weeds in a cup

We went for a walk yesterday, the boy, the dog, and I, and I finally remembered to bring my camera to document bits of Sicily in the spring. I was going to take pics of the town of Mineo, and of the geep, but the clouds and sheepdogs interrupted my good intentions. So instead I decided to shoot the flowers that cover the fields outside the base. The only problem with this is that the fence is mere yards from the highway and every time I crouched to get the perfect shot, the Italians honked and waved and ruined the moment. Perhaps it was at the boy, completely zonked on my back for his ever shrinking morning nap. Perhaps it was the dog, enjoying some off leash time by chasing the palm branches and her (lack of a) tail. Perhaps it was at the crazy American lady picking weeds through the fence (these are the same Italians who burn the grass alongside the road, after all). At any rate, I quickly decided that instead of stopping to take a pic of every pretty "weed" I found, it would be better to take them home with me instead. Hope this brings a bit of cheer, especially to those of you to whom spring won't become a reality for at least a month more. Enjoy.

fly on the wall

me: "Honey, guess what?!"
mr. waaz: "what."
"if you go to sleep right now, you will get a whole 6 hours of sleep before you have to be awake again!"
"hooray. "

15 hour days are no good, I tell you. lb and j, I now understand your "like ships passing in the night" comment from awhile back. Add no sleep to starching and ironing uniforms and polishing boots every single day to STUPID people at work, and you get one drained husband, in every sense of the word.

ugh.

The Skinripper

The Irony: not only do I tell nearly every single person I meet to cut AWAY from their bodies, but do you see that other scar? another skin-ripping incident from a couple of summers ago, that one involving a saw. I guess some folks never learn...

ps: no, lb, I didn't go in and have it looked at, though the thought did cross my mind as *gross out alert*my palm filled with blood during the five steps from sewing table to sink and kept opening every time I moved for a few hours after the fact. *gross out alert over* The crime pic was from the next day and now (5 days after the incident), it's a lot better. Sure wish I'd had butterfly bandages handy though!

Your Cat

I kicked your cat out of one place where I wanted it to be, so he moved. To another place I wanted to be, so he moved again. (rinse and repeat) Finally I sat down to sew a bit and saw him splayed over the goodintentionquilt fabric. He was even more stretched out before I got the camera. I guess he doesn't want you to see quite as much of his too fat belly. (funny, I hadn't notice that he is somewhat stripey before this photo. Hanging with stripey cats will do that for you I guess. Wonder if that will help his tail deficiency?)

Hockey night in Catania

Well, Arcireale really but Catania is close enough....

Anyway here we go.

The teams (notice I am not in the goalie gear)
Catania Flames in the blue
Sigonella Flames in the red

apparently "Flames" is a popular name for hockey teams around here. A little known fact about our jerseys is that the sun was drawn up with a pitchfork and horns and the old team was going to be called the "Sun Devils" but the old CO thought it was satanic and did not want his base to be represented as such. So now we are unoriginal.

A salute to the teams. Each team salutes the other by saying something like
Us: "For Catania, pip pip!(sticks banging)
Them: For Sigonella pip pip! (more banging of sticks)
This is their pre-game ritual to show respect and sportsmanship and whatnot.



Here we are in the 1st period intermission. So far we are not losing too badly.







A mid-period conference to strategize as we begin to lose our grip on the game.






There were no good action shots as the lighting is odd (as I am sure you can tell) and we are not so savvy with our own camera yet, at least not enough to find just the right settings to get action shots at night in weird light. Better luck next time I guess. Anyway we went on to lose our inaugural scrimmage either 10 to 5, or 9 to 4. Something like that anyway, we weren't technically keeping score. I think we are playing again Thursday, so maybe more pictures and stories or something.
XY

time flies

how did EP go from about 90 minutes old to 9 months old in the blink of an eye?? As I sit at the computer this morning thinking about the Market post I need to finish so that I can put together the Taormina post, I am constantly distracted by the screeching coming from behind me to my right. EP's there, chowing down on a pizza crust that he swiped right out of my hand and laughing hysterically every time I whip my head around and acknowledge the noise that he's making. It sounds something like this: "aahhhheeeeeeeeeeeebababa(deep breath) SCREECHgigglescreech mmmmmmdududu(deep breath)AAHAaaaAAA sssssgigglesputterSCREEEEEEECH bubblesputtermamama CLAPCLAPCLAP!!!!!!!!" and echoes in a way you wouldn't believe in a house with cement walls and tile flooring. This week we've taken a developmental leap off the deep end of infancy into babyhood; EP stands on his own for about two seconds at a time, lets go of my hands to pivot and look in the other direction or reach for something else to support him(while standing), pinches cheerios like a champ, plays games with anyone who will participate (I've got to get a video of him and his dad playing the cup game), sings along in church, and can go all day without crying once.
He's an absolute joy to be around--most of the time--and has very definite ideas about what he wants (everything) and when he wants it (now). He's solidly in 18 month pants and 12 month shirts, and is starting to "help" me get his clothes off and on. Last night he took a bath in the tub for the first time since he was quite small, and LOVED smashing the bubbles onto his face and eating the poof and twirling the knobs of his brand "new" tub seat and attempting to catch the rubber duckie. I tell ya, this mom thing is the most fulfilling job I've ever had. I cannot wait to tell him Bible stories and listen in the first time he talks to God out loud and watch his reaction the first time we go to play in the creek...you guys better start praying now for our trip this May so you can see firsthand what I'm talking about, and remember what it's like to be a little one in God's kingdom.

"People brought babies to Jesus, hoping he might touch them. When the disciples saw it, they shooed them off. Jesus called them back. "Let these children alone. Don't get between them and me. These children are the kingdom's pride and joy. Mark this: Unless you accept God's kingdom in the simplicity of a child, you'll never get in." Luke 18:15-17, the Message

Conversations with an ITT* representative:

11:30 a.m.
"hello, I'm calling about the Taormina and Gambino Winery tour happening this Thursday?"
"We have three seats left"
"Great! I'll take them."

11:40 a.m.
"hello, I just called a couple of minutes ago about the Taormina tour?"
"Yes, Mira, right?"
"That's me. Bad news, I just realized I have a standing engagement on Thursday mornings, so we won't be able to go."
"ok. I should be able to cancel your credit card. I'll call you if it doesn't work."

12:15 p.m.
"hello, this is the lady who's called a couple of times about the Taormina trip?"
"Yes, I just tried to call you to get your cc # again because I couldn't cancel the charge..."
"that's ok, I just found out my babysitting gig isn't happening this week, so we CAN go!"
"Good thing I didn't cancel the charge then!"

Hooray! Going places and doing things! Here's the description of the trip from the MWR's monthly publication to whet your tastebuds (I added the links):

"Tour Taormina's historical highlights including the Greek Theater and Chiesa Madre. Then head to Linguaglossa for a light lunch and wine tasting."

jealous yet? ;-)

*Information, Tours, and Travel

I think that if you squint,

you might think EP's hair is reddish. Obviously, I am squinting.

He is Risen!

Yesterday morning (Easter Sunday), EP and I went to the chapel's sunrise service (mr. waaz went to half of it...the other half was spent getting jackets for us all b/c the chaplain decided to take the service outside. two minutes after mr. waaz returned, we moved inside. Thanks anyway, hon. There was a potluck breakfast and then the normal service. K&K and LOM (little old man) Brayden came over for pics afterward, and then we brought broccoli salad and pizza fixin's over to their house for dinner. There was supposed to be a hockey game on (and their tv is bigger), but it was rescheduled or something so we watched part of Blood Diamond instead...until the menfolk remembered that they had to get up at 4 the next morning.








Captions:
Our new buds, Kevin and Kaylee (sp?) and their cutie-patootie Brayden, who was kind enough to model my newest t-shirt diaper AND put up with monster baby, a.k.a. EP's binky swiping
experimental pinching excited screeching friendly advances with the suave demeanor only a little old man could pull off.

We clean up nicely, yeah?










He is Risen Indeed. Happy Easter, everyone :)

I have a new job!!

on the hockey team that is, and no, mom, I didn't get a raise either. Equipment manager? you say. Again, no, my new job is much more, hmm... important. People that I have talked to regularly (about the hockey team) know that one of our biggest problems was finding a goalie. Well it would appear that I have found us one, me. Ugh. It's hot, there are a ton of pads to wear, and by the time we actually get around to playing in actual tournaments I will have the most cut up legs (muscularly toned) ever. I don't know how I got this position but I can assure you that after practice today and a scrimmage against Catania on Wednesday we'll have plenty of pictures.
(mira took pics at practice today...slideshow below)
(mira will also be bringing the camera to the game so look for more to be added later)
XY (who will also [hopefully] be known as "the brick wall')

BUT! the calendar says it's SPRING!

On Tuesday I dug the front flower gardens and thought how pleasant it was the my skin was getting "some color". By evening the first daffodils had bloomed and about 200 more were ready to open.
On Wednesday it rained. Very cold rain.
On Thursday it snowed. And froze the daffs.
On Friday it iced. Some (drooped, crackling) daffodils now had an inch of ice on them.
Okay, maybe that is spring, now that I think of it.
(Easter forecast? Cold and Snowy.)

thrift score

all this for $3.50. Title inspiration from this book (turns out my family isn't the only one with the disease)












quilt not included...it's one I pieced and Granny quilted years ago =)
















and for those of you that are, shall we say, less than interested in thrifty goodness, here's what we ate for dinner a few nights ago. Steak kabobs with crostini (basically, you top french bread slices with market fresh ingredients--I used olive oil, provolone, diced cherry tomatoes and onions, minced garlic--s & p, and fresh chopped herbs from the garden. 350 degrees for about 15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and everything looks just a bit crispy).

Your Uncle, the thief

Dear Baby Boo,
I found this t-shirt for you today. I was thinking it would make a dandy diaper. Your Uncle thought it would make a dandy t-shirt. He thinks he might get (another) girlfriend if he has another interesting t-shirt. Or, something like that. Lately, the only tricks he does involve that thing attached to his ear, so I don't know who is going to be impressed. See the stars? They were part of a good intention. I made one for your dad, one for your mom, and started one for you. Then I got sidetracked by Christmas. Perhaps you can have them next Christmas. Or, perhaps I will keep them so that I am already decorated for next Christmas.
love,
Granny Boo

If you only knew the right search words. . .

This is supposed to illustrate the previous post :) Can you guess which came from the Navy Safety and Security "don't" file?

Day 1 of a 3 day set*.....

or, Two reasons why I think people are stupid.

Apparently it rained on base last night. I was not aware of this. Our base has a small problem with drainage of said rain water, so the other housing unit, Marinai, (as in the one I don't live in) had what amounted to a small lake in front of it. Since this road is the primary path to get onto base, many people traverse it. Not today. When I got to work at 5 a.m., I was informed that instead of sitting in a nice warm unit all day, I would be standing at one end of said road in a blaze orange vest with a flashlight (as it is still dark out when I start work) and inform commuters (some of which either did not see me or did not question why a police officer would be standing in the middle of the road wearing bright orange and waving at them and simply kept driving. Fine by me but I am sure not calling you a tow truck to pull your car out of the ditch that you can't see because it's covered with water!!!) that they should take the alternate route to work. Reason one that I think people are deficient in their mental capacities is the following conversations that I had with some particular people today:

Me: Good morning, SP-105 is closed due to flooding, you will need to take the alternate route to work today.
Them: Well, how bad is it?
Me: Bad enough for me to be standing out here telling you not to go that way. (duh)
...
Me: Good morning, this road is closed because of flooding in front of housing.
Them: I work in Marinai, can I get there?
Me: in front of housing

***
The second reason is more comical, to me anyway...

Part of my duties today, aside from telling people where not to go was to check on the progress of the lake drainage project. I.E. drive through it and see if it had gone down at all. I was on just such a mission in the late morning, right before we decided that the lake/puddle was now receded enough to allow a normal flow of traffic. In front of me was a small Opel Corsa, (read Ford Pinto only French) making its way through the water. In the opposite lane was, of all things, a guy on a Harley Sportster. (This is dumb, who drives a motorcycle through a lake?) Anyway the Opel is not going particularly fast but is still creating quite a wake, he is driving through at least three inches of standing water. The Harley guy sees this impending wave coming for him and makes rapid gestures toward the driver of the Opel to slow down. The Opel driver of course does not slow down and soaks the Harley guy. The Harley guy's gestures quickly take a more obscene turn as he is obviously quite upset. Harley guy then points at me in my police unit and then viciously at the Opel guy, as if I should give him a ticket for splashing people. Eh, that's what you get for driving a motorcycle through a lake.

*I hope I survive.

Prego

a package arrived yesterday from the Blue Star Families Military Support Group, and aside from the pastel colored cavity creators (a.k.a. jelly beans and peeps), Waaz received jerky from "the crew" at Wilson Beef Farms, and cards from kids in various WNY elementary schools. Excerpts follow:

Dear Soilder Solider Soldier,
...
Roses are red, Violets are blue, I am brave, Just like you. Thank you for fighting for the USA
...
Thank you for saving are lifes. You are everyones heros. We just got done doing tests.
...
Today is Nathional Peanut Butter lovers day, believe it or not! It's also mom's birthday...I love to read, go on the computer, and eat Peanut Butter. What do you like to do. We'll Happy PB and J Day!
...
I hope you do Carfell in the war. My theacer D.A. was in the war to.
...
our weather here is realy cold, and there is lots of snow. I want all the snow to go away... Some questions are how long do you stay away at a time? Another question is do you have fun where you are? Do you like your Job? Come back soon!
...
Happy Easter I hope you survive.

Sincerly Sncerely Love,

xxxxx xxxxxxx

ps: whrite back.

awww! thanks kids, you made our day. and prego.

baby booty

mom's handiwork:
















my handiwork:
red flannel wrap (can you tell what he's doing?) for me,
green flannel sling for a friend...needs to be taken in some,


and the newest receiving blanket diaper and scavenged toy:



























OH! and I almost forgot this one that i finally finished :) (mom-the outfit is from your neighbor, you can tell her thanks again!)





stay tuned!

Introducing: Toby

remember that girl that I alluded to that just had a baby? Well, her neighbor just left on deployment for a few months, and his wife and kid went home, so they asked K to feed the cat for the duration. Why you would ask an imminently pregnant first-time mom to feed your cat is beyond me, but then again so is leaving for 4+ months and not cleaning one's house first. But I digress. K asked me to feed the cat (Toby) while she was in the hospital, and I ended up taking the neighbor's key so she wouldn't feel like she ever had to do it again. After seeing the state of the house, I brought the cat (probably still a kitten? little anyway) up to our house. The dog is in love, but the boy is not so sure. We are amused either way.

Don't worry mom, I still like my cat better; as far as I know he doesn't yowl 24/7 and is not needy.

first video is from the same day as the habanero vid, second is a couple of days ago.