Part Three - Settled and SNOW!

Rather Image Heavy - dial up, spotty wireless, and 3G users, be warned!

Shortly after getting to our new house - which rocks, by the way - we ventured into grocery stores and had just as much fun laughing at American labels, veggies, and other assorted randomness as we did when shopping in Japan. We bought scads of things like toilet paper, trash bags, salad, fizzy lemonade, nectarines, and steak......

Which led us to buying pots and pans, plates and glasses, and some silverware, because our stuff was delayed in customs for two weeks.

*sigh*

Also, even though Jase's bike was in storage in a unit about three miles from our house, it took over six weeks to get it because of some communication issues and a small mountain of paperwork. The small mountain of paperwork apparently did not easily show that the bike was stored in Oak Harbor and we were living in Oak Harbor. Once that fact was made clear, the bike arrived within 48 hours.

Vroom?

Anyway - three months later, Jase is happily scooting around town and hanging around the local MC, made up of current and former military members and all of our stuff has a home in our home.

Is niiiiice! We have a fireplace and an actual *gasp* GARAGE and we have TWO BATHROOMS (first time since like, our first year of marriage) and a fenced backyard and one incredible view.

We also have a house which will be HORRIBLE in the Zombie Apocalypse because it has huge windows and there's a ton of natural light... But that's ok. It's a military town, so as long as zombies don't figure out how to shoot US, we should still win. ;o)

I did mention an incredible view?
*insert horrible parody of Russian accent here*
Sooo pretty!

Jase has finished his school, Small Thing is back in school and overall enjoying it. She seems to chit chat a bit less here, but still thinks the rules don't necessarily apply to her. Alas. But, she's doing well! She still loves to read (the little snirt burger brought home Eldest from the library, the second book in the Eragon series after I told her I didn't think she was ready to read it just to prove she could.) and is completely enjoying the science lessons the school is teaching right now. She's done reports on gray wolves and arctic foxes and decided that cats are like, WAY better than dogs.

Don't tell Jack she likes cats better than dogs...
or he may eat the nose off of her favorite stuffed animal.
Oh wait, he did that already........
This *might* have had something to do with her complete loyalty
to felines over canines.

She's also informed the librarian that she has read Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and she shouldn't have to read books with large print if she doesn't want to.

Unless they're about kittens. Or space.

*breeeathes*

Overall things have been pretty rosy. Occasionally they've been really, really white. We woke up one morning to this:

Of course you realize, we have a husky, a small child, and really.... we're not so much parents as we are over grown kids ourselves. Snow Creature Making ensued!

Jack. Loves. Snow. I mean, one would say, "He's a HUSKY, of course he loves snow!" but he'd never really dealt with snow before, at least not more than a flurry or two. he would grab HUGE mouthfuls and chomp it a bit, then toss it in the air like it was a ball to play with. He fetches snowballs. He romps and plays and smiles like CRAZY. That dog adores winter.

We happen to adore googly eyed snow creatures and ... uhm ... other snow monsters?

Dunno what he is, but he's armed!

So yanno, snow, school, and otherwise? We're doing peachy keen here in Whidbey and so. freakin'. happy. to be. here.

People are NICE, the customer service is excellent overall, there are lots of smiles, there's a LIBRARY, and .... people ... there are espresso stands and coffee shops everywhere.

Every. Where.

I am SO glad to be home!

In the meantime, Jase has started brewing beer again, I've started working towards passing my skills test for derby (I can skate... but I can't SKATE... Yet.) and Small Thing has taken to skating as well and randomly bugging librarians about "good books. Like ones you can read in a DAY instead of an HOUR."

Watch out, world!

An ENTIRE Season Later... Part Two!

So yeah, that whole moving thing? Apparently it takes as long to blog about it as it takes to actually happen. WHO KNEW?!?

SO! When we last left our tired, bedraggled, confused travelers, they were in the capable hands of the Air Mobility Command in Yokota, Japan - we stayed at the Kanto Lodge, which was fantabulous and oddly less expensive than the Navy Lodge. The military is not created equal. Whee! Who knew? (sarcasm folks. Yummm.)

We had to make a bazillion phone calls due to coming in on January 1 instead of Dec 31 - with offices being closed and such it meant a lot of things weren't available that normally would be. After a minor whine session via email on my part, the base housing folks (who originally told us "They can't just open the office for everybody who travels in from overseas...") were STELLAR and wonderful and two lovely ladies came in on their days off to ensure we could, with animals, jet lagged child, and a bazillion suitcases, crash in our "own home" so to speak. For those with EXCELLENT memories, you'll know that most of the pet kennels and such were full due to the holiday weekend in Japan. It was similar with Whidbey, though the Navy Lodge did have pet spaces available, we were hoping to just move into our own place and fuggetabout the whole hotel thing for awhile.

Jack Morgan approves of his current location!

Thank goodness for Forest City (the base housing people). The management and our agent really stepped up to make sure we came home and were SETTLED. It was awesome - People can grump and gripe about the military all day long, I know that when push comes to shove, the US Military takes care of it's own - sure sometimes you hafta go a step or six up the chain of command, but when you ask the right person the right question, you get all the help you need and then some.

Being able to ask for help? Now that's another story...

A foggy entrance to NASWI's Sea Plane Base
Welcome to Northwest Washington!

Anyway!!!!

Of course, you guys know the story can't be that simple - GETTING to Whidbey was a bit of an adventure - we picked up a rental car so we could drive to the nearest Ford dealership where our 2011 shiny new Escape was waiting. We had to inspect it for damage because our shiny, new, fresh off the line 2011 Ford Escape had been damaged in a hail storm during delivery.

Yay.

Don't YOU want to buy a brand new repaired vehicle? Yeah, we did too. *sigh Ok, not so much. Luckily, they did a fantabulous job fixing the paint and minor dents caused by severe weather and we didn't wanna battle buying a new car after airplane delays, housing fiascos, and hellacious jet lag.

So we signed, insured, and obtained the keys to a brand new, somewhat snow covered but shiny SUV and transferred our animals, jet lagged child, and fifty bazillion suitcases from the rental to the Escape and off we went to return the rental to the airport...... I followed Jase outta the dealership parking lot because I was a bit confused on how to get back to the interstate, but I told him I didn't know how to get to the airport because I'm an idiot. That sentence is important to the story, stick with me.

Maddy, aka The Mad Catter has come to visit- and digs Whidbey Coffee as much as I do! (see the ginormous green cup of happiness?) OK, that bit about coffee is a lie and Maddy is "special" but he's cute and fluffy and can keep visiting for awhile.

SO! I was following him, meandering our way back to the airport, after me essentially not driving for three years. Driving in Japan = horrifying. Driving in the States = Freakin FUN! The roads are GINORMOUS and you can go more than like, three miles an hour in town! Not sure if that's really a GOOD thing, but at least I didn't have the urge to get out and push like I sometimes did in Japan.

As we're driving through town, I realize we're coming up on the Interstate and Jase misses the on ramp and takes a highway. In my own little brain I thought, "No biggie, I'll just meet him at SeaTac."

In Jase's brain, I had said I had no clue how to get to the airport. We're in two separate cars.

He immediately goes into "Holy shit we're separated and she's nervous and hasn't driven in forever and she's TIRED, AHHHH!" mode.

Meanwhile, I'm happily driving along I-5, listening to alternative rock and thinking, "Damn, they're playing the same songs on this station they were playing before we left..."

In attempting to catch up with me, Jase gets pulled over for speeding and reckless driving. (but it was wreckless, so it should be ok, right? No? Damn.)

The cop says, "So you were separated from your wife? Why didn't you call her cell phone???"

We've been in the country for about two hours, and most of that we were sitting in customs. We hadn't had time to pick up cell phones yet! Also, uhm, we've been living in a country where it's illegal to talk on the phone and drive. And hey! Isn't it illegal to make phone calls while driving in Washington? Yessss, you can talk using a hands free device (though stats show that people using cell phones are as impaired as someone with a .08 blood-alcohol level) but you can't make calls or otherwise use your cell while driving.

Of course, you shouldn't be speeding to catch up to your wife - who you think is lost, but she isn't.......

SO! After getting a ticket, returning the rental car, and activating our much loved iPhones, we FINALLY make our way to Whidbey and see this:


Damn, it's good to be home!

Endings and Beginnings - Part One

Yeah, I think this is gonna wind up being a multi-part post, especially since I've (again) put off blogging a bit about our recent travels. *laughs  There's just been so much to dooooo!!!!

Jess and I, being "serious" art aficionados at the National Art Center in Tokyo

Japan.... gosh.  The last week was a flurry of hugs, cleaning, artsiness, Noborito-insanity, vet visits, and last minute paperwork issues.  I already miss public transport, the food (which includes the variety available with lots of meals in Japan like rice, miso, veggies, meat, all in reasonable portion sizes!), the funky craft stores and random Japanese Shopping Finds, and mostly I miss my friends.  (aaand my friend's pets!)

Thanksgiving was a little creepy... we had limited pots/pans/etc.  That being said, my mostest wonderfulest friends offered not only their cookware but their ovens as well!  <3 We're annoyingly independent, and while we're grateful for the offer, we stayed home and dealt with the disturbing breast of turkey which sort of... watched us... prepare it's ultimate demise:

No really.  It was watching. 
Gobble.  Gobble.

Considering I'd never cooked just the breast before, it was... interesting and I admittedly missed leftovers the typically associated with Giant American Meals.  Aaaaand it wasn't as tasty as Whole Dead Bird.  So the future?  I don't care if we have limited stuff.  We're having unlimited bird.  *nods firmly 

Though, uh, speaking of Giant American Meals?  Culture Shock Moment - Apparently my idea of Giant American Meals is WAY off now.  Have you guys ordered a "medium" sized beverage in the US lately?!?!?  HOLY MOTHER OF SODA POP!  What the fuck does a LARGE look like if THAT is a medium?!  I goggled.  I boggled.  I almost fell over.  Culture shock, fer reals.

Anywaaaay -

Jess and I... hungry, but the sign says Noborito!!!

Before we left Japan, we had many things to do... paperwork, wrapping up school and work stuff, holiday happenings, and cleaning like idiots (living in a house and trying to get it cleaned to Housing's standards while having a child and two animals is stupid.  don't do it) We'd always joked about stopping at this one random station on the... oh heck, which line is it?  Odakyu? anyway - it's Noborito.  Guess how you pronounce it?

yeah. 

Hey!  It's cheesy, it's fun - we enjoyed it, and promptly tossed our unheated, unloved, and unwanted burritos. 

Aside from the scariness of our turkey breast and not having burritos, we had a pretty decent winter holiday

Merry Yulichristmakwanzikah! (or however Hildulf does that Conglomorate Holiday thing) and Santa promised an EXTRA special trip after Dec 25th's sleigh ride so Small Thing could get her Much Coveted Dalmation Rescue Pet Center from Littlest Pet Shop.  I'm glad he waited, because that's been her primary source of entertainment (besides books and random discussions with strangers and prior acquaintances) since getting here. 

Wow, I'm heavy on the parenthetical comments today.  Sorry my editorial friends!  :oP

Anyway - we had a lovely holiday, albeit a small one.  The kiddo had Much Littlest Pet Shopness, Jase got an iPad, and I got two sahweeeet DS games I've been craaaaving and a HORDE of books (Kindle and otherwise).  A horde.  Not a veritable one either.  Masses of them.  Scads.  I'm drowning in digital readability.  Most gifties were in hopes of making the plane ride easier.

Turns out... they made WAITING for said plane ride easier.  I really don't remember much about the night in the Navy Lodge before we dashed away to the airport in Yokota (military flight, for those keeping track of such things), but I remember having a fabulous time that evening before we crashed out in the hotel.  (Mad love, Nancy & Fam!) 

Jase, on *gasp* a corded phone, on our teensy tiny (but much appreciated) loaner furniture
Also mad love to Jess for the lamp of lightness!

The ride to Yokota was... wow, the driver must've been unaware that one can, indeed, speed up and slow down in increments rather than all at once.  I've never been carsick before, but I have a new found sympathy for those who have issues with it.  Even Small Thing was getting a bit green and making under-the-breath comments by the time we arrived at Yokota Air Base. 

We checked in our baggage after feeding the dog 'n' cat a last round o' kibble and settled in to wait for a flight from Korea.  The boiler in the terminal area wasn't working, so that made the wait quite a chilly one!  Luckily, Small Thing struck it up with Li'l Miss M, who was spunky, around seven years old, and ready to rock.  The kids had a great time together burning off energy and playing in the "children's lounge" aka, a room with couches, donated toys, and a playset. 

Around 1:30pm, it was announced that the flight was officially delayed until the following day due to weather in Korea so we had to round up our pets and make reservations in the Kanto Lodge.  Kanto Lodge = Air Force.  Niiiiice.  They must all freak out a bit when they stay on Navy bases if the Kanto Lodge is indicative of typical Air Force hotels versus most Navy Lodges we've stayed in.  Not that the Navy Lodge is oogey or Roach Motel-esque, just.... nowhere near the same quality.

We had lodging, no worries, but the pets.  Hmm. Holiday weekend, people traveling, unexpected influx of pets..... what to do?  We hung around the terminal LONG after the non-pet-travelers had meandered to the Lodge trying to figure out what to do since the kennels on base were full and all of them within reasonable travel off base were also full to capacity.  Finally, Mr. Weber, one of the higher ups for Mobil Air Command, offered up his office and found several animal loving volunteers to help ensure the safety and comfort of our critters.  A retiring Air Force family offered us some of their critter food too since ours was delightfully stowed away somewhere behind the shiny scanning equipment (mental note - NEVER assume you'll leave the same day when traveling military flights.  Duh?  I should know this. *headdesk)

Mr. Weber and his crew o' volunteers walked the dogs, let the cats out, played with all the critters who were responsive at random times during the night, and even helped out with Jack's bloodied ear (he'd gotten into a scuffle with a basset/beagle mix before the flight - go fig, eh?).  He was, of course, quite popular with his friendly doggie grin and playful attitude.  One can only hope he didn't chew on anyone boots or fingers or anything...

We had tons of awesome people helping us with transportation and the kiddos - the Powers family really were awesome in assisting us with finding stuff on base and apparently Air Force people don't really walk places?  We were offered three rides walking from the food court back to the Lodge.  It's like, a ten minute walk, max.  Craziness!  The offers were much appreciated though!

The next day, we did it all over again. Groundhog Day!  The pacing, the waiting, the uuuugh - the primary difference was that the terminal was sposed to be closed that day, so all the snackbars and such were also closed.  Man I missed the chicken curry from the day before since the place was so cold!

Moooore later!  <3