The next day, Thurs. Dec. 20th, the Navy gave to me as a free day off work. I slept in like you wouldn't believe, ate breakfast at home, wasted time at the NEX, and stocked up on snacks for the next underway. I was supposed to have a dentist appointment, but I had forgotten to get my record off the ship. After finding out it was hopeless, I set off for downtown. Had Chipotle for lunch (discovered one in Ghent... just north of downtown) then decided on the spur of the moment to head to MacArthur Center Mall and take in The Hobbit (3 hrs) and Lincoln (2 hrs) back to back. I had to laugh when I needed a bathroom break in the middle of The Hobbit. I enjoyed it, although it had an abnormal obsession with orcs and wolves. I intentionally went to Lincoln 15-20 minutes late (stopped in B&N around the corner to kill time) so I wouldn't have to sit through seven trailers as I had to for the first film. I ended up seeing one and a half by the time I returned! This movie was great! It was only about the passing of the 13th amendment, and I was very impressed with Daniel Day Lewis... and I loved how they ended with his 2nd inaugural address after he died... so it could end on a hopeful note. I had a burger at Chili's in the mall for dinner, picked up a couple things at Walmart on the way home, then finally crashed. I think I fell asleep on the couch after talking with Mike.
Checked onto leave when I left the Quarterdeck at 1pm on the 21st. By the time I got home I was absolutely wasted... probably stayed up way too late. Slept for 3 hours solid until the guy from the housing office came by to change my lightbulbs. He turned out to be married to a big Narnia fan, and he started talking C.S. Lewis trivia after he saw my collection of Narnia pictures at the top of the stairs. After all that, I got in the car, returned my broken frame to Walmart, and treated myself to Red Lobster one more time. :)
My plane didn't leave until after noon on the 22nd, so I had plenty of time to sleep, eat breakfast at home, clean up a little and pack before my friend from the ship came to drive me to the airport. It was my first time flying out of Norfolk... and I enjoyed its small and easily navigable halls before my flight. Found out that I could check both my bags for free on Delta... so I had to get a pair of headphones, as all that was in my bag. Burger King made a good lunch, and soon I was onto Atlanta. The four-hour ATL-to-SEA flight went by pretty well too... I watched nearly the entire Husky bowl game for free on the little screen at my seat. That was a great diversion. Got in at 6pm Pacific, found my family waiting for me, and soon we were off home. A spaghetti dinner, backgammon and Phase 10 games awaited me there, as well as my puppy. We returned to the airport at around 11:30 for Michael's plane, and he got in on the very same one as my brother's friends... so we met up again, and my brother changed his plans and came home with us.
The 23rd: Ahh! Relaxation! Finally at home with my husband and my family! How long we all had been anticipating it! After a leisurely breakfast, we were driven to my family's church for a Christmas music concert. My niece had some speaking lines and sang in the children's choir, so we enjoyed it very much. And miracle of miracles, my friend Julie was there too! Apparently, her family goes there too! We sat together and planned a day that we could get together again. Back at home, we took the dog for a walk, had a late lunch with the family, then packed into the car again for a trip to Everett and the Olympic Ballet's Nutcracker. I had been to it a few years ago, and remembered it without a love story... but they changed it this year, just in time for Mike to see it and think that everyone in the Northwest is obsessed with Drosselmeyer. :) Mom and Mike picked up a pizza for dinner when we got home.
Christmas Eve: Quiet morning... breakfast, dog-walking, finished Christmas shopping... lol. Took off for lunch in Woodinville with the Hertzbergs just before 1pm, then met up again at Canyon Hills Church for a wonderful candlelight service. Back at home (and after finishing the Thai take-home dinner) we gathered in the living room for putting ornaments on the felt wreath and singing Christmas hymns and songs.
Christmas Day! It came so fast this year! Traditional breakfast and gift opening, except without the relatives! Gramma Payne was laid up from falling the other week. Thankfully, we were able to drive out to Monroe and visit her and my Aunt & Uncle at their house that evening. For the ease of all, Mom and I planned a chicken dinner and it was waiting for us when we got home. Crispy red potatoes, corn-on-the-cob, and cranberry sauce completed the meal. It was so, very nice! As for the gifts, ours were very popular with the niece and nephew (which is always a lot of fun to watch) and Mike surprised me with the next season of Tintin, just released. I opened my package from Linda, also, which contained lots of good surprises! Thanks! And my sister cross-stitched a gorgeous 1 Cor. 13 passage and the family had it framed! They'll be shipping it soon!
Dec. 26th (New Year's Eve observed): Mike and I had our usual morning which included a lovely walk around the park with the dog. Julie soon came over in her rental car and picked us up for a day downtown together. After finally finding a suitable place to park the car, we poked around Pike Place Market, watching the salmon-throwing, and munching on a couple donuts. Then we stopped by the Old Curiosity Shop on our way to the Bremerton Ferry for a two-hour, round-trip, walk-on ride. Lots of time to sit and chat, or get up and drink in the bracing winter wind. Back in Seattle, we walked over to the brand-new Ferris wheel on the waterfront... the Great Wheel of Seattle. Then it was time for our annual special dinner at Ivar's... and Julie and I both got the big bowl of seafood! So good! And filling! She drove us back home as it began to rain, and only stayed long enough for me to help her find her way out of my confusing neighborhood! :) We finished the evening with a viewing of Bolt, which was fun to introduce to Mike.
Dec. 27: Another nice, easy day with not too many plans. At 1pm everyone gathered in Lynnwood at the Alderwood Mall for a family portrait. It ended up going off very easily and painlessly... our photographer learned quickly that I needed to be surprised with the flash if she was going to get one with my eyes open. :) Did a little shopping after that... my darling Michael bought me a Washington Huskies winter hat, then we picked up a few things at Fred's on the way home. We ate tacos, played games, and watched a couple of fun movies, starting with Bachelor Mother (1939, Ginger Rogers, David Niven) before dinner and finishing with The Artist afterwords.
Our last day came way too soon! Friday, the 28th, started as all the others, but ended extremely well. Mom treated my sisters and I and Mike out to the Chinese restaurant Chan's Place (while the other guys all participated in my brother's LAN party) and then took us all to a production of Fiddler on the Roof in Issaquah! It was wonderfully fun! I even enjoyed walking the small-town main street in the freezing cold with the full moon overhead, arm-in-arm with my husband.
Our flights out on Saturday morning were so near together, I was able to sit with him at his gate. We had breakfast together while he waited, and we waved goodbye until he disappeared from view and boarded. I was glad to be able to see his plane taxi from my concourse, opposite his. Now we're just waiting until next time. :)
Jw
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