Flashlights and swimming pools...

We went out exploring in a different fashion today. There are many barracks that were abandoned. When I say abandoned, I don't mean that the base closed and there is a shell of what use to be. If you have ever been in a situation where someone says, "Would the last person clean up and turn off the lights before you leave," but then no one really knows WHO the last person to leave was, so the lights get left on and nothing gets cleaned up? I don't think the Navy knows who the last person to leave was.
There is actually a three story dorm that has approximately 350 rooms. It is filled with furniture in every room. Refrigerators in every room. Bathrooms in every room. beds, lamps, the works. We actually went to get a table because it is there for the taking. Here's the kicker...IT HAS NEVER BEEN OCCUPIED! The government built it after the decision to close the base had been made. The contracts had already been signed, so.... Tax dollard hard at work.
We did go into the much older barracks across the street (via underground tunnel which was pretty damn cool). There we found an olympic size swimming pool in the recreational building. It had a deep end and a shallow end. This may seem trivial to mention, but the only reason I do
mention the obvious is because it wasn't so obvious to our Cocker Spaniel, Milo, that waltzed right off of the edge into the deep end. It would have been a 13 foot drop, but luckily the table that someone threw off the edge into the pool broke his fall at about 10 feet down.
The three seconds of silence and the flashlight on our little fella provided enough time for me to actually think of making up a story about how Milo found a secret passage for doggies and we would have to wait to see him when he decided to come out. Then I realized that the story was ridiculous, so I thought "He's just sleeping. we should leave him alone" might work.
He moved, though. A little freaked out, but he moved. So...lesson learned. When walking around creepy abandoned barracks on a Navy Base being guided by flashlights, leave the dog at home.
I do have to say that while walking around some of the barracks, we noticed a peculiar smell of rat droppings and what I am hoping was rat urine. Milo decided that he should leave his own gifts in the middle of the hallway. I am proud to say that even in the environment that would have gladly welcomed a pile of Milo's best, we did the responsible thing and cleaned it up (Cassidy made me).
There are only about fifty more buildings to explore, so I can't wait to see what remains.