Lazy Sunday?

Allowed myself to sleep in past 6a. Finally got out of bed and went to the hospital around 7:30a.

Patient rounds at 8:30a, wrote some nutrition support orders, typed some documentation.








Walked to the pool with Erika and we did a good 30 min workout (200 warm-up, 5 x 100 on the 2:20, 10 x 50 with 10 sec rest between laps, 150 cool down). After a shower I laid out in the sun with my homework (Air Command & Staff College unit 2).



Around 12:30p walked over to the Beauty Shop for a manicure - waited for over an hour but gave me time to eat a Subway roasted chicken & read some more homework.


Managed to get back in time for the yoga class at 3p, followed by my regular Sunday Muscle Therapy (aka "Massage").




Now I'm in the Rec Center, waiting for the Sunday night Bingo game at 8p.






With all the walking around (including the trip from the Rec Center where I sit on the computer most evenings to the Dining Facility and back), I've walked 12K steps today (according to my pedometer).

Busy Day Off

Patient rounds and feeding the CASF = going into work on my day off. But today I was done by 9:30 and headed to the outdoor pool for a little lap swimming. I need to get a few pictures of me swimming next week. After my shower hung out in the sun reading and letting my hair dry. Only time I can have it down while being outside (all other times it has to be pulled back).

Walked back to the hospital to drop off my gym bag (can't take it into the BX) then walked back to the BX and the Beauty shop - got a mani/pedi and bought weight lifting gloves (the CrossFit class is going to give me blisters if I don't start wearing them). All the walking today = 15K steps according to my pedometer. It was a lot easier a few months ago. Now the temperature is rising it's a little more of an effort. It was 111 degrees at 2:30p today.

I had my first (and last) Iraqi Burger King Whopper today for lunch. No fries. That thing sat in my stomach like a rock for hours.

After cooling down I got my regular 3p massage (this was more of just a relaxing rub than a therapeutic massage - which I really could use after all this muscle work I'm doing). Snooze time. Then pickup my laundry, put it away, grab my laptop case and get over to the Rec Center. Cup of mocha to wake me back up.

Sunday is bingo night at the Rec Center. I haven't had much luck lately. Been more than 2 months since I won a game. And it looks like tonight is no exception. Oh well, it's free. And it's not like I need the money (prizes are AAFES gift cards for $25 or $35). This guy calls pretty fast. I'm trying to write this while playing tonight. What's nice is I also get to chat with my husband and sometimes even webcam with him (until the bandwidth gets too narrow from all the people in here playing WoW and Skyping.

Tomorrow is Memorial Day. There will be some activities (I'm doing a 5K jog in the morning) and services around the base. Many folks back home will enjoy the holiday off from work. Maybe they'll watch a parade, or go to the movies. I hope they also take the time to remember those who have paid the ultimate price for our nation's freedom. These folks out here, keeping us safe inside the wire, patroling the villages and the cities to protect the civilians from the radicals, training the local security forces to take over these duties, please remember all of them.

What Do You Do on Your Day Off?

After patient rounds and finishing a briefing power point - I finally made it back to the Beauty Shop for my $11 manicure/pedicure. Didn't get the pizza (no one at the register for 5 min and the minimum you can buy is a full medium - next time I'll bring a friend).

I did get a new area rug for my room (and took the old one outside for the walkway). Wiped down dresser and other surfaces with antibacterial wet wipes and washed the floor with wetswifter. I feel much better with a clean room (yeah, I know, konashark is going "huh???").

So now it's around 2p, I really should eat. The DFAC (Dining Facility) isn't open in the middle of the afteroon.
Fortunately we have a Subway Trailer right next to the Rec Center. The 12" Chicken will stick with me for the rest of the day (well, the chocolate bar tonight will just be my 'dinner' - hey, it's my day off and I'll eat what I want to!!).


Picked up my laundry (taking a break from wifi) and then back to the Rec Center where an AF Band is playing. Music from 60s - 90s with a little big band sound. Not too bad (especially with ear plugs). I took a couple of pictures (will insert tomorrow). Bingo later tonight! Maybe it's my turn to win? I expect to finish out my evening watching "Roswell" on DVD (I'm up to the middle of season 2).

Tomorrow it's back to Groundhog Day. To make it a little different, I have my first health lecture at the Rec Center for the wellness competitions (Monday afternoon, Thursday evening). We have Fit2Fight at the hospital and the Rec Center/Gym has B.A.M. (Balanced Meals + Active Lifestyle = Maximum Results). The topic this week is Behavior Modification.

Also this week at the hospital we are "voting" for someone to dress up as Cupid to deliver the valentines on Saturday. We vote with donations to the moral fund. $1/vote but you want to wait for "blue light specials" to get 20 votes for your $1 (or maybe even more). We have someone in our squadron we're voting for (this person is in 3rd place right now, so I'm saving my votes for the last day). Yes, there will be pictures. I also have to fix up my Valentines lecture "For the Love of Chocolate" I am doing on behalf of the Women's Clinic.

Sunday ("in the Park") on the Base

Tried to sleep in (hid my alarm clock under the covers of the top bunk) but still couldn't stay asleep past 7:30a. I know we really have it way too easy over here (despite the "camping" atmosphere). See below:

Got the last mocha in the coffee shop before the power was cut (working on the generator). Spent the morning in the Rec Ctr and watched a DVD when the wifi went out for an hour.




Found the DFAC (Dining Facility closest to the housing area where I live) and had a reasonably nice meal (baked trout/rice, salad, some sort of chocolate cheese/cookie cake).






I walked to the the base theatre, found the outdoor pool and the stadium (this is where Saddam had the training facilities for the Iraqi Olympic Team). Didn't find the indoor pool yet.












Also went to the BX and the surrounding area. Found the Burger King, Cinnabon and Pizza Hut (so glad they are far enough away to limit the temptation). Walked through the Bazaar - once was enough, nothing there caught my eye for souvenirs.




We have a Beauty Shop. $11 for mani/pedi. I think I know my Sunday indulgance, worth the walk (and will include a piece of pizza). But not today (since I already had breakfast). I ended up getting a set of headphones that help blunt the Rec Ctr noise (but they are not totally silent), and they have a microphone if we decide to try Skype or other voice chat.