Year in Review

Well, being as it's New Year's Eve, it's time for my year in review. I look back on this last year and am in awe of the changes that have taken place.

For anyone who doesn't know, Viriginia was not a good place for Ziggy and I to be. Virginia, and the atmosphere of where we worked, along with several other factors, nearly ended our marriage. This is how 2008 started for me. Stressed and strained marriage, getting ready to move across the world. So what did I do for New Years 2008? Went to Washington State with the little people. We were gone for nearly a month.

February brought things to a head between us, literally 48 hours before we got on a plane to move to England. So we moved.

Living in England has done wonders for us and our marriage. School is going well for me, Joseph's doing good, and the little people are doing well. We have really worked on things between us, and gotten ourselves back to where we were before we moved to Virginia.

So what does 2009 hold? For starters, I will graduate from college with my Bachelor's degree. MiniZiggy will start school (thank God!). We will pay off the truck. I will run my first half marathon. Things are good now. And we are working to keep them that way. As for everything else, we'll see what happens.....

Brandy and Woot

I no longer have your email addresses. Please drop me a message at afeskimo@yahoo.com

My birthday

1 September is my birthday. And not even my closest friends remembered. Granted, I live in a different country, but in this world of internet and electronic mail, you'd think I'd get messages from those I've always held dear. But no, I didn't.

Really puts perspective on where I rate with these folks, doesn't it? Saves me stamps for others' cards.....

No longer a doormat

There are people in this world that demand rather high standards for how people treat them, while they have no concept of treating anyone else any better than dirt. Rather than using communication to get through a conflict, they'd rather bitch at others and make them feel like crap until the other person changes their behavior to more acceptable. Well, I'm not taking the crap anymore.
I require being treated with the same respect and consideration that others demand for themselves. Friendship cannot be built without mutual respect. I refuse to be a doormat to anyone. I also refuse to be anyone's punching bag.

I am a human being, an adult, and I demand to be treated with respect if anyone is planning to be a friend of mine. You will afford me the same courtesies that you require for yourself. You will treat me the same way you want to be treated. I require adult communication, not adolescent sulking when you don't get your way.
Comply or get the fuck out.

Oh yea!!

Finals are over, and I am enjoying some much needed time off from school. Feels good to recharge and not worry about classes or deadlines for a bit.

My car is officially registered, so I can now consider myself completely moved and adjusted to England. YAY!!!!

Scout starts back to school Monday, I am soooo glad.

MiniZiggy is making good progress on potty training, which is very encouraging. MiniMachine does well enough for a 2 year old, I don't expect her to achieve perfection at just 2 years old. She's so funny when she goes in the bathroom to potty, she has a little song that she has to sing when she pulls her pull-up down, and one for when she pulls it back up. So funny!!!

Her birthday is Wednesday, and next weekend is her party. I can hardly wait, it's going to be so cute with the party stuff I bought her!!!...

Oh please

It just runs me batty when people want to be self-righteous and hypocritical. For instance, I've got this friend that dated a woman who was married for the better part of the 3 or so years they were together. And yet if I jokingly flirt with him, I get admonished that I'm a married woman and should behave. WTF?!?! Who the hell are you to judge me?? Get real...

Free at Last!

It's 2:26AM and I have just turned in my latest and LAST paper for this semester--YAY!!! Happy dance has officially commenced. 11 sources, 15 pages, plus bibliography and endnotes. It counts 40% of my grade in the class. Now all I have to do is muddle through finals, and I can breathe easier.....

An update

Wow, it's been a while.

School, I have to say, has me dragging my feet, and I am at the end of a very crucial semester. I really need to make good in these 3 classes, so that I can continue to attend school and finish this blasted degree. I took on took much in the first semester, and now I am paying the price for it. It caught me up, believe me. I am learning patience. I have one huge paper du next week, and I haven't started writing it. But I will tomorrow. Procrastination has been a big problem since learning that my financial aid is gone. With regards to school, I feel as though I have a lead weight attached to me, and it's just dragging me down harder and harder as I get closer to the end of the semester. This is bad, of course, because I have to write huge papers that count an awful lot towards my degree. And I REALLY don't want to take these classes again.

Finals are coming up, and believe me, I dread them. I am one of those people that test anxiety just kills. Especially with the study guides that I get. I get these guides for an exam that may not be the version that the guide is written for, and am expected to remember all 50 identifications off the top of my head, in it's entirety, for 3 classes. Yea. Not gonna happen. And it seems that no matter how well I feel I have prepared for the final, it always throws me huge curve balls. The part I dread the most about finals, is teh time after the test has been taken. That dead time between when the test is taken, and when the grade is posted absolutely kills me. I age decades in that time of waiting, I kid you not.

I did rather well Spring semester, 3 B's and a C. Rather respectable, I thought. But my overall GPA is a 1.8, as I failed a class Fall semester. I have to have a 2.0 to get my financial aid back. As long as I'm doing well, I can still take classes, until my GPA goes back over 2.0. That's why these 3 classes are factoring so much into my degree for me (that and I just don't want to take the classes again). I need B's.....pretty badly....

I got sick a few weeks ago, and it threw off my housework schedule. My laundry got behind. I am so behind in general. I feel drained, like I am playing chronic catch-up......only I never seem to get anywhere.

Good grief and a blast from the past

It's been a long time since I've posted on here. REason being, no one reads this anymore. Why don't I take it down? Excellent question, as the moment I go to do it, someone pipes up and says "Leave it up, I read it!" I'm a sucker, I know.....

I ran a 5k on July 4th, and that was singularly the WORST event I have run in. Never, ever, never should you run through the start/finish HALFWAY through the race!!! This produces mass confusion with the runners! Oh yes, I speak from experience on this!

Blast from the past....Hi John!!!

I just need to vent

Oh where to start? I don't write much on here anymore, I think the blogging craze has died down. But when I need to vent, this is a good place for it.

There are times when I think I should've stayed in the U.S. Not because of the people in the UK, or antying like that, but because of you. We were fine until I went to Iraq. Then you left. Then we had a baby. Then you pretty well walked away from me emotionally. sexually, you turned into a prude. I told you repeatedly what I needed, and you blew me off. SO I got what I needed, and you got upset. You're running around behind my back trying to ruin whomever I talk to, and I can't imagine why. You think something was stolen from you, and yet you can't tell ME about it. No, you'd prefer to tell anyone else but me about it, though I am the one it concerns. What's that saying? You haven't got the balls to talk to me first about anything, you just run off and do your own thing, like you are all that matters. So what, I got pictures? WHat does it matter? You don't send me pictures. Why drag work into things? I sent you pictures. When will you realize that I am trying to get you to do the same things?

Now when I try to tell you how I feel, you give me this blank look, and you don't say anything back to me except Awww. Don't you know how hard it is for me to tell you how I feel? I wasn't raised to express feelings like that, and only until you came along could I do it and feel comfortable. And now you blow me off. How's that supposed to make me feel? Now I just feel like I'm being left behind, trailed along because I have the kids, like an afterthought.

Who else are you going to attack for sending me pictures? I mean why limit it to one, right? It smacks of Bobby, to be honest. I am unimpressed. Just run off everyone and I'm only yours, right? You're running me off from you, in case you haven't noticed. You don't take hints well, and tell things to you bluntly seems to upset you further, so what am I supposed to do? I get blamed for everything you don't get to do, and I'm sick of it. You don't want me going out to a club, then by damn you don't need to go do it. Fair's fair, right? You spend most of your time keeping up with the guys from work anyways, the games, all that. It doesn't make a damned bit of difference.

Happenings

My car is here, YAY!!! I took the little people to Asda yesterday (English version of Wal Mart), just to see what was to be seen. Cheaper than shopping on the rest of the economy, I'll say.

Now, I don't proclaim to be the perfect or ideal wife. Far from it. I admit to having been part of the "harem" of a friend of mine. But I can say with all honesty that I am glad those days are over. The friend is still a friend, and better off that way. Part of me thinks that ultimately, that friend wants his past to be known by the one closest to him. Why? Perhaps it is to breathe easier, knowing that things don't have to be hidden anymore. Or maybe to bring the consequences on, knowing that ultimately, they may be the best for everyone. Sometimes it is easier to ask for forgiveness rather than permission, as the saying goes. I don't know what the thought process is, honestly, so I am just speculating. But it is something that has made me wonder for a while now.

I am getting a new sewing machine. It's fancy-shmancy and does the free motion quilting that I have wanted to start doing. Now, if I can just find the blocks to Ziggy's quilt, I'll be all set. Then I can finish Ziggy's quilt, and get going on other projects I have waiting. It will be here on Friday, and it's being delivered from west of London. I got it on an absolute steal, even by US standards, as these machines usually cost double the price.

My princess, Mini-Machine, is potty training. And at the rate she's going, will be potty trained before Mini-Ziggy. I don't know what has gotten into the child, he's as lazy as can be about going to the potty. Mini-Machine? She freaked out the other night because she'd gotten out of the bathtub, and didn't make it to the potty in time, and wet herself a little. Poor little thing was all upset, too, crying like crazy. Her personality has really come out more in the last few weeks. She's a spunky little thing, and is just so cute. She has charmed one of Ziggy's co-workers. From Day 1, she's walked up to him and demanded he hold her, and he complies. It's so funny. She is all over him any time she sees him, like she's known him all her life. His wife and I joke that a cute blonde is after her husband.

Sassy Chassy

My sister is pregnant, as I've mentioned before. But apparently things aren't going as well as anyone would hope. Apparently she has a huge fibroid on her uterus, and one of the docs was a real ass about it. That one told her that she's never going to carry the baby to full term, and never should have concieved in the first place. On top of that, he told her that if they treat her for the fibroid, she'll miscarry anyways, and have to have a full hysterectomy regardless. So she's suitably freaked out. And I hate it for her, and I wish I could help her. Pregnancy is crazy enough when it's a normal pregnancy, complications only stress people out even more.

So she goes back to the doctor today, and I gave her some questions to ask, so that she has some idea of what to expect, and what her options may be. I am hoping that things go as well as they possibly can, and she can have a healthy baby. She really wants this baby, and I know she would positively go to pieces if she ends up losing it.

Update

Car is here, but have to do a mountain of paperwork to get it and to drive it.

2 finals down, and I can't wait til the end of the semester.

I can't find the blocks for Ziggy's quilt, and it's really starting to bug me.

Personal best

I ran a 5k this morning, and I must say, all my running has been paying off. I ran the last 5k in 38:05, and today, I ran in 34:19. I feel awesome, not nearly as winded, not nearly as tired......feels great, in fact.

Weight and running

Well, I have begun running more often, and it seems to be paying off. I finally broke the 160 mark, which had been rather difficult for me so far. I weigh 157lbs. Next stop, 150..........go me!

Looking to the Sky

As of Friday, there will be tv service in our house!! YAY!!!!!!! I will be so grateful not to watch the same Disney DVD over and over anymore. I ordered our box and service from Sky yesterday, and I get to see most of all my favorties, Histroy channel, the kids get Nickelodeon, Ziggy gets his sports. The only thing I don't think we get is Food network, and I'll miss the Iron Chef America show.

Trying to get regular classwork caught up so I can concentrate on finals in a week or so. I'd really like to do better on these finals than I did last semester. I have 54 credits left, and my oldest brother thinks I should go for my Master's. After I finish my Bachelor's, I'm going to need a break. I don't know if I want my Master's or not.

Running

I've been doing more running, and it's feeling better. Did 2.7 miles the other evening in 30:30, and that last half of it was all uphill, so I feel pretty good about myself with that..

School is hectic, as always. I am almost hoping that I don't go to classes this summer (if my financial aid doesn't come in), so I can have a break. It's been pretty intense this semester.

I have an online stalker, ugh. No matter what I say, I cant' shake this guy. More to come.

Creepy fans and frustration

My writing alter ego has managed to gather some fans, I suppose. Usually when I'm asked for pictures and other personal items like that, I refuse, because, quite honestly my writing pseudonym is a persona, not as whole personality....It's an aspect of me, not all of me, and I guess not everyone sees that. But anyways, bottom line is this, someone found me. As in found my house, and showed up on my doorstep last week. Which was ok until yesterday, when this person sat outside my house for a while, waiting for me to walk outside. CREEPY!

Frustration.....I'm currently in a situation where I've previously chafed under certain things taking place, but now it's just gotten incredibly uncomfortable. I won't go into details, but just want to vent a bit that the frustration keeps building, and I worry that when it reaches the breaking point, it will get ugly, and quite honestly I'd rather head that type of thing off at the pass, and save myself any further frustration, if possible.

Have shoes, will run.....

I got my new running shoes in the mail today, and training will being in earnest for the Loch Ness 10K. I found a few new events to try around the area I live in, so I'll be doing some of that as well.

Still digging out of boxes.

House is a mess.....trying to clean it, I swear....

Home sweet internet

Well, the internet has arrived at my house, finally!!! Now I can do homework from the comfort of my own home, YAY!!!!!

This weekend I am going to Wales on a horseback riding trip, ladies only, with the ladies from the base. Should be a good time, I will take lots of pics. It will also be nice to have adult conversation, though I am sure that most of it will revolve around children....

School, all 4 classes, is going fairly well so far. I am trying to do much better this semester than I did last semester.

Ziggy killed the home PC. I have no idea how, but he did it. So we are trying to find everything and bring it back as much as possible.

Still trying to unpack boxes. We are making headway, though. More will be made next week, I am sure.

Well, I'd better get going and finish getting ready for Ziggy to come get me for my trip. Have a good weekend!

Up to date

I ran a 5K today, and made a new personal best for myself, 38:05. I have entered a 10K in Scotland for this October, running at Loch Ness. So I am going to be training for that. I am also looking for a new pair of running shoes.

We are moved into our house, but don't have internet at home just yet. That's coming this week, I hope.

Kids are doing well, went to doc for check ups, and are doing really well. MiniZiggy is potty training, and is doing pretty well with that.

School is in full swing, and I am doing well so far, go me.....

Littleport, Cambridgeshire

Will be home sweet home for the next 4 years, as of tomorrow. I won't have internet at home until 17 March, so I won't be emailing as much, sorry.....

My sister is pregnant and I am so excited for her.......

Got a warm fuzzy from a few friends today, thanks, it brightened my day alot, guys......

Eunuch, I miss you dear...there is no one to hash with here!!!!!!!!

Moving

Our house in Littleport is about ready, so we're going to be getting things together this week to move. I am so glad to be leaving the TLF we have. 3 rooms is killin me.....

My laptop died, so I ordered a charger. Well, it's on backorder. Not fun.

Trying to get things reasonably settled so I can chill out, and get into a routine.

Chuckles and a B

MiniMachine is 18 months old today, I feel older by the day......

The hair is going away, guys, next week........no longer long, and maybe a different color........

MrSerious, Machine.........I got a phone!

I got a B on my first history paper for the semester, nice booster to the confidence. Go me.....

Chuckles.........Machine will appreciate this.......small jokes with certain people, no matter what the circumstances are, always make me chuckle. And it's a domino effect, the more jokes, the more chuckles, out to total uncontrollable laughter.......

Eunuch, I miss you too dear, sent you some postcards, hope you like them.....

Littleport

We found a house, YAY!!!!!! In the village of Littleport, which is the birthplace of the father of the name Harley, in Harley-Davidson Motorcycles. Neat, huh? It's brand new, 4 bedrooms, nice kitchen, a 1 car garage with a driveway, a backyard(garden, as they call it here). We won't move in for a couple weeks, but that's ok, I'm just glad we found somewhere to live. Now all I have to do is wait for our stuff to get here. I can't wait to have my own things finally. This living-on-borrowed-stuff is annoying to me.

School is going relatively well. Having to rely on the library and the community center for internet access is a bit trying, but I am managing as well as I can. I had to order a new charger for my laptop, as the one that came with it finally took a poo on me. Ugh.......

School

So my books that got packed by the movers and had to be reordered came in, and I am currently attempting to keep up with homework. YAY. Can't get a rental car until Tuesday, so I can't take back the shoes that I bought MiniMachine, as only 1 came in the box. Fabulous.

Register Scout for school Tuesday, and he is extrememly reluctant to go. Figures. That whole teen angst thing is kicking in full force it appears.

I am hoping to get a cell phone this week, will update, of course.

Homework calls......

Jolly Olde England

We made it. Jet lagged, but we are here. All 5 of us, in one piece. I'll post more when I hve more time. Just wanted to check in for the moment.

Medical Mystery

You know, the sheer ineptitude of the medical records folks at my clinic confounds me. I went in last week, Monday-Tuesday-ish to request my records. I go back today to get them, and miraculously they have no record of my having ever been a patient there. WTF?!?!?!? Last week they were there, this week I'm non-exsistent. Fucking retards.

So Ziggy rented a Ford Edge for our trek to the airport with more baggage than a celebrity. And it's a good thing that his truck isn't here, because he wants one of those Edge's now. Good grief! I hope that he doesn't decide to get another vehicle any time soon. I'd like to pay off some of the things we already have!!!

Apparently the cats have made themselves quite at home at my Gamaw's house. Fat chance she'll let me have them back now. That woman is the Cat Whisperer, I swear.

Now for a child antecdote. I'm at the local Greasy Spoon(Waffle House, and for those who've ever experienced Waffle House food while sober, you know why it's called the Greasy Spoon) and MiniZiggy proclaims that he has to go potty (Good on LilMan for telling Mommy). So I herd him and MiniMachine to the bathroom. Now, getting a 3 year old to pee on command is work enough. Keeping his 18 month old sister out of the way is just more than I can handle at one time. So MiniZiggy is peeing on/in the potty(hey, he went, I'm glad of that alone), and I'm holding him up, as it was a tall potty. MiniMachine is hovering at my side, like always(these kids are WAY too interested in each other's waste production). Suddenly a little hand slips into the stream, and I start screaming at MiniMachine to stop what she's doing. Well, I yelled a little too loud, freaking her out. At which point, she puts the wet hand into her mouth. Yea.......see, I TOLD you these two are WAY too interested in each other's waste production! MiniZiggy has to be present for every diaper change, and requires knowledge of the status of his sister's bowel movements. Like color, severity, etc. WEIRD..........

Movers and packers

So, after much wrangling, the movers showed up Friday. Did an admirable job of packing up everything in sight. To include my textbooks that I need for classes that are currently happening. Yea, I wasn't thrilled with that. Ziggy managed to rescue most of them, but was unable to locate two of them that I currently need. But, I reordered them(ugh) and they should meet me when I make it to the UK. Hopefully.

The movers come back on Monday, to finish up the loose ends of the things that they didn't take. After that, it's just the clean up of the house, and the waiting game until the flight on Wednesday afternoon.

So, will I miss anything out of Virginia? Hmmm........my friends I have made here, Chan, Eunuch. I'll miss the ability to drive 300 miles and see my grandmother whenever I want. My house, cause well, I love my house. Many thanks to Eunuch for being our writing hand when it comes to the closing! I will miss the crazy folks that I hashed with here. Yes, I will find another group, but the Fort Eustis kennel is my home hash. But as for anything else here? No, not really. I won't miss the idiot drivers, the insane traffic, nor the insane taxes. Breathe and you get taxed in Virginia. It's outrageous. Anyways...

On to the next big thing........On-On

Too good to be true

I had a feeling that things with moving our household goods was going far too smoothly. Ziggy calls this morning and asks if the movers have come yet for our express shipment. The answer was no. Military movers are generally pretty early, as moving tends to be a long process of packing and toting boxes. So I call over to the folks that set up the move, and I ask a few questions. Come to find out, the move was never officially set up. At this point, I am close to fuming. I call Ziggy and tell him what I was told, and he takes off to try to fix it, as he is the servicemember and can accomplish more than I can. Within an hour, everything is fixed. YAY!!!!

My resolution

Ok, I know I'm little over a month late for 'New Year's' resolutions, but I'm determined to lose some weight this year, and look nice in clothes that fit. I am going to my best friends' wedding, and I'd like to look nice in a dress rather than fat and dumpy, and worst of all, pregnant.

W00ht

The email address I have doesn't work anymore, I got a failure notice. Email me at afeskimo@yahoo.com

Current Happenings

Well, come to find out, I can't take my cats with me to England when I leave. They have to stay here and have some lab work done and some paperork processed before they can head over there. Apparently the UK has some of the hardest rules for bringing pets into the country.

Still trying to get visas and such taken care of. This whole move has been nothing but one big cluster, from the get-go.

My grandmother and sister were here for a couple days, it was great to see them.

Scout turned 12, and I am still looking for him a present......I hate having to wait until payday to get him something.

School is going relatively well, nice change of pace from last semester......

Under Contract

So the house is under contract. Today is the home inspection. Fabulous.

My sister and Gamaw are coming to see us Sunday. I am looking forward to seeing them.

My best friend is guilt-tripping me about coming to his wedding. I really am going to do my best to go. His fiancee says that I have to be there to stay with him the night before the wedding and give her a break. I love that she is so comfortable with my friendship with Chris that she doesn't mean ANY of that sexually.......that and she likes to see me gag at the idea of sleeping with Chris. I mean he's cute and all, but ICK, that's like incest.......

School starts today. I am awful at writing papers, I swear......must do better......

Our household goods are being packed and taken away 4, 5, and 6 February. Yikes, I have soooo much to go through before I am ready for that!!!!

Today began my time as a stay home mom. Wasn't too bad, except MiniMachine having a total meltdown(she's turning into a little diva, God help me) to go outside and play with her brothers. She was at the closet where we keep coats and shoes, yelling 'hooo!' at me(she wanted her shoes), tears rolling down her cheecks, eyes red which makes the blue stick out even more, the whole 9 yards. I mean she pitched a hissy fit, too........

Still in WA

We leave for my father in laws house tomorrow. Not something I am looking forward to. My FIL and his gf are very much neat freaks when it comes to the Seigerman family. Not so for the gf's family. She's also rather pushy, trying to make nice with my FIL's kids. I'm dreading this trip.

I got a new tattoo. "Sassy" for my sister, above the inside left ankle.

School starts in a couple weeks, and I must say that I am looking forward to it. My review of my prior education is done, and it has been determined that I lack 58 credits before I am done with my Bachelor's. YAY!!!!! Ziggy is actually contemplating school, which would be useful to him.

Wrote a new story, will transmit for publishing today, hopefully.

Going to the hash with the Inland Empire H3. Should be a good time.

Had an offer on our house, and they couldn't buy it without the closing costs. So we made them choose between closing costs and carpet. And every counter offer they came back with was pushing for carpet. Really grated my nerves. they walked away eventually, and I am kind of glad, actually. the housing market is supposed to be turning up here in a couple months, so who knows what is coming down the line.

On-On.........

Flying with small children

I went to Iraq in the service of my country. I got through combat take-offs and combat landings without wanting to kill everyone around me. I've been through mortar attacks. And none of that scared me nearly as much as loading MiniZiggy and MiniMachine on a plane and flying cross-country. I was terrified that I was going to be one of those horror stories that you see on tv, the woman that gets kicked off the plane because her children won't stop screaming. I was pretty confident that was going to be me. And it seemed like it was almost true.

Ziggy and I kept MiniZiggy up, thinking that he'd sleep on the way to the airport in DC. Yea, I couldn't have been more wrong. He whined almost the entire 3 and a half hours to Reagan National. Which grated my nerves thin, very quickly. I can't stand it when he whines like that. Runs me nuts and I have no patience for it. Well, we made it to the airport, and MiniZiggy dragged his feet going into the airport. Then, going through security he threw a tantrum, fabulous. So we get to the gate, and we have to wait about an hour before we can board the plane. That's ok, except both MiniZiggy and MiniMachine want to roam around, and in opposite directions from each other, making it difficult for me to keep up with both of them, and keep track of the baggage. MiniMachine was a real trooper, it must be said. She was fabulous up until we got to the bottom of the ramp to the plane, and she had to get out of the stroller, as it was being checked at the plane. Then she freaked out, and I'm still not too sure why. Big tears, pouty lip, little arms stretched out to Mama for comfort. So I was the woman getting on the plane with a 3 year old who was being stubborn, a 16-month-old that's crying and clinging to me, and a car seat. The flight attendants were NOT at all helpful, nor polite.

The first flight wasn't too bad, despite the flight attendants and their lack of help or manners. MiniMachine slept most of the time and MiniZiggy wanted to know what all was going on. I thought he'd flip when the engines started, but he was good. we took off, and all 3 of us were almost instantly asleep.

Thank goodness for the nice folks at the Armed Services Service Center in Minneapolis! They were so helpful, with toys for the kids to amuse themselves with, and hot food for them to eat. Best of all, they escorted me through security so I could get to the gate faster. They were so nice, and so helpful.

The second flight was longer than I had thought, unfortunately. But we made it, with minimal dirty looks from other passengers because the kids didn't want to sit in seats anymore.

I dread doing it again in 2 weeks, on the reverse flight back........































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