10/1 - Sunday

I am turning the page.
Next chapter.
Same Life.
New people. Some of the Same most amazing people.

Recommend reading The Yellow Envelope

The Yellow Envelope was just the perfect book for me to read on the flight from Shannon, Ireland to Fort Bliss, Texas.  Much like Kim Dinan, the author of the book I am turning the page and starting a new chapter once again.

Summary of the book:

Plagued by anxiety and a persistent feeling that there was more to life than paychecks and mortgages, Kim and her husband decide to uproot their lives and travel around the world. Just before their departure, they’re given an unexpected gift that will shape their adventures: a yellow envelope containing a check and instructions to give the money away to those they encounter on their journey.

Through Ecuador, India, Nepal, and beyond, the pair encounter problems at every step, including major challenges to their marriage. But as Kim and her husband figure out how to give to the people they meet and to each other, they learn that money does not have a thing to do with the capacity to give.

The Yellow Envelope is a vividly insightful look at how travel stretches and pushes the traveler, and it tells the tale of the transformative power of giving, not just of money, but also of ourselves.

Granted it looks and smells complete different but it is so strikingly similar.
I am going to free for awhile and wandering. And I am going to do just that. Granted it has my style of busyness attached to it but it is mine.

How will I make a difference and who will be impacted?
I just cannot help but excited about the opportunities ahead. I mean, why wouldn't I be.

Love Warrior

I finished  listening to Love Warrior on deployment.  The book really made me think about a lot of things. For me it was powerful and insightful. I love what she had to say about life and making choices and her faith. And how things can be both easy and complicated.

Reading

I read memoirs and fiction written by women.
But in the last few weeks I plowed through Beartown by Fredrik Backman

This Is How It Always Is: A Novel by Laurie Frankel

and fiance book Worth It by Amanda Steinberg

and a family mystery Do Not Become Alarmed by Malie Meloy

Changing genres as it seems.

But as they say in my current line of work change is the only thing consistent.

delicious

I really enjoyed reading Life without a Recipe.  A memoir
It is a memoir written by Diana Abu-Jaber.
The story is beautiful - her memoir about love, loss, travel, relationships and grief.
And of course how food is wrapped into so much of everything that means so much to us.
Her last few chapters that speak about grief really made me think about some of the struggles I have had and the so suddenness of death and what is left behind.

Just finished reading Inheriting Edith By Zoe Fishman
Fiction.
It is an easy read. But theme's in the book spoke to me: Alzheimer's, suicide, adoption, circle of life.
Friends and the importance of women helping women,
The characters are easy to enjoy and very likable.

.
Link to the Readers Guide

a few weeks have passed
I am busy but I am doing what I said I would do.
Read more
Save more
Give more
Learn more
Walk more
I have been listening to podcasts, everything from interviews with Paulo Cohelo, knitting, cooking, hiking, and food.
I found two sermons podcasts  that I am enjoying.

Element Church
VOX Church
Also enjoying listening to My open kitchen

We visited a Catholic church this weekend that I have to say might be one of the most multi cultural things I have witnessed in awhile.

I had dinner with a friend and planning two more with others passing thru.


I have received so many sweet notes and gifts - I am lucky and I am not taking it for granted.
Merci..

I have not finished any books in the last two weeks - but I have three in different reading stages.
A friend gave me his manuscript in December and I am just starting it.

Book 2

A Thousand Naked Strangers by Kevin Hazzard

Memoirs are the best and this is another good one..

In his new book, A Thousand Naked Strangers, Hazzard chronicles his experiences as a paramedic — and explains how it is that so many of his patients came to him partially clothed.

"There's just the huge range of people for whatever reason — whether it's mental illness or just had way too much fun last night — find themselves out in the street partially or completely naked and need to be dealt with in one way or another," Hazzard says.

But Hazzard says that even when he saved a life, his patients weren't always grateful. "Just as you're expecting a thank-you, someone says, 'Hey, when you pulled me off that balcony that I was dangling from, you ripped my shirt!' "

First book of the deployment ... The Last Punisher by Kevin Lacz

  Excerpt:
“GET YOUR S**T! All hands to the roof of Shark House!” Marc Lee’s breathless bark snapped me out of sleep.

I didn’t think as I jolted off my cot, stuck my bare feet in my Oakley boots, and grabbed my web gear, machine gun, helmet, and night-vision goggles (NVGs). I ran hot on Marc’s heels, in nothing but a pair of PT shorts and some assault gear, as we raced the hundred yards to the roof like sharks toward blood in the water.

Impending violence permeated the Euphrates’s musty breeze.

“Muj swimmers trying to attack Blue Diamond,” Marc called over his shoulder as we hit the ground-floor entrance to the house. Camp Blue Diamond was the Marine base across the river to our east. We bounded up the stairs, untied boot laces whipping our bare shins. On the roof, we joined about twenty other Teamguys, most of us in PT shorts and bare chested, the unofficial uniform for middle-of-the-night, just-out-of-your-rack muj hunting. I saw an occasional T-shirt and had to stifle a chuckle when I noticed Guy, one of our officers, and his perfect uniform. A hodgepodge of support guys intermixed among us. When Marc said all hands, he had meant all hands. Everybody wanted to get his war on.

the new old

 

Another year has passed
I ushered 2017 in on small base in the middle of the middle east.
It is January - the weather is welcoming and I am comfortable.
I look back at just this year alone and it has been filled with adventure, fulfillment, and honestly the pain of life that exists as we exist.
I spent almost twelve months of it pretending I live in New Mexico but never spending more than 2-3 weeks there at a time.
I finally reached United Gold status only to be gone a year and not enjoy the perks.
I traveled for fun, for work, for drill, for volunteering and for family. I found myself both in the mountains and near the water. In Nova Scotia and Bainbridge Island -- More so than I have in a long time. My discovery revealed I am both a mountain girl and a water girl.

There are still some pretty significant things I cannot explain.
And not I am not sure 2017 is going to make some of them any clearer.

I will try to log things that seem relevant along the way for perspective now and later.

I guess my big goal for 2017 is to keep learning.
Obviously, I am going to save more, give more and do more. But there is something to learn in all of this...
By the end of the year I would like to have my eye set on buying something permanent. I do like the transient life but I do feel like I need to have a plan.

Well a plan besides buying a kayak and gear.
Everyone is asking what is next? I ask myself that.
They say you will know when you have out stayed your welcome. 
I sure hope so.
 
As always I am starting my walking cycle varying from morning to night as the schedule opens.

I have to walk. 


Taco Tuesday. 1/5/2017
Pop culture goes over my head sometimes and the infatuation with Taco Tuesday is pretty funny.
How did this start and secondly, why?
At lunch everyone was coming in excited about Tuesday.
I wandered down to the DFAC with some hesitation - I kinda of expected to be bummed but I was hoping atleast I could pull some decent chips and salsa. I mean honestly for a single person like my self add some sour cream and a beer and that is dinner on a busy night at home. 

Here, well. It was ok. I just can't get excited about it.  But the people serving are very nice and that makes the differece
I have standards for pico, salsa and for guacamole. Now understand I am not meaning to be ungrateful.
In a few weeks I will be able to hit up the grocery store.

For the last year cucumbers and radishes are the go to.
And thankfully we have plenty of cucumbers but the radish is hard to find at the DFAC.
I am drawn to the crunch and snap of it all.
I am grateful for the toaster in the morning and real butter.
English muffin or wheat toast. You, know white girl stuff.

Day one they got me.
Apparently the unit before us has about dozen plastic snakes that they place strategically in places to scare people.
And they get me every time.
This morning I found one in the freezer.
They tuck them under sandbags and under my desk.
I do not even find this funny and it makes me say F%ck a lot.

Grateful

Sometimes I cannot even begin to tell you how faithful he is to me.
After a pretty long week this sums it up.

I am #grateful.
Those that know I look and high and low for Dad's Cardamon Ice cream and have only found it three times in the last three years.
Thank you.. And radishes...