Wow, lots to update.

Well, we found a little apartment closer to both church and Travis' work.  Actually, I can walk to church now.  Very cool.  It's very clean and well-kept, and I am very excited about moving in.  Lots to do, though.  I'm going to paint the walls, ceiling, and door.  The landlord is buying us a new refrigerator (very cool), and we're getting a washer and dryer--something I've been doing without for two years.  I know it's really not that big of a deal to have to go to the laundromat--especially since it's only a mile away--but there's just something about having your own machines.  It just makes a woman happy.

So that's the good news about that.

I think Carthage is being "bombed."  Lately some jets from post have been doing manuevers over Carthage, the village we live in.  To me and my untrained eye, it looks like they're practicing bombing runs.  They circle around a lot, but I saw one come in real low and level and then swoop off.  It also looked like the bottom of it was opened up.  Again, I know vertually nothing about planes and jets, so I don't know if I was looking at landing gear hatches or bomb hatches, or even what kind of jets these were.

Sometimes it sounds like they're ripping the sky apart.  It is so loud at times.  But I really don't mind because I know that they're going to be ready for the real deal.

Interestingly, here's an email that was forwarded to me by a relative.  Funny how it fits in.

A WAKE UP CALL FROM LUKE AFB, AZ:

  

 

A certain lieutenant colonel at Luke AFB deserves a big pat on

the back. Apparently, an individual who lives somewhere near Luke

AFB wrote the local paper complaining about a group of F-16s that

disturbed his/her day at the mall. When that individual read the

response from a Luke AFB officer, it must have stung quite a bit.

  

The complaint:

  

"Question of the day for Luke Air Force Base: Whom do we thank

for the morning air show? Last Friday, at precisely 9:11 a.m., a

tight formation of four F-16 jets made a low pass over Arrowhead

Mall, continuing west over Bell Road at approximately 500 feet.

Imagine our good fortune! Do the Tom Cruise-wannabes feel we need

this wake-up call, or were they trying to impress the cashiers at

Mervyns' early-bird special? Any response would be appreciated."

  

The response:

  

Regarding "A wake-up call from Luke's jets" (Letters,

Thursday):

On June 2, at precisely 9:12 a.m., a perfectly timed four-ship flyby



of F-16s from the 63rd Fighter Squadron at Luke Air Force Base flew

over the grave of Capt. Jeremy Fresques. Capt. Fresques was an Air

Force officer who was previously stationed at Luke Air Force Base

and was killed in Iraq on May 29th Memorial Day. At 9 a.m. on June

2th, his family and friends gathered at Sunland Memorial Park in Sun City to mourn the loss of a husband, son and friend.

  

Based on the letter writer's recount of the flyby, and because

of the jet noise, I'm sure you didn't hear the 21-gun salute, the

playing of taps, or my words to the widow and parents of Capt.

Fresques as I gave them their son's flag on behalf of the President

of the United States and all those veterans and servicemen and women



who understand the sacrifices they have endured.  A four-ship flyby

is a display of respect the Air Force pays to those who give their

lives in defense of freedom. We are professional aviators and take

our jobs seriously, and on June 2nd what the letter writer witnessed



was four officers lining up to pay their ultimate respects. The

letter writer asks, "Whom do we thank for the morning air show?" The



56th Fighter Wing will call for you, and forward your thanks to the

widow and parents of Capt. Fresques, and thank them for you, for it

was in their honor that my pilots flew the most honorable formation

of their lives.

  

Lt. Col. Scott Pleus

CO 63rd Fighter Squadron

Luke Air Force Base, Arizona