Chihuahua Dog Sled Team

When I lived in Tucson, Arizona for a short time I went with my brother Brad to Sears to help him with his purchase of a large appliance. While waiting for them to do all the paperwork Brad and I struck up a fictional conversation knowing that the strangers around would listen intently because I was talking about a place that most people would never visit.

I had lived in Anchorage, Alaska for over a decade and saw many Iditarod Dog Sled Races “Last Great Race on Earth®” (FYI- the start in Anchorage is just for the public, the official start is in the Matanuska Valley).  

In the late 1980’s and early 1990’s John Suter ran a team of Standard Poodles in the race. So playing off of this knowledge of using a breed other than huskies I told my bother about the team of Chihuahuas that ran the race . They had to have about a hundred dogs in order to pull a loaded sled. I told him how funny it looked to watch them because all you saw was the sled but no dogs because their diminutive size was too small to see over the deep snow.

I told him about the challenges the musher and dogs had and was internally laughing so hard I wasn’t sure if I could continue my deceptive fictional narrative. Sadly, the team didn’t win but they did finish the 1,150 mile race. He, he.

Out of the corner of my eye I could see that people were listening but pretending not to. The place was silent with the exception of my jabbering. I can only imagine the story they had when they went home to tell their families. This was before the internet hit the general public so researching the validity of my amazing story would had been very difficult.

Of course I never let on that this was just my vivid imagination. What fun would that be?

The Russian River, Alaska

Here I am, stationed at one of the most beautiful places on earth, Anchorage, Alaska. With all this beauty comes abundant wildlife included game animals and fish...monster King, Pink or Cohoe Salmon.

In the summer of 1980, during the salmon run on the Russian River on the Kenai Peninsula, I was invited to go fishing for pink salmon. I rented a fishing pole from the base Recreation Center and the next day awoke early to load up my friends old Bronco with gear and other friends.

I sat down in the truck and heard a snap! Oh crap! I sat on my fishing pole and broke it! What the heck, I'll go anyway. It should be fun.

The trip was many hours to get there and my friend who was driving was very tired and gave us one scary ride because we had to wake him a number of times as he drove around bends over looking cliffs. Finally we made safely.

We all got out, the others unloaded their gear and went fishing. Me, I walked the bank and watched everyone else fish included the dozens of others there. This was called Combat Fishing because everyone was so close to each other on the banks that lines would get crossed and tempers would flare and most guys out there were armed for bear, literally.

So I walked and watched all day. Later in the day I was talking to my best friend Fred. He said he was about five yards behind me as I was walking and he watched fisherman watch me. The fisherman thought I was with Alaska Fish and Game and was there to monitor the fishing. Evidently as I approached fisherman the ones who snagged fish, which is illegal, threw them back into the Russian. I thought that was funny and wished I had known about that earlier because I would had a lot of fun with it.

Nike Hercules nuclear warheads

In 1979 I arrived at my first duty station at Elmendorf  AFB, Alaska in July fresh out of Adair Force basic training and the Security Police Academy. Just a short time later, the month eludes me, I was on the runway with every available Security Policeman to help secure the runway because the Nukes in the Chugach Mountains over looking Anchorage were being decommishined and being transported out right in front of me.

This is piece of an article I found about this.

With each Alaskan firing battery armed with 14 NIKE HERCULES missiles carrying a nuclear warhead with a yield ranging from 20 kilotons to 40 kilotons, the total nuclear yield of the Alaska air defense missile sites was more than 5 meta-tons of nuclear destruction.

The Anchorage sites were deactivated and closed in 1979, with the missiles, warheads, and equipment transferred to the lower 48.  Several buildings at Site Point were converted to a ski chalet facility.  Site Bay was used for prisoner housing and later demolished.  Site Summit was the last site deactivated and closed in July of 1979.  The remnants of Site Summit exist today and restoration of the site began in 2010.  The site is being preserved as a National Historic Site and once restored plans include a museum to be established and possibly guided tours to be given.
http://nikemissile.org/ColdWar/AlaskaColdWar/alaska_cold_war.shtml

What a way to start off my Air Force career field-helping to protect the most destructive device ever devised by man.

Tach

"Cee Ssss Cee, this is sextee. We are pullin ober a tuck for kossing ober da yeddow wine."

Tach is short for an unnamed airman in the Air Force that I was stationed with at Elmendorf AFB in the early 1980's He was a strange kid who grew up on Oahu, Hawaii but had never been to the ocean. How is that even possible?

Tach slept in his uniform, only removing his hat and web belt. I was out of the dorm by then but many told me they were going to give Tach a shower themselves if he didn't do it soon. Why he choose the Security Police field I don't know. He couldn't blame it on the draft because the draft had ended years before.

One other thing-I became his Fire Team Leader. Great! Just Great.

As a Fire Team Leader I had four guys under me. I was responsible for their on the job training after they arrived to Elmendorf AFB. This part I didn't mind because I was always willing to play and with this role I could make others play with me.

"Cee Ssss Cee, this is sextee. We are pullin ober a tuck for kossing ober da yeddow wine." Tach said into the radio. Yes, he had a lisp. (Translation- CSC. This is sixty. We are pulling over a truck for crossing the yellow line.) I was the leader on this two man team covering the main side of base with Tach as my member.

The truck we pulled over was near the hanger housing F-4 fighters. He was driving on the flight line and crossed the yellow line that was suppose to stop people from going any further. Once that line is crossed you belong to us. You're getting jacked-up (pulled over and placed against the truck to be searched and arrested).

I pulled him over on the road next to the flight line and ordered him to the front of the truck. I told Tach to stand to my right about eight feet from the man. Tach didn't move. I repeated my request to Tach. Again, he didn't budge. "Tach! Move over there!" Motioning swiftly with my hand. He finally reluntantly complied.

I search the man and cuffed him and then waited for transport to take him to the station for processing. After everyone were gone I called Tach over and said, "What the hell was that about? Why didn't you go where I told you to?" He said "I bidn't want to get inpo a cossfire." "What? A cross fire! We were close enough to beat him with the butts of our rifles. I wanted you there I case he bolted." I said firmly.

He looked down at his feet as if the answer to this dilemma was written on his boots.
I marked this up as a learning experience for Tach.

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"Stop it! I hate it when you do that!


We had a certain amount of posts to fill each night so if we were over maned you would be placed on stand-by. If the night remained quiet you would often be released and allowed to go home.

I liked stand-by. Not because I got to go home but because that meant I was going out to play. Out to play meant to harass, ah, train, other Security Policeman. Training usually entaled me trying to sneak into their area without being seen. I was very good at that.

This particular dayTach was posted on the east side near the F-4 hangers. He always parked in the middle of the flight line so he had a lot of distance between him and anybody who may try to get to him. He, he.  He had me as a Fire Team Leader.

I parked unseen and got out of my truck. I made my way across the flight line without being seen by Tach. I snuck around the front of his truck as low as I could. I made it to his door and slowly got onto my feet, squatted and was ready to leap at my prey.

I then stood very fast and yelled "Tach!" His head about hit the roof of his truck with his fright and he said "Stop it! I hate it when you do that! I said "Tach, I'm your Fire Team Leader. One of my jobs is to train you and this is what I'm doing." He remained quiet but I could see he was still pissed.

I walked away knowing my job was done...for the moment anyway.

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You need to blow into the mic to clear the water off.

Tach was at a post that we not always had. I can't really remember why we were posted there. Old age I guess. It was next to the runway and with myself and my friend Fred being together it was a bad combination because we liked to give people a hard time.

We called Tach on the radio. "Tach, you need to turn on the runway lights for the B.1.R.D. And G.U.1.1." (Bird and Gull) He came back, "Quare are day?" We explained how to find them sending him on a wild goose chase. "Disregard Tach."

Later that night we called Tach on the radio again. Tach. We are having problems with water on the airwaves. You need to blow into the mic to clear the water off.

" "Phew. Phew." Tach blew into the mic. "Thanks Tach."

Now we didn't always just pick on Tach. We were an equal opportunity harassers.

In the Begining

In the beginning there was me (Tony) and my two kids (Chris and Christy) and life was good.  Then God said, "Let this man (Tony) meet this woman (Kathy) who is not crazy like the others Tony had dated after his divorce." Then He hintith to Mike (Tony's friend) "Invite Tony to be your best man at your wedding so that he may meet your new bride's friend who is engaged to a jerk." Thus saith the Lord. And it was done as God commanded.

So Tony meet Kathy and he thoughtith to himself, "Self, She be hotith! Grrrrr." So Tony pursued Kathy and she thought to herself. “ He's not badith, he has a big nose and is kinda old but what the heckith. I’ll give him a chance.” And the two were made as one.

Tony and Kathy were married on December 23rd, 1999 and stayed at the Elvis Room at a local Branson, Missouri motel and they consumed champagne in a whirlpool ...with bubbles.

They honeymooned in the great city of Mt. Carmel, IL at Tony’s brother’s house. Obviously Kathy didn’t marry Tony for his money or should it be, the lack thereof.

So now Tony and Kathy are a couple with Tony’s two kids Chris and Christy by Tony’s first wife. Then came Breonna on September 19th of 2000. They were blessed again in April of 2010 with their niece Caitlin who was a bouncing baby of five-teen years.

Can't we just stay put?

I know many people wonder why we are nomadic in our life style and this has many answers. When I meet Kathy I lived in Red Oak, Iowa and she in Waterloo, Iowa. I took a chance and moved to Waterloo to be with her. From there Kathy transfered with a promotion to the Coralville, Iowa Yonkers store where she became the Assistant Store Manager/HR Manager. 

Then she transfered to Kalispell, Montana which Tony was thrilled with because he loves the mountains. We both loved the area but both felt God calling us to Daytona Beach, Florida so we could be with dad in his final years as he battled  alzheimers. Tony actually put this off for a couple years wanting to avoid the heat and humidity he hates. God won!

What happened in Florida was not what we expected. Yes, we were able to help dad in his last years and he thanked me on every visit. Near the end of his life we pretty much had the same conversations on every visit but that's the crulity of alzheimers. But he did know who I was so that was easier for him. With the help of my sisters we were also able to help mom in her struggles.

We attended Oasis Christ Fellowship
 http://www.oasisfellowship.com/Oasis/home.html. with a great pastor and made many friends there. We also meet this large, scary looking, former biker and drug addict, tattooed guy and his pretty wife who pastored D.O.C. (Daytona Outreach Center). Through D.O.C. and Pastor Ray and his wife Susan we meet some fantastic men and women who were former homeless, drug and alcohol addicts. We also started to help feed a few men and woman who were in a discipleship program at the D.O.C. http://www.daytonaoutreachcenter.com/ We, with a few other couples from church, made home cooked meals once per month and bought it to them were we served them. Breonna and Skylar loved to serve them and usually made impromptu sermons behind the pulpit after they ate.

This was way out of my comfort zone because I had previously shunned people like this. God humbled me. We learned so much about God through people I once thought were not good for much. I guess I thought I was better than them-I was so wrong. I was the same as they were in God's eyes. They blessed us and I hope we were able to pass some blessings to them. (Editing this part was challenging because my eyes kept tearing up. Thanks Ray and Susan for your service to God because it has blessed many.)

Our marriage also grew stronger because we both grew closer to God. It goes hand in hand. If you want to improve your marriage search first for God's heart because there you may just discover your spouses heart. Put Him first and the complex puzzle called marriage starts fitting together.

On November 3rd of 2009 dad had a brain aneurysm- about thirty minutes previous I was let go at my plumbing job. It was not a good day for me. Looking back I can see how God had closed that door because dad would leave us three days later thus ending our reason for going to Florida.

I had no luck in finding a plumbing job in Florida (I was recently contacted by a plumber in Ft. Lauderdale wanting me to come on. We're not moving again so soon. I said no.) so took a chance on coming back to Iowa. Something we were not thrilled about but were running out of options. I went to a trucking school in Salt Lake City, UT taken a bus for a three day trip. All was going well until they drew my blood and said my blood sugar was too high and they were sending me home. God closed a door I never wanted opened. The thought of being away from my family weeks at a time was heart breaking just thinking about it.

God opening a door a few weeks after I got back from my truck driver adventure. I got a job doing what I've been doing for the last decade and a half-service plumber. I had talked to my office manager a few months ago and she said it was weird how on the day I called to inquire about a job is the same day she put an add in the newspaper for a plumber. She knew it wasn't listed yet but was a little perplexed at the timing. It was all in God's timing.

So here we are wondering what adventure awaits us in our future. Kathy is in college to get a BSN (Registered Nurse) When Kathy graduates college we are open to anything. What does God have in mind for us? Time will tell.

Dad

"A king, realizing his incompetence, can either delegate or abdicate his duties. A father can do neither. If only sons could see the paradox, they would understand the dilemma." -- Marlene Dietrich

Dad, born two years after the great depression, lived a long life often filled with rough roads with pot holes as large as one of the great lakes.  He took some of it in stride-and some of it with great pain and sorrow. He was not a perfect man or father. But in this life, not one exists.

But his struggles and hardships are over shadowed by his accomplishments. He had great success', often with tough grit, will power and perseverance. He was not an educated man and dropped out of high school to help his mother after his dad passed away when he was thirteen. He later proudly received his GED which was not necessary for life or work, but was necessary for his pride.

He had successful business’ and a comfortable retirement though not so much financially but in family. You see, dad’s greatest accomplishment, according to himself (and me), was his family- his kids. He didn’t need things for happiness- he just needed his family. That’s where his riches were proudly displayed on his walls and scrap books for all to see. He was so proud of each and every one of his kids whether they were biological, adopted or step. This is the biggest lesson that dad had taught me, passed on to me, and touches my heart so deeply today.

Now as a dad with four kids I can relate to the pride of your own kids. Yes, they often frustrate you and cause you emotional distress. But the overwhelming majority of the time they are blessings- gifts given from God. I understand dad’s love for us more now than as a child because I see it in my love for my children.

He always mentioned how much he loved his kids. We always knew we were loved because he told us so. He bragged on us to all to who would hear and if they didn’t want to hear it, he’d tell them anyway. His greatest struggle with Alzheimer’s was the thought of forgetting his kid’s names…or his kids. 

I miss dad. I miss his senseless humor-the conversations and the life lessons passed on by him. But mostly, I miss him because I know he loved me with an almost agape type of love and that is the greatest gift a father can pass on to his son.

Robert Augustus Wasion

BORN: June 7, 1927

DIED: November 6, 2009

LOCATION: Port Orange, FL