Winging It Daily

Sunday Stills - Architecture

Sunday Stills challenge for this week - Architecture. This is the Alamo. Armywife took the shot last week while we were at our son's graduation from Air Force Basic Training. The Airman is in all blue, I'm standing next to him. The Alamo is right in the middle of downtown San Antonio, Texas. A taste of old style fort architecture.

Keep a Smile On Your Face.

Bound for Mississippi

We made it home in relative ease. The flight back from Texas was shorter, I guess the tail wind made a big difference. The flight from Charlotte to Fayetteville was even shorter. The planes we flew on leave a lot to be desired. Both were commuter jets. The one to and from Texas was slightly larger. Our knees practically hit the seat in front of us. Not much comfort there. We took sandwiches on board both flights, good idea along with chips and our drink. Otherwise you have to pay for all of that on your flight. We did get to nod off on the flight, but let me tell you those are some cramped quarters. I don't know how we'd do a trip overseas to visit him. I'm sure we'd endure and figure it out.

Our TomTom GPS was a Godsend. It performed liked a champ. I've never been to San Antonio and let me tell you, there are overpasses, double decker freeways and gobs of roads all heading every which way. They call the mess of roads from Virginia to DC the mixing bowl. I guess I would call this a mixing bowl on steroids. I'm sure locals would ask why did you go that way, but the TomTom got us everywhere we wanted to go. I have all of the Air Force Bases loaded too, and it took me right to one of the gates to get on base. So we are prepared to visit him anywhere in the US. No messing with print outs of directions or maps.

A few more stories from the Airman. On Saturday they gave them most of their civilian stuff back. At the hotel he tried on his jeans. Just to paint a picture, those jeans were tight when he left. In fact, when he arrived back in December a Training Instructor made the following statement: "What are you wearing, spandex? Do you want to be a ballerina or something?" Now those same jeans are at least two sizes to big. Also, while traveling anywhere in the car for more than five minutes resulted in lights out for the Airman. One minute he is talking the next he is asleep with his mouth slightly opened. If they had a cell phone when they arrived, they got that back on Saturday, except for their batteries. They were getting their batteries as they departed for the bus. Not sure how much power that battery will have, it will be a while until he gets to charge it up. He does have his iPod though. We charged that up and took it with us. One step closer to being somewhat normal.

He is so motivated and pumped up, I know from experience he will lose some of that while in tech school and then a lot more when he arrives at his first duty station. But he is enjoying life now (well right now he is probably on a bus hating life). He'll get to Mississippi all tired, but then he'll have to in-process and begin his next phase of being in The Air Force.

Keep A Smile On Your Face.

Riverwalk and The Alamo

We visited The Alamo and the Riverwalk in downtown San Antonio yesterday. The weather was chilly, down to 60 with a NE breeze. The Airman had another steak and enjoyed his day out in civilization. The picture is him and his mom sitting outside the Alamo. He is talking to The Girlfriend. He asked the Mariachi Band to play a song and then held the cell phone up while they played for him and his Girl.

He leaves tonight/early tomorrow morning for Mississippi and tech school. We leave for home in a couple of hours. More pictures here.

Keep A Smile On Your Face.

From Recruit to Airman

The Recruit became an Airman today. He and 700 plus recruits got the official seal of approval from their Chief Master Sergeant and received their Airman Coins. The crowd was huge, lucky for us, the Air Force keeps the bleachers covered to ward off the sun. The Army probably does not do that, seeing how I spent 23 years in the Army and should know. We met him at Starbucks and waited as he got his Airman 1st Class stripes sewn on his uniform.

A soda and frosted donut for him, his first in 8.5 weeks and we were off to eat "real" food topped off with a trip to the Base Exchange (BX). He did call the Girlfriend before we went in to eat. He shared some humorous stories, I'm sure there are more and enjoyed his second soda along with ice cream and pudding. He did lose almost 40 pounds, he is down to under 180, pretty slim when you are 6'5".

He is pumped up and ready to take on the world, after he finishes tech school. Keeping military tradition, the Air Force is placing him on a bus and sending him on his way to the tech school at O dark hundred, that is midnight for the civilians out there. The ride is a mere 14 hours, lucky for him it isn't in the middle of summer.

Friday is the official graduation on the parade field, where we will watch from Bomb Run. We have shot a lot of video and taken some photos. More photos and more video tomorrow. He gets a town pass tomorrow and again on Saturday. I have visions of more food and more stories. It is good to see him in such high spirits. For more picture click here.

Armywife is a true trooper. Broken toe and all, she climbed the bleachers, endured the near 80 degree temps and held on through dinner and the BX.

Keep a Smile on Your Face.

The Airman

We heard from The Recruit last night. Except for paperwork, some running and marching practice, Air Force Basic Training is over. He is now wearing his rank and has two ribbons on his uniform. He graduates this Friday and we'll be in Texas to see him. He is pumped up and ready to go. Next stop is Mississippi for tech school. He gets to experience more the military "experience" with a 14 hour bus ride from Texas to his new duty location. I am sure he is relieved that basic is over and he can get on with a semi normal life. School life is usually a litter better before you arrive at your first permanent duty location. Armywife and I are proud of him. We'll take pictures and post them for you all to see when we get back.
By the way, it is going to be near 70 here today, not that I'm rubbing that in or anything like that.
We had dinner with FlxFlyer, Poochiegirl, The Mechanic and Pepper (Felix was there too) on Saturday. Armywife's birthday is today, so we celebrated early when we could all make it. Ginger, mom and dad's cat was making the rounds visiting with everyone while we were there. Micky was hiding as usual. I don't think he likes us, dog people and all. We had a good time.
Keep a Smile On Your Face.

Sunday Stills - Reflections

Reflections II
Originally uploaded by wingingitdaily

Sunday Stills Challenge for this week was reflections. I took a few photos in the cold and then happened upon this on a very Spring like day. If you visit the Flickr site, there are a couple of other of my shots. I liked I how I caught the other church in the background. It is almost lost in the haze. I couldn't find a nice clear water setting that was reflecting something nice or with any meaning. I did find some ice, that just would not show anything worth looking at. It was a fountain with a lot of trash showing up. The shots in Virginia were done in some cold near zero windchill weather.

Keep a Smile On Your Face.

Thankful - Looking Up from being very Low

Thankful
Originally uploaded by wingingitdaily

Chester is looking up and I'm looking down. Chester found us almost two years ago. He is a full blooded Bloodhound that was abandoned in our neighborhood. He chose us and found a big softie in Armywife. I was hooked right from the start. My parents raised two bloodhounds when I was growing up, not to mention a litter of puppies. No puppies here. He was fixed after $1000 worth of vet visits to get him in good health. Tonight he is snoring on his bed near the back door. Bruce Springsteen (Half Time Super Bowl Show) isn't doing anything to get Chester going.
Our black lab mix, Bailey keeps him and Baxter on their toes. Sorry for the old shot, but I've been sans camera as The Mechanic has decided he needs it. Sunday Stills - go high or go low.
Keep a Smile On Your Face - I believe Chester is smiling.