Gloating are we

Mason told me that I had to make a post announcing that he ran the table this afternoon at pool. After breaking he swept the table, which is unusual for him becuase he usually loses by scratching on the 8 ball. Yea for Mason!!!

40 Days and 40 Nights

Texas has been receiving a great deal of rain lately, including Wichita Falls. The weather channels must be having fun. It seems like each day we have a thunderstorm pass through and then short spurts of rain throughout the day. While this create some unpleasantness for walking about, it has brought the temperature down into the high 70s (with humidity.) At least our area hasn't flooded; however we did have a leak in our kitchen ceiling. Apparently some shingles had been torn off during the last big storm, and so the repairman fixed them, no more leaks...yet.

We moved Sheppard into the office so he wouldn't be disturbed by our loud banging and "construction" that we've been doing in the kitchen and living room the past few nights. He seems to be enjoying the fact that he has a room to himself. Although we will be moving him into the guest room. Sheppard has a cousin hamster now too. Jill, my sister, got a hamster and his name is Gus, so that's cool.

We're still on the nocturnal schedule, which is problematic when we have to keep getting up in the mornings, but it will sort its self out. Mason is having lunch today with some of the other LTs. While I have done laundry, vacuumed, washed dishes, and mopped the floor...a productive day.

Photos, Photos, Photos

We have been very busy in our house the past few days. We've "found the time" (like we have anything else to do) to frame and hang many of our pictures around the house. It looks much more exciting and makes the plain walls look more fun. By the end of this week we will definitely post the "after" pictures of the house.

Today we got news that the photos from our wedding are online so feel free to check them out. Go to http://www.edwardfox.com/. On the top right there will be link to "View an Event." There will be a prompt for the password, which is edwardfoxkehs. If you want to order some we will have that information shortly, because there are some discounted prices.

Yea! Time to make dinner...

A stranger in the house

For those of you who know my lovely husband, you will know that he is the cheapest person that you will ever meet...which is why I think that he is going to have a heart attack. Mason has spent more money in the past month and a half than he has probably ever spent, but he is doing well. Sometimes he wakes up with the sweats just thinking about all the money he has spent. I must say that while proud, I am so happy. Today we purchased some carpet remnants (aka good carpet for less) and some bookshelves that were on a red dot clearance! We did do the pricing to see if it would be cheaper to make our own...but it was not. Very exciting. The Highlander took care of us on the way home. Mason did have to throw out some sandals that were worn and torn, but I told him that Barb would say it was okay to spend a few pennies on new sandals. That was pretty much the most exciting thing we did all day. Again it's 1:30am and we are banging away at the walls...hope the neighbors don't complain.

Won't you be my neighbor

Today started a bit rainy, but once it cleared up, we were off for another day of chores around base. We took our time waking up since we went grocery shopping at 2am last night. I keep getting bounced around when I try to get my orders and paperwork for flight training at Pueblo, CO next month. But after calling a few offices, I think I got the right person and things should be ready for me Monday.

After doing a few other stops on base, we came back to the house and took it easy. We've been trying to get Sheppard to warm up to us but he's been shy lately. And then this evening we went to a BBQ with some of the other ENNJPT couples in the neighborhood. It was good to get to meet some new people in the same situation as us. It was especially good now because I'll be leaving from around July 1- Aug 14 and Ellen can't come with. There were a couple horror stories of bugs, etc. from other houses but we won't talk about that.....ever!

The link to the photo album in the recent post wasn't working for a while but we fixed it now. And after such a relaxing week, it's time for a relaxing weekend. Casual status rocks.

Oh, and if you're looking to get rid of a bookcase or two or five, we could use em!

Things everyone should experience in life

Everyone in their life should have the opportunity to own sharp knives. Sharp knives make all the difference in preparing a meal and eating a steak. Everyone in their life should also own non-stick pots and pans; they speak for themselves.

I miss Shadow, my dog, and all the funny things he did; like, chase his tail, cars, and sing to the silly recorder. I must say though Sheppard is very amusing to watch. Mason watching Sheppard is almost as funny. Sheppard has taken almost his entire food bowl up through tubes into his spinning ball. He also discovered last night the other tube. Watching him climb a foot and a half straight up was pretty funny, but it was more hilarious when his feet came shooting out the hole in the top and then he had to use the rest of his body to wiggle up into the "seating area." He's a pretty fun hamster.

The best day ever!

Today was an awesome day! Mason had to go out in the morning to check his e-mail on base because he can only access his government e-mail from government conputers. He found out his ENJJPT class will have about 14 US students and 14 Italian students. Last night there was a gigantic storm in our area. The power was off from almost an hour (granted we were probably the only ones awake from 2-3am) and the wind and rain was crazy. We enjoyed the storm while playing our new skip-bo card game by the light of our candles from the wedding. Today we looked around outside and there were so many branches that had fallen. The trees here seem very weak. There were many houses where trees had fallen on the roofs, and many roofs which had panels in the street. We were lucky that we only had a small branch fall in our backyard.

Despite the bad weather yesterday, today we got our new car! Finally. We signed all the paperwork and took home our BRAND NEW 2007 Toyota Highlander. With a sunroof! It is pretty sweet compared to the duck mobile (for those of you unfamiliar, that is my 95' Ford Contour,) we appreciate having two cars though. The car is great, and due to the low(er) gas prices here in Texas the SUV is worth it. It even goes beep-beep when you press the lock button. Mason will be twitching for a few days from writing his biggest check ever... After running some errands in town, we were able to get the newest addition to the our family.

Sheppard was brought home today. 1 ounce, 4 inches long, with a white/tan coat with a black spot behind each ear. Of course we are talking about our NEW "long-haired teddy bear male" HAMSTER!!!! He is so cute...and let me tell you Mason had great fun putting his cage together. His cage is almost as plush as our house.

And to finish the day, we took a cruise around base and did some jet-gazing. We couldn't resist getting a picture in front of the Thunderbird (#7, not sure why it's been parked here lately). And for Chaplin, we got a couple A-10 shots too.

You can view pictures from today at:
http://neiu.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2011226&l=088dc&id=77800450

An early start to the day

By 9 am we've had our moving boxes picked up, the washer/dryer repair man, and the exterminator here. Plus...Mason is making pancakes! What a plush life.

A little of this and a little of that

Mason and I have been settling into our new home this week. We have set up the kitchen, and have been working on hanging our photographs. The most difficult part is having a lack of furniture and surface area to put breakables, books and clothes. Currently the "guest room" is the storage room with all our boxes of books. Anyone is welcome to visit though, we'd love visitors.

We explored one of the gyms yesterday and went biking/running today. (Guess who did which) Yesterday on the way home we took a more up close look at the planes on flight line. There are tons of F-16s, F-15s, C130s, a few KC135s and some A10s. It's pretty cool to see the planes up close. The weather has been very up and down between the low eighties and high nineties. Tomorrow brings more rain.

Las Cucarachas

Things are not always as they seem. Couple gets married, couple graduates, couple moves into new home, all seems fine except that the lovely home is located in Texas where the days are hot, the nights are hot, and the largest cockroaches that you have ever seen roam free. They roam on the house, in the dirt, and it's tolerable, until...they are in your house. The most DISGUSTING part of our new life is these grotesque critters. We had two in the house, so far, but Mason was brave enough to kill them. This is not good for our young hearts... The neighbors had no good suggestions to get rid of them. The base exterminator will come on Tuesday...not soon enough!

Other than that, the move went well and we are in our house. It is better with all of our things now, but it's amazing how you can disperse junk when you have a lot of space. Yesterday was a pretty fun day. Mason worked in the morning to set up a picnic for a squadron and then I joined him later in the afternoon. We went into town and test drove our new car! We should have it by Tuesday once they install the sun roof. In the evening we went to an assignment night, that's when the pilot's find out which plane they will be flying after ENJJPT. We also found out that Mason's class start date was moved up to the middle of October, when it was originally the end of November. There are still some mixed feelings about the change.

Home Sweet Home

Today we got our house!!! We can officially receive mail, you can e-mail us for the new address. You can view pictures before the move in at
http://neiu.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2011038&l=01eea&id=77800450
these should be available even if you do not have facebook. We hardly slept at all last night so we're a bit tired today from signing the lease, and doing some shopping at target. Mason gets very upset with spending money even thought it was gift cards. However, we have new pillows, a broom, a few other odds and ends and are still on the hunt for some roach spray. Don't worry none in the house, but one in the shed that we are both too chicken to kill. They grow them the size of credit cards here...GROSS! Tomorrow they move our stuff in, and Thursday our washer/dryer and cable get installed. Yea!

Mason's dreams coming true

Usually our days consist of at least a trip to the base library and then a walk to the base Inn each night so that we are able to use the internet. Tonight our nightly walk consisted of coming face to face with a local skunk and fending off the gigantic mosquitoes. I think that Mason has about four big bites and I about six now.

Tonight the T-38s which Mason will fly during the second half of pilot training were doing their touch and goes so there was a sky filled with planes. Mason's dream. It was fun watching them fly around with all their lights on. We watched an interesting documentary tonight on a reserve detachment that went to Afghanistan. It was a good perspective.

Mason made dinner, Ellen made a chocolate chip cake and the maids did the linens and cleaned the towels...maybe we should reconsider this whole house thing without the maid. A plus is that Mason and I bought a washer and dryer for half the price than the retail stores. I am EXCITED!

The Texas Dictionary

Words you must know when visiting Texas

Word------------Translation

git-get
y'all-refers to one, two, or more people
ticket-receipt
reckon'- to think...


There are several more, but it's too hot to think. Even though there is AC everywhere, this hot, humid weather makes people (us included) rather crabby. Imagine that! Hopefully today we close the deal on our car, and then tomorrow we sign our lease! Yea!!!!

People Know us

Today (at 3pm) I went to the library to return some videos and check my e-mail since we can't set up our e-mail and one of the librarians recognized me as I was leaving. She asked, where my husband was, since Mason and I have been frequent library goers. I told her, he's at home...sleeping. She stopped suddenly, and then replied, oh he must work nights. When I replied that no, he was still on casual status she responded that when he came in next time she was going to say something to him...not sure what that means, but I guess it's good that people around base know who we are.

WORK! Ahh

Today Mason had to work, from 6am-9am. What a dreadful time of day to work. He, a Captain, and another LT. Were stationed just inside the gates counting cars and how many people were wearing seat belts...exciting eh!

On a positive note, we found a car that we really like, and are working out the plans. Ellen was stressed and made many brownies after dealing with so much money talk. Til tomorrow.

An Ode to Chicago that isn't really an Ode at all

Today was another relaxing day on the base. We went out to town (Wichita Falls), Mason isn't able to go any farther than that without filling out paperwork. We shopped around the Lowes, Home Depot, Walmart for Washers, Dryers, and area rugs...eventually we'll have to think about getting a BBQ Grill, and something else that I am forgetting about now. I guess the Tivo and flowers will have to wait until it's all in the budget. However, a new car may be on the horizon...

Things we've been missing from Chicago:
-Buffalo Joes
-Deep Dish Pizza
-Speed Limits above 25mph
-Squirrels (it's amazing how you miss those things when you don't see them)
-Normal size bugs (although I could do without those anytime)
-Normal size rabbits (the jack rabbits are quite large)
-Being out past 9pm and being able to see other people (it's very much like the Truman Show here...someone is always watching)
-Having stores be open before 9 and close after 5pm.
-The fast paced world...everything here is so slow, but, after being out today in the 90+ degree weather, I have to say we were pretty slow movin' too.

Well, that's all for today...unless something really exciting happens.

Appliances are expensive

Today we discovered that our nice housing DIDN'T include a washer and dryer. We are looking into purchasing one, however that could be around $700...YIKES! Also, who knew area rugs would be so expensive. It's a good thing that Mason is such a good EBAY shopper. Well, that's life in the Air Force lane.

Sheppard Air Force Base

After many weeks of feeling somewhat homeless, Mason and I arrived at Sheppard Air Force Base in Wichita Falls, TX. We have spent the past few days acclimating ourselves to HUGE bugs, giant rabbits, slow drivers, and Texans who always say y'all. (Don't worry Jill, no big poofy hair yet, although 90% of the radio stations are country.) We are currently living in the Temporary Living Facilities (TLF) where we have several nice accommodations. There is a living room, kitchen table, a kitchen stocked with cookware and serving items, a decent sized bedroom and bathroom with a shower head about my size, which makes things hard for Mason. We've become quite friendly with the local librarians and spent all of Monday getting various ID cards and setting up finances.

Today we were able to choose our house. It is quite lovely, however, we will be unable to move in until the 13th of June because the movers are so backed up. We are relieved however to know that our possessions did make it to Wichita Falls. We'll have a lease signing party on th 12th. It's a good one month wedding gift for us.

Mason spends a great deal of time polishing his shoes and creasing his uniforms while Ellen makes continuous lists and fills out job applications. Adult life...not to shabby so far.