Coming Home...I think!

I don't want to make any promises, especially after the last couple weeks, but it looks like I'll be coming home (FINALLY!) on Tuesday, Sept. 30. I'm due to arrive at 7:00 PM. Can't wait to see everyone. I might have to work a day or two before I start my vacation, but I'm really looking forward to being home for at least a couple weeks. This is normally a slow time of year for deployments so hopefully I'll get to take my whole vacation. See you all soon!

Benjamin Robert (courtesy of Katie)

"You're going where?"

"I said, Beaumont."

"Uhh?"

"BEAUMONT, TEXAS. About 1 1/2 hrs. east of Houston."
"Bomaut?"
"No, B-E-A-U-M-O-N-T."

For those who I have talked to today, that's pretty much how the conversation went. For those who I didn't call, I hope this post makes you feel like you weren't forgotten. I didn't want to leave anyone out, but there's just too many people and too little time. My mom also promised to tell anyone willing to listen all about our more detailed conversation so I'm sure some of you heard this information from her.

Anyway, back to Beaumont. That's where I'm going tomorrow or at least that's where I think I'm going tomorrow. As I'm typing this post, this may change...AGAIN...but as of 22:30 on Saturday, 9/20 I am going to Beaumont. There is a small Category IV airport near there. It's called the Southeast Texas Regional Airport (airport code BPT) and it's actually located about 15 miles southeast of Beaumont. There's more information in the links below if you are interested in finding out more. BPT has just 5 flights/day and less on the weekend. I'll be working a split shift most days from 05:45-10:45 then 12:45-19:15. I don't know what my days off will be or if I'll have any.

http://gc.kls2.com/airport/BPT

http://www.ifly.com/southeast-texas-regional-airport

The biggest question about Beaumont is our accommodations. A hotel is not an option because all the hotels in the area are filled with locals and relief workers. Most just reopened today after receiving generators. Many of the locals' homes remain without electricity and are damaged so they are living in hotels until they can make repairs. It sounds like the damage is fairly minor but costly (roof repairs, flood damage, carpet replacement due to mold, etc.).

There are six NDF scheduled to go tomorrow including me and we'll be figuring out the details as we go. If things go according to plan (and they rarely do), we will be driving RVs from Houston to Beaumont. Once we get there, hopefully we will be able to find space in a RV park. If not, we will park them right at the airport and I'll be taking a 'teacup bath', a term my Grandma Stewart taught me, in the airport bathroom. Sounds like another misadventure!

To close for the night, my sister gave birth to her and Tom's second son last night, 9/19 at 10:43 pm! His name is Benjamin Robert and he was 8 lbs. 1 oz. and 21". I'm very sad to have missed yet another important family event due to stupid Hurricane Ike. In the picture Jess sent me, Benjamin looks like a normal baby. His eyes were closed and his head was covered so that's as much detail as I could get by phone. I'm making myself upset again just thinking about not being home so I'm going to stop writing for tonight. I may not have internet service in Beaumont, but I'll try to at least keep my cell phone charged. Here's hoping my time in Beaumont passes quickly and that I'll see you all in person soon.

Day 3 in McAllen

We just had a roll call, on our 3rd day off in a row, telling us basically nothing except that tomorrow will be yet another day off. I'm really getting tired of this. The only good news is that the big bosses are going to have figure out something for us to do on Tuesday because we'll be fresh out of days off. I was hoping to work now so that I wouldn't have to spend more vacation to cover the same amount of time off when I get home. I guess can't understand what is making this decision so difficult. Are we staying or are we going? Plain and simple question that nobody can answer.

Today I spent my time wondering around McAllen. We've been pointedly asked to not go to Mexico, which is only about 10 miles south, so I searched the paper for something to do locally. There's an old theater called Cine El Rey about 25 minutes by foot away from the hotel. Today I saw a film called At the Death House Door. It was about a man named Carlos De Luna who was convicted and executed for a murder he most likely didn't commit. It also talked a lot about the minister who worked at Huntsville prison where Carlos was executed. Very interesting, but a little long.

I arrived at the theater about 2 hrs. before the film so I walked around. It felt a lot like Mexico with almost everyone being Hispanic and all the signs in Spanish. While I was taking pictures, this man hobbled to his wheelchair and then crossed the street just to come over and talk to me. His name is Lester and he told me all about his life. I got quite a few looks being the only white person walking around the neighborhood. I think many of the residents wondered what the gringa with the camera was doing though most where polite enough to wait until after I passed to talk about me.Well, tomorrow's another day. Maybe I'll have some real information for you then. Adios!

Where am I?

I can hardly remember where I am so I wouldn't expect any of you to know, even with my occasional text messages. I'm still in McAllen, TX. We've been waiting for Hurricane Ike to hit which it finally did this morning. The next step is to figure out if we are needed in the areas effected. If so, we will most likely be traveling to Houston. If not, we will return to our home airports. We were notified today that we will remain in McAllen tomorrow, Sunday 9/14, until plans can be solidified.

It's very frustrating because I've already missed my dad's surgery, Rita's birthday party, and the bike race. Even if I return to MSP on Monday, I'll probably still miss Jeff's brief return to MN. I've accepted all that with the one last big event being my sister having her baby. Any updates on this topic, Jess? If you could only guarantee that you'd wait til the end of the week, I'd whole heartedly hope to stay until we had a chance to do some actual work. It seems like such a waste to do all this traveling (6 airports in 6 days) and miss so much while doing so little to help the hurricane victims.

That choice is several levels above my pay band so all I can do is wait and see what they decide. I'll try to send out another text or email when I find out what's happening on Monday if I have time.

Fantasy Football pics and Rita's actual 30th birthday

The word directly from the horse's mouth (my manager AC Richard Nevels) is that we will not be moving today so I have some time to catch up on my blogging. As I was saying in my previous posting, I took some pictures of some very willing subjects at Tom and Jess's Fantasy Football Party on 9/5/08. Tracy and Jim's kids Parker and Maddie were hamming it up with some pretty crazy faces. Here's my two favorites. (Notice Maddie's backwards shoes.)

Then to my surprise, Renee who likes to tease me about my camera being fused to my face says that she's disappointed that she hasn't seen her picture posted lately. Well I'm here to please so here you go, Renee. Hope it's okay that you had to share space with Tracy. I also managed to snap this one of Jim and Parker.

The next day on Saturday, 9/6/08, a group of us managed to get together at Granite City in Roseville for lunch. It was also Rita's 30th birthday. She's having a party today which I will unfortunately miss, but at least we were able to see each other while I was home. Renee, Julie R., Jess, Joey, Tracy, and Katie were also present. Katie and I made the cake from scratch including the frosting. It actually turned out okay. Everyone managed at least a couple of bites and I didn't notice anyone gagging.

I'm off again!

I know you all (and by all I mean Burman) are anxiously waiting for an update from the RNC and the recent Fantasy Football party at Tom and Jess's. In a few words, the RNC was okay. I just worked at the airport so it wasn't very exciting. I didn't see anyone famous except Ron White from the Blue Collar Comedy Tour and something tells me he wasn't hear for the RNC. There were so many NDF here that we were literally tripping over each other. Guess you could say MSP over estimated passenger loads. The party at T&J's was much more fun, but I don't have time for details or pictures now because...

I'm leaving for New Orleans in 2 hrs. for Hurricane Ike relief. Should be interesting. We don't have any details yet as far as what we'll be doing or how long we'll be there. I just hope to be back soon because my dad's having surgery Wednesday and my sister's due in about 10 days and my vacation is suppose to start on the 14th. Basically, I don't really want to go but I have to.

I've got to finish packing. My flight leaves at 12:15. So far no word on return flight. I'll try to send out an update soon. Bye!