Dare I say hawaiian movers were better than californian movers??

I know when we lived in Hawaii, I was always complaining about hawaiians not helping people, how they're generally lazy and slow.  But I think our movers here in CA trump that.

For instance, per the moving company's specifications, our motorcycles have to have the oil drained, the gas siphoned, and the battery removed.  The guy who is picking up our stuff called me to ask what kind of bikes they were (even after our "pre-move inspection"... and I use quotes because what was the point if he didn't take any notes about our stuff??), and wanted Hubby to drive them to the moving truck.  They are not driveable, obviously, and I'm pretty sure they'll ask him to coast them down the neighborhood, which is illegal.

The packers also somehow packed up the power cord for my laptop.  And something in one of our boxes is beeping randomly.  Every once in awhile, it sounds like a bomb is about to go off, and this is in the box labeled "Living Room" (specific, huh?).

My flutes were listed on the high value list just as flutes.  Good thing I took a very specific inventory with model numbers and serial numbers, because one is a student flute, one is a pretty nice open-holed flute, and one is a beautiful alto flute.  Not "flutes".

I just get reminded of that commercial where the job seeker is a meathead who just keeps repeating, "I pick things up and put them down."  I suppose I can't expect much more than that for movers, but I expected the hawaiians to be the worst.  They were, however, the best movers we had!

So the moving truck comes tomorrow.... we'll see how that one goes.  After that's all done, we'll just be waiting for Friday to come around so we can start our cross country trip!

Milspouse Friday Fill-in #46

1. Are you a different person than you were five years ago? submitted by Sisterly Thoughts
   Absolutely.  Five years ago, we didn't have kids!  :)  It's amazing how parenting can change you.
   
2. If you could go on Amazing Race, who would you take with you as your partner and why? submitted by Thoughts from a Poekitten
   Hubby, definitely.  We think alike.  I've never seen the show, but I think he would make a great partner.
   
3. Does Facebook or Twitter actually bring more stress or good in to your life? submitted by Just an Arizona Girl
   Most of the time, good.  That's because I delete people who bring stress to it.  I really don't need to hear about marital troubles on FB and read the fights that ensue.  I don't tweet- FB and my blog are enough outlets for me.
   
4. June is National Soul Food Month- what’s your soul food? submitted by NH Girl Displaced
   Mmmmm, food... it seems all my submitted questions revolve around food!  I think lasagna would be a soul food of mine.  Growing up italian, my family always seems to eat it when we're all together.
   
5. If you could live in any other era than the current, which one would it be & why? submitted by Sugar in My Grits
   The 50s.  The fashion, the music, the patriotism... I love it all.  I think I would have had a blast back then.

Happily slacking off

There is so much that needs to be done before the movers get here Thursday!  Fortunately, I am married to a submariner, so he's extra-efficient.  He already dismantled the bunk beds and crib, so I'm left to vacuum and corral the toys.  I'm totally taking my time, but only because I'm celebrating that we found a house!  :)

It's a flipping adorable house in CT.  We found it on militarybyowner, and the landlords seem like such awesome people.  Can't wait to get settled in!

Okay, I'm keeping this quick, I really should be doing something productive.  But hooray for not being homeless, ha!  :)

Short letters, peppered with lots of swears. You've been warned.

Dear asshole in the Acura,

Thank you so much for running me off the road in my husband's truck!  I was only a mile from home and hadn't been in an accident all day, so I'm super happy that you were willing to do that for me.  Thank you for speeding on a narrow bridge that makes a sharp, blind curve, and thank you for taking up the entire road to do so.  I can't tell you how much fucking fun it was to call Hubby and tell him his new truck had a flat and needed a new rim.  And only less than two weeks from driving it across the country!  Your timing is impeccable.

Sincerely,
Me

PS- I hope karma fucks you in the ass.

**********************************************

Dear CV neighbors,

I am happy that I could put on a spectacle on the side of the road for you.  I haven't performed in quite some time, so given the chance to wrestle (and fail) with a spare tire was a fantastic opportunity for me.  I'm sure you all got a nice shot of my coot, seeing how I was lying under the truck, only legs and ass visible- you're welcome.  I appreciate the stares of all the people that passed me by.  Oh, and thank you so very fucking much for not stopping or asking if I needed help.  That would have only hindered my performance.

Sincerely,
Me

PS- You can all go fuck yourselves.

*******************************************

Dear New England,

You get a bad rap about your citizens' driving.  It's too bad, because even if they drive fast and cut one another off, most people there are at least attentive.  Here in CA, people do not pay attention when they are driving.  In fact, some of them don't even look forward!  It makes for a super fun driving experience.  But I think I'll take the Massholes over that.  Can't wait to see you again!

Love,
Me

Milspouse Friday Fill-in #45

1. Underwear Parties, how old is too old? submitted by Wookie & Co.
   Uh, what's an underwear party??  Is that like the romance parties where you buy dildos and stuff?  Personally, I'm always too old for that.  I don't want people to know the details of my private life!  But there are plenty of people that host those parties that are older than me.  I say, when you feel too old, then you are too old.
   
2. What was your favorite class in high school? submitted by Adventures of M-Squared
   Band!  Yes, I was the ultimate band geek.  I was librarian, then president, and squad leader for the marching band, and section leader for the symphonic band, and I was in the orchestra and wind symphony.  I also took a music theory class, which prepared the crap outta me for college (thank you, Mrs P!), and we also did some orchestrating. 
   
   But that was the obvious answer, since I majored in music ed.  My other favorite class was statistics.  LOVED geeking out on numbers!  :)  In fact, I'm considering going back to college to get my degree in accounting or something math-related like actuarial studies.  Should have listened to my dad and gone that route in the first place.... Dad, you were right!
   
3. Have you ever convinced packers/movers to pack something they aren’t supposed to for a PCS? submitted by Ground Control to Major Mom
   Not technically.  :)  We usually have a box that we've packed, and label it something like "kid clothes", when it actually contains.... well, see question #1.
   
4. Blogging plays a growing roll in the media. If you were asked to embed as a blogger with a deployed military unit, would you go? What do you think your blog would be like? submitted by To the Nth
   Like, be deployed to blog about the unit?  Yikes.  I think I'm pretty OPSEC-abiding, so I don't think I would have any trouble there, but I'm not a good writer.  At all.  I just don't know how to word things sometimes.  I think my blog would be very little writing and lots of pictures.
   
5. Do you think kids should attend year-round school? submitted by Marrying the Navy
   No way!  Summers off may be a pain for the parents, but I think they're necessary for kids.  Students need some down time to bond with friends, go outside and play, or hold a job.  My best childhood memories are not in school, but out of school.  There are definitely lessons to be learned on those summers off that otherwise wouldn't be presented during the school year, so my answer is a firm no.

I love my dentist

No, that's not meant to be sarcastic.  I seriously have the best dentist ever, and I wish I could take the entire practice with me wherever we go.

I had two fillings done today.  Ever since having kids, my teeth have gone to sh!t.  Mostly because of the hormones thing, but also because I sometimes don't have time to brush my teeth (flossing was non-existent the first year of JC's life).  Having two cavities, however, is unacceptable, so I will put more of an effort in, promise.  One of the dental hygienists also turned me on to Act, which is the best stuff ever.

Anyway, my dentist did the fillings today, and I told them I would miss them very much because he's so awesome and the staff is so awesome.  He's friendly, but doesn't ask questions when my mouth is full of cotton and drooling (sidenote: isn't that the most ridiculous time to ask someone a question?  What kind of answer could you possibly give?).  He's quick, but listens and answers all my questions.  He's really good at cosmetic stuff, like crowns and bonding, but never pressured me into it.  And, he also cares a lot about his patients.  The staff is so knowledgeable, remembers every detail about every patient (I'm sure they write that stuff down to review it pre-appointment, but it's nice to know that they're prepared), and are incredibly sweet ladies. 

I'm going to miss them so much!!

To my milspouser buddies, if you ever are stationed in Monterey, look up Dr. Bradford Carl in Carmel.  You won't be disappointed!

I live in California, and the Mississippi is affecting me.

The flooding in the midwest is throwing a huge monkey wrench in our moving plans.  We had originally wanted to swing by Vegas (I've never been) and the Grand Canyon (Hubby's never been), then shoot slightly north but mainly east to get to the other side.  The Mississippi River, however, has decided to flood all our routes, so we ended up changing it.

In all honesty, I like this route better.  I would have loved to see Vegas, but it's not on my bucket list.  And the Grand Canyon is beautiful, but I don't want to drive all the way down there just to drive up north to bypass the flooding.  So we planned a new route.  We'll be starting out way more north than we originally intended, but we'll be swinging by some friends we hadn't seen since 2005, and passing through some interesting stuff like Wyoming and Sioux Falls, SD.

I'm still very excited about our trip!  No matter how we get there, I'm sure it's going to be a very memorable adventure.