Pals

Dash and Stache have been buddies ever since they were born.

Below, Dash comforts Stache after a bath, little does Dash know, his bath is next.



Dash using Stache as a pillow.


Stache loves food and sometimes falls asleep in the food dish....

...or near the food dishes.


Hmmm, how can we help? Stache (left) and Dash (right) trying to help me unload the dishwasher. This is one of my favorite pictures of them and their curiosity. By the way, they really like getting into the refrigerator.


A wrestling match!




Best Buds again!


This is how they hang out with me when I am working on the computer, infact, they are doing this right now as I prepare this blog.

Marine Raiders Honored at Quantico

Spree Adopted, Dash Escapes Death

Spree was adopted on Friday night by a very nice, young couple. The couple was looking for a pair of kittens. They held Dash and Stache first and those two boys put on the charm. They were totally chilled out and relaxed and were loving the man and woman up. I thought for sure they would be adopted. I felt sad for Spree as she sat in the crate by herself. She looked lonely.

I mentioned they could also adopt Spree. In reality, three cats really aren't that much more expensive than two. You at least want two litter boxes and all the expensive stuff has already been taken care of by Lost Dog Lost Cat (spay, neuter, distemper shots) all they need is rabies and every year its the rabies shot and annual physical. They asked how much that typically costs. It depends on the vet, it really does. The vet I take my three (Ranger, Scout and Stryker) is pricey, but I like them. It typically costs about $100 a cat every year. I told them that. The man flinched. Guess it was good I didn't mention Stryker's broken leg that set me back 5 grand. They took Spree back into the quite room to get to know her for a little bit.

Then the couple came out of the "quite" room and saw the really little kittens. The woman fell in love with one active, female, gray tabby named Zola.

They asked if they could adopt one of the boys along with Zola. I told them I really wanted the boys to go together. Spree would probably be the best fit with Zola. One of the boys would overwhelm a smaller kitten. They are just very aggressive with their play. Very affectionate but they are all boys.

So they chose Zola and Spree.

The gal came back on Saturday so Spree could get her last distemper shot. I got to see her one last time. She had a cute, preppy, black, pink and white plaid collar on. The gal was getting name tags made for their collars. I didn't ask what Spree's new name was.

Spree and Zola are going to be spoiled rotten. I went with the gal through Pet Smart and was showing her all the things Spree really liked (feather toy, bungee toy, kitty lounger, food). They left with a full cart. It was cute, almost like watching new parents take their first baby home.

On Saturday she said that Spree had climbed up on her shoulder that morning and was giving her kisses. Was very affectionate. Yay! So often she'd come up to me for cuddles and then Dash and Stache would run over and muscle in. She's going to be the 'big sister' now with Zola.

Now, to find good homes for Dash and Stache. They really need to go together. They have been side-by-side since the day I got them. Remember this cute picture of them from the first weekend they were at my house.

Here they are getting into trouble together. Well, I guess they aren't really getting into trouble, they are trying to "help" me unload the dishwasher. Its amazing what becomes a big adventure to a kitten.

You are wondering how Dash escaped death. Well, this cute little head of his ended up inside the mouth of a big dog.

How did it get there? you ask. Let's just say, exclaim actually, "Praise God for His mercies regarding my stupidity and for His protection!"

There was this dog, some kind of hound mix, really looks like a good bird dog. When the walker would walk him past the cats, the dog sat down and literally had to be dragged away from the cats. He didn't seem aggressive toward the cats, just curious. I try to expose the kittens to the dogs. Dash and Stache have been really good. Usually the dogs just sniff them, maybe a lick and then that's it. So I showed the dog Dash. The dog sniffed and then "Bam!" snapped at Dash's head. The walker yanked back on the dogs leash, Dash went on the attack and was quite ferocious. I jumped back. Drama at the entrance of Pet Smart.

Dash had pulled back into the crook of my arm with his head as far back as possible with his paws up on either side. His eyes were big, round, the whites showing with fear. They were unblinking, almost as if he were in shock. If he could talk, he probably would have shouted, "What the hell! I just saw the four short months of my life flash before my eyes!"

I checked him out, no broken skin from the bite. I suppose Dash has good reflexes with shrinking back from Ranger's snaps.

He was a tense ball the rest of the day.

That dog, when it was walked by, just stared at Dash in the crate, and Dash stared at it.

I felt awful. What an idiot I am. I will never let Dash or Stache near another dog again.

So, hoping that next week, someone adopts the boys. I'm getting worried, as they now look like small cats. They have lost the kitten cuteness, but are still adorable.

Former Secretary of State Visits Museum

This past Saturday, former Secretary of State, George Schultz and his family visited the National Museum of the Marine Corps.

Below, Mr. Schultz and his wife pose with the state flag of California. The state flags were lining the walkway entrance into the museum because the commissioning ceremony was also being held that day for two Officer Candidate School companies.

While posing for pictures with the state flag of California, Schultz noticed the memorial bricks.

General Christmas explained the memorial brick program.

Inside the museum, Mr. Schultz took the time to speak with the Marine manning the front desk.

In the first gallery, Making Marines, Schultz and his granddaughter experience the dressing down from Marine Corps drill instructors. Schultz is a Marine veteran of the battle of Pelilu in World War 2. When he walked out of the DI booth, he wiped his brow and exclaimed, "Whew!"

Back in the Iwo Jima area of the World War 2 gallery, Schultz, General Christmas and a Docent chat about the displays and how the decisions were made for what was presented in the galleries.

In the Korean gallery, I asked (yes, I was humbly bold and asked) if I could take a posed photo of he and his wife. It turned out quite nice.

At the conclusion of the tour, the Schultz family headed up to the upper deck for a lunch on the overlook to Leatherneck Gallery.

As I followed the Schultzes around the museum, it was interesting how the 'regular' guests didn't pay them much attention. One gentleman asked me who the man in the suit was.

Mr. Schultz probably could have spent the entire day at the museum. He wanted to read and look at everything, but they had only budgeted 2 hours for a tour. Maybe he'll make a return visit.

OCS Commissioning

Yesterday, Charlie and Delta companies were commissioned as 1st Lieutenants in the United States Marine Corps.

This one event, one ceremony, is life changing. It marks an end to 10 weeks of training where they have been tested physically, mentally, intellectually, morally and emotionally and found to be capable of leading Marines. Some candidates who arrive at Quantico to complete the equivalent of "Boot Camp" for Marine Officers, do not make it through the rigors. Others, after making it through the training process, choose to not take a commission.

While the graduation ceremony was going on at OCS on mainside, Marines were setting up for the commissioning ceremony in Leatherneck Gallery of the National Museum of the Marine Corps.

Not only did this include setting up chairs, but also setting up flags outside along the walkway up to the museum. While it was a hot, stagnant morning, a nice little breeze popped the Ohio flag out for a picture. Yes, my home state is Ohio and to be honest, it is the only state flag that I can identify.

Even though the ceremony did not begin until 1 p.m. (aka 1300), family and friends were staking out claims to seats an hour early.

When I went down stairs and made a pit stop in the bathroom, I was met by a gaggle of women lined up at the mirror, primping themselves for their boyfriends, fiances and husbands they had not seen in 10 weeks. The air was heavy with the scents of about 20 different hairsprays and perfumes.

When the Marines of Charlie Company entered, they were greeted by boisterous cheers, whoops and hollers.

Hi, Mom!

A very excited Marine Wife holds up her sign for her Marine.

I really liked this photo, this little girl just ran over and snuggled up with her grandfather.

I could not resist photographing this Private First Class, the combat cameraman assigned to shoot the commissioning ceremony.

The commissioning is about to begin.

Raise your right hand and repeat after me.

I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic;

that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same;

that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion;

and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter. So help me God.

An Army and Air Force general applaud the company, but also their children who, on this day, became Officers of Marines.

After they were commissioned, the Chaplain blessed the company. Emotions came to the surface for one Marine.

Yay! We made it! Many hugs and handshakes followed.

There were many more families this year who had family military service traditions. Here, a father salutes his son.

Below, the Lieutenant's father (Marine) and Grandfather (Air Force) help with pinning on his bars.

A younger brother delivers the first salute from an enlisted man to his brother, a newly minted officer.

The final pin was saved for his grandfather, a World War 2 veteran of the Army Air Corps.

Ever mindful of details, Marines make the Eagle, Globe and Anchor carpet perfect for Delta Company's ceremony. I couldn't help but wonder if the supervising Marine was tempted to say, "You missed a spot".

Some of the Drill Instructors who trained the new officers.

I recommended that this family climb up on the pedestal for some pictures. I am surprised more people didn't do this. What a fun photo. Love the leg kick, ladies!

I just loved this smile this Marine gave his wife while she pinned on his Lieutenant bars.

Same with this photo. Love the Marine's look as his grandma pins on his bar.

This was my favorite salute photo. Talk about good timing on my part. I saw it as I walked by and was just in the right place to get their hands crossing.

Drive By Blogging

Its shoot from the hip writing tonight and it ought to be illegal cause you know in the process I'm gonna break a bunch of grammar and spelling rules...

The blog police have struck and I find myself in, of all places a jail cell!

O.k. this is not "real". I can guarantee you if it was, I would not be smiling. In fact, I'd look pretty horrible with a runny nose and mascara running down my face from crying. I do look kind of gangster in all black.

Uh, yah, I wouldn't make it a day in jail - - even though I used to go to the jail every day years ago when I covered the Police and Sheriff's beat for a small town Ohio newspaper.

This weekend I spent a fun Saturday with my sorority sister B, who I haven't seen in YEARS! Hey - - if you can't go to jail with a sorority sister, who the heck can you go to jail with? No misunderstandings here -- she isn't in jail or prison or anything like that. I met her family for a tour of the National Museum of Crime and Punishment. Who knew there was such a museum in Washington, DC?

And no, this wasn't a visit to the Capital Building and Congress (thanks Dave for the funny comment on Facebook).

It was an interesting place with crime and punishment paraphernalia and artifacts. Below, the car Bonnie and Clyde were driving when they were gunned down by law enforcement.

Just before the crime scene room, we got to watch from an apartment window, a suspicious person leaving the building across the street, later we would have to remember the details when we were questioned by police as a possible witness. I would have to say B and I did pretty good, between the two of us we got 100% on the suspect quiz. I still laugh a her added description, "He was heavy and had man boobs."

There was no body at the crime scene and to be really honest, I was surprised there wasn't more blood. I remember one of my journalism profs in college talking about his stint as a crime scene photographer. You see some pretty nasty stuff. Not sure if I'd want to do that kind of photography.

Mug shots on the other hand, I think I could do this. I got a kick out of this wall signage. They sometimes had to hold down criminals who didn't want their photos taken. I kind of felt sad when I realized that for some of these guys, this might be the only "Professional" photo they may have ever had taken.

They had a CSI lab with a body (from the crime scene). And it looks like someone decided to take a toe home. The body was not real.

So, after this we went to lunch.

We went to Gordon Bierch by the Spy Museum. I really like Gordon Bierch. However, their home brewed rootbeer was more like home brewed onion beer. B's husband and daughters sent theirs back.

This is B and I. She hasn't changed a bit! It was so nice to see her and chat as we walked through the museum. She has such a beautiful family!