Pax and Hobbies

End of October (almost) so a quick round-up of the months endeavours are in order.

All four of my adopted troops are well and safe.  Two will hopefully be heading home to the USA before Christmas; one has been extended until early 2012; and the last one is stationed "Somewhere not ending in 'Stan" and will be there for another 6 or 7 months or so. (as long as he learns to live with the exotic aroma of Kimchi he'll be okay).

Cards and some small items have been sent along to them in the last month.  For my two guys serving during Christmas, I have found some packs of blank Christmas cards that they can share with their battle buddies - and send to their loved ones at home.


Found them HERE

For my other friends around and about the place - a few other goodies were sent across the waves.

Coffeypot got his hat :)

The winner of the beanie got his hat too!

And the winner of the 200th post Army medallion has confirmed receipt as well :)

Wow I feel a bit like Santa's helper with the amount of things being sent out!

Oh and there is hopefully a smiling (oh please be smiling - and not that "you have amused me enough and now must be ninja'd" grin) friend who received one of these

That makes five of those that I've found and sent out [my four adopted troopers all were happy recipients. One said there was just something special about the implied ka-booms]

Oh and my ninja friend also has one of these - minus the Rising Sun hat pin and slouch clip-

Genuine Akubra!

 He had mentioned some months ago that he really wanted a hat similar to the Aussie Army slouch hats (same colour - same basic style) and well... I'm a bit of a sucker in trying to make people smile so I found him one.

[as a FYI the open crown - in khaki colour - only really comes in the Slouch variety so my happy hat supplier sent me one without the extra bits (badge & slouch clips) but evidence that he'd done a quick bit of unpicking.  He was indeed chuffed at the thought of an Aussie Slouch heading into the hands of a Fearsome USA ninja :D]

In at home news - renovations are on-going.  Veranda has now been tiled [for those that recall - it was supposed to be a "let's teach Pax how to tile so she can go on and do the kitchen herself" - instead it turned in to the usual "Your Father knows best - now be a good girl and watch".  Sigh... one day my parents just might realise that I'm no longer four... ].  Oh and wooden flooring has been installed in the living room (photos to come whenever I manage to put my main computer back together and retrieve them).  I still need to repaint the walls of the Living room; complete the veranda sprucing up (there will be lattice and some attempt to grow climbing plants!) and do the full kitchen refit. Thank heavens I decided not to do anything to the bedroom - or I'd be completely swamped!

Oh.. and in other hobbies (since I guess my Milsupport falls under "obsessive hobby to make adoptee's feel appreciated") - I am a bit of a "Girl" when it comes to collecting some rather exciting examples of gender-specific toys.  (erm... that would translate to "Pax collects Barbies" I guess).

I only have a few - and all are mint-in-box (and I justify my hobby by declaring them as "Investments" instead of "dust-gathering over-priced junk" - as one my ex's was wont to call them) - and I like the unusual or utterly geeky.

However I don't believe I can really see me adding THIS one to my collection any time soon.  She just looks a bit too perky for my taste (plus... I can't see any zombie-destroying arsenal. And how can you be a Marine without the Z_D_A??)

 And that's all from me so Goodnight All.

Pax rolls the dice

I recently replaced some of my board games - the original sets were old and missing pieces - so I thought it was about time for an upgrade (helped along with an amazon gift vouchers given by a dear friend)

So I invested in a really nice new Monopoly set

(photo from amazon.com; and all rights held by Hasbro of course)

and I got to thinking about past games of the big M.  The Good family games where we played for fun; the not so-good Family games when my brothers would tag-team to own all the properties; and the very VERY memorable games played with a range of ex's.

I'm wondering if perhaps it's a Guy thing (?!) - that whole "must win - must own the board even if I need to crush you to do it".   And I am thinking that I may begin applying the M-test to all potential suitors. 

Just think... I'd get to see their real self at play. 

Now I'm not suggesting that I will only find worth in someone that plays half-heartedly; or even worse - tries to let me win.  Just that it might be a really great way to discover if my intended Honey has the belief that winning means he can connive, or cheat, or belittle his opponents, just to get that little grey counter around the board faster than me.

Just think of the time and emotion I'll be saving on the ones that can't understand that a game should actually be FUN! (and the ones that survive the M-test will then move on to the Trivial Pursuit gambit - just to make sure)

Oh and if this works - I'm totally going to patent the idea!  (oooh just think of the lawsuits Hasbro would be throwing at me!)

Thar be Monsters Here!

...well actually one monster... downrange.

My Newest adopted soldier shares my love of Monty Python a British comedy group who made such funny films as "Monty Python and the Holy Grail" (which has also been turned into a Musical).

So when it came time for me to send him something amusing (to break the ice on the whole "weird gifts sent from the Goofy Aussie girl") I needed to find him something cute and fluffy and teddy-bear like.
But not an actual Teddy-bear - after all - he's a big tough USA Army Sgt and they have a reputation of Manliness to uphold and perpetuate. Or so I'm told :)*

So I searched, and searched, and searched some more, and found him something that I thought might be *just the thing*.  And had it sent off to him at his dry & dusty base.

Behold and quiver at the mightiness of the Black Beast of Aaaaarrrrrrggghhh  
(also known as "Joey")

It seems Joey's fitting in nicely - and has developed a taste for shiny dog tags....

and a good appreciation of an effective firearm...

I haven't heard yet how he goes with Holy Hand Grenades but I'm willing to beat he can count to at least five three.

As a substitute Teddy-bear for my adoptee I think he's going well!

*I also believe in truth, justice, the pursuit of happiness and the Easter Bunny!

This post brought to you by the numbers three and five; the Letter Y and as a "go on - mention Joey" plea from someone that shall remain unnamed err he sayeth "Ni" at me.

Pax got presents!

blogged at http://marionsmeepings.blogspot.com/2010/05/pax-got-presents.html

Well okay.. Pax bought these for herself but at least I got an actual delivery on my actual birthday.

Ordered a few weeks ago from Diesel - really good quality t-shirts x 2

Awesome geek potential (must now fend off geek boyfriend from stealing until I've worn at least once)

Ooh - and apparently a Penguin covered box of Love is in the International Mail and should make it to me shortly (now I feel better)

Pax Present-us

My friends are having a baby boy - in about 4 months time or so - so I have been in search of the perfect baby gift.

It's just so important that it reflect my inner Pax-ness so I hunted high & low for the "Very Thing"(tm.)

So this has now been ordered and will hopefully grace their door stoop shortly

(why yes.. I *AM* a geek - how ever did you work that out?)

I was also looking at these other shirts (below) but sadly they don't come in the itty-bitty range for new borns (technically Dad's not a ninja - he's an Airborne Ranger - but it's the sneakiness inherent in the man that draws me to his wit; not to mention his kick-arse wife with the killer one-liners)

There's also 2 pounds of jellybeans in the parcel - have to ensure I bribe the two older boys (6 & 8 years old) with continuing propoganda that "Aussie Mari is super cool".  I'm sure when they are a wee bit older I can look into a drum kit or two for them  [the joys of being so many many miles away from instant retribution :) ] - and as an added bonus can you imagine the Suger High they're going to have? Bwhahahaha!