Spent the day edge-ume-kate-ing meself ..... Part of the supporting the force families course.

Interesting ... yes ... I think I'm becoming a cynic. <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />

Subject - counselling for medical discharges <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" />

Fact 1 ... of the last 1000 SF serving in Afghanistan more than 225 have been injured or mentally scarred so badly by by their experiences that they were granted medical discharges. ahun.. <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/ooo.gif" alt="" />

Fact 2 ... 48 discharges due to mental health issues due to the actions they were required to carry out. <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" />

Fact 3 ... another 40 due to witnessing such actions (don't ask me they are secret or something) <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/eek.gif" alt="" />

Fact 4 .... numberous other discharges due to loss of limbs (you know for the life of me I can't remember ANY media releases about such injuries, guess those are secret too) <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

Fact 5 .... remaining discharges due to various respiratory system failures ???????? keh???????? (must of missed those media releases too) <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />

BUT the good news is that the suicide rate of returning soldiers has declined from an average of 10 a year to 3 .... they changed the database so it only counts active duty soldiers otherwise the figure is rolled up into the ADF figures overall. <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif" alt="" />

but don't worry, if I lodge 3 forms and argue convincingly I can get a vet an extra $15 per fn due to 'extreme disabilities' & a 5% increase in their compensation payments for non economic losses relating to pain,suffering or loss of function ( oh the limb thing I guess) <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif" alt="" />

I should know sarcasm doesn't work on Army types... I asked if that meant they had to have a 5% loss of function ????
"Well, hummmf well, no has ever asked THAT" (code for you are a pain lady <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />)
Really? I responded bright eyed <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif" alt="" />

I know I know, I'm just one of the little girlies and I should not be worrying my little head about such things. <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/pfft.gif" alt="" />

I sort of wondered if they were going to come around and pat us on the head as we filed out <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />

But the rest of the course was somewhat interesting talking about setting up peer groups for the vets and doing various psychometric testing & stuff to help measure their current stage of personality, attitudes and beliefs. I'm not convinced the using the Briggs Myers Type Indicator is a great idea by itself though. One of a number of indicators perhaps, I'm more of the Psychopathology school.

oh well back to my own mad house.... Aussie and Mikey drank milkshakes in MY spa and split it!!! AND did not clean it up! <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" />

((((AW))))

<img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/eek.gif" alt="" /><img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" />wow<img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" /><img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/eek.gif" alt="" />

Kimmy, can you say "sing the thong song" ten times fast?

AW--I think that by using the spa, messing it up, and then not cleaning up afterwards, he has forfeited any right whatsoever to make comments about whether or not it should exist at all. Doesn't that seem reasonable to you? <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

I'd tell you to give Aussie a hug for us, but what with the no-touching thing, and all the discussion of breaking kneecaps, I'm not sure it would go over well. So we'll hug you instead!

t&l

I LOVE HUGS SO GO AHEAD. <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Yes a rather sobering session but you face the hard stuff I guess. well its that or it might hit you in the face.

Jonnie is a bit down in the dumps, 3 of his commando team were shot up a day or so ago. No fatalities thank God.
DD is comforting him for "NOT being able to be there".... a strange place we are in thats for sure. <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

Aussie is ... well ... quiet, withdrawn, is only starting to relax a bit today. He never walks through the front door without scanning the street or the roof tops or looks up at the hills. caged wild animal sort of looking.

He's really not keen on noise though, TV, radio, all goes off if not actively being used ....... not drinking too much, not brooding, just being ... so I just let him continue being <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/pfft.gif" alt="" />

He still kind of jumps when you touch him unawares which is better than being thrown into a wall but a bit unnerving all the same.

As for the spa and room .... eyebrows raised and " I guess ya gonna tell me how much that cost me one day then Huh?
mutter mutter money tree
bags of it burried in the back yard
yada yada " <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif" alt="" />

'Moi????' I'll write to him if he has to go back and tell him <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Meanwhile ... I noticed he used it asap though! ... and look how much value it added to the house ... half a mill now .......... I wonder how I will break it to him about the new floor I'm going to put in.......??? <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />

You did say you had a spare bed didn't you T&L?? <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />

Oh Yes, your reasoning is PERFECT <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

Where on earth did you learn to do all this stuff anyway? I unscrewed my license plate holder today and put on my own registration sticker, and thought I'd done enough manly junk for one day. You amaze me. <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/eek.gif" alt="" />

t&l

I put up the baby, make that DOGGY, gate last night.

I assembled the children's deskss and the computer desk when I took them out of the carton.

I can paint interiors though I HATE the prep and the clean up.

It's going to rain, la la la la la.......

AJ is going to FL after Salt Lake City.

I am out of Qtips!!!!

That is how things are so far today.

And THONGS BELONG ON FEET!

FEET!

FEET!

FEET!

We will all miss him dreadfully, of course, but I'm thrilled to hear he's leaving (and when will that be, by the way?), now that my disability leave has officially started and we are depending on his income to fill in the cracks. Crevasses, actually. <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" /> This would be more fun if it didn't make me so blasted nervous! <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/eek.gif" alt="" />

t&l

He left yesterday, and is already unloaded in SLC. He was supposed to be with his brother, who (with AJ's help) came out to drive team. The terms kept changing, shrinking mostly, and finally BIL said he was going home at the end of the month. That changed very suddenly to at the end of the week, which changed very suddenly to maybe even sooner, but he would let AJ know. Instead, he took off in the middle of the night Tuesday without a word, leaving AJ all alone. Poor AJ is rather disheartened, since this was almost the only family member he felt he could count on.

But I digress.

The boys have been doing decentish today, with only one attack so far. <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif" alt="" /> Also, the Dervish is all done with his schoolwork, yay for him! (Yay for me!!!) Now he is just digging quietly in the lizard paddock....why didn't I think of this sooner?

How big are your lizards, that you have a whole paddock for them?

You have a lizard paddock?????????????????????? It must be right next to the mouse corral...

t&l

Oh.

I know.

It's where the M&M eating dinosaur lives, right?

Well, the lizard is smaller than it was. "Mommy why did this just come off, and why is it still wiggling?" <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif" alt="" /> And so we had our science lab for the day.

How funny... I had that happen to me once. Really, somehow, a lizard rode into the house w/ me. I had been outside and came in and it had hopped off some plant onto my back. I felt something and brushed it off - it was a lizard. I picked it up by the tail and the tail stayed in my hand but the lizard fell away. Kinda freaked me out. Then, I remembered they can do that.

I had a lizard come into the house some years ago ... Aussie brought him in gutted and icky and asked if I wanted to try cooking it ..... gag gag gag gag gag gag ... nope I couldn't control it ... heaved all over the kitchen floor ... and the kitchen still smelled better than that dead lizard.

The meat tastes so BAD, dry, yucky , but if you want to try it don't let me stop you <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />


Now for the parents, something to smile about .......


HOW DO YOU DECIDE WHO TO MARRY? (written by kids)


You got to find somebody who likes the same stuff. Like, if you like sports like cricket and footy, she should like it that you like sports, and she should keep the chips and dip and beer coming.
-- Alan, age 10 (Aussie thinks this little guy is a winner <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif" alt="" />)


No person really decides before they grow up who they're going to marry. God decides it all way before, and you get to find out later who you're stuck with.
-- Kristen, age 10 (yes indeedy lol <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />)


WHAT IS THE RIGHT AGE TO GET MARRIED?


Twenty-three is the best age because you know the person FOREVER by then.
-- Camille, age 10 (just wait untill SHE is 24!!!)


HOW CAN A STRANGER TELL IF TWO PEOPLE ARE MARRIED?


You might have to guess, based on whether they seem to be yelling at the same kids.
-- Derrick, age 8 (Oh, he HAS been around our house then)


WHAT DO YOU THINK YOUR MOM AND DAD HAVE IN COMMON?


Both don't want any more kids.
-- Nami, age 8 (Snort <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />)


WHAT DO MOST PEOPLE DO ON A DATE?


Dates are for having fun, and people should use them to get to know each other. Even boys have something to say if you listen long enough.
-- Lynnette, age 8 (isn't she a treasure?)


On the first date, they just tell each other lies and that usually gets them interested enough to go for a second date.
-- Martin, age 10 (Either someone let him read my old diaries or I think he's ready for the world of dating <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" />)


WHAT WOULD YOU DO ON A FIRST DATE THAT WAS TURNING SOUR?


I'd run home and play dead. The next day I would call all the newspapers and make sure they wrote about me in all the dead columns.
-- Julie, age 9 ( Are you SURE she's only 9???????)


WHEN IS IT OKAY TO KISS SOMEONE?


When they're rich.
-- Kim, age 7 (I expect I'll be working for her)


The law says you have to be eighteen, so I wouldn't want to mess with that.
-- James, age 7 ( I hope Mikey is listening to this wise young man!)


The rule goes like this: If you kiss someone, then you should marry them and have kids with them. It's the right thing to do.
-- Howard, age 8 (well its nice to see such commitment from a young man, I LIKE him)


IS IT BETTER TO BE SINGLE OR MARRIED ?


It's better for girls to be single but not for boys. Boys need someone to clean up after them.
-- Anita, age 9 (bless you child, what a saint)


HOW WOULD THE WORLD BE DIFFERENT IF PEOPLE DIDN'T GET MARRIED?


There sure would be a lot of kids to explain, wouldn't there?
-- Kevin, age 8 (I like this kid hehehehe)


And the number 1 Favorite is ...

HOW WOULD YOU MAKE A MARRIAGE WORK?


Tell your wife that she looks pretty, even if she looks like a truck.
-- Ricky, age 10 (He'll be married forever, if his mum and sisters don't arrange a accident <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/pfft.gif" alt="" /> )

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Hugs to all. Kinda down today. Friend's husband died last night. She has 2 daughter in middle school and daughter in second year of college. So sad.