Quick trip back to the N.O.

So....... In the way of flying since the last blog.......NOTHING has happened!  I have not flown in seven straight days!  Arggghhhhh..  It's so aggravating living out of a hotel room in Meridian, MS expecting to be rushed through this program to get you "down range" soon, but instead just sit around your hotel room everyday NOT FLYING.

I kept saying that we would take a quick trip back to New Orleans so that I could see Dallas (I was missing her). But everyday I would wuss out .  See, the flying schedule comes out every evening for the next day schedule.  It leaves little planning room since I have to wait till six pm everyday before I can make plans for the next day.  I kept getting antsy to pull the trigger and just go a few days in a row, but on Wednesday afternoon we did it.

Dallas was pumped up to see us.  And I wasn't on the schedule for Thursday so the gamble paid off!  On Thursday Kristen and I went to visit my grandparents, it was nice.  They're so cute.  Then we went to Archbishop Rummel, my old high school, to buy a t-shirt that I can take a picture with while in the desert.  While I was there I ran into Coach Boh, my old defensive line coach.  He was great to talk to.  He led me to my old head football coach, Coach Roth.  We talked for a while and he gave me a "Rummel Football" t-shirt to bring over there also.  He's so cool.

Kristen and I first met each other at Rummel under the gym while seniors in high school.  We decided to take a picture at that same spot while we were there.  We're so cheesy.

On the way back to Kristen's parents house I called for Friday's flying schedule and found out that I was on, and flying at 1930 (7:30pm for you non-military type).  So the next morning, Friday we packed up the car and drove back to Meridian, MS, with Dallas! Haha.  Yeah, we decided to take Dallas back for one night with us since we knew Kristen would be headed back to New Orleans to watch the VooDoo play (arena football).

Click on this sentence to see Dallas finding me on the trail
Click on this sentence to see a duck who used to be a dog in a previous life

Dallas had a whole queen bed all to herself

On Friday we took Dallas to the park and fed the ducks then we went on a four and half mile trail walk.  It was awesome!  She was a trooper and walked the whole time.  She's awesome. My flight on Friday got cancelled because on the instructors in the back got sick.  So driving back to Meridian earlier that day was a waste.

Kristen with Bryce

 Kristen drove out of here yesterday with Dallas to go to the VooDoo game back in New Orleans.

On my way to the squadron yesterday I had all of my windows down and at a stoplight.  I started getting pelted with sand on the right side of my face.  I thought that someone was throwing it at me at first.  I heard a lady screaming next to me.  I was so confused.  I held my hands over my face and ducked down.  It only lasted a few seconds and then it stopped.  When I took my hands from my mouth and nose I saw a dust devil (small tornado made out of sand) just off the left side of the car.  That was awesome!  There was sand everywhere!!! In my hair, down my uniform, and EVERYWHERE in my car.  AWESOMENESS!  I guess that's what I'll have to get used to down range. Haha.  The car was already hairy from Dallas and now there's sand everywhere.  Hertz is going to love me when I bring it back.

Mike eating a "blazin" wing

DONE

I was supposed to fly yesterday also but that flight got cancelled too because one of the backseat instructors (again) forgot/didn't know that he was on the schedule.  So I called up some of my buddies here and asked if they wanted to go to B-Dubs for some beer and wings....in that order.  And we did.  Good times.  Actually, everything was good until my buddy Chris ordered the Blazin' wings which is the hottest flavor that they have for us.  Yes, he said that he ordered them for the table.  We all ate one.  They were so freekin' hot!!!  Easily the hottest thing I've ever eaten in my life.

Kristen's coming back today, without Dallas :(  I am on the schedule again for tonight too.......so I could actually fly tonight.  There's about a 50/50 chance that it'll happen the ways things have been happening around here. Haha.

Well, only six flight left then I'm off to the sand box.  I could be done by this coming Saturday!  Although that'll never happen over here.  I'm expecting to be done flying in two, out-process here in two and a half, and be on a rotator to the desert in three and a half weeks.

Also, I heard a nasty rumor yesterday that all of the MC-12 deployments will be extended 90 days.  That'll push my return back till late January 2012......that'll suck.  Some dudes over here are pumped up about it......., not me......, yet.  It's all a rumor though.  So no need for me to get all worked up about it.