Who Says it's Too Early for Christmas?

Well, when one is going to be gone for Thanksgiving... there's really no point in waiting. I put up my lights inside the house this time. Reindeer lights around the little side window... and the tree (now with colored lights) connected to that. I have two long strands of multi-colored lights on white strands, one along the edge of the stairs that continues, draping the closet door; the other outlines the frame around the sliding glass door.

It's very autumn-ish though... very chilly yesterday. I finally discovered the usefulness of the big street loop that is my community... it's perfect for biking! Did three laps, and it felt great!

This week from Netflix I got Coco Before Chanel (and even enjoyed it's very French-ness). Before that it was Faith of My Fathers (about John McCain's captivity) which I also enjoyed. Tonight I have the first five episodes of Inspector Gadget from 1983! We'll see!

Speaking about movies, yesterday evening I went out to the mall at Military Circle to watch something I found out about in the local paper that had come that day... 12 Years a Slave... a true story based off an 1854 autobiography of Solomon Northup... a free man who was kidnapped and enslaved in 1841. As Rotten Tomatoes acclaims it at 97%... it was fantastic. It was like nothing that has ever been done before... and it opened my eyes to the thing we talk of so lightly. It was an education. Yes, the Civil War was worth it; American slavery was just as evil as Nazism and needed to be uprooted and defeated the same way.

As I came out of the theater in tears... I decided I wanted to watch something else too, to relax. I tried for Thor, but that was only in 3D at the time, and I hate watching 3D... so I opted for Ender's Game... and I was very glad. I stopped in on an earlier showing of Thor on my way to Ender, and it seemed exactly the same as the last Thor... and Ender's Game was done very well. The author was involved directly, so that stands to reason. What did surprise me was that the University of Washington Electrical Engineering department was in the credits! Cool! My best friend in Husky Band was an EE major. Pictured below is the edition I read back in San Diego... it was on the Navy's reading list, and it was recommended to me by my roommate in Great Lakes:

Today, I've been working on digitizing my CDs, and I ended up buying a few things on iTunes... like every single thing The Piano Guys ever put out, a few Enya songs, and a few random favorites. And just in time, I took off for downtown Norfolk so I could walk on board the visiting tall ship from Norway, the Statsraad Lehmkuhl. Even though I am partly Norwegian, there is no way I could even attempt to pronounce that correctly.

After that, I walked along the waterfront and headed over to the MacArthur Mall to look around. Spent a lot of time in the toys & games store, mostly looking at the thousands of 2014 calenders they had. I briefly considered getting this one for my Darling:

LOL. I can't look at it without laughing. I was tempted on a few myself, but I really don't need a calender next year... and I was able to resist.

What fun.

Jw

A Rather Fine Weekend

Saturday I kept very busy, doing all the things I should. After baking another banana bread, eating breakfast and cleaning up all the dishes, I played my instruments then worked on my model ship for a while upstairs. Went swimming at the local pool, returned, cleaned up, then went and did all my laundry at the beach... where I did some shopping, snacking and reading while my clothes were getting done. They had Monk on the TVs while I was folding laundry! It was the episode about an actor trying to portray Monk in his famous case of the astronaut. Cleaned the house a bit before I wasted some time online, then watched a new episode of Foyle's War and enjoyed a fantastic seafood dinner along with it.

Sunday I was out and about the whole day... started off with getting some frames at Michael's, along with some Christmas decor (the seashell ornaments and star I found at the NEX a few days ago). Very happy to have my own set-up nativity:

From Michael's, I went across the street to Target to find some necessities, as well as a basketball for playing on the courts at my community. But as usual at Target, I also found a neat hat and some gloves... and an inexpensive dart board!














Finally tore myself away from that place and continued on to Mt. Trashmore, not far from there. Walked the 1.5 mile circuit around the lake, as well as climbed the large hill covering the old landfill... and sent my head spinning by rolling down the gentle slope.

Little bit of fall color along the circuit around the lake.

From there I continued on to a gun range, shot 65 rounds at different intervals, got a couple more boxes for another day, then poked around Family Dollar for a couple things I really needed. Then I stopped off at Carrabba's for an outstanding late lunch (couldn't pass up the opportunity since I was there), then stopped across the street to poke around the mall for a bit. That was my downfall. I found classic Yahtzee at B&N, and splurged big time on a Seahawks jersey that I wore for the rest of the day (it was game day, after all).

Across from the NFL store was something called "Cool Eclectic"... and I found some neat vintage prints of Ocean View from the '20s and '30s.









When I had finally decided on the prints (there were a lot of them there), I kept exploring a bit and found the Disney store where I picked up that adorable Nemo mug! On my way home (finally!), I stopped off at Michael's again for frames for these last pics... then I decided to stop by that sports bar I found the other day when I was getting my car fixed. The staff recognized me without my uniform... and I had a Crown Royal on the rocks while watching the Seahawks come back from a huge deficit to win the game in overtime! So fun! Things usually don't go that well when I plan them out. I'd have to say the day was blessed by the Lord. However, I think I shall take a break from spending money. :)

Tonight after work I continued putting things away from last night, went out to the courts to shoot a little basketball, had some chicken noodle soup and sourdough bread, went to the local half-price bookstore I first visited this week to pick up a book I found then... and wasted time looking at biographies of Maureen O'Hara and Errol Flynn. Only leaving when they closed (at 7) I came home, talked with Mom & Dad, and had a steak dinner while watching Jeeves & Wooster (LOL).

Jw

And I Ended Up Staying At Home

 A Beautiful Day at the Laudromat, Yesterday

(Although the Weather was About the Same Today)

Had a couple thoughts yesterday about driving up the peninsula, or going to a Cinema Cafe movie... but today all I did was make some awesome omelets for breakfast, bake banana bread for lunch, hang a few pictures upstairs (the ones I put into frames last night)... and suddenly I got the urge to clean up the front porch/entryway. Yesterday I painted the mail slot cover white... and I wanted to continue with touching up the trim around the door. But first I decided I'd clean it all up... including the vinyl siding that looked like it had never been cleaned before (ever). Three buckets of soapy water (and three sponges) later, everything looked brand new. So I got out the paint again and took care of all the trimmings. Then I decided to paint the concrete just below the doors since it was all cracked and discolored. This is something I wanted to fix the first day I saw the place... but I guess never got around to until now.

Church this evening was great! Continued their series leading up to Christmas of events that point to Jesus in the Old Testament. Today the topic was sacrifices... blood sacrifices (life is in the blood... without the shedding of it there is no forgiveness of sin), praise sacrifices, and finally, living sacrifices (and a lot about being able to approach God). Something I hadn't thought about before: the pastor mentioned that without Christ we wouldn't be able to approach God because we (in our sin) would be obliterated (as light obliterates darkness). What a thought!

For the rest of the evening, I am going to have a seafood dinner at home (crab and shrimp), and I'm going to watch To Sir with Love because my Darling made me think of it. :)

Jw

Back on My Own

As I was out that way already to pick up my car from the airport (as Meg and Jason had to drive it there to get off okay) I stopped by a repair shop to get my air conditioner looked at. As I waited, I walked around the corner and found a sports bar called "Winners" for somewhere to eat since I was starved. Had a bowl of chili and a hamburger and both were very good. Some retired Navy guys were hanging out there (it was only about 3 or 4 in the afternoon) and they chatted with me because I was still in uniform. Got home and cleaned things up a little, then talked with Meg for a good while. Even read in a book for a while (I organized all my mounds of books, sorting the ones I want to read next).

Today I made the most of my time... woke up after eight and a half beautiful hours sleep, had a simple breakfast, played my instruments, then loaded up the laundry and enjoyed a gorgeous walk on the beach as they dried. Did a little shopping as they washed... I love the location... where else can you do all that when you do your clothes? Upon returning and after putting everything away, I made some fresh spaghetti noodles for my leftover sauce with Italian sausage and mushrooms and watched the current Netfilx film from the mail: Michael Collins (1996) with Liam Neeson and Alan Rickman. After that, I baked another pumpkin pie, took a walk over to our private beach (right at sunset!), then set out for Pembroke Mall upon returning. Picked up some frames at Michael's, and had a little business at Bed, Bath & Beyond. Needed to return something, and pick up a chopper for baking banana nut bread tomorrow. Because I couldn't resist, I picked up a delicious roast turkey salad at Panera, along with a little guac from Chipotle. Was going to watch something else tonight, but I caught up online instead.

Jw

With Family!

So on the evening of the 15th, Meg, Jason and Jonna arrived in Norfolk to spend nine days with me! The first two nights were very brief and very late, since work took so long. And Thursday evening, my Darling Michael came for a long weekend at the same time.

We spent our first night together having some of Jason's chicken curry as we watched Persuasion from Netflix. The next morning Meg and Mike dropped me off in Yorktown, then picked me up in Norfolk that evening. And while they were there, I took them on a tour of the ship, from the bridge at the fourth level to my berthing on the third deck. We were all pretty tired by the time that was over, that we drove straight to our favorite local Italian place in Ocean View, Franco's By the Sea.

The weekend was marvelous. Saturday we drove out to Cape Henry to have a look at the lighthouse and the beach near the First Landing memorial. We even saw dolphins not far off shore just before we left. There were also lots of little crabs with homes in the sand. That night we had steak for dinner, along with stuffed mushrooms and fried (or mashed) potatoes.

Sunday was especially relaxing; slept in a long time, and had another wonderful breakfast at home. I baked a pumpkin pie and a chocolate cake in the morning. Mike and I took a leisurely stroll around the neighborhood together later on (after I finished mowing the lawn), then we went and picked up dinner at the Sunset Grill on Willoughby Spit and ate while we all watched The Court Jester again together. That was the film we watched on our first visit... back in 2009!

The 21st to the 23rd, it was just Meg and Jason and Jonna again. I got home between 2:30 and 3 every afternoon, and I adored just hanging out with them. Monday we made burgers with blue cheese on top, then Tuesday, we went out to El Azteca on Little Creek Blvd for some fantastic Mexican. While we were out there we stopped at two thrift stores for poking around and Walmart for a little errand. It was wonderful fun. Our last evening together, we made spaghetti at home. Meg beat me at Phase 10, and I held Jonna as much as I could.

Jw

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

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

Life as a Couch Potato

With the exception of Saturday, the last week (since I got back from North Carolina) has been very busy... very few hours at home after work, and Duty every three days...doesn't allow for much. More often than not I simply ate dinner at home and watched something (usually many things) on Netflix. I recently started watching Midsomer Murders... a Dick Van Dyke episode here and there... a Foyle's War or two... a documentary about Denali National Park... and a tour of New England with Stephen Fry. And I also enjoyed discs in the mail... The Nine Tailors, The Road to Bali, and Blazing Saddles just yesterday. But besides all that, I created a blog for my Darling's music picks every week and did some shopping online.

Saturday was a different story though... I slept in so long! Had a nice big breakfast, and later on I drove over to Newport News to the model store Hobbytown USA. I picked up supplies for the model destroyer I'm going to build. I think it was that afternoon when I made tacos for dinner... and that lasted me for a few days!

I managed to play a little on the cello I rented the other day... and I got my laundry done the other night when the weather turned. Suddenly it was feeling like fall with the chilly wind and cloudy skies every now and then. Read some more in Neptune's Inferno in my car to escape the network television played inside while my clothes washed and dried. Yesterday it was spaghetti for dinner at home and I even cleaned up the kitchen afterwords.

It sure was nice to relax when I could this last week; I really needed it.

Jw

Escape to Asheville

Much of my long weekend in North Carolina with my Mom and Grandparents was spent relaxing, lingering over meals and talking, going to the production of CATS at the Playhouse downtown, and building this puzzle:

It was a glorious, restful time... I loved seeing my family and leaving the Navy far behind me in my mind.

Jw