Vacation Aftermath

I feel a bit like the Peter Iredale right about now.  I've been trying to get my bank statement and checking account to balance.  Normally this isn't such a stressful task however, this vacation proved to be the one that broke my proverbial last straw.

Not one but two discrepancies in the account.  I keep all the receipts.  First one was finally resolved.  We had been charged for our meal and an additional amount nearly double what our meal was, indicating that another table got their meal for free. 

Second discrepancy was found this morning.  Gas fill ups take a while to clear the account and finally this morning they all showed up.  Again I keep my receipts.  I found an error of $8.00.  I'm not happy.  I called up the gas station on our military installation where the purchase was made.  The manager gave me a number to call and complain as it seems that this happens quite often.  She said to be patient as the number is quite busy and indeed it is.  Meanwhile I called my bank and filed a dispute for the amount. 

J is back to his cranky self.  It didn't take long.  He started to get cranky the last morning and it took all my energy to come up with things to do to take his mind off his impending deployment and tooth extractions.  It didn't work of course, the grouch returned.  This morning his face is still swollen on just one side so he is headed back to the dentist to find out why.  He has to head over for some details on his deployment today too.  I realize that he is supposed to be grouchy but I don't have to like it.  Soldiers are always grouchy before they deploy.  Its really a wall of protection that they put up in place to prevent them from getting too emotional about their families.  We don't like the wall and they don't like it but it has to be there.  If he is continuously thinking about how bad things are for me here at home he can't concentrate on his job while deployed.  So for now I'm just going to have to suck it up and realize that he has to be a bit of a jerk right now, he doesn't like it either.

Less than 1 % of the population of the United States will voluntarily serve in the US Military.  Of those that serve the majority are in their early 20's and unmarried.  There is a good reason for that, most of them can't afford to have a family.  It was still the policy back when my dad served to not let a soldier of a rank lower than E-5 to marry without the permission of his commander and there had to be a darn good reason why he had to get married.  Most soldiers serving today are E-4 and below and really and truly there is no way they can afford to get married and start their families on what is dished out for pay.  But some do it and I applaud their efforts to keep their families together.

So I'm ever more thoughtful and concerned about the status of my family today.  I'm thinking that perhaps going on clomid for our last cycle wasn't such a good idea.  I realize that clomid brings with a lot of emotional changes and with J not being in the best of moods of late this might cause a bit more shouting matches with less rational thinking.  Don't worry it never gets beyond name calling.

I'm still hoping that we can squeeze in one more mini holiday before he leaves.  He wanted to see the northwestern most corner of the continental US before he leaves.  We have listed a three day on the calendar due to a DONSA but J already stated he wouldn't be getting the day off.  I mentioned that we could still escape over night, just one night away.  He needs the escape from his stress right now.  He had a massage on Tuesday and he was so tight from all the stress.  Maybe I could just book him another massage?