80 bad days means only 285 more to go. That's how I would think if I were an optimist, but I'm not, so I'm thinking "80 Days! Seriously? We're only at 80?!!" Each day feels like an eternity, so I'm not sure how I'll survive to 365. I keep hoping that some miracle will happen and I won't have to. I had a small health scare a couple of months ago. It was nothing, but in the back of my mind I was secretly hoping it was cancer so that Husband would come home. That's right. Cancer is more appealing than this whole Afghanistan thing.
Tonight I'm missing China. Not the crowds, not the poison milk that make me sick, not the regular food poisoning or the broken ankles. What I really miss are the foot massages. For $15, you can have someone massage your shoulders and then your feet for an hour. It's sooooo relaxing. When I went back to China in June, I was only there for two weeks, but I got 5 foot massages. I miss them. There is nobody in America who will massage my feet for an hour. So because it's been a really long week and I'm tired and achy and can't get a foot massage, I decided to sit in bed and watch TV, but the really expensive TV that Husband bought for our anniversary 5 years ago is on its last legs, I think and instead of showing a picture, it is green. That's right. The green screen of death. It's a lovely color of green, rather like Kermit, but there is no picture and I can't see anything! So in addition to buying a car, I am now going to have to look for a TV which will may just cost more than the car I bought. Which tells you how cheap the car was, not that Child 1 is complaining because hey, it's a car and it runs and it has a radio, so what's not to like?
I know, you are thinking, who get's a TV for an anniversary present? A man, that's who, and a man who picked out his own present. I got a diamond anniversary band and he got a big screen TV, and guess which cost more? But to be fair, it was a buy one get one free deal so actually it was two TVs and I was happy to give them to him, or actually just to say hes he could buy them. Because you see, Husband, when I met him only watched PBS. Yep, he was that guy. His parents never had cable, and he didn't watch much TV growing up except PBS so he would come over to my apartment and we would curl up and watch nature programs and it. was. so. incredibly. boring! But I loved him, so I watched them. But after being married to me for years, he is now a TV convert and he misses it so much that he was thrilled to find out that he could access Hulu + in Afghanistan and it has changed his life. So you're welcome, Babe. What would your life be like without The Daily Show? And you owe it all to me!
Rob and Bobbi came through with another funny story. Apparently Rob's job requires him to troll the papers and he found this story about people jogging in Rock Creek Park who are having a worse day than me. Apparently, the owls in Rock Creek Park are on a rampage and are attacking joggers who are innocently running through the park and then suddenly an owl dive bombs them. Nobody knows why. So now, I am grateful that I don't jog anymore after breaking both of my ankles in China so that no owls will ever dive bomb me and I am going to stay very far away from that park.
Tonight I'm missing China. Not the crowds, not the poison milk that make me sick, not the regular food poisoning or the broken ankles. What I really miss are the foot massages. For $15, you can have someone massage your shoulders and then your feet for an hour. It's sooooo relaxing. When I went back to China in June, I was only there for two weeks, but I got 5 foot massages. I miss them. There is nobody in America who will massage my feet for an hour. So because it's been a really long week and I'm tired and achy and can't get a foot massage, I decided to sit in bed and watch TV, but the really expensive TV that Husband bought for our anniversary 5 years ago is on its last legs, I think and instead of showing a picture, it is green. That's right. The green screen of death. It's a lovely color of green, rather like Kermit, but there is no picture and I can't see anything! So in addition to buying a car, I am now going to have to look for a TV which will may just cost more than the car I bought. Which tells you how cheap the car was, not that Child 1 is complaining because hey, it's a car and it runs and it has a radio, so what's not to like?
I know, you are thinking, who get's a TV for an anniversary present? A man, that's who, and a man who picked out his own present. I got a diamond anniversary band and he got a big screen TV, and guess which cost more? But to be fair, it was a buy one get one free deal so actually it was two TVs and I was happy to give them to him, or actually just to say hes he could buy them. Because you see, Husband, when I met him only watched PBS. Yep, he was that guy. His parents never had cable, and he didn't watch much TV growing up except PBS so he would come over to my apartment and we would curl up and watch nature programs and it. was. so. incredibly. boring! But I loved him, so I watched them. But after being married to me for years, he is now a TV convert and he misses it so much that he was thrilled to find out that he could access Hulu + in Afghanistan and it has changed his life. So you're welcome, Babe. What would your life be like without The Daily Show? And you owe it all to me!
Rob and Bobbi came through with another funny story. Apparently Rob's job requires him to troll the papers and he found this story about people jogging in Rock Creek Park who are having a worse day than me. Apparently, the owls in Rock Creek Park are on a rampage and are attacking joggers who are innocently running through the park and then suddenly an owl dive bombs them. Nobody knows why. So now, I am grateful that I don't jog anymore after breaking both of my ankles in China so that no owls will ever dive bomb me and I am going to stay very far away from that park.
Everybody will willingly comment on my sisters but why not me? I mean seriously?! why?
ReplyDeleteLady Gaga loves you, Chickie. Just don't make me break my ankles in those super high-heeled shoes.
DeleteI like all three of my nieces on this blog.
ReplyDeleteSo what I want to know is this, where in the world was Ray when I was watching CHiP's Patrol, Charlie's Angels, Love Boat and the like?
ReplyDeleteApparently he was reading the encyclopedia or some other really long and boring history book. And he says I'm a big fat liar which I resent because I'm only a small fat person who is not a liar because I swear that we had a whole conversation about how PBS documentaries were fascinating and I wanted him to like me so I watched this entire show about endangered flowers in Hawaii. Yes, a show about flowers. That just sit there. Doing nothing except being pollinated. Because I was in love with him. There could be no other explanation.
DeleteUm, I'd bite your tongue on the cancer thing. My husband went to Iraq in 2010 for a year. Two months later, just as we were about to find out our next post (and I was missing him madly and wanting him home), I was diagnosed with two types of breast cancer. Oh, he came home, but then my life went to hell in a handbasket.
ReplyDeleteHe's now in Kabul, all is well (4 painful surgeries later) and we are looking forward to our next post. However, if I had a choice between Iraq and cancer? Iraq in a heartbeat.
Thinking of you....
Jen, I'm so sorry about your cancer. I hope things are going well healthwise. I only watched my mom from afar twice, and now my Dad, so I realize not knowing what it's like makes it easier to think I could face it. But how on earth did you survive two unaccompanied tours? I might not know if I could face cancer as bravely as you, but I know for certain I can never do this again.
DeleteThe circumstances concerning consideration of a second tour were complicated, so it is hard to express them. In the end let's just say it was a decision we agreed to reluctantly and because Jen is the most considerate, thoughtful, and best friend I could ever ask for.
ReplyDeleteMy hat's off to you, and especially to Jen who is a much better person than I. Really, kudos to everyone who signs up for this more than once. And a question to my more experienced UT (unaccompanied tour, not University of Texas) readers, does it ever get better? Or am I just destined to feel like this every day until Husband comes home?
DeleteUm, ok Paul Ryan what have you done with my wife because you lie like a rug! Husband was a certified M*A*S*H addict and when we curled up on the couch that summer lo those 20 years ago it was ostensibly watching those old reruns. Maybe you're just blocking because the signs were there that husband was fascinated by life in a warzone and was destined to become a democrat. And another thing, you were actually paying attention to what was on the screen? Boring is not the way I remember "curling up" on the couch. But I digress. Husband earned his TV-watching stripes with a steady after-school diet of Gilligan's Island, Hogan's Heroes, and the like. Who could forget Wrong-Way Feldman, Harold Hekubah, or the Japanese soldier who didn't know WWII had ended? That was great stuff and important cultural grounding for any American!
ReplyDeleteYea, Husband commented on my blog! A few points in bullet form because I know Mr. Debater State Champion will appreciate that. 1. We watched M*A*S*H with my roommates. 2. Your fascination with that show was always about Korea, not the war zone part. (Reference 3 moves to Korea during our marriage with the first being 2 weeks after we got married. 2 weeks!) 3. Now I have to explain to the children what we were doing instead of paying attention, so thanks for that. One of them already asked. 4. You never once ever mentioned you liked Hogan's Heroes. Why didn't I know this before?
DeleteIt was a long-decision making process, but let's just say cancer ain't cheap. Given that we were settled here and we knew he'd have to do another year at some point (he's DS, it's inevitable), we decided to get it over with. However, my kids are much older now (vs. the first UT), ages 14, 10 and 4, so that really helps. Oh, we also did 3 years on Secretary's Detail (Powell, then Rice). The UT is a cakewalk in comparson.
ReplyDeleteGood luck and maybe we'll see each other at the gym! Too funny: http://dinoiafamily.typepad.com/the_dinoia_family/2012/09/the-newbies-are.html
Me again (sorry!), but this second tour has been (overall, minus the fact that my husband screwed with my garage re-org prior to departure & on R&R), has been exceptionally easy. The first 10 weeks were no problem at all....perhaps because we had a bit of media excitment right around his departure (the whole Nipplegate thing) or because I just wanted to get going. It WAS hard the two weeks after he left here after his first R&R, only as I wanted the R&R later, he wanted it sooner. However, after about 3 weeks, I got my groove back (the kids were fine) and now we are just coasting along until he comes home for Christmas (Thanksgiving is too soon and too crazy). Just my two cents, yes, it gets easier, but then again, we have had 7 major stints of separation during his career. This one is by far the easiest....
ReplyDelete