The-One-Left-Behind's Deployment Survival Guide

Well, sadly, my husband is deployed. While my husband is deployed it makes me apprechiate all the things he does when he is home. It gets me thinking about the things I have that would make deployments EVEN HARDER if I didn't have them. So, I have complied a list and have called it....

The-One-Left-Behind's Deployment Survival Guide

My blue plastic $1 back scratcher from the Columbus Farmer's Market.  So, it doesn't have to be blue...or plastic, but investing in a back scratcher is top priority in my book. With husband (or wife in some cases) being gone, I refuse to scratch up against the corner of a wall or grab random inanimate objects to scratch my back with...not to mention the disgusted stares I get when I place that object back where I found it, like nothing weird just happened.

My amazing assemblage of animals. If it weren't for the amazing support of the dogs (Eva-5, beagle and Jersey-2, Beagle/Boston mix), and the rats (Bianca and Smootch), I would probably be crying every night. To add to my obsession with animals, I am fostering four additional male rats (Schmitty, Asiago, Hoodrat, and Hector--also pronounced HECTAAAA) and an orphaned male kitten (Mac AKA Macaroni or Meatball). Not only do my animals keep me distracted, but they keep love in my heart and time off my hands! They are a lot of work and my days go by fast :-)

My roommates, aka my best friends. Ok, so drinking away my sorrows is only pathetic if I'm doing it alone...right? Regardless, having my roommates around gives me a reason to put a bra and pants on in the morning, which is always a good thing--especially since we have lots of windows in the house. 

My Job. I know, I know, who wants to work?! But my job is a necessary aspect of being alone on deployments. Working gives me a sense of being needed and takes up a lot of my time that would have otherwise been spent crossing off days on a multitude of calendars. 

So lets review:

Back scratcher + pets (roommates/job) = a fast deployment

Some other things you may want to keep handy are:

1. A clean bathtub and bath salts. Not really my cup of tea, but I hear some people like it.
2. A new cookbook, preferably not one that's labeled "Cooking for One"...too depressing.
3. A gym membership or work out routine. Endorphins are nature's drug.
4. Facebook/AIM/Skype. Plus a computer on your deployed member's end.
5. Books! Reading passes the time and is enjoyable.
6. A bottle of Rum. Hey, we are entitled to at least one day of surrendering to the bottle.

Any other suggestions or comments would fun! What do you NEED to have when your special someone is deployed?