Fair Winds and Following Seas.....

This is how you bid farewell to a sailor when they are departing, today we said this to Chuck's old ship. The USS Nashville, LPD 13 was decommissioned today. Its amazing how much I hated that ship at times when he was on it. Mostly because it kept us apart, but also because the damn thing broke down so often. Yet today, I could not help but get a little choked up to see the rails manned for the last time. To see the crew disembark one last time. They will go off to different commands, my own husband already had moved on a few years ago. Today we saw some people we knew from a few years ago, their hair is a little longer, and a little grayer but they fondly said hello. On this day, when hello and goodbye were said at the same time.

The USS Nashville, LPD 13 was first commissioned on February 14, 1970 and decommissioned today September 30, 2009. The ship had 39 plus years, and I know each inch of that ship could tell a story if it could talk. I know there are parts of GSK (my hubby's old shop) that could talk *ahem* and probably tell a story of its own or two. (NO NO NO not sex!! not on the ship I swear! but he used to hide out, smoke when he was not supposed to, sleep probably when he was not supposed to, and well I am sure there was porn involved (hey.. he's a guy.. and sometimes it gets lonely ;o)~ lol)

During our one deployment while that ship was gone, I sent that man a few letters (214) yep. you are thinking "how long was he gone?" four months. I wrote every day sometimes 3 or 4 times a day. When I went in to mail about 10 cards to him, the postal worker said "really? how many do you mail him each day?" I looked at her and smiled and said "Did you notice we did not have a postal increase this year?" she replied "Yes" I said "you're welcome" :o)~ For my 214 letters I got 12 in return .. hey male to female ratio I think that makes us about even doesn't it? I sent him care packages (3 of them) he sent me some in return ( a shirt, a hat, 2 pens, and a really cool candle holder that was a ying and yang) my poor spouse got in so much trouble with other men on the ship.. because he was "making them look bad" Good for him ;o)~ oh wait! he sent me flowers twice too (I think it was the last time I got flowers from him), once for mothers day and once for Valentines day. Hmm maybe i need to deploy him again.. he was so sweet then.

There was the trip the ship had to New Orleans, to help with Mardi Gras (read as: to get drunk daily and party like it was 1999). Chuck called me one day "baby I am going out with Jim and Shane (two irish men.. TWO drinkers.) I was nervous. I said have fun. My next phone call 15 mintues later "I just wanted to call and tell you I looooovvvvveeee you" how many drinks have you had "Just a couple of shots" ok... I love you too honey" then i told him "I am gonna go take a shower honey call me later ok?" he replies "ok baby I loooovvveeee you" I get my stuff head to the shower.. i am there no more then 15 minutes.. the phone rings again "Hi baby.. do you know how much I looovvvveee you" me giggling "Yes honey.. i really do want to shower" him "oh ok I will talk to you later i love you" we hang up. my next call 15 minutes later Shane calls me "Hey Tricia, its Shane we are gonna take him back to the ship" Yep, my husband the heavyweight :o)~ lol he called me later, he was fine he slept it off, I am still not 100% What all he drank that day but suffice to say I would bet it was a LOT. :o)~

So while we say goodbye, our memories are forever... with fondness we bid the USS Nashville a fond farewell and wish her fair winds and following seas.