Today's Tour: Cats, Graduation, & Random Ramblings

Meet my buddy I made this evening waiting for my ride to the Hail and Farewell for my command. This little guy was sleeping (all curled up) on his chair and when I sat across the table I got a fabulous "meow" which was clearly cat for ciao. Well, maybe it was more of I know you have turkey in your fridge, why didn't you bring some down for me? 

At any rate, I scratched his head for a little bit and just started thinking. I guess I was doing more thinking and less scratching because he then jumped on the table to move closer to me. Oops. (Side note- the coffee bar we were in front of is currently closed so no one is really using these tables...) Now where was I going with this story???

Yeah, it's gone.

While I try to refocus, let me do one more shout out to all my fabulous NPS friends who walked across that stage today to collect a folder with some random paper in it. Great job for no tripping and yes, you really will get your real diploma in 2ish months- unless they send it and it gets lost in the mail. It's been known to happen- right Mike?

Oh! Just like that I'm back on track. I was a little disappointed today knowing that graduation was happening on the other side of the world and I wasn't going to be there. On the flip side though it was another productive day in the office and although I was referring to the Hail and Farewell as "my hell" I had a lot of fun.

I realize that to those of you who move all the time (like you military folks) you are totally aware of this concept I'm about to try to describe...but for us "stuck in the same place for lots of years (5+)" types it's a little hard to wrap words around it.

While I'm however many miles away, wishing I was having fun in Monterey, I'm really here setting up my new life. Through nights getting to socialize with my office, the life I left slowly begins to be recreated. Sure the names and faces are different but so often when I'm introduced to people I link them back to someone in my past.

Tonight's link was between the lawyer and Hy. Yep. Didn't see that one coming. But just like Hy was so friendly when I started at NPS all those years ago, Ken has been the exact same way. He's been the one to provide me numbers for realtors, given me helpful info, and always takes the time to check in. He hasn't proved to have the same sense of humor but I'm still on the fence if that's a good/bad/indifferent thing. Wait. It's a good thing- I don't have a fake arm attacking me.

This week really has been fabulous and with every day I fall more in love with this place and rejoice in my decision to move, but I can't help but think I may still be in the honeymoon phase. Maybe not, I don't seem to ever follow the "normal" route but just in case my dad is on standby the moment homesickness hits. (Sorry dad, still not there yet...but that doesn't mean you and mom can't visit!) 

No doubt about it, life is still going on in Monterey without me. I get that. And let's be honest, it would be creepy if it wasn't! I do however like to think that those days when things just seem a little off,  it's due to a serious deficiency your Katie O. dose. Hey, I know it doesn't work like that but I'll just pretend. 

Okay, I feel like I just took you on a very roundabout tour with this post. I must be adopting that part of the Italian culture! Next time I'll try to have a better road map for my thoughts, but here in Italy most roads aren't even located on a map and when they are you can't find the name.