Amanda called!
It was wonderful to hear her voice. She sounded upbeat and was thrilled to get a dose of home via the phone.
Her platoon took first place in a rifle marksmanship competition against the other platoons and as reward for their performance, their Drill Instructor granted them use of their phones for two hours. She said the rifle contest is the one competition he cares about the most. I’m glad they, as she said, “Smoked it!”
Amanda was tickled when I told her about your response to her letters. She thinks they will get computer access soon and can’t wait to read your words herself. Hey, I just had an idea! When she is out of Basic, I will ask her to write a guest post here.
Also . . .
Look who is calling my name.
Emerald Bay, Lake Tahoe
My husband and I are on vacation for two weeks at our cabin near Lake Tahoe. As such, I will be hit and miss with posting, and reading and commenting on your blogs. I’ll do my best to keep up, but I think it will be hard sitting at the computer while beautiful Lake Tahoe beckons. I will be working on the final proofing of my manuscript too. If you award me the Pulitzer Prize, or post something you want me to sure to see, drop me a line or make a comment on my blog and I will head straight over.
Robin Coyle 
Pingback: Our Daughter Entered the Army ~ An Update ~ Part 8 « Robin Coyle
Great news. Enjoy your break.
It is hard to stay away from the blogosphere completely . . . but a little breathing room in nice.
I hear that 🙂
Did she fess up to writing all those letters?…………lol
Oh yes! Those are her letters!
Pingback: Our Daughter Entered the Army ~ An Update ~ Part 6 « Robin Coyle
This is fabulous news! I feel like you should tell Amanda next time that we’re all asking for her! 🙂 You must have been really chuffed! 🙂
Sorry your vacation was cut short, hope you manage to get back up to Lake Tahoe – looks gorgeous! 🙂
I love the expression “chuffed.” We don’t use it in the States, but I think we should!
Watch for another post with a letter from Amanda today . . .
Excellent – I am behind once again, but I am looking forward to the catch-up. 🙂
The guest post sounds like a terrific idea. Have a restful vacation, other than editing the pulitzer prize winner.
My Pulitzer worthy work-in-progress needs my attention!
Now that I’ve promised a guest post from Amanda, let’s hope she is game to do it. I’ll bet she is.
Fantastic (and I can’t wait for the guest blog!) Enjoy your time away – my countdown is three days and then I’m off as well!!
See today’s post (if so moved to) about my vacation being interrupted! Argh!
Enjoy that porch and the scenery. Your daughter seems to have enough preparation and mindset do well. What a great kid! (they will always be kids to parents). Well done to you as parents – and proud of her efforts!
Even at 25, she will always be our baby. She will have a gun in her hand, but I will always think of her as a kid. Thanks Mr. Mouse. (or Ms?). Our buttons are busting over what she is doing.
I have a daughter a bit older also named that. She’s a surgeon but sounds like the same temperament – and a just below a black belt. Also has a (permitted) gun due to very real stalker threat. She’s not in military, but many of those who trained with her for the past 9 years were and are now in combat areas. Bless and watch over them all.
Those on your Am.’s team are lucky to have her – sounds like she will encourage and make up the slack as needed. Brave kids.
A real stalker!? I want to know more! Thank goodness your Amanda is armed and knows self-defense!
I wonder if kids built like our Amandas are drawn to karate, or if karate training helps frame who they are. Perhaps a combination of both.
I know way too much about stalking laws and gun laws (federal, multiple states, multiple cities and counties). This is a silent epidemic and a very dangerous one. There are many out there like that shooter in the movie theater. That’s why I get very concerned when I hear people demanding outlawing cell phones in cars and permitted guns – those people do not know those are the last line of defense. Those people do not know victims. Until the justice system convicts, district attorneys prosecute even though it’s “hard” or will not build their career, and law enforcement arrests and charges people who continually break the law and are a threat, it is vital we keep cell phones in cars and guns in the hands of those trained to use them to protect themselves because no one else will. Sorry. it’s a nightmare. Not something you ever want. And as a warning, be cautious of any old classmates suddenly appearing out of nowhere on FaceBook years later.
Actually my husband jokingly told her she couldn’t date until she took martial arts. But she did love Kuk Sool Won. We were lucky enough to have excellent instructors – and grand master of it I think was amused at this pale little determined cheerleader. Actually came in second in a world competition beaten by the Air Force Academy champion who was a foot taller than her – and much older.
Some of the martial arts success comes from a self motivated, self disciplined personality? But the classes certainly improve focus, restraint, and self confidence.
So on a cheerier note: YEA for kids who know what they want and let nothing stop them from getting there! Will be staying tuned for updates!
I think the guest post idea is terrific. Enjoy your vacation.
I am pretty sure she will love the idea of doing a post here. She may want a few days to recover from Basic before tackling it tho. Or, maybe not. She may want to use the opportunity as some sort of closure. I love your support Dennis! Thank you!
That also gave a nice little ending to the weeks blog posts.
Enjoy your holiday.
Her call was a great way to wrap up the week and get fired up for vacation.
Great news about Amanda and enjoy your well deserved time off Robin.
Thats an order! (Now you know how Amanda feels) 🙂
You are so bossy. But, I’ll heed your orders!
Oh how wonderful, Robin, to hear Amanda’s voice AND to be going to Lake Tahoe for 2 weeks. What fun. Wish I was there with you. Have a great time.
Her call was wonderful. So nice to hear her cheerful voice.
Come on up to the cabin. There is plenty of room!
If I didn’t have this annoying fear of flying, I’d have taken you up on that offer. Hee, hee.
Take the train.
What a great way to kick of your vacation! Have a great one!
Kick off, that is. Kick off. Ugh.
Ha ha! I knew what you meant. I’m off to kick “of” my vacation!
Just finished reading all your previous posts about your daughter and her army training (I’ve been slack lately). I’d have to say, sounds pretty awesome. Your daughter that is, not training. 🙂 Training sounds like hell. I did 10 years of martial arts training- that was tough, but seems like pre-school compared to what your daughter is doing. Tough as nails, I say. Tough as nails.
Glad to hear you received a call from her.
Hope you enjoy your holiday too. (Who doesn’t enjoy a holiday)
Watch for some more letters from her. I hope to find time to post some more . . . in between relaxing, hiking, reading, and taking in Mother Nature.
What martial art did you do? I think her karate training set the stage for how she lives her life . . . Discipline, focus, physical fitness, and respect.
I shall enjoy our holiday!
I look forward to reading more… in between my working, working, working and taking in work. 😛
I did Hapkido (3rd Dan), Kyusho Jitsu (2nd Dan), Filipino stick fighting and a little BJJ. I recently quit my training- disagreement with the master instructor/owner. I couldn’t adhere to his blackmail.
Blackmail! What was that all about?
A long story, but I’ll do my best to keep it brief. For ease, the owner shall be known as Frank- the blackmailer!!
My fellow blackbelteers started their own school, a sister school (or franchise if you will) to Frank’s. I trained with them from white belt to 3rd Dan. Good friends. I would help with teaching at their school, and do all my training while I was there. But Frank didn’t like that. No, no, no. He had a quiet word with me- I must train at his school (pay his fees, in other words) or he’ll shut them down.
See, Frank is quite well known and influential in the martial arts world, his words carry a lot of weight. He is also known to be ruthless, having previously shut down a former student’s school.
So, I quit.
Good for you. Where is Frank’s ethic of honor and respect? Aren’t those two of the guiding principles of the martial arts?
Ooh, a phone call! When you saw it was her name come up, I can imagine a mix of excitement and worry that something might be wrong in those couple of seconds before you answered!
Have a wonderful break, and yes, don’t worry about us, just worry about you.
When I saw her name I jumped two feet. . . . literally. And I do mean literally here. I did have a flash of “oh no, is something wrong?” until I heard her sweet voice and knew everything was ok.
But I shall worry about you while I am on break . . . hence, you will see me around some!
Wonderful! You deserve the vacation, and what a treat to get a phone call from Amanda. Looking forward to a post(s) from her! Good luck with your proofing. It should be easy for you. 😉
Proofing easy for me? HA! I’m too close to the words on the page. I know the word should be “buy” even tho I typed the word “by.” Know what I mean?
After more than a month without speaking to Amanda, the call was a treat and a relief. The letters are wonderful, but there is nothing like a good chat on the phone.
Good for you — I hope you have a lovely trip to the country. And hooray for Amanda and her team! So nice you could talk!
She sounded fantastic and happy ~ even while tired and sore from head to toe. Her call was a great way to kick off our vacation. I wish she was there though!
So glad you were able to speak with your daughter and she you. I think it will be incredible if she does a post! Very cool! Enjoy yourselves!
I think she will like the idea of doing a post here. It will be a nice way for her wrap her experience up.
She has many talents as well as strengths I’ve noticed. A nice compliment to her parents. Are you relaxing and enjoying your time away?
Funny you should ask about being away. We live 1 1/2 hours from our cabin. We got a call this afternoon from a neighbor saying our house alarm was going off. After calling the alarm company, the sheriff, and my brother-in-law, I decided to drive home to see what was up. Argh! I left pristine 70 degree weather at Lake Tahoe to return to 100 degree sweltering weather in Sacramento. AND, I have to wait around for the alarm company tomorrow so they can figure out why the alarm went off with no break-in. Happy for the “no break-in” part, but still . . .
OMG – I’m sorry, Robin, total bummer. Sooo besides that how’s the vacation going? 🙂 Your smiling now, right?
Other than the side-trip home, the vacation is lovely. Smiling? No, not so much. But I poured a glass of wine so all is right with the world.
I am sorry Robin, I was trying for a little humor (I guess very little) I’m hoping you can just be enjoying yourself again soonest!
No, I got your humor. I will be back at the cabin very soon, I hope!
Good. No joking here, getting away from it all is so important today. Life is so darn interruptive anymore!
Congratulations to Amanda, and focus on your vacation and manuscript edits! The blog can wait. 🙂
I do need to focus on wrapping up my edits and tying a bow on my manuscript. GET. IT. DONE! Then, writing the dreaded query letter. How about if you write my query letter for me. I’ll pay you handsomely!
You should make that offer to someone who has successfully queried a novel! 😀
Well, maybe we could write it together over drinks.
Everything’s better over drinks. 🙂
Awesome! Kudos to Amanda and crew! Enjoy your respite from this heat! I hope my writing doesn’t deteriorate without the strong vs. weak words series… Who knows, I might start writting lik my studentts. (My auto-correct is cursing me right now.)
Yes, the heat in town is supposed to be over 100 degrees (ugh) while we are in the cool mountain air.
I might sneak in a Strong vs Weak Word post here and there while we are on vacation. I have a few in the wings.
Auto-correct gets testy, doesn’t it?
I am so glad you got a call. I know how excited you must have been. I can’t wait to hear more of your daughter’s journey. It is so different than my Dad’s, thank goodness. Have fun on your trip. It sounds fabulous!
After over a month of not talking to her, the phone call was a treat! We talked for over an hour and her next call was going to be to her sisters.
Sweet! A month is a long time!
Hey-hey! So good to see she called!
Have a wonderful holiday Robin x
Thanks Polly. Her call was a great way to start our vacation.
Yay Amanda! And have a great vacation, Robin!
Thanks MW, I will!
Hey, I thought Le Clown was going to spoof me on his blog last week . . .
Well, things got derailed when he had to go out of town, so things will have to wait until you’re back from your trip!
Ah. That explains it.
Enjoy your time at Lake Tahoe. Everyone needs a blog break every now and then. 🙂
I will indeed enjoy the break, but I have a feeling it will be hard to completely stop reading blogs. Since my husband is training for a triathlon in two weeks time, that will give me a few chances to catch up with you all and do a post or two. I have more of Amanda’s letters to share!
Oh so happy for you, and Amanda! It must have been wonderful to talk with her! And congrats on their fine markswomanship (not sure that’s a word). It looks beautiful there! Have a great time!
If markswomanship isn’t a word, it should be.
When her name and photo popped up on my phone when she called, I jumped two feet! We haven’t talked to her in over a month.
take your laptop outside (lol) or do you have internet access?
Have a wonderful time.
Cannot wait for Amanda’s post–tell her we are all proud of her and the win that got her able to speak to you (and people volunteer for this?)
As I type this, I am indeed outside on the cabin porch. We are in the woods, but I have this nifty thingy I plug into my laptop and can get the Internet anywhere there is cell service. How does it do that?!?
I told her about the love and support for her through all of the comments. She was (as I am) touched. Yes, crazy people, with hearts of gold and steel, volunteer for service. Thank goodness there are people like that, right?
you are not kidding – I so admire her 🙂 thankyou Amanda!
Such wonderful news all around. Congrats to Amanda. Of course you’ll be missed, but please make the most of your vacation. We’ll all be here when you get back. 🙂
I’m so glad to hear you won’t abandon me. I’d be so lonely!