Ah, the sound of freedom.

There's a sign as you go onto base that says Please excuse our noise; it's the sound of freedom. Which I guess is a nice way of saying we are loud and obnoxious as all hell, but it's for your protection, so please don't whine about it.

I'm still getting used to the sound of military jets flying low overhead and having an airport so close it sounds like helicopters are landing in my backyard. There's not enough room for a helicopter to land there, but it sure sounds like it sometimes. With the good weather also came the sounds of good ole aircraft training. It's pretty cool getting to see military planes and helicopters close up, and it's somewhat of a novelty reminder that I live in a town that has an air station. That's what I thought Monday morning, when they started flying. Now, Thursday night, I'm reminded how annoying living on an air station can be. Phone conversations are confusing and end up with a lot of shouting "Hold on mom there's a plane flying I won't be able to hear you for a minute!" As Matt put it tonight, the sound of freedom is keeping him up at night.

Oh, and when I say 'good weather' I actually mean low 80's and more humid than you can imagine. This Seattle gal isn't built for this type of weather, and my defense mechanisms are sweating and whining, so it's best for everyone involved if I limit my time in the sun.