Friday, July 11, 2008

Virginia here I come!

UP UP AND AWAY

Sunday at 11:55 pm my flight leaves for Virginia. I will change planes in Texas, then arrive at Dulles Airport at 11:55am. This must be what is called the "Red Eye"? Subtracting the three hour difference, that will mean eight hours to get there. I will have a two hour and 23 minute layover at Houston Airport.

I have been trying to control my excitement and remain calm. I usually obsess for weeks, worrying about everything. Will let you know how this new approach turns our! I am going to visit my dearest friend. It has been over eight years since I last visited? I fly back on the 24th.

In preparation for the trip, this afternoon I went to the same hair salon that I went to for the last haircut that I liked so much. I hoped that the same gal who cut it last time would be there. Alas and alack, she wasn't and I am not so thrilled with how my hair turned out. I look like a little dutch boy and I'm not. I am only a small part dutch.

When I get back I will be having a new hip installed. Didn't know this would be necessary before I bought the airline tickets. So, I've had a lot of doctor appointments to go to and arrange, as well as dental work being done. And shopping for things I wanted to fill in my wardrobe, as well as needed sundries. Also, I don't like to go off on a trip with a dirty house, so I've been cleaning house and doing laundry. Now I have some ironing to do. And I have a book from the library that I need to finish reading before I leave because it will be due while I'm gone and not allowed to renew.

Looking forward to telling you all about it when I return.

Monday, July 07, 2008

Windows of the Soul

I started this April 20 and didn't get around to finishing or publishing. I don't even remember where I found the MEME. I do remember how I was overwhelmed by some of the images that arose.

*Seeing my mother the first time after her stroke. She was in a coma and not expected to live. There is no way I could describe that vision. I will just say it was a painful one.

*The dark skin everywhere, when I got off the plane in Hawaii the first time in 1964. My Mom had married a Hawaiian when I was just 2. So I grew up in a Hawaiian community. Everyone went together to give me a plane ticket to Hawaii for a High School graduation gift. I lived and worked there for almost five years.

*I can still see the magnificent mountains on a trip to Hope, BC, more than half a century ago.

* The first time I set eyes on my first grandchild.

*Seeing my second grandchild's squished hairy little head first peep at the world. And then having the honor of cutting her cord.

*Recently driving through the Redwoods in the early morning darkness on a trip from Reno to Seattle.

*Seeing my dearest friend for the first time. I didn't know we would become such close friends. I just admired how classy she was.

*Hiding in the pasture in Sandpoint when my mother was coming to visit my brother and I at my fathers parents house. They had convinced my Mom to go to Seattle to join my father and to work. While there she caught him screwing around and divorced him. When she came back to get us our grandparents made us hide in the pasture. I remember crying because I wanted to run to my mother.

*Setting eyes on my first child. She was and still is perfect.

*Bright pink kitchen nook, with big windows, table and chairs where a dear dear friend and I investigated our souls over gallons and gallons of coffee.

*Sitting on the floor of a VOQ quarters lost in the eyes of my future husband, in Sacramento the night we went to Empamanondos 34 years ago. It makes me blush thinking about the rest of the evening*)

*Watching my husband cradle our son in the crook of his arm, holding his tiny head in his hand while talking about finance with him the day he was born in Germany.

*The canal in Georgetown.

*England, especially the stairs in The Tower of London. The thought of all the people I'd read about in books whose feet had actually walked up those same stairs too.
*George and Martha Washingtons grave.

*Williamsburg,VA

You are welcome to join in this writing prompt. Simply add the links below to the bottom of your post and let me know to add yours to the list!


jen with seven windows of my soulJessica with Eleven windowsTracy from Tiny MantrasDefiant Muse from Musings...Kaliroz with windowsBarrenAlbion with seven windows of my soulArwen with windows to my soulSomewhere in the suburbs with windowsKaren with eight windowsJennifer with Seven viewsMagpie with windowsKaty with windowsMary with seven windows of my soulBA with come to my windowsSlouchy with there are places I remember