a last look at 2008

Posted by admin on January 18th, 2009 filed in babble
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and then… no more…

1. What did you do in 2008 that you’d never done before? Traveled to Germany.

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year? Didn’t make any resolutions for 2008, and I don’t plan on making any for 2009. It’s just easier that way - everything is thus a surprise, either way.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth? Yes

4. Did anyone close to you die? Yes.
5. What countries did you visit? Germany, UAE.
6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008? More time with the boy, and money.
7. What dates from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? september 22 to october 7th. two weeks with the boy. first time we’d met in the flesh.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? Being published. Making it to Germany on my own.
9. What was your biggest failure? not so much a failure, as a burn-out.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury? Yes - had the flu when i got home from Germany.
11. What was the best thing you bought? Ticket and a Nikon D300.
12. Whose behavior merited celebration? Can’t really say anyone specific or anything specific.
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? Suicide bombers.
14. Where did most of your money go? Ticket, visa, Nikon D300.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about? Going to Germany! Meeting the Boy!
16. What song will always remind you of 2008? “Fell on bad Days” - Rubyhorse
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder?  Happier, mostly.
b) thinner or fatter?  Thinner, 10kgs.
c) richer or poorer?  Poorer monetarily, but richer in terms of love and health and life.
18. What do you wish you’d done more of? Spent more time with the boy. Ridden more.
19. What do you wish you’d done less of? Stressed myself out. Standing in the rain at shows.
20. How did you spend Christmas? Quietly, house sitting. With Brutus and Zara.
21. Did you fall in love in 2008? Yes.
22. What was your favorite TV program? I have a few! Navy NCIS, Generation Kill, Life, Army Wives.
23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year? No.
24. What was the best book you read? This year? umm… “Fiasco: The American Military Adventure in Iraq” and “Small Wars Permitting”
25. What was your greatest musical discovery? There were a few, thanks to the boy. The Fray, Lifehouse, Chevelle, The Killers… LOTS of others… A Fine Frenzy! definitely them…
26. What did you want and get? I wanted to meet the boy, in person. Finally got to do that in September/October.
27. What did you want and not get? Wanted to win the lotto.
28. What was your favorite film of this year? I watch mostly DVD. Favourites include Transformers! The Bourne movies, Die Hard 4.0, Walk The Line, Little Miss Sunshine… many more
29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? I was in Germany with the boy - I chilled in the hotel room, walked around the village taking photos, and waited for the boy to get “home”. I was 33.
30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? Being able to stay longer in Germany. Winning the lotto.
31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008? Same as before - but being much thinner, i could wear whatever i wanted.
32. What kept you sane? The boy. My horses and animals. Music.
33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? Fancy? Er. Christian Bale (Batman…) and an older Daniel Radcliffe.
34. What political issue stirred you the most? The US presidential election and the new GI Bill and the ongoing war.
35. Who did you miss? Alchemy. Lost friends. Lost family.
36. Who was the best new person you met? Shaun and Jared, without a doubt.
37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008. If you are open to things, people see that and respond so much more to you.

38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year. “I’m finding my way back to sanity, again. Though I don’t really know what i’m gonna do when I get there…”
Oh, and if you’ve read this far…

…Your turn!  Consider yourself tagged!


Deep down, I knew it was coming…

Posted by admin on September 10th, 2008 filed in babble, horses
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but that doesn’t make it any easier…

Alchemy collapsed in his paddock yesterday. Mrs Ray called Jamie. Jamie called me (8 times - my phone was in the car though, cos i was out being thrown around and misbehaved with by a little horse called Rossi…) in tears.

Dr Augustein says “no more”. Al’s legs are too weak to hold his body weight - just in the last week, his near fore has shrunk in size, under the calcifications on his knee… it looks like a stick, compared to the other legs.
My poor Al. So. Bad weather today and yesterday meant they couldn’t… dig the hole… so… they start digging tomorrow (wednesday) and the next day (it has to be deep, and big, for a horse’s body) and then friday…  friday he goes.

my heart is breaking. but i knew that it was coming, after the scare a little while back. and this time i know it wasn’t because of us - we really have been trying hard to get him out a lot, and we thought he was doing well.
it is so hard to see our magnificent Alchemy so … frail and.. weak… he’s still so beautiful. from the neck up, you would never know he’s 28.
i don’t know what Stormy is going to do when Al goes.
And Ex. He’s going to be … all alone when Catch goes out. I’m just going to have to do my best to get down there as often as possible and take him out.
but now, with me going away…
Jamie can ride him. If she can handle going down to the stables, that is.
Al is her boy, more than mine. and she had to have Rusty put to sleep today too. she’s having a rough time.


Watch out, Germany!

Posted by admin on June 21st, 2008 filed in Uncategorized
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Here comes the soldier boy!
Papers are through! signed off! all done! hooooraaaaaaaaaaaay!
he has to be out of Schofield, August 10th!
Off to Grafenwoehr, Germany.

He called me, around 11:30pm - so excited he could hardly talk! :) it was so sweet!
I was out at a little gettogether at the US consulate - at the Marine house…  (was very cool - met the new Marines who’ve recently arrived - what a sweet bunch of guys!) - so i was awake.
I hope he went out to celebrate last night (i haven’t heard from him… no messages on IM or anything)
he’s not awake yet, and it’s nearly 9:30…

I’m so happy for him - what a relief!


a reason

Posted by admin on June 12th, 2008 filed in babble, photography
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the other side of africa… ine of the reasons i love my country… (just not the people)

Beautiful Africa


living in africa

Posted by admin on June 12th, 2008 filed in babble
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last night, i was actually scared.

haven’t felt like that in a long time…

the point was driven home, about where i live, and that i must never forget it.

T.I.A.

This is Africa.

I’ve got to watch myself… not forget where I am.

Didn’t sleep.

and didn’t hear from the boy either… but he was out partying with his friends, so i didn’t expect to…

could have done with a call though… just to hear him saying it would be alright…

i kept the dogs close, the cat close, the panic button even closer…

so even if the sun is shining this afternoon - i’m going back to the house when L leaves for the day (she has to go see her brother in hospital)…

sorry horses…

at least my dogs got a walk today! yesterday was just terrible, and although Mish doesn’t mind the rain, i’m QUITE sure Molly and Mack would have something to say about being bucketed down on!

and it was COLD!!!

Today is pretty darn cold too - but just very windy (that icy SE wind that comes in off the South Pole)

no internet access (don’t know why, because i can get onto the wireless network.. just can’t seem to get out into the wilds of the internet) at the house, but that’s ok, because it means i might get some work done!

I’ve also got letters to write! more of them!

i did “recruit” two more people to the S.A … one just wants to write letters, the other wants to “adopt”…

Anyhoo… hopefully my WP wasn’t hacked - hopefully i upgraded to 2.5.1 in time!

I deleted the two people who “registered” - sorry if you were legitimate (i don’t think you were…) but i’m not taking any chances…


papers please…

Posted by admin on May 31st, 2008 filed in babble
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i get a call at 3:30am - so excited he couldn’t wait to tell me

his papers are 90% through division (just the commander has to sign them now) and he is off to Germany.

he leaves in 2, maybe 3 months.

Carmen goes with, via ship.

right.


in touch

Posted by admin on May 28th, 2008 filed in babble
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ok… the boy explained (as best he could) the situation regarding his various dates and things that are happening or could happen… so i’m a little more up to date…

still a big chance i won’t get to see him until he gets back from his deployment…

but I am taking it day by day… no point in getting knickers in a knot about something that is not in my hands

as long as i have him, in whatever form it takes, then i will be ok.

_obviously_ i want to be with him… but he’s worth the wait.

and i can wait.

he sent me flowers.

i’ve never been so touched in my life.

i’ve never ever gotten flowers (or anything) like that. delivered to my gate.

the driver laughed and said ” i can see that it was totally unexpected!” and i just nodded… mouth open… looking like a nana…

big grin after that…

they smell so lovely! and inca lilies! my favourite!


welcome to uncertainty…

Posted by admin on May 3rd, 2008 filed in Uncategorized
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and now the Army have decided to mess the boy around AGAIN.
He might be going July 15th?!?

So he said i should hold off on buying that ticket….

2nd May and he said wait.
WHAT NOW??!!?!?!

if he goes, in July… and i don’t get to be with him.
it will be a YEAR. A YEAR, PEOPLE!!!!

A year before i see him.
a year in IRAQ!!!!
Come on Universe. help me. give a girl a chance. give a boy a chance.
help us.

i’m being strong.

But it’s hard. and he is not ready to go again. it’s too soon.


burning out and hurry up and wait…

Posted by admin on May 3rd, 2008 filed in Uncategorized
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and it’s a little bit worrying…

This weekend is a big big show - and I am house sitting, and I decided (because i’m looking after the beautiful, and now one and only, Brutus) that i didn’t want to go. just like that.
It’s local.
It’s lots of my “regulars”

but i really just don’t want to go.
it’s like i’m so tired of it. tired of the same old thing, every time.
yes, i am good at it - that’s not ego, that’s something I have just come to realise. But I am tired of it.

even with the new camera.

i want to do something ELSE.

i still love horses.
i adore them.
they are my passion in life.

but i want to do something NEW.
i want to expand my horizons!

i cant blame TJ for this - he is always encouraging, telling me to focus - but he has opened my mind, opened my heart… and now i want more.
I want to follow my arty side.

I can’t wait to go see  him in Hawaii. I want to be with him so badly. Like my missing piece.

I think that when I see him, everything will fall into place.
Everything will be ok.


it can’t go unspoken…

Posted by admin on April 12th, 2008 filed in babble
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ervaMPt4Ha0

cried.

smiled.

cried some more.

that’s what you get for falling in love with a soldier.

Thanks Lizzie Palmer.