Halloween's done and over with for another year... Veterans' Day being the only holiday that's fixed (along with Christmas and Independence Day), it fell on a Thursday. The Legion post brought out the rifle squad (I didn't participate; my left shoulder's bothering me... I'll have to have it looked at over at the medical hobby shop) and participated in the wreath laying ceremony at Flagpole Hill. The night before, we fired up the smoker in the patio and began to smoke some brisket and pork butts (the intention was to make pulled pork, but somehow the pork didn't fall off the bone as expected) in preparation for a Veterans' Day picnic lunch/dinner for the island's veterans and active-duty military.
Our work wasn't even close to finished yet; we began preparations for our biannual Mongolian barbecue on Sunday the 14th. As usual, I prepared the sauces and oils for the event. We raised over $2100 for the Disabled American Veterans. Again, many compliments received for the chow. And we still had enough leftover chopped vegetables - all we had to do was get some more beef, pork and chicken - for Saturday night's 'supper for the drunk and wasted'. $8 a plate and it sold out quickly. Yours truly manned the grill Saturday night until the propane gas bottles ran out (around 11:30). I was tired as hell afterwards.
We also began construction of the bar extension - punching out a hole in the CMU wall and framing out a separate room for liquor storage - makes things easier for the bar staff to restock liquor without having to leave the immediate bar area.
Thanksgiving is already around the corner, and as usual, food shortages are the norm. Someone screwed up ordering again. The usual Thanksgiving spread at the PDR; most eat the crab legs and shrimp, since it isn't normally served on a daily basis. Combat shoppers are getting ready for our version of 'Black Friday'.
The diving community is up in arms over a temporary policy change to diving on Kwaj - no diving at all unless the recompression chamber is manned and available. Previously, diving was restricted to a maximum 50 foot depth whenever the chamber wasn't operating. USAKA and its bureaucracy rearing up its ugly head again... hopefully it'll get resolved to everyone's satisfaction.
Finally made my last payment to KRS Finance for my dentures. Bought my tickets for vacation back in Vegas around the March-April timeframe. My stateside car will be paid off in January, leaving me only credit cards and my student loan to pay off. And Christmas is around the corner...
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