Tues, Thurs, Fri & Mon

(that's Wed the 7th, Sat & Sun the 10th & 11th off!)

Well, I couldn't get out of what work I had fast enough this week. My husband was here with me until Sunday night, and to make it more bearable, he had to work a couple days too (long distance on his laptop). It was a lot of fun to come home to him after working, as if it was a regular occurrence.

I got a lot out of Tuesday... I was able to take my PFA during the day... the curl-ups (97), the push-ups (37), and for the first time, the bike (115 calories burned in 12 min.). Haven't seen the official score yet (it hasn't been posted in my file online), but I know I did just fine. I think it's a combination of Outstanding, Excellent and Good... which should average at an Excellent. Not bad.

They let me off for most of lunch for this... I stopped by a mini NEX for a chicken salad sandwich, and went to the Q-80 gym for a real shower (the ones on the ship are obviously cramped). Earlier, one CS1 had told us we were required to take it on our day off... but that morning the other CS1 was looking for volunteers. My hand went up so fast... I was very glad to take care of it first thing.

One of my assigned tasks while a Chief's FSA is to empty the trash in their forward berthings and sweep the passageway from outside their mess down to the mess decks... maybe 15 or 20 yards in length. Unfortunately, during the morning sweepers (right after Quarters) it seems like the busiest p-way on the boat. I sweep my pile to the side after a stroke or two to protect it from passers-by. They schedule a half-hour for sweepers, and sometimes I've wondered that this is why it's for so long.

Friday I was counting on being let go early (the MA told me it was okay), but so many people were taking the PFA at the last minute (this was the last day for it), they needed me all the way through lunch. So grateful they let me go early (around 1300), but up to that point I was getting upset because it was up in the air. I was filling in in the scullery while the MA went and asked Chief. [I really admire our MA... he helps out with the work, unlike the previous one, who'd sit back and direct and even yell sometimes.]

Monday back on board was very laid back. And rightly so... it was Veteran's Day, observed. It was the bare bones crew... only the duty section... and no one was directing us at all. I had to ask a couple people to take care of the deep sink after breakfast (I did the scullery, as the Chief's don't get served in port on a holiday or weekend). Since there was no Quarters, and really nothing at all more to do, I told everyone to come back at 1000 (hour before the meal).

I felt like I was stealing something as I left the ship to go do laundry at the self-serve place a couple blocks down (if piers can be equated to blocks...) the road. While the load was drying, I went to MC'Ds (as painted on the parking stalls) for a coffee and a yogurt parfait. It truly felt like a holiday! I walked back to the ship alongside a CS on duty, and we commented on how wonderful it would be if every day was so relaxed (it seems to us, lowly, junior Sailors, that having inspections, field days and musters are really just busy work intended to keep us from doing our regular work and getting what needs doing accomplished... but when you factor in that everyone doesn't have the same standards... well, I suppose that's the way things have to be in an organization like the Navy).

When I got back to the mess decks, on of the CS1s was worried that we all weren't "where we were supposed to be"... i.e. sweeping the P-ways and sitting around in case someone needed something. I volunteered to be the latter after lunch. Turned off the annoying TVs once everyone left, and read a bit in my Bible. The new Sonar Tech (that's going to replace me as an FSA on December 8th - yay! -) wondered why on earth I was sitting around on the mess decks in the middle of the afternoon... just you wait, Henry Higgins! :)

Next day we were getting underway again.