Moving time

Two weeks before Thanksgiving 1985 we left western Washington in the middle of a snow storm and it followed us all the way to Denver, CO. We made it as far as Sunnyside, WA before we lost control of the car, did a circle in the middle of a 3 lane freeway and decided it was time to get off the road.

The next day we conquered the Blue Mtns. The Storm had caught up to us and now we were travelling in the middle of it. That day we made all the way from Sunnyside to Le Grand, OR. No, that's not very far, but when you are only gong 35 mph it seems like forever. In fact it did take us all day. Once we got there I promptly got myself locked in the bathroom butt nekkid. The door knob came off in my hand and try as we might (in between fits of laughter) there just wasn't any way we could get the door to open. Hubby called the front desk and they sent someone to fix the door. Meanwhile, I hid behind the shower curtain. The door was opened and nothing was hurt but, my delicate sensibilities. The maintenance man was very polite but, I was mortified anyway.

On we went thru Idaho, Utah and Wyoming, all beautiful country. When we got to Evanston, WY we pulled off I-84 and got a room at the flea baggiest motel we'd ever seen. Orange bedspread, olive green shag carpet and a two inch space under the door. It was long past due for redecorating. This was also the first place we saw drive up liquor. Coming from a state that only allows packaged beverages to be sold at state controlled liquor store's this was quite something to see.

The worst travel day was to come. When we pulled out of the motel the radio said that I-84 was closed. We were on a schedule, what were we going to do? We heard the Truckers at the restaurant were going to use "old hwy 30". We decided to follow them. In retrospect we should have stayed where we were. Almost as soon as we turned onto that old hwy we drove into a complete white out and the only thing we could see was a hint of red tail light in front of us.

We finally lost the light we were following and then were forced to pull over. That wasn't great idea. I mean we had no idea what was over there on the side of the road. We could have driven off a cliff for all we knew. This is where I cursed the idea of taking this stupid route. I wanted to go to San Diego and turn left. Then we couldn't sit there forever so we slowly pulled back on the road. When out of the mist I see I Cadillac with bull horns on the front headed right for us. We managed to escape injury and the weather cleared up when we got to Rock River, WY.

We stopped at the first post office/bar/drive up liquor and I ordered a double rum and coke. Blehh, it did nothing to settle my nerves.

Thankfully, the rest of the trip was uneventful. We arrived in Colorado Springs and commenced apartment hunting.

So, after a year at Yongsan my husband came back on a three week leave. During that three weeks we had to reacquaint ourselves. This was not as easy as we thought it was going to be. What with a death in the family and all that entails and having to have the engine rebuilt in our car. Packing and making arrangements for the movers to pick up our household goods. Then the various family members lobbying their positions as to where we should take the car to which route we should drive on our move or even whether we should stay married.

E4 pay in 1985 was barely enough for one person to live on, let alone two with a broke car and orders to report to Ft. Carson in 4 weeks. One family member took it upon themselves to hang around the garage where the car was and shoot the breeze with the mechanic. This included telling the mechanic how much money we had. Funny how when the bill came in it was exactly how much we had. Would have been nice to have a few extra $ left over to eat with or buy gas for the drive to Colorado.

Then there was the problem of dh wanting to know...where I was going...what I was doing...who I was doing it with and when I would be back. Sheesh, ya'd think we were married or something. :) I got used to not answering to anyone while he was gone. Now before you go thinking that he is a controlling so and so, you should know that hold respect between husbands and wives up there right after love and honor. I was not living up to my part of the agreement and was in need of an attitude adjustment.

With all this going on around us we were not much fun to be around and I will admit I was quite a shrew. At one point dh brought it to my attention that "hey, you don't have to go with me". This of course made me sit up and take notice. I remember I stopped saying whatever it was I was saying and considered his rebuke seriously. Wow, did I want to stay where I was? Or, did I want to go with my husband, travel to a new home and start our new life together? He did the most loving thing he could do by pointing out to me that I did have a choice.

My love for him grew by leaps and bounds that day. Yes I did want to go with him, I adjusted my attitude and thus began my journey as a wife 14 months after we said "I do".

Beginnings

Ok, so, a little back ground is necessary here to understand where I came from and how I ended up where I am today.

My honey and and I got married waayyy back in 1983. We were both unemployed and didn't have any business getting married but, we loved each other and love conquers all right? Well it has for 25 years so far.

So, there we were with no prospects and facing the end of the unemployment checks soon. DH wanted to go to school. We researched that and decided he should attend the local state college. They had just started their computer science program and we thought that would be a good plan. Unfortunately, we did not have a plan in place to pay for said schooling.

Que music ......Be........All..........That.........You..........Can...........Be

Oh yeah, and get money for SCHOOL.

After a lot of arguing, bickering and gnashing of teeth, we joined the army. I say we because it was a decision we both made. While he would be taking the oath, I would be standing by his side. Washing and ironing BDU's, sewing on unit insignia and keeping the home fires burning. Moron this later. Yes I did mean to say moron.

We had no idea at the time how this decision would change the course of our lives. Up until then we lived in Podunk pacific northwest and most of our peers had children and been divorced before we even got married. You know the place, people you went to high school with are still doing the same crap they did in high school today. We wanted something different for us.

Off he went to basic in Alabama. A three month course that turned into six. Culminating in Graduation to a one year unaccompanied tour of South Korea. Needless to say we weren't ecstatic about this since he had been gone for six months already. But, needs of the Army right?

To be continued.......