The Independence notepad -

Today pretty much felt like a Monday all day as we got underway from Jebel Ali and wasted no time getting back to business. Before we were even out of the "gate," the guys topside were moving the

aircraft around and away from the rear as they prepared for this afternoon's VERTREP, that's vertical replenishment, when the helo's bring us loads of goodies, including mail - 5,000 pounds of it. I decided to just load ya up with a quick look of getting underway. There's never just "one" thing going on here. While the tugs are pushing us out, the Engineers are getting us cranked up ready to roll on our own, and while they're

heating up the engines, the Mess Specialist are cooking up lunch, and while they're doing that... and so it goes. Anyhow, you wouldn't have thought it was a weekend here today.

Once fully underway, it wasn't long before the VERTREP began. We brought on everything from paper towels to lettuce. The Store Keepers were busy both upstairs and down bringing on supplies that they said will last about two weeks before they need to bring aboard more.

From fragile eggs to fragile "Tastykakes," mail, paper supplies, the food and more was brought on by helicopter today and it took a 200-man working party to get it all put away.

And, even before everything was stowed, we lined up for fuel from the USNS Guadalupe. The USS Bunker Hill was out here too, getting fuel today, only, for some reason it didn't take them all that long to fill up. Andddd, while everything else is going on, Indy Cruise Book photos were being taken today. This year's cruise book is promising to be a special one as it will be Indy's last.

And tonight a special ceremony was held on the Foc'sle as Rear Admiral Charles W. Moore, Jr. took time out to "pin" 57 Warfare pins on enlisted Sailors who recently completed their qualifications. The Warfare qualification is an important step because it gives a Sailor a greater sense of the whole, as he was tasked to learn about every station aboard Indy to earn it.

You might have already guessed? I had planned on "stitching" you a whopper of a group photo, but the middle photo didn't come out, so...

So, it's back out to sea for us and getting back into the 24/7 routine. After all that rest and relaxation, I can't thing of anything better than getting back to the grind... hope you'll continue to join in on it with us, it wouldn't be the same with out you.