General Discussion Thread

[Wolfman]

Okay, I was wrong.

[Poohbah]

Okay, I was wrong.

There probably was a school in Kentucky that had a similar experience.

Developers and freshly acquired government land always seem to end up with seriously sketchy things happening for some odd reason.

[jemhouston]

I'd almost say the developers should be taken out and shot, but getting stoned to death by the families hurt sounds better. Then put their heads on pikes.

[Wolfman]

How’s everyone’s Thanksgiving going?

[jemhouston]

So far so good

[Poohbah]

Turkey is going into the oven at 0900, uncovered for first hour to let the skin crisp up, then covering for the remaining four hours.

Tiffany and Cindy are here, as are Kim, her wife Valerie, and the newest addition to the Mantell family, Zachary Joshua Mantell. His adoption just became finalized last month after the Oklahoma State Supreme Court declined to hear the biological father's case, which was Grade-A BS. They've been foster parenting him since February 2022. He is an amazingly sweet kid, and he's thriving under the care of Kim and Valerie. I am once again happy to be called "Grandpa."

Air Force is playing Boise State on the Smurf Turf in about an hour and a half. Most of my professional peers are ring-knockers, but I am loyally cheering for my Alma Mater, GO BRONCOS!

Roberta, Tiffany,, and Kim are wearing their UCI Aardvarks Football T-shirts, noting that UCI is undefeated in football 58 years running.

Life is good.

[Wolfman]

I sense a story behind your newest grandson, Poohbah…

[Poohbah]

I sense a story behind your newest grandson, Poohbah…

Biological father vehemently denied the kid was his. Child was placed in foster care because mom was utterly overwhelmed (she had her own issues and voluntarily relinquished custody immediately after birth). Kim and Valerie agreed to be foster parents, kid thrives, they file to adopt.

Biological father finds out "his" son was going to be raised by "a couple of man-hating dykes," and does everything he can to try to stop the adoption. The circuit court noted that he had denied being the father, and had VOLUNTARILY relinquished all claim to parental rights PRIOR to the child's birth.

Mostly it just kept Zach's final adoption status in limbo for a year. But Kim and Valerie are suing the opposing counsel to recover at least some of the money they had to spend on attorneys.

[Wolfman]

I sense a story behind your newest grandson, Poohbah…

Biological father vehemently denied the kid was his. Child was placed in foster care because mom was utterly overwhelmed (she had her own issues and voluntarily relinquished custody immediately after birth). Kim and Valerie agreed to be foster parents, kid thrives, they file to adopt.

Biological father finds out "his" son was going to be raised by "a couple of man-hating dykes," and does everything he can to try to stop the adoption. The circuit court noted that he had denied being the father, and had VOLUNTARILY relinquished all claim to parental rights PRIOR to the child's birth.

Mostly it just kept Zach's final adoption status in limbo for a year. But Kim and Valerie are suing the opposing counsel to recover at least some of the money they had to spend on attorneys.

I hope the courts side with them.

[Poohbah]

I sense a story behind your newest grandson, Poohbah…

Biological father vehemently denied the kid was his. Child was placed in foster care because mom was utterly overwhelmed (she had her own issues and voluntarily relinquished custody immediately after birth). Kim and Valerie agreed to be foster parents, kid thrives, they file to adopt.

Biological father finds out "his" son was going to be raised by "a couple of man-hating dykes," and does everything he can to try to stop the adoption. The circuit court noted that he had denied being the father, and had VOLUNTARILY relinquished all claim to parental rights PRIOR to the child's birth.

Mostly it just kept Zach's final adoption status in limbo for a year. But Kim and Valerie are suing the opposing counsel to recover at least some of the money they had to spend on attorneys.

I hope the courts side with them.

Same here. The whole fiasco was driven by pure spite from beginning to end.

Well, dinner was a smashing success; afterwards, we got on a video call with Mike and my newly-minted daughter-in-law Jessica (she's leaving the Alaska ANG to move to Sijan AFB in western Oklahoma with Mike next year), and joining in were Krista and Brian . . . little JZ is not so little (7 years old, where does the time go?), his baby sister Karen starts kindergarten next year, and Krista is expecting number three (another girl) any day now.

I am truly blessed. I didn't plan on becoming a patriarch, it just kinda happened.

[jemhouston]

Some people shouldn't be parents, problem is too many are. Mother was at least smart enough to know it.

[Wolfman]

Some people shouldn't be parents, problem is too many are. Mother was at least smart enough to know it.

Too true. All too true.

[Matt Wiser]

Thanksgiving here was a good one: Eric, Sandy, and Melanie (for once) got some leave and were able to come and visit-though all three have serious relationships, none have gone down the aisle-yet.Both Kelly Ray (with Brad) and Kara came over as well, with now Major Kacey Thrace. Kacey is now Ops Officer of an airlift squadron at Norton AFB in California, still flying vanilla C-17s (The SOF community has approached her more than once to fly various Spec-Ops birds, including the MC-17, but she has respectfully declined all such offers). Of course, there were the usual jokes about Kacey giving birth to her daughter on my den couch... Which Kara was gracious enough to buy the replacement thereof. And Kacey decking the OB-GYN at the base hospital after giving birth.

[Poohbah]

Decking the OB/GYN? Did s/he/it deserve it?

[Poohbah]

And the day's a wrap: I got to read a bedtime story to Zack, talked career development with Valerie (AFPC is pitching her to cross-deck with the RAAF to build some USAF Wedgetail expertise; I told her to do it only as a long tour, Zack desperately needs both of his parents right now), and talked with Kim about her plans (she's come to the conclusion that she loves caring for Zack and Valerie far more than she loves software development).

Cindy and Tiffany are seriously considering being foster parents now. They're also asking me and Roberta about parenting in general.

I guess another adoption is coming. Hopefully with less drama.

[Matt Wiser]

Decking the OB/GYN? Did s/he/it deserve it?

That was back when Kacey was in AFROTC, but yeah, she decked him. The feeling at Mountain Home was that guy was a little upset at working on Thanksgiving, said some snide remark about a Thrace giving birth under unusual circumstances, and Kacey responded with her fist. Even the two nurses in the room said the jerk deserved it. The base CO at the time felt a transfer for the guy was appropriate-and sent him to Thule in Greenland.

[Poohbah]

Decking the OB/GYN? Did s/he/it deserve it?

That was back when Kacey was in AFROTC, but yeah, she decked him. The feeling at Mountain Home was that guy was a little upset at working on Thanksgiving, said some snide remark about a Thrace giving birth under unusual circumstances, and Kacey responded with her fist. Even the two nurses in the room said the jerk deserved it. The base CO at the time felt a transfer for the guy was appropriate-and sent him to Thule in Greenland.

Yeah, he deserved it.

[clancyphile]

Thanksgiving here was a good one: Eric, Sandy, and Melanie (for once) got some leave and were able to come and visit-though all three have serious relationships, none have gone down the aisle-yet.Both Kelly Ray (with Brad) and Kara came over as well, with now Major Kacey Thrace. Kacey is now Ops Officer of an airlift squadron at Norton AFB in California, still flying vanilla C-17s (The SOF community has approached her more than once to fly various Spec-Ops birds, including the MC-17, but she has respectfully declined all such offers). Of course, there were the usual jokes about Kacey giving birth to her daughter on my den couch... Which Kara was gracious enough to buy the replacement thereof. And Kacey decking the OB-GYN at the base hospital after giving birth.

The AC-17 program's had an open invite for Kacey Thrace as a test pilot.

[jemhouston]

Why would you have a gunship version of the C-17?

[Wolfman]

I thought that that program had been killed off (cancelled)…