Air Force

DC Red Cross “Salute to Service” Gala

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Another exciting weekend here in the National Capital Region. I got to attend the Red Cross DC gala. Hubby hates getting dressed up but I simply love it. I think it’s wonderful to get into a gown and walk around in heels all night. Alright, maybe I’m lying about that last part but I do love getting fancy.

So back to the gala. My girlfriend works for the Red Cross and she needed more bodies to fill the seats for their “Salute to Service” event. So I informed hubby that he would be wearing his mess dress and taking me out on Saturday night.

During the open bar cocktail hour, there was an auction to look at. There were sports memorabilia, vacation packages, wine gift bags as well as military items. My spouse ended up bidding on a beautiful piece of airplane nose art. The artist was on hand to answer any questions we had. Hubby lost the auction because someone didn’t bother bidding, they just used the “Buy it now” option. I thought we dodged that bullet but he took the artist’s brochure so now we can have one custom-made (yay us!).

The gala was eye-opening. I had forgotten all the areas that the Red Cross covers. They participate in blood drives, disaster relief and classes. One speaker updated us on how devastating the California wildfires were. From 10 minutes earlier! Technology is cool!

There are amazing people who donate not only their time but their money too. Blood drives are in high demand right now. The hurricanes made the need great but having the California wildfires increased that exponentially, especially since all those planned blood drives on the West Coast had to be cancelled because of their own tragedy.

So donate your blood, donate your time, donate your money. The Red Cross and America needs you.

Kansas City Here I Come!

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On Thursday, hubby and I headed out to every vacation lovers dream destination-Kansas City, KS. I know, I know, you are super jealous. But we had a specific reason to go out there. A good friend of ours was getting promoted. If you know anything about the military, then you know that getting promoted is a big deal. And this promotion was a HUGE affair; he was pinning on Colonel. He would be a “full bird”. That’s what we call it when someone achieves that rank.

We’ve known Pumba and his wife, Hobbes, for 18 years. And if you’ve been following me, then you know that he’s been mentioned in one of my articles. He is a character but in a good way. Every time we see him, he makes us laugh; there is never a dull moment when he is around.

He asked my husband to do the ceremony so of course he said, “yes!” It is an honor we can’t say no to. While it is a solemn occasion, with Pumba, nothing is serious.

The weekend didn’t disappoint. The Alvarado’s are the consummate hosts. But where there are Pumba’s, there is alcohol. Along with that is a ton of great conversation, friendship, and food.

Friday, the day of the ceremony, came early. We headed over to Fort Leavenworth. That was a treat too. I hadn’t been to (or through) Kansas in many years. And I’d never been to Leavenworth. The fall foliage was amazing. It seriously reminded me of New England where I grew up. The colors on the trees were bright and vibrant. The town was quaint. It is great to see old downtown areas revitalized.

The ceremony took place on a building on campus. Pumba’s classmates were there in droves. So were friends and family from out-of-town. My spouse (I think) did a wonderful job.

Once the proper portion was over, the party could re-begin. Hobbes had made so much Mexican food. It was delicious. The music was blaring and the conversation flowed. Even the bonfire was going well.

And we didn’t get to bed until 2AM. That’s what I call a successful party!