WHERE I’VE BEEN

After getting back from DC since my last post about the Mologne House, we had sister-in-law, husband and their 2 college age kids come from MIL’s 80th birthday. They stayed here at my house. I had blogged way back about the SURPRISE 80th BIRTHDAY PARTY AND FAMILY REUNION we were hosting. The invitations had been sent out on May 1st. I had to cancel everything after David’s accident. Just SIL & family from Chicago came. They were here for 5 days.

I had a few days home before my next task. There were a few reasons we moved Liz and David's things ourselves. Liz wanted to make sure things were properly packed and she knew I would do so. We need the clothes here in Diamondhead so we can change out seasonal things without driving 6 hours to a storage facility in Shreveport. And their duty station is not changed yet, won't be for a long time.... where they end up moving to ....then the Air Force will move their things from here...no questions.

Last Wednesday Jamie (David’s sister) and I arrived in Shreveport to Liz and David’s apartment. Jamie left Thursday morning driving Liz’s Land Rover back to Diamondhead. (I had driven David’s car back after Liz left for Germany shortly after David’s accident.) Then I got serious about packing. I bubble wrapped everything breakable, separated all hanging clothes into categories as summer dresses, David’s Polos, Liz’s winter coats , etc....so I can find them quickly when we have to switch out seasonal clothes or send things as needed.

I bought and packed 23 18 X 18 cardboard boxes and 13 plastic storage bins. They already had at least a dozen plastic bins full of things. I packed and cleaned from 5:00am till after midnight both Thursday and Friday. I was just about ready for the EOD guys coming Saturday at 8:00 am.

We donated a lot of the furniture ..... sofa, chair, and ottoman, etc in above picture to a man that lost everything in a fire that burned his home down.

Some of the EOD guys loading the U-Haul Saturday morning in 95 degree heat. They had to carry everything down from the 2nd story apartment.

JJ took charge of packing the 17 foot U-Haul…at one point it seemed I would have to go and get a larger truck. JJ patiently repacked everything and squeezed everything in My SUV was loaded down also. JJ and his wife Marilyn were so great, they stayed with me and helped me clean the entire apartment. Our thanks to all these wonderful young people that helped. I could never done this without them.

Loading the truck took 2 hours, we were done by 10:15 am. Jim was supposed to arrive at 10:50 am flying in from DC, after spending the week with Liz and David at Walter Reed. His flight in from Memphis got canceled and he couldn’t get into Shreveport till 10:30 pm. That would screw up the unloading plans Sunday morning at 9:00 am with all of the volunteers that promised to help us on the Diamondhead end. After an hour or so of panic and begging, Jim got a flight into Monroe, and this wonderful young EOD friend named Brian from Ohio and his Dad volunteered to drive the U-Haul plus his Dad’s car to Monroe with me. This Dad, a BIG OHIO STATE FAN, had just driven into Shreveport that morning to visit his son. He graciously got back in his car for the 4 hour round trip to help me. What wonderful people!

Jim flew into Monroe at 4:00 pm, the U-Haul and I arrived 15 minutes before. Jim hopped in the U-Haul, and we followed each other for the 5 hour ride to Diamondhead. Stayed up till after midnight, well actually I did, Jim fell asleep in his chair after his unwinding martinis. Then up early for the unloading here which went great. David’s Mom and Dad were there plus 5 guys from Jim’s work. I brought a number of things back to my house.... lots of clothes that will be sent up to Liz shortly. I think I was totally exhausted since all I could do was cry for no reason. So I ignored the mess my house is in and took a nap.

Today I need to get busy and sort through some things.

Waiting to hear from Liz….David is having a washout surgery today and the doctors should have some news/information on possibly saving David’s left leg. I believe this is surgery #16 or 17 and there will be many more.