Beautiful Day

Usually when I go out onto the deck, Picasso sits at the back door and worries about me. I'd like to think that his worries were eased when I got the new back door installed a few months ago. The window in the new back door is waist high, not shin high, so Picasso can no longer see outside. This did nothing to ease his concern-- in fact, I think it may have increased his concern over my whereabouts.

 

"Where did she go?"

 

"What is she doing?"

 

"Is she safe?"

 

I attempted to show him what I was doing on the back deck-- which was sitting there doing nothing but studying Army board topics. Of course, he is untrustable to be left to his own devises, so I had to put him on a lead. He cared very little about anything that was going on beyond me.

 

For a while, he just stood there.

 

Then I gave him a rawhide, and he had something
to do.

I threw a rawhide chewey out into the grass. He retrieved it, and chewed on in on the deck next to my feet. Apparently being outside means nothing to this dog unless I am his constant companion.

 

Although I, sometimes, inhumanely keep him indoors up to 12 hours a day due to my Army schedule, he seems very adjusted to the indoors. I truely believe this dog prefers the couch and only views the outdoors as a place to go potty.

Begging

This morning I was eating cereal in the living room and watching Mysteries At The Museum. I looked over at Picasso, who was predictably begging. He is a great beggar. I know that sounds ridiculous. But seriously, when this dog is begging for food, he is the most well behaved he is all day. He just sits there and stares longingly, yet silently, at you while you eat.

 

He had his bulldog lips stuck in his bulldog mouth:

 



April PT Test

I took my biannual PT test today. I scored better than I have in a long, long time. Like, since I was 19 and stationed at Fort Bragg.

 

I did 44 push ups in 2 minutes, 73 sit ups in 2 minutes and ran 2 miles in 17:03 minutes. My score was 272 out of a possible 300 points. That is awesome, right!?

 

I was really happy with my score so I calculated what it would take to earn 90 points in each event (90 points in each event earns you a Physical Fitness Badge, but most importantly, an Excellence bullet on your NCOER (which is a report card for an NCO)).

 

90 points in push ups... that's good!

 

93 points in sit ups... even better!

 

89 points in the run... are you freaking kidding me!?!?

 

I reminded myself 272 is still the highest score I have had in a very long time. Most certainly attributed to the PT enhancing surgery I had last summer. But then I got curious how far off from 90 points I really was. Once I calculated it, I no longer was proud of my 17:03 minute 2 mile run time. In order to earn 90 points in this event, I needed to run it in 17:00.

 

3 seconds. 3 lousy seconds!!

 

Next time, I'll see those 3 seconds and I'll raise them 10 seconds!!

Seasonal Update

 

I think Spring finally made it to Clarksville!! And if I don't look quick, it'll be gone before I can enjoy it. It's already been 85 degrees once this week, which is a tell tale sign Tennessee is skipping through Spring and straight to Summer at full speed, as expected.

 

Everything is blooming and fragrant right now. The trees, daffodils, tulips and violets are blooming in full swing-- everything is colorful and such a refreshing change of pace from the everything-is-brown-and-dead scenery we've had since November.

 

I went to Lowe's today and got my first patch of annuals to pot. I say first batch because I know they will all burn to a crisp by June and I'll have to start over. But they're so pretty right now!

 

I've already mowed the yard twice this Spring. The yard is actually starting to look pretty good. It's immensely improved from the time we moved in. My plants (those that can make it through the Summer heat) are starting to get big and strong. The roses and day lilies came back strong. I'm happy with the yard. It's going to be sad when we PCS and have to leave this all behind. Such is the Army life, I guess.

Poor Picasso

What originally was supposed to be a vet visit to deworm Picasso, turned into surgery. Expensive nail removal surgery (which was classified as a pedicure on the bill and I thought that was pretty funny).

Picasso had an unfortunate playing accident-- similar to a training accident. Somehow he broke one of his nails vertically leaving the nail meat exposed. The nail tried growing back, but he kept ripping it back off, as he is a very active player.

The vet told me I had 2 options: 1. He could cut it off real fast while he was awake and it would hurt him really bad or 2. He could put him under and painlessly remove the nail at the low low price of $100.

As I said before, I chose the expensive pedicure.

 

He's home now, and he's still very high. He looks so pitiful in his cone collar. He's afraid of it. He whimpers until I take it off, then he tries to bite it and runs away. I don't see the wearing of the cone lasting very long.

Best wishes to a speedy recovery, Picasso! And may your worm situation also be resolved soon.

Bird House For Rent

I put up a birdhouse right outside the kitchen window. I thought it might be nice to attract some nice song birds closer to the house. I am turning into my mom more and more every year. Although, I still refuse to feed the birds. Mom feeds those freeloaders like they're starving.

While I was spying on my neighbor (don't judge me) through the kitchen window today, I noticed a nice song bird had taken interest in the new bird house! It was a chickadee and not a shitty sparrow, too!

My attention was diverted from spying and trained on this cute little guy:

 

He sat there on the roof of the bird house for nearly 20 minutes singing his little heart out. But did he ever go in the house? No. Not once. I got bored watching him do basically nothing so I went outside to get the mower prepped for the first lawn mowing of the year. It took me a hot second to get it squared away. I glanced at the bird house. You guessed it, he was still siting there. NOT in the bird house.

Maybe the chickadee doesn't understand the concept of the bird house. Perhaps I should entice him in by leaving delicious seeds inside. I bet that's what Mom would do!

The stupid bird will probably end up doing what they do every year-- try to make a nest in the grill. Regardless of the empty perfectly usable bird house conveniently located 3 feet away.

Spring?

I am quite aware the current season is Spring. However, I don't think Mother Nature got the memo. The Fort Campbell area had a very mild Winter. I gauge that based on the number of late starts and days off we had due to inclement weather. We had maybe 3 late starts.

So when I woke up today to a snowy Winter wonderland, you can guess I was shocked! And even more shocked that I had to go to work! This isn't the natural order of things. It snows, people freak out, post closes. That's how it's supposed to go. What the heck happened this morning guys? Someone really dropped the ball.

 

Bldg 7020: The 501st ASMC

This is the most snow we've gotten all Winter! It's also the most snow we've gotten all Spring.

It snowed all day and its supposed to snow all night. Of course, the temperature is hovering right around 32 so it's not sticking to the roads like I would like it to. I'm keeping my fingers crossed we'll get a late start tomorrow.

EFMB: Breakfast Is Important

Seriously? FML.

 

The EFMB 20k road march was this morning. I started it. I finished it. And I almost died along the way. I also did not pass it. You heard me, folks. I made it all the way to the final event of EFMB, and I failed. I am beginning to think the EFMB badge is not meant for me to earn....

 

I am not the type to point fingers or pass blame. But I will say one thing: If breakfast had been provided to the candidates the morning of the road march-- I whole heartedly believe I would have had enough fuel to complete the road march in time. Instead, at mile 10, I collapsed. My body just wasn't able to continue the mission. I was making good time and I would have passed if my blood sugar wasn't in the dirt.

 

I did walk the last 2 miles. It was torture being dizzy and disoriented. But I did not quit. It was futile-- I knew I would not pass. But I did not quit. I spent a few hours in the emergency room afterwards due to nausea, vomiting, dehydration and exhaustion. I was not the only candidate in the ER.

 

What can you do? Eat breakfast I suppose....

 

I'm embarrassed. I'm mad. I'm upset. I'm not going to let this define me.

 

I'm going to go back to EFMB again.

 

I am crazy but resilient.

EFMB: Showers Are For The Weak

It has been 7 days since we were bussed to use shower facilities. My hair is the greasiest I have ever seen it in my life. It has not turned to dreadlocks like my original assumption. No, instead it has become heavy and matted and stuck to my head. It stays in a bun all day and all night-- not just because that's how I wear my hair for the Army, but also because it does not move.

Today I tested out CTL 2. That's the lane with all the NBC tasks. I had to cover my face, neck and ears with charcoal. I will not get a shower to wash it off. Baby wipes can only do so much. I am filthy. The next shower opportunity for me is after I fail out or after I earn the badge in 3 days.

By the way, I only got 1 warrior task no-go on my NBC lane.

By the way again, I passed night land navigation last night. 4 out of 4 points! I made that course my bitch!

EFMB: Hope & Luck

My heart nearly broke yesterday when I saw a gaiter loaded up with land nav points drive by me. "Noooooo," said I.

They're changing the course. Same plot of land, but they're moving around the points for testing week.

I had been doing so well with day and night land nav, that I had the hope I would be able to pass. Hope! I should have known better than to have had hope! Now I'll have to rely on luck.

Luck, however, is on my side today. We took the written exam and I passed it! I was one of three people in my platoon to pass. I just barely passed. When I saw everyone's scores I didn't feel so bad about eeking by because those of us who passed all barely passed.

 

I really thought my luck had run out when I opened the test and read the first question and didn't know the answer. What a way to start off a test! But I pulled it off somehow, and passed that beast of a test!

I seem to have great luck when it comes to the written exam and zero luck when it comes to night land nav. So here's to hoping I pass land nav tomorrow. Keeping my fingers crossed.