Passed My Flight...And No BSU Game

A bittersweet week, but I will take the end result...not like I have a choice anyway. I ended up only getting two flights, two simulators, and several academics this week. However, the last flight was the last "big one" that was weighing heavily on me. I did well enough to pass even though it wasn't my best ride, but nevertheless a huge answer to prayer. On the positive side, I am sim and academic complete with IFF and only have three flights left. I have a low level that ends with a bomb run up towards Abilene and then two close air support flights in the same area where we simulate things we will be doing in the Hawg. Things like getting a calls for attacks from ground forces, coordinating with other air support, and then rolling in and hitting the "die button" (the name I came up with for our "pickle" button...the button that drops a bomb). They have many says for things, but one that I heard this week, that really makes you think was, "don't push that button unless you have hate in your heart and are ready to send people to their maker." I think the first time you drop a real bomb in combat (or fire a live bullet) it will be a moment you never forget. People just don't live with warheads on their foreheads.

Long story made short, I am hoping to to be complete with IFF this week. As you have seen, things don't always go as smoothly and as quickly as I would like, so we are just hoping and realizing that hope is not a method of execution.

On to more important things, my commander put a stick in the spokes of my life bicycle on Friday. I was just riding my bike by on my way to DC to watch the Broncos and next thing I knew I was flying past my handlebars through the air and hearing something about how he didn't want me to get stuck on the East Coast due to some gust of wind that someone named. I think it wasn't the storm as much as it was trying to get our class done with the program as quickly and painless as possible, especially since we lost half of our class a few weeks ago due to some DUIs and some other charges. The bottom line is I didn't get to make the trip to watch BSU with Candi, hence the reason I have time to write this on a vacation weekend.

As I just told someone on the phone (yes, I had two people from home call me this week...which I wrote in my journal because it is so rare...NO I DON'T SERIOUSLY HAVE A JOURNAL) that it's just me and the dogs listening to old sad country songs, drinking, and crying "since my old lady left me." We are actually handling it just fine. We found us a watering hole to go skinny dipping in and I managed to find where Candi has been hiding the cooking gear. And by cooking gear, I mean a pan to make hamburger for tacos. A guy has to cook when Chick-fil-a closes on Sunday! Below is a picture of a lot of naked swimmers:

How many of you scrolled down just to see if maybe...you ought to be ashamed of yourself. It is a new swimming place I found for the dogs that is pretty close to the house. Here they are chasing swans, which seemed harmless until one took after Zoe and she turned, quit the doggie paddle, and executed a full out breast stroke to get back to land. Anyway, I need to get back to studying since I don't want to be distracted tomorrow night when I get to watch ESPN for the sole purpose of trying to see my beautiful wife...and supposedly there will be a game on during that time as well!

A special thanks to those two of you that I don't call "mom" who called me this week, it seriously means a lot. Speaking of my mom, beside always being a regular with the calling, she now has opened up this whole new cosmos called texting...next thing you know, she will be tying up the horse and getting one of those automobiles! Slow down mom, there is no need to keep up with the Jones. Technology is a passing fad and we will be back to carrier pigeons soon. Just kidding, love ya mom!