So life is busy...

As a famous man once said, "I've been busier than a one legged man working at the IHOP."

That being said, we've decided that we're going to move out of the current residence and into a home of our own. Yes, somewhere in the midst of me being gone all over the state, and working more hours then I care to remember, Julie found a great house that we are going to make our new home.

We are super excited and can't wait to get started with the preparations!

On another note, I was called into our corporate offices for a meeting this last Tuesday. This meeting was a chance for my 3 co-workers, my boss, and myself to be honored for the hard work we've been doing since late last year on our network expansion. As I've previously blogged, we've been all over the west and in all of this, saved our company a lot of money. Not be switching to Geico... We received very nice jackets, and many thanks from our senior officers of the company. It really is nice to be rewarded for hard work, and to be recognized for the extra efforts we put forth. I can't say enough about the guys who I worked with, they are smart, energetic and when it came to crunch time, really made a difference. I'm glad I was able to be a part of the project, and look forward to more actually.

I do want a break, especially since we're going to be moving now. But that only means more work, like that lovely mowing of the yard etc. This is work that I actually don't mind doing.

~N

Patriot Guard and Tri-Cities

It was an honor for myself and Julie, and 3 of our friends, to ride with the Patriot Guard yesterday. I joined the PGR to help honor and shield the family from the idiots from Kansas who think it is okay to trash a funeral or memorial service of a fallen soldier.

I am putting 2 links here for your viewing, so you can see what the procession looked like from the King City Truck Stop to the TRAC facility in Pasco. Law enforcement said there were over 435 bikes and 20 support vehicles in the line, along with the family members who rode with us in their limos. A total of 600 bikes were at the memorial service, and several thousand people from the area. You had to be there to really get the feel of what this day was like.

Link 1

Link 2

~Neal

Mr. and Mrs. Miller

Drawing close

The time is drawing closer to the "Big Day."

Clothes are being pressed, bags are being packed, supplies are boxed up. Lists are being checked, double checked, triple checked. I'm certain something will be forgotten, hopefully it's not the license...HA.

It'll be here before we know it, and then it is time to turn this page, and begin the new chapter. I'm looking forward to it very, very much.


~N

Progress

With no wins under her belt yet, Carlee is still improving in her basketball skills. It is really fun to watch all of the kids develop an understanding of the game, the different rolls of the game, and their excitement with each close one.

There was a tie, but that is still a tie, not a win. I've been trying to help Carlee with learning defense, and she has picked it up so well. She really does intimidate some of the bigger kids when she is right in their face, and I love it!!! I'll be working with her on her dribbling skills, and eventually focusing on her shooting. All of this, of course, is outside of her coach teaching the fundamentals to them too.

All of the games have been a good time, and she enjoys it. That is what really counts in sports, especially at this age. Have fun.

~N

Security

Se-cu-ri-ty

si-'kyur-e-te

Okay, so I cannot make the pronunciation look like what the dictionary says, but I can find the definition of the word online, at Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary. I believe that some(maybe most) of our politicians need a lesson on how to read. The first definition is as follows: the quality or state of being secure as a: freedom from danger: Safety; b: freedom from fear or anxiety; c: freedom from the prospect of being laid off. How about definition number four: a: something that secures; b (1): measures taken to guard against espionage or sabotage, crime, attack, or escape (2): an organization or department whose task is security.

We are at war in the southern lands of our fine country, war with drug runners and war with people coming here illegally. The United States of America, and its citizen's have passed laws, rules, and regulations that we must follow. As upright and good citizens of this country, most of us do on a daily basis, but somewhere the laws are not followed! Apparently where we need the laws to be upheld the most, the eyes are lowered down, heads turned the other way, and our citizenry is betrayed every day and night by those who we have charged with keeping us safe and SECURE!

My frustration stems from the recent news of two officers of our border security, Agent Ignacio Ramos and Agent Jose Compean. Both agents were involved in an altercation in which an illegal alien, drug runner at that, crossed into our country with drugs. While fleeing he was allegedly shot by one of the agents in the ass. However, this testimony is now under scrutiny due to the nature of the wound that was sustained. Some experts are now challenging that this filth of a human could not have continued his retreat back across the border with a wound of such nature. That will be something to catch up on later. Our two border agents, Ramos and Compean have been found guilty, placed in PRISON, and will be there for the next 12 and 11 years! The illegal, drug carrying scumbag was given IMMUNITY for his actions by the US District attorney John Sutton. That's right, immunity. He has since been captured again, transporting drugs and released again. In the mean time, Agent Ramos has been beaten severely by the general prison population. Great job there warden, great job. Anyone with one shred of common sense could predict with 100% certainty what would happen to any law officer in prison, in general population.

Where is justice? How are the laws we are held to, being upheld here? Since when did illegals of any nation gain the rights, and due process of our courts? Why in hell would a drug smuggling scum bag be given any sort of immunity? There are thousands of people yearly who wait to come to this country, pay thousands of dollars in fees to come here. Truly the greatest nation (cough) on earth. But when I hear of things like this idiot attorney, and the bureaucratic crap that our citizens have to put up with, I feel like a good old fashion ass kicking is in order. Time to line up jerks like the attorney, right next to his buddy the drug runner and give them my size 13 right in the nuts. When they've recovered from the first blow, I'll give them the other foot. I think when I've finished with that, maybe a 2x4 across the gut would be a nice ending for the session.

This by far is not the only incident like this. It seems that our current administration, along with our "finest agency" Homeland Security, allow more of this to happen then we hear about. How about the 70+ tunnels from Mexico into the U.S.A. that drug runners and people smugglers were using. They are, in fact, still there. Known by all, destroyed by none. Or the "observation posts" in use, on our soil, by drug runners in Arizona. You read that correctly, there are posts that the Mexicans are using to observe our border agents actions, who then use satellite phones to call the movements to their minions.

Still we, the good citizens, have to stand in line and watch a 90 year old woman get damn near violated by the TSA at the airport because our nation is too politically correct to profile?

How can our police, soldiers, border agents, guardsmen do their job if they are afraid of being placed in prison for doing their job? How can our government tell us to obey the laws, yet allow actions like these to occur? Pick up your phone, call your congressman daily about crap like this. Tell them to change, or be exchanged in November. Take back our country, and re-apply the founding documents of this great republic. Maybe we need to re-arm our citizens and We The People should stand watch at our border, shooting dead anyone who comes across with drugs, or weapons. That is what really needs to happen. Peace through superior fire power, be it our military, or our own selves.

~N

Service Flag

With the redeployment of my brother, Russ, to Afghanistan, I felt it appropriate and necessary to re-hang the service flag at my home.

Dating back to WWI, the service flag was originally stitched by hand, with the capacity of up to 6 blue stars being placed on the field of white. In the unfortunate event of a service member's death, the blue star was then covered with the gold star. This flag's tradition continued in the 2nd World War, with it carrying over slightly into the Korean War. Apparently, during Vietnam, the flag was not seen as often. With the new war on terror, it has again become a tradition of families across the nation to fly this flag to honor their family member(s) who are serving the country. I see it frequently here on the road in Washington, in a house, on a car, or flying on the family flag pole.

You can read more about it here.

Be safe Russ.

~N