Wellesley Island

Up here, it's not exactly easy to find things to do. We don't have a lot of shopping, the word "attraction" doesn't exist, and there's no real beach to be found. However, if you're an outdoorsy kind of person, there's actually quite a bit to do once the weather is tolerable. Even within city limits and base limits, there are a multitude of trails for hiking, walking, running, and biking and we're surrounded by other bodies of water, so it's not unusual to see people kayaking or fishing along the river banks. Boating is common, too, when you get to the lake. If you were to go further towards the Adirondack's, I'm sure there would be even more to do.

So, we've had to join the population of outdoors people. We got fairly into hiking last year, and now we try to go when weather permits, which hasn't been often so far. While it's been warm enough to go outside, the sky has been less than kind. We've had more storms roll in through a few weeks in May than we had all summer last year, so it's been humid when there hasn't been thunder, lightning, and rain. We do enjoy the storms and it's nice to sit out on the porch and just watch sometimes, but it can lead to a little bit of cabin fever when they happen so frequently.

We were able to get out a few weeks ago in between storms and while it wasn't the warmest, it was more than nice to be able to get out of the house, especially since James was on leave at that point. Not only were we able to get out, but we were able to go explore a new area, too. We went to this place called Wellesley Island. It's in what's called the "Thousand Island" region, which is quite literally a large amount of islands all close together in the St. Lawrence River. Really, there are islands EVERYWHERE. Wellesley is one of the largest ones, and most of it is a state park/nature preserve. There are trails all over the island and it was probably one of the more beautiful places we've hiked. Hopefully, we'll be able to go back soon and explore the places we didn't get to that trip.

Pyros?

We have recently "invested" in a fire pit. And by invested, I mean we bought the cheapest one there was at Lowe's and a couple of cheap camping chairs to match.

As mentioned earlier, a tree from the neighbor's yard had fallen over into our yard during one of the stronger winter storms. Our neighbor kindly chopped it into moveable and burnable pieces for us with his nifty chainsaw, and it's been sitting in a pile in our backyard ever since. Our landlord, too, kindly offered to have it moved and taken away, but we opted to keep it all for this specific purpose. Now that the weather's warmed up and it's pleasant to spend time outside, we've spent a small penny on the missing piece: a place to actually burn the wood. 

We've used it a few times before today, but today was the first time it was actually light enough outside to take pictures and document. It also helps that it stays light out until about 9 up here. We plan on spending quite a few summer nights out in our backyard tending to our "small" fire, and hopefully some of those nights will involve s'mores. 

Military Spouse Appreciation Day

Military Spouse Appreciation Day.  The notion is nice, and I can appreciate the gesture, but as a "military spouse," I see this as an unnecessary proclamation of a day for a few reasons. Before I begin, I understand that this may come across as offensive and people may not agree with my opinion on this, but I'm not looking to sway outlooks or try and make you agree with me. I'm just putting my perspective out there.

For those of you who are unaware, today, May 10, is Military Spouse Appreciation Day. The dedication of a day to military spouses began back in the 80's when President Reagan was still in office and the tradition has continued since with the day being the Friday before Mother's Day.

I became a military spouse on July 9, 2011 when I married a man who was (and currently is) enlisted Air Force. 

I was thrust into a world of instability, frequent separation, spitballing emotions, and overall difficulty. I do not deny that being married to a service member is hard. It is one of the hardest things I've ever had to manage and trying to maintain a life of normality in a world that isn't so normal is difficult. However, the whirlwind of a life we live does not grant us the necessity of a day dedicated to our appreciation, in my opinion. 

I look at it like this.

I am not enlisted, I did not sign up. I am not in any kind of "silent ranks," as some like to say, and my husband's rank does not reflect on me, whatsoever. I don't wear the uniform to work every day, I didn't sign my life away to the government, or sign my name to a check that may warrant the ultimate price. All I did was fall in love with a man who did, and like any spouse, I love and support him, regardless of his occupation. I wouldn't love him any less if he were to be a garbage man, a police officer, or a politician. And, regardless of vocation, I would go to the end of the earth for him if need be. I am not doing anything out of the ordinary and I feel that I do what every other spouse does. The only difference is that my husband serves, but I should not be put on a pedestal because of his nametape. I should not be appreciated any more than the wives and husbands of firefighters, of police officers, of federal agents, of those with terminal illnesses, of single parents, or of any one who goes above and beyond normality, yet remains to stay grounded.

In addition to this, I should not be only appreciated on one day because the president points out that I do more and put up with more than the typical spouse does. When I first got here as a new spouse, in all honesty, I had very little support. Minus some very close friends and my immediate family, not many checked in on me to see how I was adjusting to a completely new life in every aspect, how I was doing with my husband deployed, and I had little to no support from his unit minus a family or two until three weeks before he got back. Sadly, this trend still continues and during the times where James has left for extended amounts of time, the calls do not come. I have more support than I did in my early days because I have a few friends, now, who are more supportive and understanding than I could have asked for, but those friends are fellow military wives or significant others. Outside of this community, I'm rarely appreciated, and when I am, it is still by immediate family or a minimal amount of strangers. 

I don't mean for this to be a pity party or a "woe is me" kind of thing. My point is this. People do not appreciate me just as a normal person. Never mind the fact that I'm married to someone in the military. Shouldn't the fact that I moved across (literally, across and to the polar opposite of my home) the country to a place where I knew no one but my husband and a couple people grant some kind of appreciation? Never mind that my husband deployed, think of it as he just left for work for an extended period of time, as many citizens do now for the economy. Shouldn't the fact that I established a life here, on my own and alone, and managed to endure a rough time, warrant some kind of praise? And the fact that I do this frequently? My husband doesn't have to be in the Air Force or any other branch to do this. There are so many others out there who deal with this kind of thing who aren't related to the military. I should not be appreciated more, and just for one day, at that, because I get the extension of military recognition when my only affiliation to this isn't even my own. I am not any better than a woman who is dealt this same hand and who's husband does not serve in the way mine does. I am not any better than any other spouse who loves and supports their significant other. 

This does not go to say that we should not be appreciated, though. Of course we should. Every spouse should be acknowledged and loved and given thanks. Any person who deals with adversity or hardship and has triumphed and endured should be appreciated. And that does mean the wives I know, the spouses out there, because we do deal with a whole lot more than most people do. We do sacrifice a great deal. We should be appreciated and recognized on more than one day, and honestly, the only appreciation that should truly matter is that from our own spouses. It's nice to hear it come from others who recognize the great amount we deal with, hence why the notion of Military Spouse Appreciation Day is nice and I appreciate the thought, but there shouldn't have to be a day to make people notice us or what we do. This all should go without saying, and for more than just those related to the military. 

A Day in the Life: Morris Edition

We have either rubbed off on Morris, or we just happened to pick the perfect cat that somehow had both our personalities in his genetic code, but there is no doubting that he is our cat because only our (my) cat would pick the comfiest and most secluded spots in the house. Typically, he only cuddles up in the corner of the couch with all the pillows when shaven. But, it's been a while since he's had his fur chopped and buzzed, yet our little wooly bear still nestles into our "cuddler." Yes, that is the actual term for that particular piece of our sectional. 

Daily, he cozies up right into the corner of a pile of many, many pillows, and with his parents in eyesight, naps there for a bit. Once nap time is over, we lounge there for a bit. Then it's time for some lovin' and some food, maybe a pit stop to the litter box, and then right back to the couch.

It's a hard life.

Chopped

Spring/Summer/What Have You has finally come to the North Country! The snow has melted and it is gone for the foreseeable future (knock on wood). With the melted snow comes an unearthing of speedy growing grass, the pile of wood we've had in our backyard since a tree fell down during a winter storm, and, of course, WARM WEATHER!

It was 80 degrees out today and pure bliss. It, actually, has been around 75 degrees for the past week or so, and like every other resident of this area, we've been taking advantage of it. Today's festivities included the chopping of wood into acceptable fire pit sizes, moving said wood, and just trying to pick up some color. That last bit is much easier said than done, but my pink arms will beg to differ.

In all seriousness, I didn't have any involvement with manual labor. I left that bit to James, who, for some reason, gets enjoyment out of the desecration of trees or branches and such. So, instead, I was a paparazzi who may or may not have been rolling around in the grass. It was magnificent, for the record.

Return of the Husband

Yes, the month of April has come and gone, and James has done something of this sort. He left and came. Came home, that is!

He got in late late LATE Sunday night (not that I mind because regardless of when he got in, he's back) and we've been busy ever since juggling all of his appointments, trying to get leave sorted out, and then dealing with the usual bit that is Fort Drum and upstate NY. You'd think that people would be, at least, slightly more helpful with someone who's just returned from an intensive psychiatric program, but as I have come to learn over the past two years, you cannot assume that of Fort Dumb (as I so affectionately call it). Instead, we've been having fun dealing with things trying to get all of the medications in order, because as I've stated before, this place makes it difficult.

So, I guess this post is more aimed at those who may want to/are expecting to hear from James some time soon. I promise he'll get in touch with everyone when things calm down and everything is sorted out, but please be patient while we (especially James) try to readjust to life and get back in the swing of things. There's been a lot going on and we've just been very busy trying to handle everything and catch up with each other while maintaining low stress levels, just please bear with us.

And, the other point to this post is just for me and getting to be excited about the fact that this long time apart is finally over and I am no longer missing my better half (YAY!!).