"Zimm's Blog"

Let's see, what's new??

2009-06-30T20:39:00.003-05:00

In the Zimmerman news....

Let's see, the past month has been pretty busy!! I am keeping busy at work, and looking forward to some trips with the family this summer!

Holly is busy with work as well, she is still at Cal's Nursery and is also putting some hours in at church and is also keeping busy with her bead business.

Zachary is getting ready to go to fencing camp this month

Eryn finished up her first softball season, she had a great time and is looking forward to next year! We had her tournament on Saturday, and despite passing thunderstorms, all the games were played!

Eryn playing catcher in a softball game

Lizzy is wanting to take horse back riding lessons this summer. We are trying to find a good place to go, so if anyone knows of a place, give us a holler.

In other news.
Corey, Mel, Holly and I went to Zac Brown Band last night at Mystic Lake Casino. The seats were great (second row!) and the concert was AWESOME!! If you ever get a chance to see him, he puts on a great show!

Zac Brown Band playing at Mystic Lake

Road work in our neighbor hood goes on....and on.....and on!!!! We had a good amount of rain, and things got a little sloppy around here. After thing dried out, however, they got a base of class 5 gravel down and the curbs are poured!

The curbs on the street are FINALLY in!

With the recent rain, thing got a little messy!!

As of today, there is still no word on when they will be done.

Well, there is the news from here!

Till next time!

Zimm

Road Construction Season Begins!!

2009-05-14T21:50:00.003-05:00

If you are a Minnesotan, you know that there are only two seasons here......winter and road construction!! In true road construction style, we are being blessed with a road reconstruction project in our neighborhood this summer. These pictures were taken from the end of our drive way today. Crews are putting in a brand new shiny 20" water main.....let the fun begin!!

Digging the trench, that is our driveway coming in from the right.

A view of the trench from the other direction, the trench is about 15 feet deep!
Looking at the view from our garden...isn't it nice?

Enjoy your summer....I know we will!

Zimm

He Lives!!!!

2009-05-14T21:47:00.002-05:00

Hey All,

Believe it or not, I am still alive a well, just real busy! Life here in Zimm's world is going well. School is almost out for the summer, and I will hopefully have all sorts of great stories to tell.....

Stay tuned!
Zimm

Sledding at Lakefront!!!!

2008-12-13T12:57:00.011-06:00

Well, the mercury took a turn upward today, so the five of us went sledding!! We went to the BIG hill at Lakefront Park in Prior Lake. I would have to say that all 5 of us had a blast!! The temp was just right, and the only thing that stunk was the hike back up the hill. The ride down was definitely worth it though! If anyone wants to join us for a sledding trip, give us a call, we would love to go!!

Holly and Eryn take a run down the hill.

Zack strikes a pose!

Lizzy and I take a run together

A little too fast for me, Lizzy!

Eryn taking a solo run at it!

Video footage of one of my runs down the hill

I had so much fun reliving my childhood, I took video of one of my runs. Lizzy is sliding down with me, and you can see her wipe out, then Eryn is the dark blur that goes past. I'm the one behind the camera giggling like an 8 year old.

Enjoy the ride.

Zimm

A Quick Update!

2008-12-11T09:06:00.003-06:00

Wow, It's been a while!!

Life in Zimm's world is going well. I am happy to report that we are all healthy. It is cold and snowy, so I should be able to get out and ice fish pretty soon. I checked with the bait shop on Tuesday, and the bays on Prior Lake are supposed to have 4" of ice. I might go out and drill some test holes this weekend some time. The kids really want to get out and fish, but I like to see a little more stable ice first. This time of year, a guy can go from 6" of ice to getting wet in just a few steps. In the mean time, I'm going to take the kids sledding at Lakefront Park this weekend. (Please pray that I don't break anything!) I will bring a camera, so look for the pictures to be posted sometime in August! ;-)

Well, That's it for now! If I don't see you before the holidays, I hope you all have a safe CHRISTmas, and a prosperous New Year!

Zimm

Cheer up!

2008-12-11T09:03:00.003-06:00

Happy Thanksgiving (Belated......AGAIN!)

2008-12-05T14:51:00.003-06:00

Deep fried turkey....Med Fire Style!!!

I hope you all had a good Thanksgiving!!! May you and yours have a blessed and safe holiday season!

The Zimm's

YOU'LL SHOOT YOUR EYE OUT!!!

2008-09-24T20:27:00.005-05:00

On a recent trip to Wisconsin to see Holly's family, Zach and I had a chance to do a little target practice with his BB gun. Zach really likes to shoot, and he has pretty good aim too!! I almost feel bad for the soda cans that met their maker!

By the way, we still have both of our eyes!
Zimm

Zack and I keeping down the soda can population!

Happy 125Th to W.F.D.

2008-09-24T20:07:00.004-05:00

I have a good friend, Tommy, who serves on the Waconia Fire Department. Waconia Fire recently celebrated their 125Th anniversary. Holly, the kids, and I took Prior Lake Fire's newest fire engine to Waconia for their fire truck parade and 125Th celebration. We had a chance to look at over 100 pieces of the oldest and newest fire apparatus, ranging from 106 years old to 6 months new. We also had a great lunch, pet the St. Boni fire dog, and the kids operated an antique fire pump. We had a great time!!

Thanks for inviting us, W.F.D.
Zimm

The five of us with the St. Boni Fire Departments fire dog

A neat old Dodge fire chief's car from the "Same Day Fire Service"

"Who ya gonna call?"...This old ambulance was really cool!

My good friend Tommy giving me Prior Lake's participation plaque

Family Photo!

2008-09-24T20:05:00.000-05:00

The Zimm's

FINALLY! A Family Camping Trip.

2008-08-03T13:34:00.002-05:00

The five of us finally had a chance to go on a camping trip. We went to Myre - Big Island State Park in Albert Lea, Minnesota. It was a great 3 days!

The kids and I (Holly is behind the camera...she looks great, doesn't she!)

We had a good time hiking on the miles of scenic trails. We had fun skipping rocks. The kids found a black snake, a fishing spider, pelicans, turtles, and TONS of toads, leopard frogs and snails.....just to mention a few of the many critters! Holly really enjoyed looking at the wild flowers, and I just enjoyed just getting out into nature! At night, millions....okay, thousands...of fire flies came out and flashed there fannies for a really neat night time show. After the fireflies got......what they were looking for, we were visited by at least 2 Barred Owls. We never actually saw them, but we heard them calling back and forth to each other. At least one of them was probably in the trees right above our campsite. Oh...I almost forgot the sneaky little raccoon that we had sitting under our picnic table, only 6 feet or so from Holly and I.

One spot in the miles of hiking trails.

Skipping rocks

On the second afternoon, we all went for a canoe trip around Big Island on Albert Lea Lake. The lake is pretty secluded, and it was just the five of us, the jumping carp, and the man eating mosquitoes! Despite our decreasing blood levels, and increased risk of West Nile, we had a really good time!

Canoeing on Albert Lea Lake

Our journey to southern Minnesota was a mosquito smacking success! We went during the week, so we had the park almost entirely to our selves. We also had simply gorgeous weather. If you are looking for a really nice state park to enjoy some DEEP woods and native prairies, Myre - Big Island comes highly recommended by Zimm's clan!

I pray you all are enjoying your summer!!

The Zimm

New Job!

2008-07-02T21:59:00.002-05:00

I went and got myself a new job! This past Tuesday, I started with Mdewakanton Emergency Services (http://www.shakopeedakota.org/mes.html) as a Firefighter/EMT. I am working 12 hour orientation shifts this week, and join my regular shift on Sunday.

Until we meet again!
Zimm

Congrats!

2008-07-02T21:46:00.006-05:00

On June 22nd, my good buddy Mike Sheehan was commissioned as an officer in the United States Navy. I had the distinct honor to be the first enlisted man to salute the newest officer in the Navy. Mike and I go back...almost waaay back...and have had some good times! Now that he has jumped over to the "dark side", I look forward to being the first enlisted man to kick his butt in the next grill challenge!

Congratulations Ensign Sheehan!

Zimm

Not So Random Pics!

2008-07-02T21:26:00.004-05:00

I was over in St. Paul and stumbled upon this old tank car. Thought it was pretty neat, so I snapped a couple of pictures. The tank was built in 1926, 82 years ago! The rail car's under carriage is a little newer, it was built in 1937. I thought it was a cool find, and had to share it!

Zimm

Grillin' Season!

2008-05-04T21:46:00.005-05:00

A couple of weekends ago, the weather was finally perfect! So, we called Mel and Corey, and they came over for a good old fashioned grill-n-chill. We lit a fire in the chimnea, ate some great food, had a couple of brews, and relaxed....it was GREAT! We grilled up some steak, veggies, hot dogs, sausages, chicken, and even some crab claws.

Corey, Holly, and Mel enjoying the weather.

Corey and The Zimm, the "Grill Masters"

Corey's Sausages!

Steak with onions and peppers, potato salad, warm bread, and grilled crab claws

Corey, Mel, and Holly pigging out!

Bryen, I just had to show you what your missing!

Tonight, Holly and I grilled up some chicken stuffed with cheesy potatoes, shrimp, mushrooms (for Holly.....YUK!), and a nice thick juicy steak.

Happy Grilling!
Zimm

Rib Cook Off

2008-04-20T12:34:00.004-05:00

We had a great time on Saturday evening. After several years worth of delays, Mike and I finally had our rib cook off! Mike and I are friends from the Navy Reserve, and we had several of our mutual friends over to my place as judges. Even my neighbors came by to try to decide the winner! I have to say, it was a tough choice.
And the trophy goes to..................

Anita, Alan's wife, for her Tres leche (three milk) cake....it was out of this world! As for the ribs, I guess we will have to have another cook off to try and decide....darn!

Till next time,
Zimm

Word Verification

2008-04-06T19:37:00.003-05:00

I am getting spam comments on my blogs (%#&%$*@ spammers!) So I have added word verification to the comments. If you want to post a comment, just copy the word you see. If you want to buy Viagra, check someone else's blog.

Till next time!
Zimm

Our Guest Jerry

2008-03-30T21:31:00.002-05:00

Lizzy's Kindergarten class has a "mascot" of sorts, he goes by the name Jerry. Jerry is a little (and very fat) giraffe. The students get to take him home for a week and then log what Jerry "did" while he was with them. Lizzy had Jerry at our house for the past 2 weeks. Today, Lizzy wanted Jerry to see the fire trucks, so I took everyone in to the station for a little tour. I really think Jerry enjoyed it.....

Jerry and Lizzy in the ladder truck

Lizzy, Jerry, Eryn, and Zachary inside the truck

An Evening of Fine Beer and Entertainment!

2008-03-30T21:14:00.004-05:00

I had a LOOOOONG weekend, so I decided to chill out this evening with a nice cold micro brew. The Breckenridge Vanilla Porter is.....well.....as the bottle reads, quite "partakable".

For entertainment, we went old school! I grew up watching good ol' John Guage and Roy DeSoto, and it is just as entertaining as when I was a kid! Perhaps a little more corny....but entertaining none the less!

Talk to you all later!
Zimm

Christ Is Risen!

2008-03-23T15:00:00.001-05:00

Happy Easter to all of you!!

Happy Vernal Equinox?

2008-03-22T13:43:00.002-05:00

Greetings to you all on this lovely spring day!

It's been a while since I've had a chance to relax, so I thought a nice cold beer was in order, now that spring has "sprung"! Call me crazy (most of you do anyways) but I think mother nature forgot to flip her calender once again! Of course, March is the second snowiest month in God's country, and maybe that's why I love it here!

I have more beer in the snow bank, so feel free to stop by for a "cold beer" any time! Holly may even let us sit inside!

Smiles Everyone!
Zimm

A "COLD Beer"!

New Bike?

2008-02-15T16:36:00.002-06:00

So, I've decided to start looking for my next bicycle (as if I could actually buy one right now!). I tossed around all of the latest frame materials; steel, aluminum, titanium, carbon fiber, or maybe bamboo! Yes, I said bamboo! Bamboo bikes feature amazing vibration damping (Even better than Carbon fiber), they weight about 4 pounds, have good stiffness, and are crash tolerant. In fact, bamboo is a lot of tougher than most people realize. If nothing else, it looks cool! I think it's work of art! I posted a picture, or you can come by the garage and see for your self.........in my dreams!

Update Time! (finally)

2008-02-02T21:35:00.000-06:00

Sorry for how long it has been since my last update!

Life here in Zimm's world is just screaming past!! I started my 4th year of college. I'm taking 12 credits this semester, so I will be about 3/4 of the way done with my 2 year degree!

I've had the chance to do a little ice fishing. As of last week, the north end of Prior Lake had a good 24+ inches of solid clear ice........and no fish! Word on the streets is that decent size crappies are hitting minnows on Karls lake. If anybody want's to test the theory, I have a portable ice house!!! If nothing else, the "bottle bass" are always biting.

Well, nothing new at the fire department, work still blows, and I am never home (12 credits, remember!) so I am out of things to write about.

Till next time!
Zimm

What I'm Drinking

2008-02-02T21:19:00.000-06:00

MMMMM.........Tasty!!

Let It Snow!!!!!!

2007-12-04T20:46:00.000-06:00

I'm a self professed snow lover, and Saturday's weather was perfect! We were blessed with another 4" of new snow today!.............Kids, get your sleds!

Random Picture!

2007-11-25T16:21:00.000-06:00

Prior Lake Ladder 1 Action Shot!

Happy Turkey Day!

2007-11-25T16:04:00.000-06:00

Happy (belated) Thanksgiving...."grill-master" style!

Who Doesn't Love Chocolate?

2007-11-14T15:05:00.000-06:00

Holly, the kids, and I recently made the trek to Brownsville, Wisconsin, for a wedding on her side of the family.

"Confections For Any Occasion" sign.

While there, we went to the town of Theresa to visit Confections For Any Occasion. This quaint little candy shop, cafe, and ice cream shop is run by Holly's cousin, Joel.

Confections for any occasion has a wide selection of Door County wines and micro-brew beers.

Joel carries just about anything you can think of, including fine Door County wines and micro-brew beers.

One of several cases stocked with hand made confections, guaranteed to satisfy any sweet tooth!

The best best part of the shop, however, are the cases full of hand made confections. Joel and his staff make a wide selection of mouth watering chocolates, candies, and truffles. Try the beer truffles, they are to die for!!

"The Zimm" and the one and only Joel!

If your in Eastern Wisconsin, stop on in and get some good food and chocolates, you may even get a chance to meet Joel himself! Too far to drive? No problem, Joel's sweet tooth favorites are available on-line at www.confectionsbyjoel.com 24 hours a day!

Now That's a Fire!!

2007-11-10T12:02:00.000-06:00

The Prior Lake Fire Department recently had the opportunity to do a training burn on a house in Prior Lake. House burns such as this provide a training environment that is second to none. We start several small fires and extinguish them, giving us the chance to learn fire behavior and extinguishing techniques, prior to letting it burn to the ground. Oh yea, it's a heck of a lot of fun too!

Fully Involved!

Dale, "The Zimm", and Vic

The PLFD crew

What's Up?

2007-11-10T11:53:00.000-06:00

Hey All!

Well, It's been a month or so since my last update! As most of you know I am back home now, and acclimating well to civilian life. Over the past three weeks I have been filling my days with "honey-do" projects, volunteering at the schools and church, and getting back into the swing of things at the fire department. It was great to have a chance to catch up with a lot of you, and if I haven't seen you yet, I look forward to doing so!

'Till next time!
Zimm

Back in the USA!!!!!!

2007-10-21T23:18:00.000-05:00

Hey everybody!

Wow, Where did the time go? After 9 months of deployment, and 36 hours of flight delays, my time in the "crappy sandbox" is over! The flight home was long. We stopped in Turkey and Ireland before landing in Norfolk, Virginia.

We made a brief stop in Turkey, we had to stay on the plane

2 hour stop in Shannon, Ireland

The flight home was full of smiles, cheers, and anticipation. I could not wait to get off the plane in Norfolk to see the best sight in the word, Holly and the kids!! They drove to Virginia to meet me, and have been here while I processed out. We had the chance to see some sights and get reacquainted. I will post some pictures of our travels later.

Holly, Zack, Eryn, and Lizzy met me in Norfolk!

Now I am looking forward to driving home with them. I will still be on active duty until mid November, or so, while I take leave and do final processing but we should all be back in Minnesota by mid week!

Looking forward to seeing everyone!

Zimm

Greetings From Ireland

2007-10-17T08:32:00.000-05:00

Greetings From Ireland!! More to follow later.

Zimm

Hi Everybody!

2007-10-06T10:51:00.000-05:00

Hello Everybody! Well, it been a little while since I've sent out an update, and for that I apologize. Life in Kuwait has been very busy! We don't mind, though, it makes the time go by faster! We are getting ready to wrap things up here, and I am hoping that I will be posting from home soon. If you have a good catch phrase for the blog, let me know!

Now, how about some news.......

U.S. Navy Customs Battalion Sierra, Alpha Company "Minnesota Mafia"

I recently received a U.S. flag from Jean, of Prior Lake. The flag came with a scrap book of all of the places she had taken the flag. I have not seen the book yet, but am very much looking forward to seeing it! The Minneapolis area is well represented out here, and we recently took a photo (above) with the U.S. Navy Customs Battalion Sierra, Alpha Company "Minnesota Mafia" and the flag from Jean. Thank you so much for your support!

The Chapel Crew: Bruce, yours truly, Mike, Chris, Jo, Chris, Jinger, Eric, and Ramirez.

As the end of our deployment to Kuwait draws to an end, I would like to take a moment to send out some kudos to the Camp Arifjan Chaplin Corps, (Chaplin) MAJ Moore, and all of my friends who kept me company at church each week. You guys are awesome! You folks made the time away from home a lot easier, thank you! I will miss our Sunday lunches at the "Oasis Outback", especially the Chaplin mandated trip to the "health" (ice cream) bar.

Well, I guess that's it for now!

Zimm

Navy's Newest "Weapon System"

2007-09-19T10:01:00.000-05:00

A big "thank you" goes out to my co-workers at Park Supply for the package full of squirt guns! We all truly appreciate the support you guys and gals have sent our way!

Thanks Again!

Zimm

WHAT??????

2007-09-19T09:54:00.000-05:00

I'm not a doctor, but I don't really think she should worry about the jackhammers!!??

Zimm, Don't You Work?

2007-09-14T07:00:00.000-05:00

A lot of people are e-mailing me to ask if I do any work out here. I have to say, that is a fair question! In fact, I DO work. The deal is, I have an agreement with the Navy that says I can keep my blog up as long as I don't talk about our day to day operations. Hence, all I write about is the fun stuff! For some pictures of us at work, click the "Navy Customs Battalion Sierra" link to the left. Kip is one of the guys who has permission to post work stuff!

Now, how about some news?

The thermometer by the admin tent shows 118 degrees

The weather has FINALLY cooled off! We have been averaging 120 degrees during the day, which is still hot, but the evenings are getting into the mid 90's, which almost feels chilly!

Noel, Elton, Dup, and I pose for a picture with O.A.R.

We recently had the band O.A.R come to Camp Arifjan. They are an alternative rock band, and put on a great show! 4 of us from Customs Battalion worked the security detail for the show (oops, talked about work!). The up side of security detail is the chance to spend a little extra time talking to the band, and getting a group picture!

The "Ziggy Stardust's"

Despite the fact my team, The "Ziggy Stardust's" (I did not pick the dorky name!), was eliminated after only two games and I nearly broke my foot in the process, the unit dodge ball tournament was a blast once again! We had six teams play, and the "Shake-n-bakes" took out the "Officers and Chiefs" for the title. We are looking forward to playing again in a week or so. We have formed 2 Minnesota Mafia teams for that one........I can't wait! Dave's once in a million shot!

We have also been playing a unit dart league. Now, I suck at darts, but since Park Supply sent us this dart board, I have decided to play. My record, 1 win and 6 losses....hey, I told you I sucked! The once in a million shot, above, was thrown by Dave. If you look closely, he threw one dart into the other. Nice shot, Dave!

Well, I guess that's it for now!

Till next time,

Zimm

Random Picture

2007-09-14T06:47:00.000-05:00

While I was on R&R we had a Grill-n-chill out on the dhow.

Kuwait Critter - Part 2

2007-09-02T08:49:00.000-05:00

Well, I am a forgetful person, and I forgot the most creepy Kuwait critter of them all. We had a Camel Spider come by our quarters. Camel Spiders are fairly uncommon this far south, but they are here. This "little fella" was about 3-4 inches across (note the 2x4 board and boot toe in the pictures). How's that for creepy, Mel?

Nice Teeth!

2007-08-30T05:56:00.000-05:00

Nancy, Dup, and I goof off in the admin tent.

Kuwait Critters!

2007-08-29T17:20:00.000-05:00

With Kuwait being so hot and dry, I never thought that much wildlife would be found here. The truth is, the desert is a critter hot spot!

Here are just a few of the critters I've seen running around Camp Arifjan.

Desert foxes are seen on camp every now and again. They are generally seen roaming around alone, but a fellow customs sailor captured this truly rare image of a mother and her pups eating a lizard near our admin tent, what a great shot!

There are lizards aplenty around these parts. Here is a lizard that was basking on a rock at the Retrograde Yard right outside of the customs shack.

Scorpions are also pretty common in Kuwait. One day, this normally nocturnal scorpion payed us a surprise day time visit!

I'm all for wildlife stopping in for visits, but this Sand Viper was an unwelcome guest to our admin tent! Sand Vipers are very aggressive, are known to strike a single victim several times, and have very potent venom! One of our sailors CAREFULLY herded this stray bandit into an office trash can until the camp animal control dude could get him out of the area. The good news, no anti-venom was needed!

Prior Lake Fire News.

2007-08-24T03:34:00.000-05:00

The Prior Lake Fire Department has been a busy place. I just wish I could be there to see all of the changes in person. Last week, city council members and firefighters came together for a ground breaking ceremony officially starting the construction of our second fire station. Fire station number 2 will be located on County Road 21 at Fountain Hills Drive. Station number 2 is scheduled to open in the spring of 2008. For more info, visit:

http://www.cityofpriorlake.com/FireStationNo.2Project.shtml

PLFD recently took delivery on 2 new fire trucks as well.

PLFD 9222

They took delivery of truck number 9222, a new pumper built by Custom Fire Apparatus in Osceola, WI. 9222 features a 2006 Peterbilt 335 chassis, seating for 6 firefighters, a 750 gallon water tank, 1750 gallon per minute pump, and enclosed pump panel. The truck was delivered in July of 2007. 9222 is an addition to the PLFD fleet in preparation for fire station number 2.

PLFD 9280

PLFD also took delivery of truck number 9280, a new areal platform built by E-One in Ocala, FL. 9280 features a 2007 E-One Cyclone II chassis and a 100' Bronto-Lift articulated areal platform. 9280 replaces our old ladder truck, a 1985 American LaFrance with a 75' areal ladder.

Weird Grey Things!

2007-08-11T14:16:00.000-05:00

Hello All,

Well, we awoke to a weird site this morning. At 5AM, the sky was covered with this weird grey substance! After checking air quality and ensuring it was not a biological attack, we concluded that the sky was simply overcast. This was the first occurrence of clouds since late April, and we had simply forgotten what they were. No worries, though, the intense Kuwait summer sun won the battle and the clouds were gone by 8 0clock!

In other news.....
The heat is definitely on! The airport (70 kilometers north of here) has been reporting 120-125 degrees for the past week. The troop medical clinic, here on base, reported 129 degrees a week ago....yes, it was inner gates of hell type of hot! In fact, I'm pretty sure I saw Satin himself sunbathing by the base pool! I guess it could have been a really ugly and sunburned Army dude.........who knows?
Our company is starting up another dodge ball league (as if the first go around was not punishing enough). We had so much fun with the base league, that we are starting one of our own! We are also looking forward to Navy Customs Battalion's second Texas Hold-em tournament, the last one was a blast!
Well, that's all I have to report, what can I say, my life is lacking on great human interest stories.

Till next time,
Zimm

PLEASE PRAY!!!!

2007-08-02T12:44:00.001-05:00

Please join me in praying for the victims of the bridge collapse! Please also pray for the safety of the fire and rescue personel working the scene.

Thank you!
Zimm

Random Picture

2007-08-02T12:35:00.000-05:00

I can still find the time to clown around!
(No, I did not take up smoking, and it is not lit.....I just could not pass up the photo opportunity!)

What I Am Reading.

2007-08-02T11:57:00.000-05:00

A group of guys and I are currently working through this really cool bible study.

Thank You Shipmates!

2007-07-30T09:22:00.000-05:00

A special thank you to my shipmates from the Navy Operational Support Center (NOSC) Minneapolis. They took time from their busy schedules to help Holly out by painting the shed and doing a little yard work.

LCDR Greg Gallman and "Holly's picture perfect husband"

The crew got some help from (L to R) Eryn, Lizzy, and Zach

The crew did a great job, and even let Zach, Eryn, and Lizzy do a little painting too.

The Crew from NOSC Minneapolis with Ziggy and "Holly's picture perfect husband"

Thank you for your help and living up to the Navy Core Values of honor, courage, and commitment. You folks are the best, and I look forward to working with you all to return the favor to another shipmate!

GO NAVY!

Zimm

Josh Gracin Visits Camp Arifjan, Kuwait!

2007-07-30T08:08:00.000-05:00

On July 1st (OK, I'm a little slow at posting this!) Josh Gracin payed a visit to Camp Arifjan. Josh Gracin, for those who are not familiar with him, is a former U.S. Marine, finished fourth place on American Idol 2, and is a nationally known country music artist.

USO poster announcing Josh Gracin's Visit

Josh Gracin (black shirt)takes the stage during sound checks

Mr Gracin took to the stage at 7pm and rocked the house! Despite the hot evening (it was still 112 degrees at show time) he put on a great show lasting nearly 2 hours. After the show, he spent nearly 3 hours keeping his promise to "meet and give an autograph to everyone that wanted one". Mr Gracin was a class act and put on a great show! Thank you for coming, Josh Gracin!

For more pictures from the concert, visit: http://kipandmichele.com/CustomsJuly1Concert.html

More Familiar American Companies in Kuwait

2007-07-30T07:39:00.000-05:00

McDonald's

Starbucks Coffee

FedEx (Just for you, Ytt.)

Fellow sailors hang out at Caribou coffee

Operation Cookie Drop

2007-07-30T07:10:00.000-05:00

Jolynn Wilhite poses with donated Girl Scout cookies from Operation Cookie Drop.

A huge thank you goes out to some very special New York residents. This monster stack of Girl Scout cookies came to us via the "Operation Cookie Drop" program of New York. This year they collected a record 27,000+ boxes of Girl Scout cookies for the Troops, and we received a nice treat from home! Thank you to all who donated cookies!

Greetings from Qatar!

2007-07-19T12:41:00.000-05:00

Greetings!

Well, I just finished a 4 day pass to Qatar (pronounced cutter). Qatar is a small country situated on a peninsula half-way along the west coast of the Arabian Gulf, between Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

One of the perks of Qatar.....REAL beer is authorized on base (below)!

I spent my pass relaxing, sleeping in, and going on tours into the main city in Qatar, Doha.

One of the cooler tours we took was the cultural tour.

The tour took us to several locations around Doha, including a racing camel ranch (above), and the old souk (below). Souks are marketplaces found throughout the middle east. The advantage to souks is that the shopkeepers are always willing to negotiate their prices, making it a hot spot for bargain shoppers. We also visited a large gold souk. No, I did not buy any gold...sorry honey!

Besides visiting souks and a large mall to satisfy our shopping needs, the tour also took us to several tourist attractions.

One of the main attractions was the large clam statue (above). Pearls are a big industry for Qatar, as the statue would suggest! We also visited a nice restaurant for lunch, and toured several other sites during the day long tour.

I spent my birthday on a dhow cruise. We anchored the dhow about a mile from the Qatar coast, 500 yards from a sand bar (above......don't ask how I took this picture, Holly would kill me if she knew I swam out from the dhow holding the camera over my head............DARN!! I've said too much!) . Once there, we swam, ate dinner, socialized, and took in the sunset. As a sailor, it was nice to get out on the water again! I must admit, despite not having my sweetie there to enjoy the view with, I had a good time.

So, there is the last four days in a nut shell! I hope you enjoy the pictures, I'll try to post more later!

'Till next time,

Zimm

In loving memory of Margaret Zimmerman.

2007-07-08T15:59:00.000-05:00

I miss you, mom!

It's been a while, here's an update!

2007-07-08T14:56:00.000-05:00

Hello all! Sorry it has been so long since the last posting. Life has been flying by here in the "crappy sand box", and Holly let me know that it was time to update the blog, so here we go.

I recently took a morale, welfare, and recreation (MWR) trip out into Kuwait City. We made a few stops, the first being the Grand Mosque of Kuwait.

The total size of the mosque is 20,000 square meters, and the main prayer room (above) can accommodate 10,000 (ten thousand...not a typo!) men during prayer time. The mosque was started in 1979, completed in 1986, and the gross cost was roughly 48 million U.S. dollars.

Our next stop was the Kuwait Towers.

The Kuwait Towers (above) were also built in 1979. The tallest of the 3 towers (with two spheres) is 180 meters tall. The lower sphere has a restaurant (great buffet...mmmm food!) and the upper sphere has an observation deck with a breath taking view! The second tower (with one sphere) is 140 meters tall. The single sphere is a 1,000,000 gallon water tank. The last tower (no sphere) and is also 140 meters tall.

As you may know, grass is all but nonexistent in Kuwait, so the lawn at the Kuwait Towers had to have been the highlight of the trip.......I think the picture says it all!

Our last stop for the day was the Center City Mall. This was a large American style mall, and most of our group spent the whole time at the Caribou Coffee. It was a very nice, relaxing day.

In other news........

Our dodge ball team (above) had a great time playing in the base dodge ball tournament. We won a few games, and lost a few games. When it was all said and done, we ended up with a couple bloodied noses, one black eye, and we all had huge smiles on our faces! It was a lot of fun.

On July 4th, 23 co-workers and I joined over 1000 other people in running the Kuwait division of the Atlanta Peach Tree 10K (6.24 mile) run. This was my first 10K run, and I had set a time goal of 1 hour in which to finish the run. I finished in 1 hour, 6 minutes, and 5 seconds. I was very happy with the time! I really did have a good time, and it felt good to finish the run without walking (no lie...I ran the whole thing!).

Well, there is the past month in a nut shell. Not much else to report, so I'll sign off

Until next time,

Zimm

New Feature!

2007-06-14T09:32:00.000-05:00

I have added a link to the current weather conditions in Kuwait. Just for the record, we are 8 hours ahead of you guys, so you will be looking at our 8pm conditions at noon in Minnesota. You can find the link in the list to the left........ENJOY!

WOW!!.....What a great 10 years!

2007-06-14T00:01:00.000-05:00

Believe it or not, my beautiful wife has stuck with me for ten years! Holly, you are my soul mate, and I am the luckiest man on earth to have found have such a great woman to be my wife. I can't wait to celebrate!
I love you, sweetie!

Kuwait Weather Weirdness!

2007-06-01T07:59:00.000-05:00

We've had some weird weather events here in Kuwait of late (or at least weird to us Minnesotans!). The above picture is of a dust devil. This is one of 5 that blew through one afternoon. By the time I got to my camera, it had moved into a gravel area and turned white in color. When it came across the open desert it was tan, and much easier to see. I never realized how big dust devils get (note the vehicles and light towers in the pic) they are like sand tornadoes with no storm!

The next day, a heavy thunderstorm rolled in. The gust front ahead of the storm picked up sand and dust and made the storm orange as it rolled in (above picture). When the rain moved in, it literally rained mud! I must say, that was a first for me.

By the way, we saw 118 degrees Fahrenheit on Memorial day, the newest high temp! The up side to all this weather madness........no mosquitoes!

Looking forward to Minnesota weather,

Zimm

Thanks Fellas!!!

2007-05-20T12:31:00.000-05:00

A huge thank you to all of the Prior Lake Fire guys (and Jeff too) that came by and helped Holly! Jarod led the charge (thank you my red brother) and got a crew together to help paint, mow the lawn, and finish the play set.

Freddie working hard!

The Big Horn and Wolfman building the play set (with my kids taking care of the foreman duties), and Kleistie and Yurk on the burn detail.

(L to R) Chardo, Jarod, Yurk, Jeff, Wolfman, Killer, and Big Horn posing with Holly's "picture perfect husband".

Thanks again fellas, I'll buy a couple rounds when I get home. YOU GUYS ROCK!

Random Picture.

2007-05-19T11:16:00.000-05:00

Did you say pickled eggs?.....no problem!!!!

Hello!

2007-05-19T10:58:00.000-05:00

Hey eveybody,

Well, the seasons are changing. The highest temperature to date has been 112 degrees Fahrenheit (dry heat my.......) and we had a killer sand storm. I am baffled by the fact that so much dust can be in the air on a relatively calm day! The weirdest thing is the orange "fog" that results. I took the picture to the right on my way out to lunch at 1130AM. The dust actually accumulated! I guess that's why they call it the "crappy sand box".

I'll write again soon!
Zimm

More Arabic Labels.

2007-05-09T14:55:00.000-05:00

Lays Potato Chips.

They have some weird flavors here, like katsup!

Snapple Iced Tea.

True Americans!

2007-05-01T14:04:00.000-05:00

I was going to post this earlier and in true Zimm
fashion, I forgot!

Anyways, we stopped in Bangor, Maine on our trip over here. When we arrived, the terminal was lined with veterans and citizens. They welcomed us with loud cheers and clapping. It was truly humbling to see all of the people there to show their appreciation for us. As it turns out, these great Americans were part of the "Maine Troop Greeters". These are a great group of people that provided an awesome layout of goodies, great conversation, and they even offered us free cell phones to call our family...any where in the United States! Check out there website at http://www.mainetroopgreeters.com/ If you find your way into the troop photo section, we went through on March 31st. I can tell you that I am looking forward to seeing these fine folks on the way home too....after all, they had great cookies!

Till next time,
Zimm

High temp so far....109degrees!

2007-04-30T13:43:00.000-05:00

I grabbed this information from www.weather.com at about 1230 this afternoon (Kuwait time). The temperature was 109 degrees Fahrenheit. There was a lot of blowing sand too. There are actually sand drifts in places!!

I'll let you know when we hit a new high!
See you later,
Zimm

109°F
Sunny and Windy
UV Index: 8 Very High
Dew Point: 34°F
Humidity: 7%
Visibility: 0.8 miles
Pressure: 29.65 inches and steady
Wind: From the South at 31 mph

A "picture perfect" husband!

2007-04-29T13:23:00.000-05:00

My wife now has a "picture perfect" husband.......

and I have a really weird family!

I love you guys!

Grill-n-chill......sandbox style!

2007-04-27T12:55:00.000-05:00

Well, we had a grill out for lunch

the other day. It was a good time, and the food was

awesome. We grilled up some burgers, hot dogs, and chicken. Add some macaroni salad from the DFAC, and we had quite an adequate picnic. So rest assured, my fellow grill masters, I can still find a way to grill-n-chill....sandbox style!!!

Cold one for the road?

2007-04-27T12:47:00.000-05:00

Pepsi anyone?

Hello

2007-04-22T13:24:00.000-05:00

Hey everybody,

Well, it's been a while since I posted last, so I thought I'd better get one in. We have had some unusual weather. We had a couple thunderstorms, and we also have had a couple of sand storms (see picture). Things are going well otherwise. Life in the desert is definitely heating up. It was 100 degrees today, and last week we saw 106! I will post the really high temps as we see them. Well, believe it or not, I'm short on what to say! I will sign off for now.

Zimm

Denominational Diversity

2007-04-08T10:26:00.000-05:00

Good Evening (Morning for those of you in the good ol' USA) and happy Easter once again! I had the privilege of making it to the Protestant sunrise Easter service this morning, and I remembered what I like the most about the Military chapel services.......denominational diversity! I went with a hand full of my fellow Customs Battalion Sailors, and we worshiped with about 500 other Christians. The congregation was filled with Baptists, Methodists, Church of Christ, Assembly of God, and Lutherans (just from the customs crowd). Further more, I saw members of all 4 services and the Coast Guard, and of every imaginable race (including Middle Eastern) all happily sitting together to celebrate the same risen Lord! I just thought that it was cool experience worth sharing.

I'll talk to you soon,
Zimm

Happy Easter!

2007-04-08T04:04:00.000-05:00

Happy Easter to each and every one of you!! I pray that you all have a great celebration!

Christ is risen!
Zimm

Random picture

2007-04-06T10:45:00.000-05:00

Now I can commute in "style", just like Zippy!!!

(Keep drooling, Corey!)

Update

2007-04-06T10:37:00.000-05:00

Hey Folks,

Just a little update. As you may or may not have heard, our battalion made the big move, and we are now in Kuwait. It is hot and sandy here, but otherwise fine. I am knee deep in the customs thing, and can't wait to leave!

You all take care, and see you soon!
Zimm

Quick update.

2007-03-22T19:02:00.000-05:00

Hey Everyone,

Well, it's been a while since I was able to post any new news. The Internet connection has been very poor around here. Things are going OK here in Williamsburg. We are staying very busy, with very little time off (which is OK, it makes the time go by faster!). I posted a picture from our St. Patty's day venture. About 10 of us made an afternoon run to an indoor go-cart track in Portsmouth. The go-carts go 40 mph, but these babies are only 4" off of the floor, so it feels a lot faster! If you have never gone to one of these places, you need to go!! There is one in Savage, and that one is fun too! After go carts, we stopped by the local Hooters for hot wings (hey, it was right next door =) and scored these very classy hats, along with some indigestion.....try the "three mile island" hotness level, if you dare! The trip back to the hotel was uneventful, except for the blown front drivers side tire, the concrete wall near miss at 65mph, and the Virginia DOT highway helper who turned out to be a retired Navy guy who loaned us his tools. But hey, that's a different post all together!

Ya'll take care, and keep in touch!
Zimm

Random Picture

2007-03-20T21:33:00.000-05:00

YUMMY! MREs (meals, ready to eat) are "tasty"! If your free for lunch, give me a shout!

News links

2007-03-14T13:15:00.000-05:00

Our battalion has been making the news. I have put some links over on the left side of the blog page.

Enjoy!

Quick update

2007-03-09T11:13:00.000-06:00

Well, The first week here at training has been a busy one! Our training group completed Army Combat Lifesaver training. We covered a lot of topics. Perhaps the most fun was I.V. administration. I'd like to brag that I was successful on the first shot, but I'd not be telling the truth. I got it on the second "stab" though...HONEST! After the forty hour class, a 2 star Admiral was on hand to pass out our certificates, which was pretty cool. We each received a nice certificate (which is suitable for framing) and a combat lifesaver medical bag.

Well, that's all for now! I'll update when I get a chance!

Zimm

Zimm, how big is it?

2007-03-03T20:33:00.000-06:00

OK, every time I mention that I was part of the flight deck crew on an aircraft carrier, somebody always has to ask the same question. That question is, "So Zimm, how big are they?" I've tried to find a good way to describe their immense size for years, and the other day I found the perfect picture to post! I was standing in line to get fitted for my gas mask at Norfolk, and I glanced across the large parking lot at the USS Harry Truman. If you enlarge the photo and look closely, you will notice that the ship sits pier side across the street from a McDonald,s. This is NOT a camera trick! I took the picture myself, and the building is actually dwarfed by the carrier as shown. That, my friends, is how big they really are!

Call the Admiral...the internet is down!!

2007-02-25T20:38:00.000-06:00

OK, I'll admit it.....I am getting old! For those of you who haven't known me as long, I joined the Navy some 15 years ago. That said, as I was walking into the base galley here at Norfolk Naval Station, I over heard a young sailor complaining that he could not get in touch with his loved ones. "Why is that" one may ask. Well, as it turns out, THE INTERNET IS DOWN!!!! Oh dear, call in the admiral and notify a SEAL team! I got my "food" and sat down to eat. The nostalgia came on hard. I got off active duty 10 years ago. Back in "the day", I had to match dates on the letters that came in to see if they were in order. Yes, I said letters....written on paper with a pen!! When out to sea, the speediest letters where 3-4 weeks old. We had coffee that was considered fresh if it was made less than 18 hrs ago. Today, the sign above the coffee pot proudly hails "We are proud to brew Starbucks coffee here" No I did not miss-type, they serve Starbucks coffee!! I'm sorry to report that the food is the same though. They use the same recipe for chili-mack that my father ate back in the 70's. Now, as I sit here in my barracks room, watching free cable TV, drinking my Starbucks coffee, and posting a blog on my laptop using the free Navy WI-FY, am I complaining? Heck no! I'm just enjoying the new era like the rest. Technology is grand! After all, 10 years ago, a sailor had to go to the red light district for a "laptop"...I told you times have changed!!

Bryen joins the blog bandwagon

2007-02-22T16:17:00.000-06:00

My cousin joined the blog band wagon!! Go check it out, the link is to the right!

"In the Navy"

2007-02-22T15:37:00.000-06:00

Well, my old friend the Navy and I have been reacquainted. Not much to report, but I can tell you that I was quickly reminded why I left! We are in the in-processing stage of the deployment. We have been fitted for dessert camouflage uniforms and body armor, and are getting pay, final medical and dental wrap ups taken care of . I took a picture from the roof of my barracks, I don't know which ships are in port, but the photo turned out kind of cool. I will post later when there is more to report!

Zimm

Zoo trip!

2007-02-17T23:11:00.000-06:00

Well, our last full day has past us by. Boy did it come and go fast! The family and I went to the Minnesota Zoo today, and then we went to the Imax for a movie. We saw "A night at the museum". It was very funny and comes highly recommended by all 5 of us. The kids all agreed that the best part was "Rexy". We capped of the day with a trip to Davanni's for some pizza, and then a cuddle on the couch.

Take care,

The Zimm

True Hero!

2007-02-16T21:41:00.000-06:00

I've been getting all of the attention lately, and so I felt that I should publicly recognize the true hero. Whether I am buying stuff at Park, fighting fires, or playing Navy, she is keeping the home fires burning (and baking some killer cookies for the PLFD crew while doing it!). THANK YOU! In my book, Mrs Zimm, you are the TRUE home town hero!!

I love you sweetie!!

Cool Stuff

2007-02-16T21:15:00.002-06:00

My family has brought by some really cool things for my journey. My dad and aunts loaned me a 1922 half dollar and a Saint Christopher token that my grand father carried in WW-II. Pa (as we all affectionately called him) rubbed the coin in his fingers while he traveled. He did this so much he wore the coin to the point that you can hardly make out the stamping in the coin. The camouflage Bible is from the Browers. I mentioned that I was looking for one, and Kirby found me one! Thanks everybody, they all hold a special place with me!!

I love all of you!

Update on comments!!

2007-02-16T21:11:00.000-06:00

It was brought to my attention that only registered users could post comments....for that I apologize! I fixed it now, so please feel free to comment on my blog as anonymously as you wish!! Thanks Corey and Kirby for pointing out my over sight..YOU GUYS ROCK!!

The floors are sturdy!!

2007-02-15T12:06:00.002-06:00

Thank you to all of my friends and family that came by on January 20th to wish me well. THE HOUSE WAS FULL!!! I found that my newly installed Above All Hardwood floors (some free advertising for Corey and Jarod) can easily hold a hundred or so people without falling into the basement! I guess that was extra good news for the people that made their way into the basement. But enough about my floors. A huge THANK YOU to everyone for your support, love and prayers.

See you all soon!

Grill Masters

2007-02-14T09:54:00.000-06:00

On August 20th, My cousins and a long time friend came over to wish me well (Thanks Fellas!). We had our traditional "grill-n-chill" even though the weather was a little "cool". The menu included a large array of dead animals, french fries, and beer (yes, I had one too!). It was a lot of fun, and I look forward to another one!

Welcome!

2007-02-14T09:13:00.000-06:00

Welcome to my blog, I set this up to keep all of my family and friends updated during my travels. Enjoy the postings, comment if you wish, and please do not abuse it!

With love,
"The Zimm"