A Mountain Message

I got to sleep in today! There was no race this morning (well, there was, but it was $10 if you hadn’t registered before the first one – it’s a series of 4 races) and it sure was good to be able to sleep in. I got up about 1015 and just kind of took my time getting ready and doing computer stuff and whatever. I stitched for about 15 minutes before I headed off to prayer shawl ministry. There were only 3 of us there today, but we also had guests. PAO (Public Affairs Office) had a couple of Soldiers there taking pictures and interviewing us about the group and everything. That was kind of neat! So we’ll have a write up in one of the publications around here probably next month. I’ll keep you posted about that. As of today, we have 11 prayer shawls done and one very close to being done, so we’ll have at least a dozen for our first blessing/dedication service next week!

After prayer shawl was done, I came home and stitched for a little while more before heading to the chapel for Joyful Noez warm up and then our Contemporary service we lead. It was an awesome service – music and message. CH Charles, the 10th Mountain Division Chaplain preached tonight and his sermon in a nutshell was "I am your God. You are My people. I have heard your cries and I will lead you to the land of milk and honey." He’s a great preacher and boy did he have us laughing as well. I think that’s part of why I remembered his sermon. So you’re wondering, Mountain Message?? 10th MOUNTAIN Division Chaplain gave the Message. Got it? I hope so – I don’t know else to explain it. 🙂 He even sang "Softly and Tenderly" at the end of his message (he plays guitar) and he asked Joyful Noez to join him on the chorus which was "Come home. Come home. Ye who are weary come home. Earnestly, tenderly Jesus is calling. Calling oh sinner, come home." It was a great way to end the service. Of course, after the service and getting everything put away, we heaaded to the chow hall for dinner and we took up and entire block of tables – 3 or 4 4-person tables with an extra chair on each end so 14-18 of us!!! It was awesome fellowship time while we ate, and of course before we ate we all held hands and prayed and ended with a pretty loud AMEN. Then it was off to Green Beans for Combat UNO, with my usual stop at the band hall to call home first. I got to talk to Robbie, Ryan, Mom, Dad, and Rick since they are all at Rick’s house for Robbie’s birthday party. We didn’t talk very long as all the guests were there, but it was still nice talking to everyone, and I got to wish Robbie a Happy Birthday even though is birthday isn’t until tomorrow. Combat UNO was fun, as always, and it’s nice continuing the fellowship as well.

Now it’s bedtime – way past, actually.

Today’s high: 115
Current: 97 (12:35 a.m.)

Friday

I was up at 0515 this morning to go run, but the migraine monster decided to pay me a visit.  I could barely make it to the latrine because of the light.  No way would I have made it even 1/4 mile.  I chatted with Ryan for a few minutes and then I went back to bed for a couple more hours.  I felt some better when I woke up the second time, and it continued getting better throughout the morning.  After breakfast and formation, I started working on the ADO orders, getting the totals done for each Soldier and double checking their forms for sizes and stuff like that.  I can’t start on the actual ordering until after Monday, but I figured I could get the preliminary stuff out of the way.  That took me all morning.  During lunch I stitched for about 30 minutes and then I took a nap.  I was OUT, but I felt much better afterwards. 

After lunch we had Brass Quintet rehearsal from 2-4 (we were only going to go for an hour, but we were having a really good rehearsal and no one really wanted to stop).  So, it was a good rehearsal and fun too.  That’s always nice.  After that was done, I got caught up on my e-mails and a few other things.  Then it was time for details and go home.  After details, I headed to the chapel for Joyful Noez rehearsal.  Rehearsal went well although there are a few songs that I don’t know.  But it’s always good to learn new songs!  After rehearsal was done and we had everything put away, we all headed to the chow hall for dinner.  I guess I could say that I kind of ate dinner with my Commanding General this evening.  My CG was sitting 3 chairs down from me at the table.  He was eating with another 2-star General, and several of the Specialists in our group were a bit intimidated by having two 2-star Generals at the same table as us.  LOL

Now that I’m home and relaxed – very relaxed – I’m heading to bed.  Tomorrow is another day. . .

High:  Hmm. . .  I don’t know if I looked at the temp all day
Current:  100 (10:50 p.m.)

Grupo Histeria

I slept through softball practice this morning due to setting my alarm for PM instead of AM.  I’m thinking I must have come home at lunch last Thursday and taken a nap.  That’s the only way I can figure that it woul have gotten set to PM.  But I always have my travel alarm set for 0715 as a backup, so that woke me up.  KC brought me breakfast from the chow hall so I didn’t have to make an extra trip.  That was really nice of him!!  We had a Health & Welfare inspection this morning – MST Leader came in and just checked for cleanliness and any visible contraband items (porn, etc.).  It was quite easy.  I even made my bed nicer than usual this morning, and swept our floor.

Once my room had been inspected, I headed off to the band hall.  We had brass quintet rehearsal this morning and it went really well.  I even got a compliment on my playing, so that was nice!  I met up with my friend Denise from Joyful Noez for lunch.  She’s been on leave and it’s nice having her back.  We had a great time talking and getting caught up on the past few weeks over lunch.

After lunch I worked on supply paperwork for most of the afternoon.  At 1600 we had unit and small group photos in front of the band hall.  I was in 4 – Brass Quintet, Tuba Quartet, Stage Band, and then the full band one.  It went very smoothly and quick transitions between the groups.  Then it was back to my computer until about 1730 when I changed into my Grupo Histeria t-shirt (uniform for our gigs is our black t-shirt with the group logo on it and ACU pants and boots).  We were supposed to have sound check at 1800, but we had some power issues and ended up not really having a soundcheck.  We started a few minutes after 1900 and had an awesome gig!  There were probably about 50 or so in attendance and lots of dancing during our songs.  We played for an hour and a half and it went great.  It sure was good to have my first post-softball injury gig.  After the gig we tore down and got everything put away and I finally went to dinner about 2115.  I didn’t want to eat before the gig because I can’t play well on a full stomach.  KC took me to Taco Bell for supper and now I’m about to head to bed.  I’m tired and I have a headache.  

Today’s High:  116
Current:  100 (10:45 p.m.)

A Briefing and more. . .

I started off this morning with a 3.29 mile run in 33:00.  It was a little shorter than usual since I stopped at the gym to get on the scale.  I need to do something because it appears the numbers on the scale are going the wrong way.  Hmm. . .  something like running 4-5 days a week and getting to the gym in the afternoons a few days a week perhaps.  I just need to remember how good I feel after I run in the morning!

After breakfast and formation, we had a briefing by Chief about the gig that the band did last weekend.  They played in an Iraqi village park somewhere away from here.  This village was written off as hopeless 10 months ago, but the unit that is doing patrols down there has completely changed things around.  This village had an arts festival a few weeks ago – something that would have been unimaginable 10 months ago.  And now part of our band did a concert/awards ceremony there, and did a few joint pieces with several Iraqi musicians from that village.  I wish I could have gone and been a part of this, but I’m sure there will be more opportunities for us to play for the Iraqi people.  They had a great experience.

The briefing lasted about an hour and then it was off to my office to do e-mail and some paperwork.  After lunch, during which I stitched for an hour, I headed up to our Property Book Office to pick up a bassoon that another unit is laterally transfering to us.  I also turned in some more paperwork  to get stuff onto our property books from the property books back at Ft. Drum.  Once back to the band hall, I spent the rest of the afternoon working on various kinds of paperwork – to turn some stuff in, to get more new stuff added, etc.  It was a pretty productive day overall.

After work, it was home to shower and change into PTs and then off for pizza for dinner and then a movie with friends.  We watched The Patriot.  What a great movie, but I had forgotten how long it was.  So it was midnight before I got home, and now that it’s almost 0100, I should probably get to bed.

Today’s high:  118
Current:  100 (12:45 a.m.)

An interesting day – and MUCH better than yesterday!

My day started off much better than yesterday.  I had oatmeal instead of cocoa puffs and they had applesauce and swiss cheese once again.  Still no chocolate milk, but I don’t need milk on my oatmeal, so I was ok with strawberry.  After formation I checked my work e-mails and then MSN came in with some great news she had just gotten in her e-mail (which she had forwarded to me but I hadn’t gotten to yet).  The piccolo that’s been “missing” is no longer missing.  In fact, it hasn’t even existed since last December when it got turned in but never taken off our property book!!!  So that was some really good news and totally made my day.  I headed up to Battalion with the turn-in documents for the piccolo and some other paperwork for both the S-4 and our Property Book Officer.  Then I stopped by the Bravo Company supply sergeant’s office so I could get a sample of the documents needed to turn in some equipment we don’t have a need for.  Then I stopped by KC’s office just to say hi – can’t go to Battalion without stopping by to say hi to my friend.  Then I headed home and I crocheted through lunch.  

As I was passing by the chow hall to go back for salsa band rehearsal at 1300, Chief stopped me and asked me what I was doing at 1500.  I replied “I don’t know, Sir.  What am I doing at 1500?”  So he let me know that I needed to go to the Command & Staff meeting with him and First Sergeant – they wanted the supply sergeants there and we would be talking about the ADO program (that’s the program to order replacement uniform stuff).  Salsa rehearsal went really well.  We just ran through the songs in order for Thursday night’s gig.  I’m definitely looking forward to that – not only will it be Salsa Band’s (Grupo Hysteria) first performance, but it will be my first gig since my softball incident.  I left out of rehearsal a little early so I could be ready to go with Chief and Top to the meeting.  The meeting was interesting.  I didn’t really need to be there as the other supply sergeants (KC, AS (my roommate), SSG K, and CPL C) managed to answer all the questions that everyone had about ADO.  And by the time it got to the Band’s issues/comments, everything had pretty much already been covered.

After the meeting, I headed to the chapel for a thing about the cultural and other differences between Iraqi and American women.  It was really interesting and I’m glad I got to go to this.  Today is Women’s Equality Day, and this was part of a several day celebration of that.  The guest speaker was a Major who works out in the villages and towns with the Iraqi women and she was a really good speaker.  We all got t-shirts on our way out, and I actually got 2 of them because they had so many left.  I got a white one and a red one.  Then it was back to the band hall to do a final check of my e-mail since I hadn’t been on my computer since 1000.  Holy cow did I have a lot of e-mails!  I think there were like 26 new e-mails in my inbox.  Good grief!!  So I went through those and answered the few that needed answering and then I headed to dinner and then home for crocheting.  Now it’s off to bed.

Today’s High:  113 (though it may have been higher since I wasn’t on my computer during the hottest part of the day)
Current:  100 (11:00 p.m.)

Can I push delete?

Today was one of those days that I wish I could just push a delete button and have it be gone.  I didn’t get up in time for softball practice.  Breakfast sucked – no applesauce, no swiss cheese, and my watermelon was WAY over ripe.  And they didn’t have chocolate milk yet again.  Then it was off to formation and that went well.  We had Brass Quintet rehearsal this morning and rehearsal itself went well, but I just came out of there feeling bleh.  Of course, I was SOGGY.  We rehearsed out in the drum practice trailer since the rehearsal spaces were used by other groups, and it was HOT in there.  The A/C wasn’t working very well, and I was sweating so much that it was dripping off my arms onto my pants.  By the time rehearsal was done, my t-shirt was entirely soaked and my pants from the knees up were soggy as well.  I really didn’t feel like going to lunch, so I sat in my office and stitched.  I got an hour in on my work project today, so that made me happy and helped relax me.  After lunch I handed out uniform orders that came for Soldiers that were out on a mission over the weekend.  I did some computer stuff, e-mails, etc.  Then at 1500 we had stage band rehearsal.  The first hour was full band and that went ok.  Then we broke down into sectionals and that’s where my afternoon went really sour.  I can’t go into it here, but it was very stressful.  After we were done, I got my horn put away, did a final check of my e-mail and headed out.

KC happened to be driving on one of his supply missions and he saw me walking.  So he stopped and picked me up and after he had finished his mission, he took me to a chow hall far away from 10th Mountain area (but still within the Victory camp system) and let me vent about the day over dinner.  He managed to cheer me up and take my mind off the day and then after we ate we went to the big PX there so I could get some SFC rank for a friend who needed some sew-on rank (and they don’t have any at our little PX) and some little tiny hair rubber bands because the retaining band on my watch decided it had had enough and I’ve discovered that the little tiny hair rubber bands work perfectly!  Then it was home to shower and change and I’ve been chatting with 

ppsassygrl

and Rick.  I’m about ready to head to bed – definitely going to be an early one tonight.

Today’s High:  116
Current:  104 (9:40 p.m.)

Run For The Fallen

But before we get to that, let’s backtrack to yesterday when apparently I didn’t post. After formation I headed to my office to continue the research I’ve been working on. I met up with my friend CR for lunch. It was nice seeing him again for a little bit – his schedule has been so crazy that we haven’t had a chance to hang out lately. After I got back to my office I had time for a little bit of stitching. Then we had Salsa rehearsal from 1-3 so that was a nice break away from my computer. Rehearsal went well, and our first gig is less than a week away! Then it was back to my desk to finish up. I finally got everything done and part one of the request forms done. I was at work until about 1750 finishing all that up. Then I headed up to the Battalion Headquarters building as I had a Video-Teleconference at 1830. It sure was great seeing my guys and getting to talk to them for a half hour. I’ll probably get a VTC every other month or so. Once I was done there, it was off to dinner and then I went and watched a movie with KC.

Now on to today. . .

I was up at 0430 on my day off again to go run yet another race. This was one I definitely didn’t want to miss – Run for the Fallen. It was advertised as a 4 mile run, but it ended up being 4.48. It was a good morning although a bit warm – 95 degrees when I left my room about 0510. And it rained a little bit – like 7 drops. LOL I finished in 46:55, which was a 10:28 pace. It wasn’t fast enough to be one of the first 450 finishers to get a t-shirt, but I managed to get a t-shirt anyway. The top finisher was CL from my unit. He doesn’t care about the t-shirts so I asked him if I could have his if he didn’t plan on keeping it. He gave it to me. I thought that was pretty cool. So now I have yet another race t-shirt for my collection! After the race I headed home to change quick and then to the chow hall for breakfast. Then it was home for a much-needed nap; I slept for 2 1/2 hours before getting up to get ready for Prayer Shawl Ministry. KC gave me a ride so I could get the rest of the boxes of yarn out of my office and to the chapel for storage. PSM went well and we had our usual group. We now have 9 completed prayer shawls with a couple more almost done!! Not bad for 5 ladies in 3 weeks.

Once that was done, I came home and stitched for about 1/2 hour and then I laid down and took another 30 minute nap before heading to the chapel for warmups/rehearsal and then the service. And then after the service it was dinner and hanging out at Green Beans. I went to the band hall to call Mom & Dad but they must have been outside or something. So I called Rick instead and got to talk to him for a little while. It took 3 calls to him to get it all in – the second call because his phone battery died before he could get it plugged into the charger and the third time because the power blinked and the phones are VOIP – no power, no internet. Then I headed to Green Beans for a few hands of Combat Uno. We were all tired so we called it a night about 45 minutes earlier than usual.

 

Today’s high:  113
Current:  97 (11:50 p.m.)

More from yesterday

It was a sleepy morning this morning and I had trouble getting going.  But I made it to the chow hall in time for breakfast and then to formation.  I got started on my supply researching that I was working on yesterday, but the other NCO that I share my computer with needed to do some stuff that was more important than mine, so I logged off and let him on.  I spent the morning reading – and I think I may have dozed off a little bit as well.  After I ate lunch, I got a half hour of stitching in before hitting the computer.  I spent all afternoon looking up stuff (same as yesterday) and I think I’m about done.  Tomorrow I’ll do the paperwork for the items that I need to request the LINs and NSNs for and then hopefully by the end of the day tomorrow I’ll be able to go visit our Property Book Officer and turn in all the documents.

Once the work day was done, I headed home to change into PTs and then back to the chapel for Joyful Noez rehearsal.  Rehearsal went well despite me not knowing ANY of the songs for this week.  I picked them all up really quickly though.  We were done almost an hour earlier than normal so we actually didn’t have to rush to get to the chow hall on time!  Dinner together is always fun and then we all said our goodnights and headed to our various “homes”.  I think I might actually get to bed before midnight tonight!

Today’s High:  118
Current:  100 (10:25 p.m.)

Supply Research

After my late night last night, I slept in this morning.  Then off to breakfast and formation.  After formation, I started my research.  I have a bunch of new sound and rhythm equipment that came in the late surface shipment and I need to get it added to our property books.  In order to do that, I have to find Line Item Numbers (LIN) and National Stock Numbers (NSN) for each item.  There’s a supply website to do that research, and that’s what I spent the morning and part of the afternoon doing.  I’m not even half done with the stuff I have to add, but at least I have a start on it.  My goal is to have everything researched and the paperwork to add them to the property book to our Property Book Officer by the end of the day on Saturday.  I also took care of the uniform replacements that came in today.  Then at 1500 we had Salsa Band rehearsal to end the day.  Then it was off to dinner and then home to shower and stitch.  I worked on Lady of the Flag tonight.

Today’s High:  117
Current:  100 (10:05 p.m.)

A good Wednesday

I started off my day by sleeping in again.  Then it was off to breakfast and formation.  I spent the morning taking care of getting various things to the members of the Rock Band.  They’ve been out on a mission since the weekend and I had uniform stuff and ballistic eyewear for them.  Then I did some other supply stuff until lunch.  After lunch I kind of jumped into work and didn’t take my me-time to stitch.  Oh well.  Then at 1300, I was one of the board members for a mock promotion board for 4 Soldiers who will be going to the real board in September.  I asked questions pertaining to NBC, Warrior Ethos, Warrior Tasks & Drills, and the Code of Conduct.  It actually was kind of fun even though it took 2 1/2 hours to get through the 4 Soldiers.  Each of the four had good times and not so good parts, but overall they all did fairly well.  Once the board was done, it was back to my office to get the uniform stuff out that came in the mail today and go through my e-mails that had accumulated.

After work, I headed home to change into PTs and then KC and I headed to the Pizza Hut on one of the neighboring camps.  It was SLOW tonight – took 45 minutes from ordering to getting our pizza.  So we ate and enjoyed the pizza and then we headed back to his office to watch a movie – we watched Witless Protection.  This was the third time I’ve watched this, and I’m still catching things I’ve not seen before.  Well, because the pizza took so long and while I was home changing into PTs my roommate and I had to move a few things around so the fridge would be in compliance with regulations and plugged directly into the wall, we didn’t get the movie started until late, and it was midnight before I got home.  So now it’s 0100 and I’m going to bed.

Today’s High:  113
Current:  95 (12:55 a.m.)