Southern saying of the weekend

Precision
Measure once, cut once.

My man friend

So, I may be a bit spotty in writing over the next few days, as Morgan arrived yesterday and we'll be spending much of our time trying to get him as far away as possible from Nogales, Mexico.  Yesterday it was all-Tucson, all the time, and today will be all-Tucson, all the time.  Exciting stuff.

But I'll be back soon.

Southern saying of yesterday

I'm a little late in posting, but I couldn't *not* post, especially when the saying is going to make Estee's day:

Taxes
We'll have taxes as long as ducks swim barefoot.

Mission accomplished

Things are going exactly as expected.  After I posted this morning, my travel orders actually came in.  Which means that I can fly to DC (sans Maggie), arrange for a small shipment of household goods to arrive in DC while I am in training, and definitively arrange for the pack-outs in both MA and Nogales, Mexico, for the rest of my household effects that will be stored until I head out for my first overseas assignment. 

In fact, I just got back from the consulate, where I was helping one of the staff members enter all my information into the system so pack-out dates could be requested.

So, it looks like things are right on schedule: getting my orders a little over a week away from actually leaving.  Ah, efficiency...

Because not having travel orders is only a drop in the bucket

In an effort to be more more proactive about this whole "move to DC and start a new life" thing, I contacted the U.S. Consulate here in Nogales yesterday to get people moving on reserving a flight for me.  This way, I could start planning on getting Maggie out to DC with me.  (Of course, nothing, not even a flight reservation, is definite until I get my travel orders, but I'm working on that, too.)

Well, wouldn't ya know it, but State only contracts with USAirways in Arizona.  And USAirways policy is that small pets are allowed in the cabin, if they and their crate weigh less than 20lbs, but no pets are allowed in cargo.  Maggie weighs in around 25lbs. *without her crate*.  So it turns out that my brilliant idea of taking Maggie with me to DC has been thrown out the window.

Lucky for me, the Consulate's Principal Officer is a really generous guy and has volunteered to escort Maggie to DC when he takes a personal trip in early April. 

I am trying to be positive about this, so I am thinking of all the pros:

• I don't have to wake up anywhere from 3:30-5:30AM for the next couple of months to let Maggie out to pee;
• I now have time to prepare for Maggie's arrival - set up vet appointments, arrange for a dog walker, pick up a dog bed, nail clippers, toys, etc.;
• Instead of rushing home every night during orientation to take care of my baby, I can actually stay out - either for happy hours (apparently orientation is a time for networking) or research into countries I can bid on;

The hugest con of the whole situation is that I was already planning on being crushed by the fact that I won't get to cuddle with Grace every day, but now that devastation will be two-fold.  No Maggie either.  Who am I going to cuddle with now???

Southern saying of the day

Estee, I think we've finally stumbled upon one that you can use in a (semi) professional capacity!

If you want to threaten someone, you might say...
I'll cut off your water and take out the meter.

Southern saying of the day

Go-getter
He always shows up bright-eyed and bushy-tailed.

Before Burly can beat me to it, I would say that this saying doesn't seem to bo particularly southern in origin.  But you can still butter my butt and call me a biscuit...