It's The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Countdown started.... we're T-27 days to the first day of school and the return to my freedom. This assumes I don't find a job between now and then first.

I'm half-heartedly looking for an office job on base and figured out it's IMPOSSIBLE unless you have an "in." Don't know how to get the "in" but I'm trying. I did get email stating my name was being sent to the "employing agency." Well, they emailed a few days later to see if Iwas still interested. Well, that was last Tuesday. It's now 10 days later, email and voice mail later, I have NOT heard from the office again. I'm trying to not bug them to death, but at least tell me you're not interested in my talents to work in your office. Don't be rude and blow me off. Seeing as the phone went to voice mail yesterday, and she's still not returned the call, I'm wondering if she's out of town. So, do I email her again tomorrow? Or just give up on this endeavour. I'm so mad. I was hoping to at least get an interview. Give me a shot! It's only a TEMPORARY job til September 30, so it's not like a "real" job. BUT, one to get me "in" the system.

Back to happy thoughts... I think the boys and i will do some school shopping this weekend or next week. Matthew needs some long pants and shirts. I think we've got short sleeves covered and could use some bigger fleece jackets. Winter is only 2 months away. You know... October... Halloween... costumes that fit over snowsuits. God bless the North Plains!

I'm off... more than you ever could imagine LOL But I need to drop someone a line about t-shirts for the school PTA to sell. I need to get those ordered like yesterday. Lovely.

Have a good night!

Discovery

I went to the casino last weekend and spent a fun several hours in Newtown ND. Ok, TECHNICALLY, it's west of Newtown. :) Hard to believe that place started the same year we were first so lucky to be assigned here in Minot.

Driving home at 2 in the morning, one sometimes is enlightened to things. One of them last weekend? A reason to remember for a positive about being in the middle of nowhere! SERIOUSLY.

Until you get out from the "city lights" of Minot or the base, you don't realize just how many stars there really are in the sky at night. It was like someone threw white dots on a piece of black paper, and not a small amount of them.

So, my understanding is there are meteor showers to behold next month. My suggestion for folks? Drive 30 or 40 miles out of town, somewhere that NO ONE LIVES, and get comfy. You'll be shown an amazing sight! I suggest highly finding a quiet road with no one. SERIOUSLY. The road to Newtown? There are lonely fires burning from the oil wells that are popping up on the prairie these days. No houses. Just wells. And deer. And coyotes. I think that is the kind of sky God was thinking of and showed to Abraham when talking about his descendants. Not necessarily the ND sky, but that's ok.

ND does have a cool sky at night when you can get away from "cities." Enjoy your own sky wherever you are! Even my hometown area where I grew up had that same chance of seeing lots and lots and lots of stars.

Support Your Local Economy

Well, sadly my trip to Winnipeg to see Neil Diamond in concert come September has been scratched. That old man must be in desperate need of cash, NOW. The tickets to go see him, at least in Winnipeg and Sioux City, IA, started around $115. HOW INSANE!

So, Minot hosts two big money makers, or at least, takers, each year. In July is the State Fair, and in October is the Hostfest. Both this year have some decent concerts coming in. I'm just too cheap to spend even $65 for Sugarland or Trace Adkins. So, where does this leave me?

Under $50 to see the old man of country... Kenny Rogers. Oh yeah! Well, actually, it's dependent on one thing... if the Hostfest people tell me I have to buy a daily admission ticket (last year $25 for the privilege to shop and eat, at YOUR expense - Thankfully I went on the military day so it was free and I ain't stupid!) to go to the concert. Which then brings the tickets up to about the $65-70 range, and I won't go on the principle of it. Why would I have to pay to get into a building only to see the concert? So hopefully, the ticket to the show is enough and I won't have to pay more to get into the show. I haven't seen KR since I was MAYBE a teenager.

Next thing I need to do in support of the community's economy is get a zoo pass. Since we can't afford too much travelling (thank you DC) this summer, most of our money will be spent around Minot. I figure we'll be at the zoo at least a couple times a month. Think they would bring in some new animals each month to keep our attention? :D

And You Wonder WHY I Don't Care For The Place?

Let's see.... this is my jeep last night... MAY NINTH. Can you see the snow flakes? I can. On the ground, in the air, ON THE FREAKING JEEP! Should I be happy to know that it SHOULD be in the 50s today and the 60s tomorrow? Well, most normal people would be, but the problem is that quick weather change means quick get sick time. I already have one child on antibiotics for a nasty sinus infection that started in another change of weather time. Lovely.


Ok... I'm still figuring out adding pics to this stupid thing. The second picture is of the manchild last night at his JROTC banquet. (OK... I've played with it again and figured it out! YAY ME!) He got three new ribbons for his uniform, 2 of which he didn't expect to get. The biggest surprise? When the MC described the award, I had written him off already... "For sustained superior performance in the cadet corps exemplified through outstanding leadership, AFJROTC participation, academic performance and service to the community, school and unit." I said, "That's not CG." And tuned out. Then I heard his name. I was so proud that he won! (I watched one of the other freshman win one after another after another in the fall, so I expected to see her shiny little (she's about 4' MAYBE) face up there :)) Imagine my surprise and pride in the manchild! He's struggling with other stuff but seems to enjoy this class. The award was given out by Tuskegee Airmen, Inc. I think he was most proud of that award. :)

Well, as this week finally grinds to a halt, maybe I can find my sanity again. Today is the postal service food drive. I should go to the food pantry sometime today and see how that is working out. They've got a couple of airmen working to put stuff in and up on the shelves if I remember my talk with one of the firsts earlier in the week, when I hadn't completely lost my mind. Tonight will be the first night I stay home and not go out since Monday. Oh heck. I just realized we were out Monday. BUT, it was with the boys. So maybe that's why CG remembers me being home that night LOL

Here's to the snow melting, quickly, soon... i see sunshine and I saw drips off my gutters. And I see steam out my window.... how strange... My luck would be the backyard on fire. Wouldn't that be fun!

Which leads me to another thing... The county we are surrounded by, Ward, is under a burn ban due to drought conditions. The base, all knowing, lifted its ban the other day. Someone related a story of someone driving on their street and flicking out a cigarette as they drove past. (her DH did his thing and person came back to pick up the butt) Why do some people living in a community like ours think they're so isolated??!!? Just lifting the "ban" on base doesn't mean we magically are immune to a grass fire breaking out because of some dumb broad's stupidity. Flick your butts in the car folks! I like my new house for the most part. And I don't know that the triplets could get funding for more housing again. I'd hope it were funding to close a place down that has snow on MAY NINTH!!!!!