Daddy's Home!!

I'M BACK! And I love America. It's the best. I haven't sat down to write a blog because I've been to busy having fun, and I forgot all about it. Valli is at a lathe class so instead of pinning I'll write a blog about being home.

I got back to Ft Campbell around 8pm on the 23rd of December. Happy Birthday Joseph Smith, Lindsay Firth, and a bunch of other people not listed att. After 4 hours of time-wasting bullcrap I got to go home. The Army sucks. Literally, who on Earth wants to listen to the crappy band, sing the crappy Army Song, and be speached at about 'How great it is to have us back, now don't kill yourself or get sent to jail the first night back' for four hours, after sitting in airplane and airfields for 30 hours while our families are waiting in bleachers. Army: you suck for that. Suck. Anyway, after that mess I had seven days of repatriation/paperwork/dont-kill-anyone-including-yourself-beat-your-wife-drink-and-drive-drink-and-anything speaches.

I told you I was busy having fun. Now that that worthless crapfest is over with I have finally started my vacation. I have 30 days of Army-free bliss to spend doing all the things I've been waiting for. It's been awesome. Valli posted the bike pictures already- which is uber-cool, but not the best thing. The BEST thing is being with Valli, and includes a billion smaller reasons rolled up together.

Other best things about being home are:

Peace and Quiet. I could go on and on about the one. But I'll just say that Afghanistan was a very noisy place.

The House. Valli has done so much work on the house that I hardly recognise it. The bathroom is awesome and the eternal hot water is awesome and the new kitchen counters and cabinets and no more crappy carpet and crappy panelling is awesome too.

The huge truck Valli bought.

Christmas Holidays and rad gifts like friggin-awesome fuzzy slippers, REI gift certificates, and a monster gas grill. Also, Jenny- your gift is almost done, I swear I'll have it sent by February. And Ed, sorry man, not this year either.

Cooking my beautiful cow. He is so delicious.

Not working. There are no words.

Not being in Afghanistan. Way too many words.

The. Bike. Is. AWESOME!!! In case you also want one now, it's a Yamaha RoadStar Warrior 1700, and it has a ton of power! Who knew? Apparently not the insurance company because the premiums are so cheap! About a quarter of what they were for the last one. It is so sexy and loud and fast and shiny and cold to ride on in January but I DON'T CARE! I just bundle up and suffer because it so much fun!

The list has to end somewhere and I guess this will work, but I could go on and on. Being home is wonderful, and Valli and I are doing great, and if I haven't got around to calling you yet you are not alone because I've hardly called anyone. But I love you guys and hope you are having at least as good a time as I am, if not better.

Marked for Death

Isn't he cute? Sadly he is also condemned. Valli and I bought half of this pretty Angus steer (that's what we were told, anyway) for the freezer. I shall call him Buttercup. And when it's my turn to cook I will say: Honey, would you like, chicken, rabbit-food, or a juicy hunk of Buttercup? Or something.

Buttercup is currently enjoying the last few days of his short but happy life. He has been raised on a rotating pasture of all natural grasses and legumes with a few of his pals. They all wake up early and frolic and play until dark. He grew up on a little farm a few miles from Clarksville with dogs and miniature dairy goats. Buttercup has had a great life. And in about two weeks that life will be over. He will be divided into about 150 all-natural, growth-hormone, antibiotic-free pieces and stacked neatly in our freezer. I'm so excited! We are supporting our local little-guy economy, getting six to eight months of cheap, ultra-healthy, all natural, lean, tender beef. And let us not forget- sticking it to the polluting, greedy, degenerate gorcery superpowers!
Oh Buttercup, I could just eat you up!

Picnic

arnToday while hiding from tedius crap-work I decided to break in my newly inheirited blender. I've been preparing for ths moment by taking pocketfulls of ingredients from the dining facility (hereafter known as the 'defac'). A burning wire smell filled the room but- thats what fans are for. They turned out really good and I shared with my friends. One brought out some homemade cookies, Jack Johnson and a string of pineapple and palm-tree shaped christmas lights. We had a regular little picnic up in the hanger. The smoohties were tart but good.

Here's the recipie- if anyone wants to know.

• 3 single-serving sized cups of yogurt, 2 peach and 1 mixed berry- mostly frozen
• 2 apple juice boxes
• 1 styrofoam take-home box of ripe/nearly ripe peaches and apricots

Cut fruit into one-inch cubes with leatherman or similar multi-tool, put back in box and freeze. Throw everything into the blender and whip for 1 minute. Open window and turn on fan. Keep fire extinguisher close by- just in case. Makes 5 servings

The Gas Lantern

Sadly our favorite Restaurant has closed. The Gas Lantern was a great find in Downtown Clarksville. It was kind of a fluke that we discovered it since it didn’t advertise very well. This contributed in large amounts to its closing I suspect. We didn’t have any solid plans to celebrate New Years Eve so when we discovered it was their last day in operation we hurriedly called to make reservations. Luckily they had one spot for two left that night.

The food was so good. So good to rival even Dave’s shrimp and stuffed mushrooms. Which is a feat of grand proportions. People rave about, will travel a goodly distance and constantly inquire about when it will be made next.

Just as with Dave’s shrimp every bite of dessert is a piece of the celestial kingdom. With the limited holiday menu we ended up ordering close to everything on it.



A few good things that will come about by The Gas Lantern closing:
We will cease to spend funds there.
It will not add to our waist lines.
The rich (yummy) food will not shorten our life span.

The building was built by a local oil tycoon early last century. It was used as nurses’ quarters when a hospital was in operation next to it. The hospital is now a bank. The home had some more neat history but the web site is now down and I can’t remember it. It is still a beautiful building.
Now that we are one month into 2008, farewell to 2007 and The Gas Lantern. You were both great!

Sugary breakfast overload

Last Friday morning Breakfast:

These were a late morning creation of yumminess that exceeds description. What a great way to start a day. Dave was banished from the kitchen until this concoction of Strawberry cream cheese, Marshmallow cream, Whipped cream, Raspberry jam and other goodies could be placed in front of him. Yes, it was a lot of sugar. Umm, and cream.

It was crazy goodness though. The kind of crazy goodness that sends tentacles of flavor throughout your taste buds at the mere mention of it. The strawberry cream cheese and marshmallow cream came from a fruit dip I made earlier in the week and thought I'd just throw it in to test the waters. We normally don't have marshmallow cream for breakfast. Personally I don't have anything against it, at least now I don't. That wasn't the case before we devoured this meal. However, in my support of Dave keeping his hour glass figure I won't make a habit of this. At least it had fresh fruit that I cut with my own two little hands. Sooo, that compensates for all the refined foods part of it right?

Dave got the day off due to the reenlistment and I have Friday's off due to a great boss. It's great having a day off together! Anythings better than waking up at 4:30am.