In my mind I'm goin' to Carolina

Can't you see the sunshine
Can't you just feel the moonshine

Ain't it just like a friend of mine
It hit me from behind
Yes I'm gone to Carolina in my mind

~James Taylor

So, here I am. A whole month (and then some more days) after spending Christmas and New Year's Eve on the opposite coast from where I currently find myself. Yes, the date on the blog post is for earlier in the year than it really is. The glory of being able to change post dates. In all truth it is almost Valentine's Day when I write this...where has the time gone? So, in my mind (and in pictures) I'm goin' to Carolina (the North one) and then to DC too. I will also take you!

Christmas morning Josh and I got up and ready to hit the road. Our destination was Wilmington NC. Home of my uncle. Home to the place we would celebrate Christmas with my Mom and Uncle.

Pretty poor picture, but it is indeed the state line as we were leaving Virginia and entering North Carolina. Not too much longer to go...

As we arrived in Wilmington...

6 hours and 20 degrees later we pulled up to my Uncle's house. We'd left Maryland at about 9:45am in 30 degree weather and snow falling and pulled up to my Uncle's at 4pm, overcast, and 50 degrees. Welcome to the end of the drive. Thank goodness. Though, we had a great time on the drive talking and discovered a radio show that we thoroughly enjoyed called This American Life. It was the Christmas Spectacular and entertained us for a time, especially the Animal Farm Christmas story about 40 minutes in to the episode.

We're here!

My Uncle lives in a house in the historic area of Wilmington. It is one of those houses that has a plaque on it describing the historical significance. Pretty cool place if I do say so! Dinner was almost done and so while we were waiting Josh and I unloaded the car and then went for a walk down to the River...Cape Fear. It was nice to be in warmer weather.

Palms on Christmas Day...not the norm for me.

We had our Merry Christmas Eve picture in front of Christmas Trees in MD, so we took a Merry Christmas Day picture in front of the palms!

Checking out the river.

On the river with the USS North Carolina across the river.

Very cool sculpture on the river front.

My Uncle's home. It is a duplex, but not the typical side-by-side style we see today, rather the top and bottom style. Almost 100 years old.

The door you can see with the wreath on it below is his. And so is the balcony!

Looking down the hallway! My Uncle has a pretty cool collection of photos, etc down the hall.

More cool stuff!

Not so comfortable square toilet. There's a story about that seat, too.

View from the hallway towards the door out onto the balcony. Awesome hardwood floors.

Portion of Living room.

Christmas!

Christmas Cat Buki!

Josh wrapped his gifts in Birthday paper. To celebrate Jesus' birth!

On speaker phone with fam from WY.

We laughed a lot this day. At dinner. Opening gifts. I cried a few times because I was laughing so hard.

After opening gifts we walked down to the river. Took a few pictures.

L to R: Me, Mom, Brother, Uncle, Dog at feet.

~ Brother and Sister

Sister and Brother~

Josh tutoring Mom on how to check her email on his smart phone.

We went to the Serpentarium while we were visiting. Saw some snakes. And some other reptiles. I was sort of fascinated.Huge "Giant Anaconda"

Josh "petting" a croc.

snake

snake

lizard

Iguana and tongue!

There were parrots in the lobby. The guys had fun talking to them.

We also went to your the USS North Carolina. It COLD, but good! This is the view from the ship deck towards the downtown area. My Uncle's place is near the church steeple. Wilmington in a Coast Guard City and you can see one of the ships across the river from the deck of the USS NC

Above picture is the "church" quarters that collapsed down for meal times.

In the galley~ Lots o' steps.

Master electric switch. One huge light switch~ Smile, Mom!

:)

The wishing well~

The Gyrocompass. Center of the ship.

Ammo...and lots of it.

Gun powder. And brother.

Gear. Heavy gear.

Dental area.

Dr's office

Operating room above.

View out the porthole.

On deck. It was cold and windy, but oh-so-gloriously-sunny! Huge chain links for the anchor.

Go Josh, go!

Loved this sign~

Big ship parts~

Basking in the sun on the porch! In December! Glorious!

Headed to the ocean. The building on the left is the resturant we ate lunch. Center of photo...ocean!

View from our table~

Walking on the beach.

There were lots of shells we were picking up. Also, lots of dolphins swimming out in the water.

Basking in the sun~with a winter coat on.

Beauty.

Shadows~

Love this pier!

I could handle this view daily.

Mom and Josh.

Eating ice cream. Outside. In December. Crazy family. 'Nough said.

USS NC at sunset.

Me and big Buki~

Smiling in the sun with my Mom.

On the road back to DC...some more snow on the sides of the road.

Snippets from DC area...

Walking the cat in the hall.

DC and surrounding areas host a delicious cupcake/cake place called CakeLove. Pretty much amazing, especially since they have gluten-free cupcakes. Megan, my friend who told me about them was pretty much right on when she said it is the frosting that is so good. Yummm...

At the National Archives building. Pretty cool to see the Declaration, Constitution and Bill of Rights.

Look at that beautiful blue sky!

White House backyard. I was able to get so much closer than when I was there in the spring.

I was sort of in a bum mood, for no apparent reason...until I saw this...then I cheered up immensely.

White House Christmas Tree on the Ellipse with the Washington Monument in the background.

Surrounding the tree on the Ellipse were 57 smaller trees--one for each state and territory.

Little villages and lots of trains surrounding the base of the tree.

Christmas lights make me happy.

New Year's Eve

Glimpses of Butters...

We spent some time in downtown Bethesda and went to another cake place that had amazingly wonderful decorated cakes...

LOVED the tree cake~ In the words of my brother after eating these cupcakes; "If I wasn't diabetic before that, I am now." Too sweet in our opinions.

Snow angel in remaining ice in one of the reflecting pools. US Capitol Building Christmas Tree (from the great state of Wyoming)! Way to represent WY!

Two Womingites standing in front of a tree from Wyoming that is gracing the lawn of the US Capitol Building...makes me happy.

We ended our New Year's Eve by attending this movie...

Well done, but intense. Then home we went so I could catch a plane back to Oregon on the first day of 2011!

T'was the Night Before Christmas...

...when all through the plane,
the attendants were busy, the passengers insane.
The seat pockets in front of me, stuffed with sickness bags,
in hopes that no one would actually gag.

The attendants scurrying up and down the isles,
passing out peanuts, drinks and smiles.
The turbulence was rough,
while the seats could use more fluff.

The time was dragging,
while the lady next to me was bragging.
We landed in the nick of time,
so I can stop trying to rhyme.

Okay, okay...my very POOR attempted at rhyming, but once I titled the post I felt obligated to go with it, even if for a short time. Please forgive me!

So, with my poor rhyming and apology out of the way, let's move on to the way I spent my Christmas Eve....

I awoke on the west side of the country and spent all day soaring above the country, and the clouds and went to bed on the east side of the country. The is a lot of miles and hours to cover. Here are a few photo glimpses.

From the air~ I don't know were...some mountainous area.

After finally landing at Baltimore Washington Airport, waiting an eternity for luggage and finding brother's car...we made our way to our Christmas Eve dinner. Thai in downtown Silver Spring.

Christmas trees!
The Discovery Channel building is a block away from where we ate. I must admit is was a little surreal to be here after the hostage incident. I had also been to it when I was in DC in the spring.

T-Rex showing his Christmas spirit.
We then went back to Josh's place and his feline son was able to "open" his gifts.

They went over extremely well.

Butter's and me!

After Butter's got his gifts I went to work on wrapping mine to give. One downfall of flying with gifts is that they can't be wrapped. Which meant I felt like a slacker, but could truly say it wasn't my fault. We then went to bed in preparation for our 6 hour Christmas Day journey to Wilmington NC. Pretty sure Santa didn't crash our party...no promises for Mom and Uncle Ron's Christmas Eve festivities.

December Poem of the Month

Snowman
by Shel Silverstein


'Twas the first day of springtime,
And the snowman stood alone
As the winter snows were melting,
And the pine trees seemed to groan,
"Ah, you poor sad smiling snowman,
Said the snowman, "What a pity,
For I'd like to see July.
Yes, I'd like to see July, and please don't ask me why.
But I'd like to, yes I'd like to, oh I'd like to see July.


"Chirped a robin, just arriving,
"Seasons come and seasons go,
And the greatest ice must crumble
When it's flowers' time to grow.
And as one thing is begining
So another thing must die,
And there's never been a snowman
Who has ever seen July.
No, they never see July, no matter how they try.
No, they never ever, never ever, never see July.


"But the snowman sniffed his carrot nose
And said, "At least I'll try,"
And he bravely smiled his frosty smile
And blinked his coal-black eye.
And there he stood and faced the sun
A blazin' from the sky --
And I really cannot tell you
If he ever saw July.
Did he ever see July? You can guess as well as I
If he ever, if he never, if he ever saw July.

Birthday Goodness

Sometimes birthday's are just another day. Usually they are. But I still enjoy my birthday, overall. Last year I organized a gathering and I decided to pass on that this year. Instead I celebrated with individual friends. My hope had been to get a picture of each gathering and I failed. But I still enjoyed the things I did and the people I spent time with. Marta took me to lunch, I saw the Nutcracker ballet with Holly and then my actual birthday I worked and Tera, a friend in Corvallis came up for the afternoon and evening. After eating yummy tacos for dinner we headed to Papa Haydn's, my new tradition birthday dessert location, for a sweet treat. I almost always get the Pana Cotta, which is like heaven in my mouth and stuck with it as a tried and true treat for me.

With raspberries and raspberry sauce on the top! Doesn't it look amazing?! It tasted AMAZING~
Tera and her multiple layer chocolate and something or other cake, which I hear was also excellent. Forgive the bad lighting, we didn't want to disturb others by using the flash~probably should have though...

Yummy!

Thanks to all my friends that called, texted, emailed and spent time with me for my birthday! I feel very loved at the end of one more year of life and going into my next year. Grand way to start it off!

A Lane of Lights

After living in Portland for close to 10 years I finally made it to one of the most popular Portland Christmas Attractions. The lights of Peacock Lane. Megan and I headed over after work with warm beverages in hand and in a slight drizzle that let up while we were walking the street lined in lights. It was glorious and made me happy. I love Christmas lights. Enjoy with me~

I loved the Charlie Brown characters and the Grinch house.

Pretty aren't they?!

A Gaggle of Girls for a Glorious Gathering

Apparently, I'm liking the letter "G" tonight. Really, I am grateful for these girls, for the laughter they bring to my life. This is a group of four of us, all friends from college, that get together once a month. Or try to. This year we've been fairly consistent. We've been gathering like this for the five years that I've been out of school, though some of these girls finished after me, and some have gone back to school in that time. We've been through a lot together--sicknesses, marriages, house buying, life changing things, life living. And, we always laugh. Always.

The plan was to meet at my place and take a "nice" group picture before venturing out to the Fantasy Trail. In setting the self-timer on my camera, and having a wonderfully curious cat...this was take one of our group shot. Thank you, Ezme. You never cease to make me laugh, this night you shared that experience with everyone!

behind the cat (from L to R): Jamie, me, Rose, Rachel

~

Our arrival at the Fantasy Trail. Aquiring hot cocoa and tickets.On the trail...

We encountered a bridge that was a little too fun to jump on. Notice Jamie's hair! :)

Smile Santa!

Such a good looking group of girls!

Notice the jail. Click on the picture to enlarge it and notice who is in it...

One of the houses on the trail was all slanted, off kilter...we had fun peeking through this "mini-opening!"

~me

~Rachel

~Jamie

~Rose

.

Rose and me in another little house~

Our group in the castle!

That is the way to go...

Jamie was concerned about the "children being held captive" on the property. We kept coming up with stories about them peddling bikes to power all the lights, hiding in the woods, etc. Then, in the castle there were carvings on the wall. More proof of the children being held captive! :)

Yes, Jamie, I realize that child has been here since 1990. Haha~The Fantasy Trail was a lot of fun and we laughed a lot. I most definitely will return-maybe for Halloween next year!

~

Meanwhile, back at the ranch....

.

....we had decided to have an ornament exchange and a white elephant exchange.

Rachel with part one of her white elephant.

Last year, we had decided to get the corny-est white elephant gift. I found this darling (read sarcasm into this) baseball cap bird house. Rachel ended up with the dreaded thing last year. It came back this year. Rose is the lucky holder of the awful bird house for the next 12 months.

Jamie and her book, "Where the Heart Is."

.

The pictures of our ornaments that I took didn't turn out the greatest, so you'll have to live with an update later, or just not seeing them. They were great though, and I absolutely love mine! It came all the way from Michigan and will be a treasure that I put on my tree each year. When I hang it I am sure I will remember this night and these lovely ladies with fondness and a smile in my heart.

Jamie, me, Rose, Rachel (minus the cat)

~

For our November gathering, Rachel had written a poem as the invite. It was so much fun that I had to copy her idea for our December gathering--here's my handy work:

This is the time
That I would like to rhyme
I sit here to write
Of a girls gathering in the night.

It is the eve of the 7th of December
Please remember.

A special season
Is the reason
That we will gather in my home
And from there we will roam.

Christmas clothes you will be wearing.
Two gifts you will come bearing.

One gift will be a white elephant,
Just for the hell of it.
The other a nice ornament,
That will become tree adornment.

I will serve some goodies that will refresh.
I only hope they will impress.

If you have any questions,
Or even a few suggestions
Contact me please, don’t hesitate.
For this I will appreciate.

Merry Christmas!

November Poem of the Month

Where the Sidewalk Ends
by Shel Silverstein

There is a place where the sidewalk ends
And before the street begins,
And there the grass grows soft and white,
And there the sun burns crimson bright,
And there the moon-bird rests from his flight
To cool in the peppermint wind.

Let us leave this place where the smoke blows black
And the dark street winds and bends.
Past the pits where the asphalt flowers grow
We shall walk with a walk that is measured and slow,
And watch where the chalk-white arrows go
To the place where the sidewalk ends.

Yes we'll walk with a walk that is measured and slow,
And we'll go where the chalk-white arrows go,
For the children, they mark, and the children, they know
The place where the sidewalk ends.