Hello, Again

Well, it's been two weeks to the day since I've had time to post, but it feels more like four.

Sunday the 12th was my last day of liberty... and that expired that night at 8pm (I took a taxi at 7pm). Besides that, there was one evening where I had time between 6pm and 5am to spend at home, and that required two more taxi rides... but was completely worth it. You see, they didn't know if we'd have time to come back between the two things we were doing, so I left the car at home. Enough about that.

That Sunday morning I slept in, went to breakfast at the Pancake House, then tried out the local Baptist church down the street from where I live (on the way to the base, that I had been passing every day for a while). It was a friendly little church, and I really enjoyed singing some familiar hymns, but the sermon really focused on their church. Nice to visit, but I don't think I'll be calling it home. From there I went to the base pool for a good workout swim then shower... and the rest of the day I spent getting ready for the next couple months.

My night at home on the 16th was very nice. It was the first time I had been underway for more than 24 hours, so getting away from it all was a God-send. The traffic was really bad, so as the taxi got close, I got out before it came to a stand-still and walked the last bit, passing lots of cars. All I did was shower, eat a very yummy frozen dinner, drink some coffee, and relish sleeping on my own bed.

Once we pulled into Mayport, FL, I did get off the ship for a while and watch Batman Begins at the Liberty Center across the street from the ship, as well as talk to my mom and my husband. The second night I did make it out to the shuttle and had 15 minutes at the NEX before it closed. But I was able to get what I needed. Then I rode it to the Beachfront Center to get on the Internet, have a Pizza Hut personal size supreme, as well as hang out in the bar. I thought I'd just watch a little football while eating my pizza, but I ran into the sonar guys, and I sat down with them for a while.

The fourth day I was let off really early... around 2pm. Decided to walk to the on-base NEX (too early for the shuttle), bought some Raisin Bran, milk, bowl and spoons, and fruit cup (along with some new tennies, and a t-shirt that caught my eye), and had that for dinner on the beach. Took a walk along the beach after that and found lots of neat shells, as well as the molt of a horseshoe crab and the carcass of a sting ray of some sort. Then I stopped by the center nearby for Internet again, and caught the shuttle back. Did all my laundry before bed as I read in Black Beauty.