Guess I Look Like a Criminal
I was accused of stealing three 2 liters of pop and a bag of grapes yesterday. In the middle of a public parking lot. While walking casually away in 4 inch heels. Yes, folks, it could easily have been misconstrued that I was making a break for it.
While being humiliating at the time, I can laugh now; plus, I got lots of sympathy from a random guy and two ladies in the parking lot. 
Can’t say I wasn’t fuming afterwards, though. Of all the people to accuse of stealing! Especially when they probably were legitimately stolen from five times earlier that day…
But I can’t say I’ll boycott Winn Dixie, because they do have great deals (85 cent 2 liters, hello!).
Sent this out to the fam, but for the couple of people who aren’t on my immediate family mailing list, and for Tobin’s relatives, here’s a few photos of Pall Life Sciences at our United Way Day of Caring project. About five of the pictures are of our group, but there were 88 other groups from other companies too. I guess we were just more photogenic!
While Tobin was in Boston on his cross country (where he got to visit his old roommate Brunner at MIT), I got to visit with Ashley (Tobin’s classmate’s wife) at the Whiting Field anniversary celebration & a neighbor’s Halloween party, then help throw a small wedding shower for a couple in our life group. I got plenty of exercise too, chasing Rogue outside for what felt like 20 minutes after I lost hold of her leash. The lady down the street stood in the street and gave me very helpful advice while I was running frantically through the grass. Things like “If you throw the ball for her, you will teach her to come!” Not helpful right now, lady! I even tried a cartoonish leap through the air and just missed the end of her leash before landing sprawled out on the grass. Stupid dog. Once I went and got Titus, she came right to us and I was able to grab her leash. Could’ve had some delish hot dogs that night if you’d been driving through Pensacola.
As for Tobin, he is double turning tomorrow. THREE flights left, if all goes well, before Intermediate is over! I am so proud of him! Please keep praying for him and his classmates. He has a tough day tomorrow, then I suppose it’s a check ride on Wednesday, although I’m not sure. His graduation is set for this Friday, if weather holds out and the flights go as planned. It will be a late night tonight!
Ground School complete
Tobin finished his last test in ground school today. He has his first flight tomorrow (no rest for the weary!) and may possibly have a cross country this weekend. He is busy busy busy! I wanted to thank all of you for supporting him, I know it has been an encouragement to him. The weeks he spends flying are generally the most stressful, so these next two weeks or so are pretty huge. Once he finishes his final check ride (or solo, not sure what the last flight is), Intermediate will be complete!
I will try to post some cute pictures soon. My computer is making a horrid noise; I’m hoping it sticks around a couple more years, so that’s not good!
Things are really moving along at work. There is plenty of work to keep me busy and I am feeling challenged each day. It looks like things might be looking up in terms of demand, and we are re-hiring after some of the recent layoffs.
It’s a little premature, but I am getting psyched for the holidays already! It looks like we might have a lengthy Thanksgiving holiday in Ohio and an equally work-free holiday for Christmas. Plus we get to see family!
Oh, and on a side note…I wouldn’t put this past my family…did someone sign us up for something baby-related? I am getting baby mail left and right. One was reminding me to register my new family member (for what, I don’t know) and another was a baby magazine. Someone’s laying down some hints, and they’re not too subtle!
Also, we bought a (nicely discounted) grill! Our very first, the propane type. The store was sold out, so we bought the model; and have already broken a piece. Darn. And we don’t have propane yet. But sometime soon, we will be able to grill out on our little patio!
Corporate Cup Games
I ran my race yesterday, Saturday the 10th. I’m not quite sure of the time on my mile, but it was probably between 6:20 -6:35. Tobin timed me at 6:38, but he timed me through the chute instead of at the finish line. So I’d estimate 6:30. I beat my personal goal and personal best time!
The surprise is that I actually came in second! There were 29 female runners competing against me in the one mile road course. One girl took off in front right at the beginning, and I thought she was going to run a 5 minute mile; but she kept slowing down and slowing down, then doubled over and stopped! I’m pretty sure she had a cramp; we all called the volunteers over but we weren’t stopping either!
For a brief minute, I was front of the pack! The turnaround point was my downfall, though; it was the steepest hill of the race, and as I made it through the turn chute and started downhill, a UWF college girl passed me and stayed about 10 paces ahead of me the rest of the race.
But I finished much better than I expected and am grateful I completed the race. I don’t know how our corporate cup team finished overall, because I left right after the tug-of-war; but I do know one of our ladies won in the hula-hoop contest, my team got third on the blindfolded wheelbarrow, and our company’s egg toss team won second. I got a nifty cup for the wheelbarrow race, but nothing for the run because it was a cumulative score between me and our male runner. Since he wasn’t in the top 8, we didn’t get that great of a cumulative score.
If I get pictures I’ll post them. I know our company got pictures of the runners.
Back to work
Not that he had a huge break or anything, but Tobin is back to studying today; his first day of T-1 ground school! That’s right, folks, he will be flying in JETS from now on! I am proud of him. He has been trying to get ahead during his “break”, so hopefully it won’t be quite as overwhelming this time around.
Check out the “About Us” page for updates on training for Tobin & running (or not) for me. My race is this Saturday!
Oh, and happy birthday, Ava! My beautiful niece is turning two today.
Couples Retreat, Andalusia, AL
An amazingly talented couple in our life group (Robin & Jackie) put together a couples retreat for us at a lake house owned by one of their parents. It was absolutely wonderful and beautiful. There couldn’t have been a more perfect time for Tobin & I to take this break. We were able to relax, enjoy the company of our life group, and learn a whole lot about ourselves as a couple. We were also fed WAY too much food and I learned a lot about feeding 16 people, so I should be ready for Christmas, fam!
Titus & Rogue spent their first weekend away from us; we boarded them at the breeder’s. They looked healthy & happy when we came to pick them up, so we were satisfied with the care they got. In fact, Rogue looks way more fat now; not sure if that’s a good thing or not! How does a puppy gain that much weight in two days?
The group picture, couples from left to right: Michael & Candice, Tim & Melody, Chris & Kim, Tobin & Erin, James & Mary, Greg & Rachel, Robin & Jackie. Bryan & Brittany had already left by then, but they are another the picture by themselves.
And last but not least, there’s also a picture of how Titus & Rogue look now. You can ignore the girl in the background. It was raining that day, so Tobin let me wear his hat & coat; I know, it’s totally my look, right?
What’s up with training?
Tobin completed his T-6 training last week with his final formation flight. Currently, he is studying up for T-1 ground school; that means new boldface (memorized emergency procedures), new systems, new procedures.
T-1 ground school starts this Wednesday (10/7) if his schedule doesn’t change. Ground school is two weeks long, then he heads directly flight side and has eight or nine flights (both instruments and vnavs).
So in about a month, he will be done with Intermediate and will be in (A?)-pool waiting to class up for Advanced.
There’s your training update!
I will try to post later today about our amazing weekend. We went on couples retreat with a bunch of people from our life group at Hillcrest. It was very worth it and so rewarding. I highly recommend going on one someday. It was a very needed break for Tobin and I as well, since work and training have been so stressful lately. Ok, I’ll try to post soon about that.