February 19, 1977 (Letter from Barb N)

Hello.

Thanks for your last letter.  I really enjoyed hearing from you.

I have the blues at the moment.  It's only a temporary depression phase that stems from my Navy life.  I am very unhappy about my course of life.  I feel that these last few months are a total waste for me. I know that unless I make a drastic move on my part my life will remain the same.  I do not intend to do anything foolish.  I do know that I have to conquer my feelings of discontent and strive to gain an inner peace.

Today I made two dives out of the five dives I have to make in order to be certified for scuba.  I made a snorkel dive then a scuba dive.  I was under water for 25 minutes at the depth of 30 ft.  Tuesday I will make two of my last three dives and my last one when I find the time in my schedule next month.  I am finally going to get my certification after nine months.

Next month's watchbill is going to be a bad schedule.  I work five days for eight hours then get a day and a half off then I go back on the watchbill working four-day twelve hour watches then I get two days off and work my four days again etc. until the end of the month.  I will be working 250 hours in March.  They can kiss my ass, too.  If I had any sense I would have been long gone.  I won't discuss it further because it won't do me a bit of good.

The weather has been beautiful lately.  The skies are clear with temps in the upper fifties.  Today I rode in Art's car with the top down.  Spring should be here soon.  (Hopefully.) 

Art, Eve, & I went to the Pinte Mare pool yesterday and we were the only people in the pool for two hours.  Eve & I were in & out of the sauna for awhile.  It was real nice to have a pool to yourselves.

I am going to quit smoking for a week or so.  I haven't been feeling so good.  I want to see if it will make any difference on my system.  I have also been a good space cadet.  (I mailed two letters without stamps.)

I have been using my blender to make smoothies.  I used orange juice or tangerine juice and add a banana, orange, apple, yogurt or whatever else comes to mind.  So far I have had total success.  My bread is still delicious.  I made rolls last time & of course they came out perfect. I'm getting to be a good cook.

I will give you my guitar when I buy myself a new one.  I have to get to Spain.  But I won't be able to give it to you until I get back to the states.  I will send it back with either me or my household goods.

Not much else to say.  I could get into a long discussion about the future events of this planet.  It's really hard to say what the reason for the change is but I do believe that mankind is going to be placed in a position where it will be the "survival of the fittest".  I would like to do some reading on predictions in the next twenty years or so.