A return to normalcy, sort of ...

Well, my three weeks of emergency leave are over, and I returned to my familiar tent city this evening. Unfortunately, it’s a different tent, a new class and a whole new group of people. It’s a mixed blessing. The old tent and group were familiar, but this new group gives me the opportunity to meet more folks in my command. Besides, the new tent is much nicer than the old one … all of the amenities we stole to help build the last tent are already here! I did go stop by the old tent for nostalgia’s sake. I think the guys who inhabit it now think I was some kind of stalker, as I peered in and looked at my old home of two weeks, then left without a word. I should have known it was too good to be true when I said farewell to tent city and hello to a new job. As it stands now, I’m pretty sure the job that was lined up for me is long gone, and the new search begins. Oh well, Que Sera Sera.

Saying goodbye the second time was definitely harder than before. My kids didn’t know what the separation was all about when I left in January, but they sure as heck knew now. It’s a big thing for a six-year old girl to say goodbye to her Grandfather and two weeks later say goodbye to Daddy (albeit different circumstances). I’m pretty sure my son knew that there was something to be sad about, but he just couldn’t figure out what (the joys of being four). I was glad that I was able to spend some more time with my wife as the babies were moving quite a bit more and were able to hear my voice (she also had a ‘Honey-Do’ list as long as your arm!) Hopefully things will settle back into some sort of rhythm here again. Until they do, I’ll just have to keep working on getting out of this ‘funk’ I’m in. Until later.

-Grease out.