The Last Exit

Holly Doyne Posted on by

11 March 2007 The Last Exit

Sunday, Merz Internat, Stuttgart

There is that final moment when you can make a decision, and then it rolls past. Along with your exit off of the Autobahn, the last opportunity to chose another route, to not sit in a Stau.

The radio message system had reported about a 10 km Stau between Pforzheim-something and the following exit due to an accident in the construction zone. I guess that we kept expecting to see a slow down or stop in the stream of red tail lights snaking away over the hills in the distance. I had even gone ahead and programed the GPS to look for alternate routes, not that there is much of an alternative other than B10.

It was dark by now, well after 2030 and a varying two of the three teens were sleeping in the back seat. Normally they take the train back to school on Sunday night, but this time they were getting a ride for several reasons. The main being that Noah had his backpack, suitcase, guitar and amp; a bit more than is reasonable to schlep from train to Straßenbahn to school. There was also the fact that Nina had not had a chance to do her math tutoring untill late this afternoon.

So there we are, just passing Pforzheim-Öst. The insane babbler on the GPS tells us that the next exit is 13 km. We head down another hill and around a curve. On the A8 of course.

And there it is in all its glory–brake lights as far as the eye can see. Or at least 3 km, which ever is worse. Luckily the accident must have been long since cleared away, for suddenly the slowdown just opened up and everyone resumed a normal speed. Of 60-80 km/hr that is because we were not finished with the construction zone which only cleared right before the outskirts of Stuttgart.

After dropping them off and hitting the road, we took my normal route back: A81 -> A6. There is construction this way as well and, since it was past 2100, the trucks were on the road again in full force and fleets.

All of that as a passenger and I accomplished absolutely no knitting. I had not brought the second sleeve off Miriam’s sweater to complete the last 10 cm because measuring is hard in the dark. Instead I had brought some sock yarn and needles. Right-pale pink yarn and bamboo needles. I could not see a thing! Complicated by a pattern that called for cabling in the second row.

I was reduced to discussing politics as I had also forgotten The Time Travelor’s Wife. George, I am sure, was much happier this way.

-Holly

A Saturday at home

Holly Doyne Posted on by

Perched on the side of the hill, our terrace overlooks the city of Heidelberg. I could be tacky and say that it mostly overlooks trees (and Campbell Barracks) on a bad day. The weather is typical, four seasons in 24 hours: if you are not happy, wait a few hours and it will change. Most certainly the cold tonight is likely going to kill off the brave early flowers.

After this past week of constant running between teaching sessions, meetings, box hauling and checking the mail room for packages, I am more than happy to spend a quiet weekend. Especially if I can avoid cleaning and laundry. I would much rather knit on Miriam’s March Madness Sweater or work further on updating projects on the family website.

But there are teenagers to hassle, the son trying out his new guitar and perhaps a need for some fresh food stuffs in the house. Either that, or at least grab some supper before I crash.

-Holly

its the other

Holly Doyne Posted on by  

some how it feels so good to get to Friday. This morning seemed to be under control. And yes, I do feel like my job is somewhere between Zirkus Meister and meeting queen.

So it goes: morning report, wander around the hospital and scare people. Apparently all the nagging about catching up on everything is starting to get taken seriously. In fact, concerned when I show up in their ward/clinic and ask to see SOPs, training folders, NCO checklists, and they can’t produce them….

At 0900 it was off to the Infection Control Class to deliver a pep talk about why it was so important that they were learning what to do and then to do it. After trying to catch up on email (and deleting hundreds of messages across my accounts) and finding Min.net was down (secondary to a fire in downtown Baltimore at 0200 that affected power to their location and shut them down till the start of their business day – lets see – 0200 + six hours time zone = 0800 here and beyond.

A major planning meeting meant working through lunch; then a personal update meeting at 1400 which turned into a status update from everyone on everything. I shouldn’t find it surprising that somethings have fallen through while time has been totally wasted on garbage. As it turns out, we have six extensions pending on less than great soldiers. Rather than agree, all will be pulled and we will see what we get out of the “personnel lottery.”

Managed to get home before 1800. One of my War College Seminar classmates is in town from the States for a 2 week AT (annual training). Turns out this is his last night in town. So this George (day job – prosecuting Environmental Law for the Justice Department) came over for dinner. My George and I bough the littles off with TV and dinner in the family room. End result? Relaxing, enjoyable evening for us three adults. I gave him a ride back to the Q in Kitzigen really late.

crash time? yes…

If it is not one thing –

Holly Doyne Posted on by  

Managed to get up, down the hill, and to morning report on time. I think that I mentioned the drill about the first Thursday of the month including extra meetings? So morning report starts at 0700 followed by Joint Staff at 0730. I had a number of things to review, and several even provided some good information.

Ducked back to the office to check on mail, then did my usual couple of hours of stuff including talking to JAG on the phone before heading to Kitzigen.

Amazingly enough – there was actually interesting food in the club lunch line today – bean burritos ,salsa, jalapeños and sour cream>, corn, au gratin potatoes, and broccoli. Lunch, more caffeine, meetings. The decision brief regarding the field exercise later this month to include the most we can accomplish in the time allotted without destroying ourselves or the equipment. Using the cheap method – dolly sets – not cranes.

After recognizing several soldiers who had done outstanding jobs, toured building 98 and the motor pool. I thought the return to the office was going to let me slide downhill for the rest of the day. (a stop at the mail room netted me a package – the blank cards so that I can transfer embroidery patterns from the computer to the sewing machine). A new Handwoven was also in my mail box (Finn Weave? humm, interesting but I am not tackling anything that slow and by hand in this lifetime).

Returned to the office to find that my CSM had picked up Noah; meanwhile George had headed home. Naturally they missed each other so I would up with Mr. Noah for about 45 minutes. Then there was the crisis of the moment, the crisis of the hour.Heading home at 1800, I wondered where the time actually went.

Other than that – the kids are the usual, George saw the pathologist who says he does NOT have a detached retina.

Packages!

Holly Doyne Posted on by  

They didn’t fight too badly this morning – I got Noah and Miriam up and took them to breakfast with me. George and Nina headed to Munich to look at schools for her for next year.

Went to morning report, sent Noah off to school went back to report then walked Miriam off to kindergarten. The rest of the day honestly does not need a description – you know the drill – meetings, and more meetings.

On of the rush things this morning was getting off what turned out to be fore letters to DA – there was a board meeting this week to grant constructive credit for the Med Officers Advanced Course. Now, I have four MAJs. Three finished the correspondence course but were unable to make the resident section in the one year window allowed. Two West Pointers and my DCCS from downrange. All have significant deployment time. Having them to do it over again would be a waste of three docs for eight weeks while they sat in San Antonio. Great for food and drink, not good for our patients. The other is one of my clinic commanders who I have known since 1993. He doesn’t need to do this either …. (and it is not like any of them really want to spend those eight weeks at Ft. Sam rather than at work or with their families traveling in Europe).

But the highlight of my day? Stopping in the mail room this morning. There were six boxes there! Now two were errors – same order filled multiple ties so have already emailed the company that I expect to return the stuff and get credit for the postage both ways. But in the other boxes? Some software I had been waiting for, the polar fleece for bathrooms (sent by Carmen), a couple of CDs and a beanie baby. right. seriously. There is Prickles, a hedgehog that Helen found for me. This is seriously upping the ante and I am going to have to really work at topping that – but I think I have found a solution…

Late breaking orders

Holly Doyne Posted on by  

Out early – downloaded the remaining stuff that I needed before the rest of the world got up.

Spent my day running around and chasing my tail. Got my crowns finished – so I now have a bit more gold in my mouth. Army pays for something.

Went out to Harvey Barracks for the Assumption of Command by COL David Granger of 1AD DISCOM. The previous commander let command early in Nov because of cancer and treatment requirements, so they have had an acting commander for the last couple of months. Other than that – it looked like a regular change of command ceremony – but for the flag going from the CSM to the General to the new commander.

Getting back, held the monthly awards ceremony. Some awards were following folks from their previous duty assignments while others of ours were getting recognized.

End of the afternoon saw the consumer council meeting – a few takers, but not many – going to see what we can do to round up more participation.

Finished all of that by 1800. Had to NCO’s who had been waiting to see me. Turned out that the one was scheduled to leave on a MEDEVAC in the morning for an outpatient appointment but still did not have orders.

So, now I know how to type a DA 1610. The resource manager came in to provide the fund cite. Tomorrow, I get to unscrew the mix-up that had her orders not done in the first place.

Home to crash.

new month – more of the same

Holly Doyne Posted on by  

It is amazing how fast files move at 0600. When all of you folks in the states having finally gotten off your computers on the east coast and have gone to bed! Took less that 3 minutes to download stuff that I had been fighting all of Friday. Part of the problem is that we have a low volume pipe that connects to the rest of the .mil and by the time things are up and running at 0730 – the average file transfer speed is down to 1.4 or slower. YES! Old modem speed. 

Anyway – walked in early, had meetings, worked through lunch. We have the new unit crest solved and will get it submitted today. Been listening to a wonderful CD that George picked up – Laridee. Actually a local group, normally they do pop/rock and folk. This one is completely inFrench and a combination of some old and some new folk. Extremely cheerful and upbeat <except for one to two tracks>.

George has his eye appointment for Thursday at the Uni Klinik to deal with his retinal detachment. more fun.

The whole crew picked me up at the end of the day and we headed home early. I took a book to bed and crashed. Did a little more cleaning up, so this was my break?

-=H=-