A little Andy time

May 3rd, Charlie and I drove to Fayetteville, North Carolina.  Andy has been stationed there this last year and some.  Stationed, but not lived.  He keeps being deployed to far off places.  He did Afghanistan and then Algeria.  He is training once again for a mission and will deployed in June for 4 months.  Charlie's birthday is the 5th of May so we decided to spend it far from our home.

Fort Bragg

On Sunday morning, Andy took us on a tour of Fort Bragg.  Major training base.  Artillery ranges everywhere!  They have to train at night as well as in the day.  So cool.  We would be in bed and hear the boom boom of the big guns (cannons) being fired in the distance.  War zone with no war.  This is the only picture I was allowed to take on base.  Everything else is off limits.  Andy was able to take us by the compound where he works.  It is fenced off inside the base.  Only people with top secret clearance are allowed inside that gate.

This is Monday afternoon as Andy got home from the base. (Still in his uniform.) He is standing in front of his brand new car.  This is the house he is renting.  The other guy is Luke.  He is a Navy Chief.  He is between stations right now and Andy is letting him live with him for the month.  He heads to Virginia Beach next week.  They met almost ten years ago when they were both stationed on the USS Truman.  They both work Naval Intel.

That's right!  Andy took me for a ride on his Harley. So much fun!  I've only been on a motorcycle 3 times.  The first was with a high school boyfriend in 1971.  The second was with Charlie before he left on his mission.  We rode out to Spanish Fork so he could say goodby to his grandmother.  

They posed for this picture under protest.  They were on their way to play golf at a local course.  Notice the mammoth entertainment center.  Andy built that while living in Arlington, VA.  I have to buy a plasma television now that I've seen Andy's.  Crazy clear!

We went out to eat a lot! (Bachelor living.)  I got tired of it so bought some groceries and cooked a couple of nights.  They didn't protest.  They kept not smiling for this picture so I made them do it again until I finally got this!

We had to plan our activities around the soccer games on TV.  Chelsea and Manchester were playing.  So why is Andy sleeping?  Poor thing has been burning the candle at both ends.

One evening we went to Lowes to buy a shop vac.  Andy decided he needed a barbecue grill as well.  While we were waiting out by the car for Andy to finish the purchase, Charlie caught sight of an unattended scooter.  He said he always wanted to see how they worked. (yeah, right)

Our last full day there, the boys went golfing so I became a tourist.  This is the Edgar Allen Poe home.  (Not the author)  This Mr. Poe made and sold bricks.  He built this home in 1897.  I took an hour guided tour and then visited the museum next door.

This is what remains of the artillery compound that the confederate army built.  Sherman and his men destroyed it on their march through the south.

And here they are!  Golf game of a lifetime.  Pinehurst Country Club.  (Better be.  The green fees were over a C-note!)  

We drove home on Friday.  A seven hour drive that turned into 9 because of the I-95 traffic around Washington DC.  I think we will fly next time.