Good News/Bad News

I took a 7-minute walk this morning from the Naval Lodge that has been our home since August 12 over to the Incoming Personal Property Office. Because we now know where our on-base housing assignment is, that office has to be informed so that the navy knows where to deliver our personal goods that are en route to Japan from the States.

The knowledge that our things are en route is the good news. We have been living out of our suitcases at the Naval Lodge since we arrived. The bad news is that the estimated time of arrival for our things is on October 6. That's a long time. Until then, our apartment will be furnished with the bare minimums on loan from the navy.

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FYI - The official name of this place is Commander Fleet Activities, Yokosuka, Japan (CFAY). Their website (http://www.cfay.navy.mil/) states, "Our mission is to maintain and operate base facilities for the logistic, recreational, administrative support and service of the U.S. Naval Forces Japan, U.S. SEVENTH Fleet and other operating forces forward-deployed in the Western Pacific." The base comprises 568 acres and is located 43 miles south of Tokyo at the entrance of Tokyo Bay and approximately 18 miles south of Yokohama.

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Melba says that out of an elementary faculty of 100, thirty are new to The Sullivans Elementary School this year. We have met so many friendly and helpful people. The vets are very sympathetic to all the newcomers and can't do enough to help us settle in.

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I am an old-timer here. Everyone is so young, and I see so many families with little kids. It is as if every time a ship comes in into port the married sailors put another bun in the oven. Many of these sailors have taken these beautiful Asian exotics for brides. There's a lot of mixed blood around here producing very beautiful children.

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I have a lot of time on my hands today so I passed a couple of hours outside on the back staircase of the Naval Lodge with a book. Occasionally, I would take my eyes off the page to watch the ship traffic on Tokyo Bay. It helps a little. August in Yokosuka, Japan is hot and humid. The weather reminds me of Corpus Christi. When it gets too uncomfortable outside I find refuge in the lodge's Internet lounge.

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