Wednesday, April 4, 2012
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Spouse Orientation Day! |
I hoisted off the covers and hastily barrel rolled off the air mattress. I snatched my phone and shined the dim screen light as my makeshift flashlight in attempts to avoid busting my shins (something I'm quite great at) on the boxes forming the obstacle course better known as our bedroom. I finally made it to the bathroom and started the shower to make sure it was nice and toasty by the time I got in...then I realized I hadn't started my coffee yet. Dangit. I headed out into the kitchen, hurdled over the baby gate we have set up to keep Diezel confined (for pottying reasons), dumped some poorly unmeasured grounds and water into the coffee pot and hit the magical green button to begin brewing.
Meanwhile, as I'm beginning to head back to the bathroom, I caught a glimpse of something out of the corner of my eye - I was mid-step with my leg raised over the baby gate, readying myself for the awkward hop over. Mind you, I didn't have my glasses on so my vision was a bit on the fuzzy side. I am still able make things out, they are just a bit blurred. I noticed that the large bin that the two boas are usually in looked unusually empty...whatever. I got to the other side of the baby gate and then it hit me: THE FRICKING SNAKES ARE NOT IN THEIR CAGE...PANICPANICPANICPANIC. These boas are approximately 6 and 1/2 feet and the other is 9 feet...a potential threat to our other more furry (and small) household members. So I woke Hubby up and the hunt began. For him. I immediately scooped up Grizzly and Diezel, and after making sure that the bathroom was "safe" I shut them in there with me until the snakes could be located.
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Small Snakey
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Big Snakey
The smaller one ended up being wrapped around the outside of the bin they are kept in - so it was really no big deal. But, of course, we were having a heck of a time finding the larger snake...the one that actually would look at Grizzly and/or Diezel as a potential meal. Not to mention, these snakes haven't eaten in a while so there is no doubt that they are hungry. The time neared for us to get ready to head out to the base and the larger snake still hadn't been recaptured. There wasn't time for any more panic (it seems like Hubby and I are always running late...well I am always running late; what can I say, I like my hot showers!) so I shut Grizzly in the bathroom and Diezel in the laundry room: two rooms we knew were safe. Then off we were to MacDill!
I was so beyond pumped to meet other milspouses...ones that were in my same situation: brand new baby Air Force wives to brand new baby Airmen. Something about still not having met anyone my age yet and not getting much human interaction on a day-to-day basis made this opportunity a very exciting (and promising) one. Of course, I was the only spouse there. No jokes. I wanted to get back in the car, make the 45 minute trek back to the house, and crawl back into bed! But that wasn't an option - obviously I couldn't leave Hubby stranded out there with no ride back to the house, so I was in it to win it. The orientation turned out to be extremely informative and beneficial - all of you other brand new baby milspouses out there reading this: GO IF YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY! You would be a dummy not to take advantage of it!
We were briefed in many areas (and by we I mean me - the spouse - and the Airmen) including the family resource center, TriCare, the base hospital, and many more topics all in addition to a base tour. I got to see the official private beach on base, the skeet range (definitely going to spend a few afternoons out there!), the golf courses, lodging facilities, and loads more. They briefed the Airmen on getting the most "bang for their buck" out of their MGI/post 911/tuition assistance, and opened the doors to many education and networking outlets for the spouses.
What I learned: As a new spouse or even an Airman at a new base, do not seclude yourself! No one ever got anywhere in life by going to their job and immediately returning to their dorm/house and wasting the rest of the night texting, in front of the TV, or on the internet! Go out and meet people and network - you never know what kinda opportunities may come from simply knowing the right people.
All in all, it was a really long day. I was so glad to be home. Hubby had a hankering for a steak, so we stopped at Publix on our way back to the house. I'm not sure what kinda food you all eat, but Hubby is a big meat man - he would be happy eating just a slab of meat for every meal, day in and day out. Well, these were quite the thick and ginormous steaks, so I tried mine rare. Gross, right? But it was actually so good! The taste was the same as a normal steak, but the texture was unlike anything I'd ever experienced before. And by rare I'm meaning practically raw - there were some cooler spots still in the middle. Not sure that I would ever specially request a rare steak again, but it was kind of interesting to try. But boy, what a day. I will be crashing and out like a light the minute my head hits the pillow to night, that is for sure!
For all of you milspouses out there, did you attend an orientation like what I described above at your first assignment location?
Oh and yes, we did end up finding the larger snake! She was curled up on the floor of our pantry (luckily significantly below where all of the food is kept)
5 comments:
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The first thing that came out of my mouth when i saw this photos was " Holy Moses" i almost fainted.. Sad to say i hate snakes.. Well glad to be part of your blog and i look forward reading more.. Following via GFC
ReplyDeleteI didn't ever go to an orientation like that, but I have heard good things about them. My husband had been at Ft. Meade for a year before I got there, so he basically knew everything there was to know.
ReplyDeleteP.S. You sound like me in the morning.. so not a morning person until I am good and awake. Even then it's debatable.
Ha ha ha, that whole using your phone as a flashlight is exactly what I do. once I finally stop hitting "snooze" and I manage to crawl out of bed, I use my "flashlight" to find whatever I'm going to throw on after my shower and then head to the bathroom.
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't want to BE anywhere at 5 am! That's absurd.
I attended heartlink at our old base since I was new to military life but not the area and I learned so much. We didn't get a tour though, so I am quite jealous. I would love to attend heartlink at our new base if they offer it and I am not working or anything. We just missed the most recent class.
ReplyDeleteAre you at MacDill? I just got here a little while ago and would love to meet someone with no children. Haha.
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