Preparing for Turkey

We are now down to the wire. Only a short time left but we still have to deal with issues involving car storage, car shipment, auto insurance, driver's license, passports, airline tickets, cat transportation, vet issues, vacating and cleaning the house, temporary lodging before we leave Lancaster and when we arrive in Turkey, finding a cat sitter at Incirlik until housing is ready, possibly refinancing the car, getting new military uniforms, preparing for our three separate pick-ups of property, and getting a Turkish mail address - to name just a few things. We still have a few big social events coming up: (1) dinner with the Haley's, (2) Tom and Dave's July 4th party on the 30th, (3) my father-in-law's birthday on 1 July, and (4) getting to San Diego to see Kori & Ryan's baby and Brent & Jackie's baby. Jackie is probably in labor as I write this. But other than these social events, every minute of the day will be preparing for PCS (permanent change of station).

Also thought I would start a long term experiment. I added a page element on the right side towards the bottom called "People I Would Like to Find or Hear From." As I have mentioned before, one of the frustrating things I have found in moving so often is that I have really lost track of people I intended to keep in touch with my entire life - dating all the way back to childhood. And every time I move it seems like I gain a few more people I have lost touch with. In today's Internet age, there is really no reason to loose touch. So I am going to try to reconnect with people and maintain that contact. But I think it would be interesting to take it even a step further. Could I literally reconnect with "everyone" that has been a significant part of my life? I am going to find out. So I am starting with childhood. I am starting with the seven kids I used to play with the most between the ages of 4-10 when we lived at 1975 Keeven Lane in Florissant, Missouri. And I already have one reconnection! Actually the first one, Mike Morford, was kind of easy as we reconnected 2-3 years ago. This is a real case of "small world." Mike Morford, Todd Davis, and Scott Hudson not only played together but our lived in houses all adjacent to each other (a four corner type thing). Well, when I googled Mike Morford a couple years ago while working at The Naval Consolidated Brig at Miramar, I was living in Scripps Ranch in San Diego. We hadn't seen or heard from each other in like 30 years. Ironically, I discovered that Mike's first job out of college was working right in Scripps Ranch about a mile from where I was living. That's a small world. Mike is in northern Cali now but I was fortunate enough to be able to reach him before leaving for Turkey. Mike, I still hope to catch up with you sometime when we return stateside.

So, this blog is still brand new. but I enjoy it and i think it will continue to grow, If you know of any of the people I am searching for, let me know - or let them know. Once I reconnect with these old friendships I will add more names.

Time Flies

In the words of OMB: "Time flies when you're having fun."

In the words of Mick Jagger: "Don't let the world pass you by."

Time has been flying lately. It's been fun but Karen and I have to be careful not to blink - seems like everything is coming at us at a lightning pace right now. I could write all night but I am short on time. So here it is in bullet format:

• in April we found out we have Air Force orders for Incirlik Air Base
• it took 45 days for the Air force to completely understand I can take Karen with me
• I was selected for promotion to Master Sergeant in the AF; line number 3973
• as I prepared to outprocess Edwards AFB, I discovered I would need to attend a week-long PME class for Master Sergeant selects and fork out a few hundred bucks; unfortunately, money and time are scare resources right now
• my parents visited us in Lancaster for Father's Day weekend; just left today
• our great friends Ryan and Kori Smyth had their first baby today; Ryan wanted a unique name no one else would have but Kori said no to Santa Smith; welcome to Earth Owen Smith

My wife Karen and I with my mom and dad, Sherry and Jim Dwyer on Father's Day 2007:

Me, brother-in-law Randy Czajkowski, father-in-law Jim Kuhns, and my dad Jim Dwyer on Father's Day 2007:

Below, one of the first pics of Owen Smyth - kind of. At our 2007 Halloween party, Kori didn't know she was pregnant yet - but she actually was in this photo! Kori was a good sport tolerating all of us while she was not drinking. I don't know how she slept throught "2am Living Room Strobe Light Dancing" but she did. Below is my father-in-law as a one-eyed jack after he lost the vision in one eye - that's a dark sense of humor...at least in one eye. And notice that Kori and Ryan came to the party dressed as Patrick and Karen! Kori has Karen's hat on, fake boobs, and an apron that says "friends don't let friends drink white Zen." Ryan has a grey-haired wig, Air Force shirt, and Rolling Stones' pants on. Classic:

First Post

First Post. So why am I blogging? Well, I've always considered myself a writer...a frustrated writer without time. And an amatuer historian. Hopefully, I will find this forces me to take the time to write and I will get some enjoyment out of it as well. Plus, as I prepare to move to Incirlik Air Base in Turkey, I expect to have a few comments about the adventures Karen and I encounter without violating any DoD rules. This should be a great way to keep track with friends and family we will be missing. As I get ready for my 18th move in 22 years, I'm finding contact with friends and family gets harder every year. So, please, help me change that. Read, comment, e-mail, enjoy...stay in touch.