Oh give me a home,
Got that covered. We got into base housing within a week and I still feel icky that I get this many square feet because of my rank and one son while airmen with a pregnant wife have to wait until she actually has the baby to get a decent place to live on base. Off base seems nice but it’s expensive. Something about a jumping mouse living where developers want to build. Sigh.
Where the buffalo roam,
I don’t know about roam, but there’s plenty of buffalo in the meat section of the commisary and at WalMart. Tastes a lot like beef, but buffer.
And the deer and the antelope play,
Haven’t seen any deer myself but the antelope sure are feisty. What’s interesting is when they decide to head straight for the road en masse and don’t look like they’re going to stop. Since they’re protected on base, they have the right of way and I guess it’s your fault if they hit you. The First Sergeant says that he’s never seen that pushed, but for the love of all that’s holy, don’t YOU hit one.
Where never is heard a discouraging word,
Oh give me a freaking break. It’s an Air Force Base for goshsakes!
And the skies are not cloudy all day.
Well not all day. That seems to be true. It may be cloudy one minute and clear the next and then raining like hell in another few minutes and then there was the snow storm earlier in the week that came right after a 75 degree day…but no, not cloudy all day at all.
On an entirely different track and while I’ve still got your attention…it could happen… When did airmen get both so dumb and so smart? Seriously, there are some amazingly smart young folks that I’m meeting, but there are also some incredibly stupid ones wandering around. And what’s all this “Sir.” stuff? When did that become normal? I was only on J-Staff for eight years but there’s an entire generation of young folks, both smart and stupid, calling me “Sir” with a big smile on their faces.
And in the name of Mohammed on a Moped (PBUH) when did Lieutenants get so damn YOUNG? I swear one I talked to today doesn’t have to shave more than twice a week yet.
But I digress. It’s good to be back on the front range of the rockies. Comforting. Amazing skies. Prarie dogs frolicking happily on the road right before a semi flattens them into furry pizzas.
Sighhhhhhhhhhhh Home.
Timmer: Prarie dogs frolicking happily on the road right before a semi flattens them into furry pizzas.
When I was stationed at Mt Home, we called them Whistle Pigs, and they used to congregate next to the road that ran from the base to the town.
I used to tell people they were having a funeral service for the poor dead fool on the highway, until one day I read in a magazine that whistle pigs were cannabalistic. What I had imagined as a group of mourners was actually a group trying to decide who would be the next one for dinner.
I’m glad you’re safely there and safely settled in. If I ever get in your neck of the woods, I’ll give you a holler.
Comment by AProudVeteran — 20060427 @ 2127
Not at Mt Home APV, but just a day further East.
Comment by Timmer — 20060427 @ 2159
I wasn’t meaning to imply that I thought you were at Mt Home (does it even still exist? Last I heard, they moved the planes elsewhere). Just that we had whistle pigs instead of prairie dogs, etc. I’ve never gotten a clear answer on whether whistle pigs and prairie dogs were the same thing.
Comment by AProudVeteran — 20060427 @ 2224
Are you in Wyoming? Cheyenne? Sure sounds like it.
Comment by wyowumin — 20060428 @ 1006
Well home is where all your crap is at……So Welcome home. Camp Pendleton has the same problem with ground squirrels, and skunks for that matter. Welcome back glad to hear you are getting settled in.
Comment by Sgt/Cpl Blondie — 20060428 @ 1050
When did Lieutenants get so young? We had an air detachment (2 MH-60s) aboard last month, and the LCDR (O-4) OIC was just a kid! Back in the day, O-4s were, if not wise and seasoned, at least crusty old poops.
I know I sure was.
Comment by Steve Skubinna — 20060428 @ 1149
I’m sure that “whistle pigs” are at least marmoty kinds of critters if they’re not actually prairie dogs. We had yellow-bellied marmots where I went to college and it took me years to figure out that the “bird whistle” was coming from them!
Comment by B. Durbin — 20060428 @ 1610