A Lutheran Church Bell Choir performed at Mission Village Fellowship today! That was a fun way to bring in the advent season! And the pastor gave the first sermon of four, dealing with concepts related to Christmas. The first was a message about "Hope" and what specifically it means related to Christianity. And the food afterwords was good too... veggies, meat - cheese & crackers, wonderful sugar cookies, and even a little pumpkin pie.
I decided that I wanted to take the coaster train an hour up the coast today, to Oceanside. I had been curious the other day and checked out the prices while waiting for the trolley and found that a round trip ticket was only $11... so why not go exploring? So I did! The earliest departure after church was 12:30, so I killed a little time by checking out the free museum on the corner of Old Town, just across from the transit center. That had neat displays about history of the area and several large vintage photos upstairs as well. I was glad I got there as early as I did though, because there were lots of folks on their way to the Charger's game at Qualcomm Stadium in Mission Valley, and parking spots were filling up.
The Coaster came right on time, and continued on a tight schedule. Got an upper-deck seat on the side closest to the ocean. Boy, what a view! It started out on the east side of I-5, cutting its way alongside canyons, but right after Torrey Pines State Park between La Jolla and Del Mar It went under the freeway and ran alongside the ocean! My favorite sight! There was a bit of a drop-off down to the wide beach, but that just meant we had even a better view. Saw dozens of surfers and more people walking or running along the shore.
It took an hour to get to Oceanside, with five stops between it and Old Town. I'd like to visit at least three of them sometime. :) I had no idea about what was in Oceanside, but I was pleasantly surprised. Neat little shops, lots of military surplus/uniform outlets (as it is located just south of Camp Pendelton), nice places to eat, and a lovely beachfront and fishing pier. It was unpretentious, and not at all like a tourist trap. Stopped in a few stores and finished some Christmas shopping, had NY style pizza for dinner along with a dish of spaghetti and garlic bread and I sat and watched the sad Chargers game on the flat screen TV on the wall. Then I walked out to the beach, took a few pictures and returned to the transit center. Had a frozen yogurt treat along the way, flavored mango with little hunks of raspberry, kiwi & strawberry. Neat shop: it's called The Red Cup. You dispense your own yogurt and pick your own toppings then pay by the weight.
(here are the photos, posted to FB)
The 4:33 Coaster was the only one back to SD, though, so I could not miss it! Turned out it was the perfect time. Allowed for three hours in town, a perfect viewing of a gorgeous sunset, and got me back just in time to pick up Laramie from the train station downtown so we could go to small group.
Small group was smaller than normal, but we had a marvelous time anyway. Tough topics on theology. Since we are descended from Adam, we are sinners. Then if we trust Christ, we are spiritually reborn in him, but still live in the flesh. Loved the chapter talking about what that actually is. It's our physical circumstances here on Earth... a person's background and talents. Putting our confidence in it and satisfying its desires is what makes it at odds with God's Holy Spirit. Now that we are saints, purified and perfected by Christ's sacrifice once for all time, we have the choice not to follow the desires of the flesh: putting confidence in our ability to provide ourselves with comfort or education or status, to name a few of the not so conspicuously bad ones. To quote the author: "The flesh is a way to think... it encourages self-effort... it seeks identity and purpose... it is not the old self. We choose to depend on it or the Spirit at any given moment... Before we were in Christ we had no choice but to gain identity and a sense of fulfillment from the flesh. But now, as children of God, there's a battle within us... When we walk after the flesh, we're not being ourselves... depending on the flesh goes against our [new] nature... because of our new identity in Christ, being ourselves and expressing Christ are one and the same... our new self and our union with his Spirit cause us to want what he wants... he has installed within us an intense and never-ending desire to find fulfillment through expressing his life."
Wow! It was fun to talk about. We shared our conversion stories... came up from a quote in a previous chapter: "The real thing isn't about trying hard to act differently. Becoming a Christian is like dying and waking up the next day as a totally new person." Technically, this is true, but it doesn't always feel like it. For instance, I feel as if I have always been a Christian. I don't remember a "night & day" feeling... when I was very young I had nightmares about an animated Bible story, of all things. Got up, talked with Mom, and she said I didn't need to be afraid... I needed to trust Jesus. So I did. I made it my own when as a teenager I took 5 minutes to think over if I really wanted this to be my life. There was no way around it; I couldn't deny it.
Goodness, what a day! What blessings!
Jw
Sunday, November 27, 2011
That's a Win
Officially, my Huskies beat my sister's Cougars 38-21 (that's 2 touchdowns and a field goal difference). It was a bit of a nail-biter into the fourth quarter, which makes for a great game, especially when your team wins.
After getting back yesterday afternoon, I unpacked, blogged, did photos on FB, had another lunch at Tio Carlos down the street, bought some milk & juice... and watched pretty much all of the Husky game for the first time this season. And it was a fun one.
Jw
After getting back yesterday afternoon, I unpacked, blogged, did photos on FB, had another lunch at Tio Carlos down the street, bought some milk & juice... and watched pretty much all of the Husky game for the first time this season. And it was a fun one.Jw
Saturday, November 26, 2011
A Fariy Tale Trip
I was distracted when I sat down on the plane. Picked a window seat in the second to last row on the starboard side of the plane. Thought I'd have the whole row to myself for a while, but a Marine from Pendelton told a friend over the phone that he just made it in time, and he took the aisle seat. I always have big plans for reading books when I fly, but of course, I did not want to think about anything but home. It was a little chilly, so I covered my legs with my fleece blanket and stayed in my new Washington microfiber coat as I flipped through the Southwest airlines magazine. They had an article about Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parades of the past... with some neat old pictures too. And there was an excerpt of Jennifer Grant's new book about growing up with her father Cary, and their Thanksgiving memories. One funny anecdote... one time when they were having roast duck, and the ducks were hanging up inside, Cary tied a necktie around one, noting they should dress the place up more. :)
Okay... so I'm on the way to Las Vegas. The plane had a stop there before continuing on to Seattle. I followed Orion out my window throughout the short flight. He drifted forward, especially when we finally made the turn east after flying right over my new house! Camp Pendleton was a big black spot along the coast... and there were lots of empty spaces of blackness below as we flew over the desert. Thin stripes of highways connected the spots of light... it looked as if they were giant bridges over huge bodies of water; but once in a while a little light would give it away for what it was. I loved the thin, low, blanketing clouds over LA. It looked like snow covering the blue & orange-yellow lights. A very busy, lonely highway stretched all the way to Vegas... many people were on their way... but Vegas itself was enormous! Stretching out for miles. The famous strip of casinos was very near the airport, so even though I couldn't de-plane, I did see quite a bit of the city.
The next flight was exactly two hours... and I think I remember being awake for about 15 minutes of it. Propped my head against the side of the plane with my blanket and was fast asleep, waking up as we began our decent into my beautiful Pacific Northwest.
My bag was waiting for me, but we were almost a half-hour early. Mom, Dad & Meg were on there way, only about 15 minutes away. It was much colder than Cali... in the 30's! What a breath of fresh air! They soon got me and we got home quick. Took me a while to fall asleep though... I was so excited to be there.
Woke up between 8 and 9 both mornings. Dad cooked cheese omelets, we played a satisfying set of Backgammon games, then Meg beat me at Phase 10. One of the neatest surprises was a phone call from Zac! I haven't spoken with him since August, so it was a rare treat indeed! Then we set up the house for the big dinner, moved tables and chairs around. Then I took Spiffy for a walk around our 1/2 mile block.
Andie, Nathan, Beckie & Micah had arrived when we got back. And we helped Mom with some of the last minute food... fruit salad, Brussel sprouts, mashed potatoes. Grandma Payne, Aunt Penny and Uncle Don soon followed, as well as Tom and Bette, long-time friends of our family. Dinner was magnificent... Mom had cooked the turkey the day before (just when I had called in the morning, actually) and Dad had carved and put into the serving trays. He said Spiffy helped out too. :) We had stuffing, gravy, sweet cornbread, jellied cranberries, rolls, sweet potato pie, and other sides. It was all so good, but desert was waiting... Apple, Pumpkin, Pecan & Lemon Meringue pies.
I had a piece of pumpkin before we started the Bingo game though; couldn't wait. Bingo is a long-time tradition of ours... I hadn't done it for a long time though! It sort of went by the wayside while Meg was in Kalamazoo and Miami. Loved it though... and Beckie (7 yrs old) and Micah (5 yrs old) are just at the age now where it's getting to be a lot of fun. Mom and Meg had wrapped pieces of candy, gum, packets of nuts or beef jerky and put them in a big bag. Dad calls out the numbers, and whoever gets a Bingo, gets a wrapped prize. We keep going until the prizes are gone, and then everyone unwraps their hoard, then trades with people for the things they like best. It's wild fun while lots of people sing (or shout) out "Bingo" in choruses.
Then we had desert in earnest. I had some Apple, and a little more Pumpkin as well. People trickled away, and there was lots of chit-chat. My grandma is doing pretty well for being a few short months away from turning 98! We got to visit, and that was really nice. Later on, Meg, Dad and I played Phase 10, and although starting off ahead, Meg finished us off again. :)
When everyone had left, Mom & Dad & I watched a couple episodes of Monk, as they've been re-watching the series. They were in the last few episodes of season three. Ironically, one of them was "... Goes to Vegas". :) The opening scenes were a deja vu moment for me, as it was an aerial shot of the strip. Oh, and the other was Natalie running for school board against Harold.
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Friday! It was the *perfect* fall day... 45 degrees, sunny & crisp. Shared a breakfast of oatmeal with Mom & Dad & Jason (Meg was out shopping with her other family). But first, Dad & I had worked at taking down the extra tables and starting the dishes. It was a leisurely meal, and just what I wanted the day to be like. Took the dog for a long walk after all was settled. We cut through the park to the right, came back around on the street, then cut through the park again to the left, and then continued on the sidewalk to home. He was a worn out little boy after he got his walk cookie. :)
Meg and I wanted to do Half Price Books and Tree Top Toys in downtown Redmond together, just like old times. We did, and it turned out to be a 4 or 5 hour adventure! I found a present for someone at the toy store, as well as some new releases of Carnegie Dinosaurs... :) Sold my John Paul Jones book back at Half Price (which I had listened to on audio from the library in SD) and found the whole set of BBC Narnia on DVD for $15! Yay! I have my own copy now! Then we decided to check out Value Village down the street, and there I found three totally unrelated items: a finely painted duck decoy for decor... a pair of Vietnam-era green dungarees that match my green coat... and a beautiful, padded, light brown vinyl office chair that I'd like to have in my home someday. So I got them all. And Mom can now use it at her desk until I am able to drag such a thing along with me somewhere. We even returned to Tree Top because they called to tell Meg they actually did have more Breyer stablemates in stock, and she ended up getting a few.
Played Phase 10 again when we got home, but interrupted it for a lovely dinner prepared by Mom & Dad. Rainbow trout fried in olive oil, gourmet mac'n cheese, leftover Brussels sprouts and cranberries, cucumbers, and potatoes. Watched two more Monks while we had pie and milk... season 3 finale & season 4 premiere. Finished the game after that... I was 3 phases ahead and only had 5 points, compared to her 300! One out of three, as they say... but I went out big!
Then to cap off this wonderful holiday, I played with current members of the Husky Band for their last rally of the season... the Naked Rally (lots of people with only boxers, briefs & bras - not me) before tonight's Apple Cup against Washington State. Dan was a rookie my 3rd year in the band... and this year, he returned for a 6th season! How nice to play with somebody I know! I didn't know how much I'd remember, but even "Bow Down to Washington" (fight song) came out pretty well. Louie Louie, Tequila, Walk This Way, Everybody's Everything, Johnny Q, You Can Call Me Al, FBG, Johnny's Mambo, Africano and even Polynesian Paralysis came back. Oh, and Free Ride, where we make a sideways W with our horns while playing... It all came back in an instant. There were three new tunes, but they are all hits on the radio now... so since I'm familiar with them from duty driving, I followed along pretty easily. With over an hour of playing, my chops were pretty tired by the time we got back to Red Square (center of campus is all brick) so I just called Mike and let him listen along for a song or two. It had been over a year-and-a-half since I had last played with the band. What fun!
Mom & Dad dropped me off at the regular meeting place on campus, then continued on to SeaTac to pick up our renter Christina from the airport. They did make a special trip to come pick me up at 10:30ish, so that was really nice of them. While I waited for the band to show up at 8:45 (arrived at 8:25) the father of a kid in band who was coming invited me to sit in his minivan to stay warm. What a nice guy!
Got home, and crashed in bed. Finished reading Song of Solomon with my own Lover over the phone. Through this book we each read our own parts, and while I was at home I used Andie's old 1984 large print NIV from when she was a kid. The new testament falls out, it was so loved.
Perfect, perfect, perfect! It was worth much more than I paid to share these precious two days with my family. Got up at 4:30 this morning, had a hot egg and toast waiting for me on the table after I finished getting ready. Parting was easier this time, since I'll be back in a mere 3 weeks time. Hugged and waved goodbye, went right through to my gate, started this post, and promptly fell asleep on the plane. Had the row to myself, so I angled myself comfortably with my blanket for a pillow. The flight from Sacramento to San Diego, however, was crowded. Got an exit row seat and worked on this post for practically the entire hour. Got a taxi right away, and was sitting in my room exactly 30 minutes after touchdown. Only $15 total, so that was alright too.
Thank the Lord for this blessing!
Jw
Okay... so I'm on the way to Las Vegas. The plane had a stop there before continuing on to Seattle. I followed Orion out my window throughout the short flight. He drifted forward, especially when we finally made the turn east after flying right over my new house! Camp Pendleton was a big black spot along the coast... and there were lots of empty spaces of blackness below as we flew over the desert. Thin stripes of highways connected the spots of light... it looked as if they were giant bridges over huge bodies of water; but once in a while a little light would give it away for what it was. I loved the thin, low, blanketing clouds over LA. It looked like snow covering the blue & orange-yellow lights. A very busy, lonely highway stretched all the way to Vegas... many people were on their way... but Vegas itself was enormous! Stretching out for miles. The famous strip of casinos was very near the airport, so even though I couldn't de-plane, I did see quite a bit of the city.
The next flight was exactly two hours... and I think I remember being awake for about 15 minutes of it. Propped my head against the side of the plane with my blanket and was fast asleep, waking up as we began our decent into my beautiful Pacific Northwest.
My bag was waiting for me, but we were almost a half-hour early. Mom, Dad & Meg were on there way, only about 15 minutes away. It was much colder than Cali... in the 30's! What a breath of fresh air! They soon got me and we got home quick. Took me a while to fall asleep though... I was so excited to be there.
Woke up between 8 and 9 both mornings. Dad cooked cheese omelets, we played a satisfying set of Backgammon games, then Meg beat me at Phase 10. One of the neatest surprises was a phone call from Zac! I haven't spoken with him since August, so it was a rare treat indeed! Then we set up the house for the big dinner, moved tables and chairs around. Then I took Spiffy for a walk around our 1/2 mile block.
Andie, Nathan, Beckie & Micah had arrived when we got back. And we helped Mom with some of the last minute food... fruit salad, Brussel sprouts, mashed potatoes. Grandma Payne, Aunt Penny and Uncle Don soon followed, as well as Tom and Bette, long-time friends of our family. Dinner was magnificent... Mom had cooked the turkey the day before (just when I had called in the morning, actually) and Dad had carved and put into the serving trays. He said Spiffy helped out too. :) We had stuffing, gravy, sweet cornbread, jellied cranberries, rolls, sweet potato pie, and other sides. It was all so good, but desert was waiting... Apple, Pumpkin, Pecan & Lemon Meringue pies.
I had a piece of pumpkin before we started the Bingo game though; couldn't wait. Bingo is a long-time tradition of ours... I hadn't done it for a long time though! It sort of went by the wayside while Meg was in Kalamazoo and Miami. Loved it though... and Beckie (7 yrs old) and Micah (5 yrs old) are just at the age now where it's getting to be a lot of fun. Mom and Meg had wrapped pieces of candy, gum, packets of nuts or beef jerky and put them in a big bag. Dad calls out the numbers, and whoever gets a Bingo, gets a wrapped prize. We keep going until the prizes are gone, and then everyone unwraps their hoard, then trades with people for the things they like best. It's wild fun while lots of people sing (or shout) out "Bingo" in choruses.
Then we had desert in earnest. I had some Apple, and a little more Pumpkin as well. People trickled away, and there was lots of chit-chat. My grandma is doing pretty well for being a few short months away from turning 98! We got to visit, and that was really nice. Later on, Meg, Dad and I played Phase 10, and although starting off ahead, Meg finished us off again. :)
When everyone had left, Mom & Dad & I watched a couple episodes of Monk, as they've been re-watching the series. They were in the last few episodes of season three. Ironically, one of them was "... Goes to Vegas". :) The opening scenes were a deja vu moment for me, as it was an aerial shot of the strip. Oh, and the other was Natalie running for school board against Harold.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Friday! It was the *perfect* fall day... 45 degrees, sunny & crisp. Shared a breakfast of oatmeal with Mom & Dad & Jason (Meg was out shopping with her other family). But first, Dad & I had worked at taking down the extra tables and starting the dishes. It was a leisurely meal, and just what I wanted the day to be like. Took the dog for a long walk after all was settled. We cut through the park to the right, came back around on the street, then cut through the park again to the left, and then continued on the sidewalk to home. He was a worn out little boy after he got his walk cookie. :)
Meg and I wanted to do Half Price Books and Tree Top Toys in downtown Redmond together, just like old times. We did, and it turned out to be a 4 or 5 hour adventure! I found a present for someone at the toy store, as well as some new releases of Carnegie Dinosaurs... :) Sold my John Paul Jones book back at Half Price (which I had listened to on audio from the library in SD) and found the whole set of BBC Narnia on DVD for $15! Yay! I have my own copy now! Then we decided to check out Value Village down the street, and there I found three totally unrelated items: a finely painted duck decoy for decor... a pair of Vietnam-era green dungarees that match my green coat... and a beautiful, padded, light brown vinyl office chair that I'd like to have in my home someday. So I got them all. And Mom can now use it at her desk until I am able to drag such a thing along with me somewhere. We even returned to Tree Top because they called to tell Meg they actually did have more Breyer stablemates in stock, and she ended up getting a few.
Played Phase 10 again when we got home, but interrupted it for a lovely dinner prepared by Mom & Dad. Rainbow trout fried in olive oil, gourmet mac'n cheese, leftover Brussels sprouts and cranberries, cucumbers, and potatoes. Watched two more Monks while we had pie and milk... season 3 finale & season 4 premiere. Finished the game after that... I was 3 phases ahead and only had 5 points, compared to her 300! One out of three, as they say... but I went out big!
Then to cap off this wonderful holiday, I played with current members of the Husky Band for their last rally of the season... the Naked Rally (lots of people with only boxers, briefs & bras - not me) before tonight's Apple Cup against Washington State. Dan was a rookie my 3rd year in the band... and this year, he returned for a 6th season! How nice to play with somebody I know! I didn't know how much I'd remember, but even "Bow Down to Washington" (fight song) came out pretty well. Louie Louie, Tequila, Walk This Way, Everybody's Everything, Johnny Q, You Can Call Me Al, FBG, Johnny's Mambo, Africano and even Polynesian Paralysis came back. Oh, and Free Ride, where we make a sideways W with our horns while playing... It all came back in an instant. There were three new tunes, but they are all hits on the radio now... so since I'm familiar with them from duty driving, I followed along pretty easily. With over an hour of playing, my chops were pretty tired by the time we got back to Red Square (center of campus is all brick) so I just called Mike and let him listen along for a song or two. It had been over a year-and-a-half since I had last played with the band. What fun!
Mom & Dad dropped me off at the regular meeting place on campus, then continued on to SeaTac to pick up our renter Christina from the airport. They did make a special trip to come pick me up at 10:30ish, so that was really nice of them. While I waited for the band to show up at 8:45 (arrived at 8:25) the father of a kid in band who was coming invited me to sit in his minivan to stay warm. What a nice guy!
Got home, and crashed in bed. Finished reading Song of Solomon with my own Lover over the phone. Through this book we each read our own parts, and while I was at home I used Andie's old 1984 large print NIV from when she was a kid. The new testament falls out, it was so loved.
Perfect, perfect, perfect! It was worth much more than I paid to share these precious two days with my family. Got up at 4:30 this morning, had a hot egg and toast waiting for me on the table after I finished getting ready. Parting was easier this time, since I'll be back in a mere 3 weeks time. Hugged and waved goodbye, went right through to my gate, started this post, and promptly fell asleep on the plane. Had the row to myself, so I angled myself comfortably with my blanket for a pillow. The flight from Sacramento to San Diego, however, was crowded. Got an exit row seat and worked on this post for practically the entire hour. Got a taxi right away, and was sitting in my room exactly 30 minutes after touchdown. Only $15 total, so that was alright too.
Thank the Lord for this blessing!
Jw
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Tuesday Night
When I got home, Emily, my house-mate (she rents the other room) invited me to go along with her to have "Taco Night" with her fellow interns at Fred's Mexican Cafe in Old Town. I offered to drive, since she was interested in drinking some margaritas. It was a nice little evening... we chit-chatted with her friends about the internship program, enjoyed some discounted tacos (I had a chicken one and a shrimp one, along with rice & beans) and when we got home, we watched "Becoming Jane" together. Fun little evening, and the first we've spent together!
Monday night was just another evening at home: hamburger helper & Captain Blood. :)
And tonight, before flying home for Thanksgiving, I had Noodles & Co. for an early dinner... an Americanized version of Pad Thai and curry soup... so good! Stopped by Chipotle next door for a burrito to go, so I could have something on the plane later on. Worked out pretty well!
Jw
Monday night was just another evening at home: hamburger helper & Captain Blood. :)
And tonight, before flying home for Thanksgiving, I had Noodles & Co. for an early dinner... an Americanized version of Pad Thai and curry soup... so good! Stopped by Chipotle next door for a burrito to go, so I could have something on the plane later on. Worked out pretty well!
Jw
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Ah, Another Weekend
Friday we got out really early from class. I was walking to my car at 2pm... and I thought, "Gee, I should do something with all this time off...", but all I wanted to do was sit down in my room relax. Watched "Decision Before Dawn", because I couldn't remember how it ended. And then I watched the live stage version of "Les Miserables" and enjoyed it a whole bunch.
Saturday I was barely here at home. After breakfast, I decided to drive up north. Ended up going to the Flying Leatherneck's Museum at MCAS Miramar. Loved it! Small, but interesting; and they sure had quite a few jets and planes outside! Two of the folks in the store were prior service Sailors, and we talked quite a bit about our various experiences. The lady was a Dental Tech, and the older gentleman had a unique experience, being an aviation guy who ended up with a weapons safety qualification and then hand-picked to help out a destroyer with an exercise. Talked about weathering out a typhoon on DDG 14 (that's a hundred DDG's ago!) and walking on the bulkheads while it rolled! Yikes!
Drove a bit south and west to the Rose Canyon nature trail. Another canyon walk, just like the one I did at Tecolote a few weeks ago. Took lots of pictures, saw a couple cottontails and few birds... and explored the riverbed off the trail a little. The sun was going down though, so I couldn't stay too long. Back in the car, I stopped at a Target nearby and found an $18 space heater for my little room.
And then the evening's event: the opening performance of How the Grinch Stole Christmas in its 14th year at the Old Globe. Incredibly, Amanda Naughton was again performing without my prior knowledge. And this was the fourth time I've seen her act at the Globe. She played "Grandma Who", but still looked as young as ever under her white, curled wig. She screeched her lines like any grandma would, but her singing voice was as clear and beautiful as ever.
I loved it! Watched the cartoon online during chat when I got back, and realized I liked the play much better! The costumes and set pieces were all in black, red & white, except for the Grinch's green fur. This followed the book more closely, as that's how they appeared in print. Loved the attention to detail!
Today after church, Laramie and I went to the USS Midway museum. I think this was my fourth time seeing it, but that's not bad. :) We went to the flight deck first, then took the guided Bridge tour and then looked below. We had to park the car in Seaport Village, because the Midway's lot was closed due to the sailboat races in the bay for "America's Cup". What a day to go!
Laramie wanted to do some Christmas shopping at the big NEX on 32nd street, so we went there afterwords. I got the next installment of MHQ and another screen protector for my phone (just in case). And then we had dinner together at the food court. Don't be shocked: I had only had a small breakfast bagel and a small lunch after church... so I had a little lobster taco from Rubio's, a small hamburger with lots of veggies from Five Guys, and a delicious piece of pizza from Famiglia's for a grand total of $12.69. There were too many choices... and I was hungry! They also have Subway, IHOP & Panda Express... what a neat food court!
Cleaned up my room a bit when I got home... time to go back to regular life for another three days. Gee, life is so hard. ;)
Jw
Saturday I was barely here at home. After breakfast, I decided to drive up north. Ended up going to the Flying Leatherneck's Museum at MCAS Miramar. Loved it! Small, but interesting; and they sure had quite a few jets and planes outside! Two of the folks in the store were prior service Sailors, and we talked quite a bit about our various experiences. The lady was a Dental Tech, and the older gentleman had a unique experience, being an aviation guy who ended up with a weapons safety qualification and then hand-picked to help out a destroyer with an exercise. Talked about weathering out a typhoon on DDG 14 (that's a hundred DDG's ago!) and walking on the bulkheads while it rolled! Yikes!
Drove a bit south and west to the Rose Canyon nature trail. Another canyon walk, just like the one I did at Tecolote a few weeks ago. Took lots of pictures, saw a couple cottontails and few birds... and explored the riverbed off the trail a little. The sun was going down though, so I couldn't stay too long. Back in the car, I stopped at a Target nearby and found an $18 space heater for my little room.
And then the evening's event: the opening performance of How the Grinch Stole Christmas in its 14th year at the Old Globe. Incredibly, Amanda Naughton was again performing without my prior knowledge. And this was the fourth time I've seen her act at the Globe. She played "Grandma Who", but still looked as young as ever under her white, curled wig. She screeched her lines like any grandma would, but her singing voice was as clear and beautiful as ever.
I loved it! Watched the cartoon online during chat when I got back, and realized I liked the play much better! The costumes and set pieces were all in black, red & white, except for the Grinch's green fur. This followed the book more closely, as that's how they appeared in print. Loved the attention to detail!
Today after church, Laramie and I went to the USS Midway museum. I think this was my fourth time seeing it, but that's not bad. :) We went to the flight deck first, then took the guided Bridge tour and then looked below. We had to park the car in Seaport Village, because the Midway's lot was closed due to the sailboat races in the bay for "America's Cup". What a day to go!
Laramie wanted to do some Christmas shopping at the big NEX on 32nd street, so we went there afterwords. I got the next installment of MHQ and another screen protector for my phone (just in case). And then we had dinner together at the food court. Don't be shocked: I had only had a small breakfast bagel and a small lunch after church... so I had a little lobster taco from Rubio's, a small hamburger with lots of veggies from Five Guys, and a delicious piece of pizza from Famiglia's for a grand total of $12.69. There were too many choices... and I was hungry! They also have Subway, IHOP & Panda Express... what a neat food court!
Cleaned up my room a bit when I got home... time to go back to regular life for another three days. Gee, life is so hard. ;)
Jw
Friday, November 18, 2011
Yet Another Week, and a Crazy One
Crazy, because of Monday, mostly. Things were better by Tuesday, and we finished lectures on Wednesday and labs on Thursday. Today, we're going to take the written test.
Have continued to feel a little sick... sore throat, runny nose, and a headache from my tight bun yesterday. Most of the weirdness has been crazy dreams... people I love dying, being late, being chased, etc. Pretty wild.
I did a lot of shopping... stocked up from Target and Trader Joe's... now I can have bagels for breakfast, sweet peas for snacks, a few new entrees to try, and some more fruit! Last night I had Tuna Helper for the first time in ages! It was delicious! Finally used that little packet of tuna my first roommate left behind in our fridge on base! :) And I watched the first couple chapters of "Whales: an unforgettable journey" (1998, IMAX, narrated by Patrick Stewart - that I picked up at Half Price books for $3 while at home in August). Very fun! Learned a bunch about Right Whales; how fascinating!
Also, last night, I went to Point Loma Nazarene University for a concert band performance of one of my friends from the young adult group at Mission Village Fellowship. Aku is their principle percussionist, and I ran into her sister Selassie, and we sat together in the top of the balcony. Not only did they play the same arrangement of Jupiter that I played for my final concert with Mr. B, but they also played the theme from How the Grinch Stole Christmas (with a muted version playing on the screen)... which I'm seeing at the Old Globe this Saturday night! And there were the nicest, plumpest snickerdoodles, oatmeal cookies, cupcakes and hot spiced cider afterwords. :)
Mike and I finished Ecclesiastes on Tuesday... there were a couple times where we read more than one chapter (some of it can be a bit of a downer), but it was so good to go through! We started Song of Songs on Wednesday, and we're reading the parts respectively. Very fun!
And only 3 days of classes next week before I can see my family! Yay!
Jw
Have continued to feel a little sick... sore throat, runny nose, and a headache from my tight bun yesterday. Most of the weirdness has been crazy dreams... people I love dying, being late, being chased, etc. Pretty wild.
I did a lot of shopping... stocked up from Target and Trader Joe's... now I can have bagels for breakfast, sweet peas for snacks, a few new entrees to try, and some more fruit! Last night I had Tuna Helper for the first time in ages! It was delicious! Finally used that little packet of tuna my first roommate left behind in our fridge on base! :) And I watched the first couple chapters of "Whales: an unforgettable journey" (1998, IMAX, narrated by Patrick Stewart - that I picked up at Half Price books for $3 while at home in August). Very fun! Learned a bunch about Right Whales; how fascinating!
Also, last night, I went to Point Loma Nazarene University for a concert band performance of one of my friends from the young adult group at Mission Village Fellowship. Aku is their principle percussionist, and I ran into her sister Selassie, and we sat together in the top of the balcony. Not only did they play the same arrangement of Jupiter that I played for my final concert with Mr. B, but they also played the theme from How the Grinch Stole Christmas (with a muted version playing on the screen)... which I'm seeing at the Old Globe this Saturday night! And there were the nicest, plumpest snickerdoodles, oatmeal cookies, cupcakes and hot spiced cider afterwords. :)
Mike and I finished Ecclesiastes on Tuesday... there were a couple times where we read more than one chapter (some of it can be a bit of a downer), but it was so good to go through! We started Song of Songs on Wednesday, and we're reading the parts respectively. Very fun!
And only 3 days of classes next week before I can see my family! Yay!
Jw
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Books, Scriptural and Otherwise
Woke up right at 9, when I was supposed to be picking up my friend Laramie, on base. Thankfully, it didn't take long to get there... and they hadn't started yet anyway. Sang great songs, and the teaching continued in Titus. My friend Jenny made the feast for the fellowship hall... chicken enchilada casserole! Yum!
And after dropping Laramie back at base, I headed to the library for a good few hours. They were a little behind... did biographies, graphic novels, and all the children's movies.
And then we all had a wonderful small group time at Luke & Christine's. Read all of part 3, and had lovely conversation, along with our nachoes. :)
And back at home, Mike and I had a wonderful three-hour marathon chat on the phone. So very fun! How I love him!
Jw
And after dropping Laramie back at base, I headed to the library for a good few hours. They were a little behind... did biographies, graphic novels, and all the children's movies.
And then we all had a wonderful small group time at Luke & Christine's. Read all of part 3, and had lovely conversation, along with our nachoes. :)
And back at home, Mike and I had a wonderful three-hour marathon chat on the phone. So very fun! How I love him!
Jw
Saturday, November 12, 2011
Staying Dry, Mostly
Except for a brief interlude around 10 this morning, when I had to go to base for a little while, it rained rather hard all day. I woke up early, and finally got up around 7... made myself a small breakfast of toast and scrambled eggs (with grated cheese from my brand new grater), and watched the Veggie Tales movie "Jonah" (2002) I got at Target the other day for a couple dollars. Cute, as always, but I think I'll give it away.
When I got back from doing my duty, and got done playing around on Facebook, I went out for lunch to the Corvette Diner, just on this side of Liberty Station. Had a hot tea and the nicest Swiss & mushroom burger I've ever had. It was a bit of an experience... it's loud in there, but very pleasant. They have old '50s tv shows playing on screens, have a milkshake bar, and have a corvette just inside the front door. Every hour the waitresses do a dance around the place along with a song playing on the Jukebox. Goodness, they really go all-out there! I went in my uniform, because I was still on call as a backup duty driver.
Came back and watched the 3rd film from the library: "Northanger Abby" by Masterpiece Theater. I hadn't known the story, but I liked it. I look forward to reading the book now. This lasted until watch was over.
There was an incredible sunset tonight... bright gold shining through the clouds onto the slick roads... was able to get outside to get a few shots off and loaded them onto FB. Watched "Hidalgo" after making myself a dinner of mac'n cheese with hotdogs, then Brussel sprouts, peaches, and iced tea. And chatted with Linda, James and Emma for a bit. But now I think it is time to lie down. :)
'Night!
Jw
When I got back from doing my duty, and got done playing around on Facebook, I went out for lunch to the Corvette Diner, just on this side of Liberty Station. Had a hot tea and the nicest Swiss & mushroom burger I've ever had. It was a bit of an experience... it's loud in there, but very pleasant. They have old '50s tv shows playing on screens, have a milkshake bar, and have a corvette just inside the front door. Every hour the waitresses do a dance around the place along with a song playing on the Jukebox. Goodness, they really go all-out there! I went in my uniform, because I was still on call as a backup duty driver.
Came back and watched the 3rd film from the library: "Northanger Abby" by Masterpiece Theater. I hadn't known the story, but I liked it. I look forward to reading the book now. This lasted until watch was over.
There was an incredible sunset tonight... bright gold shining through the clouds onto the slick roads... was able to get outside to get a few shots off and loaded them onto FB. Watched "Hidalgo" after making myself a dinner of mac'n cheese with hotdogs, then Brussel sprouts, peaches, and iced tea. And chatted with Linda, James and Emma for a bit. But now I think it is time to lie down. :)
'Night!
Jw
My Veteran's Day
I spent a good amount of time in my room yesterday morning, going through emails, taking care of bills, and figuring out what I wanted to do that day. Had Subway for lunch, and got a call from the SD symphony... good tickets for any of their concerts... so I signed up for Vivaldi's Four Seasons on Dec.4, and for the Russian Ballet's performance of "The Sleeping Beauty" this February! What a deal!
Picked up my friend Laramie from the ASW base, and checked out the Creation & Earth History Museum in Santee. They have a walk-through describing the 7 days of creation (loved the room dedicated to astronomy), the fall of man, the flood (with a room set up like the inside of the ark), and various other events in history like the tower of Babel, the Rosetta Stone, various human religions with their theories on origins, and portraits of 19th century scientists from both perspectives. And as a new addition since ICR left, a walk-though detailing the complexity and wonder of human anatomy. I thought it was wonderful!
The main purpose of the day was to enjoy a free dinner at Applebee's. They very generously offer six different entrees to choose from. Laramie and I both had penne pasta with grilled chicken and a baguette. I splurged and added a salad for $3.50. :) It was very good! And we only had to wait a half-hour for our table (I passed the time by reading the book "The Help")... and while we began to eat, they were playing the opening ceremonies for the first "Carrier Classic" basketball game on the USS John C. Stennis, CVN 70. How odd to see a flight deck covered with a court and stands! Saw the arrival of the president and the presentation of the national anthem with members from all the services. We were done before the game began, but I don't really watch basketball anyway. I especially liked eating at Applebee's since that's the first place I ate out after graduating last year today.
We had a bunch of time before the movie night at my church friend's apartment at 7. So I thought since we were in town, we could knock off some time by checking out a local army/navy surplus store. And they ended up being open as long as we needed, so I dug through their huge bins of patches and found a U.S. NAVY tape in Army ACU with Velcro, like a person would wear if they were attached to an Army outfit in the middle east. Also found an old utilities style PO 3rd class patch, and a mini Marine LCPL, like my brother is. These are now added to my bulletin board. :)
Still had time to kill... so we drove around, found a Denny's, and I had hot chocolate and shared some pancake puppies with Laramie before we headed off to movie night. And how fun was that! I brought "Miss Potter", which they all had never seen before, and we decided to watch it. We stayed for a good hour-and-a-half longer than the movie for a lively chat about everything under the sun. :) Turns out both Laramie and Andy & Kristin are from the same part of northern California, and Laramie's dad was the vice principal of the high school Andy & Kristin went to!
Goodness! Turned out to be a wonderful day! And when I got home, there was a big bouquet of flowers from my Darling for the one-year anniversary of graduating RTC and our wonderful time together in Chicago and with my family... and for Veteran's Day. What a sweetheart! :)
Jw
Picked up my friend Laramie from the ASW base, and checked out the Creation & Earth History Museum in Santee. They have a walk-through describing the 7 days of creation (loved the room dedicated to astronomy), the fall of man, the flood (with a room set up like the inside of the ark), and various other events in history like the tower of Babel, the Rosetta Stone, various human religions with their theories on origins, and portraits of 19th century scientists from both perspectives. And as a new addition since ICR left, a walk-though detailing the complexity and wonder of human anatomy. I thought it was wonderful!
The main purpose of the day was to enjoy a free dinner at Applebee's. They very generously offer six different entrees to choose from. Laramie and I both had penne pasta with grilled chicken and a baguette. I splurged and added a salad for $3.50. :) It was very good! And we only had to wait a half-hour for our table (I passed the time by reading the book "The Help")... and while we began to eat, they were playing the opening ceremonies for the first "Carrier Classic" basketball game on the USS John C. Stennis, CVN 70. How odd to see a flight deck covered with a court and stands! Saw the arrival of the president and the presentation of the national anthem with members from all the services. We were done before the game began, but I don't really watch basketball anyway. I especially liked eating at Applebee's since that's the first place I ate out after graduating last year today.
We had a bunch of time before the movie night at my church friend's apartment at 7. So I thought since we were in town, we could knock off some time by checking out a local army/navy surplus store. And they ended up being open as long as we needed, so I dug through their huge bins of patches and found a U.S. NAVY tape in Army ACU with Velcro, like a person would wear if they were attached to an Army outfit in the middle east. Also found an old utilities style PO 3rd class patch, and a mini Marine LCPL, like my brother is. These are now added to my bulletin board. :)
Still had time to kill... so we drove around, found a Denny's, and I had hot chocolate and shared some pancake puppies with Laramie before we headed off to movie night. And how fun was that! I brought "Miss Potter", which they all had never seen before, and we decided to watch it. We stayed for a good hour-and-a-half longer than the movie for a lively chat about everything under the sun. :) Turns out both Laramie and Andy & Kristin are from the same part of northern California, and Laramie's dad was the vice principal of the high school Andy & Kristin went to!
Goodness! Turned out to be a wonderful day! And when I got home, there was a big bouquet of flowers from my Darling for the one-year anniversary of graduating RTC and our wonderful time together in Chicago and with my family... and for Veteran's Day. What a sweetheart! :)
Jw
Friday, November 11, 2011
What a Week!
Tuesday, after quarters I came back home right away, made breakfast and watched "An Education" 2009. Boy, new films and I don't mix all the time. I enjoyed it, mostly, but the storyline was so righteous (and unrighteous). This 16 year old girl in 1960's Briton runs into this 40ish year old guy. They share sophisticated tastes, develop a friendship, she finds out he's an art thief, she stays with him, marries him at 17, and then finds out he's already married. She dropped out of school, but still goes on to Oxford after working with her previous teacher. It was interesting... it's stayed with me all week. Alfred Molina plays her father, and Emma Thompson her headmistress. There was no lack of talent, that's for sure.
Then Tuesday evening, I dropped it back at the library and worked for an hour. Walked to Chipotle for dinner, and then decided to go ahead and actually give Days Inn the new flag I bought to replace their old one. Rash, but rather fun. I saw it flying proudly yesterday when I tried out Rubio's across the street for a lobster burrito.
Wednesday, Oh My Gosh! It was so fun to go downtown and see West Side Story in the theater for its 50th anniversary (thanks, TCM!). I parked at Old Town, took the trolley, and arrived just in time for the 7pm start time. They had an interview with a few of the original folks, and then we saw it in all its glory! I hadn't seen it since I was a teenager, so I enjoyed it a lot. What music and dancing! And so timely, since I just saw the plays "Somewhere" and "Maestro: Leonard Bernstein" at the Old Globe recently. "Maria; I just met a girl named Maria." Couldn't get it out of my head. :)
Came home and rashly decided to go home for Thanksgiving. I really couldn't have peace until I did it, and numerous factors over the last couple weeks led me up to it. I called Southwest, and they made a deal for me. I'll be home all of Thursday the 24th and Friday the 25th.
And yesterday at Target (after Rubio's) I picked up some Christmas lights to brighten up my room.
Then I called my parents and sisters to let them know that I was coming! That was fun! :)
I think I'll probably end up buying a strand of multicolored lights as well. We'll see.
Jw
Then Tuesday evening, I dropped it back at the library and worked for an hour. Walked to Chipotle for dinner, and then decided to go ahead and actually give Days Inn the new flag I bought to replace their old one. Rash, but rather fun. I saw it flying proudly yesterday when I tried out Rubio's across the street for a lobster burrito.
Wednesday, Oh My Gosh! It was so fun to go downtown and see West Side Story in the theater for its 50th anniversary (thanks, TCM!). I parked at Old Town, took the trolley, and arrived just in time for the 7pm start time. They had an interview with a few of the original folks, and then we saw it in all its glory! I hadn't seen it since I was a teenager, so I enjoyed it a lot. What music and dancing! And so timely, since I just saw the plays "Somewhere" and "Maestro: Leonard Bernstein" at the Old Globe recently. "Maria; I just met a girl named Maria." Couldn't get it out of my head. :)
Came home and rashly decided to go home for Thanksgiving. I really couldn't have peace until I did it, and numerous factors over the last couple weeks led me up to it. I called Southwest, and they made a deal for me. I'll be home all of Thursday the 24th and Friday the 25th.
And yesterday at Target (after Rubio's) I picked up some Christmas lights to brighten up my room.
Then I called my parents and sisters to let them know that I was coming! That was fun! :)
I think I'll probably end up buying a strand of multicolored lights as well. We'll see.
Jw
Monday, November 7, 2011
Dinner and a Movie
After class I filled up the tank at the NEX, then got some groceries at Trader Joe's for dinner. Turkey hot dogs for my mac-n-cheese, some OJ, more Brussel sprouts, and an avocado for later on.
Cooked some of that up and enjoyed the Bogie/Bacall film "Dark Passage" from the library.
Jw
Cooked some of that up and enjoyed the Bogie/Bacall film "Dark Passage" from the library.
Jw
Sunday, November 6, 2011
Horsing Around Again
Last night I was messaged on FB by a friend from boot camp, Laramie Mills. I invited her to church the next morning, and after a moment's thought, to go horseback riding after that. It had been on my mind since coming out here, to go for a trail ride. So I googled it quick and came up with a ranch just 20 minutes northeast from church. Set it up... and it all worked out, even with the bit of rain we had.
Church was really good. Andy, my small group leader (and also the youth pastor), was filling in for Pastor Carl who was at the men's retreat. It was more on the theme from the book we're reading... Truth and lies about the Bible and the gospel. It was very good, and I was glad of Laramie's company, as well as Charly and David who came by themselves and sat in front of us (who I had introduced to this church a couple months ago). And this was "celebration Sunday" meaning a small group fixed a lot of food for the whole church to enjoy after the service; they do it every few months. It was chili (with cheddar cheese and raw onions) along with a wonderful mixed greens salad (avocado hunks provided as well as cherry tomatoes and dressing).
It started to rain while we ate, and I was even more concerned as we sat in the football traffic, trying to get back on the freeway. But I needn't have worried! It stopped when we got further out, and only sprinkled a bit at the beginning and very end of the ride. I was on a lovely bay lady named "Motown" and rode behind the guide's feisty paint, and Laramie's slow-poke who trotted every now and then to keep up. The trail followed a dry riverbed and was interesting and easy to ride. A few flat places and we were able to do a little trot... and Motown's version of a trot was a very short canter... lol. She did it right sometimes too. Poor thing was nearly 20 years old and blind in her right eye. And for all that, she did a wonderful job. Responded wonderfully to leg directions and was a lively, brisk walker, sometimes pulling ahead of the guide in wide places. I loved the view of the hills with boulders (southern cal's mountains), and the dozen or so cottontail bunnies darting and hiding, and the little birds. I'd say it was a resounding success. And I was able to take a few pictures on my phone...
After dropping Laramie back on base, I decided to go to the library. I noticed a blanket donation yesterday, when I volunteered, and picked one up at Target. Dropped it off in the barrel, then did an hour taking care of the DVDs. And I found 3 for myself to check out: a Bogie/Bacall, a masterpiece "Northanger Abbey" and "An Education" (2009, nominated for best picture).
And as I had hoped I would, I was able to chat for a long time with Mom & Dad, and later Julie! I really should call people more often. It's so encouraging!
Then I stopped by Trader Joe's for their seasonal spiced apple cider to contribute to the small group meeting. We all had a lovely time visiting, eating very tender bbq chicken breast and a rice & broccoli casserole, and then reading a few short chapters in "Naked Gospel". It took some time for people to wrap their heads around the purpose of the law to "make sin abound" as Paul wrote. Hey! Even Peter wrote that Paul's epistles were hard to understand. :) And I loved Andy & Kristin's apartment! Very cozy, with plenty of room for us all. I saw Jupiter, big and bright as I drove I-8E on the way there. When I got home, it and the moon were directly overhead. :)
The chat with my Darling was especially wonderful. He is going through a series of messages on giving, and he was told some off-base things concerning "tithing"... and it so happened that the same topic was in one of the chapters we read tonight! How the Lord provides! And we finished the book of Proverbs with the last chapter... and he was so sweet to me!
Jw
Church was really good. Andy, my small group leader (and also the youth pastor), was filling in for Pastor Carl who was at the men's retreat. It was more on the theme from the book we're reading... Truth and lies about the Bible and the gospel. It was very good, and I was glad of Laramie's company, as well as Charly and David who came by themselves and sat in front of us (who I had introduced to this church a couple months ago). And this was "celebration Sunday" meaning a small group fixed a lot of food for the whole church to enjoy after the service; they do it every few months. It was chili (with cheddar cheese and raw onions) along with a wonderful mixed greens salad (avocado hunks provided as well as cherry tomatoes and dressing).
It started to rain while we ate, and I was even more concerned as we sat in the football traffic, trying to get back on the freeway. But I needn't have worried! It stopped when we got further out, and only sprinkled a bit at the beginning and very end of the ride. I was on a lovely bay lady named "Motown" and rode behind the guide's feisty paint, and Laramie's slow-poke who trotted every now and then to keep up. The trail followed a dry riverbed and was interesting and easy to ride. A few flat places and we were able to do a little trot... and Motown's version of a trot was a very short canter... lol. She did it right sometimes too. Poor thing was nearly 20 years old and blind in her right eye. And for all that, she did a wonderful job. Responded wonderfully to leg directions and was a lively, brisk walker, sometimes pulling ahead of the guide in wide places. I loved the view of the hills with boulders (southern cal's mountains), and the dozen or so cottontail bunnies darting and hiding, and the little birds. I'd say it was a resounding success. And I was able to take a few pictures on my phone...
After dropping Laramie back on base, I decided to go to the library. I noticed a blanket donation yesterday, when I volunteered, and picked one up at Target. Dropped it off in the barrel, then did an hour taking care of the DVDs. And I found 3 for myself to check out: a Bogie/Bacall, a masterpiece "Northanger Abbey" and "An Education" (2009, nominated for best picture).
And as I had hoped I would, I was able to chat for a long time with Mom & Dad, and later Julie! I really should call people more often. It's so encouraging!
Then I stopped by Trader Joe's for their seasonal spiced apple cider to contribute to the small group meeting. We all had a lovely time visiting, eating very tender bbq chicken breast and a rice & broccoli casserole, and then reading a few short chapters in "Naked Gospel". It took some time for people to wrap their heads around the purpose of the law to "make sin abound" as Paul wrote. Hey! Even Peter wrote that Paul's epistles were hard to understand. :) And I loved Andy & Kristin's apartment! Very cozy, with plenty of room for us all. I saw Jupiter, big and bright as I drove I-8E on the way there. When I got home, it and the moon were directly overhead. :)
The chat with my Darling was especially wonderful. He is going through a series of messages on giving, and he was told some off-base things concerning "tithing"... and it so happened that the same topic was in one of the chapters we read tonight! How the Lord provides! And we finished the book of Proverbs with the last chapter... and he was so sweet to me!
Jw
Saturday, November 5, 2011
Random, Last Minute Fun
I thought I was going to help at a food bank, Friday evening, but they had some sort of emergency and we were all left high and dry (although it was raining quite a bit). So the couple I was riding with invited me to join them as they went out to a movie. We drove back south and saw "50/50" at Mission Valley Mall. It's based on a true story of a young man that had non-responsive cancer on his spine... and how he and his friends and family went through it. It was set in Seattle, so I enjoyed it for many reasons. :) A refreshing comedy/drama of the kind you don't see in theaters very much.
I had had Panera for dinner beforehand, and I enjoyed some popcorn and a lemonade during the film. Stopped at Starbucks across from the base for a cup of hot chocolate, talked to Mike and ended up helping someone from Subway jump their car. Ironically, my phone ran out of batteries soon after. :)
Today, I went for a two-and-a-half hour nature walk in Tecolote Canyon Natural Park, just 3 miles from where I now live. It's due east of Mission Bay (Sea World) and right off of I-5. There are nice wide trails, lovely plants, and lots of birds. They were especially loud and active after the great big rain we had. The first thing I noticed was a perched hummingbird, making its chirping sound. I walked two side trails off the main road, and even tried running up the steep part near where I turned around. Another neat side note, a couple got engaged at the top of the hill. Only found out while we were all returning. She kept holding up a big diamond to admire it in the bright sunlight, and she mentioned a few times about how she never imagined she'd be getting engaged when she was sweaty. I looked at my own ring a few times. :) Check out the FB album here.
Directly afterwords I worked at the library for an hour-and-a-half. Took care of all the mystery and graphic novels. Then I checked out a Mexican restaurant just a few steps from my house. "Tio Carlos" ... chicken enchilada and guacamole for the chips. Mmm. Kept up with the Oklahoma game as I ate. :)
Kept walking from there to Target for some cheese, and a few other things, including a pretty leather belt to keep my jeans in place, some nice hiking shoes and a useful purse.
Chat tonight is neat... we're talking about destroyers. I'm finally doing my laundry... I'll have clean blue shirts for work this week. :)
I'm a little sad. Just found out this morning that today is the final game in Husky Stadium before they replace it. The Apple Cup this year is in the stupid pro stadium downtown... and there is no Alumni Band for it, even. And the last game tonight is against stupid, stupid Oregon. Boo! So not only should our team be riled up to play against a ranked team, and on the day after the school's 150th anniversary, but it is the very last game with the old traditions... they are taking out the track and moving the band from the 50 yd line to the endzone... normally regulated for visiting teams, in order to make more money on premium tickets. Ugg.
I would probably cry if I was at the game tonight... but I wish I was there.
Jw
I had had Panera for dinner beforehand, and I enjoyed some popcorn and a lemonade during the film. Stopped at Starbucks across from the base for a cup of hot chocolate, talked to Mike and ended up helping someone from Subway jump their car. Ironically, my phone ran out of batteries soon after. :)
Today, I went for a two-and-a-half hour nature walk in Tecolote Canyon Natural Park, just 3 miles from where I now live. It's due east of Mission Bay (Sea World) and right off of I-5. There are nice wide trails, lovely plants, and lots of birds. They were especially loud and active after the great big rain we had. The first thing I noticed was a perched hummingbird, making its chirping sound. I walked two side trails off the main road, and even tried running up the steep part near where I turned around. Another neat side note, a couple got engaged at the top of the hill. Only found out while we were all returning. She kept holding up a big diamond to admire it in the bright sunlight, and she mentioned a few times about how she never imagined she'd be getting engaged when she was sweaty. I looked at my own ring a few times. :) Check out the FB album here.
Directly afterwords I worked at the library for an hour-and-a-half. Took care of all the mystery and graphic novels. Then I checked out a Mexican restaurant just a few steps from my house. "Tio Carlos" ... chicken enchilada and guacamole for the chips. Mmm. Kept up with the Oklahoma game as I ate. :)
Kept walking from there to Target for some cheese, and a few other things, including a pretty leather belt to keep my jeans in place, some nice hiking shoes and a useful purse.
Chat tonight is neat... we're talking about destroyers. I'm finally doing my laundry... I'll have clean blue shirts for work this week. :)
I'm a little sad. Just found out this morning that today is the final game in Husky Stadium before they replace it. The Apple Cup this year is in the stupid pro stadium downtown... and there is no Alumni Band for it, even. And the last game tonight is against stupid, stupid Oregon. Boo! So not only should our team be riled up to play against a ranked team, and on the day after the school's 150th anniversary, but it is the very last game with the old traditions... they are taking out the track and moving the band from the 50 yd line to the endzone... normally regulated for visiting teams, in order to make more money on premium tickets. Ugg.
I would probably cry if I was at the game tonight... but I wish I was there.
Jw
Thursday, November 3, 2011
Little Things
I slept most of yesterday afternoon... because I got up earlier than usual, while going to bed at the same time. :( Badly balanced equation. However, I did finish reading Robin Hood, by Roger Lancelyn Green (1956). I'm a fan of Howard Pyle's Robin Hood and King Arthur, but I had never read this version before... and there were stories I was unfamiliar with.
This guy did his research: he often quoted old poems before each chapter, and by old, I mean sixteenth century (Anthony Munday's "The Downfall of Robert Earl of Huntingdon" and "The Death of..." the same, along with various ballads, like the collection from the late medieval romance, "A Lytell Geste of Robyn Hode". Also often used were Peacock's "Maid Marian" 1822, Tennyson's "The Foresters" 1881, and Noyes's play "Robin Hood"1926.
But what I didn't realize until I read about the author at the end, was he was that Roger Green who was close friends with C.S. Lewis, a member of The Inklings, and the person most responsible for encouraging Lewis in writing my beloved Narnia! No wonder I loved his style! Thankfully, I also bought Green's "King Arthur", so I have another wonderful book to work through.
For dinner, I splurged at Panera Bread. It is between the base and my new home, so it's ultra convenient to stop at... just for food now, though, instead of a late-night Internet pit-stop! Had a whole turkey breast sandwich and a bowl of chicken noodle. Yum! And after a long nap, I called Andie to talk for a half-hour before my usual with my Darling.
Today was crazy with watch, so when I got back from that I had a good couple hours sleep. Tonight I am going to vote with the ballot that Mom sent (and I finally remembered to pick up yesterday)... other than that, I've had some bread and some original kettle cooked potato chips (like we had on the honeymoon so often :), and I'm thinking of putting on a pot of Lipton's chicken noodle soup... should also have the leftover Brussel sprouts... hmm. :) I am determined not to spend so much $ on food. I had lunch at the galley today (as yesterday) for $4.25 (including salad, fruit, meat, pasta, veggies & drinks) which is a pretty good deal. And it's been shrimp both times!
Probably finish up today with some Hogan's Heroes or a little reading, or both.
Jw
This guy did his research: he often quoted old poems before each chapter, and by old, I mean sixteenth century (Anthony Munday's "The Downfall of Robert Earl of Huntingdon" and "The Death of..." the same, along with various ballads, like the collection from the late medieval romance, "A Lytell Geste of Robyn Hode". Also often used were Peacock's "Maid Marian" 1822, Tennyson's "The Foresters" 1881, and Noyes's play "Robin Hood"1926.
But what I didn't realize until I read about the author at the end, was he was that Roger Green who was close friends with C.S. Lewis, a member of The Inklings, and the person most responsible for encouraging Lewis in writing my beloved Narnia! No wonder I loved his style! Thankfully, I also bought Green's "King Arthur", so I have another wonderful book to work through.
For dinner, I splurged at Panera Bread. It is between the base and my new home, so it's ultra convenient to stop at... just for food now, though, instead of a late-night Internet pit-stop! Had a whole turkey breast sandwich and a bowl of chicken noodle. Yum! And after a long nap, I called Andie to talk for a half-hour before my usual with my Darling.
Today was crazy with watch, so when I got back from that I had a good couple hours sleep. Tonight I am going to vote with the ballot that Mom sent (and I finally remembered to pick up yesterday)... other than that, I've had some bread and some original kettle cooked potato chips (like we had on the honeymoon so often :), and I'm thinking of putting on a pot of Lipton's chicken noodle soup... should also have the leftover Brussel sprouts... hmm. :) I am determined not to spend so much $ on food. I had lunch at the galley today (as yesterday) for $4.25 (including salad, fruit, meat, pasta, veggies & drinks) which is a pretty good deal. And it's been shrimp both times!
Probably finish up today with some Hogan's Heroes or a little reading, or both.
Jw
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
By Recommendation
I made dinner at home tonight! Had the instant pasta dish with cheese and spinach, and half a bag of boiled and buttered Brussel sprouts, both from Trader Joe's. Mandarin oranges, turkey & cheese rolled up, and a little french bread rounded out the dinner. Called Mom to find out about boiling time... the package said I should bake them too... but that's silly. And when we talked, she told me about a movie I put on Netflix a long time ago that they just watched... "Three Guys Named Mike" (1951, Van Johnson). She said it was very funny...
I logged into Netflix, but ran across that new BBC TV version of Robin Hood that came out a couple years ago... so I tried it out. But I only lasted a couple minutes. The first episode was aptly named "Will You Tolerate This?". LOL! It was hideously modern. So I decided to give "Mike" a go... Oh my gosh, it was so funny! Loved it! I reminded me of myself at various moments... and what's there not to like about a story like this: a young lady leaves home to join American Airlines as a stewardess, and meets three very interesting men named Mike. They all end up wanting to marry her... and it goes on from there. Saved by the Brussel sprouts! Thank you Mom!
Jw
I logged into Netflix, but ran across that new BBC TV version of Robin Hood that came out a couple years ago... so I tried it out. But I only lasted a couple minutes. The first episode was aptly named "Will You Tolerate This?". LOL! It was hideously modern. So I decided to give "Mike" a go... Oh my gosh, it was so funny! Loved it! I reminded me of myself at various moments... and what's there not to like about a story like this: a young lady leaves home to join American Airlines as a stewardess, and meets three very interesting men named Mike. They all end up wanting to marry her... and it goes on from there. Saved by the Brussel sprouts! Thank you Mom!
Jw
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