Food Finds
Hummus, pimento cheese, spinach dip, if it can be spread on a cracker or piled on veggie then I am in love.
Last weekend was filled with lots of love. The wedding of a bride from VA and a groom from WA was where I fell in love with Benedictine. No, not the catholic monks or the French cordial. Benedictine is the cream cheese and cucumber concoction which is typically eaten in sandwich form at the Kentucky Derby. You see, the bride and groom met at a Kentucky Derby party in NYC. Their reception was filled with all sorts of yummy goodness that I never before experienced. It was bliss. Pure bliss.
Today, I received a container filled to the brim with Benedictine. Plus I’ve heard I should expect a delivery of Beer Cheese soon. This place is heaven. I never want to leave.
Wordless Wednesday: Morning Walk
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College Dorms and TLF
The combined letters PCS had no meaning to me until this time last year. At the time I viewed those three letters as the only thing between me and C being in the same time zone. Now I’m experiencing a civilian version of a PCS. Sadly, C and I are still in a commuter marriage. We’ve managed to close the gap by six hours but we are still living”together apart”. So until I find a permanent home, I am staying in the non-military version of Temporary Lodging Facility (TLF) — a college dorm/apartment.
C’s PCS in December was pretty smooth. I assumed we’d live in a hotel, but he secured pet-friendly lodging on base while we finished closing on the house and moving in. I had never been in TLF before and neither of us were sure what to expect. Perhaps his current base is especially nice, but I was very impressed. We had a two bedroom fully furnished (including kennels and dog bowls), nicely decorated townhouse. Honestly, I could have lived there full-time, especially compared to the dorm I have now.
I suppose my civilian TLF isn’t that bad. It is an on-campus apartment with multiple bedrooms. There is plenty of parking. My office is within walking distance and best of all it is free! But it is spartan — no kitchen supplies or laundry facilities.For now I’m happy. C, the kids, and the pets get here on Saturday. Plus, I’ll be working. A lot. As in, I’ve already been to the office and I officially start tomorrow. I’ll figure out a laundry plan later…
On the Move
Earlier today I drove through the towns of Stinking Creek and Sinking Valley. I’m afraid of what I might find next…
Empty Walk-in Closets
The packing, sorting, and cleaning yielded 12 bags of clothes for the church closet. I also need to make an appointment to consign 10 suits and three formal dresses. But I’m saving that for Friday so I can stop by Gigi’s for my favorite cupcakes which are only made on Friday.
Time to go to bed…tomorrow is my last day of work!
Then and Now
A year ago today I was sitting on a ship in Barcelona, getting ready to depart on one of the biggest adventures of my life. Today, I’m sitting in my office, preparing for my farewell luncheon and embarking on an even bigger adventure. So how did I get here…
The story starts in December 2010. C was about to deploy and we were already dreaming about how to celebrate his return in June. Plus, his overseas assignment would come to a close shortly there after. It didn’t take long to decide that we wanted to tour Europe one last time. It took even less time to decide to do it via cruise ship. Two weeks and many hours of research later we had tickets to sail on the Carnival Magic on July 3, 2011 for seven nights.
Somehow we made it through the deployment. Then we counted down the time till I left the states, till we flew to Barcelona, and till we heard the ships horn blast.
The port was quite industrial, but near the beaches and a short cab ride from the city center.
The Magic was only the second Carnival ship to offer Cove Balconies. The room was very private and offered great views.
Over the next few days I’ll recap our trip, give tips to making the most of independent shore excursions in Italy, and share some favorite photos. Plus… I’ll be moving! My next adventure is professional, so the next few days will be filled with trip pics and professional mover stories. No doubt I’ll be ready for a vacation when it is over!
Ok, it’s time to finish packing the office…
Billy Joel’s “I’m Moving Out” is playing on iTunes
*I am in no way sponsored by Carinval or any other agency/brand mentioned in this blog. My views and photos are all my own. My only motivation is procrastination.*
Wordless Wednesday: Art Class
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The Puppy’s Birthday
The Puppy
Yes, I celebrate my dog’s birthday. In fact, aside from St. Patrick’s Day (our anniversary) and my birthday, it is my favorite holiday.
I haven’t decided if I need an excuse for a party or if celebrating her birthday is my way to mark the milestones we’ve crossed during the past three years together. Regardless, The Puppy has changed my life for the better. On more occasions than I’d like to admit, she has been the reason I’ve gotten out of bed. I know my neighbors better because of our long walks. She even brings me closer to C during Skype chats — He says “kisses”, she licks my nose, and I give her a treat. They are a good team. They make me feel loved everyday. The least I could do is celebrate her special day on May 24.
Are We There Yet?
Draw a triangle* on a map from NY to OH to FL and back to NY. That patch of land is where I spent the month of May. My travels via plane, train, and automobile weren’t all that different from the movie. It was painful at times (United, I’m looking at you) and more than once I found myself channeling my inner six-year-old and wondering “Are We There Yet?”
Normally travel delays don’t faze me. I travel often for work so I’ve become an expert at distracting myself — people watching, reading, phone calls, work emails… I’m so comfortable waiting it out that I’ll volunteer to be bumped on a full flight. Not this time — I needed to get where I was going. I WANTED to get where I was going and nothing was going to stop me!
My first PGA tournament
May was a busy month for me, so C and I didn’t get to see each other for our typical rotation. Instead, thanks to the USO of NC, we met at the Wells Fargo Championship . We’re both golfers — me since high school and him since college, but this was my first PGA tournament. Chances are that if the USO hadn’t posted the offer for tickets we never would have thought to attend, but it was the perfect opportunity to be together and do something we both love. I’m a lucky girl; I got to see my husband and my crush, Phil Mickleson.
Then it was off to see my extended family. Once I got there (I think I traveled longer than I stayed) we celebrated the First Holy Communion of my nephew and my second cousin. The gathering of two huge Irish Catholic families is always an adventure filled with too much food, too many drinks, and lots of stories. Of course, one of the most discussed items was the cake:
Finally, I was off to a job interview. In many ways it is my dream job – the work that I love and it is near the man I love. But the company is conducting a national search and other candidates are being interviewed through next week. So now I feel like a kid on a long car trip. I know that the end is near and the wait is killing me. Are we there yet? I’m excited to see me husband again but the next trip is on hold until I hear something. And plans to see my siblings are on hold until I know if I am relocating. I feel like this is my first lesson as a military spouse — be ready to hurry up and wait. Let the countdown begin…
*Seventh grade geometry quiz: What type of triangle did my travels form?
Disclosure: The USO, Wells Fargo and United have no idea who Aimm is. In fact, I’m pretty sure United wishes I didn’t know who they were. I write without compensation for my fulfillment. However, my thoughts and opinions are often influenced by my background, occupation, travel, religion, political affiliation and experience as a military spouse.
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