The begining of the end

It's Sunday, and tomorrow begins my last week here at Sheppard.  I went out early this morning to Target for my last purchase of water for my room, some warmer waterproof gloves for an upcoming exercise and my Starbucks hot chocolate.  YUMMY!

Then I needed to go to Lowes an buy a water hose for my washing machine which broke before I left Florida.  Actually, the hard water in Florida simply made it impossible to unhook it from the wall so I just left it there and bought a new one.  So it will stay in my car until I get to my new home!  On my way to Lowes, I passed one of the restaurants that some of us in HSA frequented, The Texas Roadhouse.  I had never heard of it until I got here, but turns out it is a chain.  Very good food.  I found myself a little sad when I passed it.  I am going to miss going there with the gang. We had a lot of laughs there.  Good memories.

Louisiana is giong to be great.  I am going to be working in Logisitcs.  It was a one in 6 shot where I would be put to work, and logistics will probably be a challenge.  Not the most feminine of duties, but one that I would have had to learn eventually so it will be fine to get it out of the way in this first assignment.  I will be heading up a Mil Con project (military construction).  Hee hee.  It oughta be interesting.  I wonder if they make steel toe combat boots in a size 3 XW. 

Thanksgiving

It's Thanksgiving weekend.  It's been a long while since my last entry back in September.  HSA school is almost over, and even though graduation is only about a week away, I decided to fly home to Florida for Thanksgiving.  I paid way too much for a plane ticket, but I would have paid more to see my family as I got to do yesterday and today.   There are some things just more important than money. 

I have enjoyed HSA for the time that I have been here, and for sure it doesn't feel like it's been almost 3 months that I have been in Texas.  This is a good thing.   It sure helps to be having a good time where you are.  One of the best parts about HSA has been the PT in the morning (if you can believe that!).  But we did our normal running, pushups, and situps 3 mornings per week, but then we played volleyball in teams right afterwards.  I had such a blast playing volleyball.  I pretty much sucked at it, but it was an awful lot of fun.  Spurred some great, healthy competition between the flights.  We had our final PFT (Physical Fitness Test) on Wednesday (right before turkey day), and I did well.  At least as well, if not better than I had done in COT. 

Academically, HSA was not as intimidating as I had anticipated it to be, and I was quite pleasantly surprised to find such a large group of bright young (and some older) people all in one place.  Sure there are one or two that you find yourself wondering how they ever even made it past the 0-6 interview, but you get that in every group I suppose.  Then there are one or two that I have come to know, respect, and care an awful lot for as well in the time I have been here.  The past 4 months between COT and HSA have been anything but normal, and you just tend to get close to those who have shared similar experiences.  Generally speaking, the folks I have been here with are well above average.  Instructors too, which surprised me.  Very sharp individuals.  Some can be a bit hard-nosed, but nothing you don't get over a few minutes after your nerves have been tested.  Of course, as I have gotten older, I have chosen my battles more wisely.   

For now, I am going to get to bed.  I have the most pathetic flight schedule tomorrow for the trip back to Texas.  I will be in 5 different airports by the time I get home.  But the good news is that parking at the Airport in Wichita Falls is only $2.00.  How un-real is that???