Friday, November 19, 2021

The Holidays Approach!


So the temperature on Thursday was in the low 60s, rather like Sandy Eggo two weeks ago, without the fog. While the fog out there no doubt irritated the local mariners, I found it fascinating.

Hearing a ship's horn from San Diego Bay from my hotel room was pretty neat. Not being able to actually see more of the ship than its wake and the stern was even neater. Knowing that it was the ship I was going to be working on was even neater than that, I'd never seen her underway before.

Once again I got to have the satisfaction of work outside the dreary confines of an office or lab. Though there were many aggravations this time (some of which echo still among the higher ups, hopefully action is taken to prevent such stupidity in the future, but of that I'll say no more) there was still the knowledge that I was aboard a warship.

I probably could have gone underway for a live fire exercise in December, which isn't nearly as exciting as it sounds. Being inside CIC¹, within the skin of the ship, isolates one from the pyrotechnics. But I've heard that you can feel the thing being fired, which stands to reason.



I opted out of the underway for a couple of reasons, one of the civilian guys riding knows way more about the basic system than I do, that is the underlying infrastructure which makes everything else work and communicate. While I might know more about the missile system itself, anyone can figure that out. The crew has had training, and they'll be the ones pushing the button, the contractors are there if the system goes wonky.

Then there is the thought of having to wander the ship in the middle of the night looking for the head. It's an old guy thing ya know. That plus the good old diverticulitis makes me want to stay ashore. I don't want to eat a seed unknowingly then get to take a helo ride to get ashore.

So I'll leave all that to the youngsters. It would have been interesting, but I know my limitations.


Like the title of the post says, the holidays are indeed approaching. We're headed off to New Hampshire where the gathering will be somewhat smaller this year. Half of the clan will be up in Maine with my new grandniece and grandnephew. Born premature, the twins are now beginning to thrive. So the Olde Vermonter and his expanded tribe will be elsewhere.

The Missus Herself, my Mom, The Musician, and Your Humble Scribe will dine once again at a quaint inn in a small town near my hometown. I used to work for a map maker in said town, now defunct (the map maker, not the town). My first real job after my first year of college. While the paper route in high school was indeed a job, it doesn't get more part time than that. Roughly eight hours a week dontcha know? At least the map maker was forty a week, so it counts as a real job. At least in my reckoning.


I am thoroughly enjoying being completely footloose and fancy free after the long toil in Sandy Eggo. As they say, "It's good to be home." Still being lazy, writing wise, but I'll climb back into the saddle soon. I promise ...






¹ Combat Information Center. Technically speaking, on the Zumwalt class it's called SMC, Ship's Mission Center. But the captain of USS Michael Monsoor must be old-school, they call it CIC.

22 comments:

  1. Aaahh....another shot of the the ole homestead...err....backyard! Snow flurries on and off all day yesterday but no accumulation. As to passing on the live fire ride-along .... "a man's got to know his limitations" (not meant the same way Harry said it to his boss Sarge).....:) My limitations these days involve more overnight visits to the can (see what I did there?) also...oh to sleep 8 hours straight uninterrupted.

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    1. Yes, I would be on a can, going constantly to the can!

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  2. Be very sure about that diverticulitis. The VA told my dad for 15 months he had diverticulitis. by the time he went to another hospital where they discovered the cancer it was too late. Be sure my friend. May God bless you and yours,

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    1. Oh it's definitely diverticulitis, I've had it for thirty years, had to have part of my colon removed. No fun at all, but yeah, cancer is far worse. Thanks for the good wishes and the advice 1chota!

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  3. Rest easy Sarge. We all do our best work after we wait for the deadline to be close and we are pushed to the limit and have to respond quickly and accurately!

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  4. So, I know a Cartographer's Mate, so to speak!

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    1. Sort of, I was one of the handymen at the place. Painting (yes, chipping too), trash removal, moving grass, that sort of thing.

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  5. Ahh, the west coast ranges, what fun. Many hours spent @ Fallon/China Lake/Pt Mugu/NTTR etc. It takes a lot to make the right thing go BOOM or other fun noises, at the right time / place etc.

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    1. Concur, there is a LOT of work leading up to the big event.

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  6. I just refreshed my memory on those boats. 17000t electrically driven up to 30kts, with 80 vertical launch cells loaded with complex electronics which may rely on Chicom chips, and two very expensive anchors permanently bolted to the deck. So it's the size of a Baltimore cruiser with the potential firepower of...some of the Baltimore's lifeboats? At how many multiples of the cost? At this pace, the oldest commissioned USN ship may well end up the most powerful. At least it is stealthy, and fuel efficient. The keel and yardarms can be used for punitive disciplinary measures on those responsible for the current situation...

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    1. Politics, ever shifting requirements, and multiple bad decisions have marred the development of the Zumwalt-class destroyer since its inception.

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  7. Glad you opted out of the cruise. There's sometimes a vast difference between being on a ship while moored and while underway. And, well, your body is becoming evermore finicky.

    I would love (the idea) of going on a ship again, but with my weird funky inability to walk straight on a non-moving deck (I walk like a drunken sailor on a good day and I don't drink) well, my sea-faring days are long past, long long past. Sigh.

    Let us hope for the ship and for national security the shoot-ex goes well.

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    1. I too hope it goes well, too much work went into that project.

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  8. Finding the head is easy, IF you know the compartment number first. After that it's just reading the bullseyes.
    --Tennessee Budd, former sailor aboard CV 67 (ship's company) and CV 59, (SeaOpDet)

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    1. I managed okay aboard Monsoor, reading the bullseyes is easy, once you know the secret!

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  9. The decision to not be present for the live fire sound wise to me, Sarge. I have had too many experiences of people being around things that have little idea what they are doing but want to "be there" for the experience. And, the ability to find the restroom in short order is a major attraction, at least by my way of thinking.

    Besides, you have been traveling a fair amount lately. You deserve some down time.

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    1. I do grow tired of wearing a mask for ten hours!

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  10. Will you be coming out prior to the underway? Several of my regular meeting responsibilities are suspended during December so I should be able to find some actual time to visit with you. If you read between the lines you will find copious amounts of Catholic guilt there. Haha.

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    1. No, my travels for 2021 appear to be over. Which is probably a good thing. I'm wiped out.

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  11. Glad you're home for the duration of the year - if you're like me, travel is no fun (once was, a long, long time ago), but once I get to my destination things generally take a turn for the better. Then there is the travel home, a pain but at least you're headed in the right direction. I just flew to Phoenix and drove up to north of Prescott for a few days with like minded people. Had today off so went to see that big hole in the ground about two hours north of here - all I can say is WOW! Pictures don't do it justice, at least not on a beautiful day like today... We'll see how my return flight east goes on Tuesday (of Thanksgiving week - yikes!)

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Just be polite... that's all I ask. (For Buck)
Can't be nice, go somewhere else...

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