It never ceases to amaze me: ruck sacks and the like can hold so much stuff!
Unpacked -
Packed -
With room to spare! I didn’t lift them, but I can assure you, those bags were heavy. Just like that, my hubby is off to WLC (the Warrior Leadership Course) or, as I prefer to call it, camp. (Camp is also what we call boarding when we have to leave Geronimo for long periods of time. “Gmo! Do you want to go to camp? Yeay camp!” It just sounds more fun.)
So Stephen is officially off at “camp” and I am officially the a solo rolo once mo’. Or something to that effect.
My days will consist of many of my usual activities (watching Mad Men, reading, working out, napping and/or going to bed early), but in order to avoid going stir crazy, I’ve come up with a few additional ideas. I’ve given each week that Stephen is away a theme that will help me focus my energies and encourage me to not be a slug. Here’s what I came up with:
- This week: writing
- Next week: exploration
- Third week: ???
- Week before he returns home: cleaning frenzy
- Week he comes home: Everybody Loves Stephen Week (Thanks for the idea, Janelle!)
I’m drawing a blank for that third one, but I’ve got two weeks to come up with something. (Ideas? Suggestions?)
So far I’m off to a good start. Sure, it hasn’t been very long, but I’m still giving myself a gold star. I had a killer workout yesterday, and I did some personal writing. Check and check! Now I just need to repeat that for about 30 more days.
My workout. I’m contemplating naming it “The Butt Kicker.”
Any ideas for my ??? week? I need a theme, people!*
TRAVEL!! Go somewhere!!! I went solo on a ton of trips while we were living there. He had to work a ton and I wanted to see Europe so I’d take off solo on day trips or over night trips by myself. It’s not as scary as you might think. Or go on an MWR trip or something?
Great suggestions! I should have thought of this. I don’t know that I would venture too far on my own, but I’d be down for taking a trip with MWR. Time to do research!*
Yeah I like that! You could be a tourist in your own city. Like a staycation. Visit the museums, libraries, monuments that you’d otherwise drive past!
Also, I nominated you for a Liebster award. Come check out the details on my blog and then email me for your list of questions! kayla_james@me.com. I hope your next four weeks fly by!
A friend once drunkenly told me that there is a really cool war museum somewhere in town. This would be a good excuse to finally go check it out. (Assuming that it actually exists and wasn’t a drunken hallucination, that is.)*
What about Pinterest week?? Do you have Pinterest? Each day you could pick a new thing to cook or a new thing to “craft”.
Neat idea! I’ve yet to dip my toes into the vast vortex that is Pinterest. This might be a good a time as any to check it out! Surely I could find some fun things to create within my limited skill set.*
You really can shove a lot of stuff in ruck sacks and duffle (duffel?) bags. My favorite is when they come home and dump all of the crumpled up contents out on the floor. Ha! The others have offered good ideas for week 3, which is good, because I’m drawing a blank. I hope the time passes quickly for you!
I don’t think that I’ll ever be a fan of unpacking in any form. Blarg.*
oooooh what will occur during Everybody Loves Stephen Week?!? Is there blog involvement? A banner? A parade?! Can’t wait!! (Oh and you’re welcome dear!) Gmo’s gonna be upset that he doesn’t have a week. I’m sure he would say that every day is Gmo day though
I of course would vote something blog-related that we could participate in or get a good snort out of… Readers choice blog topics! haha that could get dangerous. Or Advanced Amy classes (teach us something about you or something you know/do well). Or photography walks (take pics of things you see during your walk with Gmo; look up, look down, look at things you normally wouldn’t). Or completely unrelated – maybe start putting together a photobook of your European adventures?
I am excited! Probably much more excited than you are. Sending hugs and feel-good vibes your way!
PS – How bout a “day in the life” post once each week?!?
I have not many ideas for Stephen Week – yet! I’m using my abundance of free time to brainstorm. I like the parade idea. Geronimo totes needs a week, too! He would love that. (He’s been kind of moody since Stephen left.)
Many great suggestions! I love the photo walk idea. I could definitely do that! And how’d you know that I needed to make photobooks? I’ve been putting it off since our internet is sooo slow, but I do want to get our Australian & Normandy pictures all organized and book-ready.*
I don’t know if you’d want a day in the life post. My days are devoid of interesting happenings. I’ll think on it though. I might just do it and if if it’s too terribly boring, I guess I don’t have to post it. We’ll see!*
Geronimo would be so spoiled! (or MORE spoiled!)
Slow internet is a huge test of patience. I fail that test every single time. I hope you can get your photos together though!
I thought a day-in-the-life post would be cool during your themed weeks. I mean, what the crap does “exploration” mean exactly? Such a tease!
But if it’s like “today I explored my kitchen floor and do you know what I found?!?” then I think I can speak for all of your reader-friends and say “we’ll pass on reading that!” 
I LOLed at this comment!*
Reading? Crafting? Cooking?
Reading! That makes me think of DEAR day at school where everyone would wear PJ’s and make forts and read all day. I could totally do that for a week!*
You will be the coolest blogger ever if you make a pillow/blanket fort and spend a week in it. Just sayin.
So very tempting!*
I see people saying cooking week, which could be good, but you have a marathon coming up so I was going to suggest it be, new workout week! Every day you have to try some new workout!
What a fun idea! I could do some of the things I’ve wanted to do but have been putting off (yoga, bodypump, or even just a specific workout on the bike instead of spinning mindlessly). Thanks for the suggestion!*
What are you going to explore?
Things on post and nearby that I have wanted to see but been too chicken to check out! (Like the library.) I’m also looking to attend some classes on post. It’s my “step out of your comfort zone” week. (And my comfort zone is very tiny.)*
I was going to suggest a travel week also. Or perhaps a Pamper Amy week. Do silly stuff like paint your nails, or get a manicure, get your hair cut, or a massage. I guess it could be a spendy week, but don’t worry, you’re worth it!
You know, I did not consider a pampering week, but I totally should have! I could definitely go for a massage. And I’ve already found that we save lots of moolah when Stephen is away. (Groceries cost me less than half of what they normally do.) Naturally, I should spend that money on myself instead of saving it.*