Headed home
When it was close to the time for me to retire. I relized I could move anywhere I wanted to, for the last 20 years in the Navy I was always told where I would be living. But now I was free to move anywhere . I went through a bunch of stuff so I finally settled on Las Vegas because at the time my Mom, Sister and her family where there. So I packed up my car and had a dog and cat in lots of stuff in the car plus a car top carrier, my son and his girlfriend had their car packed plus a dog and a cat in it. They also had a car top carrier on top of their car and off we went like the Beverly Hillbillies off to settle in a new city and state. We were camping along the way so I decided to stay at least two days at every stopping point. I was not going to set up a tent for one night. We stopped in Cherokee NC for two days and then made it to Arkansas to the crystal mines. we stayed there for four days and mined crystals. When we were in Oklahoma I stopped at a light and all of a sudden something hit my car from behind. I got out of the car and it was the trunk that had been on the car topper of my sons car. So the whole trip the only accident was me getting hit by my sons truck. We made it to Las Vegas about 9 days after we left Maryland. It was a fun trip and I am so glad we did it and took our time driving.
One thing that happened in Arkansas was my son’s girlfriends dog was a collie mix and my dog was a chow and he was cross eyed so did run fast or straight. Well her dog took out after a skunk and well I am sure you know what happened. I was told tomatoe jucie help remove the ordor but the only thing I had with me was a case of v8 juice so we washed the dog in it. All her white fur turned pink and the smell well sort of went away. We were leaving the next day so I was glad the dog was in their car and not mine.
TRAVELING TO SPAIN
My first duty station after my first enlistment was Rota Spain, I was going to Spain me and my young son. I got him a passport and then wait for the military to arrange a flight. For some reason I was unable to get a flight directly into the base so the military arranged what they called a class Z which is commercial flight to nearest airport which was Seville. So we got on our flight and landed in Madrid and some how found my way to the connecting flight to Seville where my sponsor was to meet me. Sponsor are military members of your new unit that are assigned to help you as you transition to your new duty station. At this time we did travel in our Uniform.
We landed is Seville and tried to find my suitcases and of course they were no where to be found. Then I looked to see if anyone was looking for me, seems my sponsor didn’t get the information I was cat Z and didn’t know I had arrived in Seville. So here I was with a young son not able to speak spanish, why didn’t I take spainish in high school instead of french. I am very sure I was standing there looking very panicked when a man approached me I could tell he was military and American… He was from Rota and had brought a friend who was going home on leave to the airport and was now going to return did I want a ride. OH yes I was saved, we got in his car and traveled to Rota. I remember being so tired that I actually nodded off. When we got there I went to my unit and checked they contacted my sponsor and she came a took me to the hotel off base that I was staying at and she said she would pick me up in the morning. I got my keys a headed to my room in the elevator the power went off, oh my more panic. It only last a minute or two and then I was in my room. I had only one suitcase which had been our carry on. I had one outfit a t-shirt with mickey mouse on it, blue jeans and stuff cramed into that bag plus my sons snacks and thing and a change of clothing for him. It took them a week to find and deliver my suitcase so I had my uniform or one outfit for a week. Was definitely and interesting introduction to Spain, During my four years in Spain I never road in an elevator again. But Spain was one of my favorite duty stations during my 20 years in the Military.