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Comment by TamiD-ship02div904-12/17 on December 14, 2010 at 11:07am

At work with blue candle burning bright, phone glued to my side along with the tissue box very near......I leave EARLY tomorrow morning to start my drive toward Great Lakes!!!!  I haven't slept a good nights sleep in a few days so lets hope adrenaline kicks in and the weather is all in our favor!!!!  Can't wait to meet you all and give my SAILOR the biggest hug EVER!!!  <3

Comment by Betsy, mom of Stennis sailor on December 14, 2010 at 11:04am

I have been crying all morning reading all of the wonderful heartfelt comments.  ((hugs)) to all of you. 

Comment by kathy on December 14, 2010 at 11:03am

Good Morning to Everyone!  I am so anxious to hear from my sailor right now that I think I have to go out and run out the anxiety.  Too much nervous energy and I just can't focus. 

Thank you all for your support and answers to so many questions.  My only regret is that I did not find out about this site sooner!!  When my son joined the Navy, I had no idea that we were all so joining the Navy and I am very proud to be a part of it.  Thank you for the wonderful posts and friendship.  I hope to meet you all some time in the near future. If you are ever in the San Francisco area, please let me know.  So far, we are here to stay. 

So, everyone drive, or fly safely this week and enjoy the PIR.  My husband will be there with my brother to support and celebrate with my son.  All the best to you.  You are an outstanding group of ladies!!!!

Now, I just need that all important call. . . . . . . . .

 

Comment by Betsy, mom of Stennis sailor on December 14, 2010 at 11:02am

Wendi, Your dad is in my thoughts and prayers.    ((hugs))

Lala, thank you for all the safety tip and safe driving advice.  

To all you wonderful ladies,  I just can' wait to hear about the "I'm A Sailor" calls.  Woohoo!  We are just about there!  

Comment by TysMomKY on December 14, 2010 at 10:59am

Functioning on 2 hours of sleep!   My friends at work told me I would have to drink some energy drinks to keep me up for the drive but I told them I would be on a natural buzz!    Wendi, I sure hope everything works out with your dad.   You are blessed to still have him.  I had to say goodbye to my daddy 6 years and 8 months ago.  

I am so excited for our sailors but pretty excited for us too!   I would have never imagined this site would be so helpful to me through this process.  Our messages about seeing our recruits off, and scrambling to get their addresses so we could send out all the letters we had written...some even before they were gone.  Then the receipt of the "form letter" and learning what ship/division they were in. Then WE became ONE!  The stress over receiving "the box" was shared here and that was when I first realized that WE were all in the same boat and in this together!  Even looking back on days when I was frustrated because I didn't get a call or letter, I found that it was you all that I came to, because there were others here experiencing the same thing.  And now, here we all are, travel plans made and confirmed (FINALLY!) and ready to hit the road to see our sailors graduate!   What an experience they have been through that they will tell us all about!   What our sailors didn't anticipate was that by their choice, we have formed newfound friendships as well and we have stories too!   So I ditto the "thank you" to my recruit for bringing you all into my days!   My life is surely blessed many times over with each of you!  We may not have exchanged personal messages here, or may miss one another at the Meet & Greet, but I assure you that each of your post have carried me through yet another day until I see my sailor.  I thank each of you for these times...and hope we share more!    We can now start counting by hours, instead of weeks and months, friends!    Looks like we've made it!    Good luck to each and every one of you and your Sailors! 

Comment by Lala Ribbon Queen PIR Ribbons on December 14, 2010 at 10:51am

Winterize Your Car

Driving in the winter means snow, sleet and ice that can lead to slower traffic, hazardous road conditions, hot tempers and unforeseen dangers. To help you make it safely through winter, here are some suggestions from the National Safety Council to make sure that you and your vehicle are prepared.

Weather
At any temperature -- 20° Fahrenheit below zero or 90° Fahrenheit above -- weather affects road and driving conditions and can pose serious problems. It is important to monitor forecasts on the Web, radio, TV, cable weather channel, or in the daily papers.

Your Car
Prepare your car for winter. Start with a checkup that includes:

• Checking the ignition, brakes, wiring, hoses and fan belts.
• Changing and adjusting the spark plugs.
• Checking the air, fuel and emission filters, and the PCV valve.
• Inspecting the distributor.
• Checking the battery.
• Checking the tires for air, sidewall wear and tread depth.
• Checking antifreeze levels and the freeze line.

Your car should have a tune-up (check the owner's manual for the recommended interval) to ensure better gas mileage, quicker starts and faster response on pick-up and passing power.

Necessary Equipment
An emergency situation on the road can arise at any time and you must be prepared. In addition to making sure you have the tune-up, a full tank of gas, and fresh anti-freeze, you should carry the following items in your trunk:

• Properly inflated spare tire, wheel wrench and tripod-type jack
• Shovel
• Jumper cables
• Tow and tire chains
• Bag of salt or cat litter
• Tool kit

Essential Supplies
Be prepared with a "survival kit" that should always remain in the car. Replenish after use. Essential supplies include:

• Working flashlight and extra batteries
• Reflective triangles and brightly-colored cloth
• Compass
• First aid kit
• Exterior windshield cleaner
• Ice scraper and snow brush
• Wooden stick matches in a waterproof container
• Scissors and string/cord
• Non-perishable, high-energy foods like unsalted canned nuts, dried fruits, and hard candy.

In addition, if you are driving long distances under cold, snowy, and icy conditions, you should also carry supplies to keep you warm such as heavy woolen mittens, socks, a cap and blankets.

If You Become Stranded...

• Do not leave your car unless you know exactly where you are, how far it is to possible help, and are certain you will improve your situation.
  
  
• To attract attention, light two flares and place one at each end of the car a safe distance away. Hang a brightly colored cloth from your antenna.
  
  
• If you are sure the car's exhaust pipe is not blocked, run the engine and heater for about 10 minutes every hour or so depending upon the amount of gas in the tank.
  
  
• To protect yourself from frostbite and hypothermia use the woolen items and blankets to keep warm.
  
  
• Keep at least one window open slightly. Heavy snow and ice can seal a car shut.
  
  
• Eat a hard candy to keep your mouth moist.

Comment by Lala Ribbon Queen PIR Ribbons on December 14, 2010 at 10:49am

Driving safely on icy roads

1. Decrease your speed and leave yourself plenty of room to stop. You should allow at least three times more space than usual between you and the car in front of you.
2. Brake gently to avoid skidding. If your wheels start to lock up, ease off the brake.
3. Turn on your lights to increase your visibility to other motorists.
4. Keep your lights and windshield clean.
5. Use low gears to keep traction, especially on hills.
6. Don't use cruise control or overdrive on icy roads.
7. Be especially careful on bridges, overpasses and infrequently traveled roads, which will freeze first. Even at temperatures above freezing, if the conditions are wet, you might encounter ice in shady areas or on exposed roadways like bridges.
8. Don't pass snow plows and sanding trucks. The drivers have limited visibility, and you're likely to find the road in front of them worse than the road behind.
9. Don't assume your vehicle can handle all conditions. Even four-wheel and front-wheel drive vehicles can encounter trouble on winter roads.

If your rear wheels skid...

1. Take your foot off the accelerator.
2. Steer in the direction you want the front wheels to go. If your rear wheels are sliding left, steer left. If they're sliding right, steer right.
3. If your rear wheels start sliding the other way as you recover, ease the steering wheel toward that side. You might have to steer left and right a few times to get your vehicle completely under control.
4. If you have standard brakes, pump them gently.
5. If you have anti-lock brakes (ABS), do not pump the brakes. Apply steady pressure to the brakes. You will feel the brakes pulse — this is normal.

If your front wheels skid...

1. Take your foot off the gas and shift to neutral, but don't try to steer immediately.
2. As the wheels skid sideways, they will slow the vehicle and traction will return. As it does, steer in the direction you want to go. Then put the transmission in "drive" or release the clutch, and accelerate gently.

If you get stuck...

1. Do not spin your wheels. This will only dig you in deeper.
2. Turn your wheels from side to side a few times to push snow out of the way.
3. Use a light touch on the gas, to ease your car out.
4. Use a shovel to clear snow away from the wheels and the underside of the car.
5. Pour sand, kitty litter, gravel or salt in the path of the wheels, to help get traction.
6. Try rocking the vehicle. (Check your owner's manual first — it can damage the transmission on some vehicles.) Shift from forward to reverse, and back again. Each time you're in gear, give a light touch on the gas until the vehicle gets going.

Comment by Lala Ribbon Queen PIR Ribbons on December 14, 2010 at 10:49am

I am so excited for all of you. My thoughts and prayers are with you now as you receive your calls from your SAILORS. I hope and pray there is a break in the weather and you all have an easy travel experience. For those of you who are driving please check the conditions of the roads in route often. Leave earlier if possible and keep your tank full. If you get stuck in a traffic jam in the snow you want your tank to be full so fill up often and never go below a half tank of gas. Take extra blankets or sleeping bags, hand warmers and lots of extra snacks. I will post some travel tips that may be helpful. Just please be careful. We want you all to arrive safely and have a great time with your sailor and  for you all to come home safely as well. My blue candle is going strong for all your divisions each night. Have a great time.

Comment by Wendi, CTR mom on December 14, 2010 at 10:43am

We have 100 members now. That is so  exciting. Welcome everybody! Hopefully you will all join the alumni group as well so we can continue our friendship.

Comment by Lori_KingsBay_USSRI_Radio on December 14, 2010 at 10:33am

I'm so excited for our members with newborn Sailors today - I feel your excitment and anxiousness!  Can hardly contain myself and focus on my job today and my SR didn't even do BS last night!

I ditto many of the posts made in the last couple of days - your virtual friendship has been a God send to me and I'm so thankful for this site and its support.  What I didn't expect when I joined this site is the amazing friendships I would develop from all over the U.S.  I hope to meet many of you Thursday at M&G and move the virtual friendship to a true face-to-face meeting. 

The diligent management of the information flow by Betsy has been beyond efficient - thank you so much!  Your dedication to ensuring each of us is taken care of shows us you are a person of tremendous character and goodness!  Love ya Betsy!  The support by our senior N4M's has been thoughtful and meaningful beyon words.  I know the time it takes me to keep up on reading posts so I know your committment level is huge and to lend your insights and support beyond your own BC experience is something I know I'm grateful for - thank you!

Keeping this site up behind by computer work all day long to see those firsts posts on hearing "I'm a Sailor."  ((Hugs)) to each of you!

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