Busch Gardens

September 14th

Free Busch Gardens Adventure!  (or highly discounted)

Several theme/amusement parks owned by the same company allow active duty military and their families to attend one of their parks for free once per year.

We went to Busch Gardens.  Because, why not?

We brought our friends Laura and Christian along for extra funzies.

There are not that many photos, since we were spending most of the time having an awesome time.

Laura found her "people" with the Lorikeets. A few days before this, she was working on something and made a squeaky noise. There was a bit of a pause before Dan asked her "Are you a parakeet?" Laura threatened to never make noise again, but when we found the Lorikeets, she knew she wasn't alone.

Getting ready to go on Apollo's Chariot. I opted not to experience this particular roller coaster. I quite enjoy the range of facial expressions that are occurring here.

And just because it was fantastic, here is a close up of Dan's Busch Garden's adventure facial hair.

We were successfully amused.

Amusement Park Adventure Completed!

Norfolk Zoo Reprisal

September 12th

Our friends had never been to the Norfolk Zoological Park, so we took them as one of our last adventures in Norfolk.

Of course we start the adventure by messing with the giant marble globe fountain.

This is the baby monkey from the previous zoo visit.

This bird is FABULOUS.

There was an enclosure that had gibbons and otters in it.  The otters kept chasing the gibbon until it jumped up into a tree.  Then the gibbon would chase the otters back into the water. It was very silly.

I like giraffes.  They are one of my favorite animals.  This one doesn't want to deal with ANY sass.  See that tongue?

This is cutest sleeping fuzzball.  It's a Fennec fox.

We're riding a rhinoceros!  Well, I am.  Dan wouldn't get on it.

Roommate photo!  I think Michael and Christian had more fun on the rhino than we did.

New fun fact:  Tarantulas shed (molt?) their bodies every so often.  As much as I find spiders interesting and generally like them, I found this information a bit upsetting.

And we ended the adventure by pushing the giant marble globe fountain.  What can I say.  It's just fun to do.

Adventure Completed.

Colonial Williamsburg

September 10th

I dragged Dan up to Colonial Williamsburg because I didn't want to sit in the house and because it was an hour away, so I thought we should go.

And now for some photos!

		Fungus! Because I like taking pictures of fungus. I'm weird like that.
	Rope tie from the stable (left). Rose tunnel in the Governor's garden (right).
Dan and the impressive gate.
	The entry to the Governor's Palace is lined with swords and guns.  LINED.  They were everywhere!
		This was a really cool candle on display in several places in Colonial Williamsburg.
Oxen!  Because they had them in Ye Olde Times of Colonial Williamsburg.
		Hats and plants.   I just like this photo.
This is a really cool Cabinet Maker's tool box.  I want one.

George Washington rallying the troops/crowd (left).  Cannon firing practice (above).

This concludes the adventure to Colonial Williamsburg. 

ND Weekend

September 5th - 8th

Because of our camping and waiting situation, we have gotten the opportunity to have some mini adventures.  This weekends was to Indiana for the last Notre Dame - Michigan game.

Friday we flew into Chicago and then borrowed a car from my aunt and uncle so we could meet up with friends in South Bend. We also took my grandfather out to dinner as part of the point of this adventure was getting to spend time with him.

My grandfather spends a lot of his time trying to figure out how to make the world a better place and how we can change the world for the better. It is one of his most endearing qualities and something I love about him.

After dinner we hung out with our friends Will and Kerri at my family's house in South Bend. I have family in the area. They live about a mile from campus. They are different from the aunt and uncle who lent us a car.


Saturday is football day! Here is the lovely Dome.  Someone once referred to missing campus as "Dome Sick"  and I thought it was appropriate.  I've been back every year for one reason or another.

This has always bothered me. Hall of Engineer-ing. They couldn't have figured out a better arrangement?

This is that last time ND will play Michigan for the foreseeable future. Our rivalry seems to be more about numbers than disliking them as opponents.
		They parachuted the game ball in with the Seal Parachute Team. Which was pretty amazing if I do say so myself.
		Football!  WOOOOOO!
		Touchdown!  Go IRISH!
		Look how cute we are.  Ignore that I need a brush.
		This is how the game ended as far as I'm concerned. There were some shenanigans about a penalty or something. They made the Michigan team come back out of the tunnel so that ND could kneel the ball, which made no sense. Anyway, it was nice to send Michigan off with a shutout.

Since this was a night game (notice the darkness?) we didn't get home until almost midnight. This did not stop us from staying up to celebrate. We had a wonderful time drinking and celebrating with my family (we were staying with them).


Sunday, after everyone had lots of coffee and got over their hangovers, we went boating on Lake Michigan.

		This is where my grandparents used to have a lake house. I spent most summers on this beach.
		Tower Hill is a state park. I mostly remember the sand being blazing hot and falling/getting pushed down the dunes as a kid.
		It was a beautiful day.  Look at that sun reflecting off the water.
		My cousin showing off his fabulous skiing skills.
		We all had deadlines, so my aunt and uncle dropped us off and then headed back out to enjoy the sunset.

Dan and I went to Redamack's and then to Oink's because that is what you do when you go to Lake Michigan.  We drove back to Chicago and flew back to Norfolk.  Weekend adventure complete.  It was awesome.

Camping

Since August 15th, we have been camping out in our empty house, when we aren't going on adventures.

This is what it looks like:

I've also been keeping a PSC binder to keep track of every and any document ANY office/person could ask for.  This is what it looks like:


I ended up having to add more tabs as we got more documents, but this gives you and idea.
The one without tabs is the pets' PSC binder.  It has all their vet records and documents.

Winchester and Return of Ta

August 29th - September 2nd

Dan and I drove up to Winchester to spend the weekend with my family and to reacquire Ta.  My parents had been pet sitting her for almost 2 months.   Thanks mom and dad!

Here is Dan's reunion with our dog:

As you can see, she was very excited to see Dan after 7 months.

Saturday mom and dad took us out to Linden which is a vineyard owned by friends of theirs.  It was bit cloudy and rainy, but as you can see, it was a lovely view and we enjoyed our time there.



Sunday we celebrated mom's birthday.  She tried to get us to ignore it by throwing a Buon Viaggio brunch with several friends and family members from the Winchester area.   It was very nice of her, and it meant a lot to Dan and I that so many of them came to the brunch.

Hiatus the First

Hello Friends!

I have many adventures to share with you from the past few weeks.  I've been too busy trying to see friends and family and getting in some adventure before we leave (and of course packing) that I haven't gotten around to telling you about them all.

Since I've been a little MIA already, now is a good time for me to take a short hiatus while we do the physical transfer of ourselves overseas.  I do not know what the internet situation will be once we get to Italy, so hang tight, and I'll fill you in on all we've been up to in a week or so.

Thanks!

Anniversary!

August 27th

Today is our 3rd anniversary.

We went out to dinner at a lovely hole-in-the wall restaurant. 

The couple next to us were celebrating their 54th anniversary.  When I inquired how they got to 54 years, the wife laughed, shrugged and said "he's been very patient".  Her husband shrugged.

They looked REALLY good for having been married for 54 years.  So good on them for looking great and having been married for so long.

We went home and watched Modern Family.   It was a good evening. 

Passport and Visa Conclusion

August 26th

We go off to the transportation office, with just our IDs, because we were told we could just pick up the paperwork.  Of course we get there, go to the passport office and wait for someone to help us.  Turns out we need to go back out to the front desk, that no one mans.  Oh goody.

We ring the bell, and miraculously, someone responds.  This lady has my passport and visa and our paperwork, but because we don't have Dan's original orders and his port call message, she won't give them to us.  Sigh.  Oh joy Navy bureaucracy.

We go home, we get the PCS binder, and we go back towards base.  We don't have a printer right now, so we need to stop at Fleet & Family to print Dan's port call message.  We can also extend our lending locker items lease while we're at it, so we do.  We get the port call message and head back to the transportation office.

We ring the bell.  A different lady responds to the ringing, but goes and finds the first lady.  She asks for Dan's orders, which she does not look at AT ALL.  She does not ask for the port call message.  She has me look at the passport, and has Dan sign some paperwork.

Dan is frustrated with this process.  I am happy to have my passport and visa.  Also, this has been one of the easier transactions I've had with the Navy as of late, so I don't mind so much.

I look at the date on the envelope in which my passport/visa was delivered.  It is dated August 6th.  They have had this since the first week of August and no one called me.  They were supposed to call me when it arrived.  *Sigh*

Had we not called and investigated do you think anyone would have called us?  How close to us leaving before someone would have said something?  Would they have said anything?

I don't think anyone would have called us.   

We left base and went to explore The Hermitage Museum.  It is an old house and gardens.  The house displays a collection of the original owner's art and has space for visiting exhibits.  While there Dan and I got to see several dolphins playing in the water off of the gardens.

Check it out sometime: www.thehermitagemuseum.org/visitor-info

Passport and Visa Shenanigans

August 25th

Monday we did laundry.  While doing laundry, we decided it would be a good idea to call the passport office and see what was going on with my visa.  It has been a month since I submitted my paperwork for it.

The passport office phone number is not listed ANYWHERE.  The base directory phone line was ringing unanswered.  Dan called half a dozen or so places before getting a hold of someone who tried very hard to help, but ultimately didn't.  Some how, Dan finally found someone who got him in touch with someone who sort of knew what was going on with everything.  He was told to just show up at the transportation office because they would have the passport and visa and our travel paperwork that we needed to pick up.  For some reason we couldn't do this today.  We had to come in tomorrow.  Whatever.

To Iowa and Beyond!

August 16th - 21st

We arrived sleepy, but safely, in Moline, IL and were greeted by Dan's parents.  They picked us up and drove us back to Cedar Rapids.  It was great to see them.

Saturday evening lots of family came by to say hello.  I even got to meet some new family members (new to me anyway, not new to the world).  We had a levely evening.

Sunday we got up and drove to Minneapolis to see Nick and Stephanie.  There is a lot of nothing between Cedar Rapids and Minneapolis.  A LOT of nothing.

We got a little lost and turned around trying to get to Nick's apartment,  but we finally made it.  We hung out for a bit and then went adventuring.  I think there would have been more adventuring, except it was pouring rain for awhile.

Nick and Stephanie took us to see the giant spoon and cherry sculpture, which is apparently a thing in Minneapolis.  I found a geocache so I now have Minnesota.  Someday I will get all 50 states.

After the giant spoon and cherry we went walking along a stone arch bridge which was pretty neat, and then we went to dinner at a Mexican place and drinking at the Yard House.  We returned to the apartment to play Mario Kart.

Monday we had pancakes and headed back to Cedar Rapids.  

Tuesday we spent with Dan's mom doing odds and ends.  I got a micro-dermal abrasion facial thing from cousin Amy.  I got teased for not knowing what kind of face wash I use.  I know what it looks like on the shelf.  That should count for something!

We went to the Czech and Slovak Museum.  It was all about Communism coming in and taking over and how they eventually were freed of it.  It was well done and interesting.  I got a pretty necklace with a green Czech crystal pendant.  We also went to the Czech bakery down the road for kolaches and kolachkis.  They were delicious. 

Wednesday we spent time with Dan's Grandma before we headed off to Moline, IL to fly back home.

At the Moline airport, our flight got delayed.  And delayed again.  And delayed AGAIN.   We had a layover in Atlanta, but I was convinced we weren't going to make our connecting flight.  This could work to our advantage though.  I have friends in Atlanta.  We could go see them if we get stuck there for the night.  That would be great!  But noOOOOOoooooooo.   Our flight to Atlanta got cancelled completely.  We got stuck in Moline.  Dan got us new tickets out the next morning, but because the cancellation was weather related, the airlines didn't supply any food or hotel vouchers.  Bah.

It turns out that the Moline airport shuts down at 5:30.  Taxis stopped coming through, and after several calls, we discovered that all of the hotels near the airport were booked solid.  Apparently there were several events going on this weekend, filling all the hotels.  The nearby casino was full too.  We finally found a hotel with a room left and decided to rent a car.  Something went amiss while renting the car, so we got a free upgrade to a 2015 SUV.  So that was nice, even though we didn't need the extra space.

We found our hotel and they had had some issue while booking the room for us over the phone.  The room we were supposed to have had been booked.  The only room left was a king suite, which they gave us at the normal king rate.  This was also nice, even though we didn't need the extra space. 

The next adventure took us to the other casino in the area, which was some what disappointing.  I think they had more square footage in walkways to and from the various parts of the hotel than they did in casino floor.  Dan enjoyed himself though, which was good.

Thursday we got out of Moline and back to Norfolk with no issues.  Thus ends the Iowa adventure.  We had a good time and enjoyed seeing everyone.