Walking is the perfect way of moving if you want to see into the life of things. It is the one way of freedom. If you go to a place on anything but your own feet you are taken there too fast, and miss a thousand delicate joys that were waiting for you by the wayside. Elizabeth von Arnim

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Monday, June 27, 2011

Watch Standing

This morning the weather is back to being cloudy and humid.  Had a sprinkling of rain but it didn't last long and I didn't even get wet to cool off.  Still it was great to get out and walk. As I walked out my door I saw a big old turkey buzzard sitting on the peak of the roof down the block and three crows were dive bombing him.  He sat there for a bit dodging the attacks and then flew off with the three crows following.
I made my way over to the lake and walked around it with all the other people.  Quite a crowd of people this morning, it seemed like a Saturday.
On the path to the lake I saw a deer and her baby standing in the water getting a drink.  When they saw me, both ran up the bank on the other side of the stream and into the woods.
There is a Red Winged Black bird taking a rest on the back of the bench here.  
I thought if I tried to get any closer he would fly away.
 I stopped down at the narrow end of the lake on the footbridge just to look out over the water.  As I stood there I saw geese down in the water, over to one side there was the white egret and on the other side was the heron.  In the background I heard a bull frog croaking and all the birds singing.
Farther along on one side of the path there were a couple of rabbits and on the other side a groundhog and a Cardinal flew low right in front of me.
Lots of wildlife to enjoy watching this morning. It was a great walk.
I walked 6.2 miles.
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Ken was just getting home as I was getting ready to go for my walk this morning.  He went in to work last night because he had to get some stuff done and thought he could get more done without others being there to interrupt him.  So he went to bed as I went for my walk.
It brought back memories from when Ken was in the Navy and we were in Scotland.  He would be sleeping off a Mid Watch and I would be trying to keep both kids quiet so he could sleep. Not any easy task when your kids are 3 and 5.  Funny thing though I would be the one to wake him up yelling at the kids to be quiet so they wouldn't wake up daddy.  : )
Ken worked some crazy hours back then.  He worked a 2,2,2,80 which was called Watch Standing and it was based on an 8 day week so there were people on watch 24 hours a day. 
Here's what the schedule was like.
Monday, a Day Watch, which was 8:00AM to 4:00PM.
Tuesday, another Day Watch.  Home to eat and sleep. Then came a Mid Watch at 12:00PM to 8:00AM.  Then home to sleep.
Wednesday night another Mid Watch.  Home on Thursday morning to sleep and then an Eve Watch that night - 4:00PM to 12 midnight.
Friday another Eve watch.
Then off for three days.  The days off were called your Break.  And it would start all over again.  Only next week,  work would start on a Tuesday so every week you got different days off.
So he worked 2 Days, 2 Mids, 2 Eves, and 80 hours off hence 2,2,2,80
Holidays didn't matter, if they happened to be during your work time you were just out of luck. 
Ken worked watch standing for years and we all got used to it.  It was hard on a body though trying to get adjusted to all the different awake and sleep patterns in such a short period. 
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I tried to keep quiet doing this and that around the house this morning while Ken slept. He was up 11:30 after sleeping five hours.  We decided to have lunch out and went to the Olive Garden and had the unlimited soup, salad, and bread sticks.  I skipped the soup.

 I've been wanting to get a summer wreath for my front door.  I thought about making one but then I saw this one in Joanne's on sale for 60% off so I bought it.

Getting gas for my car is not one of my favorite things to do. Ken is being nice and is out now as I type this getting gas for my car. : )

That's it for now.
Till next time.....
 Hope you started off your week on a happy note.
A happy day to you.
Happyone : )
The husband who decides to surprise his wife
is often very much surprised himself.
~ Zig Zigler

6 comments:

Auntie sezzzzzz... said...

Thank you for the watch standing information. Another reason why I say -- Thank you to the member of the military and also, thank you to his/her family. They also serve.

Oh I want a summer wreath too! I should go looking for a wreath bargain, like you got!!! Yesssss!!!

~♥~

Sue said...

Enjoyed the walk today, love the wreath too, I have yet to put one up for the summer, just been to busy with the garden. I was thinking yesterday, that I should just go ahead and make my fall wreath since Hobby Lobby has put their fall decorations out. and therefore it would be ready, by September.~smile~
Enjoy your day.
Sue

Retired Knitter said...

Lovely wreath. Good sale.

Vee said...

That is a great wreath at an excellent bargain.

I got all excited about the thought of seeing a mother deer and her fawn... Maybe next time.

It's incredible what the military must do. Those hours sound miserable. I suppose one can get used to anything, but gosh...

Five hours of sleep? Hope that he gets caught up soon.

Noofy said...

Being a military brat, I'm familiar with the different shifts, my Dad worked them too, he was in the Air Force working in the communications center. Communications must be working 24/7, regardless of holidays too. We had to be quiet when Dad was sleeping regardless of what time of day it was (or go outside and play). You got a steal on that wreath, just lovely! Olive Garden, I haven't been there in years, I bet it was good! Happy Monday!

Retired Knitter said...

What a tough shift. I can't imagine such fast changed to the sleep cycle.

I love the wreath.