Photobucket Album
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
more pictures
The Colliseum and the Arch of some guy, sorry, can't remember his name
Looking out or Hotel Balcony in Capri
SOME more pictures of out trip to ROMA
Our hotel in Capri form the Bay
Looking out or Hotel Balcony in Capri
SOME more pictures of out trip to ROMA
Our hotel in Capri form the Bay
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Trip to Roma
Hey Everybody,
I figured since I have been back for a month I had better put something up about out trip to Rome. It was great is all I can say. I arrived on a Sunday and picked up the rental car and got the Hotel room and Phyllis and Shae showed up on Monday and we got busy with the sightseeing. It is really hard to put into words the sights in Rome other than astounding. AS Phyllis kept saying, everything is so huge. All of the buildings in Rome, especially the religious ones are absolutely monstrous. It boggles the mind to think how long it must have taken to build some of the stuff there. We went and saw all of the sites that we could find as we were doing this independently and not with a tour group. Tour groups may see a few more things but by doing it on our own, we lived by our own schedule and saw what we wanted to see, not what they wanted to show us. Driving in Italy is not something for the faint of heart or the timid. Having been there before during my naval career, it didn't bother me too much, You just have to drive like they do. AGGRESSIVE. If any of you ever go to Italy you must make a trip to the Isle of Capri. It is absolutely one of the most gorgeous places on earth. Not cheap by any means, but you can tell that from the 220 foot yachts sitting out in the bay. It is a lot of up and down walking and a lot of shopping opportunities, but the scenery is what takes your breath away the most. The water around the island is the most azure blue you have ever seen and it just takes your breath away to see it. I could have just sat on our balcony and looked out at the water and been perfectly happy, but we did get out and walk around and window shop. Most of the shops there are out of my price range even with the money I am making over here. Shops like Gucci and Prada just to name a couple. They all have names that you here when you are watching entertainment tonight on TV. We saw some people we though might be Movie or TV types but we will never know for sure. I really didn't care because I was enjoying relaxing too much. Probably the only down side of the whole trip was the heat. Europe was suffering a heat wave while we were there and it was HOT. It was over 100 most of the time we were there but in the evening it cooled off really nice. Overall I think it was really enjoyed by all and now the only trick is to figure out which trip I can do next to top this one. I am thinking an island resort somewhere where we are waited on hand and foot. In Between might be a trip to Vegas or the Florida Keys. That will after Phyllis shoulder heals up from her recent surgery. So far everything is going good and the doc said he was able to repair the damage to her rotator cuff so now begins the long road through rehab. I hope it heals up better than it was before the surgery. That is all I can hope for. Attached are a couple of pics form the trip and I will try to post more in the next couple of days.
I figured since I have been back for a month I had better put something up about out trip to Rome. It was great is all I can say. I arrived on a Sunday and picked up the rental car and got the Hotel room and Phyllis and Shae showed up on Monday and we got busy with the sightseeing. It is really hard to put into words the sights in Rome other than astounding. AS Phyllis kept saying, everything is so huge. All of the buildings in Rome, especially the religious ones are absolutely monstrous. It boggles the mind to think how long it must have taken to build some of the stuff there. We went and saw all of the sites that we could find as we were doing this independently and not with a tour group. Tour groups may see a few more things but by doing it on our own, we lived by our own schedule and saw what we wanted to see, not what they wanted to show us. Driving in Italy is not something for the faint of heart or the timid. Having been there before during my naval career, it didn't bother me too much, You just have to drive like they do. AGGRESSIVE. If any of you ever go to Italy you must make a trip to the Isle of Capri. It is absolutely one of the most gorgeous places on earth. Not cheap by any means, but you can tell that from the 220 foot yachts sitting out in the bay. It is a lot of up and down walking and a lot of shopping opportunities, but the scenery is what takes your breath away the most. The water around the island is the most azure blue you have ever seen and it just takes your breath away to see it. I could have just sat on our balcony and looked out at the water and been perfectly happy, but we did get out and walk around and window shop. Most of the shops there are out of my price range even with the money I am making over here. Shops like Gucci and Prada just to name a couple. They all have names that you here when you are watching entertainment tonight on TV. We saw some people we though might be Movie or TV types but we will never know for sure. I really didn't care because I was enjoying relaxing too much. Probably the only down side of the whole trip was the heat. Europe was suffering a heat wave while we were there and it was HOT. It was over 100 most of the time we were there but in the evening it cooled off really nice. Overall I think it was really enjoyed by all and now the only trick is to figure out which trip I can do next to top this one. I am thinking an island resort somewhere where we are waited on hand and foot. In Between might be a trip to Vegas or the Florida Keys. That will after Phyllis shoulder heals up from her recent surgery. So far everything is going good and the doc said he was able to repair the damage to her rotator cuff so now begins the long road through rehab. I hope it heals up better than it was before the surgery. That is all I can hope for. Attached are a couple of pics form the trip and I will try to post more in the next couple of days.
Tuesday, July 3, 2007
July 07
Hey everybody,
I figured since it had been about a month since I posted anything I had better put some more stuff on here. Not alot has been going on since the last post except for the temp getting hotter everyday. Our average afternoon high is about 115 - 120 every day. I got picked up as a supervisor at another camp in our area a couple of weeks ago so sometime soon I should be moving to my new camp. I have been there before because I have to go through there whenever I leave to go on R&R and what not. It is called Marez and it is in the city of Mosul. It is a little more active than this place but not much. Still one of the safer places to be over here. I am gonna enjoy the raise though. I can start paying off bills even quicker. It is about a 30K a year raise. The more I make the less time I have to spend here. I am gonna be leaving here in about 10 days to head out to Rome where I am meeting Phyllis and Shae for 8 days. I have been there while I was in the Navy but am looking forward to going back again and getting some good pictures. Phyllis and Shae are REAAAALLLYYY looking forward to it. Plane tickets, rooms and rental car are already paid for so I only have to pay for the meals while we are there. On the way back I am going to stay in Dubai for a couple days just to check out some of the stuff there and maybe do some shopping. Last time I was there was in 2001. It is the slow season there right now because of the extreme temps. It is around 120-130 there this time of year. I might try to bring Phyllis over there when the weather cools down. It is a really amazing city with lots of stuff to do. And not very expensive. Well that is the latest form over here. I will talk to you all soon. I have included some pics of one of our local pets.........LOL
Thursday, June 7, 2007
More pictures
Here are a few more pics of the last sandstorm. A couple of these are views as it comes in. Pretty wild to look at, even more wild to be in...
Thursday, May 31, 2007
31 MAY 2007
My Buddy Brandon in the dust storm
My flower garden
Hey all,
Well it is official. I am in hell. the last few days the average temperature has been about 110 and it is not even June yet. But like they say it is a dry heat. Actually to a point that is true. 112 here feels kinda like 90 or so in FLA. No humidity here so it isn't to bad. The worst thing about this place so far in the summer has got to be the dust. There is dust everywhere. Everyone thinks of the desert as sand, well here it isn't sand. It is talcum powder like dust. Super fine and gets in everything. Dusting is pretty much useless around here. Work is going pretty good, trying to get all caught up from my three weeks of being gone. Just about there so things are starting to look up a little bit. I put in for a promotion and the posting closes today so I will have to wait and see if and when I get interviewed. I hope to get the job because it will mean more cash in the bank and that is always nice. It also means less time over here for me. Phyllis won't ever say much about it but I think she misses me more than she lets on. I know I miss her a bunch. I need to get her on here so she can post what is going on back in the states at Budke South. My home sweet home. I am going to try and post a few pictures of our latest sandstorm. It kinda look like something from return of the mummy. Pretty cool to watch but really sucks to be in it. Also want to post some pics of my flower garden I have going over here, we also have some sweet corn growing too. It is moving slow, but it is still green. I hope somebody reads this sometime soon. It would really suck if I was doing this for nothing.....LOL. Everyone take care and I will home again around Christmas.
Chris
Well it is official. I am in hell. the last few days the average temperature has been about 110 and it is not even June yet. But like they say it is a dry heat. Actually to a point that is true. 112 here feels kinda like 90 or so in FLA. No humidity here so it isn't to bad. The worst thing about this place so far in the summer has got to be the dust. There is dust everywhere. Everyone thinks of the desert as sand, well here it isn't sand. It is talcum powder like dust. Super fine and gets in everything. Dusting is pretty much useless around here. Work is going pretty good, trying to get all caught up from my three weeks of being gone. Just about there so things are starting to look up a little bit. I put in for a promotion and the posting closes today so I will have to wait and see if and when I get interviewed. I hope to get the job because it will mean more cash in the bank and that is always nice. It also means less time over here for me. Phyllis won't ever say much about it but I think she misses me more than she lets on. I know I miss her a bunch. I need to get her on here so she can post what is going on back in the states at Budke South. My home sweet home. I am going to try and post a few pictures of our latest sandstorm. It kinda look like something from return of the mummy. Pretty cool to watch but really sucks to be in it. Also want to post some pics of my flower garden I have going over here, we also have some sweet corn growing too. It is moving slow, but it is still green. I hope somebody reads this sometime soon. It would really suck if I was doing this for nothing.....LOL. Everyone take care and I will home again around Christmas.
Chris
dust storm in the afternoon, you can barely our trucks.
Sunday, May 27, 2007
Hey Everyone
Hello everyone,
Welcome to my new blog spot. I have enjoyed keeping up with the Rankin Clan that I thought I would try to start my own and see how it works out. I don't get to talk to or see any one to often with the exception of Mom and my wife Phyllis since we are the Southern clan of the Budke family. Life in Florida is going good, I was just back for a much needed and deserved 16 day R&R. I completed 6 months in Iraq and returned for Shae's graduation from Georgia Southern University with her BS in Chemistry. In August she will starting her Grad studies at the University of South Carolina. You go girl.
Christopher graduated High School last year and is struggling to find his way. While I was home he moved out from his mothers and in with Phyllis and I and we are trying to get him pointed in the right direction. He is interested in coming to work with me in Iraq and I am working on trying to get him something lined up. If not I am hoping he will consider joining the Air Force or Navy so he can gain some skills and a paycheck. Aaron is finishing his Sophomore year of high school and will turn 16 the 5th of June, so it looks like another auto purchase will be in the near future. The oldest of the clan, April, is happily plugging away at home in Covington GA raising Taylor who is turning out to be a bear of a young boy. He is playing baseball and is ready to try another sport.
Phyllis is working her behind off and looking very forward to July getting here. That is when her and Shae are flying to meet me in Rome for 8 days of vacation and sight seeing. I to am very much looking forward to that. After that is when the real fun begins. She has two rotator cuff tears in her right shoulder and will be going in for surgery sometime is August. It is gonna be rough for a while when she has to have her right arm immobilized. Her mom is planning on coming to stay for a while and help out and we have some friends that have pledged support.
Now for me. I am still working away over here in the desert. It is now rolling into June and it is about 110 every day. But it is a dry as they say. It feels about like 90 in Florida. The job is going well and I have just put in for a promotion which should give a significant pay raise should I receive it. That should hopefully shorten the time I need to stay here to accomplish all the things I want to before I go. Its all about the dollars and financial freedom. I have paid off many bills and done a couple things to the house and things are starting to turn up rosey. I spent most of my R&R spending money, running non-stop or sleeping. I did get the boat on the water. A friend took it to the shop before I came home to have it repaired and checked over and tuned up. It ran like a champ. did some work to the boat trailer while I was home as well, installing all new LED light system so now I can be seen clearly when I am on the road. Next trip home will be repacking the wheel bearing and then it should be good enough to trade in for a new one...LOL. Right after Phyllis gets her pool. Anyway, I hope everyone enjoys this and a few people take the time to read and maybe comment. I will post some pic of my camp and what it is like over here soon. Especially one of the dust storms we had a couple days ago. It was like return of the Mummy.... Take care and keep in touch.
Welcome to my new blog spot. I have enjoyed keeping up with the Rankin Clan that I thought I would try to start my own and see how it works out. I don't get to talk to or see any one to often with the exception of Mom and my wife Phyllis since we are the Southern clan of the Budke family. Life in Florida is going good, I was just back for a much needed and deserved 16 day R&R. I completed 6 months in Iraq and returned for Shae's graduation from Georgia Southern University with her BS in Chemistry. In August she will starting her Grad studies at the University of South Carolina. You go girl.
Christopher graduated High School last year and is struggling to find his way. While I was home he moved out from his mothers and in with Phyllis and I and we are trying to get him pointed in the right direction. He is interested in coming to work with me in Iraq and I am working on trying to get him something lined up. If not I am hoping he will consider joining the Air Force or Navy so he can gain some skills and a paycheck. Aaron is finishing his Sophomore year of high school and will turn 16 the 5th of June, so it looks like another auto purchase will be in the near future. The oldest of the clan, April, is happily plugging away at home in Covington GA raising Taylor who is turning out to be a bear of a young boy. He is playing baseball and is ready to try another sport.
Phyllis is working her behind off and looking very forward to July getting here. That is when her and Shae are flying to meet me in Rome for 8 days of vacation and sight seeing. I to am very much looking forward to that. After that is when the real fun begins. She has two rotator cuff tears in her right shoulder and will be going in for surgery sometime is August. It is gonna be rough for a while when she has to have her right arm immobilized. Her mom is planning on coming to stay for a while and help out and we have some friends that have pledged support.
Now for me. I am still working away over here in the desert. It is now rolling into June and it is about 110 every day. But it is a dry as they say. It feels about like 90 in Florida. The job is going well and I have just put in for a promotion which should give a significant pay raise should I receive it. That should hopefully shorten the time I need to stay here to accomplish all the things I want to before I go. Its all about the dollars and financial freedom. I have paid off many bills and done a couple things to the house and things are starting to turn up rosey. I spent most of my R&R spending money, running non-stop or sleeping. I did get the boat on the water. A friend took it to the shop before I came home to have it repaired and checked over and tuned up. It ran like a champ. did some work to the boat trailer while I was home as well, installing all new LED light system so now I can be seen clearly when I am on the road. Next trip home will be repacking the wheel bearing and then it should be good enough to trade in for a new one...LOL. Right after Phyllis gets her pool. Anyway, I hope everyone enjoys this and a few people take the time to read and maybe comment. I will post some pic of my camp and what it is like over here soon. Especially one of the dust storms we had a couple days ago. It was like return of the Mummy.... Take care and keep in touch.
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