Geocaching with the triplets

I have a good friend/co-worker ( actually have a couple of friends) Anyways, who is "chomping at the bit" to go caching with me. I call her " peanut," she calls me" Yoda ". ( Don't even ask) It has only been 4 days, since I explained geocaching to her. In those 4 days, she has bookmarked the website, downloaded the rules, picked out AND signed up with her new geocaching name. She has entered her profile and downloaded a picture. She knows all about muggles, travel bugs and has memorized the lingo. She is currently working on the location of her "first hidden" . She has read dozens of profiles and has " my caches " on a watch list. But, I am still hesitant about taking her out there. Why then, do you ask, am I being such a hard butt about this? Well, she is definitely qualified, she is the "female" version of My friend Ray ( MFR) " That version" being, that she has been in the Army, did her tour in Iraq, and all that good stuff. (I know she can change a tank tire in ten minutes. Which I am totally impressed.) So why? what's all the hesitation about..... well... she is pregnant and having triplets! not twins, people.....TRIPLETS!! In less than 1 month she will be put on official bedrest. Literally on bedrest! We are talking in the bed, with a laptop beside her, the netflix in front of her , the cooler( containing pickles and peanut butter) within hands reach, and all this is to be located just a few feet from the bathroom facilities.
So, with this in mind, I agree to take her. Under MY terms ( of course) We are going on a weekday to avoid crowds. . We are going to a town she used to live in, so she will be familiar with any "hazards" ! We are only doing a couple of caches, with the terrain being no rougher than a side walk. We are NOT going if it is... raining... hot..., humid... or a mosquito alert has been posted. She is a hard sell, but has agreed . ( So, basically, we will be frolicking in the sun, finding hidden treasures) And I know if by some rare chance I would trip on a sidewalk crack, (while sipping on my latte,) Peanut would be the first to rip off the bottom of her maternity top, make shifting some type of tourniquet or sling. She would be the first to hoist me over some strangers shoulder, and have me taken to the nearest MASH unit. So, really, it is not me, I am concerned about. I am just thinking that maybe with a couple of caches under her belt ( just an expression, seeing she will not be "belt material " for some time) Ya, I'm thinking that will satisfy her "hunger" for some adventure, until, ( of course) her "troops" arrive. In the meantime, this will work to my advantage, as she will be a "captive" audience. I can see it already, maybe we will get some nextels, so we can "beep" each other. Like, Hey big peanut ( that will be her name by then) This is Yoda, listen up, here's my "coords, this is where I am, this is where I am suppose to be....do I go right or left? Or maybe, I will be so good, I can say, Hey, Big peanut, it's Yoda, picked up a couple of easy caches, leaving the field now, will stop by your place at approximately 1620. I'll bring the" moose tracks" ice cream, save me a couple of those vinegar and salt chips. Roger that!

Skeeters and (?) ticks

We are finally having a break in this hot, hot, humid weather. But no such luck, last week when we hit the trails! I took my friend," pot stirring Sandy" . Not to say she is actually a "pot stirrer", she DOES do her share, it is the fact she is the first to point out when she thinks I am stirring the pot. (That little smirk of hers, with the hand motions of stirring an invisible pot. ) So, anyways the"pot stirrer," wants to go on a hunt. Nothing fancy, doesn't want to get all geocached out, doesn't need any special code name, no need for trinkets or special geo shirt, hats and whatever. She just wants to go for the hunt. I will meet her at the trails, and dress appropriately, I say, cuz, the skeeters are out of control! We arrive dressed, as if we are going on some Antarctic expedition. We coat ourselves with a haze of" Eu du off" . As we head down the trails, I am on the look out for skeeters. I know they are out there, they are hovering in their factories.. they are injecting steroids... they are lifting weights... they are sipping on citronella flavored margaritas.... They are swimming in pools of "off".... They are sharpening their needles.... They are ready. So, am I!! Getting caches with the pot stirrer, is quite fun, I set the i-phone and she takes over, following the little blue dot. Nice... no need for "coords" no navigational class needed, just a nice little hunt. And if I "break anything" ( thanks 1st Sgt) she is a paramedic. Hey , all is good. The pot stirrer points out, along the trail, deer prints hmm.. well could be, (certainly not a moose print or anything like that in this area, ) then she points out deer path, well, maybe, could be,( probably more of the trail I left earlier when I was going in circles,) but I will give her the benefit of the doubt. And then she points out deer poop. Really now... deer poop? How can you tell? Poop is poop, isn't it? Well, no biggee, I can picture Bambi gently strolling across the grasses, maybe a little one following. So... what is SHE picturing? Perhaps getting stomped in the head, by some huge deer as we fall down a creek or something? Oh no, the "pot stirrer" is thinking about TICKS! Now, my knowledge of ticks, is just...lets say limited I always thought the only ones worrying about ticks are the guys, all dressed out in cammo, sitting around the fire, eating chili, drinking beer at some "educational" outing called deer camp. I know ticks are small (anytime you see a story about a tick, they show it under a microscope with these gross legs, and they are always holding it with tweezers.) I ALSO know, is you have to burn them, to kill them. Now, I can't even light a candle with a Bic ( always burn my fingers) let alone be doing some Bic burning tick ritual. ( guess that is why the pot stirrer is here. ) The day goes as planned, the "pot stirrer "manages to get 3 caches, with no coord understanding or help.. Yep, ...she just follows the blue dot( now that is my type of geocaching!) I manage to get skeeter bites, the size of , I don't know what, but they are huge! I SAY huge!! We end the day, hot, sweaty, bitten, worn out. As we part our ways, the pot stirrer remarks, "don't forget to look for ticks, when you get home" Ticks, how can you tell if it is a tick? Oh, just look for a small black spot you didn't have before. Really now.... I am IRISH! So I either have hundreds of ticks, or maybe it is just my freckles.

Note to self: brush up on Lyme disease.

Updates

1 Sgt has arrived home, where the deer and the Eskimos roam. Poison Ivy is under control ( Some $300.00 later)

No word from Big Sis, on buying a GPS , but don't worry, it will happen. Me and 1 Sgt will just have to tighten up that bet a little.

The "hippie state" people don't read the blog, so we are safe there.

My friend Brad (MFB) took his nephew geocaching, but without a GPS, interestingly enough he didn't find anything. ( Boy...I am gonna look good, when I take him caching)

My friend Ray (MFR) is still out of state, but that gives me more time to brush up on my " navigational IQ" Hope he doesn't ask any co-workers about muggles. I want to be the smart one here.

Got a few more caches, under my belt, went a few rounds with killer skeeters, and haven't broken anything...... yet!

And, yep, MA IS DOING GOOD XOXO

Me and my friends ( part 2)

My friend Ray (MFR) is the first person I thought of, when 1 Sgt casually mentions, that perhaps I shouldn't got out on the "trail" caches by myself. Maybe I should have someone with me, to carry me back to the car, when I " break something".. Ya, thanks 1 Sgt. Well, maybe he does have a point there. Anyways, MFR is the answer. Now MFR works in another state, due to the economic crisis, but when He comes home, I"ll introduce him to "the cache".. But, I am wondering, what if he already knows about geocaching, or maybe he is an "expert" geocacher with , you know, 400, 000 ,000 caches under his belt. Hmmm...I wonder.( Oh, did I mention that MFR is "military"?) You know, did the whole Army thing. My luck, probably taught some type of navigational class, or something. I really doubt if Goldie, had ever mentioned to MFR, about my "direction dysfunction". I mean, why would he? Why would that subject had ever come up? And I am sure, it would fall into the same category as our dog. ( Which I quote" Never, tell anyone I own a poodle!" unquote) Ok then.... Am I setting myself up, or can I pull this off? What does MFR know? Let's think....I grab, my i-phone ( handy little sucker) and I text to MFR - MUGGLE - and I hit the send button. It goes, something like this:

MFR - how are you?
Me - do u know what a muggle is?
MFR - no
ME - Perfect!

Outdone by "the kids"

Feeling pretty good, about my last cache, I decide to spend the day at home doing trivial things, like eating, paying bills, etc. "Other sis " ( no explanation needed) phones to get a recipe, chit chat about upcoming garage sale and casually mentions that, "the kids" took "the kids" for a "geo-something" day... you know, like a treasure hunt thing. They had a great day frolicking in the sun, finding treasures. Oh really now?
We are talking ten years old kids here!! I have been outdone by ten year olds!! The ring leader of this whole thing, would be my nephew, who is some, underground, water irrigation designer,guru ( or something) and who happens to have a brother ( my other nephew) who has a sailboat. Hmmm... No Learning curve there!! So, it is probably safe to say, Sherlock, that the "directional gene" in their family had to be passed on, no less, by my brother-in-law! Sorry, " other sis" It's just not looking good in our " directional, genetic favor" Well now... glad they had a great time, make sure they e-mail me some photos, and the next time they decide to go "treasure hunting"...I think they should take MA.
Note to self: google the "hippie state" and see if they even have mosquitoes!

"Good to Go"

Worked a few days at my "paying" job and planned a cache for my next day off. It is 86 degrees out. Just had 2 inches of rain, and it is HOT out. I change into my geocaching gear, which consist of long sleeves, jeans, thick socks and tennie whoppers.( hmmm... 2 inches of rain,I should have grabbed my old tennies, whatever.) I spray myself with an enormous amount of OFF. I grabbed my "over-the-shoulder " tote bag, my TT, my I-phone and my walking stick. I was, as !st Sgt would say...."Good to go". I take the"Cache mobile"( formally known as the "signature series. )I set the TT to the appropriate coordinates and head out. I reach my destination at 1735. ( you are amazed I know military time, aren't you) Anyways it is 1735. I look up at the sky, the sun is located due... well who cares, the sun is in the sky and it is HOT out! I grab my gear, and head up.. maybe down (who knows) anyway I am on the lane.. I follow the field line along the trees. Notice I said along the trees, not into the trees. I reach an area lined up with my flashing blue dot. You got to love this i-phone. The trees are was so thick, or maybe it is the screen of mosquitoes, but I can't see ahead of me.. Feeling stealth -like, I poke my way through the brambles and bushes. And then, right ahead I spot it... the beaver dam. Yes, I have returned to the" infamous beaver dam" I check my "coords", unbelievable, I am,.( plus or minus) 6 feet away! since I had just spent a day "walking" the numbers, I can put all this good knowledge into action. I check the N numbers and I am right on! Yes! I check the W, It appears I am only a few numbers off. I locate W on the compass, Okay, I need to head West. Or Wait do I head East? OMG... . I head in the opposite direction . I watch the numbers..what? Okay, I turn around. It has to be close, I poke around with my stick, and then I see it! I am smiling.... no, I am smirking! I make my move. Finished, I quietly head back... I look...around...all is good. I get in...I lock the doors... and I whisper..." I found it!" I set the TT to "home", and as I peel out in the" Cache mobile," I smile...MY FIRST TRAVEL BUG!!! Yes!! I am good to go!

Blogging as therapy

I go geocaching for physical and mental exercise. But I blog for therapy! I am sure everyone could use a little therapy now and then. I could probably even get a professional discount. But, I'd rather spend my money at The Dollar Tree buying trinkets for my caches. So....I blog. Let me jump back a "few" years and tell you that we lived in a small, quiet community, not far from where Big Sis is living now. Dirt roads, no sidewalks, pure country. We thought we were the riches family on the street, because we had "aluminum" siding. Ma, would tell us to go out and play and not come home until the street lights came on. (Get the picture?) Let me give you a brief insight on Ma. She is doing good, lives in what we would have called the "hippie" state when we were kids. She is in her 80's, knows all our names ( well, maybe not when she is talking to you, but truly does know all our names) She danced on the table at all our weddings. She is the Queen of Bingo, does water aerobics, plays rummy cube and walks everywhere. She is probably in better shape than the rest of us. Well, maybe not 1st Sgt ( of course) But she is doing good. Ma "types" letters to everyone. The letters arrive in a blue, size 80 font, all capitals. Ma never lets us forget the trials she endured growing up, like how she wrote as a lefty, the nuns (or whoever she blames at the time of the story) would "whack" her knuckles to force her to write with her right hand. And that is why, no one,( not even Ma) can read her hand writing. This was also in the days when the kids walked to school...5 miles... each way...everyday... in the snow...uphill ( no less) and to top it off... BOTH WAYS.! Are you starting to see where this whole dysfunctional, directional pattern begins? Got to Love MA! XOXO

It's all in the numbers

I really don't think I am a "stupid" person. After all I "is" a college graduate. It is just that my brain is so full of medical information, that I really don't think I can cram a compass class in there. So, I decide a "self-help" class is in order. I head out to my back yard with my TT and my i-phone. Seeing we have had several days of rain, it is hot, it is muggy. I stand in the middle of the back yard, and turn on the geocaching site on my i-phone. I turn on my TT. I hit the "where am I key' and lo and behold, all these coordinates come up. Ok, now we are talking! From years of "detailed" directions, I know for sure...that when I can see the side of the elementary school, I am facing North. Maybe not "due north", which is a term I have heard but really can't explain. Anyways, I am facing somewhere in the Vicinity of North. So, this in turn tells me, that the hay field, which is to my right is actually East, my house, to my left, is West and the neighbors peeking out their windows, would be South. Ok then. I must say, that the TT and the coords on the i-phone are actually pretty close. Did I mention it was hot and muggy? Ok, so my experiment is "incomplete" but I have made some headway. So listen up people, and write it down, you may even need to laminate it. When I am in MY backyard, and I head N, the numbers by the N sign go UP. And in turn when I head S, the numbers under the N, go down. Makes sense. Also when I head W, the numbers next to the W go up, and ( of course) when I head E, the numbers next to the W go down. Still with me here? Not sure why only North and West numbers are displayed, but I am sure there is a logical reason.( Had to turn the TT off, as it kept telling me to turn left. I guess, I still have it programmed to get me home.) At some point in time, the neighbors, pulled their children indoors.( I may have even heard the locks click.) Hopefully, they thought I was practicing the two-step. Further testing is needed, but I am anxious to test it out on a new cache. Did I mention it was hot and muggy out?

I WILL get organized.

Since it is raining out, ( ya ma, I know, It's not like I am gonna melt) I decide to stay in today and surf the world wide web. I first printed out a picture of poison ivy and taped it to my can of OFF. These 2 things may go hand in hand. Decided I need to pick up a small bottle of that alcohol gel, knowing very well I will be in poison ivy before I recognize it. Found a nice web site on geocaching Lingo. They even had LPC on there! Could have cut my time in half, if I knew that 2 days ago! Looked up a web site on compass reading. WOW! Who would have thought. Way, too way, deep for me. They have like little sayings that you memorize so you can understand the coord. Really...I can't even understand the sayings! Decided to move on from that site and just make a list of what I need. Probably need to switch to pencil, as it does write at any angle. Can't forget the stupid notepad. May need to "write it down". Then there is TT, my i-phone, car keys, trinkets and a stick. Oh ya, can't forget a stick. 1st Sgt nearly had the "Big One" when he saw me up to my elbows in the base of a tree trunk. And, No, it never did occur to me, that there could be critters in there that actually bite! So... can't forget the stick. After reviewing the list I think I need like a little fanny pack, or belly bag type to hold all this. Not like a hot pink one, but maybe something stylish in a cammo. As I sit here and get a mental image of the whole thing, I decide to go with an "over- the -shoulder" tote. Off to Walmart. I will "cache" you later. ( Wow, I am getting bad)

1st Sgt and Big Sis

On his way home, 1st Sgt stops one state over, maybe it's up and over, whatever, and visits Big Sis. Let me start off by clarifying that Big Sis is called that, not because she is Big, but because of our Chronological Birth Order! Whew...that should cover my butt. Anyways, 1st Sgt introduces Big Sis ( BS) Well, maybe I better keep it Big Sis. Anyways, introduces her to geocaching! Well now, since we never had a childhood discussion regarding GPS or compass readings, I am not sure where she falls in the knowledge category. My Dad was in the Navy, so hey, maybe it could be some kind of genetic blessing. I spoke to 1st Sgt and inquired how the geocaching was going. (My friend Sandy, would say I was "stirring the pot") Really, I was only asking! The 1st Sgt's reply was (and I quote) I don't want to talk about it! (unquote) Hmmmm...so much for the genetic theory. Went to the geocaching site to look up her profile. What!? You have to be kidding, that is her geocaching name? The first thought that comes to my mind is a squeaky cat toy. Maybe she will download a picture of one of those rubber mouse cat toys for her profile. Anyways, I further investigate and see she has 8 caches and 1 hidden under her belt. Knowing very well, she doesn't OWN a GPS, it is safe to assume that 1st Sgt is letting her use his. I check in with 1st Sgt before he boards the plane to home. He seems unscathed, but he does bet me, that Big Sis will have purchased a GPS system, not as nice of one as his ( of course not) within 7 days and to make the bet even better, it will be from Walmart. Ok, I will take that bet but, I think it will be purchased the day after he leaves and it will be at Best Buy. BETS ON!

Out of control

After getting my solo find under my belt, I decide to check the i-phone for any nearby caches. Hmmm....just 0.6 miles down the road. Might as well stop by. This one is on a trail, but the name contains a suggestion that maybe it is in the sign, the one that tells you all about the "hazards" of the trail. Oh right, there I go assuming. Wearing shorts and flip-flops ( remember I was just going for a water park cache) I head down the trail. Really I head UP the trail, as I know I am going north. See, I am getting a little better. Only 1 muggle, but he is sitting in his car, reading a book. All is clear. I follow my i-phone blue dot to Gz. Well, somewhere near ground zero. I check my" coords" and want to be smart about this whole thing. I quickly toss out of my head, using the whole number thing, as I haven't really practiced that yet. When my blue dot is lined up I take a right ( that would be East) and head into "the jungle" It turns out to be a mosquito farm, so I make a quick dash to the car for some OFF. I am determined I am going to get this. The muggle is still there and doesn't seem to be concerned. I wonder if he hears me talking to myself. I feel like I am in a "Where's Waldo" page. I hunt, and I hunt and then OMG I found it!! I remember not to yell out, lesson from 1st Sgt, but I am so excited I am actually shaking!! Now this was no easy cache. Trust me, it was a small, very small, very, very small cammo covered tube. And I found it! I leave the trail, realizing how hard it is to sign your name, when you are using a tree trunk as your desk. Maybe I should have brought the stupid notepad. I am going to leave the rest of the trail for future visits, as I had some ankle biters get me. I hope they are skeeters. Tonight I will google what poison ivy looks like.

Gone Solo

Trying to think on my own, I decided to pick up a nice cache on my way to the"Big city" Hey, we have 450 people in our town so anything over that is big. I leave TT at home, as I know the location by the name. I do throw the OFF in the back seat, have a pen, small compass trinkets to leave, in case I actually find one, and a notepad. Just in case I "need to write it down". I am off. It is a hot and humid day, so going to a swimming park, may not have been the best idea. Muggles, you know, or whatever. I drive around the parking lot, staring at my blue flashing light on the i-phone. Just trying to decide if I am getting any closer to GZ. Unfortunately I do not know what a LPC is, so this may take awhile. Picked up a nice pair of wire clippers along the fence. Too bad this is not even close to the cache site. Finally I zone in on the only possible place left for a cache. I am amazed that those "bases" actually lift up. My 1st Solo find! WOW, I am addicted! I just might be able to do this.

On my own

1st Sgt is headed back home, and I am officially going solo. It was a great 4 days, and even though, he never told me to "drop and give me 20" it does make a better story. My flash backs of Gomer Pyle will eventually cease. 1st Sgt will be monitoring my progress via Internet, and I want to make him proud. Hopefully, he is not aware of my blog, or I could be in trouble, (just kidding) he really DOES have the patience ...of a 1st Sgt! His poison ivy is getting worse, and he refuses to give in and buy Zanfel. (Hello, I am in the medical field, I do know something!) Maybe I should of asked him, if he needed to write it down. LOL I will probably go out solo tomorrow, and try to pick up a" terrain 1 cache". But tonight, I am going to google a web site on compass reading. I still think carrying around my rear view mirror from the car would be better, at least it tells me the direction I am going.

Lessons learned

1st Sgt is only going to be here a few more days. I want to think I have learned some very important lessons. None of this did I learn in Kindergarten. That is proably my problem!

1. TT IS my friend. (yea right!) Keep it charged, don't yell at it, enter all coords as specified, and it re-boots easily.

2. The earth is moving, the satellights are NOT, that is why my numbers change, even when I don't move.

3. Assuming is never a good thing.

4. When 1st Sgt is asking..."do you need to write this down?" You better write it down!

5. The i-phone is forgiving, and mud can be easily washed off. The web site for re-booting the i-phone is now listed in my bookmarks.

6. When you want the coord numbers to go "up" on the N coord, you walk....well I have to re-think that, I didn't write it down.

7. The compass points North....I knew THAT, it just seems to be confusing sometimes.

8. Never pee in the woods. (the 1st Sgt has poison ivy.. uh oh.)

ALL IS GOOD !

Day 3...things are better ( I think)

On day 3, I am much wiser. I wear jeans, tennis shoes, and grab a can of OFF. Okay, so I left the OFF on the counter, but my intentions were good. We re-booted the TT the night before, so it appears to be working. I found out how to adjust the volume, so it doesn't seem to be yelling at me now. We drive out, literally, to BFE. 1st SGT's GPS, signals when we are getting close. ( of course, it does) I am waiting for TT to talk to me. 1st SGT tells me to pull over, pull over. Where? Here? Okay, so maybe we passed it up a little, no big deal. We are on a gravel road with a nice sized ditch on 1st SGT side. I hop out on my side, 1st SGT crawls out on his side. I guess I am a little in the ditch. I leave the car running, this should be a fast cache, after all we are on day 3. We trek through grass that probably has never been mowed. I am in over my head, both the grass and the cache! This turns out to be a little harder than we thought. 1st SGT keeps returning to GZ. Me, well I just keep following the blinking light. 1st SGT thinks it is on the other side of the creek. Well, I KNOW it is on my side of the creek, must be all my experience!! I decide to head back and turn off the car, don't need to be running out of gas. This may take awhile. I head back to what 1st SGT called GZ. Really, I just followed the grass that was mushed down. 1st SGT is nowhere around. Great! This is my opportunity to seize the cache. It had rained the night before, so the "bank" was a litle muddy. Good thing I wore my "tenny whoppers" I head down the bank, throught the trees, stickers bushes and who knows what else. I am in, up to my elbows, reaching into every tree trunk, every hole, anything that looks like it could hold a cache. I will find this first! I spot a beaver dam in the middle of the creek. ( not like I have ever seen a beaver dam before, but I am kinda guessing that is what it would look like) The cache has to be in the dam! As I am contemplating how to get it...I hear 1st SGT say, "I found it" I look up and he is standing directly across from me, on the other side of the creek. He is smiling. No, he is smirking! The only words 1st SGT hears is..."MOUSE" and that is when I fell. I probably could have stayed out of the creek, if the branch I grabbed onto was actually attached to something! I picked up my mud soaked body, grabbed my mud coated i-phone and headed back to the car. The only sound in the air was my car alarm beeping, as I was trying to find my way back to the car. I would have paid a million dollars to have that on MY side of the creek.

I have been outranked

Having been under the same roof as" military persons" I was given the title of HOUSEHOLD 6. This supposedly means, my decisions and authority rules. Apparently this does not apply to the outside trails when geocaching. 1st Sgt is starting to catch on. I think it started with the TT. Before every cache I set the coords. ( starting to get the lingo here) He just reads numbers off to me. No longer mentions the words, degree, dot or minutes. The TT is confused. I am confused. Is there a dot in there somewhere, I ask. I think the lecture started with the words, "from the beginnning of time..." That's when the fight started. Not really fight, since we are both cooped up in a car, who knows where. I certaintly don't. It just seemed a little over whelming with the TT freezing up and this booming voice, saying over and over again, "turn around now, turn around now." I think I am going to change my TT voice to the female, I think she may be a little easier on me.

Day 2...Help with my i-phone

After reviewing the geocaching site, turns out I can download the geocaching site to my i- phone. Alright, now we are talking!! I have logged in, set up an account and got a users name. Thinking I an now cool, we set off. I have my TT to get me to the area, and my i-phone to get me to the cache. I have 1st SGT as my leader. We get to the area, 1st Sgt is locating, what he calls Ground Zero, plus or minus 15 feet, really now, all we need to do is follow the blue dot...right? Truly it was by accident that I found it. I was SO excited, jumping up and down, yelling "I found it, I found it." Fortunately we were in the middle of nowhere. I got the "1st SGT look", oh yea right, " mooglers " or whatever. I am having fun, 1st SGT needs a drink.

My ignorance is showing.

Have 1 cache under the belt and now I am getting excited. How hard can this be? As we set off for #2, I realize my TT, has settings for latitude/longitude. Like I would have ever used that before. 1st SGT reads off numbers from his GPS...okay I do recognize the degree symbol, but everything else is Greek. 10 mins later and he is starting to eye me, like maybe I don't know what I am doing. Hey, I am in the medical field and I never needed latitude and longitude to find a bedpan! Cache #2 is a little harder, some people are around and I am not getting the whole geocaching terminology. Seeing, I have never read Harry Potter, this moogle, muggle, muggler, whatever doesn't ring a bell. 1st SGT is locating the cache by "numbers" Seeing this is just not a sign on the side of the road, I have NO clue, I continue to follow. We wind up the day with a few more caches. I am exhasuted and fall alseep hoping that some day I will win $100,000.00 on a trivia game, when I can answer that the little slash mark on latitude and longitude stands for minutes.

Geocaching 101

The 1st Sgt has arrived in town and wants to introduce me to geocaching. OK, sounds good. I am positive there is absolutely nothing hidden in my area. I mean, this is a small farming community, who would possibly know about geocaching! I am given a 5 second overview, he pulls up a list of "nearby" caches. Hmmmm... this is a joke , right? He has some fancy GPS thing, so I grab my flip-flops and my new Tom-Tom. If you have read my geocaching profile, you know that Goldy gives me Divine inspiration and hopefully directions from heaven . Our girls, knowing I can't find my way around the block, had purchased me a Tom-Tom, hoping I may actually travel out of the county some day. ( I said County, NOT country!) I had used the TT (tom-tom) only once, and had set it to my HOME DIRECTIONS. All is good. We set off to some remote area, where I vaguely remember having passed through some years ago. We pull off the road, the only thing there is a sign, some historic sign. My first cache! 1st Sgt took a picture, which I have yet to see, I am sure I have a look of utter disbelief that there was ACTUALLY something there. Off to the 2nd cache, it only gets better (?)

Who would have thought!

My husband was airborne in the 173rd in Vietnam, my brother is a retired Ist Sgt in the Army. They were both born with a compass in their hands. Me, well I could hardly make it out of the womb. I managed to get through life without people realizing I have no sense of direction. That was, up until I got married. I think his first clue was when he would give me directions using that whole East, West thing. I would just stare at him, and then turn the wrong direction out of the driveway. We had a discussion one day about this whole directional handicap, and he was in awe. He just could not imagine, how that was possible. I was in awe that he could look up in the sky and know what time it was!! Is that even possible? From then on, all his directions to me, included turning Right or Left, using landmarks such as schools, churches and so-and-so's road. I managed to get by. Until....my brother visits ( hereon, called 1st SGT) and introduces ME to geocaching.. Oh boy....he has NO clue.