I'm home again. I've spent the past hour and a half catching up on blogs that I didn't have bookmarked in the computer I took with me. Geez, who thought that balancing 4 computers (3 of them laptops, one of which is for work) would be so confusing. Time to make some more coffee and look around, get the luggage out of the truck, and get on with life around here.
I'll pull some of the pictures off the camera and phone that I took in Pendleton, OR and post at least one or two here later. It really was a pretty place in an understated kind of way. The fielding was fun, went well, and, other than loosing a (sigh) lot of money at the casino, was generally a good time.
Saturday, August 30, 2008
Friday, August 22, 2008
Pendleton
I'm two weeks into this fielding. Everything is going fine. The area is nice. I described it to my Mom on the phone as a cross between Santa Fe and western Kansas. Rolling (very!) wheat fields, that have been harvested recently, and rolling valleys. A patchwork of washed out colors. Mountains all around. Did I mention the rolling hills? I am mostly done with my parts, only a few details left. The CSSAMO (tactical computer folks) here in Oregon were in my class, and a Sargent came back this week to help me and learn more how I build the system. He did a lot of the work. Those guys are in charge of keeping track of the equipment, and everything is labeled within an inch of it's life. This place will be one of the more ship-shape units when we leave next week.
Our trip to Ft. Lewis in the Seattle, WA area for next month was pulled, so this is the last scheduled fielding for this team. The new budget starts soon, so we are waiting to see what it brings. Everyone is saying 'this happens every year' but some (most) are a bit anxious. My hike again gives me some stability. I have been planning to leave here in a year and a half anyway, so while it would put a bit of a crimp in my plans to have the job disappear, it wouldn't be the end of the world.
Reconsidering that I'll be home in September is not all bad. The weather has cooled, so I should be able to get outside and work some on my yard. I should be able to get into sorting and getting rid of stuff. I should also be able to get out and hike some. I had planned on hiking a lot in October, my favorite month. So, in September I'll do some close hikes, and by October I'll maybe go over to North Georgia and hike some. Oh, and maybe I'll actually sew some of the hammock stuff that's been laying around.
There were some issues with the neighbors who moved back a few weeks ago. As I was leaving at 4am on Monday for my flight out I came across a 'body' in the driveway. Luckily the housemate was there, so I called him and he came down and investigated while I called 911. It was the young male (17 yo or so?) who had gotten drunk and passed out in the driveway, on the first day of school... This is pushing me to really reconsider selling the house. Now that the cat is gone, I really don't need a house and yard to take care of (ok, so the housemate does most of that now...), except that I don't have a clear vision of what I want to do instead. Once I figure that out, I'm on my way.
Our trip to Ft. Lewis in the Seattle, WA area for next month was pulled, so this is the last scheduled fielding for this team. The new budget starts soon, so we are waiting to see what it brings. Everyone is saying 'this happens every year' but some (most) are a bit anxious. My hike again gives me some stability. I have been planning to leave here in a year and a half anyway, so while it would put a bit of a crimp in my plans to have the job disappear, it wouldn't be the end of the world.
Reconsidering that I'll be home in September is not all bad. The weather has cooled, so I should be able to get outside and work some on my yard. I should be able to get into sorting and getting rid of stuff. I should also be able to get out and hike some. I had planned on hiking a lot in October, my favorite month. So, in September I'll do some close hikes, and by October I'll maybe go over to North Georgia and hike some. Oh, and maybe I'll actually sew some of the hammock stuff that's been laying around.
There were some issues with the neighbors who moved back a few weeks ago. As I was leaving at 4am on Monday for my flight out I came across a 'body' in the driveway. Luckily the housemate was there, so I called him and he came down and investigated while I called 911. It was the young male (17 yo or so?) who had gotten drunk and passed out in the driveway, on the first day of school... This is pushing me to really reconsider selling the house. Now that the cat is gone, I really don't need a house and yard to take care of (ok, so the housemate does most of that now...), except that I don't have a clear vision of what I want to do instead. Once I figure that out, I'm on my way.
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Ready, Set...
It's past my bedtime, and I need to get up at 3:30am. I am packed, I guess. The house is not nearly as clean as I had hoped. I am showered, and the bags are piled by the door, not loaded in the truck like I had wanted. The dishes aren't done. I'm hoping for some last minute inspiration in the morning. Right.
Tomorrow will be a long day. I am looking to the moment when I open the door to my hotel room, knowing that I have arrived. I'll enjoy that feeling for a few minutes, then start looking towards what I need to get done the next day.
It's funny, I've looked forward to these next two fieldings out in the Pacific Northwest. I've wanted the heat of summer to end. Now that I'm here, I don't really want to leave again. It's difficult to be both restless and also adverse to change.
Tomorrow will be a long day. I am looking to the moment when I open the door to my hotel room, knowing that I have arrived. I'll enjoy that feeling for a few minutes, then start looking towards what I need to get done the next day.
It's funny, I've looked forward to these next two fieldings out in the Pacific Northwest. I've wanted the heat of summer to end. Now that I'm here, I don't really want to leave again. It's difficult to be both restless and also adverse to change.
Saturday, August 09, 2008
Countdown
This is my last Saturday morning at home for awhile. I have unloaded the things out of the back of the truck that need to stay here, and loaded most of the trash to take to the dump in a bit. I have laundry started. I have sat down for some coffee.
Still on the agenda is, uhh, packing. I leave early, like a 6am flight, on Monday. I'm going to just see how difficult it will be to only have one 50lb suitcase. I will most likely end up with two, but with the airlines charging for even the first checked bag I'll give it a good attempt anyway. The company reimburses us for the baggage charges at least. I need to take recyclables (still haven't done that...) and then clean the kitchen and mop and clean the bathroom and go from there.
The temperature has broken a bit, which explains why I'm actually getting some things done, like unloading and loading the truck. I truly don't do anything when it's hot, inside or out. This is something I need to plan for every year, no projects in July or early August. I will only be home for 2 weeks in September, then off again. So, this weekend is really my time to make some progress. In the trash are some things that have been sitting around waiting for I'm not sure what for me to get rid of. I am cutting down a bit below the daily cleanup at least.
Phil is back at work, Shiloh is almost done with the trail. Things are winding down, or up, or at least changing. Just this morning I still looked around for the cat before closing a closet door. I sometimes still scooch over when sitting down in my chair so there will be room for him to jump up when he wanders over. While driving at lunch yesterday I was pondering what I need to get done before leaving town, and I had a moment of panic when I sensed that changes have been initiated that are now out of my control. At this point, though, there is nothing to do but continue on.
Still on the agenda is, uhh, packing. I leave early, like a 6am flight, on Monday. I'm going to just see how difficult it will be to only have one 50lb suitcase. I will most likely end up with two, but with the airlines charging for even the first checked bag I'll give it a good attempt anyway. The company reimburses us for the baggage charges at least. I need to take recyclables (still haven't done that...) and then clean the kitchen and mop and clean the bathroom and go from there.
The temperature has broken a bit, which explains why I'm actually getting some things done, like unloading and loading the truck. I truly don't do anything when it's hot, inside or out. This is something I need to plan for every year, no projects in July or early August. I will only be home for 2 weeks in September, then off again. So, this weekend is really my time to make some progress. In the trash are some things that have been sitting around waiting for I'm not sure what for me to get rid of. I am cutting down a bit below the daily cleanup at least.
Phil is back at work, Shiloh is almost done with the trail. Things are winding down, or up, or at least changing. Just this morning I still looked around for the cat before closing a closet door. I sometimes still scooch over when sitting down in my chair so there will be room for him to jump up when he wanders over. While driving at lunch yesterday I was pondering what I need to get done before leaving town, and I had a moment of panic when I sensed that changes have been initiated that are now out of my control. At this point, though, there is nothing to do but continue on.
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