How fun was being home?

Well, here it is, Wednesday morning in Iraq. How quickly you miss the things you love the most. My time spent at home on leave was the best 14 and a half days I have had at once. That being said, the time from the day I deployed (September 13th, 2010) until the day I got home on May 23rd, 2011 was the longest Sarah and I had been apart since we've known each other. Even my Captain's school in Fort Knox in 2007 wasn't this long.
Memory #1. Sarah drives from Belton to DFW to pick me up. As I am walking up the hill in the parking lot of the rental car station at DFW, I see Irene (my Jeep Wrangler) crest the hill and begin to skid sideways into a parking spot. With engine still running, Sarah jumps out of the door, runs as fast as she can, knocks an old lady over, steps on a puppy, and tackles me - wrapping her legs around my waist and arms around my neck, giving me a much needed kiss. Meanwhile, the puppy is finished crying, and the old lady walks over and shuts Irene's door.
Memory #2. Belated 4th Anniversary drinks and dinner at The Range in Salado. Every year since our wedding in Salado, I have taken Sarah to this very nice restaurant located in one of the oldest building in Salado. It is located right next door to the Inn B&B where we were married. I made reservations for 5 and we were escorted upstairs to a lounge all to ourselves. The bartender brought us two cold flutes of complimentary champagne (not sparkling wine either, there's a HUGE difference). We toasted to health and happiness. Then we order an appetizer of oysters on the half shell (like my libido needed them!). Sarah ordered a Mexican Martini and I had a classic Ketel One vodka martini, dirty. Quite possibly the best martini I have ever had. Dinner was absolutely decadent and afterwards I drove us around the old city loop where the horse carriage took us after our wedding. Sarah held my hand the whole way. When we got home, that old lady Sarah knocked over was standing at our front door with a battery, a set of jumper cables, and a mattress spring.
Memory #3. Memorial Day. Mom, Dad, Gray, Lanell, Bill, and Clay all came to The Frye Ranch for a great time. Lanell, Bill, and Clay showed up before my first cup of coffee had begun to work but I was still mostly agreeable. I offered everyone a Pabst Blue Ribbon or a LoneStar (it was after all almost 11am) and I began to grill my beef and chicken fajitas. After lunch we all walked over to the cliff overlooking the lake behind our house. Sadly Lanell, Bill, and Clay had to head back home. The time we spent together was treasured. Mom and Dad visited with Sarah and couldn't quit admiring how nice she looked wearing her checkerboard high top Vans. Gray and I began to fix my sorry excuse for a gate and he helped me hang the American flag outside of our home. As we said goodbye, a sad little puppy with a limp was making his way to our front door. The old lady was nowhere to be found.
Memory #4. Ripley's Believe it or Not followed by Texas Rangers babseball game. 15 innings against KC Royals. Had a blast.
Memory #5. Sweet potato hash and homemade yogurt.
Memory #6. Cigars on the porch with a nice breeze.
Memory #7. Attaching a shop vac hose to the outdoor air conditioner condensation drip pipe to suck out a Mud Dobber nest. Word of advice folks: Put a small piece of screen over the end of the drip pipe and secure it with a hose clamp. We mopped up 5 gallons of water from under our air conditioner vent inside the house. I had an awesome time. When I was done, I wanted to kick that puppy.
Memory #8. Killing 5 scorpions in one week. Not cool. My last night with Sarah we were on the porch and the mother of all scorpions crawls right towards my heel. Squashed it's nasty ass about an inch from where my bare foot was.
Memory #8. Gardening outdoors with Sarah. I just love spending time with her and we both greatly enjoy gardening and we both have green thumbs. Burying a soaker hose in our new flower bed, planting a cactus/succulent garden, and so many other plants always relaxes me. We got the porch cleaned off early so we could just RELAX and use the porch for it's intended purpose.  HAGD!!! B.