Jim - Roosevelt was WOW! I was in awe and speechless. It took me a while to realize the dream was real. Even at anchor 5km from me she was still HUGE! To be able to identify the F-18's, E-2's and HH-60's from that far was amazing. I'm hoping we get another visit now that this visit has proved so popular and such a huge success. Had fun drooling over the EOD guys. We got to watch 3 HH-60's transporting loads of cargo, got some wonderful photos of that and a video clip or two. It was a weekend of a life time and definitely a dream come true. I wish we could have toured Roosevelt but just having her here was a major achievement. The only sad moment was the first moment I saw her at 7:30am Saturday and wishing my dad had still been alive to see her. Watching her sail away on Tuesday was tough, but then my T-shirt arrived and I was all smiles again. The line of people that wanted to tour the USS Monterey came close to stretching a mile and people were standing side by side not single file. I'm hoping the number of people writing in to the papers and wishing Roosevelt had been docked will encourage the powers that be to invite another carrier and do just that.
I do hope you'll stop by and visit us all here on NSC from time to time. Your advice when I needed it was invaluable and helped me cope a great deal.
Hey Swabbie! Well, I just got back from the range a few hours ago (remember I was taking a couple of my liberal teachers). They absolutely loved it! They were hollering and just having a good time. I actually had 3 teachers come. One was a conservative though, and ironically, he shot the best!! Just thought I'd let you know how it turned out. Have a good weekend! - drummer
Doing good today, just busy....putting things into place. This weekend is our country fair and I took my daughter yesterday...she had a blast. Any plans for you and your wife this weekend?
Very impressive profile. A lot of the things you mentioned doing are things Ive always known I would enjoy, but hardley ever tried. I was never allowed to have guns ...I once worked an entire summer to save up enough money for a small arsenal of BB guns. I had three handguns & 3 rifles. I was very responsible with them and loved to calobrate the scopes I bought for them. I was by the bar in the basement one day cleaning them. I set them down on a black marble table (very gently) and polished them one by one. My adopted Father came down and saw my arsenal and was shocked. He didn't know I had them. He was kind of impressed and picked up one of my rifles and pulled the trigger ...he shot his bar and left a hole in the wall. My Mom found out and because of his stupid mistake, my guns were taken away from me ...that was 10 yrs ago and still hurts to this very day (might seem silly to some people, but it wasn't for me). I also love weapons. My Uncle Mike was going to get me an old "Chicago Type Writer" from an antique dealer he knows. The Tommy Gun was almost mine but somehow my Dad found out and cock blocked that deal. I got 3 bottle of prohibition era whiskey instead as a gift. This is geting long...I sent you a friend invite, your a good person to know and more then just a "sailor". Take it easy and hope to hear from you from time to time.
Hey Jim. Hows life? Hope your having a great summer. I was wondering if I could ask you some questions for my novel. Let me know if thats ok. Thanks. J.
Hahaha! Street Chits! OMFG that brings back memories. My company was coming down the stretch and was looking at possibly making Hall of Fame. So everyone was sweating getting a street chit pulled and f%/*#ing over the entire company possibly. You should scan it digitally and post it up on the gallery! That would be an instant classic. Perhaps I'll get my boot camp graduation company photo scanned it as well...hrmmm *idea*
I'm getting better slowly (these things never go fast). Physical therapy twice a week and going to see personal trainer three times per week. I see my surgeon on Wednesday, hopefully he'll give me good news. I spent to much of last weekend standing, helping out at an ice skating competition and now I'm paying for it, I'm hurting and my knees a bit swollen. I'll have to rest it today.
Those puppies are so cute. They look so innocent. Due to La Nina we've had a drought over summer (October to February). Our countries main source of power is hydroelelectric and they are a bit worried that we don't have enough water in the dams to last throughout the winter. That will suck. Last time that happened I was a teenager and I remember the city turned off the street lights to help save power. It was pretty spooky.
I can just imagine how crazy it must be with so many puppies running around. Tripping over them must be a constant hazard. My cat Jack must have ADD or something. When he was a kitten (it was like having 5 kittens in one) he would sit on top of doors and hit us on top of our heads when we walked past. Wherever he went destruction followed.
Thats so cool. I can imagine where ever you look there will be puppies everywhere. I'm sure you'll want to hurry home now and see them all.
Hedgehogs are very cool, cute and spiky even though technically they are a pest here in NZ. They eat spiders and yucky bugs so he/she can stay as long as they want.
Hi. I also have a hedgehog that has adopted us. Its autumn here and its getting colder. I went out to our glasshouse and shifted some straw and found him in his new home. I put the straw back and he's stayed. He eats our cats food. She's scared of him.
It sounds like you have a zoo at your house. Thats cool.
I was in awe and speechless. It took me a while to realize the dream was real. Even at anchor 5km from me she was still HUGE! To be able to identify the F-18's, E-2's and HH-60's from that far was amazing. I'm hoping we get another visit now that this visit has proved so popular and such a huge success. Had fun drooling over the EOD guys. We got to watch 3 HH-60's transporting loads of cargo, got some wonderful photos of that and a video clip or two. It was a weekend of a life time and definitely a dream come true. I wish we could have toured Roosevelt but just having her here was a major achievement. The only sad moment was the first moment I saw her at 7:30am Saturday and wishing my dad had still been alive to see her. Watching her sail away on Tuesday was tough, but then my T-shirt arrived and I was all smiles again. The line of people that wanted to tour the USS Monterey came close to stretching a mile and people were standing side by side not single file. I'm hoping the number of people writing in to the papers and wishing Roosevelt had been docked will encourage the powers that be to invite another carrier and do just that. 
...I once worked an entire summer to save up enough money for a small arsenal of BB guns. I had three handguns & 3 rifles. I was very responsible with them and loved to calobrate the scopes I bought for them. I was by the bar in the basement one day cleaning them. I set them down on a black marble table (very gently) and polished them one by one. My adopted Father came down and saw my arsenal and was shocked. He didn't know I had them. He was kind of impressed and picked up one of my rifles and pulled the trigger 
...he shot his bar and left a hole in the wall. My Mom found out and because of his stupid mistake, my guns were taken away from me 
