Monday, February 28, 2011

Fun Monday - To Be Young Again.

For our last Fun Monday in February on the last day of the month, I would like to hear about an early childhood memory. That is the task given to me this Monday by Molly at Return of the White Robin for the final Monday of February. Let's see what I can uncover, shall we? 


She first came to me when I was sixteen, almost seventeen. She was the most beautiful thing that I had ever laid eyes upon, and she was all mine.

We would go everywhere together, never wanting to be apart. I filled her with what she wanted and she always got me running. Throughout my senior year in high school she was my most dependable friend, always there when I needed her.

After high school I joined the Air Force and we had to be separated for nearly four months, it was an agonizing time in my life, I mean we had never been apart for more than a day, and now to have this thrust upon our relationship. While in training I would hear rumors of her seeing someone else, but they turned out to be fruitless, it was just someone trying to put the green monster of envy and jealousy between our love.

The next six months were the best; she was the one I could turn to when my training got to me. Often times we would head up to the mountains to be alone in the peaceful surroundings. As my final days of training came closer she was there to help my friends and I ease into the transition of heading to our first duty station.

She was a godsend.

Then the day we both dreaded came to pass, and I got my orders, to the United Kingdom, and we both knew that I couldn’t bring her with me. She did come with me to where my parents were living in San Antonio to see me off. In fact, she stayed with them for a while, and when they moved back to Colorado, she gave them a warm homecoming.

When my tour in England ended, I knew that she would be there, but I also knew that I had tried others, and almost brought one home with me.

She didn’t care.

She loved me, after all.

So, I took her to Abilene, Texas, when I moved there for my next assignment. I don’t know if we rushed it or not; maybe we were forcing our affection where it wasn’t, who knows. We grew apart, so much so, that my roommate asked if he could take her from me. I was shocked, but I knew that it would be for the best, besides a new girl had caught my eye. She acquiesced to the exchange, and I felt that she was in good hands. My new girl was attractive and dependable, but it still felt weird.

One day, maybe a month later, I saw her on the street. My roommate, now former because of my new rank in the military entitled me to not having one, was nowhere in site.

I started to cry.

It was obvious that she had been abused, and was left on the side for dead, sitting in a puddle of her own tears. Then came the anger, how could he do this to her.

I resolved on that day, to never again sell my old automobiles to someone so young and irresponsible.

Or, maybe I should go with this one...


One year for Christmas, we traveled to Colorado, from San Antonio, Texas to visit with my maternal grandparents, also known as "Nanna and Poppop." It was a trip that we all greatly anticipated because we were going to see family that we hadn't seen in more than a year and it was Christmas time. The family time was wonderful as we would visit my Uncles homes that were in the mountains and go sledding or tubing and have a generally great time. Christmas Eve was spent with my grand parents and, as tradition holds near and dear, we were allowed to open some of our gifts before heading off to bed, I remember getting the game Risk and an ABBA album, my first album ever. I had worked all fall delivering newspapers to buy myself a turntable, but had yet to purchase any albums.


I was in heaven. Seriously.


Christmas morning came and to my brothers and my surprise, there appeared to be no new presents from Santa. Uh oh, maybe we really were bad boys that year. Shoot. Well, not much more was thought about the morning because we would be heading to my Uncle Greg's house later that day for some more tubing fun and eating great food and celebrating family time. Who could complain? Santa's appearance, or lack thereof, didn't really seem to bother me and my brothers. 


My parents were very good at distractions apparently.


Anyway, after the holiday fun, we had to head back to San Antonio and their lack of snow and mountains and family. All good things must come to an end I suppose. I think we drove straight through to get back home, it's hard to remember these things when you sleep through them. When we arrived back home I remember walking into the house and noticing our Christmas lights were on, thinking that we must have left them on while we were gone, for nearly two weeks, to keep anyone from thinking the house was empty. Or something like that.


Then I noticed something else... Santa had come and left a "boatload" of presents for me and my brothers. That my friends was an awesome Christmas.

Monday, February 7, 2011

Fun Monday - $10 Million

So I have decided to try a new thing, that new thing is called Fun Monday, and if you would like to join in the fun head over to Molly's place and sign up. Today's "Fun" deals with money, specifically $10 million, and what I would do with it. Let's see what I come up with, shall we?

I have just received $10 million and I can do with it what I please - Awesome!

My first inclination would be to go out and buy a bigger house, my family has grown a lot since we moved into our "starter home" and it would be nice to have a little more room, my next inclination would be to take care of those I love, etc. However, this is what I would really do with it...

The first 10% of the money, $1 million would go to my church. Period. They do good work and it would feel good to be able to help a lot more people. If I could designate it further, I would probably ask that some of it goes into a scholarship fund for students wishing to attend the school.

The next $1 million would go to the St Vincent de Paul society, with the intent being to build a home for those that are down on their luck, a place where everyone can feel safe, get a good meal, warm shower and a peaceful nights rest.

Next up would be to secure the future for my wife and children, $750,000 for each child will be put into a trust fund that they can access after they turn 25. I chose 25 instead of 21 because I figure they will be a little more mature by then, plus it would give my oldest five years to build up a little interest. By the time my youngest could access his, we're talking 23 years of building interest. I'll probably have to hit him up for a loan then.

Not really, because I would also put $1.5 million in a nice little retirement fund for Jenni and I. After all, I probably won't have any social security to rely on, nor would I really want to.

That leaves us with $1,250,000 left for buying that new house and cars, paying for the kids tuition's, and the best part, getting on a chartered airplane with all my friends (you know who you are already) and visit all of the Disneyland's/worlds. Starting at Walt Disney World and heading east, to France, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Anaheim and finally ending up back at Walt Disney World.

I would need something to occupy my time while my new house was being built, right?

So what would you do if you were given $10 million?

Sunday, February 6, 2011

Scenes from a blizzard, via my phone

Trying out this new blogger option for my cell, so please near with me. Hopefully, you will see some photos from our blizzard that i took while driving home in it. Nothing earth shattering, just something to use as a test subject.

Now i will head home and see what I did. :)
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