I am so relaxed right now.  This is the first quiet Saturday that I have had in about two months.  I love waking up naturally without an alarm clock, making some coffee and then just relax and read news and Xanga.  Then once the coffee starts to kick in and I no longer am in a semi-conscious state can write some type of Xanga post. 

This morning is really an atypical July morning.  It's kind of chilly and rainy out but there isn't any wind so it's not that chilly outside.  Since I don't feel like being stuck inside I'm out on our porch typing this.  It's kind of nice with the soft patter of the rain.  There really is not a bunch of neighborhood noises though since everyone is staying inside because of the rain.  Just some birds singing.  Our cat Zoe is enjoying the birds though...if this porch was not screened-in she would be out there trying to catch one. 

Time for more coffee be right back.

Coffee is good!  Solicitors calling on a Saturday morning not so good. 

The last month has played hell on me trying to accomplish anything at work.  A spontaneous week off of work for the flood duty, then working a week, then a week of vacation, then two weeks of work, and the two weeks for my annual training is putting most of my projects two or three months behind.  Oh well, what can you really do about it?

Yesterday was the Fourth....Amanda and I had a nice day.  We haven't had too much relaxing husband-wife time for the last two months.  We woke up around 8:30 or 9 and went to breakfast.  Then we came home...I cleaned and did laundry while Amanda finally played the Wii Fit. 

Then my parents stopped by for a bit. 

Then we went to get lunch...we brought it home and ate while we watched "House".

After that we took a short nap.

Then I went to get supplies and we headed to a friends house to celebrate the 4th.

It was a good day overall!  Every Friday should be like that, an official holiday.  Speaking of having Friday's off, some places are going to a 4 day work week to save on utilities.  They work ten hour days Monday through Thursday and then are closed Friday-Sunday.  I think it's a grand idea!  Unfortunately I could never do it since it would be a given that my day off there would be issues and I would still have to end up going in on Friday/Saturday.

My family is in town since my little sister (going to be a freshman in high school) has some type of pageant this weekend.  I am going to escort her on her formal night (tomorrow).  Shoot, I just realized that I probably need to get a haircut to look decent for it, so I guess that I'll be leaving now to get a haircut.

Sorry about being MIA.  Things have been busy since we got back from vacation.  Hopefully tonight I can fire up the computer at home and kick out some type of post.

Just want to give you a quick update...

Saturday morning Amanda and I both worked for a couple of hours.

Then we both did some *stuff*.  I had to do some shopping and she had to do makeup and stuff like that.

I got home and started packing.

We then left for her class reunion.  It was fun.  The drinks were SO cheap.  I felt like it was permanent happy hour.  Living in the city has distorted my view of drink prices.  For example.  Two Jack and Cokes, a Cosmo, and a Corona was only like $12.  HOLY SHIT!  It is cheaper for us to drive to the small town, drink, and stay in a hotel than to go out to our local watering hole with their $11 martinis.

Around 1 or 2 Amanda's sister picked us up from the reunion.  We then drove to the airport back in Indy.  2-2 1/2 hour drive.

Flew from Indy to Atlanta to New Orleans.  The flight from Indy to Atlanta was only an hour but it was miserable.  I had not slept off the night of drinking and felt like poo.  I thought that I was going to have to use the air sickness bag but thankfully the bathroom was open.  After that I felt much better.

New Orleans is quite interesting.  The town has a lot of character.  Bourbon Street is like a big Broad Ripple.  The area around Bourbon Street smells like spoiled milk.  The rest of the French Quarter was quite nice though.  The city feels like a movie set.  Food is uber-expensive.  Oh, did I mention that both Amanda and I slept in the lobby of the hotel while we were waiting for our room to open up.

That's it, the girls are yelling at me to go take a shower so that we can go eat, shop and then get on the cruise.  Until next time Xangans!

I'm about done with work for the day.  This week hasn't been too much fun. 

Went to the dentist this morning.  Had my replacement final crown put on my front tooth.  At least my temp is gone and not falling out anymore.

I have been fairly productive at work but I have had very little home productivity. 

I cooked steak ka-bobs for dinner last night.  They were yummy!

No idea about dinner tonight.  I'm in a pork chops mood but I wouldn't be against something like pasta.  I guess that I have a little bit of time to think about it.

Yesterday I started to rip some movies to a format that I can put on my iPod.  Mac's kick ass, 'nuff said.

This upcoming vacation will be my first trip post-airlines sucking ass.  I can't believe that we are going to have to pay extra for having two bags.  That policy deserves a serious WTF. 

How much more expensive is gas going to get?  It's getting a bit silly, but I can't imagine it getting any better with the current economy/energy situation.  Work needs to add some showers so that I can shower after I ride my bike to work sometime in the future.  FYI, it's about 13-14 miles so I should be able to make it in about 1 hour and 15 minutes tops.  I swore that I would no longer drive once gas hit $3.

I'm tired and need a nap.

Time to see if the boss man has left for the day.  If he has I am out of here.

I don't remember the *first* site but the first site that I remember was the abandoned missile base tour.  My best guess of when I visited the site was around 1995 or 1996.

I just answered this Featured Question, you can answer it too!

And man looked around him and announced for all to hear "Life is grand".

Yes, life certainly is!  I'm extremely content right now as I sit on our back porch on the laptop sipping a mojito and crunching on sunflower seeds.  Sounds of suburbia surround me....a weedwacker, kids laughing, a dog barking, mothers calling for their kids.  It's just all so wonderful. 

Work was better today since I vowed not to worry about all the stuff that accumulated during my no-notice flood duty.

After work I did my daily Wii Fit hunt and came up fruitless.  I picked up a couple of picture frames though at Wally World.  I dropped a picture of our flood crew off at my Commanders house.  I think that he was really shocked at the gesture.  I also dropped off a Johnny Cash CD since we had talked about him on the bus ride home.  He was drinking a martini when I arrived and he offered me one.  I couldn't refuse and ordered one up.

I asked him if it was gin or vodka and he said that it was Kettle One.

His recipe:

Fill shaker with ice
4 oz of Kettle one into a shaker
Shake
Pour into a martini glass
Garnish with an olive

Upon hearing the recipe I told him that it really wasn't a martini but really just a vodka on the rocks. 

I wasn't sure if I could drink it since I am not really a hard alcohol drinker, let alone straight up, but thankfully it was actually pretty good.  I think having a good quality vodka helped matters.

After my visit I went to the grocery store to get dinner for tonight.

I then came home and here I am!

I'm hungry but Amanda works until 10pm so I won't be eating until 10:30 or so.

God, I cannot wait for vacation.  Little umbrella drinks and the ocean.  I'm also excited about spending a couple of days in New Orleans.

Yesterday we ate an awesome meal at Bravo!  Nothing beats a week of working long days and eating crap food like some good Italian and some strong peach Sangrias!

I still haven't been able to find a Wii Fit, but I did get Mario Cart two weeks ago.  The game kicks ass and is a blast. 

Right before we left the flood I picked up a new game for my PSP, it was pretty fun and it should help me pass some time on the flights to New Orleans.

I have also finally received my lifetime carry permit.  I'm quite happy. 

Saturday is Amanda's class reuninion.  We don't get to sleep Saturday night since we have to drive from the far west side of Indiana to Indianapolis to fly out.  Our flight leaves at 6am.  I'll be with two grumpy girls.

I'm back from a week of state active duty helping with the floods in southern Indiana.  I have a hundred or so pictures and I'll try to get them up later.  I'm tired and fell asleep early last night, it will probably take a couple of days to get the sleep situation fixed.  I need a day off to relax but that won't happen until Saturday, at which point I will be at 19 day without a day off.  At least next week we'll be on vacation!

My fingers are finally not hurting.  My electrolytes were all out of whack but it's finally starting to work it's way out.

My to-do list at work is huge since I didn't get any time to prep for my absence. 

I need to write an article for the local newspaper about what my Company accomplished.

I also need to submit a few people for awards.

Check all the bills to see what needs paid.

Expect a more comprehensive post later on!

It is now Tuesday and I want to type something up...or at least attempt to since I am on my phone.

Today was a long day. It started early and it didn't let up. We definitely did some serious good though. We saved a power plant that was within 4 inches of letting water over the levee. If that happened it would have affected tens of thousaands of people as well as shut of water to those people. It also would have allowed a levee or dam to release its water. It would have resulted in tens of millions in damage.

My group made sand bags. Once we got clicking we were moving right along.

We also have moved our sleeping center to the local high school. It is so much better since we havelocker rooms and air conditioning. Granted we are still on Army cots but the air is nice.

Tomorrow is going to be another long day, so I am going to get to bed. I have lots of pictures and I will have to post them when I get home.

Signing out from the worst flood in Indiana in 100 years.

Jason

You know, I've never been a fan of fences.  I think that they are annoying and an eyesore.  When one of our neighbors put up a fence before we moved in I was pissed and I'm still annoyed that they don't trim their fence.

Then there are the neighbors that moved in about December.  I'm seriously pissed and annoyed at them.  Let us count the ways.

First, they have these annoying little dogs that bark and yap and bark and yap.  As if their barking isn't enough when their owners are taking them outside they have began to tie their dogs to a chair outside on a 3 foot leash.  Hello, are you freakin' Asian red necks?  The dogs are so annoying.  They run from them the second they are outside.  Oh, remember these guys?  They are the same one that I caught letting their dog shit right in the middle of my front yard.

Then their is the easement in the back of the yard.  They refuse to mow it.  Seriously?  It's your yard mow the grass. 

They also mow their grass way too low and it's going to die once the temperature climbs.

Tonight I take the out dog outside and they have their sprinkler going in the front yard and it was going about six feet into my yard.  Last time it was going I didn't do anything but I did tonight.  Night watering is terrible for your yard and increases the chance of fungi.  Not to mention that I'm extremely anal about my watering regime, ie 1-2" per area per week in one or two heavy waterings.  I'm anal that my water only goes in my yard.  I also use timers so that I don't forget to shut the water off. 

I went to their faucet and turned down the water volume.  Unfortunately I couldn't find a happy medium and the volume was way down in order to keep it out of my yard and you know what....I could care less. 

I'm sick of you yappy dogs.

I'm sick of you shitty lawn care.

I'm sick of you shitty car parked in the street.

Now I will continue the passive aggressiveness and contact our HOA and have those things remedied.

I think that it's safe to say that we'll be putting up a fence sometime when we get the money for one.

Anyone else have shitty neighbors?  How in the world do you deal with them without being an asshole?