When I first married DH, we lived at Fort Bragg in a small apartment off post. The apartment was not large. I think we had one bedroom, I cannot recall, as age and about 9 moves have left me with "apartment confusion".
At the time, I was a clothes horse. I was 20, and had worked in womens clothing. I was also a size 3-5, and could wear whatever. (This is no longer the case, please enjoy being a size 5 and looking presentable in a potato sack).
Part of the reason I loved that particular apartment was the extra closet. I recall imagining of all of the clothing I could put in it! I soon found out, that DH had more "gear" than I did. He had jump boots, dessert boots, black shiny shoes, all sorts of uniforms for cold weather, warm weather, class A, and even dress uniforms. I soon learned that he needed our extra closet for all of his "gear".
About this time I noted that DH also had an affinity for 550 cord. You know that OD green/ or khaki thin nylon rope. DH must have had 1/8 of the closet space dedicated to 550 cord. DH must have had about 30 miles of the stuff. He tried to explain the utilitarian nature of the cord, but frankly coming from the civilian world I did not understand his love affair at all.
The 550 cord would appear like cockroaches. I would open a drawer and find a six inch piece here, it would be in backpacks, in the glove box, my purse. Need to haul something on top of the car? DH would just happen to have 20 miles of 550 chord in his pocket.
For years I literally thought of 550 cord as a nuisance, sort of like mice, or cockroaches. I never saw its utility.
And now, I find myself calling DH now asking where the 300 miles of 550 chord are.
AWTM: "honey where is the 550 cord?"
DH: "why?"
AWTM: "I need to bundle the lawn waste for the city"
..........
AWTM: "Dear, where is the 550 cord?"
DH: "why?"
AWTM: "I am hanging garland, and a wreath on the porch."
After almost 17 years, I finally understand that 550 cord is the military answer to duct tape!
