A Couple Firsts on New Year's Day

Getting home after my duty day called for another 3-hour nap. I was beat down tired from staying up all night with the last watch. Fell asleep with my black long-johns and turtleneck still on. It felt wonderful! Then I caught up with Mom & Dad on the phone, then decided to head downtown for a look at the MacArthur Museum... which ended up being closed for the holiday. To not waste my trip, I decided to go to the Nautilus Museum/USS Wisconsin/Hampton Roads Naval Museum on the waterfront instead. Left the car in the garage and just walked the few blocks.

Had a really lovely time. I do so love looking at historical pictures and artifacts that have to do with my service. At first I didn't think much of it, but once I got into the meat of the museum, I found it fascinating. Besides having really important things, like the Union Jack from the USS Maine, in the WWII section there was a "Soundman's" service blue uniform (forerunner to my rate of Sonar Tech)... and also the dress uniform of Thomas Truxtun's relative, Commodore William Talbot Truxtun, who served in the 1880s. But what really knocked me out was the film shorts from the Spanish-American War... !

I bought way too many things from the gift store... one was a guide to Navy medals, badges and insignia since WWII... very cool! a CD of loon music, a present for Mom, a present for my Darling, a magnet, a BB-64 patch, a red garden banner (pictured), and a deck of cards of US WWI & II posters.

You may ask why the Marine flag... well, the Navy one wasn't as cool, and I folded over the part on top that says US Marines. Since their core values are the same as ours, I thought it just fine. Not to mention the 2nd guy from the right (without a rifle) is a Navy Corpsman, and the quote on the monument is from Admiral Nimitz. Okay... I proved my point.

Walked back to MacArthur Center Mall for a burger and shake at Johnny Rockets. Made it in there two minutes before they closed! Gee, they close early! 6pm! Then I decided to poke around the mall. Bought gummy bears at a candy shop for the next underway, then looked in on one of those cheap art galleries. Here comes my first first... I ended up buying one... a very lovely still-life original oil painting...

Then I left the mall and stopped by the little ice rink on the other side. I have never ice-skated as an adult... and I was terrified as soon as both feet were on ice. Went around three or four times... by the end I was even going little distances without hovering over the wall with my hands. :)

Got home and impulsively watched Holiday (1938, Cary Grant) and stayed up way too late! During stand-down I feel as if I'm still on holiday, but I still have to go into work pretty early! When will I learn? :)

Jw