You know when it's cool in your bedroom early in the morning and you are all tucked in bed under a heavy down comforter except for maybe one arm, and you notice that your arm is starting to get a wee bit chilly, but otherwise you'd never notice because the rest of you is so toasty under the comforter?
And then you decide to bring that rogue arm back under the covers where it belongs and it's all mmmmmmmmmmmmm as it starts to get as toasty warm as the rest of your body as you drift back to sleep?
I like that.
In other news, I went shoe shopping today to replace my black mary janes. For other black mary janes. I also got side tracked by this cute kitchen store in the mall and I also bought a french press.
Does that make me a hipster now?
Monday, September 27, 2010
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Never say never
OK, I never actually thought I'm never going to have to carry a propane tank across the Confederate Cemetery.
None the less, it was not what I thought I was going to do this morning. However, I was a trooper and fetched the tank from our grill because we thought we didn't have enough. We never needed it, but it was better to be prepared. It was a situation that, rather than driving around (in the midst of construction to resurface the main road), it would be easier to just walk back to our house, fetch the propane tank, and lug it back to the grill area. Which was behind the Confederate Cemetery. It was heavy. I got some exercise.
I also got some confused and amused looks from the construction workers watching me lug it across the road. You can't see the grill area or the training lanes real well from the road. It probably looked like I was carrying the tank *to the cemetery. Not *through it. Oh well. :)
I also thought of something else military families are more prone too. Trying to decide if the big boom you just heard was thunder or artillery. It was dark and cloudy this morning, so I had to really think about it. (This is an easier distinction on sunny days.)
Given the training the soldiers are doing, it was artillery. It was much louder at the grill site, which was the gate to the training lanes. I jumped *every single time* it was shot which gave CPT Leifker (the ASC HHC company commander) a good chuckle.
It was fun though. And rewarding. Seeing dirty soldiers covered in mud and mock blood (medical training) that had been out there for 6 hours come back ravenous and grateful. Well that felt good.
None the less, it was not what I thought I was going to do this morning. However, I was a trooper and fetched the tank from our grill because we thought we didn't have enough. We never needed it, but it was better to be prepared. It was a situation that, rather than driving around (in the midst of construction to resurface the main road), it would be easier to just walk back to our house, fetch the propane tank, and lug it back to the grill area. Which was behind the Confederate Cemetery. It was heavy. I got some exercise.
I also got some confused and amused looks from the construction workers watching me lug it across the road. You can't see the grill area or the training lanes real well from the road. It probably looked like I was carrying the tank *to the cemetery. Not *through it. Oh well. :)
I also thought of something else military families are more prone too. Trying to decide if the big boom you just heard was thunder or artillery. It was dark and cloudy this morning, so I had to really think about it. (This is an easier distinction on sunny days.)
Given the training the soldiers are doing, it was artillery. It was much louder at the grill site, which was the gate to the training lanes. I jumped *every single time* it was shot which gave CPT Leifker (the ASC HHC company commander) a good chuckle.
It was fun though. And rewarding. Seeing dirty soldiers covered in mud and mock blood (medical training) that had been out there for 6 hours come back ravenous and grateful. Well that felt good.
Nuances about army life
I live on post. And yet, you don't have to live on a post to appreciate little things about Army life that you don't encounter (well, at least *I* didn't encounter) in civilian life.
We have another FRG event today. Selling hot dogs to soldiers who have been training in obstacle courses for 2 days and have had nothing to eat but MREs. Apparently they are appreciative. I just hope the rain holds out.
Anyway, they are also resurfacing the main road that runs through post near the housing area, and our meeting area to get to these soldiers. So I got an email this morning and a follow up phone call about 5 minutes ago saying we may have to change where we meet.
To the parking lot behind the tanks. There is a small area with a bunch of tanks on display to the public.
I'm sure there are state or national parks with tanks in them honoring our military, but you almost always see military gear on posts. (You know I am completely making that "statistic" up. I've only even been on 2 posts. RIA barely even counts.)
But in my civilian life, I was never told to go park behind the tanks.
I love that I live near an area full of tanks. Actually, to be fair, there are also Howitzers and/or canons. John can't remember the difference between the two.
We have another FRG event today. Selling hot dogs to soldiers who have been training in obstacle courses for 2 days and have had nothing to eat but MREs. Apparently they are appreciative. I just hope the rain holds out.
Anyway, they are also resurfacing the main road that runs through post near the housing area, and our meeting area to get to these soldiers. So I got an email this morning and a follow up phone call about 5 minutes ago saying we may have to change where we meet.
To the parking lot behind the tanks. There is a small area with a bunch of tanks on display to the public.
I'm sure there are state or national parks with tanks in them honoring our military, but you almost always see military gear on posts. (You know I am completely making that "statistic" up. I've only even been on 2 posts. RIA barely even counts.)
But in my civilian life, I was never told to go park behind the tanks.
I love that I live near an area full of tanks. Actually, to be fair, there are also Howitzers and/or canons. John can't remember the difference between the two.
Monday, September 20, 2010
An assortment for Monday.
After this, I really have to go start dinner. :)
This is the view of the Mississippi River looking toward Rock Island Arsenal. John and I walked (on a GORGEOUS day) down the road and across the bridge on the left to Iowa where I took these pics. NOTE: I forgot to check my camera's battery status. It was dead. I was able to get these pics by turning on the camera really fast and then taking the picture before it died on me. Therefore: no zoom capability.
Yes, I know. I'm a budding professional.
SO. What you are looking at is
The Government bridge on the left. From Davenport (where we are standing) to Rock Island Arsenal. The road then forks off to actually enter the post, or go "around" it (meaning, you don't have to have your ID) and head on to the Rock Island bridge to get to Rock Island. This bridge carries cars, trains, pedestrians and cyclists. (Although you're not supposed to ride your bike on the bridge. You're supposed to dismount. No one ever does.) And, it frickin' spins. The section of the bridge that looks a little bit different than the rest way at the end (toward RIA) is the lock and allows for passage of barges. So it spins to open. And then to close. Sometimes after a long time. Backing up the rest of the car/train/pedestrian traffic. Everyone knows what it means "to catch a barge" or "to hit a barge" if you are late coming on the island or trying to leave it. Especially since the Moline bridge is closed right now, limiting our options.
ANYWAY. To the right, is the Dam.
This is the back end (downstream) of the dam.
And this is looking even further downstream to the Centennial Bridge. It looks cool lit up at night. :)
Promised ages ago.
But not delivered until now. Our furniture that we got in July.
Notice the underdresser drawers for maximum storage. I don't think John has even filled up his side yet. I don't think he knows what to do with so much storage. He still uses the old dresser in the guest room, and a plastic tub in the office. He's a little useless at this right now.
I don't actually know how the Army does it. I'm just postulating.
I like it though. It's perty. And hopefully, will continue to look perty throughout the next several moves.
Unheard of!
OK.
So, I kind of miss Minnesota. I was talking to Sarah about this and maybe it's not so much missing Minnesota (with all of the mosquitoes and mind numbingly cold winters) as it is missing the chiropractic community.
As a great example, John and I went out on Friday night for drinks and dinner with a boatload of his coworkers and their families. We were supposed to go to a concert afterwards, but I don't think anyone made it. They were doing shots when we left. They are a fun group.
But I heard something that I would NEVER have heard going out with a group of chiropractic students in Minnesota.
"Yeah, I know my cholesterol is a problem, so as long as I take my Lipitor with my cheeseburger, everything should be fine."
!!!
Yes. He was joking.
But, that just would not have been said among my former peers. Yes, we drank. Yes sometimes it was to levels beyond stupidity. But we would not have been taking Lipitor!! And we often discussed nutrition as the proper way to balance out the body, not to mention the ever present, chiropractic adjustment.
I just miss being around so many like minded individuals, achieving a similar goal. It's a fun energy. In practice, it can sometimes feel like you are trying to convince patients that this particular goal is a good one to have...not only the work it will take to get there. I can see why people are professional students. It's an addicting atmosphere.
I will always link Minnesota to that atmosphere, so, aside from the times where my snot was freezing, I will always think fondly of it.
So, I kind of miss Minnesota. I was talking to Sarah about this and maybe it's not so much missing Minnesota (with all of the mosquitoes and mind numbingly cold winters) as it is missing the chiropractic community.
As a great example, John and I went out on Friday night for drinks and dinner with a boatload of his coworkers and their families. We were supposed to go to a concert afterwards, but I don't think anyone made it. They were doing shots when we left. They are a fun group.
But I heard something that I would NEVER have heard going out with a group of chiropractic students in Minnesota.
"Yeah, I know my cholesterol is a problem, so as long as I take my Lipitor with my cheeseburger, everything should be fine."
!!!
Yes. He was joking.
But, that just would not have been said among my former peers. Yes, we drank. Yes sometimes it was to levels beyond stupidity. But we would not have been taking Lipitor!! And we often discussed nutrition as the proper way to balance out the body, not to mention the ever present, chiropractic adjustment.
I just miss being around so many like minded individuals, achieving a similar goal. It's a fun energy. In practice, it can sometimes feel like you are trying to convince patients that this particular goal is a good one to have...not only the work it will take to get there. I can see why people are professional students. It's an addicting atmosphere.
I will always link Minnesota to that atmosphere, so, aside from the times where my snot was freezing, I will always think fondly of it.
Thursday, September 9, 2010
About that time of year...
...when we start commemorating the events that took place on September 11, 2001. Today, I went to a ceremony on post that did just that. Complete with canons and guns shooting and everything.
John, however, did a bit more.
He went on a 5 mile road march in full battle gear carrying 3 bricks that were later used to make statues representing the World Trade Center Towers at 6 am today. The Towers sculpture played a part in the ceremony today. His feet were not acclimated to marching in his boots as he hasn't done a road march in a while. He could barely walk when we went to work between the blisters and the muscle soreness.
Good thing he has a wife with a background in body work to take care of him.
The ceremony was cool. Speeches and prayers, prayers and speeches. Oh, and the canons. Those suckers are loud. But the part that got me was when they played Taps at the end. Now, I hear Taps every night. EVERY night, it's played at 10 pm on post. It's the go-to-bed song. They have a 9:30 song (which I don't know the name of. I call it the brush-your-teeth song), a 5 pm song "Retreat" where they take down the flag for the day, and of course, the 6:30 am song, the well known, "Reveille". But I digress. I hear Taps every night, but this version seemed more moving. They did have a second trumpet (as the good band of St. Ambrose University didn't have bugles...I'm thinking) doing a kind of echo of the first trumpet. I liked it.
At the end, the band played "America the Beautiful" and all the attendees were invited to sing along. At first, NO ONE was singing. And suddenly, you could hear a few voices. Then a few more. In no time at all, everyone had started singing. I didn't sing. I was too busy smiling at everyone else and their behaviors. I just thought it was funny, but in a cute way.
Unfortunately, I failed to bring my camera. So no pictures. I kind of rushed out the door without my camera OR phone.
Boo.
Anyway, here is to the men and women who died in the attacks on our country on September 11, the police, firefighters and volunteer workers who helped as well as gave their lives, and the members of our military still fighting in a war against terrorism.
John, however, did a bit more.
He went on a 5 mile road march in full battle gear carrying 3 bricks that were later used to make statues representing the World Trade Center Towers at 6 am today. The Towers sculpture played a part in the ceremony today. His feet were not acclimated to marching in his boots as he hasn't done a road march in a while. He could barely walk when we went to work between the blisters and the muscle soreness.
Good thing he has a wife with a background in body work to take care of him.
The ceremony was cool. Speeches and prayers, prayers and speeches. Oh, and the canons. Those suckers are loud. But the part that got me was when they played Taps at the end. Now, I hear Taps every night. EVERY night, it's played at 10 pm on post. It's the go-to-bed song. They have a 9:30 song (which I don't know the name of. I call it the brush-your-teeth song), a 5 pm song "Retreat" where they take down the flag for the day, and of course, the 6:30 am song, the well known, "Reveille". But I digress. I hear Taps every night, but this version seemed more moving. They did have a second trumpet (as the good band of St. Ambrose University didn't have bugles...I'm thinking) doing a kind of echo of the first trumpet. I liked it.
At the end, the band played "America the Beautiful" and all the attendees were invited to sing along. At first, NO ONE was singing. And suddenly, you could hear a few voices. Then a few more. In no time at all, everyone had started singing. I didn't sing. I was too busy smiling at everyone else and their behaviors. I just thought it was funny, but in a cute way.
Unfortunately, I failed to bring my camera. So no pictures. I kind of rushed out the door without my camera OR phone.
Boo.
Anyway, here is to the men and women who died in the attacks on our country on September 11, the police, firefighters and volunteer workers who helped as well as gave their lives, and the members of our military still fighting in a war against terrorism.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)