A Sailor's Life

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Tuesday, August 07, 2007

Home to Oregon
We got back from deployment on July 22nd, and it's been great to be back in the US with things that are familiar. After a long deployment like this one, the entire ship goes on leave for a couple of weeks. So for the past couple of weeks, the first half of the ship went on leave for their two weeks, and now the second half of the ship is going on leave to finish off the standdown period after deployment.

So here I am in Atlanta airport waiting for my connecting flight to Oregon. I'm looking forward to returning to Oregon to visit friends and family that I haven't seen since Christmas.

In the past couple of weeks, I've made a few advances in my standard of living. For over two years now, I've lived on the ship and refused to spend my money on an apartment, but after I got back from this last deployment, I decided that the time had finally come to move off the ship. Some people ask how it is that I've stayed on the ship for this long, but the only time when it's difficult to live on the ship is when we're underway on deployment. When you're in port, there's hardly anyone on the ship, you get 3 meals a day, and there's no rent, water or power bills. :)

Now that I've made rank to 2nd class, it is time to move off the ship. I found a place that is a 15 minute drive to the base, which is pretty quiet. Another ET, that I've been working with for the past year or so, was willing to share the rent for a 2 bedroom apartment. We still have hardly any furniture, but I'm sure that will accumulate in time. In the meantime, Ive been sleeping in a sleeping bag on the new carpet. It's probably not quite as comfortable as my rack, but it's nice to get off the ship. I made scrambled eggs for myself the other day for the first time in a long time. It's been a long time since I actually have gone to a grocery store to buy eggs, bread, and milk, but there is a grocery store right around the corner from where the apartment is.

I'm looking forward to relaxation time while I'm in Oregon. I think that I would like to go hiking if I can find the time. Other than that I will probably catch up with a few friends. My brother got married while I've been away on deployment, but I guess that's on of the drawbacks of being in the Navy; you tend to miss some of the big events in family member's lives.

It was a good deployment, but now it is time for some rest. :)
- posted by Isaac @ 2:20 PM - Permanent Link

Comments:

Welcome back to American soil!

Congrats on the apt. You got one really fast. Took my daughter and son in law a month to get theirs after they landed in Germany. I guess it is different in the US.

Sad part is now you'll have to cook for yourself. I think I'd better send you one of the cookbooks I wrote.

# posted by

Oopsy Daisy : 3:26 PM

Congrats on the New Crow!
I was an ET2 when I got out. You can make First Class on your first enlistment!!

I shared an apartment when I was in the Navy too. I slept on the couch!

# posted by

MarkD60 : 11:16 PM

So, I think you should be updating this blog (not that I'm much better on any of mine!) and your flickr site, too! Wondering if you'll even realize I've commented...

# posted by

Amy : 12:26 PM