What a week I�ve had so far!

At least I�m on the downward slide. And, the slide is fun!
First, before I explain further, I have to tell myKaryl�s good buddy, Art, that I have adopted his phrase. I love it! And, every time I say it Ben cracks up!

�Easy peasy lemon squeezy!�

C�mon, how can you frown and say that phrase??

Ok� so I have been really getting closer to a lot of the ATCs here. (Air Traffic Controllers) There are a lot of really great, fun people that work upstairs! And, it helps that they�ve hired a lot of fresh blood. Downstairs, the average age of our techs is�wait� lemme get my calculator�. 47. Ok, so that�s not necessarily �old� per se, but we have several techs who are in their late 50s and a few who are 60+. One of our techs is actually 63! However, they�re also set in their ways and they�re not one for trying to do anything with anyone outside of work.

Believe me, I�ve tried. Ben and I thought it would be fun to start a bowling league once a month or perhaps a poker night just to have some camaraderie amongst the �troops�. I don�t like a lot of things about the military, but I did enjoy that people didn�t mind getting together for BBQs, shooting pool, going bowling, etc.

However, the ATC crowd is completely different. Two of them go every Tuesday night and play poker, for example. This Monday night, they were trying to get me to join them (and a few other that showed up) to go drinking at a Mexican restaurant near to work. I was already in my jimmies with my face washed & teeth brushed so I declined.

But�.. they want to go out tomorrow night after work! Score! Sooooo, K. is trying to convince people to get together. So far, he and S. and D. are going! E. might joing us, too but he said he had to work on Friday so he wasn�t sure. Oh, I�m going, too! Ben unfortunately won�t be able to go. He�s got a lot of homework to complete before midnight that night. Besides, he�s going to try to get a lot done for the weekend because he flies out on Monday to Cleveland. He�ll be gone for 10 days. He�s going to a training/school from the 25th to the 28th and then over the weekend and Monday the following week he�s taking some leave and driving up to see his oldest brother, Ernie and his mom, too. Apparently, his other brother, Ray is going to meet him in Cleveland on Thursday night and after Ben is done with class on Friday, the two of them are driving to Detroit to pick up Cousin Jay and then they�re all going north to pick up Mom and then head to Ernie�s. (Ben is going to get a rental car.)

Anyway, so I�m really excited!! Whenever one of the ATCs has a break (they�re given a 20min break for every ___ hrs on position. I don�t know the exact time but they have a lot of breaks) they�ve either been visiting me at my desk ~or~ I�ve been popping into the break-room and hanging out with them. K. is hilarious! I�m glad I�m finally getting to know him. When he first arrived, he was quiet and difficult to read. But he�s awesome!!

Hopefully, the rest of my weekend will be rockin�, too!!!

Side Note to Sis: I�m sorry I got off the phone with you last night. Sheray is also moving; she just moved to Orlando and she�s having to do everything alone because her husband is back in Mississippi and preparing to go to Iraq next week. She�s really stressed. I promise I�ll give you a full conversation before the end of the weekend!!! I miss you & Love you!!

And for everyone else, thanks for all the positive words. I think your positive vibes have been helping me get through some tough spots lately!!!

Until next time�peace, love & HEALTH!!!

ps--Happy Birthday, Jonathan! *muah*