Shooting Eye Dagger Looks

This past week I returned to work after being out for nine weeks recovering from surgery on my left bicep and my left shoulder rotator cuff. During my surgery and recovery, my DH Mark, has been caring, tender and quite simply - wonderful.  

  

Going back to work though had one hiccup - I had not yet begun to drive again. Driving a car is like riding a bicycle, you don't forget how. However, being that I had not driven since 9 weeks prior and I wasn't sure how much my left arm was able to perform, I was a little bit apprehensive. Mark and I decided that I would spend the three days before returning to work re-acclimating myself to being behind the wheel.

It was during those three days that I felt like a 16-year old kid with their parent next to them instructing the kid how to maneuver the car and reminders to adhere to the posted speed limits. Mark was sitting next to me, gripping the dashboard and pressing on the imaginary brake on the passenger side of the car. I was giving him that look - you know the one - where your shooting daggers from your eyes and it's only by the Grace of God that you're wearing sunglasses otherwise there would be bloodshed!

When we arrived back home after the first day of my re-acclimation of behind the wheel, Mark tells me, "You should leave your combative Washington DC driving skills at home during your first week driving to and from work".  He once again was being shot with the look.

I went back to work on Tuesday; the day we had a snow storm and ended up with 12" plus of snow. 

It usually takes me 50 to 70 minutes to get home; it took me 2½ hours on Tuesday. The last half of my drive home my bladder began gently reminding me - then screaming at me - that it needed to be relieved. I arrived at home with a stiff neck, a sore arm and a stretched-to-the-limit bladder. The last thing I wanted to hear when I got home was 'How was the drive?' Luckily, Mark did not ask me any questions. Instead he told me he had been home since 11:00 in the morning and his ride home wasn't bad - 'not bad at all'. I had my look locked and loaded by the time he uttered the last syllable!

My recruit, Patrick, is about ½ way through Phase II. It seemed like Phase I dragged on and on; Phase II is flying by. Right now he is in the midst of Grass Week and Firing Week. During these two weeks, the recruits learn about the four stances of firing: standing, kneeling, sitting and prone; shooting at distances of 200 yards, 300 yards and 500 yards. The training is intense, requiring focus, patience and diligence. The seasoned Drill Instructors carefully instruct the recruits on the schematics of the rifle, sight scope measuring and the use of proper position stances with fortitude and serenity. During Grass/Firing Week, the Drill Instructors are giving the recruits constant reassurance, correcting stance positions and scope settings for the recruits to best hit their targets. I am sure not one recruit will shoot the eye dagger look throughout the whole Grass/Firing training period.  

I guess there is something to be said about focus, patience and diligence. I must have left mine at home with my combative Washington DC driving skills!