Pax meets the Leap Year

Ahhhh.... the 29th of February.  Only occurring once every four years, it is the day when folk tradition has it that a woman may propose to a man.

Oooh.... so is Brendan Fraser single?
Do you think perhaps he would find it creepy to receive a "Hey! Let's get hitched" from an utter stranger?
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..........<crickets chirp>
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okay... yes... it WOULD be really creepy but something to shock and amuse the country relatives with :D

But seriously - I would be a *FANTASTIC* girlfriend.   I like geeks, and small children; reading books and sending treats to the Troops; can wash, cook and sew (and finds 2 out of 3 of those interesting enough to do regularly of my own free will); I keep my nagging and honey-do's to a minimum; happily pay for my own share of the bills and all of the mortgage; own a 32" LCD flat screen TV And now a coffee machine*. Who wouldn't love me?!

Oh about that coffee machine... I found out about it yesterday.  Phone call received at work to advise  that I had won it in a random "you bought stuff" draw. One of those "Nespresso" machines that take the fancy flavoured coffee capsules.

Pretty nifty huh?  Just a pity I'm more of a Hot Chocolate kind of person. Don't get me wrong - I Loooove the smell of freshly roasted coffee but I get quite twitchy quite fast if I drink any of it. (think Super Squirrel on Speed)

So yes...  please send all "Hey I'd love a laid-back, kind, coffee machine owning girlfriend in my life" applications care of this blog.  And remember IT COULD BE YOU!

*Small disclaimer: Fools, Idiots, Mamma's Boys and those hoping I'll  be foolish enough to support you through your final years of College should not apply.  Been there.. done that.... lost the t-shirt in the settlement.

Coffeypot at Sea

I first met Coffeypot online in 2009 - not long after I began my Milsupport/Milblogging (He was a good friend of a blogger I had been following and we began to chat via email).  Coffey mentioned early in the conversation that his ship - USS Frank E. Evans DD754 - had gone down in the  South China Sea just outside the designated combat zone in a collision with an Australian Naval ship.

And I thought "but surely he's too young to have been serving at the time of the second HMAS Melbourne disaster". (To Australians of a certain age, the two HMAS Melbourne naval disasters remains as something we have heard of growing up).  Turns out that Coffeypot is one of those "served young - remains looking young" types and joined up in the early 60's.

Coffeypot is an amazing man. A self-described "Old Salt" and a teller of funny tales (warning.. sometimes funny RUDE tales so read with caution :D).  And someone that I count as a very good friend.

Coffey shared with some of his friends the below youtube clip he found of his ship - filmed in 1963 (6 years prior to the disaster) and with his permission I would like to share it with you all.

He writes "I was on her (USS Frank E. Evans DD754) that day, though it is hard to see, I can see me. Though I was a RDSN at the time, my refueling station was sitting on my butt just past mid-ships holding on the netting with my left hand and my right arm sticking out so ET3 Roskie could run the small lines from me to the guy behind me and then lay out the rest on the deck. I was always wet after we broke away, and I always got a shot of Rum from Doc Wilson."

Ships shown in this clip are: the USS Frank E. Evans (DD754)

and The carrier is the USS Hornet CVS12

On the 3rd of June 1969 two Naval ships - the USS Frank E. Evans (DD754) and the HMAS Melbourne (R21) collided. 74 souls lost their lives (You can read more about the disaster here)

Cup of Joes... making everyone smile!

Lately I have been having a few bad days emotion-wise. Anniversary of the "Grand Departure of the Ex" has been causing some soul searching and still some anger (mostly at myself... you'd think I would eventually learn how to pick a decent, loving guy but noooo...) so I have been feeling a bit blue.

Anyway... I've just had the best "Pick me Up" ever.  Messages just in from the Cup of  Joe program from people who have received the coffee vouchers downrange.  All sending their thanks and happiness that they have not been forgotten.  Many hoping that they can one day visit Australia (Really! Come visit! We love your accent and lovely manners over here! :D)

So yes... my woes wither in comparison to those in harms way that are still managing to smile (and stay caffeinated!).

Thank you all my "Joes" (and "Joe-ettes") for giving me Joy in return for just a few dollars of donations.

And Stay SAFE!  (some of us worry! :D)

***********
usual disclaimer - the Cup of Joe team give me no shiny rocks or chocolate covered coffee beans for any words of praise. Although... I'm open to receiving Penguins (all sizes) if you happen to find any just "lying about"...  *wicked smile*

Musical interlude...

Marines + Kitty = Win

Have I mentioned that I find Marines (with or without kittens) rather adorable?

Full story HERE

Anniversary of the Bombing of Darwin Australia

From an article in today's online News

Bombing of Darwin: 70 years on

On February 19, 1942, shortly before 10:00am, Japanese forces launched air raids on Darwin, the first on Australian soil.

More than 260 enemy planes, including land-based bombers and planes flying off aircraft carriers in the Timor Sea, attacked US and Australian shipping, the town's harbour, military and civil aerodromes and the local hospital.

The attacks, which came in two waves, were part of Japan's efforts to damage Australia's morale, hinder Darwin's use as a military base, and ultimately secure neighbouring Timor.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-02-17/bombing-of-darwin-anniversary-special-coverage/3834410

(the photo slide show at the very bottom of the article is rather good)

Pax has more penguins

I was expecting no items of joy to arrive for me this V-day - being, as I am, between relationships - however I discovered that an item I ordered for myself last month has finally arrived.

It's red and makes me smile - a lot - so I think I will share with you all

This is actually the replacement Penguin insanity shirt.  Shirt the First ended up being shipped to a (then) friend downrange - he was in need of a touch of 'home' - so it was shipped off (coated in my vanilla perfume) on a "he would return it some day in person to me" type situation.  Sadly that friendship tanked so badly that I am quite sure he ended up burning it as some Manly-act.

So this is now my replacement Happy Shirt.  And when I wear it I will occasionally remember him and wish him joy in his life.

Mwahaha! Pax Plots (again!)

I have just sent off another "Cup of Kaboom" to one my Soldiers' Angels adoptees - I *love* these cups!.  Clever mixture of utter silliness and maximum Coffee storage!

Hoping he likes it!

And in Potential Pax Plotting - I know someone that would shriek in horror at receiving the next item

Possibly more bearable than some of the Customised "Hello Kitty" combat weapons at this site - http://www.loneleeplanet.com/2009/12/top-7-hello-kitty-combat-gear/

Have I mentioned lately just how much FUN I get from sending the weird and the wacky downrange to my Adoptees?

And for my friends that are fearful of my continuing existence - relax!  They've first got to GET to Australia and then track me down to retaliate (snickers)

Pax is feeling the Lieb! - Liebster Awards abound

Ahh... waking up to find not ONE but TWO nominations of an Award - outstanding!  It has made my Friday of Work Drama all that more bearable.

1. Copy and paste the award on your blog.

The rules of the blog-fest are as follows:

1. Copy and paste the award on our blog.
2. Link back to the blogger who gave us the award.
3. Pick our five favorite blogs with fewer than 200 followers, and leave a comment on their blog to let them know they have received the award.
4. Hope that the five blogs chosen will keep spreading the love and pass it on to five more blogs.

And since re-using Song as an extension of literary expression and explanation is so popular (and effective) let's give the Beatles "Love me Do" an outing shall we?  [Liebe being the German word for "love" I am advised]

Liebe, Liebe Me do!

Awww Linky love from two of the people that I think make the world (mine and yours both) better in general!

2. Link back to the blogger who gave us the award

The First nomination was from NavyOne over at The Mellow Jihadi.  N1 burst upon the blogging scene last year - keen, fit and always able to use the correct instance of Your and You're [and would turn green at the idea of "Irregardless" being used as a real word. Sigh... what a guy!]. A True Officer and a Gentleman [I even hear he's "Dashing" - hither and yon], I read his blog on a daily basis and always go away more educated (and amused) than I began. 

The Second nomination was from America's First Sgt over at Castra Praetoria.  I have been following the Good 1st Sgt's (soon to be SgtMajor!) writings since 2009 (not long after I first began my milsupporting).  Over the years he's been kind, helpful and always accepting of my (occasionally foolish) attempts to make him smile.  I can best sum him up by saying that - the World can sleep well at night knowing that He and His Marines are there to protect us from the Ravening Hordes of Zombies and Killer Krill. Go read his words and become a fellow follower (just don't offer him weird Australian Candy cause that's *MY* role in life :D)

You know I Liebe you

3.Pick our five favorite blogs with fewer than 200 followers, and leave a comment

on their blog to let them know they have received the award.

1. Charlie Sherpa over at Red Bull Rising. I first met Charlie online back in February 2010. He was then an active member of the Iowa National Guard and a magazine journalist in his day job. In the intervening years I've read his posts on military tales, returned veteran support information and how his deployments and commitments to the guard impacted on his family.  Charlie is now retired from the Guards (retirement coming at an awkward time - just as he was due to redeploy downrange with his unit) Charlie's determination about helping to see the job through saw him eventually rejoin his troop as an embedded reporter - and he is now writing a book about his experiences.

2. MaryAnn over at Soldier's Angels Germany blog.  She has been the solid rock of SA's office at the Landstuhl Regional Medical Centre. Their mission -  As the official Soldiers' Angels organization in Germany, our mission is to support patients medevaced to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center from Iraq and Afghanistan.

3. Airman Mom.  A Good soul who posts both the good and sad news.

4. Mud Puppy over at Embrace the Suck.  I liebe that regardless of his topic he always ends with "Love you Mom".

5. Cpl Beddoe at Marine Corps Web Log (formerly known as USMC81 in a former blog format).   A Good man - his posts are always informative

Sadly Momma Fargo over at The Boogie Man is My Friend exceeds the followers limit (she is a wee bit popular!) but a better word scribe nor someone with a Bigger Heart and Soul you could not meet. Go read her blog if you haven't already found her.

Gosh that was harder than I expected.  I first had to winnow out all those that have received the award already (OldNFO; Coffeypot) and those that exceeded the Rule about follower limits (so many popular people!); and sadly those that are no longer with us (Sgt Charlie)

I'll always be true

I love that I have 'meet' so many wonderful people via the Internet and the Blogger-sphere.  All have touched my life and makes me strive to be a better, more open-hearted (and above all Grammatically-Correct person).

So please, Liebe me do

Liebe to you all!

Purring Pax and January Catchup

Sorry - could not resist spreading the "Awwwwesomes" :)

Hmmm.. so it's February - already?  Not quite sure where the rest of January went but I'm sure I achieved a few things in there.

Let's see....

Oh!  You recall that group of Marines that I have sort of adopted via AnyMarine.com? - yeah... I have inflicted MS-destruction upon their taste buds (or will when the latest parcel of goodies reaches them).  In my defence (not that this excuse will fly with the Powers that Be or America's First Sgt*) I did first ask their Sgt if they would be game to try the Pinkish Treat. 

His reply "Well as always, surprises are more than welcome."  (my lawyer would like me to announce here that I am retaining Sgt G's email as "Proof of Cavet Emptor")

And just to prove that I am a "Very Nice Person" I mentioned the following to him

So.... remember to pre-warn your friends and fellow marines.  Don't bother advising those others you encounter (wicked grin) - get PHOTOS and share with me

Oh... okay... maybe I am only a "Very Nice Person" to the ones most likely to help defend me against Zombie attacks and ravening Sea Monkeys?  After all a Girl has to have priorities!

In other Troop treating news

• a cow launching catapult has been dispatched to my Airforce Adoptee (to go with the earlier sent 'Black Beast of Arrghhhh') and all is well and peaceful in his workshop unless intruders (i.e anyone that can deal with a small plastic cow or duck or sheep being lobbed at their head) appear.  It's always nice to have Troop Adoptee's that truly understand where my point of Humour is coming from.

• Adoptee Airman G is now safely home and with his family once more.

• Adoptee M is a bit bemused that the special Valentine's Day parcel (a pre-created one I purchased from Soldiers' Angels store) will include Socks [he rightly glossed over my attempt at humour and mention of "Red socks in the wash"].  I'm sure that in some parts of the world Clean socks are a treat! :D

• Oh and my latest batch of Coffee vouchers (from the Cup of Joe program) are beginning to reach those downrange.  I really love that fellow caffeine drinkers benefit from this - cause "Awake and Alert" - really means I have a few less souls to pray for (till they all come home)

*Sources tell me these may be one and the same entities - whoops!

Philosphical Pax

"Those who cannot remember the past are

condemned to repeat it"

George Santayana

Why do so few humans forget that this also applies to their past relationships?

Potential Port for Pax's area

News just in....

Brisbane touted for new naval base

By Maree Hawthorne

Updated January 31, 2012 09:51:09   

 

Brisbane (...Australia...) has been flagged as the likely location for a new Navy base.

The Defence Force Posture Review is looking at whether Australia's military resources are situated in the right geographic locations.

In its progress report released yesterday, it says the Navy will need more facilities in northern Australia.

The report says Brisbane is the most promising location for a new fleet base on the east coast.
The base could be home to the planned Future Submarine fleet and Air Warfare Destroyers.
The report says Brisbane's port is rated for nuclear powered warships, which would allow for visits by the US Navy.

It also says the city has the infrastructure needed to support a major naval base.  It suggests a base in Brisbane would complement rather than replace the Navy's Garden Island home base in Sydney.
Australian Defence Association spokesman Neil James says it is unlikely large naval ships would be based in Brisbane.

"If anything is based in Brisbane they won't be destroyers and frigates," he said.
"They're more likely to be something on the amphibious side, but even then it's more likely than not that they would be regularly visiting ships rather than home-ported there."
The final report of the Australian Defence Force Posture review is due in March.

We may need to build a few more Pubs to accommodate! :D