Light-Duty Log, Day 8

It is my eighth day of work since being put on light duty, 35 minutes left of the day. I just received a fax from my superintendent who's in Colorado with the crew. They did some faller (chainsaw operator) certs and had them faxed in. It just made me want to cry. That's what I need!!! Do you know how long I've been trying to get some one to recert my Faller card?! Oh my heart! It hurts!!

Seriously though, I'm incredibly burned out on my huge inventory project, and staring at the computer waiting for some one to send me mail is putting me to sleep. I've printed maps of all the local running trails, found out the submerged town is under Shasta Lake and not Whiskeytown Lake, read about our new security LincPass thingy and nearly got sucked in to online shopping once again. Oh, and I discovered that they really do make transdermal caffeine patches. Seriously, google it.

My caffeine intake has tripled and despite my more active lifestyle (as compared to the last couple of weeks) I still crave (and consume) frightening quantities of brownies, bon bons and ice cream. I cannot run enough to deal with those sort of calories. Doctor's orders will not let me swim, hike with weight, or raise my arm above shoulder level, and even then- not out to the side at all. Yeah right.

I have had to explain to everyone who walks into this office exactly how I found myself separated from my crew. Simply saying I'm on light duty doesn't cut it. They look me up and down and can't spot anything obviously wrong with me-- which must mean I'm a wimp trying to get out of the rigors of a hotshot crew. Yeah people.

I've also checked my mailbox (snail mail style) several times today and haven't found anything at all. Yesterday I finally got the remainder of my federal tax refund, from my ammended taxes. Still awaiting the last of my state refund.

Tonight I'm going to wander into town to buy salad stuff, hair stuff, and small travel bottles so I can carry-on my luggage to San Diego instead of paying $20 to check it. Then I'm going to try to get to bed early. The smokejumpers here have been my companions since the crew left, and they're a bad influence on me. They head out to the bars just as I'm getting ready for bed. Of course I have to go with them, they're all I've got at this point... that's sad. No really, they're cool guys and fun to hang out with. But late nights haven't been meshing well with my 0530 wake up time. Yes, I wake up at 0530 to work out. Gotta burn off those bon bons somehow. That's another thing. One of the guys is a big sweets addict. Not good for me. The last thing I need is some one encouraging me to eat ice cream and brownies. I'm helpless to resist. So tonight I have to avoid them. Better sleep and nutrition is on my horizon!