OCTOBER 2009
October 4, 2009
I did not get too much sleep this weekend, as I had guardmount and dismount for JCDO (Junior Cadet Duty Officer) Saturday and Sunday. This meant I had to get up before 0700 Saturday and Sunday morning, when I am usually allowed to sleep in later. Oh well. I did most of my homework on Saturday because I could not leave the Academy while on duty. I went out today instead. I walked to church off-base with a friend, came back to the Academy, and then left to walk to lunch with another group of friends.
A half hour walk away from the Academy is a long stretch of road that has every fast food restaurant imaginable. We went to Taco Bell and Wendy’s, picked up food, and took it across the street to sit outside under the umbrellas of Rita’s. After finishing our main course, we went inside Rita’s for a delicious treat that everyone at the Academy raves about. Their specialty is their “Water Ice” which is similar to Italian Ice and they make rather unique flavors such as cake batter and Swedish fish. I tried a sample of pumpkin, amazing. I ordered a pumpkin Gelati, which had a layer of vanilla custard on the bottom, pumpkin water ice in the middle, and more vanilla custard on top. It was like eating fall in a cup with an extra long plastic spoon. Between the food, the company, and the walking, it was a perfect four hour lunch away from the Academy.
October 27, 2009
Mid-term came to a close last week; we are now halfway done with the semester. I glanced at my watch yesterday and realized we have been back at school over two months. The time has flown by much more quickly than it did last year. It is only a month until Thanksgiving, and then one more month until Christmas!
The academics have been harder than last year, but I also do not have all of the fourth class duties and thus I have found myself with more time on my hands. For some reason I still find myself going to bed around the same time as always: late. But I find rest and rejuvenation in sports as well. Cross country has been so much fun; I can concentrate on not tripping on rocks or roots, instead of contemplating the torsional stress of a beam.
Cross country is an escape. I get to run with a great group of girls and friends and not worry about anything for an hour or two each day. We run loops near the Academy, over beds of fresh pine needles that smell like fall, and sometimes we take vans and cars to parks nearby. A few weeks ago, we went to Harkness Park, about twenty minutes away, and ran along the beach in bare feet. Amazing! This was definitely not a common occurrence for me in Missouri. The sand squished between my toes and since it was not compact sand, every stride sent me a few feet forward, and a foot or so back. It was more difficult than I expected, but watching the waves roll in and seeing the birds (one flew by with a huge crab in his mouth) made up for it.
And now the weather has turned colder. Last week, we went over to Connecticut College for a work-out in the rain and cold. It was miserable and entertaining at the same time. I was happy to finish the work-out and return to a warm building, but I wished I could sit in front of a fireplace to thaw my frozen bones. Instead a hot cup of tea had to suffice. Hmmm, that sounds good. I think I might have to go make some now before I dive into writing my government paper.
Katie.M.Schumacher@uscga.edu