Leaving America

Posted on June 11, 2014 by TheJessicaness
caption

nearing Azores Islands

My phone said it was 12:45am when I set my alarm. It was on airplane mode and I don’t know how long we had been flying for. I was the last one with my reading light on. I set the alarm for 3:30, but was awoken at 2:00 (6:00 Azores time) to a bright and beautiful horizon – shades of orange and green in the distance with blue clouds over an indigo ocean. Some of the people around me seem to have stayed awake for the transition from X-Men to a cartoon with a girl riding a hummingbird. Their eyes are bloodshot and contrast with the color of the sun’s light seen from both my windows.

flying over the Azores Islands

flying over the Azores Islands

At 7:20 we pass the Corvo Island crater peeking through the cloud cover. I used the lavatory over the Atlantic Ocean as the intercom announced our descent. I hurried back to my seat but there is no land in sight until I spot the island under a pile of clouds seeing only the outline of the surf hitting the shore. We arrive at Lajes Field Airport on Terceira Island of the Azores archipelago, Portugal at 7:40am. The countryside is beautiful. We are taxied in the plane, then bused over to the waiting area – from door to door supervision – with outlets, vending machines, phone banks, and chairs.

Terceira Island

Terceira Island

We are stuck for two and a half hours inside except for pet owners that are allowed to walk in the fenced-in parking lot. Smokers get to go into an enclosed room and just through the door leading to there I’m overwhelmed with the smell, but step in to get a picture of the mural and I can imagine that the walls are yellow around the corner. I’ll wait my turn and eventually charge my electronics, but we figured a seat by the window was more important. Some people laid on the floor and others were quick to load up on snacks.

mural in Lajes Field Airport

mural in Lajes Field Airport

Back on the bus, back on the plane, and it doesn’t seem any emptier than before. I actually think we picked up some new people along with trinkets and postcards to be sent home. We are due in Naples, Italy at 5pm and it’s 11am here when we start to roll on the runway. It will be dark when we reach Chania, Crete, Greece and I was looking forward to the view. I’m wishing we would’ve taken our second boxed meal with us to snack on. I’m starting to get hungry, but there should be another meal served, or so I’ve been told.

standing at the outlet bar

standing at the multi-outlet bar in Lajes

The plane is in the air and the hot towels already offered. A stewardess comes around and tells me to close the window. I ask her why, she reaches over me, closes it, and tells me, “So people can sleep.” I open it back up and let her know I enjoy the view and look around to see no one having an issue with the light coming in my window. These guys are coming from work, leave, and days on planes – if they are tired they will sleep and my window will have nothing to do with it. I didn’t appreciate her rude behavior, but not enough to do anything about it.

peeking out the window at Lajes

peeking out the window at Lajes

Apparently one guy was sleeping so well that he missed the last flight’s meal and had to be woken up by employees cleaning and restocking the plane and given a personal bus ride to the station where the rest of us were. We all got to talking and one guy was telling us how his mom duct taped mittens to his hands to keep him from scratching his chicken pox. A guy beside him wondered if it was because he was growing his nails – because people are born without them now?! They gave him a pass saying that he could already be jet-lagged. This same confused individual wants to get a tattoo, “To be great is to be misunderstood.”

leaving Lajes

leaving Lajes

Lunch was chicken and rice with coleslaw, chocolate cake, and cheese with crackers. We arrive in Naples at 4:30pm and are allowed to de-board at the rear of the plane and walk to the waiting lounge. I enjoy the bit of exercise, but still wish to be taking photos. I get a Pinwheels (chocolate covered marshmallow) from the USO and a bag of Cheetos, then brush my teeth. We sit at a table with Kyle Lejune Keller (the guy with the lemon towel) and chat while waiting for people to open the bathroom door and be surprised to find someone in there – so much for locking or knocking.

en route to Naples

en route to Naples

When I’m done eating we can explore more of the airport. There is a playroom for kids and a café with knickknacks – decorative plates, snow globes, and teacups – on the shelf. There are two floors here. The bottom where all the coming and going is had, and the top floor where all the waiting is to be done. It seems we are leaving some people here as I see a guy outside make his way around the corner with wheeled luggage in each hand, with bags on top of them, and a bag on his shoulder. Three hours after landing and we are called to go back through security – IDs out and shoes off.

Mount Vesuvius, part of the Campanian volcanic arc

Mount Vesuvius National Park, part of the Campanian volcanic arc

 

While we were waiting a command was looking for one of their men. Turns out he had walked to the gym to take a shower. Part of me applauds his bravery, but the other part thinks he was dumb for doing so and I’m not trying to do anything to compromise me meeting my dogs at the airport when they arrive. The heat is flowing freely on the plane and the stench has already been growing. The seats are finally emptying out and guys are spreading out so they can stretch their legs while they nap. I don’t want to give up my window seat – and I’m having no trouble sleeping here using Caleb to cuddle with.

Mount Vesuvius surrounded by 3 million residents, last eruption in March 1944

Mount Vesuvius surrounded by 3 million residents, last eruption in 1944

I started to read for a while and then realized I had read the same paragraph three times. I put the book away and snuggled up with Caleb. I was about to go to sleep when I saw the food and drink carts getting pushed up the aisle at 8pm. I stared at the TV screen to keep me awake until our tuna sandwich with Taralli cookies, Gran Merenda biscuits, and fruit cup arrived. Ate, looked out the dark window, then I went to sleep an hour later. I woke up three hours later to darkness and Chuck on TV. I listened to some music until the plane started its descent at 10:15pm and I was able to get some blurry photos of the island with the light of the full moon.

when in Naples, drink coffee like the locals

when in Naples, drink coffee like the locals

Another de-boarding and another bus – this one mostly standing room – and we are delivered to our next room to wait for two hours while they clean, refill, and unpack the bags of those people who are staying. They sell sandwiches, lots of liquor, and a large variety of chocolates. One guy buys a four-euro Gatorade. We sit down to read, but the lighting is dim and my eyes quickly get heavy. We get up to walk around, talk with some guys from Caleb’s command and I get a mini box of Smarties and half a Kit-Kat bar from them, and then walk around some more. One of the guys bought two bottles of wine and we wonder if they will be allowed into Bahrain. There’s a lot of movement and announcements and we hope to be leaving soon.

leaving Naples

leaving Naples

Traveling like this feels like being blindfolded while driving through Yellowstone National Park. You can sense the awesomeness around you, but it’s all too far away to see or take pictures of. This day concludes over 24 hours in and out of airplanes and airports. We’ve crossed six time zones today, three yesterday, and have one more to look forward to. My body is confused on being tired and hungry and I don’t know what time of which day it is. I sleep between meals when I can’t keep my eyes open, but part of me wants to have a regular 17-hour day and I feel like an infant – wake, move around, eat, sleep, repeat – it’s all part of the grand adventure.

Posted in Art, Food, Media, Military, People, Photography, Places, Travel | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Last Day In the United States

Posted on June 10, 2014 by TheJessicaness
Tristan taking a selfie

Tristan taking a selfie

Tristan woke up at 5am, but grandma and great-grandma weren’t ready to get up yet, so they lay him between them and went back to sleep. I got out of bed at 7am when Kris got up and Caleb followed. Kris made eggs, canned biscuits, bacon, and potatoes in grease for breakfast with a bowl of fresh blueberries and strawberries, and a pot of coffee at 8am.

Tristan hanging out with Uncle Caleb

Tristan hanging out with Uncle Caleb

Tristan woke up again and Caleb and I took turns holding him. He is way cuter now than he was in his first picture. Caleb was holding Tristan when his head slammed into my leg. I picked him up and then hung out at the table while we talked for a while more before we had food to shove in our mouths. Eventually we got around to working on the large Majestic puzzle made up of irregularly shaped pieces making the process of putting pencils and erasers together even more fun and time-consuming.

Tristan finding his feet with Aunt Jess

Tristan finding his feet with Aunt Jess

I was waiting for everyone to take a shower, but Bubbie hadn’t moved in a while, so I chose to be next in line. She decided it was her turn while Caleb was in there and went in after him. I didn’t realize how dirty I was until I felt how clean I was after. I have two more biscuits and a bottle of Snapple peach tea. We work on the pencils and paperclips puzzle until 3:30 when we decide that should give us enough time to get back to Norfolk.  At a red light, these teenage girls pull up, and when they notice the old guy on the phone next to them with his window down they belt out the obscenities (to the song) an octave higher. 

Caleb's photo of his nephew and wife

Caleb’s photo of his nephew and wife

There’s a chance of rain and some light sprinkling, but most of the heavy stuff came earlier while we were eating breakfast. Caleb drives us all the way back to Virginia Beach by 6pm and while en route we find out that the return trip (within 24 hours) on the Chesapeake Bay Bridge is now full price. I called Yellow Cab on the way there and the driver arrived 15 minutes after us. We were going to get a ride from an old friend, but he wanted us to get a ride from Kris’ house to his (half the distance to the airport) and I didn’t want to chance that he wouldn’t be able to complete the distance and make us call another cab.

Tristan getting changed

Tristan getting changed

The driver was quiet at first, but he perked right up and talked with us until we were parked in front of the glass doors of the AMC terminal. He wished us well and smiled more when he realised I tipped him, more than I usually would, but I was feeling generous to the guy that helped make one part of this long journey a little more happy and a lot less stressful even though the rate is $2.70/mile. We walked into the tiny airport, took off our shoes, showed our IDs, and I asked to take a picture of the ‘Not a Joking Matter’ sign in reference to bombs. One of the guards asked what the importance of a photo was and I told him I’d never seen that sign before (and I’m documenting a life changing event!).

Caleb looking at Tristan

Caleb looking at Tristan

At the check-in counter we are asked about our pet – you mean the one you said you wouldn’t take, but apparently still have room for, that one? Well then, put your bags on the scale and then yourself. We need to know how much this flight will weigh. I suppose they can only do this for military personnel and family who have waived their rights. I’m sure there would be an outrage if people started seeing scales and seamstress tape at the ticket and/or baggage counters.

Tristan eating orange and Kris and Vicki wearing orange too

Tristan eating orange and Kris and Vicki wearing orange too

We checked in and our flight was due to leave three hours earlier than originally scheduled. Luckily Caleb got a notice via email so we weren’t late. We headed upstairs at 7pm to the USO for mac-n-cheese and a poppy seed muffin and then found a seat with an outlet near gate 2. I took two books, Antebellum (rapper goes back in time and becomes a slave) and Operation Mincemeat (a spy story about WWII) because they seemed like the most interesting reads amongst all the romance and fiction.

Tristan and Vicki helping with the puzzle

Tristan and Vicki helping with the puzzle

I grabbed a book out of my bag that Caleb had finished reading and donated it to the USO book shelf. We sat there until Caleb’s phone charged and a smelly man sat down beside us causing us to get up and look around some more. We took the elevator to the third floor – an office space, and then back down to the first floor so we could walk back up to the second. Then I went into the bathroom to read all the signs they have posted about stress management, sexual harassment, and human trafficking.

Ocean City Bascule Bridge

driving west on Ocean City Bascule Bridge

We line up at 9:30 and talk with the other people circled around us – all active duty – some going to Italy, one to Diego Garcia, and the rest to Bahrain. We will also be making stops in Portugal and Greece with no sightseeing allowed. Families with children were boarded first, then in order of destination, and I watched other people’s dogs get loaded on the conveyor belt. I’m grateful that mine are in a nice cabin in a box somewhere instead of underneath the plane where it’s dark and cold.

a friendly tree in Kris' yard

a friendly tree in Kris’ yard

Dad called – our last call together in the States for a while. We are seated in row 34, seats A and C because there is no B. We are buckled up by 10pm, and taking selfies, among many Navy guys and the conversation starts flowing until a mother asks us to tone down the language. We get our safety briefing at 10:30 and get our crotches checked for shiny bits (seatbelt buckles) by the people in uniform with neck scarves and ties – ah, the topics of sailors, and those prior enlisted.

Kraft Macaroni & Cheese from the USO

Kraft Macaroni & Cheese from the USO

We take off 15 minutes later. For those that didn’t pass out as soon as we were off the ground they will be offered a warm, lemony scented, towel 25 minutes into the flight causing the cabin lights to come back on so that the stewardesses can pass out headphones and towels –  and just as I’m about to take a picture of a cloud full of lightning. The guy in the middle row next to us indulged me by posing for a photo.

a sign in the bathroom at the airport

a sign in the bathroom at the airport

Caleb asked earlier how I felt about going to a country where I don’t know anyone. My reply was that with him and the navy it would be easy, that and my ability to make friends. If I were literally going alone I would be nervous about finding a hotel and a rental car and walking the streets at night, but hopefully more prepared than I feel we are learning of changes last-minute and struggling with every detail. X-men is playing on the TVs with lots of static interruptions. We are due to land in Azores, Portugal at 7am (a four-hour time difference from Norfolk).

Norfolk at night

Norfolk at night

Dinner comes around – chicken or beef – neither, but I will take the box with carrot cake, Rubschlager biscuit, sliced potatoes, Tillamook cheddar cheese and Club crackers inside. It’s 11:45pm, the drink cart comes by and I get a cranberry juice and Caleb a ginger ale. I start to sing, ‘sippin’ on gin and juice’ and the stewardess adds in, ‘laid back’. We split our box of goodies and the box of chicken with rice and veggies that Caleb got. We might be eating the rest of this for breakfast unless we can get off the plane to buy something just for the sake of being in a foreign airport.

warm, lemony goodness

warm, lemony goodness

The plane is lively and people who were resting are now awake. I wonder if the food will put them back to sleep or revive them. Either way I will get back to reading about a great man and his journey while waiting for the cabin lights to go out so I can see the clouds and maybe a glimpse of the ocean. I fight dozing off in fear that I will miss something. I have such difficulty sleeping on trips, but with the time change and day and a half of travel to look forward to, closed eyes will be inevitable.

Posted in Books, Family, Food, Military, People, Places, Travel | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Goodbye West Coast

Posted on June 9, 2014 by TheJessicaness
waking up at the USO

waking up at the USO

Caleb sat on one end of the couch and I used him as a pillow and his sweater as a blanket. Sleep came faster than I thought and I slept soundly until the alarm went off at 4am. We grabbed our things, made our way outside, passed a man praying, and used the bathroom. We found PS1 with our official passports at 4:20 – something to show at customs that we’re with the military. We checked our bags and at the entrance to security got to read a health advisory about the Arabian Peninsula. There is a new disease called MERS (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome) that obviously involves shortness of breath and possibly death – so wash your hands and avoid people.

At The Gate by Gary Hughes, 1997

At The Gate by Gary Hughes, 1997, San Diego Intl. Airport

We’re on the other side of security at 4:45, we make it to our gate, split a muffin after I read for a while, and then wait to board. At 5:55, Pacific time, we take our seats across the aisle from each other. Our plane is headed to Chicago and the gate next to us to Denver with the same departure time, but as we sit on the plane the pilot tells us that San Diego asks that planes not leave until 6:30. I’m surrounded by sleeping faces, including Caleb’s, so I will take the opportunity to begin reading Humboldt’s Cosmos – a story about a man who explored Latin America.

While we were being seated a guy noticed that there is no seat 33. I’m in row 36, two from the back and there is a lot of turbulence on this ride. I watched Coronado disappear in the distance and then let the guy by the window seat close out the clouds and sunlight so that he could sleep easier. I hope for a chance by the window – especially on my first international flight in over 20 years. For now I will enjoy reading in an attempt to keep my mind off missing my dogs.

setting off on another adventure together

setting off on another adventure together from the Midwest

Sleep comes between pages for part of the flight, and I want to fight it, but this ensures I will be well rested for the next one and get more reading done. We land at 12:20 Central time, and have enough time to walk to the next concourse – from C to B – and glance at the Vosges Haut-Chocolat display. I call our auto insurance company to update them on our situation. We board at 1pm when they call out military, etc. and this plane is tiny – only three seats and an aisle wide. I get a window seat, watch us take off, open the bag of sweet/salty crunch mix from the USO and then read for an hour until we both fall asleep.

waiting on runway in Chicago

waiting on runway in Chicago

I read for a while longer after our 30 minute nap and everyone is jolted awake with the turbulent landing. We land at 4:40pm Eastern time, to the Norfolk Airport, grab our bags from the last carousel, and then sit outside and wait for Kris, Caleb’s brother, to arrive. I call Dan, our neighbor taking care of the car, to see how things are going. He’s at the car place and soon calls me back to get Caleb’s birthday and social. It starts to sprinkle some, Kris is stuck in traffic, and Dan calls back because the guy there needs a printable version of the back of our title – which is blank, to prove that we didn’t sell it to someone else – after we just paid it off and haven’t received the clear title yet with the lien removed.

Kris gets there at 5:40 and takes us to his large two-story house 25 minutes away, including traffic. It feels nostalgic being back here, where Caleb and I began, like walking through the halls of your elementary school – once so daunting, now so constricted and small. Kris shows us the woods with a creek in the backyard that comes with mosquitos, honeybees, and a blackberry tree. Kris drove down from Maryland where he’s spending time with the wife’s family to deliver the truck key – the truck that we will drive up with and then return tomorrow before our flight.

a bustling metropolis under fluffy clouds

a bustling metropolis under fluffy clouds

Kris needs to grab some extra pillows and other comforts from home and shows us around the house before we go. We see Tristan’s room upstairs. In the den is a large book collection – lots of science fiction, legal thrillers, and educational material. On the wall is a world map with different coloured pins to show the 36 places they’ve been – stationed, together, apart, and vacation. Then the boys have a look through the gun cabinet and Caleb holds a rifle that looks fit for a twelve-year-old.

farmland under multiple clouds

farmland under multiple clouds

Kris takes us to Town Center for dinner at Saffron Indian Bistro. We got samosas, plenty of extra-garlic naan, and some spicy veggies, paneer, and beef. I ordered a Yuengling as I remember missing it on the West Coast, but had left my ID in the car. Kris and Caleb were kind enough to talk the waiter into bringing me one. I’m old enough and they will take responsibility for me. I had suggested Mangoes or Guadalajara’s for dinner, but one has a meat-filled menu and it seems the other one closed, but I might’ve remembered it in a different place. It has been five years since I’ve been here.

While we are eating I get a message from Mike, neighbor’s son and ride home, that the car was accepted and would be delivered to Bahrain in 90 days – well that’s a lot longer than I expected, but I’m sure our transportation needs will be taken care of. We get a nearby hotel for 45 days while we house search, then Caleb will either have a duty van pick him up or carpool with a master chief that lives nearby the houses we looked at moving into.

circling over the ocean for landing in Norfolk

circling over the ocean for landing in Norfolk

After dinner at 8pm, Kris takes us back to the house to pick up the truck and then fills it up with gas for us – $70. The Chesapeake Bay Bridge cost $13 and we are doing the speed limit or less with no intention of rushing the alone time in the car away from the in-laws – though they can be most agreeable at times. I offer to drive the truck so Caleb can spend some more time with his brother in the Durango. I texted Kris and we got a vehicular response – parking on the shoulder – a second before his text reply. Caleb had to go around him to stop in the truck with older brakes.

Norfolk coast

Norfolk coast

We enter Maryland at 10:15pm. Fifty minutes later we are in Ocean City and the sidewalks are filled with graduates participating in Senior Week – where kids go to the beach and get drunk. This city has some events catered towards making it a safer time for them and a more enjoyable time for the locals. This is mostly a Northeast coast event. Where I come from they looked out to make sure we didn’t drink and drive on graduation night. We weren’t given permission to get hotel rooms and booze for a week of debauchery.

We arrive to room 503 S at Sea Time at 11:30pm. Vicky opens the door for us and we quickly lay down for sleep. I remember the Indian food is in the car and whisper (we are sharing a room with Kris and Vicky) that to Caleb who replies, “My butt’s going to smell like that.” I cover my mouth to laugh and am sure I woke up Terri and Bubbie (Vicky’s mom and grandma), but not Tristan who was sleeping soundly in his port-o-bed.

waiting at the Norfolk Intl. Airport

waiting at the Norfolk Intl. Airport

Posted in Art, Books, Family, Food, Military, Places, Travel, Water | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

An Early Start

Posted on June 8, 2014 by TheJessicaness
entering California via I-10

entering California via I-10

This morning came sooner than I thought. The alarm went off at 5:15 and we were showered by 5:30. We cleaned out the car and then repacked it, took a group photo, and were pulling away at 6am with the temperature only 74 degrees. We will escape the city before the heat arrives. We got gas for the car and then Caleb took the wheel so I could write notes and then read to him – if Sparky would quit farting so we can roll the windows up while driving on the highway.

We reach the California border at 8:30 – on a route we’ve never been on together, and roll through Chiriaco Summit just long enough to get pictures of a corroded car at a rusted gas pump, the General Patton Memorial Museum, and the military tanks surrounded by other unused vehicles in a barb-wire compound. I would’ve loved to spend more time, but emotions are high and my anxiety level peaked. I wanted the doggy drop off to run smoothly before I enjoyed the rest of my day. We passed a field of wind turbines at 10:24.

Chiriaco Summit

Chiriaco Summit

I read to Caleb until we get near the Los Angeles city limits. I give him directions to the house that will be keeping our dogs until driving them 40 minutes to the airport on Tuesday, two days from now. We arrive at 12:30pm and tell the guy that the dogs need to be separated from all other animals regardless of anything else – playtime, adequate watering. We opened the box that contained their travel crates, assembly required, with bowls included and were told that absorbable material would be provided for comfort and liquid absorption. Sparky finds a ball and Piggy finds the water bowl. I say good-bye.

I felt terrible leaving as I heard Sparky crying at missing me. They may not eat and may go a bit crazy, but as long as they make it in one piece I will be super happy at their arrival in Bahrain. I will miss them terribly while we’re apart. Caleb must’ve seen the tears in my eyes and put on the comedian channel which helped to cheer me up. We drove out-of-the-way from our Highway 5 south route to Dan’s to go to Happy Cow Car Wash – complete with laser light show – at 2:30.

sunset in Imperial Beach

sunset in Imperial Beach

 

Part of me was happy to be doing something new and the other half of me was sad that the dogs weren’t there to bark at the water as it hit the windows. We pulled up, paid, changed the radio station as directed, and pulled forward. We were surrounded by flashy lights, soap suds, and a projected show in front of us. I think it was dancing cows, but it was hard to see while the windshield was covered in multicoloured foamy bubbles. We got to use the rest of the time on a dryer hose, because the guy beside us didn’t need it. I sucked out dog hair, food crumbs, and dried leaves while Caleb moved the seats and mats around.

I called Dan to let him know we were on our way. We stopped by Harper’s in Chula Vista and got my $30 back for an unsatisfied clarinet cleaning/repair job. I’m grateful to Steve for his dedication to customer satisfaction. I will use that money to pay for long-term parking at the airport and gas money for Dan for delivering our car. We pull up in Dan’s driveway at 4pm. He signed the P.O.A. and took our spare change – $2.41 with no quarters. Yoli, his generous wife, offered me some flan and I got Caleb to eat some too since it was so delicious.

saying good-bye to Piggy

saying good-bye to Piggy

Caleb dropped me off at Betty’s with the dried sage we got from his dad. Like other things that we pay a lot for down here – morels and asparagus – they grow wild in Montana and are free if you can find them. We went to Sea 180 Tavern at 5pm for a beer and hummus with pita served on a wooden board. We sat at a table with a fire, in the sun, looking at the ocean through glass – soon to have a broken piece from kids playing on the sand below. We walked back to Betty’s so she could gift me with a flowery headband – something to remember her and our days in southern California together – it’s perfect.

Caleb picked me up at 6:50, and we stopped by Bibi’s to hug goodbye to her and Dan, and then made our way to the airport after stopping at Don Panchos for a California burrito – Caleb’s last for the next two years. We parked in spot 138 with 74,500 miles on the odometer and were standing in the parking lot looking lost when the employee shuttle driver asked where we were going and gave us a ride to Terminal 1. We needed Terminal 2 so we walked there and picked up our tickets, but couldn’t check-in our bags yet – good thing we didn’t bring them with us, but left them in the car.

airport art - The World Through the Tapestry of Our Lenses

airport art – The World Through the Tapestry of Our Lenses

We asked at the USO to make sure they would be open. We went to the car to grab the bags and the driver that delivered us to our car would be the same one to take us back to the airport. We walked to the USO, checked in, and I got offered a couch for the night. They will lock us in at midnight and then we have two exit doors to choose from when we wake at 4am. I went to the lounge for a coffee while Caleb shaved his beard and found Father’s Day cards and filled one out for mine and used some space to write Caroline too – not that she’s a dad, but I appreciate her just the same.

I grabbed some snacks for breakfast – crunchy stuff in a bag and a muffin – when the USO won’t be open and then chatted with the volunteer about our prior service – he worked on helicopters in the army and then was a narcotic officer and worked in a jail for seven years. Caleb got done ridding himself of facial hair and then filled out a card too. Part of me knows I need to sleep, it’s after 11:15pm, but the other part is excited about the adventure I am beginning.

Posted in Animals, Art, Food, Friends, Military, People, Places | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

A Day In the Heard

Posted on June 7, 2014 by TheJessicaness
pottery in the Heard - by Caleb

pottery in the Heard – by Caleb

As told by Caleb.

… Somewhere I had yet to see. We went to breakfast together and I ordered the protein waffle. From there we went our separate ways. Caroline and I got in the car and tried to leave U.S. Egg and head towards the museum when… “Look, they have cronuts!” If they are open we can get some since John has never tried them. Luckily, Candyland Cupcakes are busy cooking them and opened five minutes before we drove past. Four cronuts in a box, two plain and two chocolate, and we are headed to the house to drop them off and go to the museum.

We try to follow Google directions until Caroline recognises the way. We get to an empty parking lot and wonder if they are even open. We get inside and when I’m about to pay Caroline asks about a military discount and we both get in for free. Caroline asks what I want to see first, but I don’t even know what they have. Right then we are asked if we would like to join the guided tour. Caroline has never done it, so why not.

We start at the Beginning of Time in Phoenix and learn about the Native Peoples, talking about the different types of pottery and fabrics they made. We eventually fell behind the tour because of our discussion of fiber arts and ended up finishing sans guide or tour group. Caroline is an endless fountain of information about all things woven, knitted, or crocheted. We make our way out of the Native People’s exhibit and head through the rest of the museum.

We learn about reservation life and that the sensors on the displays are sensitive as I lean in to get a better look at an old newspaper. We saw on the way in that there is a Lego exhibit and have saved that for last. We head up the stairs and are deposited into kid-land… we fit right in. We made race cars that we raced against each other and some of the kids there. We made crowns and glasses, but sadly all fun things must come to an end as I made the Lego outline of Caroline lying on the floor after a horrific accident involving giant falling Legos. Luckily no one was hurt as they were foam rubber.

After all the fun it was time for lunch. We went to the Courtyard Cafe and both ordered the prickly pear lemonade. We got some guacamole and fire-roasted tomato salsa with chips to split and decided on the hummus veggie sandwich to split as well. I wish Jess could’ve been there to help us eat all the food. We ended up not being able to finish the chips and dip. We walked through the gift shop and were blown away by the extravagant prices on our way back to the car.

As we drove back we kept seeing second-hand stores and Caroline brought up making swants. As we are about to get to the house I miss the turn and we end up in front of a Goodwill… so we stopped to peruse the sweater aisles. We found a cashmere sweater, then another, and then four more. We each get three with the intent of unravelling them and knitting them into something else. As we are checking out we both get texts asking where we are so we immediately head home.

Posted in Art, Family, Fiber Arts, Food, Media, Places | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment