July 4th, 2009

Haven't found enough balance - any balance, really - to keep up with my blogging and the rest of my life. All I can do is try.

Strange Sights

Watching The Sopranos in bed. That somehow makes the sunglasses make sense. ;-)


The only thing missing is Faye Raye in a bikini. ;-)

A Nautical Day

Yesterday, we visited Nauticus, which is a maritime museum run by the Navy. While there, we toured the USS Wisconsin and took a cruise to the Norfolk Naval Base aboard the Victory Rover.


Nauticus.


Nauticus with the USS Wisconsin in the background. That's Jordan in the black t-shirt and blue jeans.


There's a flowery mermaid in her pools. I know what I saw! (Fans of Scrubs are cracking up right now. The rest of you are probably scratching your heads.)


The bow of the USS Wisconsin.


A view of Nauticus and the USS Wisconsin taken from the stern of the Victory Rover while underway.


Norfolk Naval Base. Navy ships as far as the eye can see...




The USS Truman. Mark had his dental on this ship in Dubai on Christmas Day during his last deployment.


The other side of the USS Truman.


Mark with the Norfolk Naval Base in the background.


On the bow of the boat during our cruise. I love being on the water.


The oldest and largest Naval hospital in the world. The white building with the green room is the original building, built in the early 1800's.


A view of the USS Wisconsin as we returned to the dock. To her left is a yacht called the White Cloud, which is apparently a big deal. When I googled it, I learned that it is considered a super yacht and is ranked one of the top yachts in the world. I wish I had gotten more pictures of it.


The USS Wisconsin and the White Cloud from the dock.


Love the Blue Angels. This plane is mounted on top of Nauticus.


Mark and the kids standing under the largest guns in US Navy inventory. Those things would shoot Mark's car 23 nautical miles. Wow.


The deck of the USS Wisconsin.


Anyone who needed one of these was having a very bad day.


The Victory Rover, taken from the deck of the USS Wisconsin.


Mark and I on the fantail of the USS Wisconsin.


Towards the end of our tour of the USS Wisconsin. I included this because Jordan is actually smiling nicely for the camera, which he rarely does. In the background, Mark is absorbed in the details of the ship and Jinna is texting.

Spicy Teriyaki Chicken Kabobs

Last night's dinner...


Before. (Yes, that is freshly cut pineapple.)


During.


After.

My Favorite Spot At Our Vacation Cottage

My Perspective

A Day At The Beach

Historic Jamestowne

The tercentennial monument.


The inscription on the monument.


The Memorial Church, built in 1907 on the foundation of one of the original churches.


The alter inside the Memorial Church.


A tomb inside the Memorial Church. This is unique because it was inlayed with a brass knight. Most tombstones from that time in the new world were plain.


The graveyard at the Memorial Church.


The tower on the front of the Memorial Church is the only 17th century structure still standing.


A view inside the tower.


Barracks, currently under construction as it would have been back then.


Not exactly a colonial woman. ;-)


Mark, manning the cannon.


A scale model of 1607 James Fort. Behind it, covered in plastic, is a current archeological dig, in which they have discovered a cellar and a well. Ordinarily, we would have been able to observe the dig, but they were off on Memorial Day.


Crosses mark graves they found underneath the ruins of the Governor's mansion.


A shrine for the first Anglican minister of the colony.


Mark and I standing in front of earthworks that were built up by Confederate soldiers during the Civil War.


Inside the Archaearium, which houses artifacts that have been discovered on the site. I wasn't supposed to take pictures here, but I somehow didn't notice the giant sign on the door. Oops.


JR102C. You can read his story here: http://www.preservationvirginia.org/rediscovery/page.php?page_id=198


His cause of death is visible: a bullet lodged in his leg.

Easily Amused

I played with the camera on the way to Jamestown yesterday.

Dam Neck Annex

Our rental cottage is on a street one block from the beach. We're across the street from base housing and right beside the neighborhood park. I've never seen so many kids in my life! They run in herds, seriously. When we came home from grocery shopping Sunday, we had to wait for them to clear out of the driveway so we could park. Later, while we were outside grilling, groups of kids would just randomly run right past us through the back yard.


Mmmm... barbecued chicken.


Cheesy self-portrait in the back yard. Please ignore the vacation hair. ;-)

We ate dinner on the screened porch that night and afterward, Mark and I sat there relaxing and talking. Kids were still running up and down the street playing. One particularly loud little boy kept yelling things like, "Front and center!" and "Evasive maneuvers!" It was cracking us up. A true military kid. ;-)


Jordan and Jinna spent much of Sunday watching a Star Wars marathon while Mark and I were out shopping.

Virginia Beach

The kids and I flew to Virginia yesterday to spend a week with Mark.


Together again. :-)


Happy to see Daddy.


We're on base, so everyone on the beach is military.


I'm not a big fan of East coast beaches, but this one is nice.

Happy 78th Birthday, Aunt Nancy

We took Aunt Nancy out to dinner last night, but that ended pretty dramatically. See?



Tonight was much more successful. :-)

Flutist Or Flautist?

Jinna's end of the year concert was this week. She played with the full 7th grade band, then she played Edelweiss with three other girls during intermission. She did a great job!


There was a heart on the curtains before the concert.


You can't see her, but I promise: Jinna is there. ;-)


Jinna and Kaitlin smiling together, as usual. They look like sisters.

Mother's Day Weekend 2009

I arrived home Friday to find that Mark had sent me a box with a very touching card and sweet, thoughtful gifts. I took the kids out for Thai food, then came home and went to bed early.

Saturday was nice. It rained all day while I ran errands, but cleared up in time for us to enjoy our evening.


Jordan went to an end-of-year dance at his school. I saw this rainbow as I was leaving the school after dropping him off there. Very cool.


Jinna and I took her friend Stuart with us to a baseball game.


It didn't go our way - the Lookouts lost 9 to 0. Ouch.


The fireworks after the game almost made us forget about the crushing loss. ;-)

I slept late this morning, then went out for brunch with the kids. Afterward, I bought some new front speakers for my car (which I had to do thanks to Jordan blowing up the current ones in my JBL audio system - GRRR!) and a Parrot car kit. Both are being installed on Thursday.


I took this picture before we went out... then the bickering, smart-mouthing and disrespect began and continued for the rest of the day. Now I have their cell phones and they both went to bed mad.

Happy Mother's Day to me.

A Bouquet Of Flowers And An Ice Cream Cone

Therapy... for the low, low price of $24.87.

UPDATE: I chose a yellow and white bouquet and pink accent flowers to match the vase and ribbon I already had. A florist I'm not, but the flowers are beautiful despite the amateur arrangement. ;-)



There are no ice cream cone pictures. It didn't last long enough. ;-)

May 6th

Today was significant for me in two ways - it marked four years since we moved to Tennessee and Mark is five weeks into his latest deployment.

I love living here with one exception: although I've made many acquaintances, my support system is relatively weak.

I've been so busy that Mark being gone really hasn't bothered me much yet, but that all changed last night. I went to a business dinner after work and when we were all leaving, I noticed that I was the only one who was leaving alone. I suddenly felt like a pathetic hanger-on and I started to cry. Thankfully, no one saw me. I got through today at work okay until it was time to go home, at which point I was overcome with a profound sadness and I felt like crying again. I was able to talk to Mark both times, which helped some.

Mark is stateside for the moment, so we get to talk almost every day. We haven't been getting along. This happened last time too. It's weird, because we don't really argue or even disagree that much when we're together. I don't know why this happens, unless it's some sort of subconscious defense mechanism to distance ourselves from one another. Whatever it is, it sucks, and I have no idea how to make things better for either one of us.

When Mark got his orders, I all but begged him not to tell anyone right away. I wasn't ready for the attention, the questions and I especially didn't want the pity. The pity pisses me off. We knew what we were signing up for when Mark joined the Navy. That doesn't mean it's easy, but it was our choice, so don't feel sorry for us for making it.

I also didn't want to be smothered, which some people came close to doing when Mark was deployed last time. That doesn't mean that people were around all the time - they weren't - but when they did call or come to visit, they treated me like something was wrong with me, like I was fragile and I might crack at any moment. I hated that.

In fairness, I feel very off kilter without Mark and I'm sure it shows. I was unemployed during the last deployment, which I was convinced made matters worse because I spent entirely too much time alone and inside my own head. I thought this time would be better, since I have a job to occupy my mind and I'm surrounded by people every day for support. Well, guess what? At the end of the work day, we all go our separate ways and I'm still alone and still inside my own head. Not much is different at all.

I have the kids, of course, but I'm very careful not to burden them with my neuroses. I'm trying my best to keep their lives as normal as possible. I think I'm doing a good job of that, as they seem almost completely unaffected by Mark's absence so far. I wish I could say the same.

The bottom line is: I'm lonely. Despite this, when my family or friends mention coming to visit, I really, truly don't want them to - I just want to be left alone.

How's that for a Catch 22?

I know I probably sound crazy, but unless you've been through a deployment, you can't possibly understand the wildly varied emotions that come with it. It's like the roller coaster ride from hell.

Relay For Life 2009

This weekend, I worked the overnight shift at my company's Relay for Life booth. The weather was mild and business was nonexistent, so we hung out together and danced to the music that was blaring from the loudspeakers.


Carol and me at 4am. Wow. I should have worn makeup.

I left at 6am, went to breakfast with friends, got my hair cut, picked up Jinna, then went back to the Relay for the survivor and team laps. The pleasant weather that we enjoyed overnight was gone, replaced by torrential rain. It may have soaked our bodies, but it didn't dampen our spirits. About twenty of us came to show support for a coworker who just recently finished treatment for breast cancer. We carried signs that read "Bev's Chemo-sabes." ;-)


Soggy, but still smiling, after the walk. Notice the makeup. ;-)

I wish I had taken pictures of the event and of everyone who was there, but with the rain, I just didn't.

Not His Brightest Idea

Texting for help may not be the most effective way to get out of that situation.