Running to the Whimsy Fire.

After braving an onslaught of snow in Oakhurst, Silver 5 has finally made it back into sunny Sacramento.  Though I enjoyed my time in the Yosemite area so much, I have really missed being on base.  It is nice to be able to look out windows without being faced with walls of snow.

Being back on McClellan also means being able to run again which was something I never had the chance to do at Sugar Pine.  Due to the snow we had to do a lot of strength training indoors.  Even though I haven't run in over a month I managed to pull off a six mile go today at a really good pace.  I was pretty proud of myself to say the least.  All the physical training that we do in the Corps really makes me want to do even more to stay fit in my personal time.  It helps when you have so many friends who are willing to join you in such sometimes painful endeavors.

Things don't tend to slow down even when you're not on spike however.  Just yesterday the team worked at a local high school in a revitalization project.  We did everything from cleaning out their greenhouse areas to painting their bathrooms.  We had the opportunity to work alongside some really great students there and we were all able to look back and see visual results coming from our elbow grease.

The rest of my week will be spent going to meetings regarding our upcoming project while also completing paperwork that archives our time at Sugar Pine.  Sometime this week we have a celebration ceremony with the rest of Silver unit.  Last time we dazzled them with a whimsy show where our team dressed up in costumes and dabbled in a bit of performance art.  No doubt we will turn their heads with whimsy again this time.  I need to help come up with some ideas for it though, I am afterall the Whimsy Coordinator for the team. 

Speaking of whimsy, I threw a really great Tea Party for the team in Oakhurst before we left.  It was pretty amazing.  Check it out!

Us at Oakhurst's main attraction "The Talking Bear'.  I got to choose everyone's costumes!

Tea Time!

The food spread.  This was all thanks to the Cool Bean Coffee Shop in Oakhurst.

The owners even got in on it!

The two edibles.

My personal favorite.

Even the team mascot, Swaggermonkey, came along as we confused many streetside citizens.

The button says it all.

The team eating a nice dinner out.

Caitlin (the most amazing and whimsical person at Sugar Pine who helped me put this together) and I shared escargot!

They love the whimsy I force upon them.

Our time in Oakhurst wasn't all about tea parties though.  Kaitlin got these great shots of me working the fuel pump at the burn pile.

Snow was my main enemy.

Burnin' Up.

I have so many burn holes in my hoodie.

Whimsy, burning things.  It's a good life.  It is even better now that I have another job with Americorps lined up after NCCC.  I will be working as the Water Quality Assistant for the Town of Farragut, Tennessee.  It is a job I am really excited about and I will be sure to tell you more as the information trickles in!

Until next time....