wesley relates things.
He is ALMOST crawling - and very angry about it. The almost part, that is. He wants to be crawling efficiently, yesterday. He scoots about the floor - can go in a 360 degree circle, no dramas. Backwards, easy-peasy. Fowards is the difficult task that is leaving him whining all day! At the moment, he grabs a hold of the carpet and draaaaags himself forward using his arms. That kid has some upper-body strength, let me tell you! We've tried showing him if he uses his legs it'll get a lot easier and faster - but he isn't quite there yet.
He is completely enamored with feeding himself. He loves melon, banana, apple, pear. Basically, any fruit that you can cut into chunks, he can grab and shove into his mouth. Tommy says that he's an excellent juicer, LOL! (Yes, we've had to upgrade to a plastic bucket bib, as the mess is outrageous! If I'm home and not planning on going anywhere, I often just strip him down and let him go to down, then plonk him in the tub after.)
He is also on to bread, cookies (sugar-free ones!) rice... Tommy and I are constantly trying to think of new foods that he can feed himself.
He is vocal, and funny, and clever, and cute.
In other words, he is 7 months old and adorable.
Tommy is doing well - busy at work, as usual. He didn't get the promotion to Lead Petty Officer of his section - it's a shame, but it was always a possibility if a HM1 came to the clinic in time. And seeing as one did, Tommy, who is an HM2 missed out. It's not too big of a deal - just disappointing, as he is an excellent leader. I guess it just gives him extra time to work on college and getting ready for the Officer Program, as that is still his goal.
I'm doing well, too. I've lost 5lbs, which is nice. Didn't really do anything different. Just cut out the soda - scary isnt it, what one Coke a day can do to your figure? And your health, too, probably. Shame it taste so damned good! I've been looking for some part time work. Nothing fancy, or "career" -ish. Just something to get me out of the house and talking to grown ups. It's nice though - because I don't need to work - we don't need to money - I can afford to be fussy. I can afford to say "No, I don't want to do that job or those hours" I'll keep you all updated if and when I find something.
The hunt for a house has taken a back seat. Before I left for Australia we were pretty burnt out - we had looked at probably 25 places and not found much. Either we found a house we loved in an area we hated - or a house we hated in an area we loved. Plus, with there being plenty of time left on our lease where we are, we're in no rush. So, we'll keep an eye on the market, take a look if anything seems to catch our eye, but we're not going to actively look and look and look for a little while. Wait for some new places to come up for sale :o)
I think that is about it for now. Sorry about the lack of updates lately. Between going to Australia, coming home, getting back in routine, Verizon having scheduled outages in our area, The Big Bang Theory (hahaha!) I've been slack. I'll try not to let it happen again. (And you'll get updates from Tommy when and if he feels like it, as usual, LOL!) Love you all xx
So my last little blog inspired me to at least post a couple of pictures.
Wesley has turned into such a little pigster - it's adorable!
He loves to eat - especially if he can feed whatever he is eating to himself.
So, here are a few random snaps of eating (among other things!) since we've been home - - -
I know, I know.
I've been quite slack with my blogs since I've been back from Australia.
I know you're all wanting to see pictures, hear stories, blah blah blah...
The truth is, well, I've been lazy. Sorry.
I'm hooked on 'The Big Bang Theory' and have been watching episode after episode all week long. However, I am all caught up (yes, I've seen both seasons in their entirety. I did mention I was addicted, let's move on.)
But anyway - another nifty addiction (sheeeesh, that word has popped up a few time this blog, already. Perhaps that's saying something about me? I'll examine that at a later date!) is twitter.com
If you're dying to know what I'm up to, right down to the moment (and let's face it, I'm so interesting, that you are!) you can log on to twitter and see :o)
Erin's Twitter
