Ruts

I had an interesting, amusing and enlightening moment a week ago yesterday at church.  We've lived in our little slice of Heaven in the Hill Country for coming up on 20 years.  Have gone to the same church most Sunday's for all that time.  Sat in the same Pew all those same Sundays.  It gives me a sense of continuity.

You see, up until we moved here, I'd moved 49 times in my life.  I was 43 and up to that point it had always astonished me when I'd run into acquaintances from a prior assignment,  they had all gotten older.  Their kids had grown up.  When I knew them, it was usually for such a short time that their kids were 1st graders, would always be 1st graders, that's all they'd been.  So, seeing the passage of time in an instant was always shocking.

Now that we've planted roots, I get quite a bit of pleasure out of looking around church and watching time pass at normal speed.  Seeing former students of mine with kids of their own now.  Or seeing that older couple over there celebrate their 50th anniversary.  Or seeing that couple together again at church knowing that one is suffering from one of those "bad" diseases and hasn't been able to make it for a while.

But, we always sit in the same seats, right side of the church,  two rows behind the third pillar from the front on the main aisle.  Always.

We'd be turning into "Our" row from here.
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However, last week, Mrs Juvat and I had to work a little bit of scheduling.  The DIL had to visit her father on short notice and asked if we'd watch the Grand Dog.  The Grand Dog is a great dog!  Rottweiller -German Shepherd mix, rescued after spending time on the streets in San Antonio.  Mellow, friendly, gentle, alert and loyal.  

However.....

He does not like cats!  With a passion.

So, having him stay at Rancho Juvat was not an option as we have 3 cats now (Schmedly, Moushka and Mushka).  Mrs Juvat, being the kind loving women that I love, volunteered to stay over and babysit the Grand Dog Saturday night and would meet me at church.

I arrive at Church and spot Mrs Juvat.

But she's not in "Our" spot.  

So, I go and kneel beside her, say good morning to the big guy and sit down.  "How come we're not in our usual spot?"

"We're not? I was looking for Wanda, but she's not here, so I estimated." (Wanda is the lady that always sits beside us, she's there early always and as such is the trail marker.)

"We're one row too far forward."

"Do you want to move?"

Thinking yes, but..."No"

Shortly thereafter another couple comes down the aisle.  They always sit in the row in front of us.  They get to that row, pause, look at each other, look at us, look at the pew, walk back a couple rows,  come back, then sit in the row muttering under their breath.

A few minutes later, another couple that always sits in the row in front of them comes in and the episode repeats itself.

Now, I like church and the continuity of rituals there, I find it relaxing and I can turn off the thinking going on about this or that.  Things that really don't matter, but which generate a lot of stress.  I get some relief from that in church.

So, after causing a disruption in the time space continuum with our physical positioning in the church, I'm starting to enter that meditative stage that I seek.  Suddenly, I'm transported back to Ft Leavenworth and Army Command and General Staff College. Specifically, Sherman Army Air Field which is situated on the flats beside the Missouri River.

Looking down the swale onto the airfield with the river in the distance, the road is where the PT run would take place
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This is where the CGSC students do their PT.  Yes, I know, I was Air Force.  Air Force PT is done on a stationary bike, blah, blah, blah.  I did PT with the Army guys in my section, took their PT test, and while I didn't ever max it (with my Neck issues, Situps are not my forte), I was always well within standards.  Call it professional pride, or Fighter Pilot ego....whatever.

But this area of the Fort dates back to when the wagon trains were crossing the country.  The Pioneers would travel up the Missouri River to Ft Leavenworth where they would debark with their wagons and begin their journey to the West Coast or where ever their destiny left them.  

A better view of the swale from the PT area
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Right in the general area where the Run would start was a historical marker that pointed to a low spot that went up the hill out of the river basin.  The marker called it a swale and noted that it was the remains of the ruts caused by the wagons going up the hills.  

That picture was what flashed in my mind.

So, I chuckled a bit at that image and wondered why that might have dredged itself out of the primordial swamp that functions as my brain, as yet another couple walked down the aisle and acted confused about seating.

Then it hit me. Somebody thinks I'm in a rut.

Not the gentle rut of Ft Leavenworth, but the nearly vertical walls of  Guernsey Wyoming.

An early view of self driving vehicle technology
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That got me to thinking (which I'm probably doing too much of as is).  And I'm sitting at my computer trying to organize my thoughts for last weeks post, when one of those clickbait things appears saying "Ten Signs you may be in a Rut".  

The first thought is how are they getting in my mind and reading the cookies there?  The second is "Somebody REALLY thinks I'm in a rut". So, I click on it.  I know, I know...

Yep, Yep, Yep, Yep, Yep, Yep (I say "Adequate"), Yep, Yep, Yep, Yep

And I know what the rut is.  Work.

It doesn't interest me much any more.  I mean, I like most of the people I work with or support.  I love what limited interaction I get with the kids.  However, the whole job thing isn't challenging any more, so it's more of a drudge than it used to be.  So, Mrs Juvat and I have been pondering options.  We've seen some financial planners who say we're probably ok if the whole world doesn't go somewhere in a hand basket. 

I'm eligible to retire, but am not sure I understand all the considerations, ramifications, advantages, disadvantages etc.  Having worked continuously since I was 14 with babysitting and lawn mowing before that, this is uncharted territory for me. 

Conquering uncharted territory requires planning and planning requires information.  I have come to realize that we have very well informed and experienced readers here who might be willing to share some of their lessons learned.

  So....I have a request for those readers that have taken the plunge, are there any "woulda, coulda, shoulda's" that you wish you'd taken care of before you retired?  Or other advice you might provide? (Me, primarily, but I think Sarge is thinking along these lines also.)

I'd appreciate it.

Regarding the rut...I watched this video from over at Shaun's place, which helped me refocus on what's important.  It's a long one, but worth it.  Brian was at Holloman the same time I was and was attached to our squadron.  As an attached guy, he was only required to fly 3 times a week, and we had several "seagulls" (you have to throw rocks at them to get them to fly) who would hold us schedulers to that.  Brian wasn't one of those.  Nice guy and very funny, especially after a beer.