This morning I found a strange glob of shredded material on the floor - right in the doorway between the living room and dining room.  Mr Cuddles has barfed before, but it has always been the dry cat food.

Becky got up a few minutes later and when she sat on the couch - exclaimed - hey why did you eat the rest of my beef jerky???  I told her that I didn't eat it, but it must have been that shredded up mess I cleaned up earlier.  She has brought it on the trip to chew on the airliner for her ears and had some left over.  Mr Cuddles then decided to help himself to the leftovers and the spices must not have agreed with his delicate constitution. Hopefully it is a lesson learned to stay out of people food...

Posted by christ77 at 9:54 AM EDT

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Had a good time visiting Joe in Texas.  He looks sharp in his dress blues.  I enjoyed watching the graduation and coin ceremonys. Joes squadron was awarded a 'Warrior' status for their performance during basic.  Joe was nominated to be a honor graduate, but the Drill Instructors superiors turned it down.  But at least it was considered.  On the other hand, he got a compliment from his DI during the coin ceremony.  The other graduates he gave a courteous 'good job, good luck', but to Joe he said, " good job Tilton, you are going to go on and do great things."  So he must see something in him.

Sea World was fun, the zoo was a good time, and we did see the Alamo.  I can see why it was over run - Low, thin walls. One thing I noticed was a lot of women that wore skirts and cowboy boots.  Not saying it's a bad thing, but its a different look.  The river walk in San Antonio was a good time, but it got crowded in a hurry due to it being St. Patricks day.  We finally got tired of fighting the crowds and called it day.  But not before having a nice steak at the Salt Grass Steak House.  Poor Sam ordered the least expensive steak, but it turned out to the biggest steak - she could only eat half of it.

 Our GPS was confused at times - I think it is due to the access roads that run next to the highways for one.  But the first night we had a devil of a time finding our motel. I could tell that we were heading away from civilization.  The lights were getting fewer and I could swear we could see the glow of the eyes of coyotes by the highway.  We finally gave up and called them for directions.  

Becky survived her first plane flight.  She was so nervous before we left, but really enjoyed the trip out.  Any more I don't like heights, so I just read or watch a movie on the tablet. But on the way out she wanted me to look out the window and look down on  this or that.  But really I just want to read and forget that I am 10,000 feet up in the air. So I reluctantly looked out the window.  Now we did get some turbulance on the last leg back to Dayton, but she managed it just fine.  

Joe's girlfriend went with us and was a trooper through out the trip.  They are still very serious and very attached.  The plan is to get married once he is finished with tech school.  Then she will go with him to whereever he is stationed.   Which at this point could be South Carolina, Europe, or Japan. 

At the graduation was a father of one of the graduates.  He had a red beret and all sorts of campaign ribbons and stripes on his sleeves. One of the other graduated asked him what he did - "I kill bad people" was the reply.  The graduate then asked well can you elborate a little more - "I am very good at it" was the responce.  Sounds like a guy that you would not want to mess with. 

There is a small museum on base. And I did a double take when I saw an ancient man in World War 2 aviator gear complete with goggles in one of the exhibits.  He entered the air force in 1943 and retired in the 1970's.  So he had some stories to tell. We got a picture of him and Joe - grandma Susan had the best comment when she saw the picture, "before and after."  I was thinking that could be me someday - a living museum exhibit - 90 years old standing next to a Atari 1200 or an IBM mainframe in a computer museum.  "Let this be a lesson to you boys, save for retirement or you'll spend the rest of your life working like me..."

 I did enjoy the weather in San Antonio, temps got progressively warmer during our stay and were to be in the 90's our last day. Quite a contrast to Ohio, it was spitting snow when we left.  Joe is changed.  Very polite, very mature, very meticulous with an attention to detail.  He is so looking forward to tech school and getting on with his career. Right now he is at Shepards AFB in TX.  Unfortunately he is in an old section of the base as far as living quarters and shares a dorm room with 2 other guys.  So he isn't happy about that, but is happy that basic and the DI's are behind him.   

Posted by christ77 at 8:17 PM EDT

Updated: Wednesday, March 20, 2013 12:49 PM EDT

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Well I bet that you are elated – almost done with basic training! You are practically a veteran now. Any word yet on tech school or what’s next?  And from the quick description that you gave during your phone call, beast week was a beast.  I told the guys about the big tents flopping in the wind and both of them were in the army and they were impressed that it must have been quite a wind to do that. 

Incidentally, on the drive back from Columbus this week I saw a big C-140 cargo plane doing touch and go landings at Wright Patt airforce base.  Amazing to see those big planes go over top the highway.  They just seem to hang in the air – like they are going too slow to stay airborne.  Anyhow it made me think of you and wondered where you would be sent next and what you would be assigned to do as a specialty.

Spent the day in Columbus on Thursday.  We were supposed to go early in the week, but we had 6 inches of snow and so they cancelled.  Lots of wrecks on the roads as it started as freezing rain and switched over to snow. There is still snow on the ground but it is melting fast.  Interesting machine that we are getting the software set up on.  It is a multi-million dollar machine that puts coatings on eyeglass lenses.   It is enclosed in glass with an air vent system that keeps any dust particles out.  Right now they use people to put the trays in one end and take them out the other. But I guess that they will eventually use robots to do that too so that it is all automated.  My piece doesn’t seem too hard, I just need to sit down next week and get it coded before I leave.

Your mother and I are getting ready to eat breakfast at a restaurant in Camden.  It is a little Mom and Pop place – not the best in the world, but it is a change of pace.  Plus it’s always good to support local businesses whenever you can.   Got some chicken feed for the new baby chicks we get the weekend after we are back. 

From looking at the paper we will see you for sure on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.  Although Saturday looks to be the only day that you are allowed off base.  I want to see the Alamo sometime, but if you are not up to it we can do it on one of the other days by ourselves. Another off base thing is the RiverWalk area, looks like there are some nice   For sure we can probably spend time on base watching a movie or two, getting a meal, and so forth.  I remember that you have some friends that might want to go to different places too.   I guess we can work out the details when we see you. 

 This is the last letter that we will send since we will be seeing you next week.  We are both looking forward to seeing you. 

Mom and Pop

Posted by christ77 at 8:41 PM EST

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Hope that you survived Beast week OK.  I guess they gave you gear to keep you warm at night.  It’s Saturday morning here and it’s snowing lightly. Since I am on call I am just staying inside today.  Got the wood burner fired up, so I’ll be staying warm and cozy.  Listening to some old tunes today – Green Grass and High Tides Forever by the Outlaws, some Marshal Tucker and Charlie Daniels.

Lots of stuff going on at work, I am going to Columbus next week for a couple of days. There is a program written by a contractor that needs fine tuned.  So I have no idea how it is coded. It’s always fun to dive into someone else’s code and try to figure out what they doing.  Also the vendor will be there for the device that the software works with – so no pressure to perform at all!

By the way I don’t know it the latest fad hit before you went to boot camp or not but you remember how gangnam style was a hit on the internet and all?  Well the latest internet fad is the Harlem Shuffle – it started in February, but I am not sure if it was before you went in or not.  Anyway it is a song compiled by a guy from Brooklyn.  And there is a dance called the Harlem Shuffle invented like over 10 years ago – he just put a song to it and gave it the same name.  Any way there is a bunch of youtube video’s out about it.

So being a hip guy and all, I wanted to find out some more about it.  There are few lyrics, but there is a lady singing some phrases in Spanish.  Come to find out that one of the things she says : ‘Con Las Terristoristas’ means “With the Terrorists”!  Only in America could a hit song have that in it. I just shake my head and smile.

But on the other hand I look at another aspect of it. Only in American could you have the multi-culturalism to make it happen.  A dance created by a black guy, a latino song writer who compiled the song, and the first hit youtube video for the Harlem Shuffle was made by some white guys in their college dorm room.  That’s America – everyone working together to make something happen.

Spoke with Vanessa on the phone this week.  Had not talked with her in a while and so I wanted to catch up. She is doing well.  Her job is keeping her busy of course.  They have a nice tax refund coming and so they are going to catch up bills and put some of it back for a trip to Alabama.  I guess that is the closest beach for them.

Power just went out for a minute – fortunately the document autosaved.  Well the power flashed 4 times, even Chelsea and Dan were affected in Gratis.  Oh their refund is messed up – turbotax said that they would get $4k but their deposit was only $2k. I think it is because they are behind on their student loans and they kept so much to pay them.  Also I have not seen any tax document from Last Chance Garage – so you need to contact them and have the mail out the W2 so you can do taxes.

Posted by christ77 at 8:41 PM EST

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Recuperating from a late night this morning.  We baby sat Annabelle while Chelsea and Dan went to Dave and Busters to celebrate Dan’s birthday.   They stayed out later than what we were expecting. Fortunately Annabelle was fairly well behaved and slept most of the night. Your mother fell asleep holding her on the couch.  She had a couple of fussy moments, but that’s to be expected with a little one.  Dan is thinking about getting back into mowing lawns this spring.  Lots of future in that… Chelsea better hurry and get her degree so that they can make some real money. Oh and it is a sleep-in Sunday for us,  we both laid back down after breakfast for a nap. 

We did spoil Cash and Serenity a little this weekend.  I got Cash a ball glove and bat, then got Serenity a volleyball. According to Chad they had fun playing with the box that the volleyball was in after we left – go figure.  Oh and Chad is starting to do some work on your car.   No ETA, but I guess some progress is being made.  Also the battery is ruined, he is going to replace it – but will probably ask to be reimbursed at some point.

I am on call next week – yeehah.  I did work from home on Friday – we had an ice storm over night. It left about an 1/8 to an ¼ inch of ice depending on where you were at.  There were some wrecks on the interstate.  I did get some wood split today.  Had to do a little repair work on the tractor first – an old hose was cracked and needed to be replaced.  Keep getting a whiff of anti-freeze, but can’t tell where it is coming from.  I did top off the radiator the last time that I used it, so hopefully it is just some splashed on the engine.  Oh your friend Cody is having problems with his car still.  It has been out here for the last 2 weeks, he had not had the time or money to get it fixed.

Your mother got her  first batch of maple syrup done this week.  It turned out pretty good all in all.  Once you are settled in for your specialty training maybe we can send you some when we send your lap top, etc.  Also don’t forget to do your taxes once you get settled in – you have until April 15^th.  So there is plenty of time, but don’t keep putting it off.   Even if you have money coming back, there is a penalty for filing late.  I got mine done this weekend – I am getting back a whole $18 for Federal, but I do get about $250 back on State. 

I did fire up your lap top this week.  Your Norton anti-virus was expired, so I changed you over to Microsoft Security Essentials – it is free and that is what I use.  I did upgrade the operating system etc.  I will leave it unplugged like it was so that lightening or a power surge won’t knock it out.  I have been playing a little bit of World of Tanks,  I am about a million credits away from the tier 10 now.  I am still thinking March to get it.  The group that I am with though doesn’t seem to do a whole lot.  I am concentrating on the grind but if things don’t change then I may forget about them and just do public matches.  I have just as much fun doing that.  I have seen Asa on there a couple of times, but he is on late generally – close to my bedtime, so I haven’t sent him an invitation.

Look forward to seeing you in March,   Ma and Pa

Posted by christ77 at 8:40 PM EST

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Sound like things are improving for you at basic.  I am sure you are wanting to get this behind you and to go on to the next big thing.  I posted your mailing address on the family group on facebook.  So hopefully folks will take a few minutes to send you a letter or two.  What a way to start your birthday – on guard duty of course!  If you haven’t already, I hope to have your first legal drink with you when we visit in March.

2013 is shaping up not to be a good year health wise on your mothers side of the family. Your uncle Tom was taken to the hospital again.  Couldn’t talk, couldn’t walk.  A CAT scan showed no sign of a recent stroke.  He is recovering – he is back out of the hospital. I guess they want to do an MRI and see if that shows anything.  We plan to go visit him tomorrow.  Angelique has been posting on facebook about her pregnancy.  So far, so good, all seems to be well.

Got the pickup truck stuck in the back field last weekend.  You know how the top layer of the ground freezes overnight, but there is mud underneath?  Well I walked out the field and saw where a deer broke the wire and bunch of insulators.  So loaded up the truck and went back out fix it all up.  So I got it all spliced back together and fixed.  But of course the truck got stuck when it thawed out.  So I left it parked there all week knowing that there would be freezing temps all this weekend.  Went out and drove it right up out of the ruts.  Well it wasn’t quite that easy as the front doors were frozen shut  - but the back doors would open so I had to crawl to the front.  Max looked at me like wtf??  What a hassle.  But your mother got some pics of the truck with all the mud, snow, and ice on it.

Oh and the Bush’s place – you wouldn’t recognize the field behind the house now.  ALL the woods are gone.  Well except for a 20’ strip along the creek.  Quite a transformation from what it was before.  I guess they want the land to pay for itself, so they are going to put every inch they can into crops.  So no more deer back in that creek bottom area.  They have been burning stumps and such most every day. With corn at over $7 per bushel, I can’t blame them.

I went to the South girls basketball state tournament game. Since I was a junior high coach, I got invited as a courtesy.  It was a low scoring game and the team had problems with a simple half court trap. They lost by three points.  They did not have that good of a season, I think they only won like 6-7 games.  Oh and the South boys team is hurting.  They have one tall player who is like 6’ 5”, he got hurt in practice.  He was one of their big scorers and did a good job on defense.  They start the state tournament next weekend, so they will be hurting.

It was a pleasure to talk to you on the phone today.  I think it did your mother good.  Glad to hear that you are improving and doing well.  Oh when you go out on beast week do you get to do marshmallows and make smores???  Something tells me – not so much…

Yore pappy and mammy  

Posted by christ77 at 8:40 PM EST

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Joe,

Not that you would care, but I am getting callouses on my hands from doing all the chores by myself.  While we are cutting up wood in our struggle to survive the latest cold front (9 degree temps and more snow) you are in balmy San Antonio courtesy of the air force.  It must be nice to be able to live in such a mild climate as opposed to the harsh, bitter winter we now have in the barren plains of Western Ohio.  Oh to be there.

Just got your letter a few minutes ago – quite a coincidence that a few minutes after I sit down to compose a letter, our first letter from you would arrive.  Too bad about your tail bone.  I would have thought that they would have given you some athletic tape and a piece of foam rubber to put on it before physical training.  Maybe you can improvise something. It does look like your mile run and pushups improved significantly.  Just remember that this is like 2 a days in football, once you get this behind you then things will get better. 

Played our last basketball game of the season just this morning.  Had a bad first quarter, but played even the rest of the game.  We made a good run in the 4^th quarter, and closed the gap but gave up some easy baskets when we were pressing in the last couple of minutes and ended up losing by 10.  Our bus driver to the game was your old bus driver.  She said hi and asked how you were and I told her about the Air Force and everything.  She was happy for you and wished you well.  She has friends in Fort Worth and they have made side trips to San Antonio, she liked it.  This is the last season that I am coaching for a while plus I am no longer doing stories for the paper.  So I am taking time off from sports.

Bought some beer for the super bowl tomorrow.  Of all things – Rye Beer.  Saw it at the store and had to try it out.  Smooth taste, not bad.  It will just be me and your mother for the game.  She wanted to do up a vegetable tray, but I told her not to bother since no one else will be here. One last swallow of the rye whiskey remains – I will finish it tomorrow night.  Chelsea will probably stop by to do her laundry tomorrow but that is it.  Oh, I guess her job is going OK.  They are slowly catching up on bills. Little Annie has 3 teeth now – 2 on the bottom and one on top.  Little Elaina has glasses now.  With both her parents being near sighted, she didn’t have much of a chance at normal vision. 

We are giving serious consideration to coming out for the graduation.  We need to pull the trigger by next weekend as you get the best air fares about a month out.  So me and your mother will talk things over and make a final decision between now and then.  It will be the first time that she has flown, but it would be good practice for when you go overseas.   We would like to visit where ever you end up being stationed overseas.  

Posted by christ77 at 8:39 PM EST

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Got news back from your mother’s doctor that we were not expecting. They sent a sample of the growth on her thyroid to the university of Virginia for further testing.  Unfortunately it came back positive for cancer.  So that upset your mother.  The doctor is having her come back at the end of the month and discuss her options.  He did not say it but I would imagine that they are going to go back and remove the other half of the thyroid.  Anyway just wanted to keep you in the loop on what is going on.

We did go visit grandma Garret this weekend. She is frail, but holding her own. Chad and Sara met us over there.  Cash was all about watching a cartoon on TV, but Serenity was all over the place.  I think grandma enjoyed seeing the children. She asked how you were getting along and we told her how you were doing in boot camp. Overall it was a worthwhile visit and I am glad that we went. Oh I asked Chad about your car, and as you might imagine he has been too busy to touch it. So if I were you, I would save back money for a good used car.  You can always sell one or the other if Chad gets it running later this year.

We are visiting San Antonio from the Wednesday of Graduation weekend (March 13) to Monday (18^th). So let us know of any delays in your graduation as soon as you can.  Usually there is no charge to  postpone a trip, only when you cancel.  We will be staying at the Travellodge close to base.  I see that you get a town pass on Saturday.  I thought that we would have breakfast and go to see the Alamo in the morning. Then go have a nice lunch somewhere.  I have a lead on a Brazilian steakhouse, but if you hear of any good places let us know.  I am renting a car so we will be mobile.  Then we can split up and go do our own thing in the afternoon.   I see you have a base pass on Sunday.  Not sure what all we can do or see that day.  But maybe we can eat together and sight-see a little on base?

The east coast got hit by a big snow storm.  Some parts of New York and Connecticut got 2-3 feet of snow. Your aunt Heather got about a foot of snow – for them it was just another day.  Katie posted a picture of the snow at her place – it looked to be over 2 feet deep.  Anyway the press had everyone whipped up into a lather. Governors were shutting down all road traffic, etc.  Yes it was a hard snow, but only in certain spots.  We are becoming a nation of wimps.

Getting ready to tap the maple trees today. So we will be making syrup here shortly. The weather has been up and down.  Low temps earlier this week and maybe up to 50 today.  But that should really get the sap going.  Might go see a hockey game at Hara Arena later today.  Chelsea and Dan went on Friday night and invited us to come along.  We watched Annabelle for them.  Her hair is getting lighter.  She behaved fairly well overall and at one point fell asleep on my chest. 

Any way we look forward to seeing you .  Good luck with the rest of bootcamp.

Posted by christ77 at 8:38 PM EST

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Our Dear Son Joe,

Your mother’s surgery for her neck went fine. The growth did not have cancer, but they did remove the entire left side of her thyroid.  She has to be tested in a few weeks to verify that the other half of the thyroid is functioning well enough to do the extra work.  I have been home for a few days to take care of her.  I am the world’s worst nurse.

We did get some snow Friday.  They closed a few of the local schools even though it was only two or three inches.  Still cold but the forecast is calling for temps in the 50’s next week.  So January has been a bit of a roller coaster month.   But I took the back way to the hospital during the snow.  I went down that gravel road below Gratis as it follows the creek.  I went extra slow because it was quiet and peaceful.  Snow was coming down gently – no wind, but hard enough to make visibility about 100 to 200 yards.  So I enjoyed the scenery and peacefulness before getting back on the main road.   

By coincidence your mothers roommate is the wife of a guy in the airforce.  He is currently at Wright Patt, but is doing some training and getting ready for Alaska.  There are positives and negatives to going there.  I would like the wilderness and the scenery but could do without the cold. Although I have heard that if you are close to the coasts it is better than the interior.  She was actually supposed to be released yesterday but I think she had a bad reaction to the drugs they used to put her under or something. She was throwing up, low blood pressure, and I don’t know what all.  So they kept her overnight and hooked up monitors to her.   I ate supper with your mother in her room in the hospital and the woman got the dry heaves at that time of course. 

While covering a basketball game, I ran into an old friend of mine from high school.  He had a son playing for Miami East.  We talked and I mentioned that you were in the air force.  He told me that his oldest son was stationed at Eglin air force base in Florida. He does something with jets.  He has been in for 7 years and likes it. But may consider becoming a defense subcontractor when it is time to re-up.  I guess he can make more money with them.  But he may stay in and get his 20 years, then become a subcontractor.

Oh and that is the last game that I am covering for the paper.  And I am going to take next year off from coaching – at least at South.  Getting up so early to make practices and games on time is hard on the constitution.

Posted by christ77 at 8:37 PM EST

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Dear Joe,

Trust that all is well with you.  It has been hard to handle the chores since you have been gone.  No one else to milk the cows, slop the hogs, or feed the chickens.  Cut wood today and no one to unload and stack the wood.   Not sure why you left the farm.  Well since you are in the air force maybe you can see if you can slip by area 51 and snap some pics of those aliens on your cell phone.  I sure would like to see them.  Oh, maybe you can talk to your instructor and see if you can fly home on the weekends and help out with the farm work?  You could fly straight to Wright Patt and we could pick you up from there.

Your mother and I went to a fund raiser at Taffy’s last night.  They had a wine sampling and snacks for $20 a ticket with the proceeds going to John and Debbie Brubaker  to help them recover from their house fire.  It was a good time, the first band was some young guys from Oakwood – had mostly their own material with a few covers.  Had a good sound, I liked them.  Kind of raw and punk rock’ish.  The headliner was a blues band, and they did a good job as well.  

John and Debbie are going to demolish the rest of their house and have a contractor come in to build a log cabin home.   They plan to have a front porch and also to have big picture on the West side to see the sunsets and the woods.   Their son, the one that is going to Africa was there.  I guess all the paperwork is ready so sometime in March he will be going to sub-Shara Africa.  He just doesn’t know which country yet.   I gave him some travel trips from my experience in India.

I guess that the bottom is going to drop out as far as temperatures next week.   Down to 4 – 5 degree’s at night.  So I guess January is a good time to be in Texas.  Chelsea and Dan are supposed to stop by and borrow the pick up today and get a refrigerator.   Still no Dan and it’s past 2pm.   I guess it is still early in the day for him.  

Doofus (sp) down the road has a green car and is driving a 4 wheeler up and down the road.  His dad got them of course.   Hope that he uses the car to get a job and get a life. 

Finally a bill came in for you from the state of Ohio – some sort of tax thing.  It isn’t much – like $108 so I will take care of it and you can pay me back when you get a chance.  Also for the car insurance, I need some sort of documentation that proves you are moved out and in the military.  Maybe a photocopy of your military ID, or a copy of a document that shows that you are based in Texas right now.  Not a big deal as I know you are focused on basic training right now.  But as soon as I get something to Geico it will drop our insurance by a third or more.  

Posted by christ77 at 8:36 PM EST

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