I am so not ready for this.

Today at two of the seven or so blogs that I frequent, they are posting along the lines of something called a blog carnival, which is apparently where you blog about a specific theme and then link to the original site. After that, you go and check out other blogs and see if you can't find someone you like :D So, although the topic is a little tricky for me, I'm going to put my own spin on it and do it anyway. I love reading other blogs, and I would love to have other blogs reading me! (and then at the end of this, separated by a bold line, will be the other thing I was planning to blog about this morning)

The site for the links to this carnival is called Mayhem and Moxie:

Of course, I also saw it at Blessed Quiver. I see everything there. I honestly don't know what I would do in this great, big blogosphere without Michelle's blog. Lose my mind and never have any readers, maybe... might do that anyway...

Onwards! The topic is vacation. That's where it gets tricky. I've never really been on a vacation. I've traveled to see Andrew at various times, but never really had a "vacation". I've decided, though, that Maryland and my four day weekend there is probably the best bet. Here are the choices:

1) The most outrageous person you met while traveling.
2) The best (or worst) hotel you ever stayed in.
3) Someone on your trip who saved the day.
4) The weight you gained while on vacation.
5) The book that made your vacation endurable.

I chose the first one, and yes, I have pictures. I will even start you off with one.


That is the most interesting person I met on my trip to Maryland. I went there, btw, to see Andrew while he was in AIT. This was at the end of May, the 22nd through the 26th, and I had not seen him since January. It was... a strange experience seeing him again, touching him again, after so many months especially knowing that the Army had definitely changed him. Not in a bad way, but he was certainly a different man than the one I married. It wasn't easy, but we managed to pick up right where we left off. Most of our days were spent in the hotel watching episodes of Heroes, trying local diners, or meeting his friends
from training but one Memorial Day, we decided to have a little adventure. We were staying in Aberdeen, Maryland but not far away was a town called Havre de Grace which was right on the edge of the Chesapeake Bay: my largest body of water seen to date. It was all very beautiful, but for someone from Arizona who doesn't know how to do anything more that doggy paddle like a drowned rat, standing on the dock where that picture was taken was rather... unnerving.

But let me tell you about that interesting fellow up there. If you haven't guessed it by now, he's wax. Yeah. We went to apparently a world renowned museum full of wooden ducks and a couple of guys like him. It was literally the Duck Museum and it was wild. There were videos on how to carve decoy ducks, decoy swans, decoy everything... there was an entire section on what kind of guns were used to kill ducks after they were tricked back in the day and one of them was a good 4 feet taller than Andrew O.O BIG GUNS for LITTLE DUCKS. Crazy, just... wild. So yes, we spent a good portion of our adventure in that museum, looking at various kinds of wooden ducks. I have to tell you, the craftsmanship that went into those evil little decoys is amazing. I can't even begin to explain it and yes, the museum cost about $7 per person to get in and was a little bit weird... but go. You'll learn something you never thought you'd learn about little wooden ducks. And possibly, as I did, you'll learn that wax figures creep you the hell out. As do really big ducks made out of wood... I also learned that if I ask really nicely, my husband will not only stand for a goofy picture, he'l take one of you too!



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So my other item today is that in about 10 minutes, I am going to get in the shower, wash my hair, dry it, do my make-up, get dressed and go to the most terrifying thing I have ever faced:

An Army Barbecue.
In a park.
With ALL of the people Andrew works with... and their families.
Yes, you heard me. Families. As in, WIVES.
ARMY WIVES.

I am so not ready for this.

That's all I have time to say. I will be snapping pictures in between fending off demons. Wish me luck. Wish me a good hair day. Wish me no appetite and no bloating.

In fact, don't wish.

Pray.