From Mom, August 16, 2009

Hello My Fav-

I was so totally expecting your call today. I had just finished up with some one who came to visit her puppy and was walking to where I laid down my phone and it started ringing. Or, should I say singing. I believe it takes three days to get a letter from you to me. Wes says that it may take longer for one from me to reach you. Hopefully it isn't too long. Anyways it was really great to answer the phone and hear you say "Haaayyyy" I had to go thru that 2 minute thing when Mike went in. I hope I sent you enough stamps to keep you supplied for a few days. I've been keeping Mike busy this weekend. He needed some cash so I told him that I would pay him if he did some work for me. Wes and I went to the HD with that monster of a truck and got enough wood to finish the fence project in the back, I don't remember if I told you that or not already. So anyways, Saturday I went and got Mike and lil boy Theo and we cleaned up the weeds and dog poo in the backyard. Mike used the weedeater along the back fence and I used a shovel to remove lumps of grass that were growing in the gravel pathways and coming up between the pavers. Theo had Mike's folding Military shovel, it was just his size, so he could help out too. Theo works for chicken nuggets, :) Later when I took them home Fritz sat in the back next to Theo's carseat. Sunday, today, I picked the two of them up and we went to the HD and purchased 100 more pavers to extend the current pathways that we got going last year. I had Mike pile them up in the garden area for now, I need to smooth out the pathways before I put them in place. I made Wes help me dog ear the fence boards and Mike nailed them in place. Theo and Mike took a nap on my bed while the lady came and played with her puppy. I'm hoping the have the remaining pathways paved to help cut down on the muddy dog issue we have in the winter. I need to find some kind of plant to plant in the flower beds that can take the abuse from the dogs. Mike has an interview tomorrow at the same place tomorrow that for some reason that lady didn't show up for. He still wants to do long haul. I figure that I better use Mike while I can before he starts working and won't have time for me. I've been watching the tropical storm watches going on in the Atlantice Ocean. Then I had to check with mapquest to see exactly where is it that your based. It looks to me that you may be far enough inland that you may only see heavy rain and strong winds. Storms seem to weakend once they hit land fall. Right now there are three storms brewing. I wonder if your area gets hit hard if you guys will be called on to help to some clean up work. I know that most of the time the National Guard is put to work, but you never know. I took Fritz, Dutch and Emma for a two mile walk today. I need to walk them more than I seem to be able to do. They are ending up in their crates a lot more than I want them to be. I wish the neighbors would just piss off. I worked outside all weekend and I had the dogs out in their kennel most of the time. There were dogs going off all around the neighborhood, especially Precious going constantly. Our dogs aren't anywhere near that level of barking. I sure hope that friend of Dan and Christina's goes to live somewhere else if he bails out of the Army. I'm not even sure of who is actually living next door. I never see Christina and I can't even remember when the last time it was that I saw her. I saw Dan today mowing the yard and spraying paper wasp nests on his front porch. That was the first time I've seen him in a few weeks. Oh well, anyways. I'm looking forward to hearing all about the training your doing. Time is going by, it's been two weeks now. I was thinking the other day about Forest Gump and I've come to the conclusion that of the two of them, Bubba was smarter than Forest. After all Bubba had a plan and could tell you what it was that he needed to realize his plan, while Forest was like that feather getting blown about here and there by the breeze.I love you and I'm proud of what you're doing. Remember to do more listening than speaking. Keep your shoulders back, chest out and eyes forward. Don't forget to answer every question with "Yes! Drill Sargent!" :) Love Mom