Easy Going!

Today has been a wonderful break... many thanks to Christopher for his endurance and fortitude in coming to America. Maybe he wasn't a perfect person, but he certainly contributed a great deal to the outcome of human history and still is an outstanding role model for anyone lacking courage.

Last night I finished up the TV series on another visitor to America... I said goodbye to Stephan Fry as he finally reached the Pacific Ocean. I found out some new things about the country, including places I'd really like to see... and was excited to see him going places and doing things I've done myself... In the next to last episode, he gets to ride in the Sentimental Journey across Arizona that I saw in person (in Phoenix) in March 2010. I'm very jealous!

When he went to an Auburn Football game, he made a statement during the pregame ceremonies that I liked: "I really don't know of anything that sums up America better... that's simultaneously preposterous, incredibly laughable, impressive, charming, ridiculous, expensive, over-populated... wonderful... American." It was pretty neat with the crowd screaming the lyrics to God Bless America, while a few fighter jets flew by overhead. Stephan's face at that moment was priceless. 

I ate out for every meal! I haven't eaten out very much at all lately, so this was a dramatic change for one day. Started out with a crabmeat omelet at the Sandfiddler Cafe, then on my way to go shoot archery over in Hampton, I stopped at Panera Bread and had a hot turkey panini sandwich and a Greek salad. Picked up a couple frames for postcards at Michael's, then shot a few rounds at the archery range. Baked the leftover pumpkin pie materials when I got home, then went to church. I'm sorry to say I fell asleep after a while (it was a good sermon though... I'll have to listen to it online), since I never took a rest after a long watch and a full morning. After communion and singing, I went to dinner at Carrabba's Italian Grill again, this time off of Battlefield Blvd, which wasn't far from church. The Seahawks won as I ate.

Today, I slept in, had a bountiful breakfast at home, then proceeded to clean the house... like a deep clean! Then I took some things to the thrift store, picked up some tacos for dinner next door, then got my car's breaks repaired just down the street. While waiting I had dinner, read in Neptune's Inferno and looked through a book I picked up at the thrift store... Rijksmuseum Amsterdam... a little picture book of paintings from their art museum... and that was a good bit of fun, purchased for $1.99. And then I talked with Meg and my parents for a good long while, and that was best of all.

Jw

Here and There Again

Yes, Rings fans, I've been reading The Hobbit. And what a fun journey it's been... the book and my weekend.

Stayed at the Best Western in Mayport again... dropped off at the door by the duty driver. Watched the incredible end of Game 3 of the Yankee's ALDS, and both of former Mariner Raúl Ibañez's home runs to win it (in the 9th and the 12th). It was very neat because I was talking with Mike when they flew, flew away. What can be better than having your wife give you a play-by-play of a miracle win by your favorite team when you're apart? :)

That was Wednesday night! Thursday morning I picked up the Hertz car, had a great breakfast at the Third Street Diner, stopped by The Bookmark, and nearby Atlantic Beach, then stopped at the outdoor Starbucks on the corner of Atlantic Blvd and posted to my Navy Times. Dropped off my ballot at the Post Office on the way to the ferry, stopped at Singleton's for some shrimp cocktail, rode across the St John's river and went to Amelia Island to walk around and look for shells. I found a couple broken conchs, but also over a dozen horseshoe crab skeletons. Loved just walking along the edge of the surf with the wind and the bright blue sky.

Then I had to get downtown for the symphony concert... parked for half-price at the garage... and enjoyed a wonderful concert featuring the symphony's enormous pipe organ and a famous organist from Germany. It was open seating, and I was able to get one of the normally expensive, raised seats to the right... perfect for watching the fingers fly over the keyboard and the violins. There was a Bach solo to begin, then a Handel piece including strings and oboes... a modern piece by a French composer in the 30's (strings and timpani), and finally a 20-min piece commissioned by the symphony (and a couple in attendance), written by a Florida resident (also in attendance) on variations of that familiar circus song... famous as The Most Wonderful Night of the Year. I had visions of Dick van Dyke pretending to do the tight rope in Mary Poppins all night.

It was Michael's birthday, Thursday, and unfortunately, the Yankees dropped the game that to Baltimore... but we Skyped afterwords, and talked for ever and ever, just like old times... and it was really nice! Had a king bed at the Hampton downtown... and it was awfully comfy!

Got up Friday morning, not believing how much time I still had off, and had a continental breakfast in the lobby, the returned to my room to watch Hachi: a dog's tale, an updated rendition of the real thing in 1920's Japan. When the widow discovered the dog was still waiting for her husband at the train station ten years later... that made me cry. It was a sad story, but fun to watch. Since it was time then to check out, I capitulated and gave up my room.

Went to the nearby Museum of Science and History, mostly to watch the planetarium show, as it was supposed to be geared for kids. I loved the two shows they let us see... one on the night sky and constellations, and the other talking about how Earth is an oasis in the universe. Every time I remember that, and think about how huge and ordered everything is, it makes me consider how much God loves me. When I see the Earth from space (as in the animations) I think about how God condescended to come down to that little planet and do what he did. And that made me cry too... for joy. They had other neat things at the museum... a whole room devoted to Florida's marine mammals, and another with a mini zoo... and then a walk-through of Jacksonville's history.

From there I crossed the river back to downtown and checked out the toy soldier shop I found out about in a visitor's guide magazine in the hotel room. Troops of Time... finely painted tin soldiers from all sorts of periods of warfare... I ended up buying two... a WWII Sailor, and a crusader knight with a horn. The guys in there were very happy to show me everything as I was the only customer. Even gave me an orange juice to drink from their fridge while they packed them up for me.

On my way to the toy shop I passed a busy small-town sort of main street and an antique store with a 48-star flag in the window. When I stepped inside to take a look, I was amazed and pleased to find that it was a cloth one in great condition for an affordable $19. Very happy indeed! I've been wanting something like this for years! Then I had a small-size sausage and mushroom pizza at a local shop next door... a place that's been running since 1976! After finishing, I hopped in the car and decided now was a good time to go down to Marineland for the next day's adventure. Stopped at a local motel (villa) in Palm Coast. They had a rustic stone wall covering inside and out that felt very extravagant... but wasn't. :) Turned on the TV for more baseball, but found a family station that was playing a very funny episode of We Love Lucy, one of the later seasons, I presume. When that ended, I turned it over to the game just in time to see the Yanks clinch the series. After talking with Mike for a short while, I stayed up watching a couple episodes of WENN (2 for the Price of 1, and Hilary Booth, Registered Nurse)... and some snippets... I Gotta Sing, Grace Cavendish, and the beginning and ending of Happy Homecomings. It was a wild mash, but it was also lots of fun. Turns out the snippet from Grace Cavendish and the end of Homecomings both have those silly slapstick routines. It was good random planning. :)

Next morning (Saturday the 13th), after a bagel and a banana, I headed back north a bit to the Fort Matanzas National Monument, which turns out to be a bookend to the Castillo de San Marcos National Monument I saw in St Augustine the very first week! It's just down the river from San Marcos, and was built 50 years afterwords to defend that approach to the city. There was a free ferry ride across the river, and a 1/2 mile nature trail that allowed for a beautiful walk in the woods. And across the street from the monument, there was a public beach access. Took another walk on the beach and enjoyed it a bunch. Just a beautiful day! After that it was back to Marineland for a lunch (burger!) and a swim with the dolphins.

I was hoping for a session all alone, since I was the first to register for this time slot the day before, but 4 other women had signed up as well (one from Lebanon, and two from Germany!). First they told us all about the 12 dolphins they keep, especially the record-breaking oldest dolphin in captivity... turning 60 yrs old this February! Life expectancy is estimated at 30 years, so it is indeed remarkable. We learned a bit about their skin, how it's best to not scratch them, then we changed, got into life vests (really? the pool is only like 20 feet deep... lol), and walked out onto the concrete "beach". We got to pet, rubbing sides, belly, fins and flukes with flat hands. We got to throw her little fish (our dolphin was a female named Pebbles), watch her swim under us, and tell her to do things with trainer's hand signals (I got to make her open and close her mouth when she was right up next to me!). There were also lots of pictures taken, but we'll see if they ever upload them to their site.

After drying off and changing, I made my way to Red Lobster for dinner... of shrimp and snow crab. I read quite a bit in The Hobbit between courses of my endless shrimp scampi. LOL! Stopped by Panera in Jacksonville Beach for coffee and a cookie, and I felt fully at peace as I drove through soft rain, listening to soothing piano music. And then I made full circle, returning to the Best Western where I started out at. The Yankees went into extra innings again, due to Ichiro and Ibañez catching up the 4-0 deficit in the ninth with 2-run home-runs each, but maddeningly, lost in the 13th... because they couldn't hit anything else, while the Tigers did. Chatted and put all the pics from the weekend on Facebook... and after Mike and I finished talking, read a bit more in Bilbo's adventure with the dragon. It's hard to put down.

Today, I got up in time to take a shower before church and get there just in time after checking out. Another fine sermon from 1st Peter... and very pertinent to the congregation as they decide on a new pastor next week (it's all about what church elders should be like). A couple sitting next to me chatted me up during the "greet one another" time and ended up inviting me to lunch with their friends afterwords. They treated me out too... so very nice of them... and we chatted a long time about the Navy (he was a retired O-6 - captain-) and about our various marriages. They gave me their phone numbers, and said I was always welcome anytime! I really feel like I've been led to my new church home, if the home-port shift is for sure. They blessed me (and Mike in spirit) as we hugged and said goodbye. How good God is to me!

Afterwords, I got some orange juice from CVS to combat my little head cold (it's developed into a runny nose/cough now), then went to the NEX and bought more than I was planning (but also found a Christmas present for someone), and then stopped by Walmart to get a new cheap pole for fishing this week. And here I am at Panera again (chicken noodle soup!) while I write.

What a great time! My bank account is signing with relief that I will be back on duty tomorrow! :)

Stormy Night

Sunday night, I finally decided to get off the barge, even though I had to work early the next morning. It had been a long duty weekend, and this was my first time leaving since... the last time I posted (Wednesday).

Thought I'd work out on base, so I took the evening shuttle bus. Since I had been working all day, I forgot that it was Sunday, and that the gym would be closed. So I did some running... and I went straight to the Internet Cafe at the community center. Paid my bills finally... and was able to enjoy the full version of Facebook. I know that sounds silly, but when a person is limited to an app on their phone, seeing it on a full screen is so much better.

But what really knocked me out was the massive thunderstorm going off in the distance. All I saw was the towering black cloud (the sun had gone down) and flashes of lighting every 1 to 3 seconds. Every minute or so a bolt would either trace horizontally across the cloud, or fan out in fingers of bolts.

I also enjoyed looking at and petting the little toads I saw on the sidewalk between the gym and the center... it was a fun little evening. And on the way home on the bus, I finished Busman's Honeymoon (Lord Peter Wimsey story by Sayers). My friend Julie commented on my FB status... so back on the barge I gave her a late-night phone call and we talked for a whole hour about everything. So fun!

Other than that I've been pretty boring... (while relaxing!) and have been reading The Hobbit in the cute little pocket-size, hardback (with original dust jacket and artwork) copy that I found at The BookMark the last weekend I had off. And I love it! Also been watching movies... finished watching A Night to Remember (1943 screwball murder mystery!), looked at Public Enemies (2009, Johnny Depp - about John Dillinger), and last night I watched Hogan's Heroes and then the last half of Gettysburg (1993).

Tonight I escaped the barge to the St John Town Center Mall when one of the officers from the ship who I've ran into a couple times in B&N, asked me if I'd like a ride. Much better than waiting a half-hour (or more) for the duty van. I didn't have dinner on the barge... my nap went a little later than expected, and I was working hard washing dishes all the way through the meal, so it just sorta got skipped. So I enjoyed some tortellini alfredo for the first time at Panera... along with a decaff and some chicken noodle soup. :)

Jw

A Refreshing Rain

I got out early (after lunch... About 1 o'clock), and caught a ride with another FSA who was going to the gym on base. I had never been to the gym, but now that I have a bee in my bonnet about working out, I thought it a golden opportunity. We were both feeling a little frazzled by the time we took off. Although we had gone over to the ship for sweepers before lunch, we were sent back up those sixty steps of the drydock to sweep one little passageway. It really wasn't much, but we were very tired from lunch (as always) and had already imagined getting off promptly after the meal. So we felt good to be leaving when we did. I had planned on swimming, but I found out they close it everyday at 1. So I did cardio on a bike and took a quick shower while the guys lifted weights. I did some pushups again, and found out my weight isn't as good as I thought. On the way back to the barge, I directed us to a Chinese buffet using my phone which was the unanimous choice for dinner. Loved the snow crab legs! But when I finally felt really relaxed was when I returned to the car while everyone else walked on to the barge. I had misplaced my cell phone, and it was starting to rain hard. Found the phone in the back seat and decided to wait out the now pelting rain sitting in the backseat with my legs propped, reading Lord Peter Wimsey. Finished the chapter and the rain stopped. Felt like a new person as I walked back to the Navy. I think it was the clean air. Jw

Hello, Again

Well, it's been two weeks to the day since I've had time to post, but it feels more like four.

Sunday the 12th was my last day of liberty... and that expired that night at 8pm (I took a taxi at 7pm). Besides that, there was one evening where I had time between 6pm and 5am to spend at home, and that required two more taxi rides... but was completely worth it. You see, they didn't know if we'd have time to come back between the two things we were doing, so I left the car at home. Enough about that.

That Sunday morning I slept in, went to breakfast at the Pancake House, then tried out the local Baptist church down the street from where I live (on the way to the base, that I had been passing every day for a while). It was a friendly little church, and I really enjoyed singing some familiar hymns, but the sermon really focused on their church. Nice to visit, but I don't think I'll be calling it home. From there I went to the base pool for a good workout swim then shower... and the rest of the day I spent getting ready for the next couple months.

My night at home on the 16th was very nice. It was the first time I had been underway for more than 24 hours, so getting away from it all was a God-send. The traffic was really bad, so as the taxi got close, I got out before it came to a stand-still and walked the last bit, passing lots of cars. All I did was shower, eat a very yummy frozen dinner, drink some coffee, and relish sleeping on my own bed.

Once we pulled into Mayport, FL, I did get off the ship for a while and watch Batman Begins at the Liberty Center across the street from the ship, as well as talk to my mom and my husband. The second night I did make it out to the shuttle and had 15 minutes at the NEX before it closed. But I was able to get what I needed. Then I rode it to the Beachfront Center to get on the Internet, have a Pizza Hut personal size supreme, as well as hang out in the bar. I thought I'd just watch a little football while eating my pizza, but I ran into the sonar guys, and I sat down with them for a while.

The fourth day I was let off really early... around 2pm. Decided to walk to the on-base NEX (too early for the shuttle), bought some Raisin Bran, milk, bowl and spoons, and fruit cup (along with some new tennies, and a t-shirt that caught my eye), and had that for dinner on the beach. Took a walk along the beach after that and found lots of neat shells, as well as the molt of a horseshoe crab and the carcass of a sting ray of some sort. Then I stopped by the center nearby for Internet again, and caught the shuttle back. Did all my laundry before bed as I read in Black Beauty.

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. :)

Back To Normal... sort of

Monday back from school, I watched In Harm's Way (1965) from the library. I had remembered it being long and boring when watching parts of it on TV as a kid. It wasn't boring any more, but it sure was long! Sort of neat to see a WWII film about a novel... makes it much easier to suspend disbelief. :)

Got some errands done: gas in the car, mailed something to my Darling, and got a few groceries at Trader Joe's. And that's where I got my lunch: ate half of the lobster & avocado sushi rolls along with a breadstick, a carrot and a glass of milk. I soon forgot about dinner... fell asleep with a headache around 6 pm and didn't wake up until Michael called at 11:30pm. I was still in my jeans on top of my bed... and as I didn't have dinner, I hadn't brushed the teeth yet either.

One big difference between this week and last, I listened to the entire book of 1 Corinthians both yesterday and today while wasting time playing minesweeper. So I really wasn't wasting it!

After finishing with that today, I went to the library to drop off my recent DVDs and help out with whatever I could. Got there 45 minutes before they opened! Thankfully, I know where to go in the back door (for employees)... and was soon shelving two full cartloads of audiobooks. Only took me an hour, and then I was off to lunch. Decided to visit Ricky's again... sat at the opposite booth that Mike & I sat at, had decaff and the shrimp/avocado/jack omelet that I had considered that previous time. Boy, was it good! I sat a long time and finished the first part of the current navy book I'm reading: The Victory at Sea.

On the way home, I decided to go up that mysterious back road near the Mission Museum on the corner near Old Town. I thought it would wrap around all the way to the museum, but in abruptly ended at the top of the hill. But there were lots of neat walking trails that led into the little valley and then back up the other side to the museum. Spent over an hour wandering around, taking pictures with my phone.

Today I also buckled down on those Navy articles I'm supposed to write. The one guy finally got back to me with the simplest bit of information. Spent a good hour or more working on both at the same time.

Also got a notion to sweep the floors... gosh, I've been a bundle of energy today. When I got to the kitchen, though, I encountered dozens of tiny ants, coming in under the door and parading towards little bits of fallen food. I squished them one by one, until finally there were no more.

I feel much more relaxed since camp about my faith. I've prayed more, and thought of the Lord more during the day. Thank him for his grace, and the freedom it brings!

Jw

Another Week Gone By

Readers, you must be tired of my titles by now... Maybe I will think of a good one again someday, but this is again, another synopsis of a week flown by.

Monday the 12th: had leftovers for dinner... and took a long nap, not necessarily in that order. :)

Tuesday was much more interesting, but because it was my duty day, I didn't like the first half much at all. But I quickly recovered, having a good long conversation with Mom & Dad, and then with Julie, for the first time in a while. So good to catch up. I watched Mona Lisa Smile (2003, Julia Roberts) from the library... and liked it alright. And as another first for a while (since February 15), I spent a good amount of time in my German lessons... and got very mixed up about the articles (Das, Die, Der) and which one went with what. It's hard to figure that out from the pictures Rosetta Stone uses. For dinner I had some wonderful shrimp enchiladas at Tio Carlos, admired Jupiter and Venus, and continued to enjoy the Gaudy Night (Lord Peter Wimsey) audiobook that I picked up at the library a long while ago. Comedic romances (especially with a flair of danger) are very much up my alley at the moment. Because I wasn't in the mood for a heavy drama, I passed on seeing Citizen Kane downtown.

Wednesday the 14th: after a wonderful day in school, I volunteered at the library (and good thing too, since they were missing people) checking in books that had been sent back to us, and re-shelving the new books and the audio. Stopped at Chipotle for linner, then continued on from there to Balboa Park in order to shoot some more archery. The valley the range overlooks was bright in the afternoon sun... the trees were bright green and the tall grass was waving in the wind like the prairie's waves of grain... and I ended up singing America while walking back and forth from the target. What a gorgeous afternoon! I spoke to the Lord about it. :) After 45 minutes of shooting, I busted one of my five good arrows... so when I left soon after that, I decided to go up north near Miramar to Performance Archery in order to refletch my four old arrows (with brittle and broken feathers) and buy a half-dozen more. Also picked up a new shooting glove and an Allen wrench. It was quite a shop... they had over 40 dead and stuffed game animals mounted on the walls... including moose, elk, deer, boars, and bears (and even a huge, standing Grizzly). Gosh. I'll have to go back in a week or two to pick my order up. And for more orders, back home I got online and ordered the next Maisie Dobbs book and a couple films from the library.

Yesterday, the 15th, got back late from the base because of another open Captian's Mast for our GMT. This meant that if I wanted to eat lunch, I had to do it at the galley. I did enjoy it though... the salad and fajitas were good since I hadn't had them in a very long time. I was so wiped out by the time I got home, I lay down for a brief nap... and it ended up being 3.5 hours long. Woke in time to eat something quick and head to the Reading Cinema up north in Clairemont for a showing of Top Hat (1935) for my enjoyment. Gosh, was it fun!

Today (it's Friday!) I'm taking easy before I report to the library for an afternoon's volunteering. One of the librarians asked me on my way out on Wednesday if I would cover the kid's video game time in the community room today, since the regular guy is busy. This is my first scheduling! He asked me because I've done it once before for him. The kids don't need much help, so I'll just bring Starship Troopers for a good uninterrupted reading time.

Jw

Thursday & Friday

I had finally managed to get the wedding thank-yous out to my extended family on Tuesday. Included a copy of the pictures that Michael burned for me, so I guess that's why it had to take so long. And yesterday I finally managed to find my tax stuff to send to Michael, so his sister Connie can figure out how to get our best interests in our returns, filing jointly!

Thursday after class I deposited the check at Liberty Station, then after changing at home, headed out for a bit of shopping. Due to my stepping on the weight scale before PT that morning, I was food-conscious. Only had a cucumber and tomato salad at Noodles & Co., then moved the car and walked the rest of the way to Target. Picked up more salad ingredients and some cleaning supplies for whenever I want to clean the bathroom. But on the way I stopped in at Payless Shoes and found a very nice pair of slip-on, black Champion athletic shoes.

Back at home I watched a film from the library, The Motorcycle Diaries, about the young Che from Argentina, and the 10,000+ mile trip he took with his friend across South America in 1952... all their adventures, and the leprosy hospital they volunteered at in Peru. I was surprised to learn that there is a difference of opinion about his death. At the end, the film claimed he was assassinated, but both articles I read clearly say he was executed. Yes the CIA was involved, but through a Cuban, and by the Bolivian Army. Stupid Robert Redford. :) Anyway, I had known nothing about the guy beforehand, but now I do. Loved the movie itself... like traveling the continent in 2 hours!

Then I decided to return to base for a second workout that day for some more PRT practice. After that I went out to Panera Bread:
...and boy, was that good! Still on a healthy tear, I stopped by Trader Joe's for some more hummus and ended up with lots of veggies... enough for my own tomato & cucumber salads, as well as baby zucchini (my favorite), and more Brussels sprouts (I had just finished my previous bag). Read a bit more in Big Red, as I don't have time to now in class. I was so tired I fell asleep waiting for my phone to charge, and didn't talk to my Darling until he called!

Friday, I watched another Tintin (The Blue Lotus), ate snacks for lunch, went to the base and post office, then returned for a couple-hour nap before having tortilla soup and Florentine ravioli for dinner and going to my church/small group friend's band concert at the Nazarene University again for a fun, little one-hour performance.

Jw

In Reveiw

Monday morning I headed to Target first thing: bought two, 100 multi-colored lights on white cords, a power strip and another extension cord and set them up... one around the double window, and the other back and forth along the beam on the ceiling and the top of the shelves. Used removable, clear plastic hooks, and they're working fabulously. Ate a big breakfast too, before heading off for PT.

Tuesday and Wednesday nights I worked at the library. They were way backed up from Thanksgiving... never seen it that bad before. It took a whole hour for just graphic novels! There was no more room on the shelves. Tuesday night I utilized some coupons at the grocery across the street for OJ & eggs, and picked up some other things as well: an avocado, a couple frozen dinners (tortellini for that night, and a chicken pot pie), some Tillamook cheese, bologna, and another Hamburger Helper, which I had Thursday night as I watched Midway. Wednesday night I enjoyed watching "A Charlie Brown Christmas" for the 2nd time ever. It is so sweet and genuinely warming.

After class today, I went directly to "Papa's Pizza" on Canon St, picked up a 12", kept driving up the hill to Cabrillo Park, got out and ate my supreme, still in my uniform, and watched the sun and the sea... felt the chilly breeze, and reveled in the quiet, interrupted only by the sound of waves, crickets and the occasional bird. :)

As I sat in my car when I first arrived, I happened to be listening to Michelle Tumes's "Lovely" which mentions sea breezes. Lovely, indeed!

Tonight I went to see the new Muppet Movie in the theater at Mission Valley. Along with a cameo by Mickey Rooney!, it was very fun and funny too! I think poor Amy Adams is type-cast. :) I loved her in Enchanted too, though. Stopped by Target for more hooks for the sagging strands of lights in my room, and bread (since a mouse -or more- got into the loaf at home, and I ended up finding a wonderful elegant coat, dark grey, for looking nice and being warm when I go home in a couple weeks! Yay! :)

Jw

PS... and Mike and I finished I & II Thessalonians, and we started Ephesians last night.

Little Things

I slept most of yesterday afternoon... because I got up earlier than usual, while going to bed at the same time. :( Badly balanced equation. However, I did finish reading Robin Hood, by Roger Lancelyn Green (1956). I'm a fan of Howard Pyle's Robin Hood and King Arthur, but I had never read this version before... and there were stories I was unfamiliar with.

This guy did his research: he often quoted old poems before each chapter, and by old, I mean sixteenth century (Anthony Munday's "The Downfall of Robert Earl of Huntingdon" and "The Death of..." the same, along with various ballads, like the collection from the late medieval romance, "A Lytell Geste of Robyn Hode". Also often used were Peacock's "Maid Marian" 1822, Tennyson's "The Foresters" 1881, and Noyes's play "Robin Hood"1926.

But what I didn't realize until I read about the author at the end, was he was that Roger Green who was close friends with C.S. Lewis, a member of The Inklings, and the person most responsible for encouraging Lewis in writing my beloved Narnia! No wonder I loved his style! Thankfully, I also bought Green's "King Arthur", so I have another wonderful book to work through.

For dinner, I splurged at Panera Bread. It is between the base and my new home, so it's ultra convenient to stop at... just for food now, though, instead of a late-night Internet pit-stop! Had a whole turkey breast sandwich and a bowl of chicken noodle. Yum! And after a long nap, I called Andie to talk for a half-hour before my usual with my Darling.

Today was crazy with watch, so when I got back from that I had a good couple hours sleep. Tonight I am going to vote with the ballot that Mom sent (and I finally remembered to pick up yesterday)... other than that, I've had some bread and some original kettle cooked potato chips (like we had on the honeymoon so often :), and I'm thinking of putting on a pot of Lipton's chicken noodle soup... should also have the leftover Brussel sprouts... hmm. :) I am determined not to spend so much $ on food. I had lunch at the galley today (as yesterday) for $4.25 (including salad, fruit, meat, pasta, veggies & drinks) which is a pretty good deal. And it's been shrimp both times!

Probably finish up today with some Hogan's Heroes or a little reading, or both.

Jw

A Weekend and a Week

Goodness! Much has happened since I last posted! Sometimes it's hard to keep track of how quickly the days pass by! Last weekend, I took it rather easy, since I was very tired from being so keyed up for testing out of A-School. It was a big crash! I did all my laundry on Friday... big news there.

Saturday morning I upgraded my two favorite Facebook groups (one for WENN and the other for my Jr. High band director), finding to my delight that this re-invigorated discussions and made it easier for people to keep up with it... which included comments from Mary Stout and Hugh O'Gorman!

Sunday night I went to a modern play at the Globe that was very "edgy" and "dirty". It was interesting, but everyone was so darn bad to each other and nothing good ever happened to anybody... stayed up very late talking with Mike afterwords... which was so encouraging.

But Monday I was wasted! As I said before, I was still on a downer from being keyed up for class. And then I gave a pint of blood at 0900... which probably didn't help me feel very "go-get-'em". Thankfully I didn't have any watch for this Duty Day!

Tuesday I classed up immediately for Petty Officer Indoc! And we spent all day (0800-1530) in class. But this day I found out my class dates for Ops & C-School, which doesn't start til October, and doesn't finish til next May. This, importantly, allows for the marriage & honeymoon plans Mike & I had for sometime in September. :) I was instantly on the phone with him, and then my parents to share the big news once I was changed and on my way to the car.

Because that night the theater downtown was playing "Patton" (1970) for their special $5 showing. So I went early, tried out the "Crab Hut" restaurant that I discovered last time, then showed up right on time for the movie to begin. Pretty sure it was the first time I'd seen it, start to finish and uninterrupted.

And Wednesday evening I had a craving for that burger from the place in Old Town... and I got it again, except this time with their fries... their delicious fries covered with Parmesan cheese! Mmm! And then I swung by the Point Loma library to see most of the free community choir concert that was hosted there. They were singing Broadway tunes; I came in when they started a medley of Le Mis songs (which I had never heard before), a few others, and a Phantom medley... minus "Music of the Night" (my fav Phantom song). They ended with a sing-a-long of Irving Berlin and George Cohan... very fun indeed.

Last night I listened to a great deal of the lecture set I borrowed from the library the other day: "C.S. Lewis: His Life and Writings", put out by the "Great Courses" company that records outstanding lecturers from prestigious universities. It's an overview of all his main works... and I am delighted with it. Almost half-way through it already! Had some chocolate ice cream at Cold Stone and posted my graduation pictures to FB.

Today I finished "Lone Survivor", a suggested Navy reading program book about a SEAL and his mission in Afghanistan in 2005. Just realized tonight I was on my trip to see my Grandparents, Gatlinburg and Gettysburg (and Fredericksburg, Fort McHenry, Manassas & DC) with my parents the very same days that this story occurred. What a story!

Jp

Peace & Plans

Besides Monday & Tuesday nights that I spent in extra learning at school, we were ordered to take Wednesday night off because we had taken our test... and I did. I was worn out already. Didn't want more Galley... so I got in the car, had a delicious dinner of clam chowder with diced red potatoes, a mixed greens salad with balsamic vinaigrette (which reminded me of my many salads on my East Coast trip last year), and one of the tastiest shrimp tacos imaginable... at The Tin Fish, a hip little seafood cafe in Liberty Station much comparable to Coho's back home in Redmond.

But I didn't want to just have dinner and go home. So I drove over to Panera Bread, got a dark chocolate cookie with walnuts along with a cup of hot, black tea (British Breakfast), and settled down with my laptop to check online and read the majority of the Monk book I picked up the week before. It was relaxing indeed.

Last night (Thursday) I didn't feel the need for extra study either, so I spent the evening resting my tired feet and reading a bunch in Ecclesiastes (which was wondrously encouraging). Then I finished Monk, and watched The Hound of the Baskervilles (Cushing, 1965 TV series), the first of the set I got at Target for cheap. I had watched "You've Got Mail" Monday night, as I was so keen on watching it... and as that's when it came. :)

But simply relaxing is not where my peace has come from this week... not entirely, at least. Sunday night, Mike and I had a really long talk... twice the usual length (because I called earlier!) :) and we started talking a bit more about when we want to get married and how... and we think the Lord is leading us to do the legal part in Norman this fall, perhaps have a bit of a honeymoon to the Boundary Waters in Minnesota, and then have a ceremony at home with my family and friends when it can be worked out... maybe next year.

Doing the legal part in Oklahoma is probably best... with my limited amount of time off, having to wait three days for processing a marriage certificate in Washington does not sound fun. And it would allow us an opportunity to celebrate with his family and friends. So depending on when I am allowed to take leave (Lord willing) we may marry in a few months... September is in mind... but we'll see.

This week has been great... I remembered to send a thank you card and I had a wonderful long talk with Mom on Tuesday night. And Mike reads a Psalm to me every night, and we've had several really good ones in a row... especially between 14-19. So with all this, and Ecclesiastes last night, the Lord is certainly comforting me and leading me on, as always.

Jp

Nothin' (much)

I did end up going to the small group Bible study Friday night at the Presbyterian church. But before I did that I finished "Mother Was a Gunner's Mate", took a nap, and read the chapter for the meeting. The headache I had from a long time in class was mostly gone, due to the nap and some pills. The meeting was great! Even met someone that wasn't there last time. A Navy wife with her husband on deployment. We talked afterwords. :)

Didn't get much sleep... and I had to wake up early to call in for duty day muster. Spent the morning getting gas for the car, picking up my race t-shirt and baseball game tickets at the NEX on 32nd street for the Bay Bridge Run next month. Used my discount coupon to buy a baseball glove so I can turn out for the softball teams forming up tomorrow (if allowed). Stopped at Panera for lunch. For the better part of the day I watched the BBC version of Pride and Prejudice that I picked up at Target this week. Ended up finishing the entire thing just before chat! My duty included learning how to be a duty driver... apparently our section is short on them... and all we did was check the four vehicles. Nobody to drive... just had to stay within cell range if needed, so I had dinner at the galley, and watched about an hour more of P&P.

Today I slept in! Just about twelve hours exactly... getting up around 1030. Went to Denny's for breakfast, then returned to read in the Monk book I got at the library sale two weeks ago, and watched most of a sermon online... slow loading. Gave up on that and decided to go help out at the library for a little while. They had saved a little present for me from the volunteer's luncheon I missed due to school! How nice they are! It was candy and a coupon from Balboa Park to visit any/all museums during the rest of this month for free! :) Yay! Next weekend!

Then I took a ride on my newly acquired bike (from home) along the waterfront all the way to downtown. Very fun, and I saw a lot of strange things at the Seaport Village and Embarcadero Park past the USS Midway. Lots of street vendors, a mime, a human statue that would dance for money... a palm reader... a guy with rescued parrots who wanted tips if you took a picture... pretty strange, but fun to look at. Right now I'm at Panera for dinner. And finishing up the sermon on the end of 1st Corinthians 13. A passage I've always had some kind of vague idea about what it means, but now it's a lot clearer.

How I love the Lord.
Jp

Monday's Mirth

Couldn't believe I didn't get out of bed until 1230... ! but I did. I laid there for a while, so it wasn't that I needed all that sleep... I needed the rest. I proceeded to read a good portion of Jane Eyre for the rest of the day, getting a lunch at a Greek cafe, and dinner at Panera Bread in Liberty Station, as I read on a bench near the little inlet where the shore birds hunt and play. There is even a bit of a beach access, where you can walk on the bit of sand to look at the hundreds of oysters, mussels and barnacles and overturn rocks to find scattering crabs. I had a ball.

Jp

Deja Vu

My roommate Wilson from bootcamp just got a car. Today she was going to check out The Anchor Church a few miles south of here via the freeway. I was glad I went with, if only to spend time with her for the first time. Had a little breakfast sandwich on the way, and I helped her navigate. I think she got a car that is very, if not exactly, like the first car I rented on the way to Owensboro! :)

This was a Pentecostal church... they didn't do everything as ridiculous as I've heard some do... but they did enough. I'm feeling very alone, spiritually, and I'm praying the Lord will bring me into a solid group of believers somehow, somewhere. I knew I was well taken care of in Great Lakes when I was there... with Robert & Julie and with the small group on base... and I really miss that aspect of it.

Spent another two hours at the library today! That was so nice! And Wilson dropped me off there after we changed clothes from church. She came in to look around and is now planning on getting a library card. :) Only found one book between the shelves today... but as I was shelving in the Young Adults fiction today, I came across "Jane Eyre", which I've always wanted to sit down with. So after I was done working, I got my own library card and checked it out. :)

Had a one-serving sized lasagna that I got a while ago from the NEX for dinner, along with some delicious, frozen, girl scout thin mints. I missed the galley tonight because I was too busy reading about poor Jane. But I didn't need much. I had a bagel and a bagel BLT at a mom & pop restaurant across from the library for a late lunch.

Jp

Better

Although work was difficult (since things are slow) I am doing much better tonight. Had leftovers with Mom and then took a relaxing shower. After that I read 2nd Corinthians, because I seem to remember my pastor saying it was a great book for encouragement. I haven't been spending much time in the Bible this week, so even though it is a good book for encouragement, I think any would have been good for me.

Somebody at work today tested me on the Sailor's Creed! I sent out the link to my Navy blog to many of my friends at work, and I've gotten lots of comments and encouragements from them in return.

Jp

Dying Inside

This weekend was a nice, lazy one. On Saturday I spent most of the day cleaning up my desk... going through the big drawer (that was overflowing) of stuff I've collected from recent trips. Postcards, programs, receipts, park maps... all that stuff. So it was a real walk down memory lane (since 2008).

Sunday I woke up rather early... 7:30 I think. And I got a couple things done... ordered a case for my baby laptop... and I read in my whale book from Friday, sitting at my desk with the sunshine spilling all over me. It looked cold outside (it was frosty that morning), but it sure was comfortably warm in the light. Between that and a late breakfast, I got rather tired by 1:30 or so and took a four-hour nap! Yikes! But it had clouded over, so I wasn't really missing anything. :)

I had planned on going to church at 6pm, so I got up at the perfect moment. Church was in the second week of mission's week, where the focus is to remember the Lord's work around the world. I think I'll send them a letter asking for advice on some things, since I really feel that my next adventure is a sort of mission; going to be available to minister to people who I run into.

We watched the Battle of Britain (from Netflix) that night, and I really liked it, but they had way too much of an abrupt ending. I wanted to know more about what happened to Christopher Plummer, and a few other characters, but instead they have a sequence of air battles all mushed together and then the Germans all of a sudden pulling out. Yay! We won! Oh, I knew that...

Today started off okay, but I really felt like my spirit was dying as I looked outside and knew that the temp was about 60 and saw the soft sunshine... and I was stuck at work. I was kinda frustrated with stuff all day (and I wasn't very busy at work either) and I knew at one (or two) points I definitely lost my good sense/temper and sinned. Coming home to mom's fabulous spaghetti dinner helped me relax, but what was best was the Bible study I tried out at church (the pastor wants us all to try out small groups for a couple weeks - and I said "okay"). We studied Romans 7 & 8, which talk about the war between the flesh (our humanity) and the Spirit of God living in us, and how Paul talks about "Who shall deliver me from this body of death?!" Oh, how I agree with him! I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord! A timely, excellent reminder of scripture.

The weather outside tonight is simply perfect. I have my window open and it's 10pm! Cool breezes and absolutely dry, although cloudy. When I got home I simply couldn't go inside. Instead I jogged around our 1/2 mile block. I went inside, and then took the dog out. And I met a neighbor who was walking her dog... I had too... I had to corral Spiffy LOL :) She's only been here a little over a year, and is also a UW grad. :)

I think I might be ready for one more day... maybe.

Jp

After a Break

Well, my Christmas was both fun and relaxing!

Breakfast was as incredible as ever: I scrambled so many eggs for our full house that they almost spilled out of the large frying pan and required constant turning to avoid burning. We had fried red potatoes, spam, bacon, sausage, waffles from scratch with strawberries, and several jugs of orange juice! It is our only real meal of the day. I had a snack of sorts around 7 pm.

Other than open presents and eat, I didn't do much. And today I went shopping with my sister in the morning (late morning:) and we had a lovely time together. I have also been able to arrange meetings with friends for both tomorrow and on Monday. I am loving the rest I'm getting! Mostly the mental break from working.

And tonight, I just finished that history of Germany that I have been taking on trips with me since December 2007... "A Mighty Fortress" by Steven Ozment. I really enjoyed the modern, post-war part and the part about Bismark and Wilhelm that I didn't know much about before. I think this illustrates my reading problem... I don't do it enough! I am looking forward to being stuck with books while in the Navy. It might help me become much better read. :) Gosh, this book had been to Hawaii, North Carolina, California and Oklahoma! And some in between.

On to something else tomorrow!

Jp

All This Waiting is Driving Me Mad, Defense Attorney Benton

Waiting for my friend to get here from Florida this Friday, waiting for my brother to get here from Arizona the day after that, waiting for an idea to come to me about something I'm attempting to write, waiting for Christmas itself... waiting for tomorrow night... :)

And I had my own share of waiting around on Thursday night... some I didn't mind at all, and some that was... driving me mad. The way the tests were set up there were a couple hours for me to sit around and read! I read in the end of Deuteronomy for a while: about the blessings for following and cursing for disobeying God's law that he had just finalized with Israel. And then after reading something this week about death, I thought a bit about why God punishes sin so severely. Sin is really just rejecting God ways, as God is perfect. I suppose I wouldn't want sin to be let off if it is bad... I just have difficulty thinking of sin like God does: "abhorring" it. That's a rather stronger feeling than I've ever had about it (I'm a redeemed sinner). But I think I need to.

But after that bit of study that only lasted through the final itself (until 5), I then got out 'Bridge to Terabithia' and finished it, not without tears. What a good one! At that point (around 7), I had another 45 minutes to read in my Bluejacket's Manuel. It's a little dry at this point: all about tying knots and seamanship. I'm reading the whole thing so I am familiar with where to find things if I need it again.

I did enjoy not being a student though. All those students I watched over had to write three long essays about ethical philosophy, ending with "What is it to be moral?" Yikes! They were either writing for a solid hour, or switching writing and staring at the wall. :) And when I was reading in the lobby, I could see into the computer lab. Later on I noticed a young man with his head in his hands in front of a computer with a mostly blank-looking Word document open. Ouch.

Meg then came and picked me up and we went to get her 'other' at the UW. Unfortunately, he was in a meeting that went way over... by like another hour and some after we got there. That drove me to be a little mad, as it was Dad's birthday that day and we wanted to go have cake with him. But it ended up working out okay.

Friday (yesterday) was very low key. It was so mundane that I barely remember anything I did... well, I had breakfast, had a headache, picked up my room, watched "Don't Act Like That", and planned a huge trip to New England for sometime next year in order to see friends, all the little states I've never been to and most of the northern Revolutionary War sites. :) According to Google, it would be about 1,200 miles of driving in all, visiting 15-16 different sites. Ambitious? yes. Insane? I hope not.

Jp