Christmas, my favorite holiday. At home I would spend all day at one church or another and with my family of course. I'd go to the Rescue Mission and donate my social skills or what ever they needed and then hit up 2nd Chance Ministries services. It's a great little church in the Old Train Station area, on Michigan Ave. plus they serve meals at every service and even pick up the homeless at shelters to partake. I also go to my church, United Freewill on Pardee in Taylor or the Latter Day Saints on Rotunda and Pelham.
This year started out great. In the morning I go to a barrier (huge cement block) when I rise for my wake up smoke as the Afghanis come on base to work. On Christmas morning, there I was as usual, shouting out a morning greetings, but this morning it was "Merry Christmas"! A couple of men smiled and said, " Merry Christmas" or even "thank you" back. Then a couple of the younger (20-ish) guys came up and shouted/sang "Merry Christmas," to me. They are Muslim. This is a big deal and what an ice breaker. So I thought with the sun shining and the temperatures reaching 50 something... what a beautiful Christmas day.
Then the bomb dropped in the form of a higher up. Why do people insist on wrecking a perfect glorious day. The one positive thing is that when I was losing my cookies, I went to the church to pray and got a chance to talk to the new pastor. Very nice guy! I wrote briefly about him in a past blog. He has all of this energy and optimism and hope...it is so contagious. So we prayed for strength and tolerance and I received the Lord's grace. I should've stayed longer.
So now after all these years, I may be forced to live with a man. That's right. The new guy in town does not like his digs so they are moving him in with us girls. Unbelievable! Construction has to be done to accommodate this move, so it hasn't happened yet. All I can say is... where on earth were you in the 70's when I wanted to live with my boyfriend so badly.... and then I had to marry him to get it done...way too early...not good. So all righty! Course the kid is half my age and it's just a little creepy having a mommy person sharing a tent with a young man. Not that he has the mommy complex, I really think the young man in question is a great kid, but why is moving him in with 2 women an option? Housing is tight- it is all over, but the decision was made at 8pm, well after working hours and a chance to explore other options. And that's the best that could be done. I've lived in some pretty crappy places. I had no idea that you could work your way to the big guy and complain. I thought this was all part of the experience. Ok... but I warned you. Old ladies look a lot different at night than they do during the day...
I volunteered to find another room elsewhere...but no! Because, I have to learn my place as the underling that I am and this is a war zone...so OK, no problem! Lesson learned: You may complain about the housing you get but not voice thoughts about why it could possibly be a bad idea to move this guy in with the girls. Noted and filed away... not my business. Again I think, why can't we all just respect each other. Here's a concept...why not work at exceeding expectations and get rewarded for that!
Whew, now I feel better and what a coincidence- the sun is shining again!
Picture time...Look at what I found on my porch!
You may as always drop me a line at angeltwins1@hotmail.com
As I told you - I had to bunk with men on occasions while in the service. Lucky you're not out in the open!
ReplyDeleteI know you're right. I'm such a princess as the ol' army sargent guy called me! Actually, I don't care. He's an OK guy. It was more the sneaky, underhanded way it was done.
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