Adding comments to the blog

My brother graciously offered some constructive criticism regarding the blog.  It seems  it was difficult for folks to add comments.  I have now updated the settings so anyone can leave a comment without needing to create any kind of account first.  I hope this encourages feedback as Rick and I would love to hear from you.  

I also hope my brother can sleep easier now.

Dry Heat - update from Arizona

As Rick updates us on the cold and snowy weather in Alaska, I'm 'enjoying' triple digits in Arizona. It is splendid to still be able to go the pool!

Spending time with my niece and nephew is fantastic. I can't believe how grownup they are becoming, and SMART! Bria brought home straight As on her report card, and Braxton was close to the same. Braxton attends several Karate classes, and even helps teach the younger group! He has also acquired a taste for Rock and Roll. I find this amazing as his mother thinks 'rocking out' is Barry Manilow's Copa Cabana. I'm not judging.

Bria is in dance and voice lessons. She performed at Karaoke night, and I was blown away. I had expected to see this little girl timidly sing a song from a Disney movie. Instead, my sweet Bria belted out 'I will Survive'. WOW! She then politely thanked the DJ when she handed the microphone back to him. I was impressed with her ability, stage presence, and manners.

Both kids are very interested in life over in Korea, and are anxious to know where Aunt Rachel and Uncle Rick will be living after Korea.

I have included a picture that I found in one of Bria's workbooks. Just precious.

A Long Overdue Post

No, I've not disposed of my cell phone, thrown away all material items, and cut ties with all people who know me to go and live in a bus in the Alaskan wilderness like Christopher McCandless did in 1992. By the way, that's a good book and movie called "Into The Wild".

Seriously though, this blog is an awesome tool and I've shortchanged all of you by not posting on here in quite some time. As my wonderful wife has alluded to in her post, I've been very busy up here in the Arctic with project officer duties. It has subsided a bit though now that the ball is rolling. My next big tasking is getting 12 A-10's, 200 people, and a couple 747 cargo planes loaded with equipment back over the Pacific Ocean into Korea. That should be fun.....

So what exactly am I doing you may wonder? Well, we have went TDY (temporary duty) here for two reasons: 1. To expend all our fiscal year 2009 munitions allocations and end the FHP (flying hour program) and 2. Fly in a Red Flag Alaska International training exercise. The constant thrash of scheduling changes has made life up here not ideal with us having to come in on weekends to fly and fly 3 separate periods during weekdays. Pilots are coming in a 0500 if they are on the day train and pilots on the night train (had been me till tonight) would not get outta work until 0100ish the next morning. As I said, I'm transitioning tonight from a night guy to a day guy, a transition heavily assisted by Ambien sleeping pills, commonly called "No-Go's" vs. our other pills called "Go Pills". Don't worry, it's all very regulated and only pilots with constantly changing schedules get them. Funny thing is, our schedules are always changing so we always have them. Anyhow, there is the historical knowledge that typically, TDY's are a break from your normal grind at home station. Well, this certainly has not been the case here and dudes are worn out and not wanting to do anything since they are so tired at the end of the day and the end of the week. It's really hurt our opportunities to enjoy the Alaskan state. September 30 is the last day of the fiscal year, so October 1 is a whole new can of worms. No more precision flying hour monitoring and weapon's tracking as it will be a new year and everything magically starts over. Red Flag will start on 1 October and I must say, I'm looking forward to it. I'm probably one of the most senior fighter pilots in the Air Force to have never done a Red Flag exercise so I'm excited to do it. What I'm not excited about is the fact that they (squadron leadership) want to have me do my Mission Commander upgrade here during Red Flag. This is a big deal and typically only the most senior and experienced dudes get to do this. Imagine being handed a high threat scenario (massive surface to air missiles, opposing enemy fighter jets, extensive amounts of anti-aircraft artillery, and of course small arms) and being told "here's 100 no kidding military jets with unlimited tanker (refueling aircraft) support for you to design a plan from start to finish on how you are going to execute and defeat the opposing enemy." I'll have 2 entire days devoted entirely to mission planning and about 100 people working for me to help come up with the plan. Remember, this is all real, not simulated. All these fighters, bombers, and special operations aircraft have real weapons and of course there will be real opposing threats to us as well. The only thing Red Flag can't do is the no kidding shooting at us which that is simulated with amazing computers and awesome technology anyhow. It's pretty much the opening days of a major war only we don't really get shot down. Long story short, it's amazing training in some of the best airspace in the world. It's the standing up in front of a 100-200 people and briefing them on MY plan and how and why we are going to do it. Remember, this room is full of fellow fighter/attack pilots, bomber pilots, foreign pilots, etc, so you gotta know your stuff before you get up there and sound like a clown!

Even though the above paragraph would led you to believe that we don't have any time, we are able to do some fun things. For instance, the very first weekend I was here (and before 95% of the personnel got here) a few of us were able to drive down to Denali National Park. This was an amazing trip! The driving through the Alaskan scenery is simply awesome. The landscape here is gorgeous. We saw several Moose and other assorted wildlife, but no bears yet! I won't lie, I want to see a bear........preferably from the comfort of a vehicle or indoors looking out though. I have come face to face with 2 Moose. I usually do an immediate 180 and go back the other way. You don't want to get between a Momma Moose and her babies! She'll end you real quick. The next weekend, I was able to sneak out on a fly-in fishing trip. Myself and 4 other pilots paid 200 dollars to fly 1 hour out into the middle of nowhere, land a plane on a lake, fish all day, eat our caught fish, and sleep out in the Alaskan wilderness. Talk about an amazing trip! After a rough start, I was quite the fisherman as I reeled in 9 beautiful Rainbow Trout ranging from 15 inches up to about 23. Really, really nice fish. You'll pay about 20-40 dollars at a restaurant for good Alaska Rainbow Trout and we had more than we could eat! Amazing! Talk about keeping your gear and food secure though. Bears are no joke up here. Those dudes will put a hurting on you in a heartbeat so our fish guts and stuff, we trucked all the way to the other side of the lake so we wouldn't get any unwanted visitors in the middle of the night. Remember, there's no power, no cell phone coverage, no nothing, so you have to be prepared to take care of yourself. We'd taken a couple weapons just in case something went down..........and nothing did. It was a pleasant night (a bit cold in the lower 30's), but we had a nice fire going and we did have a little cabin with a fire heater in it so we were good to go. The Northern Lights were amazing. They are hard to describe other than you really just have to see them to fully appreciate them.

Other than that, we have had some time to do what all pilots tend to do and that's tour the local drinking establishments on Friday and Saturday nights for those fortunate enough to not have to fly on Saturday. We've found a couple really awesome hole-in-the-wall bars that have welcomed us with open arms. Alaskan people are a little unusual, but they are very respectful and supportive of the military so we've had nothing but good experiences up here unlike other parts of the mainland states. This one bar in particular had a 80's cover band playing. The mixture of random Alaska backwoods looking people and of course a lead singer Tundra Wookie made it all the more enjoyable. They did play some Journey and Bon Jovi, so I was happy and thinking of Rachel the entire time. They also had Pabst Blue Ribbon in cans so you really could not go wrong at this place!

Another place we found and really loved is Silver Gulch Brewing Company. It's North America's Northernmost Brewery. It's a nice facility with awesome beer and even better food. It's about a 1 hour drive from Eielson Air Force Base, but well worth it. I know several of us have said we'll be making the trip up there again.

Well, that's about it for now. I know I've left some things out, but you've gotten most of the trip so far. Overall, I love it up here. I'm really sad that they moved the A-10's out of this base a couple years back. I would of loved to been assigned up here. After being here, I think Rachel would have loved it as well. The winters are tough as I experienced in January of this year, but overall this place is great. A wonderful place for a family and outdoor activities year round. ATV's and snowmachines are standard here. We don't have snow on the ground yet, but it has snowed 3 of the last 4 days, but it's not quite staying around down here yet. About 500 feet up the mountains though, the snow is staying. It's just a matter of time before it sticks here in the valleys as well. The only thing missing on this trip is Rachel. Right when we had really gotten adjusted to living together and always being around each other, BAM, we both go off and won't see each other for nearly 8 weeks. I miss her (and all of you for that matter) terribly, but this is and always will be part of the deal with our chosen military life. Rachel and I both feel it is a sacrifice worth making as the opportunities the military has given us far outweigh these times of separation.

With that, I bid you all a good evening!

Love Rick

PS - Rachel and I should be finding out about our next assignment soon!!!!!! We are both excited and anxious to find out where the next chapter in the book of life will be taking us............Stay Tuned!

Heading to the USA!

It's one in the morning, Korea time, and I'm packing up for my trip back to the USA!

I really am trying to pack light, but dividing my time between Arizona and Missouri, I really need a wide range of clothing.  The beauty of going to America is that I can actually buy whatever I need.  Wahooo!  I am also ready to put a hurt on some American food!  

My wonderful husband seems to be enjoying Alaska.  He updates me on the wildlife he encounters on his runs. Just warms the cockles of my heart to know he is out in the middle of the frozen tundra, IPOD blaring, oblivious to the rabid beasts stalking him.  Thankfully, I'm confident he could charm the fur off a black bear.

I'm very much looking forward to my trip back to the US, but I will be so happy when my wonderful husband and I are back home together.  I was just getting used to him.

Steak Night

A tradition was started with the pilots in Korea called Steak Night. Chris hosts and everyone brings something to grill along with a side item. Despite the fact that I hadn't ever attended Steak Night, I knew it had really grown in popularity. As you can imagine, 'home' doesn't feel quite so far away when you can grill out with your buddies.

I was invited to last Friday's steak night. Although Rick was already in Alaska, I wanted to attend and represent the Mitchells well.

I made a side item, Corn Delight, from my 'Blonde's Have More Fun Cooking' Cookbook (Thank you Bim and Claudia) I envisioned Steak Night patrons exclaiming over this wonderful side dish as the normal bags of chips were left untouched. I hoped my domestic glory would have such an impact that the pilots on their way to Alaska would rave to Rick about it.

I called a cab, and asked them to pick me up at Dream Villa and take me to Miraen Villa. Dream Villa is actually down the hill from our place, but since cabs cannot ever find our apartment, we use Dream Villa. I packed up my purse, bottle of wine, steak, and huge pan of Corn Delight, and went to leave. I then realized the pan was still really hot, so I wrapped it in a light jacket, and fumbled out the door like a Meals on Wheels parade. I walked down the hill and wait for the cab as bird-sized mosquitoes buzz around me and the skin on my hands began burning off from the heat radiating through the jacket. Something lands on my ear, so I quickly put the pot down on the street, and slap at my ear while trying to move my huge purse and bottle of wine to my other hand. The cab roars around the corner, and I hope he didn't notice my spastic behavior. I open the door and greet him in Korean. I load all my stuff in the backseat, and get in. I tell him where we are going, he grunts, and hits the gas. I'm on my way! Cab driver then got on the phone, and took a wrong turn. Great. I try to say 'excuse me' in Korean, but I often confuse that phrase with 'thank you very much'. Either way, he is engrossed in his conversation, and driving like he is late for a hot date. I reach over to better secure the pan of Corn Delight. he pulls into some random apartment complex, still on the phone, and grunts at me.

"Ah Knee OH", I say. (That means 'no')

This startles the man and he hangs up on his hot date.

Taking my blistering hand of the pot of Corn Delight, I use my universal signs to explain this is not the right apartment building, and he needs to turn around and I will show him..

"Oh, so sorry."

Oh, the grunter speaks some English!

Four short minutes later, he pulls up to the correct building. Unfortunately this place was built on an absurd hill. After paying the fare, I find that all rules of physics are working against me. The door won't stay open, so I get both my legs outside the cab to prop open the door. I then try to heave myself and my Corn Delight out of the cab. I grunt and heave and strain and after several embarrassing minutes of this obscene rocking ad thrusting, I just lay back, defeated. The cab driver is saying something I don't understand, but looking bewildered. I push the Corn Delight and the rest of my Steak Night Paraphernalia to the other side of the seat. I turn and with both hands haul my Amazon fanny out of the cab and walk around to the other side. The cab driver, oblivious to gravity, opens the door from the inside, and it slams back shut. I open it, prop it open, then retrieve my items. I'm so flustered, I don't even bow. The cab driver speeds off to his hot date. I turn to find Rick's Director of Operations standing on the sidewalk. Despite the smile on his face, I convinced myself he did not witness that ordeal. This dang Corn Delight better pay the dividends I was hoping for because I was quickly losing my sense of humor over this whole ordeal.

Steak Night has an excellent turnout of about 25 folks. I managed to act like I grilled everyday, and cooked my steak without catching my hair on fire There were even a few compliments on the Corn Delight. Rick will be so proud!

The host, Chris, gathered everyone in the living room after dinner, and explained he had been hosting Steak night for over a year, and he would be leaving for his next assignment soon, and want to hand off the GOLDEN TONGS TO...the MITCHELLS!

Imagine my delight!

I stand up to accept the GOLDEN TONGS. Several folks suggest I give a speech via loud chanting

Imagine my horror!

This is my first Steak Night! Is a speech even appropriate?! I stare at the grilling tools being handed to me, and pray I don't say Golden THONGS. I turn to the group, and I do what anyone would and impersonate the one person that isn't there.

I stood as tall as I could, puffed out my chest, and spoke in a deep voice. I used any 'Rickism' I could think of on the fly and delivered a quick speech. It went over pretty well. In fact, word travelled all the way to Alaska about 8 days later, and my wonderful husband asked for a de-briefing of the speech.

Despite the shaky start, the evening went well, and I can now look forward to co-hosting steak night.

As we were all leaving, one of the pilots asked if he could take the rest of the Corn Delight home. Not only did that warm the cockles of my heart and validate me as a Domestic Goddess, I did not want to eat Corn Delight for the next three days. I MUST work on portion control.

Rick leaves for Alaska

Rick got home from work at about 3:30 am the morning of September 9th.  He finished packing, and we headed to the bus stop.  This Alaska trip is a major endeavor, and Rick is the project officer.  This means he is in charge of ....everything.

He dropped me off at the bus stop with his luggage, and he went to pick up some fellow pilots.  When he returned, he immediately took charge of the group of sleepy Air Force guys that had gathered.  Despite being exhausted and wound up with stress from the trip, he was cheerful and professional.  I was extremely proud of him.  I handed out breakfast bars as an effort to make some kind of contribution.  He got everyone accounted for, and kissed me goodbye.  I prayed he was able to sleep on his flight.

I spoke to him once he finally made it to Alaska, and he was already in the midst of orchestrating rental cars, rooms, and keeping the enlisted kids sober.  

This will continue to be a stressful project, but I know it will be a success!

Trip to Buson

We planned a trip to Buson, South Korea for Labor Day weekend along with several other friends from the squadron.  Rick has been working very long hours in anticipation of his trip to Alaska, and we were looking forward to a fun, relaxing trip!

 In order to get to Buson, you take a cab to the subway station, a subway to the KTX speed train station, and the speed train to Buson.  I was very much looking forward to checking out the public transportation in South Korea.  I figured it would be a smooth day of travel as my wonderful husband and the other friend traveling with us, Nate, had already been to Buson.  

We had a rough start. 

As the pictures show, the signs are in Korean.  Generally, you can talk to the ticket booth person and figure out where you need to go.  The fellas decided to divide and conquer while I sat with the luggage.  This gave the Koreans that hadn't ever seen an Amazon to get their camera phones out, and take advantage of the Kodak moment.  So weird.

Once we got onto our Subway, I noticed how nice and clean everything was.  I was pleasantly surprised at how nice everything was.  Nate announced how many stops we had before our destination.  We were on our WAY!

An hour later we were waiting for out SPEED train.  Nobody was really discussing who was at fault for departing the Subway on the wrong stop.  

 We matched up the numbers on the ticket to the platform.  When the SPEED train pulls up, you don't have much time to get in.  We show our tickets to the train guy  as additional assurance that we were in the right place. 

 Nope.  

We thought we should be on platform 4, like the ticket said.  Evidently that is the car number.  We were standing outside car 13.  Awesome.  We were hustled on the train for the sake of time, and began making our way to car 4.  It is nearly impossible to appreciate the humor as we stumble through each car.  Being a SPEED train, it's impossible not to stomp as we try to keep our balance.  I'm the caboose on our mini train of destruction, and the door that opens between cars is constantly catching my backpack in it's jaws of steel.  Our fellow train riders are awoken to this sight, and my cheeks are burning with embarrassment.  We have become 'those people' .

We finally get to our seats, and try to quietly settle in.  I dig my water bottle out of my purse, and turn to my wonderful husband to ask how long this train ride is.  He is snoring softly.

Once at our beautiful hotel, we check out the beautiful ocean view from or room.  We are RIGHT on the beach.  Wahoooo.  We change clothes and head to dinner.  

The next day we hung out on the beach.  The weather was perfect.  We could not have picked a better weekend to be at the beach.  It was so relaxing to lay on the beach all day.  Additional friends trickled in throughout the day.  We had a Frisbee and football to throw around.  It was a wonderful day.

That night we hit the Rock N Roll bar until wee hours of the night, and then my wonderful husband and I ate a pepperoni pizza before going back to our  room. 

The next day we went to the Buson Aquarium after lunch.  They had so many cool exhibits!  We saw Jellyfish, giant crabs, seahorses, starfish, exotic fish, and SHARKS.  They announced they were going to feed the sharks.  I was very much looking forward to seeing sharks fight each other for bloody pieces of meat.  I elbowed my way to the large glass window, and disappointment washed over me as they sharks were fed small whole fish.  Aside from that, it was a fun trip to the aquarium.  

That night we went to the all you can eat seafood buffet at the hotel.  Not our best move.  As I cracked open the crab legs and tore out the meat, I almost lost my appetite thinking of his cousins in the Aquarium.  Almost.  We ate the hotel out of crab legs, and it was not all I could eat.  Dinner was amazing!  We walked on the beach and enjoyed the beautiful night.

The next day we were up early to catch our train back to Songtan.  Aside from my pants not fitting, it was a smooth trip home.  

Excellent trip to the beach!

Mitchells at the Buson Aquarium

SHARK

Jellyfish at the Buson Aquarium

The Rock N Roll bar overlooking the beach.  Obviously, Rachel left her heels on the beach.

BEACH!  Wahooo!

Picture of the bus schedule - Yikes!

Driving in Korea

This is just a quick video that shows the drive from base to our apartment.  As you can see, without street signs or basic infrastructure that we expect from living in America, it's difficult to tell somebody how to get to the apartment. Also notice, about 20 seconds into the video, the little house that has their laundry hanging on the fence.  Interesting stuff every day!