All Shook Up

We have had quite an eventful weekend! Not only did we have squadron events both Friday and Saturday nights but Mother Nature has had her own agenda as well.

At about 5:30 AM on Saturday, we were shaken awake by an earthquake. Rusty was the first to feel it and barked to let us know that something funny was happening! I got up to calm him down and realized that he wasn't shaking, the whole house was! I ran to the bathroom doorway to brace myself, and like any good Midwesterner in her first earthquake, I frantically yelled, "We are having an earthquake!! What do we do?!!?!" Mike very calmly replied, "It should be over soon." He then rolled over and went back to sleep. After about a minute the shaking stopped but the house continued to sway for another minute before finally settling. I was really scared and didn't know what to do next. When I finally crawled back into bed, all Mike had to say was, "It felt like a 4.0" before completely drifting off to sleep. That's my weatherman. Thankfully nothing was affected and all are safe here in Okinawa.

That wasn't the end of it though. A few hours after our little shake-up on the other side of the world, Chile had a major 8.0 earthquake. We were very grateful that we did not have an experience like that. Today, however, we had something else to talk about, a tsunami! They had issued a warning from 2 to 5 PM asking people living below 30 feet above sea level to evacuate to higher ground. Though we weren't really worried about the wave, we didn't want to miss an opportunity to see a tsunami!! So we spent the better part of the day sitting on top of a hill overlooking the coastline. Unfortunately but fortunately, there was nothing to see. It was, however, a great opportunity to sit in the sun, relax with friends, and enjoy the beautiful weather. I am still in awe that something on the other side of the globe could affect us so literally.

So, everything is fine here. The excitement is over. Thank you for your concerned phone calls and emails. We are very grateful to be telling our story with a light, funny, and safe tone to them. Our prayers continue to be with those in Chile and Haiti who have had a very different experiences.

The girls at the Tea House, a little restaurant on the golf course with a GREAT view!!

Mike and I at the tsunami watching party.

As you can see from the ocean behind us, nothing happened.

He's Back!!!

After a month long TDY in Vegas, Mike arrived home safe and sound yesterday. He flew a jet a total of 6,500 miles with a one day stop at Hickam AFB in Hawaii. So before he arrived, I was able to go out on the flight line and wait for him. When he taxied into the shelter, I was there to get lots of pictures. When he finally got off the plane, he gave me a huge hug and a kiss!! Oh, it's so nice to have my man back!! Even Rusty was excited to have Mike back!! We have all day to reconnect and hang out.

Thanks for all your prayers for safe travels and support while he was away.

He taxied into the shelter with the direction of his flight crew.

So good to have him home!!

Rusty climbed into his lap the second he sat down on the couch.

We are both so happy to have him home!!

We Are the Champions!!

Last Friday Kadena had an OG Wives' Crud Tournament! Most of you are saying, "What did she just say? Did you understand a word of that?"

Crud is game played mostly by military pilots and their wives. It is played on a pool table, more specifically a snooker table. You form 2 teams and each player takes turns rolling the cue ball to hit a striped ball into the corner pockets. If the striped ball goes in a pocket or stops rolling, the other team gets a life. After three lives, the player is dead and leaves the game. The last team standing wins. It's a little easier to watch and learn than to read the rules. But it is very fast pace, physical, and fun!!

Last Friday, all of the wives in the Operations Group (OG) were invited to play in this tournament at the Officer's Club. Most played for their squadron, and the 44th had 2 teams! There were 10 teams total, and my team of Bat Babes took home the hardware!! Jen O'Brient, Brittany Mintz, Terri Brown and I kicked some major butt and had an awesome time!!!

After the games were over, we celebrated on the dance floor as usual. We finally finished the night at the karaoke club. I don't think I got home until 5 am but it was well worth it! It was one of the best nights I've had in a long time! Thanks to all who celebrated our victory with us!!

Brit is taking her turn. Jen on the right is on deck.

Both teams of Bat Babes after the tournament.

We had a great time!

Left to right: Gwynn, Jen, Terri, Me, Brittany, Yelana, Vanessa, and Lynette

We are the champions!!

Victory dancing at the O Club!

Neighbor Andrea and I singing our hearts out at karaoke!

The few, the strong, the singers end the night at 5 am!

Had an awesome time guys!!

Another 2 Weeks Down!!

Mike has been gone now for a few weeks and I am ready for him to come home! Of course, life without Mike is slightly different. There is less laundry, the schedule is totally my own, and I get the whole bed to myself! But, it is very difficult to motivate myself to go to bed or get up at a decent hour, to do the laundry at all, to shave my legs, or cook for one. As you can see from the picture, my meals have been less than optimal but bag-o-popcorn, mac-n-cheese, and wine are oh so tasty and have little cleanup!

As I talked about in a previous post, I have been doing a lot of different things to keep myself busy so the time will pass quickly. It has been so nice to have several other women around to spend time with. I have really gotten to know many of the wives better than I would have if the guys were around and am happy to say that I have many few friends!

Beside the typical lunch dates, dinner dates, movie nights, and Bachelor viewings, we have had several special events the past few weeks to highlight. One Saturday the Cockettes of 67th Fighter Squadron (the other F-15 squadron) had a wives' naming. They went through the traditional story telling, shot taking, and vocal voting to come up with 5 new call signs for 5 ladies. One of the women named was Katy Clark, a good friend from Florida. It was a great opportunity to tell some embarrassing stories on her! Afterwards all the ladies went to the Officer's Club to dance the night away!!

The name board with all the possible names on it.

All the ladies who were named pose for photo on the pole.

The little red dress is the traditional attire for events such as namings.

Our squadron has little blue dresses that mimic the flight suit!

Katy "Chief" Clark

The girls getting down at the O Club.

Last Friday we had a Family First Friday at the 44th Fighter Squadron with all the wives and kids. We ordered pizza and popped some popcorn. While the kids watched a movie in the briefing room, the ladies chatted in the bar. I can't tell you how nice it is to have other women around to give advise, share stories, and provide emotional support.

The ladies in the Bat Cave (the 44th squadron bar).

The kiddos in the briefing room.

Finally, I threw a Super Bowl viewing party! We all got together to watch the Colts throw the big game. Kickoff was at 8:30 am Monday morning so we shared breakfast foods, Irish coffee, and mimosas. It's too bad the Colts couldn't pull off a win, but we had fun hanging out anyway.

I am really looking forward to having Mike back this Thursday but it has been so nice to spend so much quality time with these women! Thanks to them, I have remained relatively sane this past month!

INTRODUCING...

Mike "Shot" Glass

That's right, Maggie.

Michael was named this weekend!

He is really excited about his name too!

Stay Tuned

Today in Las Vegas Michael "Guano" Glass will get his official and final call sign as an Eagle pilot. This is the name that will stick with him for the length of his career. I will let you all know what it is as soon as he calls me!!

Let's Talk

Hey Guys!

I have been receiving emails and comments over the months expressing confusion about calling us over here. The time change can be very confusing and the whole US-phone-number-in-Japan thing... what?! Well, here is a little info to clarify and hopefully open the lines of communication.

Our phone number is 317-222-1570. This is a US NUMBER!! Put it in your cell phone, post it near your landline, and write it in pen in your address book! It is not international. You will not be charged extra for calling it. The only difference between this one and our old cell phone numbers is that we cannot receive text messages.

Mike also have a pay-as-you-go cell phone while he is back in the states. That number is 317-215-1454. He isn't able to check messages but you can try him at this number until February 18th.

We are 14 hours ahead of Eastern time right now. The easiest way to figure out our time is to add 2 hours to your time and switch the AM/PM. For example, if it is 2 PM in Indy, it will be 4 AM here (2+2=4 switch the PM to AM). Because we are about a half of a day ahead, the best times to call or skype are morning or evening. But if you are unsure, call whenever you want and if we don't answer, we'll call you back when we can.

We also have Skype. Our skype name is Michaelglass14. I am trying to do my best to sign on when I get up in the morning and keep it on as long as the computer is on. As long as you see us on there, feel free to call us! If we don't answer, we will try to reply as soon as we can. We can also set a skype date so that we are sure to connect!

So, I hope this clears up a few things. My last request is that you be patient with us. The time change and schedule changes can make it difficult to respond within the same timeframe as before. We really love hearing your voice, knowing what is going on at home, and catching up with each of you. Thank you for all of your calls so far and we look forward to more opportunities to connect in the future. Miss you guys!

Lynn and Mike

Cherry Blossom Festival

Cherry trees are very popular here in Japan and are a huge source of pride for the Japanese people. They cover country sides and line city streets alike. The flowers bloom in various shades of pink and are absolutely GORGEOUS! This is the time of year when they all bloom, and it's no wonder why the locals throw festivals to celebrate their beauty. We have been hearing of the Nago Cherry Blossom Festival for weeks now, so last Saturday I went with several friends to check it out. It was a day full of food, fun, and flowers.

Upon arriving in Nago, we found a street lined with booths offering various foods, games, toys, and souvenirs. It was similar to a street festival we would have in the States, but the details were very different. The toys and games were interesting, but the food and drinks were the most fun for us to sample! We tried corn dogs where the batter was sweet like a donut and rice or noodle dishes with unknown meats and veggies. The sweets included caramel covered apples (where the apples were the size of crab apples), crapes filled with bananas, and mochi balls. Mochi is an Okinawan specialty! It is a rice pastry that is the consistency of raw dough. It is usually lightly flavored and filled with custard, bean curd, or some other sugar concoction. I don't think I'd eat them often, but it is a cultural experience!

The festival had more to offer than food though. At the end of the street was a staircase that led up the hill to a shrine (the same shrine Mike and I went to just weeks ago!) We all climbed the many stairs through the crowds of people to admire the cherry blossoms and pay our respects at the shrine. After returning to the street below once more, we headed to the Orion Brewery (again) so the rest of the group could take the tour (and get 2 free beers!!) Finally, we stopped for a few more fun food samples on our way back to the bus before we headed home.

It was a full day but I loved every minute of it. I really am thankful for the chance to experience this culture that I now live in and for the chance to share it with new friends. I really do feel that I will make some great friend while I am here.

Brittany tries to decide what she will eat first.

She went with sautéed potatoes.

(not the chicken creame soup!)

This is a closer look at all the different foods offered.

The griddle on the left where the man is working makes what I call "octopus balls."

It is a combo of octopus, cheese, and other spices.

Before I leave this island, I will try octopus balls!!

Cherry blossoms lined the streets and divided the booths. They decorated many signs, though not on purpose.

The girls pose with the Orion flags.

(left to right) Kristyn, Andrea, Brittany, and Katy

The stairs that lead to the top!!

It was a crowded, sunny, and warm day!!

The girls use this photo opportunity as an excuse to take a break halfway along the path.

Brittany, Andrea, Kristyn, and Katy

The whole stairway was lined with these Orion lanterns, classic stone "candle holders" and the beautiful pink cherry blossoms.

Brittany and I pose for a shot with the blossoms and the view.

Two beautiful blossoms with the blossoms.

Tanya and Dan Schiller take their turn.

Finally at the top, Kristyn takes her turn saying a prayer at the Shinto shrine.

I need to learn what the bell is all about.

Close up of the blossoms.

More beautiful blossoms

On the Orion Brewery for free beru.

(Beru = beer in Japanese)

Dan with the ladies... what a stud!

Time to sample more food. Tanya tried the crepe.

None of us were brave enough to try this much cotton candy but we took pictures!

Kristyn, Andrea, and Brittany take time to pose for me.

The children drew pictures in the streets with chalk.

The Japanese music blared from the PA system.

It was a perfect cultural experience with new friends.