My boyfriend's back and you're gonna be in trouble

Kirkwood is on his way back from Africa, and almost home!  I have plans to fly to South Carolina over Columbus day weekend and spend the whole weekend with him and my family.  In one whirlwind weekend, he'll meet Mom, Dad, Suzy, Allen, Graham, Audrey, Charlie, and Ginsu (all for the first time)!  He only wishes he could bring up his motorcycle so Dad could help him fix it haha.  I am so excited to see what the pups think of him.

In other news, I recently put in for my next billet!  On my list are 38 lovely units, all of which would be fun for the next couple of years.  I should find out in a few months, but I really wish I could know now.  My brain is already starting to detach from Headquarters and search for its new work-home.  :)  I've even signed up to take my renewal Deck Watch Officer exam just in case I get to be an Executive Officer.  Interestingly enough, I did include Alaska on my assignment dream sheet, more out of determination to get a prestigious position than of interest in the cold. 

I wrote the following explanation to my family:

If you're thinking to yourself "Why would Virginia ever put in for Alaska when she has such a cute boyfriend and two pups who will decidedly not be in Alaska?!"  Well, I might have to go to Alaska in order to get a really competitive position (Executive Officer of a buoy tender), Kirkwood may be in the Middle East next tour, and Charlie and Ginsu have both tentatively agreed to come chase large Alaskan squirrels.  :)  Ginsu is particularly excited to live in a world that doesn't require air conditioning 11 months out of the year and Charlie assumes that there are no hair blowdryers in Alaska, which is his greatest fear.  He has never seen a snow blower.

The hair dryer comment is a story for my next post, and you won't believe the latest run in Ginsu had with the back porch.  Anyway, Mom replied:

Charlie and Ginsu do have jackets.  But they would only like to pull a small sled, preferably full of biscuits.  And, if they come, I would have to bring them.  And if I come, Isaac would have to have an Alaskan preschool tour as well.  I will start work on convincing Charlotte and Ari that Isaac needs an Inuit education.  They fell for the West Ghent School business, chances are, with the proper warm clothing, cool boots (for Charlotte's prejudicial views), and lots of literature, eskimo and other genres, they could acquiesce.  Then Dad would have to come too.  I don't think N. A. would mind if the peer counselors did a semester in the land of the moose and elk.  We'd need a lot of hotel rooms, because already we have tons of parents and grandparents, besides Ari, Charlotte, the Zitos, etc. who would want to visit.  Do you think you could accomodate?  What about that hotel you and Carrie escaped to once and called us on the one phone that worked out there?  Since we have almost a year to plan, this could be a big boon for the Alaskan economy. 

Look out, Alaska!  Your French poodle and papapoo population is about to skyrocket!