Thoughts from the porch...

Been kinda homesick this week...

My top 10 things I miss about "home"

1. I really miss my Dad!! I even miss lunch at Shari's and Costco trips....Lee and I went to Costco, and it wasn't the same. By the way Dad, this Costco had the flea stuff for the cats! woo-hoo!

2. I miss giving my brother a bad time when I see/saw him. Always makes me laugh that when we are together, we are not almost 43 and 40 years old, we revert back to when we are 10 and 7!!

3. I miss my neice and my two nephews, geez...they grow like weeds when I don't see them for a couple weeks....I wonder how tall Ian will be, and if Megan will be a little lady, and if Shawn will grow into his room brightening smile.

4. I miss my wamu peeps.....even the one that make me crazy. I miss my Deana and Karl....and Amy (and that man that follows her around), Shawna, little Nicky, Loren, Lindor Ball, Cathy, Janet, Jessica.....I wish I was there to run interference and help with the line.

5. I miss the Sound....not noise, the Puget Sound. My favorite part of any day was that glimpse of the sound...either at the end of our street, or when the day is glorious and I drive over the Narrows....I can't explain how much I miss hearing and seeing the ferry everyday, oh and the Olympics in the winter...simply breathtaking.

6. I miss having Taco Bell a block away....enough said!

7. I miss just opening the door and letting Key out to do his business in the morning....this walking him on his leash and searching for the perfect spot is crazy. This morning I had an encounter with a huge slug.....I just got through scrubbing him of the flip flops......yuck!!

8. I miss our stuff.....I am getting by, don't get me wrong....but I love my stuff. I miss my bed the most.

9. I miss hearing the National Anthem play on a clear morning at 8am on the dot, as the music drifted over the Sound from the Navy base. It has been replaced by the noon fire bell that rings everyday here....I have not gotten used to it yet, and it has scared the crap out of me twice.

10. If you have taken the time to read all this, then I know you are someone I love....and I MISS YOU!!!!

P.S. I wish I could say todays pictures were mine, they are some I found while stationed in WA.

Cows, cows, cows!!!

When we first lived in Ferndale...about 10 years ago, I made a statement to Leanne that brown cows were friendlier that the black and white ones! I still stand behind that statement. Last night, while making dinner, Susan got a text that twin baby bulls were born that afternoon...all I could think was "let's go see", so we left Lee to finish the dinner making duties and went down to see them. I am totally in awe of dairy farming, and very curious about the whole process, so what may seem like everyday stuff to the people that live here...is completely amazing to me. Susan and William walked me around and let me see all the different parts of the dairy. Where the new calves are in the barn, where the youngsters hang out, and where the new mom's and mom's to be are placed when it is close to their time to deliver. It did not matter to me that I almost stepped in the afterbirth from the days earlier delivery, or that no matter what- you still smell cow poop, or that I was a little scared of one heifer that was due to deliver and had a intense stare...I was like a little kid at Disneyland. Now, I gotta figure out a way to get invited back to see more!

Fortuna Redwood AutoXpo

Sunshine and pretty cars!! Gotta love it! I went to the Fortuna AutoXpo (formally the Autorama) today. Some cars were pretty amazing, the above truck for instance. I love old trucks....when Emily asked what car I would pick, I told her it would be an old truck. My Dad had a 1937 Ford flatbed pickup when I was a kid. It stayed pretty much in the garage, but my brother and I drove the Hell out of that truck.....even though we never left the confines of that garage. We made many trips to Santa Cruz. My dad took us to lots of car shows and old car swap meets...I did not like them then as much as I do now. Funny how you appreciate things more when you get older. I hope my Dad joins us next year.

For my Dad....

My Dad introduced me to antique tractors a couple years ago....and I have to admit it took a little while but I am pretty fascinated by them now. Tractors are the work horses of this country. I especially like the steam engine displays they have at tractor shows...I can watch for quite a while...amazed at how the thing works.

These pictures are to share with my Dad. One is of an Oil Pull...I have never seen anything like this. Another is of a row of Fords (dad's favorites) and the other is of a display of farm equipment and how the tractors were used to make the equipment work, by enabling belts attached to each piece. I saw a lot of International's and John Deere's today. Not as many Ford's and Massey's....I guess I am a fan of red ones!!!

This just makes me laugh....

Lee's dad would just shit if he saw the Corvette. It is filthy with road grime and bird poop! Staying at the end of a dirt road has the back window of the Suburban so dirty...that each time I look through the window, my first thought is I have an exhaust problem, There is also cow crap splatter on the sides, from when I drove through a cow crap puddle yesterday. I am afraid to wash them for fear of what I may drive through tomorrow! :)

I am a stalker...

There are things that remind me of people that have passed. Yellow roses remind me of my Grandma (Mildred), a full moon reminds me of Lee's dad (also named Lee), and hummingbirds remind me of Lee's Grandma, Doris.

I have been watching these birds everyday...and today I just stood still with the camera in hopes I would catch one. My patience paid off...here is the hummingbird...posing for the camera.

Tomorrow, I am going to stalk them some more.

So quiet....

I sat on the porch tonight talking to Lee and Susan.....amazed at the backround noise. There was none....except for the occasional hummingbird zooming by. Tomorrow, I am gonna stake out a bush in the yard in hopes of getting a picture.

The boys are enrolled in their schools. Tuition is much cheaper here, for Mason. His book will cost more than his classes. Elliott and I are amazed, that his high school only has a little over 450 students, and that is 9th thru 12th grade.

I think my mind is finally slowing down and beginning to really enjoy the peace and quiet.

The new neighbor's....

While waiting for housing...the wait went from 2 weeks to 2 months (I am gonna be like Dora the fish..."just keep swimming, just keep swimming")....and I have decided to get to know the neighbors while we are staying with Susan and the kids (Bless them for putting up with us). Here are a couple of pictures from the main population of Ferndale and some deer I keep seeing.

Looks Like We Made It...............

We made it to California....a note to self....never drive topless (the Vette has a removable roof)...because the sunburn really hurts!! We had a great trip, and I thoroughly enjoyed driving the black car, it was a blast. It took the 12 hours we thought it would, with potty breaks for the humans and the dog. As soon as we hit the road headed for the coast, Mace and I started getting cold. Made even worse by the sunburn we recieved earlier in the day. Lee and Elliott just laughed at us!!

The first day in Humboldt was good, made better by our very gracious hosts, Susan, Emily and Justin. I even squeezed in a quick visit to Leanne. We had our fill of Ferndale Pizza Company, walked along main street and checked out the changes to Ferndale. Ferndale (and Eureka too) seems so familier and so different at the same time.

We are rolling out....

WE ARE ROLLING OUT OF HERE.......

I have not lived in a place (as a grown up) as long as we have lived here...my heart is heavy thinking about leaving. I am excited, scared and pretty much just want to throw up!

The next blog will be from Humboldt, our home until the CG rolls us out again. We get to "vacation" in Ferndale, while we wait for housing. See you on the flip side!

And now for something completely different...

So, we have spent the last 5 years in a Navy town. I see aircraft carriers all time, but they are either pulled into the pier or in the middle of being moth-balled. I have only seen them in open water int he movies. Mason, knowing my desire to see a "real" one texted me that the USS John C. Stennis was due to pull in to Bremerton at 7am the next morning. So, on our first morning without any furniture....ugh, sleeping on the air mattress...I got up at 5:15 to see the ship come thru the passage. Lee, of course has seen many and could care less, took the time to sleep in. I went to a public pier in Manchester, and thankfully I was not the only one up at the crack of dawn. The view was perfect. Here is the description to go with the pictures starting at the top....

1. When the ship had passed where I was, I went to get coffee. There were people all over with flags and signs to welcome the sailors home.

2. The 6:20 am Bremerton to Seattle ferry and a Coast Guard boat.

3. The USS John C. Stennis, returning after a 6 month deployment.

4. An old trawler out in the sound, I just liked the picture.

5. The early morning view from the emd of my street. This view was why I loved living here so much. I love seeing the Puget Sound and the Olympic Mountains almost daily.

July so far............

In the middle of moving I have had some pretty awesome moments, I thought would be good to share. Although, I admit picking up Lee at the airport was my favorite.

The 4th of July, a holiday I love spending with the Lukkasson's. Lee and I went early to scout a spot in Poulsbo...a full 4 hours before the fireworks even started. We sit around on old blankets talking and laughing and eating food you pray will not upset your stomach...because the car is parked a mile away...uphill! We listen to the bands that play as well. Finally, around 10:30 the fireworks start.....this year they were awesome. It was fun to sit there with great friends and my family and just enjoy the moment.