Time is running out!

So yesterday was pretty busy... Once I got my lazy self together, I had lunch with one of my favorite people, my Auntie B. Like a few of our previous lunch dates, we went to Pedro's in Los Gatos and had a lovely time. We will definitely do lunch again when I am home in a few months...

Later that evening, I had dinner with my friend Elisa at the Buca in Palo Alto. I was so excited because I hadn't eaten there since September, and so many people that I wanted to say hi to were working last night. Unfortunately, my old boss Alan wasn't working, and I really wanted to say hi him the most... Oh well, maybe next time... Elisa, you are gorgeous darling...

Well, I still have to pack and tranquilize the cat...

66H out (bye California :( )...

So spoiled...

I feel like the luckiest girl that flew home from Georgia ever... I had such a lovely Christmas while I was in Cali. I also went on one of the best dates I have ever been on (in addition to all of the other best dates I have ever been on with the same boy)... Like any great date, it included an awesome dinner, wine, candlelight, and a great view (even though it was a super early morning)...

Later in the day, Danielle and Aidan drove over the hill to have breakfast at Hobee's. I can not believe what a little boy Aidan is becoming... He is definitely no longer a baby. While they were here, they helped me take Jinx to the vet to get a clean bill of health to fly back to Georgia with me; It is always an experience, which is why I got the scrip for a tranquilizer for the plane ride... (For Jinx of course, but don't think I didn't think about getting some extra for me... Just kidding.)

This evening, we had the Family over for a belated Christmas dinner. It was so wonderful to have almost everyone there. We had cousins of all ages, my great aunt, and the newest member of the clan, Ms. Katie Mae with us. I was blessed to be around babies all day; Absolutely one of my favorite things...

Oddly enough, Katie Mae's car seat produced the Quote of the day: (Buck - a retired Special Forces NCO talking to my cousin Jim, a retired Armor officer) "Why, that's a modified M1A1 freefall harness if I've ever seen one..." Absolutely hilarious Buck...

Well, I guess I should get myself together already, it is almost 10:00 am... Guess I haven't done more by 9:00 am than most people do all day. What a terrible LT I am turning out to be... Ha-ha...

66H out...

So that's why the elves have to work so hard...

Okay, so I thought the houses on my street were over the top this Christmas... Oh no, I saw the absolute worst waste of natural resources I have ever seen in front of a house near my old high school. Now I know why the elves have to work so hard all year... They need to help cover the North Pole's electric bill for the month of December. I have included a photo for your viewing pleasure (or what ever emotion this photo evokes...)

When my Mom and drove past the house on our way home from dinner, I had such mixed emotions when I saw it, that I made her drive back after I got my camera from home so I could document the light show and decide how I felt about it later... Well, I don't feel that good about it, but rock on, it isn't my electric bill...

Okay boys and girls, it is that time again... Fun with fortune cookies!! Ooh, they are good ones this time!

1. You will enjoy good health, that is your form of wealth...
2. If you continually give, you will continually have...
3. Keep your ideas flexible, and don't ignore details...
4. Your vibrant personality inspires others, stay that way... (how did they know I would get that one?)

Well, it will be a short post tonight; Getting up at 11:00, eating pancakes, opening presents, and then going over to someone's house to watch them cook wore me out today... :)

66H out...

Keeping up with the Jones's electricity bill...

Okay, I realize it is Christmas and people like to decorate their houses, but our neighborhood is beginning to border on the absurd...

About 50 years ago, a man that lived on a neighboring street started a tradition of placing Christmas trees on all of the lawns in a two-block radius, giving the neighborhood a festive holiday spirit and really makes the streets look quite pretty at night. Now, it is a tradition that spans almost 20 blocks around the neighborhood. The photo to the left illustrates what it started out looking like... Very tasteful, right?

Well nowadays, since all of our "stuff" has to be bigger and better than our neighbor's (including the PG&E bill), the simple, 50-year-old tradition of Christmas trees on the lawn has exploded into a gaudy "which-wealthy-family-can-out-do-which" competition every year. It turns our normally quiet neighborhood into a vehicular ant farm after 6pm every night for two to three weeks before Christmas, and doesn't stop until after the New year. The most irritating part of it all is that the people driving slow to look at the lights get upset when the people that actually live here try to drive at the speed limit and continue on with their day-to-day lives. Behold the nouveau-riche spin on the 50-year-old tradition...

Okay, enough of the Bah-Humbug...

I was so excited that I got to see my Favorite Nashville couple, Misty and Chris today. It is so crazy that I have known them for about 9 years now, crazier that I remember when they first started dating, and craziest is now they're married!! After showing me their wedding and reception albums, Misty gave me a 5-song CD that she and her singing partner Sherylinn cut and it is amazing!! Scarlett Ribbon (their band) is currently trying to get signed on with a record label, and they are being played in 5 or 6 states now, so they are well on their way to hitting... I told Misty that I better get an invitation to their release party when they hit, or I would be sad. She said "Okay! Oh, and when we need a nurse, you are going to come tour with us. It will be a big fat party!" I said, "Excellent, sign me up!"

Later in the afternoon, my Mom and I went to Cost Plus and I saw a tin of fortune cookies, so I made her buy it for me so that I could continue my "Fun with fortune cookies" segment on my blog. I figure that if I post four fortunes at a time, I could squeeze in 15 segments of "America's next fastest-growing quiz sensation..." Sorry, that is about as close to a Top Ten as I get tonight...

Without further ado, more of Audrey's Fun with fortune cookies: (if you are just joining the fun, the complete rules for playing "Fun with fortune cookies" are outlined in my previous blog. In addition, I was informed today that you may use "on the toilet" as well to create your fun fortune, if you so choose...)

1. Discontent is the first step in the progress of a man or a nation...
2. You have common sense and a lot of charm...
3. You constantly struggle for self improvement...
4. Your feelings are intense and warm...

Wow, that was fun! Well, stay tuned because I have 56 more fortune cookies to eat... Get the insulin ready...

Merry Christmas from California (where it was 70 degrees today)...

66H out...

Unlimited internet access for a whole week...wahoo!!

Okay, so I am not only super excited about being home for a week, but having internet access and a television that I can actually watch shows on... I won't have cable or internet for another week down in Columbus. Steve, you would be so proud, I have been watching so many movies! Oh, and I heard that AIT is back in session too... Ha-ha! No really, Steve you're awesome!

Wow, so much to blog about... Where to start, where to start? Well, last Saturday my neighbor Jim and I made the 100 mile trip to IKEA in Atlanta, and both spent way too much money. When we got back to Columbus, it was raining, so we decided to unload the car on Sunday. Sunday was IKEA assembly day... Wow, so much work to save a little money... The sad thing is we are going back for more self-assembly torture after the first of the year. However, after all of the hard work, my apartment is starting to look like someone actually lives there...

My apartment's biggest milestone occurred on Sunday as well (thanks to my new furniture): Jim and I ate the first meal prepared in my apartment on a table!! Jim and I traded off cooking for the first week, and we had been eating on our respective floors... It was quite a sad sight. So for the christening meal, we ordered Chinese. It was quite tasty, and the fact that the restaurant gave us four fortune cookies gave me a good idea for blogging fun!

And now for a new segment on my blog... Fun with fortune cookies! For those that are unfamiliar with how to make your fortunes fun, all you need to do is add the phrase "in bed" to the end of your fortune, then presto, you have a funny fortune rather than a crappy one! Okay, now you try!

1. You are always welcome in a gathering...
2. The nearest way to glory is to strive to be what you wish to be thought to be... (I am serious, that is really what it said!)
3. Planning is the prelude to successful action...
4. Maxim for life: You get treated in life the way you teach people to treat you...

See, wasn't that fun?

Moving on... So I also hung my black cat shower curtain this week. It looks so awesome! The cat is as tall as the curtain itself! Thanks Geoff, it gives a whole new level of chic-ness to my bathroom. The lone pair of eyes in the corner makes me hum the theme to "I Dream of Genie" whenever I go in the bathroom...

On Monday, I got a Christmas "box" from my Dad and Carolyn. I thought it would be funny to use the Pointsettia plant I bought to spice up the apartment as a "Christmas tree". So I opened the box, took all of the presents out, and arranged them under the Pointsettia... Voila! I thought it was quite clever...

The flight home was a bit turbulent, especially flying over the Colorado Rockies. (Sarah, I thought of you even though you are in Wisconsin right now...) However, In the Sky Mall catalogue, I saw this cool remote-controlled Patriot missle launcher and instantly thought of Jim. I called him when I landed and told him about it. Man, with the huge remote-controlled M1A2 Abrahms tank I saw at Wal-Mart, and the Patriot missle launcher, Jim and I could dominate our section of the apartment complex... That would be fun.

Well, that brings everything up to speed on this end... I hope everyone is having a lovely holiday season and enjoying the Christmas cards!

66H out...

Paralyzed without the internet

Hi all!

So here I am in Columbus without internet in my apartment yet... I feel so disconnected from the world... Anyhow, I am slowly getting my apartment as set up as it can be without any of my stuff from home. The movers are going to be at my house in Cali to get my stuff next Wednesday and hopefully it will arrive in Georgia within the next 30 days... Yay for Army transportation!

Actually, I have all of the necessities to survive: Food, beer, a TV/DVD player, my air matress and a cool Armor LT named Jim as my neighbor. He wasn't that friendly when I first met him, but I think he was just having a rough day... Jim you're so cool...

I will post some pictures of my apartment in various stages of moved-inness when I get my internet hooked up, but for now it is text-only in the blog. :(

I am in the midst of the painful process of inprocessing at the hospital... There is so much to do, and with holiday exodus starting next week, who knows what all of the different office hours will look like... I am about half-way through, and I hope to get almost all of it finished by tomorrow, so I can come home before the new year. Other than that, not much else is going on right now!

Quote of the day: Well, I actually can't remeber the quote of the day because of the four beers I had last night, but Jim said something quite funny... Oh well, I guess it will be lost in history.

66H out...

Introduction to the I Bar...

Well, I am officially signed in... let the work begin. Actually, we don't start inprocessing until Monday, so we kind of had a free day yesterday. But I did use the day to get my post decals for my car, arranged for the pick-up of my household goods in Cali and called to set up my utilities, so it was a fairly productive day.

I also made my first trip to the Infantry Bar on post to meet Marty and Peter for drinks last night. To my surprise, some of their buddies were at the bar as well! I always enjoy meeting my friends' new friends. Some of the guys we were hanging out with went to school with a girl that I was in Hawaii with last summer. Crazy how small the Army is...

After we closed down the I Bar, some of us continued on to the Benning Brew Pub... So much fun. I had a great time and I just really dig meeting new people. Overall, it was a great start to my first permanent change of station (PCS).

Wow, I didn't realize how tired I still am... Time for a nap.

66H out...

Survey says... Success!

Hello all! Well, I had quite the successful first day in Columbus. I signed the lease for my new apartment, bought some household goods, and drove around post a bit. I am stoked, the hospital is right off of the freeway that I will drive onto post from, so I won't get lost going to work anyhow.

I get to move into my 1,160 square-foot apartment on Monday, which is lovely. Unfortunately, my stuff won't be here for a few weeks, so I will have to rough it a bit. Good thing the Army has taught me about austerity and roughing it... I will post some pictures of my new place once I get all moved in, sort of like the "before" and "after" photos from Extreme Makeover.

I can't believe the amenities that my new apartment complex has! Pools with waterfalls, a cardio and weight room, tanning beds, sauna, steam room, business center and self-serve coffee bar. There is so much on the premises that I probably forgot to mention something.

Well, it is almost 10:30 and I sign in tomorrow, so I am going to try and get some beauty sleep. I still can't believe that I am finally here...

66H out...

Ft. Benning, here I am!!

Coming to you from the Easterly-most time zone of the United States (2,620 miles from California, according to my AAA TripTik)... So I made it to Columbus without significant event. However, I didn't get on the road until about noon due to a pair of fabulous sunlight-busting curtains at the hotel... I guess I really needed the sleep. Well, without further ado, the modified Top Ten for the last leg of my journey to the state of peaches and southern hospitality...

Top Eleven highlights of the drive from Mobile to Columbus:

1. Ate breakfast at the Waffle House on Exit 4 of I-65. I have seen them at almost every exit on I-65 and I-85, and the Bloodhound Gang gave tribute to their hashbrowns in one of their songs, so I figured that I had to eat there at least once during my stay in the South. I had the most wonderful, God-fearing waitress named Dorothea; Talking to her was a good introduction to the Bible Belt... But seriously, she kept my coffee cup full, my waffle was piping hot, and the hashbrowns were crispy. She just about kissed me when I left her a $5 tip, she was really sweet and a perfect start to the day. Just thought I would share a photo for those that have never heard of the Waffle House...
2. Had to go to the neighboring ATM to get cash to pay for my Waffle House breakfast... I guess drive-thru ATM's are the way of the South; I felt incredibly silly hunched over to use the drive-thru ATM on foot. I was also praying not to get hit by a car...
3. I FINALLY got through to the Lodging office at Ft. Benning and secured a room for the first few nights I am here.
4. I passed Saraland on I-65, it reminded me of my friend Sarah, and then I called her tonight to say hi.
5. Caught my first indication that I was getting close to Georgia. I cheered and did a little dance in my car... The last major leg of my journey. Two Air Force Officers passed me in their government vehicle, saw my little jig, and then made fun of me... It was actually pretty funny. I would have made fun of me too...
6. 4:41 pm: Crossed the state line into Georgia... Ta-da! I was bummed that they didn't have a nice "Welcome to Georgia sign, but oh well, I was finally across the state line...
7. Song of the day: "Hello" by Sugarbomb. It was the song that was playing on my Pocket DJ as I drove onto post... How appropriate.
8. 4:57 pm: Drove onto post. Follow Me! Oh yeah, I am officially female #12 on post, the sergeant at the gate tagged my ear on the way in... Just kidding.
9. Talked to both Marty and Peter and let them know that I was finally here.
10. Going to meet Peter for drinks tonight. (Marty had to go pump himself up at the gym...) Maybe I'll see him on Friday.
11. No trucker salutes necessary today...

Side note: My house in California is off of Interstate 280, and Ft. Benning is off of US-Highway 280; Kind of a bizarre coincidence, I guess that Ft. Benning was destined to be my home... I don't feel quite so homesick now.

It is off to find an apartment tomorrow... Wish me luck. Well, Peter should be here soon, so I will sign off for now.

66H out (from the great state of Georgia and my new home)...

Mobile, AL

Wow, I drove through two-and-a-half states in one day... Good thing two of them were small... Per a request from a fan, I have a modified Top Ten for y'all tonight... I couldn't construct a traditional Top Ten from my observations today, but I did compile a list of eleven highlights and lowlights of the day...

But first we must start with the Quote of the day: "Reward yourself with a Folgers cappuccino." (From a poster in Stuckey's dinette outside of Beaumont, TX.) I guess a Folgers cappuccino would be a treat if you service port-o-potties for a living, but for the rest of us, I am not so sure...

Top Eleven highlights and lowlights of driving from San Antonio to Mobile:

1. 7:01 am: Cheered at the "Now leaving San Antonio" road sign on I-10.
2. Saw a rotating sign on I-10 that reads "Pappa's Diesel and Adult Videos". (I tried to get a picture, but my camera battery died the second I turned my camera on... It was the tragedy of the day.)
3. Experienced the most horrible breakfast I have ever eaten (at Stuckey's dinette on I-10). However, while I was there, I did happen to pick up a "gold" rimmed ceramic ashtray shaped like Texas that reads, "Don't Mess with Texas".
4. 12:45 pm: Crossed the state line into Louisiana.
5. Met the unhappiest Louisianans that drive, as well as work in gas stations and restaurants along I-10... After my third stop, I vowed that I wouldn't get out of my car until I crossed the state line.
6. Crossed the Mississippi River.
7. Stopped at Circuit City to get a battery charger for my camera. The Senior Product Specialist, Chad, was the nicest, most helpful person I had run into in a-state-and-a-half. Thank you Chad.
8. My Mom gave me the name, phone number and directions of the hotel I am staying at tonight, so that I could get a good night's sleep. Thank you Mom, you are the best!
9. 5:46 pm: Crossed the state line into Mississippi... Finally.
10. 6:46 pm: Crossed the state line into Alabama, then went straight to Wal-Mart to get my Christmas cards printed.
11. Last, but not least, I gave 7 trucker salutes today...

Well, I am on the road early again tomorrow, so I need to hit the sack... Tune in tomorrow for insights about the remainder of my journey to Ft. Benning...

66H out...

Off again...

Well, just sitting here, warming up my coffee cup, eating breakfast and getting ready to take off. It feels so wierd to be on the go again, off to my first duty station... It was so sad to say good-bye to Sarah this morning, I am going to miss not being able to go to the chow hall with her at lunch and all of our trips to Wal-Mart. I also saw Steve again this morning as we were signing out of the company. I am going to miss him too, he was my dinner chow-hall partener in crime and Shoppette-for-coffee-and-snacks buddy during the long death by PowerPoint days in the schoolhouse. I didn't think I would be sad to leave, but seeing my car all packed up and the thought of those that are going home, while I drive further away from home is making me a little homesick.

I should be getting on...

66H out...

Too excited to sleep...

Well, I should be sleeping right now because I drive out of San Antonio later on this morning, but I am just too excited about beginning the next leg of my Army adventure... So, I will take this opportunity to blog about the last couple of days.

Even though I wasn't leaving until today, I started packing my room on Sunday morning because it was such a disaster area. For those of you that know me well, this doesn't come as much of a surprise. Mom, I know you are just shaking your head right now. GOING...


So, hear we are at about 3 pm on Sunday afternoon. I had some highly motivational music going on my Pocket DJ and was well on my way. I had almost everything packed and was ready to start loading the VW. Ma, aren't you proud?? GOING...

Okay, this is what my room looked like at 7 pm Sunday night. The VW was packed up tight except for my uniforms for Monday and some civilians to travel in for the next two days. It felt so good to not be scrambling to get everything done at the last minute, such a far cry than my normal planning/packing strategy. GONE!!

I also helped Sarah pack and get her car weighed at the local truck scales on Sunday night... Wow, what an experience in trucker culture... I almost bought Geoff a CB radio kit for his truck while we were at the truck stop gift shop... Good thing I already had his Christmas gifts picked out. Ha-Ha. However, the funniest part of the evening, by far, was trying to press the intercom button on the truck scale to get the attendant's attention. It was obviously designed for truckers to push it from the cab of their rigs... We got a pretty good laugh out of it, then we got food...

Moving on to today's events... We had a company run this morning at 5 am, followed by a painful day of outprocessing, and then the change of command ceremony for the outgoing/incoming commanders of A Co 187th, to round out the day. Sarah and I vetoed eating at the dining facility this evening, and opted for a local Mexican joint to celebrate our last night here in San Antonio. The food was so good, and now I am bummed that I won't be able to eat there again! :(

I ran some last minute errands, then headed back to post to say good-bye to Steve and help Sarah pack some more. When I got back to Sarah's room, she had another job in mind for me... Earlier in the week, I bought some bows to wrap Christmas presents, but found that a 50-pack was a bit too excessive for my needs, so we used them to wrap her boyfriend's birthday and Christmas presents, literally...

Quote of the day: Sarah - "Holy cats Audrey, Clint's presents look awesome!"

Aye! It's 12:56 am, I gotta go to bed! Stay tuned for the next installment of New Nurse Officer off on her Adventure from Mobile, AL...

66H out (the h-e-double hockey sticks) of San Antonio...

The wait is over...

The biggest thing about today is THE NEW WHITES!! Oh man, I love the dresses, they are so awesome! My friend Sarah took a similar picture for my Christmas card, but I am posting another pretty good photo under the palm trees outside of the original Brooke Army Hospital for my blog. The dress looks so cute, I think I will wear it all of the time! Most people hate it, but it is so retro that it fits my personality fairly well. Besides, I feel more like a nurse wearing the whites in a hospital setting.

Anyhow, it was just more death by PowerPoint this afternoon and more gruesome photos of casualties. However, I did get a good quote of the day out of it...

Quote of the day: (Written on a piece of medical equipment in a photo used in the Forward Surgical Team PowerPoint lecture today...) "If this is not in Baghdad, it is stolen." I thought that was an ingenious way to label your unit's medical equipment... I thought it was quite funny as well; A little humor in the midst of combat.

Well, not much else is going on, just trying to eat the perishable foods in my fridge before moving out and trying to pack...

66H out... (in four days!)