Week 25

I've been happy lately just going about my day-to-day. I have been sweating it out in hot yoga twice a week and I think it’s improved my mood. Anything is better than 100+ degrees and humid! Lots and lots of work has kept me busy during the days and homework and yoga occupy my nights. A fellow Army-wife once advised me to never go home during a deployment. I thought this was ridiculous and impractical, but these past few weeks I have put her advice into practice and found that the days do fly by - though the messes at home pile up as well.

Joe's car was one of the Toyota's recalled so tonight will be spent at the dealer. I have much homework to complete, so I don’t mind this. This weekend is packed full, visits from cousins, cooking and drinking dates and I must clean the house.

I think I have at long last found peace in my loneliness.

Week 26

Today the sun rose like a big giant blood-orange behind me as I drove to work. It is still cold outside, but the tulips have begin to peek out of the soil.

Last night I arrived home to find that my cat had gotten poop stuck in his fur and succeeded in smearing it all over the floor. Yum.

Week 26 has been good - aside from the cat poop incident. It is officially half way through with deployment. It is Valentine's day and it is just two weeks before I will see Joe for R and R.

Valentine's weekend was a lot of fun. My mom came down to NC to visit me and we went to see the movie Valentine's Day, went outlet shopping and ate steak three days in a row. Joe sent me flowers for the occasion, but the best part was the creative and rhyming poem that came with the beautiful red roses and pink tulips.

I can't wait to see Joe.

Week 27

This morning I was giving a presentation on the numerous services my organization offers. The presentation was to cover the goals, 21 programs and costs all in about 15 minutes. When I speak publicly my Chicago comes out and I can move fairly quickly. While my walking and driving has slowed down greatly since moving to the South, apparently my rate of speech has not.

After a few minutes into my presentation an older gentleman raised his hand and asked in the most pronounced southern drawl I have probably ever heard, "coooouuuuuuld, youuuuuuuu, slooooooooow, dooooooooooowwwwwwwwwwnnnnnnnnnnnnnn."

I was absolutely mortified and I felt terrible. Besides the fact, I knew that if I told him I would slow down I would be a liar because I am physically not capable to talking any slower.