u/enkelinieto

As a military spouse, you find ways to keep yourself busy when your other half is deployed, especially when you’re a sub wife and it’s weeks if not months of no emails. I got a notice while we were living in base housing (during the pandemic) that I could not have my garden in pots, everything had to be in the ground.

Background: We were supposed to move but then COVID happened, the gardening started pre-pandemic but then I got more into it when I found out we couldn’t leave. I originally did some basil, oregano and tomatoes in pots, but got a notice that I couldn’t have potted plants.

Reason I was petty: I got notices for things like the AC units still being in October first, but it was still in the mid 80’s.

However, if I needed THEM to do anything it was like pulling teeth. A hornet’s nest twice the size of a basketball? The fire department ended up taking care of it because they were tired of waiting. When the pipes burst in our house? They berated me and the following conversation happened:

Housing: If you’re letting the dog pee in the house, there’s going to be an extra cleaning fee.

Me: (yes, I know my comment probably wasn’t the right thing to say, but I was furious) One, even if he DID pee in the house TODAY, that sound was fucking loud and it probably scared him. Two, I have seizures! There are probably more piss stains, and blood, in the carpet from me than him. (That almost got my husband to laugh… not that a pissed off wife is funny)

But long before the incident with the pipes there were other small issues that after 4 years I just ended up going. My garden goes in the ground? We’re staying here 3 more years? I’m growing oregano… and you’re going to have to deal with it when I leave. It’s been 2 years, I wouldn’t be surprised if it has taken over half the front yard. You see, oregano can be very invasive and VERY difficult to get rid of. It really took root while I was there. I was constantly going out and, well, not pruning… just getting little sprigs for cooking. But when we left, I pulled up the little mini dividers that were keeping it from taking over the yard. They’re going to have to get REALLY creative to get rid of it.

A recent phone call to my next door neighbor there? A new family has moved in, and when he told the wife what the plant was, she was ecstatic! So, plant’s still there and HUGE! 😈

Edit: Getting a lot of comments about mint, there was already mint when we got there as well as strawberries.

You guys will probably understand this better than most, my husband tries, but all he really sees is wife is in pain. Today my hair hurts, wearing a T-shirt hurt… it was difficult to take a nap because anything touching my skin hurt. It’s hard to explain when I have bad days at work, coworkers and regulars do notice my off days and it’s hard to explain when I’m asked what’s wrong because some people seem to think something happened for me not to be my chipper self. I’m just happy my job doesn’t care if I don’t wear a bra, that would be THE most painful thing to have to do. In high school I would get welts wherever there was elastic. I’m also Autistic and my father was in the Air Force, so military humor + Autism has landed me in hot water in the past. A manager said something about me not wearing a bra and my response was “They’re not big enough to hang out the bottom of my shirt, and if the men can’t handle a woman without a bra that’s not my fault. If I wear a bra tonight, I’ll have welts on my rib cage and you’ll have to send me home early because of how much pain I’d be in.” I’m a C cup… so grapefruit sized?