Precious Time

Late Friday night (Gee, has it been a week already?), I picked up my dear friend Julie from the Norfolk airport. I flew her over here to visit for the weekend while we still have a chance. Saturday, I was able to show her all over my ship after cooking her a breakfast at home. We ate some delicious Thai food on Hampton Blvd just afterwords, then picked up some salmon and things from the commissary... for the full Norfolk experience. Back at home we watched some Foyle's War, relaxed, played some music on the horn, and then went out for dessert before dinner: pie and coffee at a cafe in Newport News. While we were at it, we shot some archery at my favorite range (not far from the cafe). It was Julie's first time shooting, and she did decently. As this is my third time shooting this month, I did much better than the last time. We ate our leftovers at home as we watched some of my disc from Netflix, the French detective Maigret.

Sunday morning we slept in again and went out for crabmeat omelets at my favorite place on Shore Drive. Did laundry at the oceanfront... walked on the beach... then we took off to go shoot my pistol, but we had a bit of a time finding things that were open. The range on base was permanently closed, so we decided to go to the art museum first, but that was randomly closed too... they need money. Then I remembered there was an exhibit of some of the museums paintings at a location near the mall, but that ended up being closed too. Sorry for the inconvenience, indeed! So we crossed the mall and went to the MacArthur museum instead. That was open, and even fun! Took a detour in the mall to look at the toy store, then took off for a gun range in Virginia Beach. We were able to do that even though they were a little full. And then we made it to church a little late, but enjoyed it very much. Had salmon for dinner back home (which was very yummy! had it with veggies (asparagus, sprouts, and yellow squash - sliced and baked with cheese on top). We watched The Women, as Julie had never seen it before and I had it on my mind. Much fun indeed.

Jw

A Few Things

With all the duty I've been standing, it's no wonder I barely have anything to talk about.

Wednesday, October 2, I managed to do something out of the ordinary, though... Cinemark in Chesapeake played Alfred Hitchcock's Vertigo, and I made it in time for the last showing. Disappointed I missed To Kill a Mockingbird, a couple weeks beforehand; but seeing Jimmy Stewart larger than life was thrilling anyway. Someone in the audience gasped when the murder was done... I was on edge, myself, even though I've seen it a few times (first time as an adult, though - goodness, did I ever pay attention to details as a kid? A lot of it seemed new).

I baked a pumpkin pie last week, and only finished eating it tonight! I've been really lazy about dishes and laundry, but I forced myself to take care of both those things yesterday after a couple-hour nap when I got home from the ship.

I haven't ate out very much at all... I'm so wiped out when I get home, I usually have something quick, like soup and sandwiches. But Tuesday this week, I did go out to Franco's By the Bay for some delicious spaghetti... and I got a half order even then. After dinner, I went on to deposit a recent check from my Dad, then decided to go to Pembroke Mall just to poke around. I tried out Bed, Bath & Beyond for the first time... and I found lots of neat things... a few for deployment and a few for the house.

I've been playing my horn and cello... and today, while stuck in traffic on Tidewater after picking up a couple things at the store after work, I killed time (it took an hour and a half to get home from Walmart) by listening to and watching YouTube videos of The Piano Guys... which is all cello, all the time! Made me not go crazy! I started with their Lord of the Rings video, and that was probably because it was in my mind... I rented the second and third movies from the library the other day and watched them together... the way I've always wanted too... without any of the long, drawn-out, annoying, and dull scenes with Frodo, Sam and Gollum. It went a lot faster, was more congruous and enjoyable.

(On different occasions) I also watched Spencer's Mountain (1963, Henry Fonda), Letters From Iwo Jima (2006, Clint Eastwood)... the battle from the Japanese perspective... which was very interesting. And tonight I finished Road to Rio (1947), the last Road picture that I've seen. Lately on Netflix, I watched Merrill's Marauders (1962, Jeff Chandler), A Bit of Fry and Laurie (from the 80's), and more of Stephen Fry in America (2008), which is very fun and interesting... and another viewing of the highlights from Jane Eyre (1983, Timothy Dalton) because I love it so very much. It's so faithful to the book... shockingly good for 1980s TV. Of course, it is BBC.

Also tonight, I started a puzzle upstairs... so I have lots of choices of things to do around the house.

Jw

A Whole Two Days Off!

I've had a real weekend! And it was wonderful!

Yesterday morning as I got off around 8am, I stopped by the grocery on the way home for juice, milk and Parmesan cheese for my leftover spaghetti at home; and I picked up a little sushi for lunch too.

Went through the mail, watched Mansfield Park (from Netflix - which I had seen before) as I ate a big breakfast. Then I couldn't help re-watching some Jane Eyre (1983, BBC) that I had watched last Sunday... I loved it so much, I thought about it all week long during the underway. Took a couple-hour nap since I was so tired from Friday's duty day.

Wrote more posts online for my Darling's weekly song project, then watched an episode of Fawlty Towers and Midsomer Murders. How bout that for contrasting TV shows! To finish the relaxing day out I watched The Lilies of the Field (1963, Sidney Poitier) that I enjoyed very much. I didn't bother with doing much of anything since I knew I had Sunday as well. Had a nice little chat with Linda before going to bed though.

I managed to spend this Sunday pretty wisely, only missing out on one thing I planned to do. Woke pretty early without an alarm around 8am. I cleaned up right away, even cleaning the house before breakfast. Breakfast was neat because I used the "perfect pancake" pan that I got online after seeing Grampa and Gramma's earlier this month. And even though I burned them a little, they were still pretty good. Listened to Enya and Michelle Tumes while I ate.

Then I packed up the laundry and my new paperback copy of Captain Blood and headed over to Ocean View for some beachfront reading in the brisk fall breeze. While the laundry dried, I drove across the street to the library where I purchased some printable sheet music (Music of the Night, All I Ask of You, May It Be & Only Time). By the time I made it home I had time for an episode of Fawlty Towers before going to church. And church was very good... an introduction to the topic that will last until Christmas: seeing God's plan for Christ throughout the Old Testament. He preached on 1Cor. 2 (Paul teaching about the fulfillment of "Moses and the Prophets" and the story from Luke 24 of Jesus "opening up the Scriptures" to his unknowing disciples after the resurrection, showing them God's plan for himself.

Back at home I played my new music on my horn... all five flats in a couple of the pieces... and re-learned a few fingerings for D flat and A flat... not very common key signatures. Enjoyed it a great deal; I love those Phantom songs.

Jw

An Eventful, Relaxing End to a Week

Monday the 26th, and Tuesday the 27th were late days at work; so I didn't do much at home besides crash. I did do some coloring in coloring books... a fine way to relax I suppose. Also, I played a bunch more on my French horn, which is always fun to do. I had steak for dinner at home one of these nights... so good.

Wednesday was different at work since I had to go out in town for some things... and I had some Panera Bread with my shipmate while we were out. Four cheese souffle and a little reading in Neptune's Inferno as well. That evening at home I set up my account for my churches' online forum and responded to the thread in my email that got me interested in finally doing it. Also talked with my family back home, and that was awfully nice. I think it was the weekend that I bought the futon for my extra bedroom... I set it up that evening and was very pleased with it. Also went swimming at the community pool for the first time... only one in it for a while... and the weather was so pleasant.

Thursday at lunch time I was let off the ship to do another errand and stopped by a little Chinese place on Hampton Blvd called Golden Dragon. They have a shrimp pad Thai that I adore, so I had that and watched the news on TV about Syria as I ate. Two different people asked me what my dish was as they came up near the counter to order. :) That night I stopped by Burger King for some fast food, went home and watched Sleeping Beauty again. I don't think I'll ever get enough of that film.

Friday I got off early, although a little later than the rest of my division (by choice). And I had such a good time... all week I had been thinking of trying out Carrabba's Italian Grill, after seeing so many ads on TV during the underway, and then remembering one of my first classes talking about how much she loved it. So I drove all the way to Lynnhaven Pkwy in Virginia Beach to experiment. Goodness, my waitress was buoyant. She squeee'd with delight when I told her it was my first time. She did suggest an excellent dish too... so I was impressed with the friendly service and the taste. They make the Olive Garden seem like McDonald's. I had a perfectly seared, tender grilled chicken breast with goat cheese and red peppers on top. And for an extra dollar, my side became a small portion of fettuccine Alfredo with mushrooms and peas mixed in just because I asked. Oh, but the chicken soup! Goodness! I've never had better. And the bread with oil and spice for dipping was nice too. Okay, enough about the food. I also got to sit outside in perfect evening weather and watch ESPN's promo stuff for college football's opening weekend... including a tidbit on the Huskies. Never had time to read my book... the service was way too fast.

After that lovely experience, I went back to the mall and spent a good long time in Barnes & Noble, just poking around looking at everything. I bought one book... an illustrated history of knights that looks very fun... otherwise I looked up books that I thought interesting online while I browsed, and generally found them for a quarter or half the price. Got a little memoir from Dick Van Dyke, and another interesting one... Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey: The Lost Legacy of Highclere Castle (can't wait to look at that one!). Also: Bridging the Military-Civilian Divide: What Each Side Must Know About The Other—And Itself (promises to be fun!), The Conquest of the Ocean (so pretty!), and lastly (and randomly) a sci-fi young-adult novel by Jasper Fforde.. The Last Dragonslayer. On my way home I remembered to stop off at Walmart to return a couple things I didn't need, and to pick up a floor lamp for the spare bedroom. 

Saturday I had duty, so nothing much happened. But come Sunday, I had a whole two days to myself... and boy, did I enjoy them! Started off with a fabulous breakfast to include singed spam and waffles. Then I finished reading the last Arn book... Birth of the Kingdom. I cried at the last paragraph, partly from it's power, and partly because I was so sad that there was no more to read! While I heartily enjoyed the film, as usual, the books were a thousand times better... the five-hour miniseries just scratched the surface of this extraordinary trilogy. I loved how much the author knew and respected the middle ages... reminded me of C.S. Lewis. 

There were a few things that I've been wanting to do for a while that I finally decided on this weekend: I subscribed to MHQ for two years (military history quarterly - I've been buying them off the newsstand since I joined the Navy); second (on Monday), I rented a cello. Stopped at a music store in Virginia Beach that I looked up in order to get more music for my horn... and remembered my desire to branch out. Lastly, I signed up for Netflix, and found the amount of things I can watch directly on my TV astounding: the entire series of Foyle's War, Dick Van Dyke, Midsomer Murders, Miss Marple, Ken Burns' Civil War and Baseball, and even Star Trek and MacGuyver... instantly! ...as well as a wide variety of classic and modern films. Monday I watched the last of season 6 Foyle, an episode of Jack Benny, and a Cary Grant film I'd never seen before: People Will Talk, which was very fun. 

Sunday I managed to get my laundry done before church... and I enjoyed another trip to Ynot Pizza afterwords. Monday (Labor Day) afforded time to sleep in, more fabulous breakfast, time to reorganize my clothes (including the ones that got shipped here from home - finally), put together the extra coffee table I had bought during the summer (in the spare bedroom), then finish with the grand musical shopping trip and movie-watching marathon before mentioned. 

How enjoyable are simple things!
Jw

Finally, Peace and Rest

In the month of August so far, a day and a half to spend as I willed (not counting five hours on Tuesday, and Thursday afternoon and evening).

(During the few hours on Tuesday, I mowed the lawn, sorted through the mail and swept the floor, besides going out for dinner at El Azteca, my favorite local Mexican place before I had to return to the ship. Thursday after work, I stopped by the movie rental place and tried out Game of Thrones... turns out the amount and type of pornography and gore is way too much for my tolerance level... no more for me. I finished out the evening by listening to First and Second Timothy while I wrote on the other blog. I needed a mental washing. And I also got to talk to Mom for over an hour... that was really nice.)

Oh, my gosh... where did I start? When I was let off from work on Friday afternoon, the first thing  I did was stop for a late lunch at the sushi place on Hampton Blvd with the all-you-can-eat special. After that I spent a good hour picking things up for the ship... and then I really was on my own time.

Spent some time online, talked to my sister about some plans for October, then went to Walmart to pick up new bedsheets and pillows, and birdseed for my wild pets. They didn't have the cheap standard pillows... so I broke down and bought the expensive downy pillows... and I'm so glad I did! They are so much more comfortable! Shopping always takes longer than I mean it to, but I was still in plenty of time to go swimming right afterwords as I planned. The odd thing was, when I got to the indoor pool, they told me they were still closed for 20 minutes or so because of the lighting storm that last struck 10 minutes beforehand. I was dumbfounded as to why they'd close an indoor pool for a storm... but it afforded me time to finish the chapter in a book I was reading that happened to be in the car. Finished just as they opened, and managed to do a thousand yards in twenty-five minutes.

Came home, cleaned up, spent a bunch more time online, had only a P&J for dinner, and finished the evening out with a phone call to my Darling for nearly two hours while lounging in my comfortable bed.

Today, glorious today, I slept in til 9, made myself a wonderful breakfast, painted the door to the shed outside (it was badly in need of a new coat... and I so enjoyed making it look like new), bought a futon for the extra bedroom (I have guests coming!) and did the laundry in Ocean View. I picked up a few things at Rite Aid across the street and read in The Templar Knight along the shore as the stiff breeze blew small waves continually onto the beach (instead of watching Titanic on ABC Family inside... what a choice!) while waiting. I laughed to myself as Celine Dion's My Heart will Go On played during the credits while I folded my clothes... what fun my sister and I used to poke at that. What a blast from the past! I was 14 when that came out. I remember hearing about it from the girls on my Jr. High basketball team, how wonderful it was. Then I went to see it with my family... I've never been so miserable in a movie theater. I finished up folding as Disney's Hunchback of Notre Dame came on... what was this? a bad '90s movies marathon? I went back out to the shoreline to read more Arn even though my laundry was all done. It was so beautiful, breezy and relaxing.

Back at home, I broke out my French horn and warmed up, remembering the fingering for all the notes... which came back to me pretty easily. It was as hard as ever to know what note to start on though... the horn can play so many notes without any valves involved; sometimes it's hard for me to hear where I am. It was a real joy to play again... I think I shall do this more often. To continue feeling like it was the '90s, I even broke out a coloring book and did a page and a half.

Had a dinner of a couple steaks, green beans and peaches... and later on tonight I had some nachos. Watched The Young Victoria for some entertainment, and enjoyed it as much as I remember I did before.

I feel so refreshed... it's so good to take a break once in a while... or a month.

Jw

To Wear a Coat Again

And I will try and recount for you the month of July. With the mini vacation, all the underways and duty days, and the time I wanted to spend just sitting on the couch with my darling Michael, I never found time to write about what we did together this month. Thankfully I did jot down a couple notes:

July 3rd, when we got home from the command picnic, we packed up our car and the pets and headed west on I-64 across the bridge to go north around Richmond to Mount Vernon, Virginia for the long weekend. On the way we listened to a compilation of patriotic music starting with Frank Sinatra's The House I Live In. It was only a 3-hour drive, so even though we left after five, we still made it to our hotel at a decent hour, with time for a real rest before getting up relatively early the next morning.

Our Independence Day began at Denny's, across the street from our hotel, the Quality Inn. George Washington's Mount Vernon was an incredibly neat place to spend the fourth. Got there just in time for a front row viewing of General Washington reviewing of a Virginia militia company in the year 1777, and then listening to a reading of the Declaration. After touring his magnificent house, we watched a naturalization ceremony on the lawn overlooking the Potomac River (what a view!). We stopped by the Washington's grave, then poked through the underground museum... and a neat one it was! What I really enjoyed seeing was a porcelain serving bowl decorated with a three-masted ship. Apparently, it was a gift from Commodore Thomas Truxtun, my ship's namesake. For lunch we went to Ruby Tuesday for burgers after taking care of the pets. It was such a hot day, we were pretty worn out, so we took a little nap after lunch. Woke up in time to watch A Capitol Fourth on the HDTV in our room, even though the real thing was only a half-hour's drive north. For dinner, we returned to Ruby Tuesday for the pasta we thought about getting at lunch.

On the 5th, we had something different at Denny's, then drove up to Arlington to take a look at the U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial (the Iwo Jima monument), which I've wanted to see since I was about 14... well, ever since I watched Sands of Iwo Jima and read about Gen. Chesty Puller. I felt like a little kid when we got out of the car. No wonder my parents and I missed it in 2005... it's a hard to find exit for it off a freeway entrance, and it's outside the National Cemetary's fence. We went straight to downtown Alexandria from there to ride a riverboat up the Potomac to D.C. for a look at the monuments, the bridges, the parks, and the Watergate Hotel. Had iced tea and popcorn as we rode, and we even got a little salt water in the face. Went back to take care of the pets, and left early for the Nationals baseball game. The traffic to catch the train was terrible, but once we got on, it was a breeze. The baseball game was a lot of fun... lots of exciting play, the Nats winning 8-5 in eight and a half innings. The train going back was hard only because we had to wait in a long line for tickets.

On the 6th, after our last Denny's breakfast, we packed and left by noon. Michael was a darling and stopped off for me at the National U.S. Marine Corps Museum at Quantico. I looked around for a half-hour, speeding through the exhibits as fast as I could, and loved looking at the original 2nd flag from Iwo Jima (the big one). There was lots of traffic on the way home, including a car fire on the opposite freeway, and some accidents. After depositing the pets at home, we enjoyed my traditional seafood dinner before an underway at The Ship's Cabin off Ocean View Drive. What a glorious weekend!

The 7th, although a Sunday, I had to spend entirely on board ship. Then we were gone on the 8th, returning the 9th. Went out to Franco's By the Bay for a lovely Italian dinner and then spent a quiet evening together. The 10th, although a normal workday in port, was much like the day before, only we stayed home and made hamburgers. I think one of these days we watched Cinderella Man, and a Mystery Science Theater 3000 thriller the other night... one of the 3 or 4 films or shorts we watched this summer.

Monday the 15th, just back from an underway, we celebrated by going out to Captain George's again and enjoyed it just as much as before. We took the round about way home on shore drive to avoid interstate traffic. Back at home, we took out the dog.

16th: I enjoyed gathering up lots of Charlie's hair all over the floor every now and then... :) No, I'd rather have my Darling here with his animals and have to sweep more often then not. It will be lonely when I get back. Grilled some burgers for dinner, took the dog out again, watched some MST3K shorts, and the Sleeping Beauty Ice Ballet again. Missed some of the later scenes because I was so tired. Good thing I had watched it before!

Wednesday the 17th was lots of fun! Had a quick snack before heading out to the base to show Mike how to get to my ship (so he could visit me on my upcoming Saturday duty), then since the base laundry was jammed, we went back to the laundromat in Ocean View. While the clothes dried, we stopped at Walmart on Tidewater to pick up a couple things. The main event though was heading out to the Cinema Cafe in Hampton to see Despicable Me 2, and have dinner. Had another lovely walk with the dog when we got back.

The 18th was rather laid back. Watched some music videos on YouTube, especially Michelle Tumes and Enya, along with a few literal versions of 80s hits. I put the shelf I got at Walmart together to put all my dinosaurs from home on, and Mike prepared a wonderful salmon dinner with lots of fixings. I really loved just sitting and talking for a while... that's the beauty of living together, I guess. I also managed to write about the Navy on my other blog.

Friday, the 19th was grand. Got off pretty early from work finally, and we enjoyed an afternoon in Virginia Beach by having burgers at Abby Road, walking along Atlantic Avenue, window shopping, playing a 18-round of indoor mini golf, and buying souvenir t-shirts.  Went home to relax and take care of the pets, then we had a late dinner at the Macaroni Grill.

Even though Saturday was my duty day, I got to see Mike when he came to share a pizza and take a tour of the ship. When I got back home Sunday morning the 21st, we both got lots more sleep. For dinner, we went to El Azteca on East Little Creek Rd., my favorite local Mexican restaurant. That evening there was a deluge of rain that flooded the backyard (even a little rain will flood the backyard, but for this one I thought of the boat shoes that Leonardo da Vinci invents in the film Ever After and how useful they'd be).

On Monday the 22nd, we went out to dinner at Fellini's, another local Italian place, but one we went to last year when we first transferred here. And there was more RAIN.

I was very tired the evening of the 23rd. Didn't even want to drive very far for dinner, so we tried out the Sunset Grill at the very end of the Willoughby Spit... just about sunset too... and it was wonderful! Shared some broiled shrimp and a delicious fried fillet of halibut.

Wednesday the 24th we went to the last Tides baseball game we could manage to go to. I brought some Chipotle in with me, and Mike had his usual pizza... the game was really, really long. At the end of two-and-a-half hours, it was only the top of the eighth, so since they were losing and I had to work early, we left. We did enjoy watching the Tides come back to within one run, but as we found out at home, they ended up giving up another run before it was over. We also missed another late rain... so it was good that we did what we did.

The evening of Thursday the 25th, we returned to Mom and Pops for dinner, and ran into another light rain as we drove to get a couple things at the grocery store, and on to the nearest Krispy Kreme for dessert.

Friday I had duty again, so when I got home on Saturday the 27th, I had a big breakfast, then took a long nap. We had a light dinner at Pollard's Chicken (like a local KFC... but tasting much better), went shopping for groceries and for the pets, came home and mixed up a chocolate cake, took the dog on a walk while it baked, cooked up a marvelous dinner of scallops, shrimp and steak with corn-on-the-cob, biscuits and pasta. The best surprise was wanting to put on coats while we sat outside as Mike smoked his pipe and we talked... it's been a very hot summer in Virginia, so this was a wonderful change. Back inside we watched more YouTube music videos on my TV for fun and relaxation.

Today, Sunday, July 28th: I was finally able to sleep in! ...for the first time since... June. Cleaned up the dinner mess, caught up blogging (obviously), had a lovely breakfast at noon, watched a silly Fred MacMurray film from 1963 (Kisses for My President) which felt like a kid movie with adult themes. But Fred was as fun as ever to watch. Then we went to church, met the Daugherty's, then went to Red Lobster on Independence Blvd. for our traditional farewell dinner. As the saying goes about all good things... and living with my husband was a very, very good thing.

I love you, Darling. I know we both will look back on this time we shared with the fondest of memories.

Two Long Weekends!

Well, I've somehow kept busy enough to keep away from here for over two weeks after pulling in from ten days out. So... it's been a while.

Way back on Saturday morning, the 23rd, just after 8am, I found myself back at my car after over a week at sea and a long night of standing watch. It is always such a pleasant feeling to find yourself back on land and back with familiar things. The first thing I saw in my car was a Virginia Symphony ad for a pops concert that very night in downtown... an evening with Big Bad Voodoo Daddy. I had left it there so I wouldn't forget about it, I suppose. Well, the first thing I did, even before going home was to head over to my favorite diner, the Sandfiddler Cafe, for my favorite... western omelet with hash and pancakes. After resting at home for a while, I headed out to Virginia Beach for a DVD player (for my new TV) and a couple frames for a couple puzzles that I didn't feel like breaking up.

The concert ended up being very crowded at the Chrysler Center downtown. I barely made it there in time because it was so hard to find parking. Ended up leaving the car at the MacArthur Center Mall garage, then walked the block or so back to the symphony. Then when I finally got to my seat in the back row, there was someone sitting in it! She got up and mentioned that she was only sitting there to be next to her friends, so I offered to take her seat, wherever that was (the one I bought was the cheapest price in the house, so it wasn't too magnanimous of me). She gave me her special seating in the second row on the extreme right... a view to die for, right behind the piano so I could even see the fingers fly! What a trade!

As for the concert itself, gosh, did I enjoy it! They're celebrating their 20th year this year and still have all their original members... I did want to swing in the aisles, as the flier advertised I would, when I heard them play. They were very energetic, and played very light, happy, jazz, swing, big-band and Dixieland sounds. At intermission, I ran out to the foyer and bought their new album Rattle Them Bones before the table got swamped. And I've been listening it in my car ever since. I was surprised by a sweet love song half-way through the album on the way home that they didn't play at the concert... called It Only Took a Kiss. Immediately, I was swept away with it as it plainly described my own love with Michael.

Sunday the 24th I took pretty easy. I finished the Sleeping Beauty puzzle I had started before the underway... then I watched the first episode of Horatio Hornblower, made a very quick trip back to Best Buy to return the B/R player that wouldn't respond in the menu screen for a cheaper, but more reliable DVD player (saving $30). I started another puzzle (backyard birds this time), watched the extras disc of Sleeping Beauty to test out the new player, and ended up watching the entire "making of" film and found it very interesting. Interviews with the artists and actors, and lots of neat pictures and footage of what they went through to bring it all together. Actors in costumes, going through the motions for the artists. Casting selections, and inspirations for characters. Then I made a delicious dinner of shrimp, scallops and asparagus, and watched the live feed of Mike's church in Norman for service that night at 7pm, my time. I even saw him shake hands with people on screen during the meet & greet part.

Monday the 25, I turned 30 years old in the morning while working on a couple checks on the Sonar Dome at work. No one remembered, but before I came in, I had a message from my parents and husband on Facebook... what more could you want? :) And then I was let off early because of the evening class I had to attend, starting at 6:30 pm, lasting for 4 hours. So it was about noon-ish when I got groceries and gas at the commissary. Since I woke up late that morning, and had to rush to work, I made an excellent breakfast for lunch when I got home around 12:30. After that I worked on my puzzle, took a nap, and managed to stop for Burger King before making my way back to base for my class in Divisional Safety Petty Officer training. Oh, joy!

Because it was a two-day class, my supervisor (Senior Chief) let me off of work on Tuesday the 26th. Another fine birthday present, I think. I slept in, had cereal, watched Sleeping Beauty for a belated birthday movie, had Pad Thai shrimp for lunch, went to the shooting range on the Marine Corps base to shoot my own pistol for the first time (enjoyed it quite a bit although I was limited by the one clip of 15 rounds I brought with me... they were out of it at the store), then continued on directly to the laundromat in Ocean View and read more in The Caine Mutiny while I waited. More puzzling at home before the last installment of my class that night. Also got in a nice long call with my parents and sister Meg before talking with Mike.

Wednesday, I was allowed to come in late again! What a week! Slept in again! Didn't have to be in to work until 11am, so I heartily enjoyed a full breakfast. All I had time to do at work before we were let go to work out was get the divisional safety binder in order. And after the 30 minutes on the elliptical, another STG and I went to a public indoor pool in Norfolk for a wonderful half-hour's swim. I only did 600 yds, but that was because I stopped and talked with my friend more often than not. After dropping her back at her house, I returned home for a shower, then went down the street to Franco's Italian Cuisine for dinner and enjoyed spaghetti with meatballs the size of baseballs, hot bread and decaff for a treat. The next day was my duty day, so I saved half the meal for dinner on the ship (which ended up being much better than what they served!).

Friday afternoon, the beginning of my second wonderful weekend, I relaxed at home for a while, working a bunch on my puzzle and eating some pizza from the freezer for lunch. I had to stay long enough for UPS to deliver my push-mower from Amazon (which apparently required a signature - they tried to find me at home on my duty day and left a note) before I took off for Kristin and Dan's. It finally came around 6:30, so I made it over to Chesapeake around 7:15. They waited to have dinner until I got there too... so very sweet! We had pulled-pork sandwiches and coleslaw as we watched one of the TV shows they enjoy on Hulu... called "Revolutions". Then we finished the last of the John Adams series which we had started late last year.

Saturday the 30th, slept in til 8, and then we took off to have an Easter brunch with their close friends. I loved the egg & sausage casserole best... and had a good time meeting everyone. A couple notable things I enjoyed looking at at their house:  not sure what type of fish this was, but the Naval Academy Press book dated from 1939! I was disappointed the Sears book did not have a toy section.

Upon returning to their house, Kristin and I watched the BBC Lord Peter Wimsey film (4 TV episodes) of Have His Carcase from 1987. This was the book I just finished reading underway, so it was great fun! It was the only L.P.W. dvd I could find at our library, but I didn't mind... liked it very much. Just like the BBC too... some scenes are pulled from the book word for word!. I think I shall see the two others with these actors before I watch the Ian Carmichael series. Then I picked up my book for a while (A Voice in the Wind - a Christian/historical fiction/romance novel that the other Lay Leader on the Truxtun lent me to read - after talking about it on watch together) before Kristin and Dan came downstairs and we watched a movie (Diamonds are Forever - forgive me) and more Hulu (New Girl) before going to bed.

Today! my brother's birthday and the day we celebrate our Lord's resurrection, the 31st, we all slept in. I was downstairs first, even after my shower, so I read some more in my book. There were leftovers from yesterday's brunch, and then I read some more and chatted with Kristin about church. While she went to go get ready for the day, I borrowed her sewing machine and sewed the crows and name tapes on a new pair of coveralls, then did more straight seams along a dark gray fleece blanket for the ship. When I finished, we broke out a puzzle on the kitchen table and nearly finished it before our Easter lunch of baked ham, sweet potato casserole, and green bean casserole. Mmm! Did more puzzle and then took off for an evening Easter service at the new church they're attending... Crosscurrent Church off Indian River Road in Kempsville.

What a surprise! It is so very much like the church I've been missing for ten months now... Mission Valley Christian Fellowship in San Diego. It's about the same size, also meeting in a classic, old-style chapel that is shared by another church. They only have a couple guitars and a drum set, and a very Biblical, down-to-earth, no nonsense way of teaching. I already met a couple nice young women my age who assume I'm coming to their small group too! They do communion every Sunday, and in the same manner as MVCF... everyone gets in two lines and comes to the front. Good Lord, praises for today's find! I said goodbye to Kristin and Dan in the parking lot, as we had drove separately, and we parted ways while getting on different ramps to I-64. Praise God! I am happy.

Jw

If My Eyes Could be Cameras

It's really neat to say, "I think I'll go to Petersburg today." Back in Washington I could have said that about Ellensburg... but that's just not the same.

I had got 10 hours of sleep the night before, so I woke up Saturday ready to do whatever. I made breakfast, somehow lost a few hours online figuring out what I felt like doing that day. It ranged from Chincoteague to Richmond to just Norfolk. I decided on Petersburg just before 10 and left right around then. Packed sandwich stuff and cameras and CDs... deviated from the GPS route so I could cross the James River Bridge... and picked up coffee, turkey, mustard, bananas and a carrot to supplement my own supplies.

  The countryside was so pretty! I wish I could have stopped to take pictures of everything I saw... the bales of cotton stacked in a cotton field... County Road 666 to a meat packing plant... Colonial Vehicle Repair... the cute courthouse in Surry with a Confederate statue out front... but mostly the gorgeous fall color everywhere!

The park itself was very neat, and very worth visiting. This is what I did get off. They had a short video in the Visitor's Center, a little museum set up around it, and good things in the bookstore. I got General Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain's war memoirs: "Bayonet! Forward." My Civil War Reminiscences. Can't wait to read it! Also on the way back I saw Grant's Headquarters at City Point in Hopewell. Just a gorgeous day!

On the way back through Williamsburg, I stopped at B&N and picked up a copy of Dorthy Sayers Complete Stories, which includes the short Peter Wimsey ones. On getting home, I ate my Panera Bread broccoli cheddar soup and finished my homemade pumpkin pie. Hung up my Christmas lights outside, then flew off to pick up one of my friends from the ship for the Martina McBride Christmas concert she invited me to at Old Dominion University.

This was a lot of fun... besides singing a couple of her own: Anyway, My Daughter's Eyes, and I'm Gonna Love You Through It. She started off with snow songs, added in great ones like Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas and I'll Be Home for Christmas. There was a little Grinch performance, then they played a video of her and Elvis doing Blue Christmas live. She finished out with Christian stuff... especially loved her acapella version of O Holy Night to finish. So glad I got invited!

Here's something random: ever since seeing this on VH1 on TV on the mess decks in the morning, I've been mesmorized by it. Pretty sure it's all those ohs, the background and the uniforms too. Some Nights by Fun. Here are the lyrics. I needed help in a couple places. Maybe it was their haircuts while in Civil War uniforms.

Chatted when I got back home... stayed up way too late, but it wasn't the end of the world...

Today's very fine lunch! I discovered the upside-down cheeseburger tastes better (by accident)... and then there's the apple pie-in-jar I got from Kristin on Thanksgiving.





Slept in this morning! And just bummed around the house finishing off breakfast eggs, sausage, toast and coffee. Straightened up the place, bought my flight for next month, checked on all my bills, warmed up my leftover frozen hamburger for a very fine burger for lunch. Going out tonight I think.

Outside my window this morning

Jw

Quiet Evenings

Thursday evening I got off really late (but that's normal for Food Service on board, I hear). Didn't get home until 6-something pm. I was so tired I didn't even feel like watching a movie. I put in the Third Day CD I got in the mail (Offerings, from 2000) and played it on my computer while I got some snacks together and read some passages in the later part of Isaiah. I had some cheese and crackers, along with some raisins, and later on a cup of coffee on the couch as I listened to live streaming of the 1920s Radio Network. So nice!

Friday, I was let go early, getting home around 2pm. I went right to bed and slept for 4 straight hours... and then I felt better. :) Watched the last movie from the library, Anchors Aweigh (1945, Kelly, Sinatra). Although I'm not a huge musical fan, and even though it was long, I really enjoyed it. The story kept moving along, and the inclusion of that pianist playing himself... that was neat to watch... along with the famous Tom & Jerry cartoon that's included when Gene is telling the kids a story about how he won his medal. And as a bonus, there were no dream sequences. Everything pretty much made sense. :) While watching, I took breaks to fix my little bits and pieces of dinner... a rice & chicken frozen dinner (steam-heated in the microwave), Pillsbury crescent rolls (using my oven and cookie sheet for the first time), and one packet of Lipton's chicken noodle soup. A couple cups of coffee were involved too. :)

Weekend in Town... and a few other days

Boy, is it hard to keep up on here! Lots of days I do barely anything worth mentioning, just because work takes so long. And then suddenly, I'm a week behind!

Of note, last Wednesday evening (July 18th) I swam at the pool on base, had dinner at "Mike's Pizza" on Hampton Blvd... my home away from home before I move into my house this Friday. I was done just in time to make it to the showing of North by Northwest at a theater in Chesapeake (about a half-hour away). Mike had let me know about it and he went in Oklahoma as well. Sort of a date night. :)

Also, along the way I listened to The 1920s Radio Network, 99.3 FM, Virginia Beach, for some good old-time radio music. Had discovered the station that Monday, while doing a scan of stations... the Christian station always had some talk-show on; I was giving up on them... and I'm glad I did! I can play a CD any time I want! But a nearly unlimited playlist of great old music? Not a chance!

Friday afternoon we got out late. I went to the theater downtown to see Dark Knight Rises (I enjoyed it) and had Chili's for dinner. I checked into the America's Best Value Inn on Ocean View Blvd for the weekend when I got back. It was raining when I went back to the car, but that didn't bother me... they even had covered parking!

Saturday morning I went back to the Sandfiddler for breakfast, just in time for my 9am appointment at the Pretlow Branch Library, also on Ocean View Blvd. Worked for 3 hours, getting introduced to their system, checking in materials and re-shelving them. After that I tried out the Ocean View Pier seafood restaurant, then went to check out a discount furniture store I found online... and found a few pieces I liked very much. They only allowed holding furniture in the store for 3 days, so I had to return on Tuesday to buy it. On the way back, I looked around at the nearby Norfolk Visitor's Center and picked up lots of brochures for things to do. Back at the hotel I watched Young Lincoln (1939, Henry Fonda) on the bed, then for dinner... another local seafood restaurant in Ocean View... The Ship's Cabin... and watched a big lighting storm out to sea while I ate! Then I crashed back at the hotel and talked with my Darling.

Sunday morning I checked out, and went straight to church, back to Christian Fellowship near the airport. They have coffee and doughnut holes (chocolate ones!), and I had that to tide myself over. Went back to House of Eggs nearby (that Mike and I had tried) for a brunch special... toast & sausage gravy, eggs and hash... for $5.50! On the way to church I had passed a couple furniture places, so I returned that way and checked them out. Ended up getting some things at the Thrift Store... a neat folding chair, some dishes, and a rug for one of the rooms. Went downtown to see the Chrysler Museum of Art, and spent a good couple hours looking at their fabulous two-floor collection. I think it rivaled the art museum in Chicago, it was so neat! Had Panera Bread for dinner for the first time since California! A big avocado-Cobb salad! So very good! Stopped by my self-storage unit to drop some of my purchases off, then I went back to the theater downtown to watch Woody Allen's new movie To Rome With Love, but I didn't like it too much.

Monday, I worked at the library again, just for an hour-and-a-half though. Straightened up a few of the sections of DVDs, even though the staff themselves have given up on them. During the day I bought a queen bed from Walmart, and that evening at Mike's Pizza again, I watched Tangled from the library.

Tuesday (yesterday already!), I took a shower at the gym then went back to the discount factory outlet and purchased the couch and loveseat set and the dining room table with 4 chairs that I had my heart set on from when I first visited. It was the last ones they had of the couches, and the table is new in the box. Good price on everything too. Then I decided to look at a few nearby stores, then had dinner at a great Mexican restaurant (El Rodeo) and then stopped by the COX store in the mall to get Internet set up for Friday. Walmart was just nearby, so I went there too... $19 bookshelves (2), $16 coffee table, area rug, mirror, queen comforter, pillows, clock, trashcan, place mats... I stayed there quite a while! Will have to go back for a few things, but that's okay. :)

Can't wait for Friday!!! Today I ordered a Uhaul truck... and I'm going to get somebody from my division to help me unload it all once I get it there. Yay!

Jw

The Unexpected

Last week Rita sent a message on FB, saying she and her mom would be visiting San Diego from Monday afternoon to Wednesday afternoon. While looking things to do up for them, I came across "Guys & Dolls" playing at the Lamb's Players Theater on Coronado at 7:30 on Tuesday. We all decided to go together, and since their morning sightseeing concluded around the time I got off from school, we'd spend a few hours together beforehand.

They picked me up around 2, and we continued down Rosecrans to the Cabrillo National Monument. It was a gorgeous day... not a cloud in the sky. We looked in the gallery exhibition on the Spanish explorers, then walked around outside the visitor's center for a view of the city and surrounding mountains and bay, along with a glimpse of Mexico in the distance. Then we walked up to the Old Point Loma Lighthouse, visiting the museum next door and the house itself. Wish they'd let people up top... oh well. We circled around the other side, looking at the expansive ocean to the west, then came back to the parking lot via the little coastal battery museum. It was up on top of an old bunker that we all decided to continue down to the tide-pools (it was a very low tide). Drove down to the water, got out and spent a good bit of time along the trail and on the slippery limestone coast. Saw lots of anemones, limpets, snails, shore crabs and their molts. It was a bit of exercise, but we all enjoyed it.

Came back home to change, then we carpooled to Coronado around 5:30. I was surprised how well the traffic flowed for that time of day. We were sitting down to eat at the Brigantine Seafood restaurant across from the theater (with will-call tickets in hand) at 6. We found a street-side parking space right in front of the theater! Everything went so perfectly... I had the most delicious shrimp and crab louie salad for dinner, and Alice, Rita's mom, generously picked up the whole tab. It was just after 7 when we crossed the street back to the theater and waited to be seated. The show itself was great! Live music and phenomenal singing and dancing! I had never seen the movie before, so the plot and most of the songs were brand new. It was captivating, and funny too. It let out just before 10, and Alice and Rita drove me home on their way back to their hotel in Mission Valley.

So today I was a little tired. After snacks for lunch, I watched some of my Tintin (Cigars of the Pharaoh), then slept for a good two hours, plus. I went to dinner (4:30ish), reading a chapter of Starship Troopers as I enjoyed a chicken enchilada, chile relleno and a big dish of guacamole at my favorite, Tio Carlos. I've launched into another audiobook as well... Julie Andrews's autobiography, "Home". I had no idea she lived in London during the Blitz, or that she had a wandering eye. Very interesting childhood, so far. Speaking of library materials, I drove directly from dinner to the library, where I spent two hours putting away two cart-loads of DVDs. Picked out three for myself as I put them in order before taking them downstairs. Unfortunately, it's too late to watch any tonight. :)

Jw

Musical Nights

Since last we met, I've kept myself very busy.

Monday afternoon I wrote Meg a note (and got a reply back - they're doing well in Thailand), played minesweeper (becoming a bad habit?), ate snacks for lunch, posted about the day, watched the movie "The Purple Rose of Cairo" (1985), read "The Tale of Timmy Tiptoes" (1911), then headed off early to the La Mesa suburb of SD. Had plenty of time to kill before the Beethoven concert at the local synagogue started. Shopped at RiteAid for some feminine necessities that I forgot to bring along... found a nice watch too. Had dinner at Wendy's... burger, salad, chili, iced tea. :) Then I looked in at the pet store. Parakeets, fishes, and the cutest little baby guinea pig you've ever seen; it was fun. Looked in at the grocery store too and picked up some cheese.








It was almost a quarter after seven when I got back in my car. I thought it was earlier, because my new watch stopped an hour after I bought it. Concert started at 7:30, so I was glad I was dawdling just down the street from where it was. Went right in (it was easy to find) and even got a front row seat on the left side of the orchestra. It looked rather casual at first, since my seat was but 15 feet from the first row of cellos, but the decorum and sound the 75 member volunteer community orchestra (based at the synagogue) was highly professional. Their guest artist, concert pianist Daniel Wnukowski, was fantastic! When he came in to perform Piano Concerto No. 4, he took the music rack off and walked it to the side. He proceeded to play the concerto from memory, and without the rack, I could see his face much better. Very expressive while playing... he got into it.

Not only did he know that by heart, but at tonight's concert (it was a two-night ticket for $20) he played Concertos No. 2 & No. 5... from memory and only with a 15-minute break between them! It made me very happy to be able to enjoy such music. Going to symphonies these days gives me some sort of release from the crude nastiness of my world. I remember I actually shed tears at my first since joining the Navy... 3 Tchaikovsky pieces at the Chicago Symphony on Dec 12, 2010.

Before this, today, I had Panera for lunch, got milk & groceries at Trader Joe's (dropped them at home and read another Beatrix Potter: "The Tale of Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle" from 1905) then volunteered for another 2 hours (getting the holds ready for folks and then more audiobooks) at the library, and finally stopped by the NEX for a new set of NSUs, a toaster, and a fill-up, before heading off to get a bite to eat at Rubio's on my way to the freeway. (pictured at left: lilies from T. Joe's for something fresh in my room... using the "sweet nov. 12 vase")

Guess I forgot to mention on Monday I finished the Jeeves & Wooster audiobook, then between both days I finished Agatha Christie's "Dead Man's Mirror" read by Hugh Fraser. Started into "Sharpe's Triumph" by Cornwall. Gosh, I love the library.

Jw
P.S. it's my 777th post... :)

Little Joys

That was, in fact, the topic of this third weekend of advent... Joy... following Hope and Peace. A good sermon, and I walked in on the singing of It Came Upon a Midnight Clear.

Then on my way to try and find Christmas cards... which I didn't find yet... I discovered a pair of presents for my niece and nephew that they will adore! And then I had a free sample of fried Swai fish... a river catfish from Asia... and discovered that $2.50 would buy me two filets, cooked the same way for free... takeout from the grocery store!

After eating that, a few of the shrimp I got and some Brussel sprouts for a tasty lunch, I went to the library again, for a cart-and-a-half of DVDs, and a single load of audio books. Took a good two hours! Then I picked up some free stuff... lots of people drop off boxes and bags of books they don't want anymore... more than the library can or wants to handle. Got Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, a short collection of O'Henry with Gift of the Magi included, a CD of Vivaldi's Four Seasons (what timing), as well as The Empire Strikes Back Original Soundtrack and a few children's books.

Then I dropped by Stump's Market across the street to pick up some things for having hotdogs at the small group meeting tonight at the church. We read a couple chapters, but soon the church's program, Gifts for the King, was going to start. It's simply a few of the more talented members who get up and sing, read or play an instrument to the glory of God... sort of like a talent show with no voting. We began it by singing Christmas hymns from the hymnbook, and I enjoyed it all very much!

So winds down my last weekend before break! Tomorrow is my duty day, and the final practical test... after that, I won't have much of consequence before leaving Friday night!

Jw

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

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

The Bad, The Good, and The Odd

I killed so many spiders yesterday, I had a nightmare this morning... spider as big as a crab, and so many eggs waiting to hatch... eeeu. That woke me up actually; and what did I see? At least four or five spiders in different places around the room. Thankfully, most of what I've run into are the small, pretty non-scary kind. I was wide awake, so I read a couple chapters of the Robin Hood book I found at the book store the other day (a new printing of Roger Lancelyn Green's version, 1956). And that banished my fears and let me go back to sleep.

Went to church this morning, and it was very good; topic, spiritual growth, from the first verses of Titus. Apparently we will be going through the book in the coming weeks, and that encourages me. It's been a while since I've listened to expository preaching.

Scratched the cat, Custer, when I got home. Had my new usual of scrambled eggs and oatmeal, except this time I included last night's Panera Bread apple in the oatmeal. Speaking of last night, I really loved the little time I had with Linda and James... lovely little chat. And Ms. Ann (my landlady) plays classic 104.9 in the background here... I love it! She said they've pitched it as "the hits of the last 400 years"... lol! They've just played Berleoz, "Hey Jude" (by the Royal Philharmonic), "Sabre Dance"... (which I recognized from it being played a thousand times in the movie "One, Two, Three" that I just watched the day before), a really pretty piece by John Williams for Harry Potter, and now the overture to Handle's Messiah. What a lineup!

Jw

PS... here's a couple random pics... I had to loop the chain for the ceiling fan so it wouldn't knock me on the forehead, and it reminded me of the film "Stalag 17" with the loop in hanging lightbulb.




And... this ad is self-explanatory:

And... it's all the years of pennies I've picked up here in SD (that's the carpet in my barracks room), missing 1993 and 1971, 61, 65-68:









PS... I worked at the library for 2+ hours, putting away all the movies and audio books. Then I gave in to the desire for a Chipotle burrito and then checked out the Goodwill store across the street and found a nice pair of khaki pants for 4$ before going to my new small group Bible study.

A Little Too Much, or Something

After a snack in my room (after work) I headed out to the library again. Don't misunderstand... I enjoyed it. I did the audio... and that took an hour and a half. I started working on organizing the dvd's, and I was still putting them in order when it was time to go. I guess I felt silly, wanting to stay longer than the open hours. That one lady who always comes off condescendingly... she was back at it again. Always telling me to slow down, like she's worried I'll steal her job (even when things are overflowing). And the way she speaks to me, she must think I'm a teenager or something.

I had a lovely dinner afterwords though... the Chinese place that I couldn't find when Mike was here (called Pick Up Stix). It was great... I had the kid's meal (just the right size!) of crunchy lemon chicken, brown rice, a cream cheese wanton, and then a bowl of won ton soup. It was so good! I checked out the grocery store in the same lot and came out with a new pair of sunglasses. :) While I was wandering around looking at everything, "Dream a Little Dream of Me" played in the background, and I missed Mike even more.

In the car back on base, I refreshed for a while listening to an old CD I made of random songs I liked about ten years ago. It helped me get my emotions from the week out and get my mind back on the Lord...

Choose Life, by Big Tent Revival
Say, Won't You Say, by Jennifer Knapp
Where You Are, by FFH
Breathe, by Sixpence None the Richer
Lovely Day, by Out of Eden
Gone, by Switchfoot
Thrive, by Newsboys
True North, by Twila Paris
Magnificent Obsession, by Steven Curtis Chapman
God of Wonders, by Mac Powell (of Third Day)
Blue Skies, by Point of Grace
A Little More, by Jennifer Knapp
Belly of a Whale, by Newsboys (for a Veggie Tales movie)
and finally, This Road, by Jars of Clay...
which was some kind of a theme song for me when I went through a rocky time in 2006. Gosh, was it good to sit, listen and sing again.

Jp

Show Time!

Yesterday after finishing the post, I spent a little over an hour at the library, then had a fun little dinner at my classmate's apartment with some friends. Ham, mashed potatoes, jellied cranberries (my favorite!), and some veggies and deviled eggs. Just for fun, and just for Easter weekend.

Couldn't stay too long though, because I had a ticket for STOMP at the Balboa theater downtown... and that started at 8pm. Caught the wrong trolley, but realized it in time to not get too far off course. Talked with a retired gentleman while waiting and he sat across from me when we got on board. He wanted to tell me about his years as a civilian teacher on board the USS Constellation. And I thought that was pretty neat!

The show was fantastic! I can understand why it's been going strong all over the world for 20 years. My seat was at the very top of the theater on the extreme right, but I could see everything quite well. The first couple dances involved push brooms... then candy boxes... and then they just danced while clapping their hands and themselves! They used tubes, plastic/paper bags, newspapers, sand, kitchen sinks (for real!), sticks, tin cans, big inflatable rubber tube rafts, metal folding chairs... and in the one dance, four of the eight dancers were suspended off the set and banged on the pots, pans, metal signs and other common instruments for quite the effect.

The finale was with their signature trash cans and lids... and not only was it a percussive dance, but throughout the entire show there was a great deal of comedic elements. There was even a dancer that was dressed like a nerd and was always trying to keep up. So much fun! It was worth every cent to go see. I was glad I used the trolley though. Traffic was terrible... and parking cost twice as much as a round-trip ticket. :)

Today... oh, today I spent wholly in Balboa Park... after a brief snack at Panera on the way there. With my "see all the museums free" pass I wanted to get there right at ten. I first stepped into the botanical garden, then the little art gallery... and was very impressed with their small collection. They had a beautiful book with all their art in full color, so I bought it and have already flipped through it a few times.


Then I went to the Museum of Man (that I have avoided due to their Darwinian philosophy), but I only needed to skip half the second floor. I loved their special exhibition on games... and their display of peculiar bones was incredibly interesting... as well as the mummies. I briefly stopped in another art gallery, but it didn't interest me. It was soon time for the play, which was the romantic comedy "Rafta, Rafta". I had a front row seat in the balcony... and enjoyed it very much.

Had dinner on the way home, then fell asleep on the back seat of the car back on base. What a beautiful day!

Jp

Blues & Music

Saturday morning, slept in quite a while. :) I think I ended up getting out of bed around 0830. Didn't have my plans finalized yet, but I did go to chow with my roommate and made it back around 1000. Brunches are odd on the weekends at the galley. You can get both breakfast items like made to order omelets and lunch items like hamburgers. Crazy.

I went to the Loft around 1100, and then left for Chicago around noon. I was with someone from my division at bootcamp who I hadn't seen in a long while and a group of her friends. When we got to the train station we had a bite to eat in the food court (grilled chicken sandwich and chicken noodle soup!) and then got a taxi to the Aquarium. It was raining cats and dogs (and blowing pretty hard) so we didn't want to bother with the buses, even if they were free. :)

I thought the Shedd Aquarium was neat, but it wasn't as incredible as I heard it was. They did have an indoor (Pacific white-sided) dolphin show (along the lines of sea world), but that was "holiday" themed, complete with a Santa Claus wishing everyone a "Happy Holidays! Ho, Ho, Ho!" I thought the aquarium in general (like many of the new/updated ones I've been to) are way to grand and too focused on being new and different than presenting the sea life. I guess I'm spoiled with the simple and wonderful Seattle Aquarium. I did enjoy it though. One of my favorite things was the ray tank downstairs that you walked on... And they did have two very cute otters. :) Hard to complain though! It was free for active duty military!

After the aquarium (my friends needed to go back to base), I made my way to the Chicago Symphony Center. Had to make my way through the rain in the picturesque, paved, lake-front park to the busy street for a free (with active military ID) bus ride several blocks north. Along the way I could see Navy pier (from my first weekend) in the distance, all lit up. Walked in the door of the Symphony Hall and I heard the chorus singing something beautiful... and then I purchased a student-priced ticket. The seat ended up being in the 7th row in the middle on the floor... probably a pricey one... but for me... $15. :)

Since I was there so early (5:30), I decided to explore the surrounding streets a little. I changed clothes from my jeans into my dress blues in a local Mc'yD's and then made my way back to the Symphony. They had their own little restaurant/bar, so I enjoyed a fancy cheeseburger up at the bar. The lady that sat down next to me struck up a conversation, and it turned out she was a regular symphony-goer, and showed me around a bit after we finished. What was neat was right when we got done it was time for the pre-concert lecture about one of the pieces we'd be hearing, and the speaker was very knowledgeable. He'd play examples from the concerto on the piano, or play a snippet on the radio. It was very fun!

But that was nothing, compared to the concert itself! My seat afforded a fabulous view of the soloist especially and most of the orchestra. The pianist had floppy hair and he moved with the music so suddenly that it would bounce all over the place. :) Hearing all three pieces was so refreshing. It was so, so beautiful.

I had to leave quickly once the final applause began though, because the last train left a half-hour after the show ended. I grabbed a taxi and made it to the Ogilvie Transit Center faster than you could say supercalifragilisticexpialadocious. Or however you spell that. :)

I sat with three other shipmates, going back for a late-night ride and spent most the journey on the phone while they slept, talking to Meg and Mike. I followed them back to base and I got in just after midnight. I think the day couldn't have turned out nicer.

Sunday, today, was my duty day. Right after getting up I had a watch to man in my dress blues for the first time. Pier Sentry... checking bags and pockets for illegal items, and making sure folks took their coats off when they came in. Wasn't bad at all! The Quarterdeck is the more interesting place to stand, with the most activity. And it was only for three hours because we had a scheduled "chow relief" for the last hour where we could go to the galley for brunch.

Upon returning from that, I went straight to my rack for three hours more sleep. :)

But at 1500, as I was waking up, they suddenly announced a surprise muster for my duty section. The Navy Band concert at the movie theater was short on patrons... so all the duty sections on base were mustered and sent over to fill in seats. LOL! I didn't mind too much... I had even thought about requesting the time to go. But then I fell asleep and forgot about it. So by the time I got there (again in my dress blues) it had already been going for 40 minutes... (about half over). But I did enjoy the Christmas music. They played as a wind ensemble and had a jazz band too. Felt just like a university performance, except this was the Navy.

They didn't make us sign out to go, so after it ended I went straight to chow in the 50mph wind. It was incredibly cold, but thank the Lord I had just bought a warm white scarf yesterday at the train station to replace my very thin bootcamp-issue scarf. It saved my face, for sure!

When I got back I was able to finish my laundry before duty muster at 2000. What a weekend!

Jp

Late Night Out

After work last evening, I rushed home for a quick baked potato dinner before running off to catch a bus to downtown Seattle. My friend and her three brothers and I were all going to see Switchfoot in concert for their new album's tour "Hello, Hurricane". I took a bus because I had to go alone and I didn't feel like parking downtown. So Mom dropped me at a Park & Ride just this side of Lake Washington and I got a bus that took me all the way downtown. We had to go through the tunnel under the convention center that I had never been through before... I've never had to take a bus there before.

I was the first of our group to arrive, but I was still quite a ways from the door in line, the line wrapping half-way around the block. I picked out Chaya's oldest brother as he was trying to find the end of the line. Hadn't seen him since, I don't know... when I was a teenager or before... yikes! After a moment, her youngest brother got dropped off, and after we made it inside (and suffered through the opening act) her other younger brother arrived. Chaya had to take care of a dog she was dog-sitting, and got there right when it started. Oh, my gosh! What a fun one.

The band started with the first song on their new album, and Jon, the lead singer was standing on a railing just behind us when it began - like ten feet away. Whoa. That surprised me! We were in sorta the back of the room on the floor away from the stage. There weren't any chairs... so gosh, I stood up quite a while. They played through their entire album, straight through for an hour! And it was outstanding! They sounded even better than they did at the last one I went to, a year or two ago. Jon played guitar, piano and harmonica and absolutely nailed the songs. Wow.

So right after going straight through the album, they played ten more songs... their best from five of their previous albums...

Awakening, from Oh, Gravity!
Gone, from The Beautiful Letdown
This is Your Life, from The Beautiful Letdown
Oh, Gravity!
Chem 6A, from their first
Only Hope, from New Way to be Human
Dare You to Move, from The Beautiful Letdown
Stars, from Nothing is Sound
The Shadow Proves the Sunshine, from Nothing is Sound
and Meant to Live, from The Beautiful Letdown

... which lasted for another 3/4 hour! But it felt like just a few minutes!
The place was sold out, and it was rather cozy in there... I was a little afraid at times that the big guy jumping up and down next to me might land on my foot... but he never did. :)

My friend drove me home afterwards, and I got in bed around midnight-thirty.
Ah, what a time! It was so beautiful.

As for today, it was busy at work, and I've been rather tired... lol.

I'm finishing this post at about 10PM, and we just finished watching South Pacific. Wow, how funny it is!

Jp