The other day I realized I haven’t had a good story to tell you in a while. I tried to figure out why…there arethings happening here left, right & ridiculous…I just have no interest in sharing them. Nothing’s really jumping out at me to talk about.

There are so many little things on my mind…too many little distractions pulling me every which way but up…that I can’t seem to think my way through a good story.

So if you’ll indulge me, I’m going to dump it all out & hopefully start with a clean slate.

So stand back…I don’t want to get any of this on you…I’m gonna be slingin’ odd, random muck left & right.

Random Thought #1

I can’t get this picture out of my mind.

Or this one.

The Chong’s (neighbors of the Lumber Barons) have been buying up new dogs…and I think they’re eating them.

It haunts me.

Random Thought #2

Peabody, the remaining half of Peabody & Squatty, who has been visiting our house for days has been put back on his chain.

Nevermind that the dog is now actually housebroken or that he’s far too thin to be out in weather that’s now hitting 36 degrees at night or the fact that he’s got the sweetest spirit. Nope. They don’t care enough to name him…so why should they care that I’ve been able to train him to be a loving family pet?

Do you realize this dog would not let me get my hand 2 feet from him when they first started getting out?!

Now he loves to give hugs…wants to be petted all the time.

I miss him.

Random Thought #3

Eric beat me at Time Crisis while we were up in Seoul.

HE….BEAT….ME!

While he could always whoop me on every other game, I always ruled on Time Crisis. Pulling off amazing head shots & weapons bonuses, I always won.

I blame the pink guns.

Honestly – who puts pink guns on a shoot-’em-up game in the middle of a US Army base?

I’m getting old.

Random Thought #4

My birthday is coming up. Number 40.

The plans I put in place have fallen apart. The back-up plans I put in place have fallen apart. And the back-up, back-up plan has fallen apart, too.

I’m going to be home alone, making my own birthday cake.

Did I ever show you my attempt at lava cakes from last year?…

Oh sure…they look pretty. But you’re supposed to be able to flip it upside down, gently lift it out of the ramekin & have this perfect little molten-centered cake.

Yeah. Not so much.

Random Thought #5

Eric & I want to get to Germany after our tour in Korea is done. His family migrated from Germany back in the mid 1700′s. So having the chance to live there means a lot to us both.

But we discovered this past week that Germany has passed a ‘dangerous dog ordinance’ and Maggie’s considered a level 2 dangerous dog.

She could come…but she’d have to be temperament tested by German officials.

If she passes, she’d be certified as a non-agressive dog with papers to prove it. If she fails….well, I would either go back home to the States while Eric stays in Germany or they could possibly put Maggie down & we’d have no say-so.

Random Thought #6

I got accepted into the Master Resiliency Training program. I start classes Monday & while I’m not really so nervous about it…I can’t get a thought out of the back of my mind.

While Eric & my neighbor support me, not everyone else in my life does.

They think I’m going to be the 500 lb woman running the weight loss clinic.

[ok, to be fair....my words, not their's]

But definitely not the most inspiring choice in their view.

Just when I’ve finally found something that calls out to me – even if only marginally – they are right there to say, ‘no – I don’t think that’s such a good idea for you’. And I’m back at square one…what am I going to be when I grow up?

Random Thought #7

I should never blog at night.

So with that said, I’m heading off to bed. I still owe a couple of people emails…I’m sorry to take so long. But I promise I haven’t forgotten you.

Just a quick note tonight as I am still trying to get ready to travel up toYongsan tomorrow.

Eric was granted his pass after all – I’ll actually get to spend my anniversary with my husband.

So that’s a bonus.

The next-door 15 year-old aero-space engineer in the making has willing taken on the role of “dog walker” while we’re gone. Pray for him because I think Moo’s got a good 20 lbs on him. But I’m sure by the time we come back he’ll have constructed some sort of rudimentary pulley system to help propel Moo’s butt down the road thus making her nightly walks more fuel efficient & aero-dynamically sound.

In the meantime, I’m taking tomorrow off from the blog…I figure 5 years of wedded bliss is a reasonable enough excuse to skip a day – ok, maybe two. Not sure just yet.

All I know & care about at the moment is that I’ll be in a hotel…with room service…and hopefully big, fluffy pillows…with mints on them.

This was my lunch yesterday when I went to visit Eric.

Entrails.

Entrails with a side of corn and macaroni & cheese.

Hmm…Hmm…

C’mon…take one look at that plate & tell me that’s NOT what you see!

I dare you.

It was actually billed as “beef brisket”. And when the brigade commander asks if you’d like some entrails…ahh…brisket, you say ‘yes, sir – thank you, sir’ and smile politely as he dollops them onto your pressed paper plate and move on.

But I got to eat entrails with Eric & that’s all that mattered.

I’ve missed his smiling…ahh…I’m-too-cool-to-smile’ face.

[detail from the Buddhist temple at the Folk Village]

I’m here…I think.

This past week my headaches have come back. Always around early afternoon & lasting straight through to bedtime.

It’s made for a lot of boring days of not doing much. Add in the fact that Eric’s not home & without his smiling face and daily hi-jinks life around here seems to lose it’s color.

Can’t tell you when he left, where he went, what for or when he’ll be back…but I can tell you the pass he put in to come home for a couple of days for our anniversary was rejected.

We knew it might be a possibility…that’s life in the Army.

I’ll keep the reservation up at the Lodge in Yongsan – sitting alone in a hotel room with access to room service & some kind of American TV has got to be better than sitting at home alone watching Demi Soda commercials.

Sorry – inside joke. A Korean soft drink company, Demi Soda, has recently put out the most ridiculous ad campaign. So much so that I’ve been trying to catch it on video to share with you & have a giveaway.

Needless to say, Moo-Moo desperately misses her daddy. The first night she slept at the door, waiting for him to come home. Second night…the same thing. She perks up anytime she hears a car door outside – thinking it might be him.

You see, each time Eric comes home from work he goes through this whole routine with her – which includes a song that makes her dance. It’s the “Daddy’s Home” song. A made up tune – but it’s hysterical to see her jump & prance to it. And when he’s gone for more than just a work day the performance is definitely video-worthy. So I’ll be sure to record it for you.

For now though it’s off to bed.

What have you got going on this weekend?

After a typically weak dinner the other night at the AMC (Alaska Mining Company), Eric & I came home to sit & veg like the old couple we are…doing everything we could to forget both the hospital-ranked meal & that there is actually such a thing as fine dining – just not anywhere around here.

Since our 5 year anniversary is coming up next month, I’ve gone ahead & made reservations at the Dragon Hill Lodge – the on-base hotel up in Yongsan. So as we sat in our deflated stupor at 8pm on a Saturday night, I had the brilliant idea to check out the Lodge’s website. Maybe…just maybe…if we were lucky, the Lodge might actually have a decent restaurant with a menu reminiscent of home.

As it turns out, the Lodge has 2 lounges, a deli, 3 restaurants…including a 4th across the street – typically meant for Generals, ROK (Republic of Korea) Commanding Officers & diplomats from all over, but it’s also open to the public.

And as I read from the various hotel menus, the fun ensued…

“Babe! Look it!…

Chicken Breast Florentine – sauteed in a light egg batter served gratineed with seasoned spinach, fresh tomatoes & fresh basil with pasta tossed in a lemon white wine butter sauce! Ooh, that sounds good!

Steak Delmar – sirloin steak topped with shrimp, scallops, crabmeat & mushrooms in a garlic cream sauce served with your choice of past or rice…that sounds like something you’d get.

Ooohhh…

Steak, Chicken or Shrimp Fajitas…and look! They’re even serving them with rice AND beans! RICE AND BEANS! With salsa, guacamole & sour cream, too…

Ahhh…doesn’t that sound just like home?

And check it out, Babe…

They even have honest-to-God hickory-smoked beef brisket, pulled pork, hot smoked sausage, ribs, smoked chicken…wait…OMG – you can even choose between THREE kinds of BBQ sauce!

And look!….even all the sides are American – not a single mention of Kimchi, white rice or Bulgogi anywhere! Do you think this could be a real American restaurant? I mean really real…like back home real?

Oh God…look…Carne Asada. I swear! Look!!! It’s ON the menu!

Wait – How much longer until our anniversary?

Oooh! Let’s see what the dessert menu is like!

Look! Cafe’ Mocha Torte, Vanilla Flan, Sopapillas – NO! I’m not lying!…Sopapillas! Honest to God, Sopapillas!

[deep sigh]

Oh…do you even remember what sopapillas taste like?

[long pause]

I think I’m going to cry…

Fried Ice Cream…and…Warm Chocolate Lava Cake.

[deep-seeded longing...fueled into excitement]

Let’s get both!…On the same plate!