Normal

Thanks to Sheftali for her personal military history. Normal has known many fine folks over the years with longer or shorter service connections. Your inside view was fascinating. And, MaddyJean, if you don't ask the questions, you never learn anything. Keep it up.

Baldur

I'm not sure how I could stop any topic should I want to.

Baldur is rather wiped out today.
I dealt with a rather nasty part of the painting process and got home later than usual.
Robert went to visit his friend who has a sauna right after dinner, so Baldur drove to Target. Ostensibly the plan was to make a payment on my credit card but actually the Christmas decorations are what drew me there.

Target has outdone itself this year with decorating the store. Baldur thought last year was overdone, but this year you can treble (+3 points) anything they've previously done.

Baldur

Baldur bought Rod Stewart's and Willie Nelson's latest cds and then swung by the grocery section for a carton of 'Cookies & Cream' ice cream and a loaf of bread.

marius

Yes, thanks to our host, and where is he today?

sheftali, thanks for answering all the questions. Sounds like an exciting career and one where you found much fulfillment. You were/are blessed, and by that I do not mean that you didn't earn the rewards of that career. What I mean is that I've known so many who do not/did not enjoy their work. Sounds like you were good at what you did, worked hard and overall enjoyed it. THAT is the blessing.

I'm so impressed you reached colonel period, but moreso that you did it at a time when women were barely represented in the military! Am thinking sheftali has incredibly superb people skills, not to mention talents!

I also chose to not be a mother and it sounds like for much the same reason: love kids too much to not be there for them. Of course, it wasn't career that brought me to that decision, but that doesn't matter. What matters is knowing ones limits.

And you thought this was the end to questions ... but ... having never lived in a foreign country, am curious.

Did sheftali stay on base, or did she go out and meet the locals, if so - is she friends with any of them now?
Did she learn some foreign language/phrases, partake of local customs and foods?
What are some of the best experiences about living in other places?
What, if anything, was missed about being in the US?
And, are there experiences that profoundlly changed ways you think, feel or experience life that you might not have had if you'd never lived abroad?
And, last, do you wish I'd stop asking questions? (giggle)

marius

Ah - Baldur showed up while I was thinking of more things I want to know from our esteemed colonel.

Painting is tiring work, isn't it? No matter how much I've done, it always amazes me how much energy it takes! Sounds like Baldur is going to enjoy some delicious ice cream.

Marius also went to the store and bought the "expensive" boxed mac and cheese to see what she thinks. Got an artichoke, many veggies and fruits, baking things for spouse and there is chocolate waiting in the freezer. Love my chocolates frozen ... probably a sin against chocolate, but spouse now likes them frozen too. This includes cookies, brownies, etc.

marius

And marius is very tired. A bit of freshly brewed decaf, some chocolate, quiet music and more venturing into book I read 30+ years ago ... T.H. White's, The Once and Future King.

Just got to the part where the mustard pot, with much elegance and flair, serves a spoonful to Wart, and then dear Wart says, "Oh, I love the mustard-pot!...Wherever did you get it?" At this, the pot gets giddy with the praise, begins to strut about and Merlin has to tap it on the lid to get it to settle down. : ) Have *always* wanted a mustard pot like that. : )

Goodnight all.

Baldur

(Baldur has several small odd mustard pots in his collection, though none has yet so much as curtsied)

I love that book, each time I've read it, the book seems completely different.

Baldur

Currently Baldur is going through his pre-Thanksgiving table linens debate.
As of now we have 6 guests coming for dinner and there is no tablecloth that truly goes well with the Spode.
This problem arises each and every year, eventually I settle on the gold damask cloth, and it is OK but I'm never happy with it.
I may go to Jo-Ann's, a large craft and fabric store and look at the bolts of fabric.
My Spode has a very busy pattern of deep brown and rust on an ivory background. Against popular wisdom Baldur wants a busily patterned cloth.
The colors must be 'spot-on' however. We can always use solid colored lined napkins.

Baldur

Baldur was lucky enough to find the perfect linens to go with another set of early Copeland Spode. Unfortunately he does not have nearly enough of that dinnerware to use for company.
I did purchase adequate linens though as one learns to strike while the iron is hot.

Baldur

This causes great distress to a friend of mine that seems to enjoy poking fun at my domestic obsessions. He was hoping to someday rub in the fact the the perfect linens were available and Baldur should have obtained them.
Then he found out that Chez Baldur now has 4 of those cloths and 24 matching napkins.

sheftali52

(chuckle) Marius, Sheftali will have to ponder some of your last questions a bit, so I can answer them succinctly (+2) without hogging this forum. As for your domestic obsessions, Baldur, Sheftali finds them quite charming. Pooh on your friend who denigrates (+1 or so) your domestic abilities. He's probably jealous! I just love the fact Baldur will obsess over every detail such that his Thanksgiving feast will be about as perfect as can be, from the table, to the food, and the ambience. It always helps to have a gracious host, too, which of course Baldur is. Looking forward to hearing more details as Thanksgiving approaches.

Robindcr8l

Robin's Thanksgiving feast was TODAY and was quite successful! I brined the turkey for the second year, and must say it was moist and delicious. We ended up having 2 shifts of dinner guests. My friend from Buffalo is visiting and helped me quite a bit with prep. My friend from Wisconsin arrived today but had others to visit besides me. So I had dinner kind of early at 3:30 to accomodate her, then my friends who had to work showed up about 5:30 and ate. It was fun fun fun. I am thinking of making Thanksgiving early EVERY year now! I have to work on the actual holiday, so this worked out great. And there was a special kind of feeling that this was our very own holiday that no one else was celebrating today. I kept forgetting that it wasn't a REAL holiday, and wondered why the mail still arrived.

But now, the dishes are done, the counters are wiped, and I am exhausted and heading to bed.

Sheftali, I found your military history so very interesting, and I thank you for sharing it with us, and thank Marius for inquiring. I am so very impressed that you made the rank of Colonel! I imagine how bright and dedicated you must be, and I admire the work ethic that must have taken.

One last question, though. Why is Colonel pronounce "Kernel"??

Robindcr8l

oh, and one other comment...7 more posts til 4000!

marius

Robin, sounds like you had my favorite kind of Thanksgiving, the one that "feels" like it. Yippee! There is nothing like good cheer and good food shared with loved ones around us. So happy your 1st annual early Thanksgiving went well. Could feel your joy!

Baldur, had to look up "spode" in google. Yes, you may have told us before but I forgot. Looks like beautiful dinner ware and the pattern you described sounds perfect for a Thanksgiving setting. I'm with sheftali on the vote that all your preparations, attention to detail, are most laudable and delight in hearing about *all* of it, so keep sharing.

Your domestic obsessions (which that friend pokes at) come across as a joy of living! It brings to mind when a friend got her Divinity Degree. She went to great lengths explaining to me that one can never find God except in community. That's a fine thought, however marius finds God everywhere, all the time. She sees God in the way the wind blows in the prairie, in the way our neighbor buttons up the coats of her grandkids, in the particular look between partners, in the creating of a good meal, in the appearance of a finely decorated table, in the desire for beautiful and expensive candlesticks (giggle), in laughter, in breathing, in tears ... just about everywhere each and every day. Not sure why I'm saying all this, but setting a pretty table is God-work to this mind, no less than a celebration of life ... and not sure if I said what I mean, but at least I know what I mean even if I couldn't say it. (giggle)

Which leads me to sheftali. Checked the Baldur Radio manual (why am I the only one who seems to have access to this?) and it states that Sheftali has a 200 post surplus in her account. Yes, I was surprised too. But you see, there is no possibility of hogging the forum. (marius, on the other hand, is in the hole. Going out of town tomorrow might fix that ... tee hee)

sheftali52

Marius, was very appreciative of your finding "God everywhere, all the time." I believe that is one of the more profound things I've heard lately, and I hope others can relate as well.

To answer some of your questions from yesterday: Sheftali did not live on base overseas--and did not want to! I liked living "on the economy" and experiencing all there was of the local cultures. In Greece, that meant learning to live a slower life; in Germany, that meant living a clean and orderly life; in Turkey, that meant learning how to blend into the culture and not draw attention to myself unnecessarily (for security reasons). I have friends from all places I've lived overseas, and correspond with them via e-mail.

I knew enough German from high school to get around well in Germany, and perhaps even learn a bit more. In Greece, I took a "bonehead" Greek course that allowed me to get around reasonably well. Turkish was difficult for me, but again, I learned just enough to get around and be socially adept. I love languages in general, so it was a challenge for me to learn not just the languages, but the local customs.

Local customs? In Greece, I liked eating lamb that was roasted outside at Easter (the date differs from Easter in the US). In Germany, I loved the Christmas festivities and the many festivals. In Turkey, I enjoyed learning about Ataturk and how he was revered as the father of Turkey.

Favorite food in Greece: horiatiki--peasant's salad--made with cucumbers, tomatoes, olives, and feta cheese, drizzled with the most divine olive oil. Ate a lot of those! In Germany, I loved the rouladen, roasts rolled with herbs--yum. And in Turkey, I enjoyed the seafood, especially the sea bass. My overall impression of eating in foreign countries is the emphasis on fresh, simple foods.

The best part of living overseas was interacting with the locals, and discovering that they were not that different from most Americans--they loved their families, wanted the best for their children, and were decent, honorable folks.

When I was in Greece from '84-'86, I missed some of the shopping I took for granted in the US--but I got used to the slower way of life and the joys of living each day fully. In Germany, I really didn't miss all that much--it was a very western way of life, but simpler and more laid back. Stores were closed on Sundays then, and during the week, shopping hours were very limited, too. I adjusted, and didn't find it a problem. As for Turkey, I loved how I was treated there, in general. People were very polite, and I liked learning about a Muslim but secular culture.

Some of my thoughts about living overseas: the voltages are 220, so you have to think about using American 110 volt appliances with the appropriate converters. There is not a 24-hour mindset to living overseas, at least when I was abroad, and that was fine, too. Life was simpler, more focused on friends, family, eating, and enjoying life. I know this may sound too simplistic, but can you tell I really enjoyed living in foreign lands?

To end this long ramble, Sheftali most enjoyed learning that people are basically decent no matter where you go. They may speak a different language, have different customs, but rich or poor, there was a common human thread to all. It doesn't take a lot of money to live a good life, it's the character and "soul" that make a difference.

Again, thanks for the interest in Sheftali's overseas experiences.

marius

Ahh ... Sheftali, your experiences sound SO wonderful!!! Thanks for sharing with us! We're going out of town (in an hour) for an early Thanksgiving and aren't you glad ... cause I have *more* questions and now they will have to wait. Tee hee.

Maybe Baldur will catch us up on his paint project and T-day preparations while I'm gone. Happy Day to all.

sheftali52

Safe travels to you and yours, Marius.

polenta

very enjoyable experiences sheftali, nice to read all you wrote.

Dragon

I enjoyed that too sheftali. I love hearing travel stories, it makes me want to visit so many places. Thanks for sharing.

Dragon

Oh, and I loved how marius described finding God in so many places. Seems to me like that's just a wonderful way of looking at faith, that we find God in the things we celebrate and in the way we live and love. Lovely thought.