Sailor Harry comes home, goes West

Yeah, late posting is no stranger around these parts. Like I said before, thought the adventure is over, I want to keep this thing running. I left Kuwait like a bat out of Hell, looking ahead and ready to be welcomed back like someone you ask, "You were gone?" Nah, just kidding.

No posts from Germany? What the hell Harry, you made us loyal readers a promise! True. But what if I never made it to Germany? Or at least, what if I never was there long enough to post anything? Another reason to add to my list of why I prefer rolling with EOD is that they are resourceful. A few phone calls and demands later, six of us were able to get the tests taken during a brief layover at Rammestine and then we were back on the plane headed for Baltimore. What was supposed to be a couple days in Germany, turned into being able to go home 2 days early.

Such a glorious flight, it was. As we sat on the runway in Kuwait, a random guy started singing John Denver' "Leaving on a Jet Plane". We applauded as the plane took off and at that moment, we all knew each other and appreciated each other's company. As the plane descended into Baltimore we counted down in unison and cheered madly as the wheels struck the pavement. The crowd that met us outside the gate were even louder and we got a last stamp on our passports/custom forms.

I didn't get a chance to appreciate it all as I was nearly tackled by my mother and soon we were on the road and headed for the nearest steak house. Five minutes in the restaurant, I was enjoying the first beer back and nearly in tears. OK, so maybe I wasn't emotionally moved, but it was damn good. We then preceded to head home then to a friend's Halloween costume party. There was a Michael Jackson song theme, as people were dressed up to represent "Thriller", "Man in the Mirror", etc. I didn't have time to change out of my uniform, but was still asked what I was supposed to be. Stunned and viciously biting my tongue to not curse out the majority of liberals in the room, I just responded, "We are the World." Excuse me for having a wicked sense of humor. Yes that's it, go back to drinking your Merlot, shaking your head not getting the joke. Damn hippies.

The next day was spent in Annapolis watching the Navy game. Navy lost, but I did appreciate the people there. Apparently my parents told them where I just had come from, so I was met with hugs and abundant thank yous. While sitting in the stands, a stranger overheard our conversation and shook my hand. When he saw my younger sister he asked if she was my wife or girlfriend. I turned and told him who she was, then asked if his wife was his daughter. The game proceeded with brief rain and Navy forgetting that their quarterback was allowed to throw the ball.

I am currently at my Uncle and Aunt's house in Seattle. it always feels good to be on the West Coast, as I prefer it from the East. There are only a few places back East I appreciate. Just so happens I prefer California, Oregon, and Washington State. Whats even nicer is finally being able to connect with my family, even more so than I've done before. My mother's family is one rife with a history of utter drama and I've only spent a minuscule amount of time with a handful of cousins and nothing but stories about aunts, uncles, and grandparents. My father's family is more stable, yet just as distant. They don't hate each other, they just don't spend time with one another. Perhaps I will write more about it once I speak to my grandmother in a few days.

My family situation is uninteresting and the problem I have with it is that it doesn't bother me. I know very little about them and it seems to not matter. There are relatives I've spoken to and love, but this is the longest time I've spent with my mom's brother. To give you an idea, I rarely use the term aunt and uncle. To me, they seem more appropriate to be refereed as my parent's siblings. Some would consider it sad. I simply refer to my previous statement: It doesn't bug, and I don't know if that should concern me. Shame, really. My Uncle Bob is pretty cool and I wish I could have come to visit him sooner.

A post without a picture; so strange, so unfamiliar.