6 inches gone!

While we were in Ridgecrest, I went and got my hair cut. I had been growing it out for the past 3 years or so and went from hair so short that they used buzzers on my hair, to this:

As a teenager, I pretty much kept my hair shoulder length or thereabout and hadn't grown it any longer than that until now. It shocked most people (myself included) at how long it had gotten. But my hair grows about an inch every 4-6 weeks, so it shouldn't surprise me. I had about 6 inches chopped off to this:

It is so much easier now. I am in love. We will see how long I keep it this length.

Retired

My dad has done it. He finally retired. He has been working at the Naval Air Weapons base in Ridgecrest, CA for 40 years. About 10 years ago we all asked him when he would retire and he said "in about 18 months." It was a long 18 months, but he did it. Thankfully he had a retirement party thing over spring break, so the kids and I were able to go down and celebrate with him. Of the 7 of us kids, 5 were there. It was fun to see those that we don't get to see too often and let the kids play. Shortly after my dad's award luncheon, where L was seriously crabby, we get home and L starts throwing up. Poor kid. No wonder he didn't want to be at the luncheon thing. My dad got two big awards. One is for what they call Lifelong Service since he was at the same place for 40 years, and the other was just his thank you for your service. He also got this one plaque that all of us kids thought we should also get because it was for surviving the desert for 40 years. Well, we survived and didn't even get the chance to protest it until we were old enough for college. And he got another one called the Tomahawker (I'm not sure if I spelled that right) because he spent a great much of his time working on the Tomahawk missile. I can't remember the others he got (as I said, L was getting really cranky about this time). I am proud of him. He gave a little speech near the end, and that was the closest I have ever seen my dad to getting choked up over anything. However, he is only taking a month and a half off for retirement. You see, in the last few weeks of his official employment time, he saved this one project he was working on several times. How he saved it, I don't know, but had it failed, that would be millions of dollars down the drain, so his sponsor is working frantically to get the security clearance done for my dad to go back to work part time on the base as a civil contractor. I think he will be excited for not having to work full time, though, his first week of retirement I am told he was very busy getting things done around the house for my mom.

My parents!

All of us that were able to make it. Only 12 people missing. ;)

Thor

So if anyone really knows me, they know that I am allergic to dogs. Like, seriously allergic to them. I first noticed it back as a kid when I would rough house with our family dogs and end up with hives. Last summer I almost had a friend take me to the ER because I had such a bad allergic reaction to my sister's dog. I could hardly see, my eyes were so swollen. It took 4 benadryl on top of some essential oils and many hours for the reaction to go away. Anyway, my family has really wanted a dog. Specifically Ty wants a Chi-Wienie? (Chihuahua Wiener dog combo) after he fell in love with our friend's dog. Well, on Facebook I found some that someone in Manteca was giving away. She was told that the mother dog was fixed, and low and behold, had tons of puppies not long after she was given the dog (the mother since has been spayed). Well, I gave in and told Ty we could go down and take a look, and we came home with this little guy. After nearly an hour of discussion, we ended up naming him Thor. He is still pretty little, but has probably doubled in size since we first got him. He has such a fun personality and the kids are having a blast teaching him "tricks." My allergies were a big draw back for me, but I have just decided that I can't hold him really long and as soon as I do, I have to wash up the minute I am done. He is so little that the kids are always picking him up and carrying him around like a doll. He sure is loved here.