Well, since you've summoned the mad... I'm here. Not musin', just pondering as usual. Just took another dose of medicine, I've been sick all week with a double ear infection, sinus infection, and bronchitis, and I'm getting sick of taking meds now. Had to work, no one else to do the job, and working in the heat (no AC) makes for bone weary, butt dragging days. I've had the NE Nat'l Guard, PA Nat'l Guard and the Virgin Islands Nat'l Guard to contend with. All great groups, they kept me busy but laughing. Had a group of Navy Sailors, too. Not easy trying to turn Sailors into Soldiers, but I love them like they were my own. Today ended a bit odd. A friend of mine, who is currently a Deputy Brigade Commander, has been torn the past month between taking an assignment in FL that was offered to him or retiring. He really doesn't want to leave here, but he doesn't really want to retire either. Around 2 pm he called me and asked me if I had checked my email lately, something had happened that I needed to be aware of. I automatically thought he had ticked off someone I was working a project with and I was ready to wring his neck. Off I go to scan my emails, blood pressure steadily rising, find his email, read the first sentence..."read through the string of traffic below and take a moment to let it sink in before you call me." Second sentence..."Not sure what this means, not sure it's a good thing, or bad thing." Third sentence..."Is this the silver bullet to Colonel? Probably..." That's all it took, I started speed reading through all the emails at such a rate it would have put Evelyn Wood to shame. Seems he was nominated for a very high visibility Battalion Commander slot! I'm so thrilled for him and hope he's selected. I was so excited that I swear every 15 minutes I stopped and said a silent prayer for him. He could use all the positive thoughts he can get, so please keep him in mind. If that wasn't enough to get my adrenaline flowing, one of my employees stopped by around 6 pm and apologized profusely for forgetting to give me a message. The message came from my counterpart in the Special Forces world and simply said "I'm retiring". I immediately knew what that meant, and it wasn't "light the tiki torches and pull out that bottle of Puerto Rican rum you've been saving". It means he wants me to take his job. Even though we're "counterparts", his job is a coveted dream job in the headquarters, higher paying than mine, better hours, less physical work. On the down side it means jumping the fence to a different command and not interfacing with the soldiers, which I absolutely love. So, now I'm torn. This is the third time I've been offered a job in that command and I have a feeling if I turn it down, there won't be another offer. Call me mad but I've decided I'll wait and see if my friend gets his position before I make my decision. If he gets his, I'll take it as a sign that it's time to change and take this position. If he doesn't, I'll take it as a sign that I should stay where I am and decline. See what you get when you summon the mad....

I was in Florida for about a week and family back here said it was in the 70's and 80's here. I came back and the trees (some )had leaves and the grass wasa foot and a half tall and thick, I had a hard time in the lower yard it was so thick and green. Well, the other night ( Monday?) ruined the leaves on a bunch of Quercus Rubra and one Q Shumardii The Q Nuttallii came close but are holding back their leaves enough to avoid this crap. The white oak family oaks were conservative and weren't fooled. The 2 chestnut oaks are getting restless and are close to leafing out, though. The Willow oaks I have look really bad. The 2 ft tall one has blackened leaves. It looked good before the cold snap. After seeing them in Florida and how the leaves ( not form) look like live oak, I want at least 2 in my yard. My Quercus fusiformis looks totally great after this winter. My Q Virginiana are bare now, but I think they are okay, this winter was no test for them anyway. Long story short I hope my oaks that had their first set of leaves ruined bounce back, the same for others trees.

I wish the flavoured ones came completely unsweetened, because I find them all too sweet. It is hard to get just the plain liquid here, so most times it is either actual cream or non-dairy coffee whitenener powder. I find the no-name and store brands to be less expensive and just as good as the CoffeeMate brand. I agree with the hydrogenated oils, so I would rather use real cream. I can deal with saturated fat LOL! I am not sure how the powder stacks up cost/serving wise, but I know a bottle of powder lasts a heck of a lot longer than a bottle of creamer or cream. Dances.

I have three sons, one of the hardest things I've ever done is tell my youngest son he had to move out. After several years of up and downs with him, one night he never came home, I was scared to death driving around the next morning looking for his car. Finally he walked in the door, I was relieved he was alive but angry and screaming at him. I removed myself from the situation for several hours, then lovingly and calmly told him he needed to move out, I think I gave him five days. It was very difficult, but knowing it was the right thing gave me confidence to stay the course. After he moved out, we rarely spoke, his brothers kept me informed how he was doing. I called him inviting him to thanksgiving and Christmas, he'd decline, I'd politely hang up then cry. One time I called him inviting him over for dinner, I was surprised he accepted, over time he was part of our family again. The end of the story is he has told us our kicking him out was the best thing we did for him.