Nice Long Weekend... Even With Duty

Oh, Thanksgiving! What a day! Even with getting to the pick-up area an hour before people were actually going to pick us up, it turned out alright. We were waiting in the base museum... and they had lots of interesting artifacts and pictures from the early 1900's. I was amused at WAVE PT... they had to work on Posture and Dancing. LOL! I especially loved the old cameras and the old cryptography machine.

Hibbard and I were one of the first groups to get picked up. Right away they announced "We need two females!" and we jumped at the chance. After our big breakfast, we watched a bit of the Macy's Parade, including seeing Betty Buckley. They then told us to take naps if we wanted and I called home for about 45 minutes and then slept for 30 (deep enough to dream of course). When I woke up I thought I was late for some muster and it took me a second to remember where I was! :) We went shopping for snacks for the party with Julie, the wife for a while... and I picked up some snacks for the barracks. We watched a little of the first football game when we got back, and then we took off for Robert's parent's house where a bunch of his extended family was getting together. It was almost like a Thanksgiving back home. Lots of good homemade food... split pea soup, juicy turkey, green bean casserole, jellied cranberries, etc. Ate so much I only had room for one piece of pumpkin pie. :) We finished watching the Saints/Cowboys game and then were returned to the base. I went to bed right after getting back at 2030 (8:30)!

And I didn't get up until 0700! Woke up a few times, of course, but on the whole a wonderful sleep. This (Friday the 26th) was my duty day. We mustered at 0845 and they told us to enjoy our Friday. :) I had a shopping trip to the NEX, where I picked up the dry cleaning and my name tag for my sweater, and a couple other items. The catch with it being my duty day was that I couldn't go out for longer than an hour. So several times I made it back just in time. :) Got the laundry done and I talked with Mom, Mike and my Grandma (Mom's mom in NC) for the rest of the afternoon. :) Love it when I can do that! On my way to muster that night, the yeoman stopped me in the hall and said he needed me to fill in for a watch. (Darn!) And so I was required to patrol the lounge from 2000 to 2400... watched the Oregon game along with a bunch of guys as I did so, and then a first-person shooter game as one guy played when the game was over. After he put in Spaceballs, it was time to go. Thank goodness, I was tired! :)

Today we had to muster again at 0800; I did one little job and then I was Scott-free! So I went to class for my hours of required Open Learning (just a few more hours of class to get ahead... or catch up, in my position). But there were so many people, they didn't have room. Told me to come back at 1100... so I had brunch as I was waiting. I love the omelets they make us here! Returned early and was able to snatch up a computer for three hours of work. Caught up just fine and will start the electronics part on Monday. Otherwise today, I went for a run on the track for a little personal PT... gosh! that was cold!!! And after dinner and cleaning up, I came here to the Loft for a little Internet. Tried to arrange using my friend's roommate's service for in-barracks Internet, but she's gone tonight and forgot to leave the password. So, maybe starting tomorrow I can surf from my own room. We'll see...

[and one more free day to go!]
Love to all :)

Jp