Two Very Fine Evenings

Yes, they were!

Only short evenings off this week... early on I managed to relax with watching a couple favorites... Ever After and Persuasion. In the car, I started listening to Six Frigates: The Epic History of the Founding of the US Navy. Right now I'm in the middle of Thomas Truxtun's first battle with the French in the Quasi-War. It's a very interesting read so far.

But Thursday and Friday were particularly nice...

Thursday the 25th, I went downtown to the Virginia Arts Festival's International Tattoo.

(That's His Majesty the King's Guard from Norway, and Pipes and Drums from the 1st Battalion, Scots Guards, UK, joined with pipe bands from Canada and Australia.) I loved the Norwegians, and all the Bagpipers, and the French Paratrooper Band. Also the fifes and drums from Colonial Williamsburg were fun to watch.

Friday, I joined a few of my fellow Sonar Techs at a Sonar Tech's house in Chesapeake for an evening of fun: snacks, chicken wings, grilled stuffed mushrooms, fresh baked crab dip, sweet tea, and I had two samplings of fruit flavored beer (peach, watermelon). We stayed until it got dark, chatted around a camp fire, and generally had a wonderful time hanging out and watching all the little kids play.

Jw

To Maryland and Back

Plan of the Day:

Drive 3.5 hours to Luray Caverns, VA. A national historic landmark, and the most impressive cave I've seen.
Go a little further to New Market, have dinner at the Southern Kitchen, visit the local battlefield, continue 1.5 hours to Harper's Ferry National Historic Park. This was incredibly gorgeous, as Thomas Jefferson had commented in 1783. Stopped by because of its Civil War significance, but mostly enjoyed the view. Especially the bald eagle that flew overhead as I crossed the bridge on the Shenandoah... words can't describe how happy I felt. Merely a half-hour to Antietam, the bloodiest day of the Civil War, which happens to fall on my wedding anniversary, September 17th. It moved me to stand in the Bloody Lane and cross Burnside's Bridge. The day was so pretty, and the birds so happy... you could hardly believe what had happened just over 150 years prior. Then drive 4 hours home... and it was so worth it! I listened to the beginning of Jeff Shaara's Civil War Battlefields, and the majority of Jane Austin's Mansfield Park as I went. All those rolling hills of farmland and pastures... and perfect sunshine the whole day.

Getting off the I-95 at Fredericksburg,VA, continuing west on SR-3 through Chancellorsville, by the edge of the Wilderness and Salem Church, through the tiny towns of Culpeper and Sperryville, across the Skyline Drive of the Shenandoah National Park, through Luray, and New Market, VA, on I-81 to West Virginia, through Charles Town (didn't know it at the time, but that's where John Brown met his end) to Harper's Ferry. Then getting a little lost through Boonsboro, and Funkstown, MD, then back to Antietam National Battlefield on the Sharpsburg Pike. Leaving Antietam, back through Keedysville, Boonsboro, and Myersville as I labored to find I-70. Passed numerous towns and cities (only stopping for gas once I was well past the outskirts of Washington) on I-270 to I-495, back to I-95 and I-295 outside Richmond to I-64 and home.

Left at 5:20am and returned at 11:00pm.

Whew!
Jw

Laundry, History, and Ballet

Well, goodness, since Wednesday morning, much has happened. Most importantly though, I have a new niece, a very cute little girl named Jonna, that was born very early Wednesday morning (April 17th). I've only seen three photographs (that I got via email on my phone today), and I can't wait to meet her in person! Meg sent me a text that morning that I didn't see until after class. I called Mike right away, but he had received it too... I ended up waking him from a nightmare, so that was alright. Dad called as well to make sure I knew, so overall, it was a very pleasant morning.

In the rest of the day, I managed to clean my house (mostly sweeping), re-stock the bird-feeder, trim the grass, eat a sandwich, finish all my laundry, and read the book of Colossians while I waited. It beats watching General Hospital any day of the week. I was subjected to a TV talk show while folding my laundry, though. I felt tangible relief when I walked out the open double doors to my car.

That evening I missed watching a movie because I spent the whole time coming up with an idea for Saturday after I bought a ticket to the ballet for Friday. It was quite an idea, and came to me after considering how far the Tides away games were (central NC and near Atlanta). Compared to those places it wasn't far, but for a day trip it would be ambitious. 9 hours of driving... but you'll read about that in Saturday's post. I was very excited as I told Mike about it that night. It was a beautiful, cool spring evening too, so I went outside to talk.

Thursday after class I decided to go to Hampton (just across the bridge/tunnel). Tried out the Hampton History Museum and Visitor Center... I had reservations about going... thought it would be mostly visitor center. But I was very mistaken! It was a very impressive walk-through of Hampton's early history. I really enjoyed the short film they showed about one of the first photographers of the area who had a studio. Besides the myriads of portraits (the samples of which are always interesting) the guy also documented the area with his glass plates. Fun little surprise. And not only that, but they had a temporary exhibit upstairs of Civil War artifacts from the area. This was also quite interesting and even poignant, with articles such as the frock coat of a local son who was killed in a battle just outside his hometown and brought home to be buried. God, I could not imagine. Something I thought very interesting were two photographs of a church next to a window. One pre-dated the war, the other showed its destruction... and looking out the window, the church stands before you.

I continued on from Hampton to Newport News where I picked up a few things at Walmart (like a stool to put drinks on next to the couches) and had an old-fashioned burger at a little take-out place next door. Then I continued down the street to the archery range where I had the lanes to myself for most of the time.

Friday's class time was practically non-existent. I went home and changed, stopped by the library, saw my ship coming in off shore, and still arrived at the Norfolk Indoor Pool by 10:30. I had all five lanes of that to myself as well! Did a continuous thousand yards for the first time... ever. It wasn't lighting fast or anything, but I certainly enjoyed twenty solid minutes of fine cardiovascular exercise. After taking a shower at home, my friend who just got out of the Navy was on her way back home from taking care of her car in Florida, so she stopped by for lunch. We shared Lipton's chicken noodle soup and a couple grilled cheddar cheese sandwiches for a delightful time together.

After she left, I watched a rather odd 90s movie about the WWII home front in Louisiana that I found at the library. And after that, I watched an old favorite, Ever After, as well. And then it was time to go downtown for the first major performance of the 2013 Virginia Arts Festival: The Birmingham Royal Ballet's performance of Coppelia. This was very colorful and funny too! The sets were gorgeous (and probably very expensive) and the story was unlike any ballet I had ever heard of. A crazy old man makes life-like dolls to confuse the rest of the town and cause distress between a young couple. And everything ends up alright in the end, except for the doll. :) I had a wonderful seat near the back with a full view. Before everything started I noticed a British vice admiral come in, and soon after saw what I found online to be the Lord Mayor of Birmingham, who was also in attendance.

Jw

What to Do

These last couple days I've been feeling sort of at a loss, especially Monday and Tuesday. Sunday was grand, because after seeing Mozart's Clarinet Concerto and Requiem at the symphony in Virginia Beach, I met my friend Lauren at church, then took her out to Italian for dinner, and watched Follow the Fleet at home (because she knew the song, but not the film). It was a fun, full day. But after "work" on Monday, suddenly I was alone and had tons of time on my hands. I tried out the 1967 musical Camelot from the library... but didn't care much for it. So I watched The Sign of Zorro instead. It was great fun to watch, as always, but then I still had lots of time.

So I got in the car and went to B&N in Hampton to find another Bible (I was very glad to be able to give my new one to Lauren). And along with the very same edition, I found a small soft-leather edition with the imprint of birds sitting on wires and Matthew 6:26... "Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?" I thought, "This was made especially for me." And it was. I also stopped by Chipotle to bring home some guacamole, and Target (just to look around), and came home with some kitchen stuff I've been wanting and a thin and very comfortable set of plaid pajamas.

Tuesday I amused myself by watching The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer, then by making some chicken fettuccine Alfredo, cutting the grass again (it's fun with the push-mower), taking a walk over to our private little beachfront, returning and watching The Major and the Minor. Big news soon from home too... can't wait to hear!

We'll see about today.
Jw

Side Note

Looked out my screen door seconds after coming in from mowing the clover (I mean lawn) and putting out fresh seed in the feeder and on the patio as many prefer it...

What cute little friends. Just waved to a Robin by my little black aluminum fence as I am writing.

Jw

A Day Spent in Brooklyn

But first I shopped at the MacArthur Center Mall. Barnes and Noble just happened to be right around the corner... and the WWII shelf just happened to be first in line. And how could I resist a title like Sailor from Oklahoma (2009) from the Naval Institute Press? It's another rare enlisted Navy man's account of WWII from his experiences all over the world. I can't wait to start chapter 1.. "Escape from Oklahoma". I picked up an inexpensive, hardback ESV Bible (in the same font and style as my childhood 1984 NIV) while I continued looking around. Then I located the mall's only toy store... Go! Toys and Games for a beautiful 500-pc piece peacock puzzle, a 6" globe puzzle, and a gift for my niece and nephew. Put those things in the car, then went to Brooklyn... at the movies for a matinee.

42 was fabulous! Very 40s indeed! I was totally taken in with Harrison Ford's different sounding voice I didn't even recognize him for a minute or two. The details of the story of Jackie Robinson were all new to me, so I enjoyed every minute, wondering what would happen.

Stopped by Chipotle in Ghent for dinner, and looked in an incredible movie rental store... they had huge shelves up and down the store (like a crammed used book store) filled with films categorized by director. I might go there every day if I lived nearer... :) It seemed encyclopedic at the least. Stepped in a small art gallery after eating as well, and if I had a couple extra thousand dollars to burn, I would have come home with a neat impressionistic oil painting of three snowy egrets flying over a river's mouth, and a more realistic painting of birches along a forest lane.

While driving to and from downtown, I kept listening to 1776 by McCullough. Just happen to be in the middle (and now aftermath of) the Battle of Brooklyn, August of '76.

This evening I drove back downtown for the Virginia Stage Company's production of The Odd Couple (Niel Simon, 1965)... which I believe is set in New York (I thought I heard a reference to Central Park). I went to it even though beforehand, while resting in bed, I was hurting from not taking pills in time for cramps. I figured I could lay there in pain or go and watch a fabulous play in pain, the latter taking my mind completely off it (and the pills started kicking in too). I'm so glad I did! It was so funny and touching. That and they offered a Military/Student special of $16.50 tickets for day of the show purchases.

I was completely wiped out when I got home, though. I fell asleep on the couch for a bit after talking to Mike. What a fun day!

Jw

Sunday and Beyond

Last Sunday, I caught up on my posting, but failed to write about the day itself. In the afternoon, I picked up a friend from the ship who's getting out of the Navy soon, and together we went to the Virgina Symphony in Virginia Beach. It was a short, kid-friendly, afternoon concert called "Up, Up and Away" with space and flight-themed music. They acted as if everyone was on "Virginia Symphony Airways" flight, and the conductor even wore a captain's uniform. "Flight attendants" came out in the beginning to show us where the exits were and how to use the program. They started with Ride of the Valkyries, which caused a delay in our taking off the runway, then Flight of the Bumblebee, as the captain conducted with a fly-swatter. Suddenly, we were in space for the Star Wars Suite (Rebels, Yoda's Theme, Imperial March) then came back down to earth's atmosphere to come across E.T. on a bike, and a floating house from Up. They finished with the Suite from How to Train Your Dragon. Goodness! How fun is that?!

From the symphony, we drove directly to church, at the new one I was introduced to last week. We were very early, enjoyed just sitting and listening to the worship band's rehearsal while we talked. Kristin and Dan came and sat with us, and afterwords, they had a huge potluck for everyone... pulled pork or beef sandwiches and baked beans. It was very delicious. And the sermon was wonderful too. More on Colossians about God's will for our lives, firstly, that we belong to him, and then that we surrender every area of our lives as if everything we do for family, work, friends or society is for him; and how that compliments those areas in the end.

This week I've taken it pretty easy... finished up my last two puzzles and watched lots of movies (Jarhead... I was forever curious... now no more, Guys and Dolls... which I heartily enjoyed, and to follow it up, On the Waterfront... which has to be Karl Malden's best role ever, and to finish, Toy Story 3... which I missed in theaters because I joined the Navy - and still hadn't seen for some reason - ... who knew an animated story could be so moving. I actually cried in the end... they did a great job wrapping up that story.) Tonight I've got Virginia City (Errol Flynn, Randolph Scott, Humphrey Bogart, 1940) to try. I also managed to stop being lazy today, and actually did a workout at the gym on base to see where I'm at for next month's test. I did the best I've ever done... 132 calories in 12 minutes... which is an Excellent, I think.

Nothing too exciting in the way of food this week, except for last night when I treated myself out to the Ship's Cabin for scallops and hot bread. I got to sit outside, it has been so warm here! I loved hearing the ocean as I read more in the Caine Mutiny while I waited for the food.

Oh, and after I mowed my lawn Monday night, I found this toad trapped behind the wire under my fence and set him free... so glad I didn't hurt him with the mower!

And while driving around this week, I've listened to the first half of 1776 by David McCullough. I love it! I'll have to get John Adams on audio as well sometime.

Jw  

Birds, Baseball, and Bountiful Food

Ever since I've put up the bird feeder on the post of the fence, nailing it down with four little nails through the mesh of the bottom of it, I've found some permanent residents for my little backyard. The sparrows were digging in the seeds all week, scattering them all over the cement patio outside the back door. The mourning doves have camped out either up there on the fence or down on the patio. I've had a few other friends as well, but I don't know their names... like my little red friend next to the doves.

Went to the Tides baseball game last night in the 2nd game of the season. I've heard of low-scoring games, but this was a no-scoring game... through 10 innings. By the time they went to the 11th, my poor frozen feet had had enough. Really enjoyed the burger, the popcorn and the hot chocolate I had too. Although I had brought a couple coats and a blanket, I bought a sweatshirt in the 7th to tide me over. Good thing I left when I did too... they lost it in the 11th. As you can see, I had a great seat.

Sandwich and dessert I've had two days in a row now. That's a half of an avocado, cheddar cheese, turkey, tomato, red onion, alfalfa sprouts, mustard and mayo on wheat toast. Yum!

Jw

Staying at Home

Well this week has been fun! Right after work on Monday, I came home and assembled the push-mower that had come in the mail last week. Turned out to be an excellent, sturdy model (only $60 including shipping when I bought it), being exactly what I needed. The next day at the NEX, I bought a metal rake to get rid of the clippings and a pair of gardening shears to trim the edges of the patio, and that worked out very well too.

I also started another 1000-piece puzzle that I've had sitting around for years, and finished it on Friday.

This greatly reminds me of camping on Ham lake in Minnesota... so very vivid and nostalgic. See what I mean: 2012 BWCA Photo Contest.

On our special day off from work on Thursday (after our duty day), I invited Kari home for breakfast before driving her to her own place (her car is in the shop). It's always such a pleasure to be off the ship after duty, but having an excellent breakfast to share was the tops. We had scrambled eggs with cheese, turkey sausage, orange juice and wheat toast with jelly. Yum!

On the way back from taking her home, I stopped at the library to pick up the other two Lord Peter Wimsey movies that were waiting for me (they had been in storage). While there I poked around a little, picking up a Lincoln Brewster CD Today is the Day, a book about the Civil War navy, War on the Waters (is someone going to attack Mike and I?), a couple audio books (Mansfield Park and 1776... both too long for me to sit down and read), and three other movies, besides the two Wimseys (Guys and Dolls, Jarhead, and the Adventures of Robin Hood - too look at the extras).

And what extras they had! I loved everything I looked at: the Making-Of film, the film historian-narrated behind the scenes footage, the two Loony Toons R.H. themed cartoons, the blooper reel of films of 1938, and finally, audio of a NBC radio program from 1938, advertising the film by having Basil Rathbone introduce the live orchestra playing the film's score. He would describe the scene fitting each piece and said lots of nice things about Errol Flynn and Olivia deHavilland. I listened while I worked on my puzzle, and it was so enjoyable. What memorable music! Turns out the composer Korngold came from Vienna on invitation to work on the film, just before the Nazis took over.

I don't think I've gone out to eat this whole week! That's pretty irregular for me, but I don't mind. Made tacos on Monday, strawberry shortcake on Tuesday, and Thursday night, spaghetti and sauce with Italian sausage and mushrooms mixed in. Lots of trips to the commissary and Farm Fresh, though. :) I watched both Wimsey films (1987, BBC), Strong Poison and Gaudy Night. The latter I watched yesterday and was amazed at how the crammed that long novel into merely three episodes. They condensed it pretty well, though. Must read that again soon! I did read a few more chapters of that Christian novel... not too terribly excited about it anymore. Seems like it's trying to be graphic and shocking (it's centered on the Roman gladiator games), but toned down for teenagers at the same time; there's a lot of youthful angst in it.

Anyway, I've been thoroughly enjoying my time off this week!
Jw