Long time, no post. Last week was busy, though. Blake's cousin, Travis, came down to visit. His plane left before the sun came up today.
It was a lot of fun, and just the break Blake needed before Primary. He was anticipating having at least a couple of weeks between API and Primary... of course, the Navy threw a curveball and gave him one week. Luckily, Travis was already booked on a flight.
So, it rained the first three days... pouring, deluge, flash-flood rain. The thunder and lightening alone woke me up every one of those mornings. So, we sat around, played COD: World at War, had a lot of laughs.
Then, Saturday, it cleared. Oh boy, did it clear up. Beautiful, perfect, sunshine weather. We got to Pensacola Beach about one-thirty or so. I didn't bring any sunscreen, because, you know, I'm a big idiot. I thought we'd stay maybe two hours. Which, would've been fine and dandy. Except we stayed for about five hours... and at first, everything was fine and dandy. Then, Travis started saying his back was sunburned. So, I reevaluated my body and lo and behold... my entire front was stinging.
The next day, it hurt to stand. My lower legs, stomach and forearms hurt the most. Now, three days later, the pain is subsiding. My husband and I can once again spoon ourselves to sleep.
My mother told me to put vinegar on my burns to take the sting away and stop peeling... I told her I had no interest in smelling like a pickle.
The peeling has started. It looks like someone threw sawdust on my face. It's that disgusting. I'm gross. I'm not fit for respectable company.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Monday, March 23, 2009
The Tops
I love video games. I always have, from the time my sister first handed me the controller and let me take charge of Mario the Plumber.... those mushrooms and duck shells were awesome. Not having money to throw around when I was little, my experience with gaming was little to none... until I started dating my husband. He introduced me to the finer points of Microsoft's monster machine and I was hooked.
Here are my all-time-favorite games:
Halo (pick one): The reason I love this game? Pure nostalgia. It was the first game I truly cared about, talked about, knew the specs about. Master Chief is one of the greatest characters in video game history. My husband still beats me just about every time, on any map, but it's fun anyway.
A great memory? My college roommate Alyse and I, sitting for hours on the couch, playing co-op Halo and singing Elton John/Tim Rice's "Aida" soundtrack at the top of our lungs.
Elder Scolls (pick one): It's just so damn epic! Especially with the latest installment, Oblivion, the power to just walk or swim anywhere is unbelievably awesome. The map is gigantic and it truly is a world of its own. One of those games where you pick up the controller in the morning and then, you blink a few times and realize that it's 10:00 at night.
A great memory? Morrowind is the first game I ever played on Xbox. I was utterly fascinated at the "life" Blake had fashioned for his main character, the houses, the friends, it was unreal.
COD (pick one): I *heart* this franchise. It's one of the pinnacles of first person shooters. I now know weaponry of WWII from these games. And don't even get me started on COD4: Modern Warfare! I almost wet myself the first time I played that. Just kidding. It was exciting, though.
A great memory? "Death From Above" where you're manning the AC-130 ... aaammmmaaazing. That is one of my favorite video game missions ever!
Bioshock: Not only were the mechanics wonderful, but the city of Rapture in all its faded, creepy, art-deco glory was breathtaking... and did I mention creepy? It was truly a new concept, which is something that's hard to come by nowadays in gaming.
A great memory? Well, not so great memory. I know Bioshock isn't a horror game, but my nerves would be absolutely frayed after I played because the Big Daddies and Splicers freaked me out.
Fable 2: The first Fable was the very definition of "orgasmic letdown." The second one? Made up for it in freakin' spades!!!! I mean, come on, that pet dog was adorable. The way your character's physical appearance matched whether you did good or evil? I loved it.
Runners Up:
Assassin's Creed: SO innovative. Can't wait to see more.
GTA 4: Loved the story-line, but could do without the b*tches and ho's mentality
Mass Effect: Kind of weak in a few points, but a really awesome indication of where RPG's are going. The amount of side-quests and planets to discover is stunning.
Guitar Hero (pick one): mind-numbing, finger-numbing fun
Duck Hunt: To think, that little plastic red gun and pixelated ducks used to be classified as "video game violence"
Here are my all-time-favorite games:
Halo (pick one): The reason I love this game? Pure nostalgia. It was the first game I truly cared about, talked about, knew the specs about. Master Chief is one of the greatest characters in video game history. My husband still beats me just about every time, on any map, but it's fun anyway.
A great memory? My college roommate Alyse and I, sitting for hours on the couch, playing co-op Halo and singing Elton John/Tim Rice's "Aida" soundtrack at the top of our lungs.
Elder Scolls (pick one): It's just so damn epic! Especially with the latest installment, Oblivion, the power to just walk or swim anywhere is unbelievably awesome. The map is gigantic and it truly is a world of its own. One of those games where you pick up the controller in the morning and then, you blink a few times and realize that it's 10:00 at night.
A great memory? Morrowind is the first game I ever played on Xbox. I was utterly fascinated at the "life" Blake had fashioned for his main character, the houses, the friends, it was unreal.
COD (pick one): I *heart* this franchise. It's one of the pinnacles of first person shooters. I now know weaponry of WWII from these games. And don't even get me started on COD4: Modern Warfare! I almost wet myself the first time I played that. Just kidding. It was exciting, though.
A great memory? "Death From Above" where you're manning the AC-130 ... aaammmmaaazing. That is one of my favorite video game missions ever!
Bioshock: Not only were the mechanics wonderful, but the city of Rapture in all its faded, creepy, art-deco glory was breathtaking... and did I mention creepy? It was truly a new concept, which is something that's hard to come by nowadays in gaming.
A great memory? Well, not so great memory. I know Bioshock isn't a horror game, but my nerves would be absolutely frayed after I played because the Big Daddies and Splicers freaked me out.
Fable 2: The first Fable was the very definition of "orgasmic letdown." The second one? Made up for it in freakin' spades!!!! I mean, come on, that pet dog was adorable. The way your character's physical appearance matched whether you did good or evil? I loved it.
Runners Up:
Assassin's Creed: SO innovative. Can't wait to see more.
GTA 4: Loved the story-line, but could do without the b*tches and ho's mentality
Mass Effect: Kind of weak in a few points, but a really awesome indication of where RPG's are going. The amount of side-quests and planets to discover is stunning.
Guitar Hero (pick one): mind-numbing, finger-numbing fun
Duck Hunt: To think, that little plastic red gun and pixelated ducks used to be classified as "video game violence"
A Guest!... or show a civi to work day (sort of)
So, as previously mentioned, Blake's cousin is coming down to visit. Very fun guy. We've had to reschedule his trip twice because of... well... what else? The Navy. Anyway, he's coming tomorrow, and the Navy can't stop him.
As part of the military, there are SO many opportunities. Lots of free or cheap things to do to entertain out-of-towners. True, every day won't be Mardi Gras, but we've got some fun things lined up.
As with Blake's sister's visit, we have a list of awesome, free things to do. Luckily, it's nice weather out and warm enough to visit the beaches on base. I could spend entire days lounging in the sand. Of course, the Aviation Museum at NAS Pensacola is not to be missed. I mean, it's fascinating and 100% free! Also, the Blue Angels are once again practicing. On certain mornings, free of charge, you can sit in the bleachers and watch. There's also an autograph session after.
As for things we'll have to pay for, we're going canoeing at NAS Whiting Field, courtesy of the MWR over there. There's a small fee for that, but it's less than renting from other companies along the Blackwater river.
Pensacola beach, which is $1 (to get across the bridge). I'd never even seen a picture of it before we moved here. I'd heard the sand was white, but I never expected it to be so pristine and the water is the most beautiful, tropical blue color.
The annual Elberta German Sausage Festival is free to attend, but they charge for food. It's kind of like a town fair. It will also allow my husband and his cousin a few day's worth of sausage-related humor. As you can imagine, that is the part I'm most looking forward to....
It's nice to have company, just another person to chill out with, sit on the sun porch and have a beer.
As part of the military, there are SO many opportunities. Lots of free or cheap things to do to entertain out-of-towners. True, every day won't be Mardi Gras, but we've got some fun things lined up.
As with Blake's sister's visit, we have a list of awesome, free things to do. Luckily, it's nice weather out and warm enough to visit the beaches on base. I could spend entire days lounging in the sand. Of course, the Aviation Museum at NAS Pensacola is not to be missed. I mean, it's fascinating and 100% free! Also, the Blue Angels are once again practicing. On certain mornings, free of charge, you can sit in the bleachers and watch. There's also an autograph session after.
As for things we'll have to pay for, we're going canoeing at NAS Whiting Field, courtesy of the MWR over there. There's a small fee for that, but it's less than renting from other companies along the Blackwater river.
Pensacola beach, which is $1 (to get across the bridge). I'd never even seen a picture of it before we moved here. I'd heard the sand was white, but I never expected it to be so pristine and the water is the most beautiful, tropical blue color.
The annual Elberta German Sausage Festival is free to attend, but they charge for food. It's kind of like a town fair. It will also allow my husband and his cousin a few day's worth of sausage-related humor. As you can imagine, that is the part I'm most looking forward to....
It's nice to have company, just another person to chill out with, sit on the sun porch and have a beer.
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Keeping Busy
Best laid plans and all that... I intended to do so much today. Blake's cousin is visiting us this week and though he probably doesn't care if the apartment is spotless (he's a man), I care. Instead of cleaning the kitchen and bathroom, I laid on the couch all day reading books... and sniffling... and being miserable. That's just the way it goes sometimes. You have everything all planned out and the universe points it little finger BAM! oh well.
On the up side, Blake brought me soup and water and blankies all day.
Tomorrow, though, I'm cleaning this place. Sick or not.
I usually clean on Saturdays, but yesterday we were busy buying the TV of our dreams. Forty-two inches of LCD heaven and a beautiful new TV-stand. *sigh* I do love technology. It's a lesson in patience, though, as our Xbox 360 is on its way back from the xbox hospital. We have this beautiful new TV and no way to watch or play anything on it. Oh well. The 360 comes back Tuesday. We get COD World at War tomorrow... and in a few weeks we're buying a PS3 so we can watch Blu-Ray, stream TV and movies and well... endless possibilities.
When it comes to cooking, decorating and just about anything other than technology, my frugal side always wins. When it comes to gadgets, my husband has an easy time talking me into things. We won't be spending our entire refund, but we'll definitely be unloading a good portion of it. Plus we've got some money coming from our move to Pensacola.
In other news, Blake starts Primary on the 30th. We thought he would have at least a few weeks off, but with the new push to hurry people through flight school, everything's on a faster track. The pool of students waiting around, getting paid only to muster in the morning was getting ridiculously large.
So, this week is kind of his last hurrah before six months of work-hard, work-hard. Luckily, his cousin is coming down so Blake can make the most of his free week.
On the up side, Blake brought me soup and water and blankies all day.
Tomorrow, though, I'm cleaning this place. Sick or not.
I usually clean on Saturdays, but yesterday we were busy buying the TV of our dreams. Forty-two inches of LCD heaven and a beautiful new TV-stand. *sigh* I do love technology. It's a lesson in patience, though, as our Xbox 360 is on its way back from the xbox hospital. We have this beautiful new TV and no way to watch or play anything on it. Oh well. The 360 comes back Tuesday. We get COD World at War tomorrow... and in a few weeks we're buying a PS3 so we can watch Blu-Ray, stream TV and movies and well... endless possibilities.
When it comes to cooking, decorating and just about anything other than technology, my frugal side always wins. When it comes to gadgets, my husband has an easy time talking me into things. We won't be spending our entire refund, but we'll definitely be unloading a good portion of it. Plus we've got some money coming from our move to Pensacola.
In other news, Blake starts Primary on the 30th. We thought he would have at least a few weeks off, but with the new push to hurry people through flight school, everything's on a faster track. The pool of students waiting around, getting paid only to muster in the morning was getting ridiculously large.
So, this week is kind of his last hurrah before six months of work-hard, work-hard. Luckily, his cousin is coming down so Blake can make the most of his free week.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Congratulations!
He did it! Yesterday, the hubby graduated API. In typical man fashion, he acts like it's no big deal, but that's okay. My enthusiasm for everything is akin to a sugar-loaded class of second graders on a trip to Hershey Park.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
In Love
I need to dedicate a post to that loveliest of lovelies... the slow-cooker. I love that thing. It's like a magic cauldron, you put in anything and in five hours, it comes out tasting like pure awesomeness.
Today it's potatoes, onion, carrots, chicken thighs, fresh rosemary and chicken broth. It makes the whole house smell like heaven.
I'm a pretty good cook, but for someone who doesn't know how to boil water, the slow-cooker is a God send. Taco soup, chili, chicken and dumplings, roasts, turkey, anything.
If you don't own one. Get one. You can thank me later.
------
Here is one of my favorites:
Sweet n' Tangy Chicken
from Taste of Home, which my Great Aunt Hannah gave me (emphasis on the word 'great')
Serves 4
1 med. onion, chopped
1½ tsp. minced garlic
4 chicken thighs (or 1 broiler chicken cut up, or chicken breasts, or whatever else!)
2/3 c. ketchup
1/3 c. packed brown sugar
1 tblsp. chili powder
1 tblsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. dried basil
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/8 tsp. hot pepper sauce
2 tblsp. corn starch
3 tblsp. cold water
In slow cooker, combine onion and garlic; top with chicken. In a small bowl, combine ketchup, brown sugar, chili powder, lemon juice, basil, salt, pepper and pepper sauce; pour over chicken
Cover and cook on low for 4½-5 hours or until chicken juices run clear. Remove chicken and keep warm.
Transfer cooking juices to a saucepan. Combine cornstarch and water until smooth; stir into juices. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Serve over chicken
-----
The power of the slow-cooker. I don't often have Tabasco sauce on hand, so I use red pepper flake or cayenne. Sometimes I use garlic powder. This barbecue sauce is a lot like my grandma's (brown sugar, ketchup) and it just tastes like... my childhood.
I have enough sauce left over for the next night to pour over hamburgers or hot dogs.
Today it's potatoes, onion, carrots, chicken thighs, fresh rosemary and chicken broth. It makes the whole house smell like heaven.
I'm a pretty good cook, but for someone who doesn't know how to boil water, the slow-cooker is a God send. Taco soup, chili, chicken and dumplings, roasts, turkey, anything.
If you don't own one. Get one. You can thank me later.
------
Here is one of my favorites:
Sweet n' Tangy Chicken
from Taste of Home, which my Great Aunt Hannah gave me (emphasis on the word 'great')
Serves 4
1 med. onion, chopped
1½ tsp. minced garlic
4 chicken thighs (or 1 broiler chicken cut up, or chicken breasts, or whatever else!)
2/3 c. ketchup
1/3 c. packed brown sugar
1 tblsp. chili powder
1 tblsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. dried basil
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/8 tsp. hot pepper sauce
2 tblsp. corn starch
3 tblsp. cold water
In slow cooker, combine onion and garlic; top with chicken. In a small bowl, combine ketchup, brown sugar, chili powder, lemon juice, basil, salt, pepper and pepper sauce; pour over chicken
Cover and cook on low for 4½-5 hours or until chicken juices run clear. Remove chicken and keep warm.
Transfer cooking juices to a saucepan. Combine cornstarch and water until smooth; stir into juices. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Serve over chicken
-----
The power of the slow-cooker. I don't often have Tabasco sauce on hand, so I use red pepper flake or cayenne. Sometimes I use garlic powder. This barbecue sauce is a lot like my grandma's (brown sugar, ketchup) and it just tastes like... my childhood.
I have enough sauce left over for the next night to pour over hamburgers or hot dogs.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Talk about your whine and cheese...
See that little thing? It may not look like much, but my friends, that is a tomato. Three, in fact. The other plant has the tiniest of tiny buds too. Yes, it will still take weeks and because of our screened in porch, I'm going to have to do a little AI (read: artificial insemination) on the plants.
.excited.
Also, I got a picture in the mail of four of my nieces and nephews. It is a beautiful picture that brought tears to my eyes. They look so old and grown up. Still, I love the picture. Being so far from family is hard. Thank God for e-mail, phones and the USPS.
I really needed a pick-me-up too.
Blake and I decided to use our tax refund money to take his car to the shop for a tune-up and whatever work needed to be done. Well, bad news. The bottom of the car is so rusted from the winters up North that basically... the engine may fall out. Whoops. There's already more than a grand of work put into it... which is okay because we have the money.
Now, we're waiting. Do we fix it or do we cut our losses? It's a bummer... but we're okay.
We're happy. We have enough monies. I made a delicious pork chop dinner tonight.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Flowers!
Our tomato plants are for real! This past week or so, the weather has been really warm and beautifully sunny, about 75 or so every day. One of our tomato plants has two flower buds! Yay! Tomatoes to follow!
What a great day.
Plus the little lizard guy visited me again. Then, he re-visited when Blake was home... somehow he got inside the sun porch. We watched him change from green to brown. He isn't there anymore, but he was very cute while he was around. He eyed us with his googly eyes.
What a great day.
Plus the little lizard guy visited me again. Then, he re-visited when Blake was home... somehow he got inside the sun porch. We watched him change from green to brown. He isn't there anymore, but he was very cute while he was around. He eyed us with his googly eyes.
Monday, March 9, 2009
The Visitor
A gecko came to visit me today while I was writing on the sun porch. Also, seven wasp-like creatures, which I mercilessly put to death.
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Ah, Sunday
Another blissfully uneventful day in Pensacola, FL. What did I do all day? I can't say for sure... I know I watched "Sex and the City," and therefore, saw Cynthia Nixon's baby pillows. I watched "Up Close and Personal" yet again, though I don't know why I do that to myself. If you haven't seen it, please don't, because you will cry your freaking eyes out (like I do). Blake was very concerned when he saw I was almost sobbing by my computer. No, no, honey, don't worry, it's just Michelle Pfieffer and Robert Redford.
Blake and I made pizza dough last night. I couldn't for the life of me find pre-made pizza dough in the commissary or Wal-Mart (seriously, what gives, Florida?). So, I got home and decided to make a yeast-less crust. I'll admit, I was kind of grumpy. I blame PMS. Blake was tolerating it with wonderful patience.
So, I wrote down the recipe and we went to the kitchen and I wasn't really paying attention because, you know, I had to nurse the thundercloud over my head (not nurse like... nurse... but... whatever, you know what I mean). So I put in a tablespoon and a half of baking soda. Blake said, "how much baking soda?" and I said, "a tablespoon and a half" and he said, "oh." Into the oven it went. WOW. Have you ever tasted something with too much baking soda in it?
worst . taste . ever
So, I took the toppings off it and put it on top of tortilla chips. It was pretty good, but I felt bad for screwing things up. Blake told me he probably wouldn't have liked it anyway because he doesn't like "bready" pizzas. For some reason, it only made me feel worse that I screwed up something he wouldn't have liked. The mind is so perverse.
Today, Blake said, "if you were a pizza, what would you be? I would be a thin crust, white pizza and you would be... oh what do they call it? A personal pan."
Blake and I made pizza dough last night. I couldn't for the life of me find pre-made pizza dough in the commissary or Wal-Mart (seriously, what gives, Florida?). So, I got home and decided to make a yeast-less crust. I'll admit, I was kind of grumpy. I blame PMS. Blake was tolerating it with wonderful patience.
So, I wrote down the recipe and we went to the kitchen and I wasn't really paying attention because, you know, I had to nurse the thundercloud over my head (not nurse like... nurse... but... whatever, you know what I mean). So I put in a tablespoon and a half of baking soda. Blake said, "how much baking soda?" and I said, "a tablespoon and a half" and he said, "oh." Into the oven it went. WOW. Have you ever tasted something with too much baking soda in it?
worst . taste . ever
So, I took the toppings off it and put it on top of tortilla chips. It was pretty good, but I felt bad for screwing things up. Blake told me he probably wouldn't have liked it anyway because he doesn't like "bready" pizzas. For some reason, it only made me feel worse that I screwed up something he wouldn't have liked. The mind is so perverse.
Today, Blake said, "if you were a pizza, what would you be? I would be a thin crust, white pizza and you would be... oh what do they call it? A personal pan."
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