From There to Here

Okay,
Some have wanted to know what transpired between getting here from there.
Here it is.
Ready?

After finding out family had to be up and gone to San Diego by the 23 April, I made a couple of calls to the military veterinarian in Lemoore California, 177 miles from Monterey--one way. CPT. Heuvel DVM, and her staff worked with us and put us on the books for 22nd to do lovely Suicide-girl, Sadie's Health certificate. Even though the vet office was closed for that week... Bless them! Hustled out the door, on the road by 05:30hrs, and in NAS Lemoore by 08:04--66min before our appointment. Perhaps I have a lead foot. Omni-Domni (making quasi blessing motion), and back on the road by 10:40; Damn, I am good... shit; the gas gauge is sitting about 1 millimeter from 1/2 tank as I merge onto I-5N. Honda van and us, made it back and pulled up to the NPS gas station at exactly 13:02 hrs, 3min after the E light turned on. Alright, I have a lead foot, and man, our van really does well on highway miles. Drive back to our temp abode (much love and props to Matt and Yoko!) and crash to later pack and prepare for our final exit from Monterey, go to our beloved Dojo's farewell, then leave the next morning at 04:30.


During the farewell at California Pizza Kitchen (CPK), I was gifted by not just gorgeous earrings from Sensei, but by the show of people who have come to mean so much to my family, myself and my personal growth. Okay, so perhaps I lived at the dojo for a better part of my last year there, but I was on a mission: my time was drawing nigh, and I wanted to leave and be able to look back and say that I did all that I could and took as much as I could, as I was, in that time and space. I could say much more, but I DID promise a somewhat quickie.

While there I got sage advice to just let my body wake up when it is ready, since I was dead tired from a few days of little sleep. Besides, as Sensei Michael said, LA traffic is ever present, and leaving early would most likely put me into the tail end of the morning commute. So, 22:30 me and the Unfortunates left, with sad heart, but excited minds for the journey ahead. I set my alarm for 04:45, finished packing by 2am, took a nap and woke up exactly when my body said to… 05:37. Looked at my phone and discovered that I did set the alarm—for pm, when the Unfortunates and I awakened from our nap—yesterday. Curses! It worked out for the best though; with good byes said we were back on the road at 06:45 and made OUTSTANDING time to San Diego airport to pick up Sailor Studman at 13:04. And no, this is no fart in the wind—the slowest we went in LA was 68 mph, on a Wednesday, which was not a holiday.

All this time, I was on hot standby for the Phone Call—the call from Newport, RI’s naval admin to say that the Dependent Entry Approval (DEA) came in. You know; the paper you need in order to actually PCS to a foreign country with your dependents? Of course it didn’t make it, but after only being with Sailorman for a total of 20 days since mid July of ’07, the Unfortunates and I could have cared less about some little sacred document like that… at least for the time being. After the meet’n greet, food and walking the dog, we all piled back into the van and said goodbye to Sailorman for his flight at 18:30 to Seattle. Sailorman and I did contemplate sending the girls with him since he did have their tickets and we were certain that the Navy would have the DEA by time they crossed the big puddle to Japan; then again it IS the Navy and we really weren’t in the mood to play Russian roulette. Sticking with Plan C,* we kissed the Sailor goodbye and planed to meet up with him no later than Sunday, Japan time.

*Plan A:
Unfortunates fly with Sailor Studman to Japan, I fly with Suicide-girl thanks to the Navy (who changed our orders) not accommodating our dog, which was written on our orders, on a Japanese airline and not on the MAC (Military Airlift Cattle/no, Command) Flight
Plan B:
Unfortunates fly with Sailor regardless of DEA (since this situation came to light Wednesday at ticket acquisition time).
Plan C:
We cash our chips and take it in the pocket for flying the Unfortunates with me and Sadie.

Thanks to Trish and Sarah, we all crashed at our second temp home, this time in San Diego, (were the next day at 4am I am awakened by Sailorman; the DEA did arrive, and he is about to board his flight to Japan in 2hrs.), where Friday, (after waiting for Suicide-girl’s Japanese import notification approval number) I purchased 1 adult and 2 children for the next day flight at the cost of $2,178. Saturday, after arranging for Trish (THANK-YOU) to take our van to a Gucci-like storage facility the next week; Suicide-girl (the dog), The Unfortunates, myself and Trish, drove to the airport. There at the AE commuter ticket counter, an hour and 45min till take off, it was discovered that the dog’s crate was too large. It fit the dimensions of the cargo door—EXACTLY; and I wasn’t in the mood to find whether or not the kennel would fit 2o minutes before take off. Oh the joy. After standing around and me too tired to argue, I quietly pointed out that I did call more than 4 separate times to ensure that the dog’s crate fit… measurements of paper are one thing, actual item is another. Since Suicide-girl was quiet, the kids were quiet (thanks to Nintendo DS’), and I was kind, patient and willing to work with them (like I had any other place to go), they really earned their paycheck and found us shuttle service (after a small kennel couldn’t be found via other airlines) to LAX for only the price of the dog $150. Not the $350 plus $150 for the dog. We left SAN at 10:10, our JAL flight leaves LAX at 13:20. I know, but what other immediate choice was there? I let the Universe have its way, and I joined whole heartedly into the organized chaos. Giving my trust to the ticketing agent which starts with a D, who said that we can make it in time, Carl--our driver and the dilapidated van, that of course had to be filled up with gas 20 minutes into transit; we were off.

FINALLY, arriving 40min before take off (mind you; this is an international flight out of the US), I jump out of the van and look at the three luggage porters that are just lounging there beside us, and say in a very urgent—do you really want to mess with me—tone, “Our plane is leaving in 40 min, where is the JAL counter? I have a large dog in the back with four pieces of luggage, we are military, permanently moving overseas today, WHERE is the JAL counter?!?” I looked them all in the eye, and had the two guys scrambling to help the Carl with luggage, and the lady ran with me and the kids to the closed front desk about 100 yd off. Fortunately, there were two JAL agents—manager and assistant—who immediately got to work when I said which plane we need to be on. Okay, so we could have lived if we missed that flight, but we worked our asses off to be ready, prepared and flexible, just to be jerked around—I was tired and not taking no, or “I’m sorry,” for an answer. The Porter chick who ran us to the counter and came back with our dog and luggage, demanded with a smile that we tip her as required. I only had a twenty left out of the $400 I took out of the ATM. Of course she didn't have $10 for change. Me thinking the bitch she had me cornered, saw the other two porters about to head back without asking for tip. So I gave them a heads up little shout of thankyou while flashing the $20 bill in the air and giving bitch-chick the tip with flare. I smiled as generously as I could and they waved back. I gave them the scent of blood... who knows what came of it.

Anyway, the manager did our paperwork, along with another assistant who materialized out of nowhere, while the original assistant took us and luggage, to the gigantic baggage scanner, ran us back to get our papers, passports; me hand over the $220 for dog; me sign here, here, and there; then the assistant ran us through the airport to the head of the line in security check, then run on to the flight’s gate. We made it, just as the last 30 or so passengers were boarding. Mad props to the assistant who ran the mad dash in three inch heels! Getting aboard and giving the head flight attendant our letter letting them know who we are and that our beloved family dog is coming too, please let us know when she is aboard. After getting seated and being told that we have, “Good news,” our mutt is aboard; I suddenly felt all the nights of little sleep come on. WE MADE IT!!! The plane could have gone down in flames of glory into the ocean; I would not have batted an eye—in fact I would not have lifted an eyelid. Why? Because, I had done everything in my power to complete my mission: to get the rest of this military family to the new duty station, in one piece and as relatively sane as possible. I did and we landed at 16:53 in Narita, Tokyo Japan, 27 April. Through customs and animal quarantine in less than 2 hours, we were in the van provided by the Navy with Sailor Studman along for the ride.
Konbon wa, yokoso Nippon!

Our OrdMod

Wondering how the family ended up in Japan before the 1 June, when most last saw of me, and I still had a, “few more weeks?” This is our tale, and I shall try to keep this in a few parts (mostly ‘cause I have much else to do). So sit back, send off that last email you have been working on, put YouTube on the back page, grab your computer snack and let me spin you a yard of our suddenly accelerated, journey to my family's new place of residence. 

 The OrdMod. 

 Monterey 10 April: 

 After the Unfortunates and I finished our good night read--me on the air mattress, them on the futon, lights out, my trusty Light Wedge and our good book; The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, by John Boyne. Goodnights already said via phone to Studman (in RI for training), I finished chatting with my mom about her new place and our plans to surprise the girls with our first family vacation (after 9yr of Marital Bliss) that was to be the whole Disney experience--3 days, 2 nights at the hotel in Disneyland--after Studman arrived on the 3 May, Oldest has First Communion on 4th we leave for San Diego the 5th and we do the Disney thing from the 6-9th then we chill and do sight seeing till Studman's final training started 12th. Yeah, I was excited. 11 April, 04:05hr: -Cue in ringing cell phone’s song, O’Mio Babbino.- Me yelling for Oldest to pick up the phone which is RIGHT by her as she plays Princess Peach on her DS. Time is always of essence since Verizon seems to randomly send calls immediately to voicemail after 3-5 seconds. Soprano voice is starting to reach crescendo; "Get the phone!" Still playing Princess Peach, Oldest seems to not have heard a word I said. I mad dash with murderous thoughts, to the couch and just as I reach the phone, it slips off... Suddenly feeling vibrations under head... my eyes pop open and the world is still very asleep. Shit, must get phone before girls wake up. Now the soprano’s really reaching her crescendo, grabbing the phone under pillow I mute it and answer, 

Me: eh-llo? 

Stdmn sounding very sober: Hey Dear, I got some news. 

Me thinking shit, They're sending us to Norfolk: Yes? 

Stdmn: I got an OrdMod. 

Me: Damn-it, they are sending us to Norfolk. 

Stdmn: No, that's what I thought too, but they did change my ship. 

Me: Really? So... we are still going to Japan? 

Stdmn: Yes, we are still going to Japan. 

Me: *sigh of relief since our stuff is already on its way, and we REALLY want Japan* 

Stdmn: The orders are for the Curtis Wilbur now.

Me: Really? It’s still in Japan? So... now what?

Stdmn: I don't know, but the ship has been trying to get a hold of me and the time difference has been a bitch. Right now it is Saturday morning over there and of course no one is around, so we won't know anything really until Sunday-Monday. I did receive word that I need to be there as soon as possible.

Me: Wow! Wow... oh wow... wow... wow. (brain now battles itself out of the fog of sleep) What do we do now?

Stdmn: Well, we wait. I got to get to Admin and change our travel arrangements. I hope I can finish out this school before I have to go. 

Me: Wow, okay... wow. 

Stdmn: Oh, Good morning, sorry I kind of forgot that. 

Me: *lol* What a morning! Well, tell them that we are bringing our dog. We have only one dog now and we are leaving much sooner, we can bring Sadie now with no temperature restrictions. 

Stdmn: Alright I'll get that in too. I got to go now, class is about to start. Call you later.

So, thus began our fast forward to Japan a good month and a half before we were to be there.

So This Is It...

The moment is nigh, the hour is near,
WE ARE GOING TO JAPAN!!!!
After all the Hurry Up and Wait, things really came through. It really paid to be prepared, persistent, patient and a bit pliable.

We were hung up with a sacred piece of paper called The Dependant Entry Approval, without that me and our two Unfortunate Souls cannot enter Japan to live with Hubby while he is stationed there. Of course after dropping everything and getting to San Diego to leave early as Uncle Sam dictated, the DEA was no where to be found in the world of electronic paper. It materialized 10hrs after the flight the Unfortunates were to take with Hubby. So Hubby had to go by himself. I nearly had mutiny over that, good thing for damage control drills with the girls, explaining what has transpired and the affects of such actions.

That was all good though, they just will have to fly with me and the dog of whom would not be accommodated by Uncle Sam, even after he was the one to move up our departure date to better suit the needs of the many, without the care of the few. Fortunately there were those who did care and BLESS them! They made the hoop jumping and tight rope walking bearable.

Next was the Notice of Importation of Domestic Dog approval number that was required for 3 of our dog's 15 or so pages of paper work. Could only get that after we had the DEA and then the plane tickets which we had to pay out of pocket for since Uncle Sam wouldn't see to our dog. Reserved the tickets with JAL--1 adult 2 children, one way, for the grand total of $2,178. Beautiful! It almost brought tears to my eyes. That was how much it was going to cost on average just to ship the dog as cargo if we took Uncle Sam's travel arrangements to get to our new home. After lots of calling and much trying not to think of what if there was no room for the dog on the flights we are reserved, I lived and found out that our dog was approved to fly on both planes (first flight is just a commuter the next is the international). So paid for the tickets, AND... oh happy day!!! The questionable importation number that I received 10 hours after faxing our request to Tokyo, was truly it... BIG BZ to Hubby for calling for me in Japan and confirming the number... Studman, I say that qualifies as a brownie points!

Now I sit here with twitching eyes, thanks to lack of sleep and allergies everything is packed and the x-large dog kennel is decked out in fancy art thanks to the Unfortunates and their darling friend Sarah. I shall post pics of it when I can. I am going to get some rest. We leave latter this morning and shall be in Japan by 17:00hr Sunday--08:00hrs Sunday California time... I think that is the right time for Cali... don't quote the tired brain.

much luv and warm fuzzies to ya all.