Day 54 Halloween

Lucy, Our lovely hostess Sadie and John...minutes before Sadie passed out...@10:30.....She peaked alittle early.

I couldn't figure out who she was supposed to be...Bride of Frankenstein or Dracula...either way, good effort.

Claire had some cool wings....would have gone good with my mask.

Nick was an Evil Jester....the mask rocks!

Wellsy came as Malice in Wonderland.....

Claire and Lucy.....I have to admit..I think my wife's costume was the best one...she put tons of effort into it..and kept it cool on a budget...Plus the wig was foxy!!!!

I was a demon....minus some cool wings....

Day 53 Ducks

was asked if I wanted to slaughter ducks today......and take one home for dinner.... I went along with my friends. However given the symbolism "The Ducks" have played in Lucy and my relationship..... I declined to hurt a duck. I felt bad for the ducks. They obviously knew what was in store for them...given the fact they were completely freaked out. I have fed ducks by hand before......held and stroked them. I think animals can tell when a person means to do them harm.
By no means is this gonna make me stop eating chicken or duck...but I think I will have someone else do my bidding from here on out.....Much like President Bush.

Day 52 Do you want some cheese with your WHINE?

We were invited to a "Cheese and Wine" party...... I was thinking this....
but it was more like this........ People were afraid to try new things.... Well I should say other people. Lucy and I saw the opportunity to have FREE nibbles..... She didn't drink....but I tried about 6 different wines.....and all 15 cheeses...

Day 51 American football

Last Sunday I watched the charger vs. the Saints...play in London...via tv. I was alittle miffed....I wanted tickets...but was told they were sold out. Well from where I was sitting..it looked like there might have been about 2000 empty seats...
Oh well....it was still nice having some Americana on TV...other than CSI...or god forbid LOST.

Day 50 Been invited on an expedition to Africa

Recently I have been approached by a local charity....
to be a medical advisor for an expedition to Africa. Tenatively they want to leave in 2010.
I said I would be happy to go..... if the planning is right....and I am confident in the people who are also going.....and only if they take my advice...and have a medical doctor oversee the project.
The trip will last anywhere from 6-12 months....Starting here in the UK....entering Africa in Morrocco and circumnavigating the continent...by via 4x4s (Landrovers/Pingauers or Landcruisers) south along the coast...through the sub-sahara region.....to South Africa....north..bypassingZimbabwe.....towards Kenya/Ethiopia.....and finally towards the countries bordering the Med...ending in Tunisia. Because I am an american I will have to bypass certain countries...eg..DRC(Congo) and Libya.
There are many things medically I am thinking we will have to be thinking about..before, during and after. When most people think Africa they think...about dangers from the animals...malaria...AIDS......but those are the obvious dangers.... Food and sanitation is a major factor....Water purification....Some of the lakes/rivers have flukes that enter your body though mucas membranes....and destroy your internal organs.... The heat is a major factor....as is the groups health and diet before leaving. I would need to know what immunizations people would need before entering each country...how long would we have to have them before entering..how long are they good for...where do we get them if we are on the road....etc.... Africa is a fairly crap area to drive in.
So far I have done quite a bit of research....There is much to do. I have already found a decent medical kit...good for 6-12 people..but it must be resupplied every 3-4 months.
Thing is...logistically...this could be a nightmare.
I don't think the trustees really have any idea what a trip of this magnitude could mean medically. Everything from personal health, shots....medications....trauma gear...field san etc... In my opinion you need to have every logical scenario pre-worked out before you go.
The multitude of things I have to think about are on a massive scale. Honestly I don't think I will take the job if I am to go about it alone, without some medical back-up. If it was 2-3 months maybe....but this is a massive responsibility.
Plus first and foremost I have to think of my own personal safety. I sure ashell don't want to come home with some fuckin disease no one has a cure for....or worse yet...being eaten feet first by Chuckles the lion.
For now I will see how things go...there is pleanty of time. I will keep you posted....

Day 49

family time today....we just kind of hung around....I am too tired to do much.

Day 48 Working.......

I spent the entire week temping at a company called Visual Impact. I was mostly doing "BITCH" work.....taking out the trash...handing someone tools....etc. Well lately I have been doing alittle more. Stenciling, making signs...etc....Well today I woke up at O'dark:30 ...waited outside for my ride in the frost...and we drove to Farnham to put up a sign.
Funny, during the entire trip I was thinking we would be on ladders...maybe 10 feet off the ground at most...... NOPE. When we got there.....I was told I would be wearing a "spech-al" high vis outfit....a rappel harness...a 9 foot safety rope....and would be suspended about 30 meters up.
Let point out I am not afraid of heights...much.... but considering the operator had just finished telling me of his history of henioius car accidents.... I wasn't feeling to confident for personal safety. To make matters worse....when we were about 75 feet up....the other guy moved to one side of the basket and it tilted...on his side...AND HE IS LIGHTER then me....I just had to keep it in my head..... how much I was making ..about $19 an hour.....
In the end....it was fun.... we had a couple hair raising moments. More than a few laughs..and he promosed to ring me again if he ever needed more help.

Day 47 got a bandaid???

Yup you got me...I was furiously masturbating today...and attempted to do it until the skin peeled off.....

Actually I hit a door..... (note....doors hurt....I am a dumbass)

Day 46

MMMMMMMM nothing better than after a night of boozing it up...going down to the local PACKY DELI for some freshly warmed mutton on a stick.....
MMMMMMM Mutton farts!

Day 45 FINALLY!

Hard to image that this is the reason I think I might have a fricken ulcer! That's right...last week an hour before I left for camping...My VISA came in the mail. Now I am a LEGAL Alien......WEEEEEEE.....

Day 44 costumes for Halloween... We have to be something scary for a Halloween party....

I'm wearing a mask....

Lucy when she is mad.....

We can't decide on costumes... I think KINKY DEVILS would be good.....

That or if someone can help me figure out how to go as AIDS or HERPES!!!!

Day 43

Day 42 I love it when it sucks!

Probably the best boots I have ever owned...my feet were warm, dry and cozy.
Luce was none too happy at this point. The tent was about 5 minutes from "lift off"...and she had to hurry up and out clothes on, or risk being naked in the middle of a cold wet field.
The wind all but destroyed our campsite...the mud added a bit of humor to everything...I loved it.... Everyone was so miserable, and frustrated.
but in Steve's own words..."Why get uptight? It is what it is." I thought the whole weekend brought us all closer....and we learned we could have a ton of fun together as a family..... It was cool watching Lucy and Steve bonding...She realized he wasn't a geek anymore..he realized she wasn't the "Little pain in the arse".....anymore.
Bon Bon was an absolute trooper on the holiday....I know deep down she would have loved a B & B instead...but she dealt well with whatever the weather tossed at her. I was at home. I truly do "love it when it SUCKS!!!" I sure hope they invite us again sometime. The Landrover Group is a bunch of great and fookin entertaining people. A couple of the guys are like "Monty Python" in the flesh.
Hopefully in the not-so-distant future I will have a Landrover of my own.
We got home at about 8:30.....both cats had been locked in since Thursday night. They both enjoyed leaving us little gifts all over the house.

Day 41

Crossing the Fjord.....Ah...I will have a defender in the future!



Steve poses as Macy GAY!
Saturday was an interesting day..... We took some treks through some of the most beautiful country imaginable. I was completely blown away. I was also completely hungover.
I felt great in the morning before we set off. But as we took the first trail...I turned green, and remained that way for the rest of the day. I still enjoyed every minute of it though. It isn't often we get to go into the wilderness here and get completely lost.
That night after Lucy and I took a nap... We had another night of debauchery. I just didn't participate much. I had maybe 4 beers...and I poured 1 of them out, and filled it with water. Lucy's brother taunted me with shouts of being GAY.....so I chose the route of a "Dog and Pony" show was best. The night before....I gained my respect within the group....I took alot of shit....got a nickname or 3....and stood the tests of LIME....e's....
I didn't feel the need to wake up in a puddle of my own muck...
Plus I was dead tired. I could feel the weather was turning to shit about midnight. I kissed Luce g'night...and headed for the tent.
It was incredibly enjoyable to curl up inside a warm bag....in total darkness.....listening to the rain, music and laughter....The wind was beginning to howl.... Good timing on my part.

Day 40 part 2.....much to my mother's surprise I have been renamed TACKLEBERRY

We drove so far around the lake, instead circumnavigating the rest...we took a ferry.
The campsite that was too expensive. Good views though.
The other vehicles on the first day...the guy in the Silver Defender was a fucking cocksmoker. A real "my shit doesn't stink, the world revolves around me and my big dick" kind of guy. Needless to say...we parted ways the next morning. (I really wanted to pop this ball licker in the mouth...a nice hard bitch slap would have felt great. Tony the Tiger "GRRRRRREAT!") He could have just been having a bad day...but ...me thinks not.
My bother-in-law....a different kind of FAIRY we came across...(note woman's handbag)
The first night...we all sat around Steve's mate's tent....talkin shit...smokin and jokin.....DRINKING anything put in front of our faces. This was after a very boozy pub visit as well. About halfway through the night, one of the lads said something about how Americans are crap at the MAN sport of drinking.... I felt the need to "REPRESENT!!!!" Needless to say...said Laddy passed the FOOK OUT..about 2 hours before I clambered into the tent with Lucy. I was completely mullered....have no idea what or how much....What I do know is.....Jagerbombs...taste like shit! Contact highs are possible. I get dizzy looking at this photo....and I put those fuckers to bed! That is the fact...JACK!
( Side note...never ever challenge an ex-US Soldier to drinking games.....it doesn't matter how long it has been since he had a drink...shear willpower and pride will overcome a built up tolerance and bad teeth any day!)

Day 40 Lake Windamere...Where men are men....and SHEEP are scared!

We dared to go where other, lesser men...cannot....
and my pictures don't do the place justice.
Halfway through the first day we stopped for a brew...the scenery was majestic. This is a place you would have to travel to...to fully appreciate the beauty....
and the smell......
Sadly...this sign has been made because some moron missed the giant lake coming up in front of him.

This is part 1 of 2

Day 39 I got bored.....

So I painted this.

Oh and I am going out in bro-in-law's Defender this weekend.....camping in the freezing cold...YAY! Hypothermia here we come.

day 38 Things We(lucy and I} can't live with out

I eat these things like candy......
after Lucy shaves her back...she sometimes shapes her unibrow..... HA HA

Day 37

Saw this while on a trip to Normandy a couple of years ago.....
The french might not know anything about fighting, bathing or drinking...but when it comes to talking to the "Porcelin God"....they really know how to live!

Day 29 +7

Well I haven't felt much like doing any blogging for a while... Not like me at all.
To be dead honest I have been really bummin lately. It's been 11 weeks since we sent off my Spousal VISA application. Initially we were both sure it would show up in 4-6 weeks. I applied for jobs...have had some good offers. I have done my best to keep my mind busy...with my wife being the driving force behind that. But I am nearly at the end of my rope some days, at least mentally. My mind was completely clouded. Kind of turning within myself. Not wanting to do anything I used to enjoy. I had set my camera down, stopped writing, didn't want to take any trips.
Then a couple weeks ago my wife and I traveled to Portsmouth. I was on my way to see the UK's reigning expert on PTSD. Dr Morgan O' Connell. I was fairly nervous. I knew he was the MAN to talk to. Probably knows more than a few experts in the states.
While waiting for him down stairs in the Royal Maritime Club....we were introduced to another ex-service member from the British Army....I briefly met him..really just shook his hand..and then went upstairs to talk to the DOC. It was a good experience for me. Doc O'Connell seems like the first person I have spoke to who truly understands the plight of a combat medic. The guy genuinely cares about the people he sees. He treats you with respect and dignity. I trust him. I could tell I was going to trust him as soon as I met him. He dug up somethings from before the war...before when I was in 21...Bosnia...and we began working our way forward. Things I haven't thought about for a number of years. We sat and talked for alittle over an hour.
And then as it began, it was over. We shook hands and parted...probably will see him in early November. I hope so.
Down stairs...Lucy had been chatting to the guy we met. turns out his name is MO...and he too lives in Andover. He passed her his card...told me to give him a call.

Well a week went by before I had the nerve to call. I just grabbed the phone last Wednesday....next thing I know he was stopping by to pick me up. Introducing me to people...
I felt a huge wave of relief spread over me. I was beginning to think I was some kind of social pariah. On Saturday....he picked me up at 6am...Him and his mate(buddy) were going spearfishing. I was just along for the ride. To be near the coast.
I have to say it was nice to be able to be near my ocean again. It has been a good many years since i have been able to sit on the beach and clear my mind of all thoughts.
As I sat there I thought about my life. The places I have been to, people I have met...I know I have had quite a different life then most. Since I was 9 or 10...I started doing things other's only dreamed of. I took a great bit of solace in the fact that I have had a fairly charmed life. I have done so many things I have wanted to do. Seen 4 out 7 continents. Been to 30 + countries. Played instruments in front of huge crowds...via drum and bugle corp..I can imagine it is the same rush rock stars get when they walk out in front of an arena. I fought for my country, saved lives and even delivered babies. I have imparted my knowledge onto others...my family friends and fellow soldiers. I have done well. I don't want to stop now. I think that is what is getting me down. I feel like I am useless. Stagnating....is my worse nightmare. I don't want to become part of the drone. I won't lie and say money doesn't fuel me to some extent. It does. I just don't need millions to be happy. I am happiest when I am traveling. moving.....exploring....and teaching.
Saturday was a godsend for me. I think if I stay on this new path...with some help from my new friends, my wife....I will be fine.
The place we went to is called Durdle Door. It is along the Jurassic Coast. The view front the cliffs is breathtaking! I highly recommend it to anyone needing time to relax or just clear their head.

day 28...Garfield hates Mondays..I don't

Pretty.