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There's No Place Like Home, There's No Place Like Home...

The motto all Army spouses live by!

There is no place like home.  We've been so privileged to make Kansas, Fort Riley, and Quarters One our home and be a small part of the history of the First Infantry Division. As we embark on our 17th move in 30 years I can't help but think of how grateful I am for our many, many blessings.

 I chose to add sunflowers to the traditional red rose bouquet given to the outgoing commander's spouse.

Kansas is truly the heart of America. I’ve never met people quite like those in Junction City, Manhattan and the surrounding towns. These are communities that love their military families and Soldiers.  If others in our nation have let their interest in the military and the war in Afghanistan wane, that is definitely NOT  the case in the Flint Hills. Pride and patriotism are alive and very well in the Sunflower state.

Sweet farewell notes saved in a hat box, thank you! 

My tenure at Fort Riley was made all the more wonderful because of the senior spouses known as the Victory Group.  Beth, Polly, Sherri, Frances, Sandy, Andrea, Sue, and Donna. Your capacity for giving to the community, and to each other, is boundless.  Together you have over 230 years of Army experience and I have been the grateful recipient of your wisdom and knowledge…thank you for being my friends!

One of our many adventures!

Frances, my battle buddy, we’ve literally traversed the country together. We have cursed, cried, and laughed a lot. And then laughed a whole lot more. You are always up for an adventure and I’m glad to have tagged along.

You are true and loyal and there are no words to tell you what you mean to me, my friend. 

Division Change of Command May 22, 2013

 The grand old house known affectionately as Quarters One is empty, the keys no longer in our possession. The farewells have been said and the flags have been passed. We are already on our way to a new adventure in this Army life. I am definitely going to miss Kansas and all of the dear friends I've made.  
But the sun rose over Fort Riley this morning, business as usual.  Life went on without missing a beat despite our absence...
just the way it is supposed to.
When I think of our time at Fort Riley and Quarters One, I am reminded of Charles Dickens who wrote "It was the best of times, it was the...."  oh wait, who am I kidding?
It was just the best of times.
Thanks for sharing this adventure with me, 'Til we meet again...
Duty First!

1 Barry Avenue

Danger 6 (Whiskey)
Out

  

Wishing You a Peaceful New Year

Happy New Year and Peace on earth from Quarters One!

Military families and Soldiers wish for peace more than anyone else in the world. I'm no exception. As an  Army spouse, and mother of two Soldiers, my fervent wish for the New Year is that there be Peace on Earth.
I truly believe that peace begins at home, in our own backyards and neighborhoods. That's why I am always surprised when I hear military spouses bickering, gossiping, and being generally unsupportive of each other. Our husbands, wives, sons, and daughters are fighting and dying in Afghanistan and still there are those who seem to care more about who passed who without saying hello or who didn't attend a function someone thought important.
"Let there be peace on Earth and let it begin with me" goes the 1955 song.  Let peace begin with us by thinking before we speak, tweet, post, or write an email criticizing someone. No matter how much we think we know...we can never truly understand the path someone has traveled to bring them to the place they are today. From simple observation, or living in close proximity, there may be no indications as to who might be fighting for their lives, caring for elderly parents, dealing with a death in their family.  We can have no idea who may be bearing financial burdens or dealing with emotional trauma.
We have no idea why someone makes the decisions to be somewhere or do something we don't understand.
I am not immune to the criticism of others. And, truthfully, I'm not innocent of judging others either. But, I have learned a lot from a lifetime as a military spouse and one of the biggest lessons I've learned is this: no matter what we think we know about another person, we can never know everything, and we have absolutely no right to stand in judgement of anyone.
Fortunately, more often than not, I see countless spouses build each other up and support one another.  I see them forgive each other, love each other, and come together as family in this crazy Army life. They are ready with a bottle of wine, a shoulder, whispers of encouragement, or just a hug. I see so many spouses speak kindly and thoughtfully...and lead by quiet, positive example.  These actions do not go unnoticed.
But, if you are one of the few that don't have it, I wish for you a peace that "passes all understanding".
That you may love your neighbor, accept them with all of their faults, and embrace your differences. I wish that you will think twice, and then once more, before you form an opinion of anyone and unleash a judgment that can not be taken back. "Water and words, easy to pour but impossible to recover".

Let there be peace on Earth and let it begin right here with all of us.
'Til next time...

Happy New Year, Duty First!

(You can follow Quarters One on Facebook at www.facebook.com/QuartersOne)

Quarters One Christmas Tour of Homes 2012

A Christmas welcome from the Big Red One!

Deck the halls with boughs and boughs of birch and cypress branches! Coming on the heels of a wonderful RandR, and Thanksgiving with all of my children, I was hard pressed to be motivated to decorate for Christmas. I really just wanted to make like Rip Van Winkle and sleep away the rest of the deployment. But...instead of wrapping myself in Christmas lights and drinking vodka while crying to Christmas tunes... I enlisted the help of my friend, Rob and VOILA!  A Christmas decorating miracle! It's amazing what can be done with  birch branches and fresh greenery.  Imagination, along with zip ties, wire, and ribbon held it all together. We used everything fresh outside and fabulous faux greenery inside.  

This sweet reindeer was just passing through but he was a great touch to  our decor!

 The outdoor light fixture was stunning!

Another view of the porch light.

This was really my excuse for not wanting to vacuum on this side...

Everything on the porch got touch of fresh greenery.

 Naughty or Nice, I'm still trying to decide...

Our theme this year was Woodsy Glam.
lots of natural elements mixed in with silver, velvet, and crystal.

 I love to decorate with these old snow shoes.

We had the same Christmas decor on our stairs for the past 7 years, it was time to change it up and we did! The birdhouse added a touch of whimsy and accentuated our outdoor theme.

One of the five fireplaces in Q1...this tile came from Italy and symbolizes our much loved 173d Airborne Brigade.

This fireplace is reserved for Santa!

A little angel reading a "book" we added a few pages of our own to make it a Christmas story.

Italian stockings made by my friend, Aly. The painting is a Rembrandt reproduction found at a market in Italy, he reminds me a little of St. Nick!

A snapshot of our collection of snowmen and Santas from all around the world.

'Tis the season to be Joyful! We decorated both sets of dining room chairs.

 Found these great reindeer candle holders at Tuesday Morning one year.

We staged the dining room table to look like a New Year's Eve buffet!

The dining room sideboard.

An ornament given to me by a German friend.

My very favorite room! An antique corbel makes a great centerpiece and the oyster shells are votive holders.

Over sized sugar bowls serve as mini soup tureens.

We've used the "Duty First" ribbon a lot! It came from StationaryStudio.com.

 More corbels (I love them!) act as bookends for our favorite Christmas books.

This is the island in the kitchen and it is where we always eat when it's just the two of us. The Big Red One glasses belong to Quarters One.

We moved this desk into the kitchen from the living room, it really "cozied" up the big space!

We had over 200 visitors on the Tour of Homes, our Historical Society did a magnificent job!

There goes Leigh, our HASFR president and the head docent for the day at Quarters One. I loved the period costume she wore, it added a great touch to the event. For more Christmas pictures of Quarters One visit us at www.facebook.com/Quartersone!

'Til next time....Merry Christmas!

Duty First!

Brown Dog

Camy

She came tumbling out of a box of six small puppies on the front lawn of Campground Methodist Church in Fayetteville, NC. Some blond, some black, and one feisty brown and red.  She couldn't have been more than 4 pounds of fluff. Her owner said she was almost 6 weeks old, a mix between and long-haired Dachshund and a Pomeranian. They named her "Juliette" but we called her Camy. An acronym of sorts for my children Chas, Andrew, Margie. (The 'y' came later since all names seem cuter with a 'y' at the end.) For some reason, Bill always called her "Brown Dog".

We brought  Camy home and she quickly won us all over...except maybe our black lab, Tinley, who was not quite sure what to make of this ball of energy. Camy ruled the roost. I think she firmly believed she was also a black lab and acted accordingly. Chasing much larger neighborhood dogs and other creatures, she was fearless. She was also full of joy. She loved the woods, the ocean (she was a great swimmer) and kept up with her much larger companion with out a misstep.  She always seemed thoroughly  mortified if anyone picked her up. She would get this look on her sweet face that said "You know I'm a black lab, right?"  We even started to tell everyone that's what she was!

She loved to swim

Always looking for the next adventure

She was a great traveler, as all Army Brats are.  We moved with Camy and Tinley to Newport, RI then to Vicenza, Italy and next to Stuttgart, Germany.  We lost Tinley in Germany. She went down quickly which I guess was a blessing. We mourned for her...all of us, including Camy, who seemed to looked for her everywhere.  

When we moved back to NC Camy was 10 years old. Her little face starting to gray but mind and body still behaving like a puppy. She would run for golf balls, leap after squirrels, bark at the doorbell, and welcome anyone into the house with unconditional love. 

The children went to college, Bill deployed, and she was my constant companion. She would jump happily into my Mini Cooper and we would take off to visit friends and family.

In February of 2012 she turned 14 and I could tell her hearing wasn't as sharp but her spirit was going strong. Bill  deployed again and I was grateful to have this pup here at Quarters One.  She was a small dog but she had enough energy to fill up  9,000 square feet of old house.

Ever watchful on the porch at Quarters One

For Camy, the end came quickly, too. Our veterinarian, Dr. Casey Thomas, was caring and kind.  To be alone and have to make the decision to let my old girl go was the hardest, and saddest, decision of my life. The final day of summer I said good-bye.

 I miss her boundless joy and her happiness for just being alive. I miss her companionship and devotion. I spent more time with Camy in the past 14 years than I have with my husband. I literally walk around  Quarters One crying shoulder shaking sobs. My heart is broken and my soul is bruised. Her bed sits empty, I can't bear to move it since it still has the imprint of her little body the last time she lay there. Her ashes are tucked safely in a small box and someday, when we go home, we'll free them unto the places she loved the most.
I  swear the night I brought them home I heard the tip tapping of her little paws on our hardwood floors, ever so briefly, just to say goodbye before she ran off after a new adventure.

My sweet friend, I will always miss you I feel blessed to have loved and been loved by you

Thank you to my amazing group of neighbors, friends and family who understand what it means to lose a pet who is so dear to your heart...I sincerely thank you for your support.
'Til Next Time...Duty First

La Bella Luce

"Every lock should have a key and every key should have a tassel"

A tassel from Venice hangs on an armoire we bought in Germany
(Quarters One annex)

My dear friend, Aly, said this to me once as we whirled through a fabric market in Piazzola sul Brenta, Italy.  Quarters One, with it's French country and Italian villa decor, is partially the result of my long friendship with this fiery Cuban chick from Miami. I love her and her sense of style. Her amazing taste in decor and talent for entertaining makes her a remarkable woman.  Aly can turn any plain set of  quarters into something out of Home Beautiful overnight. Did I mention she is the wife of a deployed Soldier and taking great care of the families in their unit? Raising two children? And managing her shop "La Bella Luce" in Clifton, VA from Italy where they are stationed? Army Wife extraordinaire!

On Main Street in historic Clifton, VA
Pronounced La Bella LOO-CHAY meaning beautiful light

I don't think Aly even remembers saying the line above to me.  I think about it constantly as a metaphor for taking the most simple of things or spaces and making them beautiful.  Big or small, military quarters or a simple apartment, your space should tell your story in your own way.
 And don't put it off. Today is your day.
Here are some photos from La Bella Luce which always gives me great inspiration (not to mention unique treasures)  for much of Quarters One.  Stop in the next time you're on Main Street in Clifton for a good idea or a great find, you won't regret it.  If you can't get to the market in Piazzola sul Brenta then this is the next best thing!

Take ordinary and make it extraordinary
(and a chandelier is never out of place)

La Bella Luce's venue is an historic home, it makes it all the more fun to shop and get ideas

Italian wine jugs known as  damigiana (s)

Love this cucina

Another kitchen view

Sweet dreams

Even the bathroom is full of vintage finds

For more photos of historic Quarters One and La Bella Luce visit us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/QuartersOne
'Til next time...
Duty First!