Headed South

(Source)

So if the picture doesn't tip you off, nor the title of the post, I'll lay it out for ya...

I'm traveling.

Again.

Friday is the anniversary of my youngest grandson's birth, what y'all might call his birthday (well, okay, that's what I call it as well, though technically one's birthday is the actual day one was born, the others are just anniversaries, but I digress.). His first birthday, as a matter of fact. Kind of a "big deal" in many cultures, but in Korean culture especially. You can read more about 돌잔치 (doljanchi) here.

So Maryland, here I come.

Due to the many hours I spent working in Sandy Eggo, which I could have taken as overtime or as what we call "mod time," I did elect the latter, which means I can take a week and a half off. No harm, no foul. I get paid for it as well. So I've got that going for me.

Also, not to put too fine a point on it, I'm still exhausted from all of those many hours spent working out in Sandy Eggo. I'm not as young as I once was, nor are we all. But I'm getting on in my dotage and it takes me a bit more time to recover.

Hence the time off, rather than the extra pay. I can always get more money, no one gets more time, as recent events have illustrated. (And yes, I'm still rather flummoxed by all of that. Eighteen years is a long time to my way of thinking, heck, we got Sasha and Anya when The Nuke and The WSO were still in college! Sorry girls, but it was a long time ago. Heck, they're both married with children these days!)

I am looking forward to the trip and the time away from work. However, I am kind of worried about my surviving cat Anya, this will be the first time in her entire life where she will be all alone for most of the day. My next door neighbor (who has always baby-sat our cats when we're away, save one time) says she will try and spend more time entertaining Anya, but she has a life of her own. So Anya will probably do what cats do best...  Sleep.

But still, I worry.

The War in the Wild story remains on hold for the moment, as does the final editing of the WWII novel. So much to do, so little time. Word on the street has it that I'm wanted in Sandy Eggo for the next test event aboard USS Michael Monsoor (DDG 1001). Truth be told, I'm honored. I guess we did good the last time we were there. It wasn't just me, two of us went out there. Myself and a completely brilliant young engineer. Had she not been there, it would have been a dumpster fire extraordinaire. She knew the test equipment better than the people who are supposed to know those things. So we're both returning to the waterfront next month.

But just a week and change this time, much more tolerable than three weeks I'm sure.

So it's "on the road again," but unlike Willie Nelson and his compadres, whiskey will not be involved. Porter and stout will be, for sure, but not until we get there.

I'm feeling thirsty already.

See you in Maryland.