Memories of a first

With everything going on in this world, and in our family I have spent a great many hours sitting and thinking. Pondering the world we have lived in and the world as it will become...the one thing I can be sure of is this...History does repeat itself... As Thanksgiving approaches I have often sat and thought about what I have to be thankful for. This is a tradition I have set in my own mind since my first Thanksgiving away from home. I was but a girl of 17, the holiday seemed to huge of a job with out my mom around to do the work. I cried for weeks leading up to thanksgiving terrified that I would ruin the day over come by homesickness and raw or burnt turkey. In reality it was just the opposite. Those tears I shed only in the privacy of the shower, I realized that many young men were also spending the holiday alone and away from home. I invited them all over. Jeff and I spent the first Thanksgiving away from our families surrounded by others in the same position. The dinner turned into a smorgasbord of different dishes each special to someone that was seated in the house. Many friends were made that day, and many more holidays were spent with the family with out a family. This experience was so different from my own family traditions yet is was so similar to the ones began so long ago. I am thankful that life has given me the chance to experience so many of it's basic fundamentals. This Holiday season will find us together as a family, enjoying a meal of all the traditional favorites of the family. Turkey and stuffing, potatoes and yams, pies and and whip creme the thoughts and smells fill my heart just thinking of them I wont even think of dads fudge...no dont think of that....buns yes buns...with butter mmmm.... Just thinking of what happy fun memories this holiday will be filled with...memories are the hope of the future as history does repeat itself.

Now I am thinking...

Now that I have been to taste a sample of the history of our country I got a plan...Crystal needs family near by...lets move in with her and take an extended vacation...in the six months till summer starts the kids would get an even better education by actually travelling and seeing the places they will or have learned in the history books...I have discovered enough "day trips" with in just an hours drive from Josh's house to keep us all busy for a month at least....The history and makings of the US Navy are in a little town called Sacketts Harbor...just maybe a half hours drive from the kid's house...on the shores of one of the great lakes....also in Sacketts Harbor is the home that John Adams wife Abigail lived in while he was off fighting the War's and running the country... Now Vermont is also just two hours away from their home...a bit longer of a day but still with in a days time to explore...as for lodging... well there is a big open field...complete with horses right next to the buildging they live in...tents would work...but to rent a Motor Home in NY is not nearly what it cost here...so maybe we could make a portable HITW and go find summer till summer... Dad would make a good history teacher and tour guide...we could take turns picking the days lesson...good idea yah??

Quotes from a famous man

There are two ways of being happy: We must either diminish our wants or augment our means either way Do... The result is the same and for each man to decide for himself and do that which happens to be easier. We are all born ignorant, but one must work hard to remain stupid. Beer is living proof that God loves us and want us to be happy. Who was this man? Gee I might as well just give him credit cuz someone will just google it anyway... These are several quotes I have been fond of for many years...I just could never remember who said them...but he also says this.... What signifies knowing the names, if you know not the nature of things... So I guess I just took his advice and forgot his name but learned from his lessons... Stay tune for more trivia from my trip...gotta show off my new found knowledge... Oh yes...Anyone know with out googling it...what state the Statue of Liberty is in?

Someone thinks I love to fly....

Now I flew on seven planes in the process of completing a complete circle around this country...flew over several major cities....except for California...but i hear their still on fire so the smog would be hard to judge...lets just say if we rate the cities I have flown over or into...Salt Lake City Utah should win the prize...the air was disgustingly black...it could be seen trailing through the valleys like cancerous tentacles.... guess the Mormons dont much care for saving the atmosphere.... Almost every flight i was on arrived in it's destination early...except air traffic control could not find us a slot to land...so we circled...but Seattle gave me picture opportunities...our plane circled this mountain top...now I have seen the bottom of this beautiful land mark many many times from my front door step...but rarely do you see just the top....and after descending through the clouds...this is only about one third of that mountain....and you still can not see the top.... Arrived home earlier than I expected...Alaska Airlines had over booked many earlier flights from Seattle to Anchorage...when I arrived in Seattle they managed to book me on a 9pm flight that left Fairbanks out of the picture...thank god or I would just be arriving home now....all the other flights had huge stand bye lists...so I figured I would be stuck in Seattle till 9 last night...I was traveling alone and families did not want to be split...so I actually got the last seat on the 2oclock...which was over booked in sales also...not sure how it happened but I did not question it. It is good to be home.

Atlantic Ocean at last...in the day light...

My last day on the East Coast...I regrett that I have to come back...(not really as this is a cool place to visit)...but we did not nor will not make it to DC... Weather and traffic did not permit it to become possible....several "stand ins" were going on in DC and traffic was horrendous. Instead we went to the Atlantic Ocean down in Atlantic City....no casinos this time just the beach... Yes he was scoping us out...a fox in Atlantic City...on the beach Clams here are huge...some where the size of my foot...and every where on the beach in the city... and for those that dont like to get the feet wet...or the wind in there face...a glass mall over looks the beach...you can sit on a beach chair with your feet in the sand while sipping a coffee....

To my Husband

Philli and Independence Hall

This is not the original seal...a replica made in the late 1800's...there are a couple of flaws on this but I am not goning to point them out....bet dad can find them... The top of this tower is where the liberty bell spent the first several years of it's life...until it started cracking...tower and clock are original... This is THE ROOM that the many documents that formed this country were first signed and read...the Constitution, being the most famouse...the chair at the head of the table is the exact chair where George Washington sat...then John Adams...until the capital was moved to DC Here is the bell...this bell was rang on many occasions happy or sad...until it was rang for the last time on George Washingtons Birthday....that is when the crack broke enough that the sound would no longer work. It was interesting to be in Philli....the place where our nation actually began its political entity that it is too day....after the tour of Independence Hall, the Senate bldg, and the congress hall all I could do was sit....the emotions I was feeling were over whelming...and the exhaustion from two long days of touring our nations birth place have worn me out... Breath taking...that is what this all is...after the movie in the visitors center....The ghosts of past walked us through their ideas from back then...as well as made it clear...they set up a republic for us to do with what we will....It all began right here...

A very long but great day...

Ellis Island...the first stop for many of our ancestors...a place of hope and tears...lot of history on this island...as it was not always immigration... We are really here. An amazing view as the fog lifted off the Hudson Inside the First building on the second floor...this is where the main medical screening went on..and the assesments of whether these people could support them selves in this country...Many were deported at this stage... Here she is...you can not go to past the platform...but it is 156 steps to the level above the oval shaped windows....the elevator was broken... New York skyline at ground zero...not much to see there right now...the building on the right is the new World Trade Center...built where the church stood before 911....the towers are being made into water pools and a park will surround them...for now it looks like a mass of steel and cement deep in the ground... The fire department that responded had to have seen the whole thing as it is RIGHT across the street from ground zero...pretty much the only memorial we could find was on the wall of the station...a street sign for "Liberty Street" is hanging inside now....mangled from falling debre again not much to see. But here....is time square...now this was the best way to end the day...we ate street vender hot dogs...and watched the people it was amazing to be sitting there...on Broadway...wish we had known Grease was playing we would have gotten tickets... So all the way to New York...I got pooped on by a sea gull...and then he stole my lunch...but that is ok...because i saw things I never thought I would see in real life...and believe it or not...the people we ran into in New York are much more polite than the ones in Seattle...I would go back again...we did not even get near Central Park... So tomorrow off the Phillidelphia...Deleware...and DC....should be another educational day.

Atlantic City

Now this town has Trumps name all over it....and the casinos are also malls...so we can gamble while the kids shop....now that is the recipe for bankruptcy.... This is the "Rich and Famous" entrance....need to watch more TV as the only person i recognized getting out of one of the many limos was Madonna...and I would not have known it was her if she was not the entertainment this evening...thought I saw "Tator Salad" at the bar...but you had to have money to get into that diamond crusted room....the big money slot room... There were many other casinos in Atlantic City...but Trumps was the fanciest. He got 40 bucks off us and we were out of there....off to window shop at the places I have only read about in books and saw on telivision....did you know that the rich will pay 160 bucks for a stroller for their dog!...they would not let me take a picture of it...so you will have to google it...but I am not kidding...the store was nothing but Dog accessories...and they were not cheap...nor very practical...unless Dutch needs a diamond studded stroller.....Mac would not fit... Coming home this time change is gonna get me. I am ready to come home...but I still have to go to Washington and New York....do to booking tours we will head to the Big Apple tommorrow Washington on Saturday...we hope to return to Atlantic City on Sunday as it was raining and foggy...all the way to the Atlantic Ocean and I could not even see it....go figure.

Here is his home....

This building is one of the oldest building in the United States of America....I am hoping that someday very soon Eric and I can come out and spend some time sight seeing....when the emotional family stuff is not in the middle of the visit. I am standing in AMERICAN HISTORY....you can not get any closer than this....buildings dated back to 1773 The park you see us standing on above is where the American Troops stood watch durring the French and Indian War....back when America was just a baby....it is amazing to see that the history books are way more than just stories...to be here is what I needed most. I feel grounded to my country and my sons career choice now....I still dont like him risking his life...but many other sons did this before him... I did not take any pictures of the cemetery on that hill...it did not feel right to take them...but I stood by the graves of the brave young men who battled in the very first battles that made this country the place we all call home. My mind has also been put to ease as I have met with many young men and women now...that are coming home from that war....in one piece...I have hugged them and looked at their toes and fingers....all intact...except one....he was the only casualty and his commanding officer made him meet me and tell me the story....he did not tie his shoe the lace got caught on a Hummer and he fell on his face...breaking his pinky finger...lol I know this war is still dangerouse to my son...I know the chances he could be killed are still there...but I have seen other mothers children, talked to them, and now I feel more ready for him to go on this great adventure...it could be one of the most benificial achievments of his life...as long as he keeps his shoe tied... my lousey 110 pounds is nothing compared to the amount of weight this man has to pack for 8 miles a day....and he proved it....my boy....the man.

Our to do list...

Snowing and blowing today...the sun peaked out a few times...but the weather is very Alaskan...We were going to go to a park that is the similar to "Flatt Top" but the weather did not permitt it...so hopefully tomorrow. Spent the day watching Crystal cook, Josh get his uniform ready for and inspection and me and the grand babies did what ever we could to cause them some trouble....it is great being a grandma when I dont have to worry about the influence on my own children..hehe....pepsi...sure...and the candy box is on top of the fridge... Hopefully tomorrow we will make it to some of the local spots here near Fort Drum...The great lakes are just a few miles north east of here....one of them anyway.... Fort Drum is actually smaller than I expected for a military base that so many call home duty station....a medical clinic...no hospital....the PX and commisary are smaller than our local wallmart.... It appears the community of Evan Mills was built for the millitary....Water town is the closest large city....about the size of Soldotna. I am ammazed at the amount of open territory around here....did not think you could find open space on this side of the country. Tommorw afternoon Thumper and I will head south again to New Jersey as she and Josh both have to work on Wednesday. Thurseday we will visit NY City......Friday....Atlantic city....and Saturday Phillidelphia and DC....Sunday I will pack and prepare for the long trip home...I am enjoying my trip but missing the rest of my family and home a lot. Josh recieved several medals after his last training mission...it was kind of neat to be here when he recieved them....although i left my camera at the motel room Thumper and I are staying in...stupid me. Not much else to say for now.. just watching the snow fall.....and it falls here just like it does at home...except these people drive bad when it is nice...when it is snowing they get in a bigger hurry and drive even worse.... love you all much....

America...Where it all Began....

So....words can not describe the things I am seeing...Ok I am wordy....bet I can try.... Ok so I am on the other side of the country here!! and right up the road was one that said 1 mile to Mexico...I think these people are confused. Phillidelphia on the left....New Jersey on the right....at eighty mph on a toll highway....oh wait all the highways are toll highways here...you pay to drive your car....but gas... So after a couple days of local vistist and recovery from travellin we have made it to Fort Drum... he is huge!! and those babies missed me..... So tomorrow we are going to go the Lake Ontario....and check out some of the surrounding area.... Thursday we will venture into NY city....ground zero being our starting destination....that big statue is also on the list of things to see...Elis Island....and on friday off to Atlantic city....Saturday DC Thumper has a full load planned I will be tired but full of a new adventure when I get home...I am in shock...to be standing where it all began...so very long ago in our country...amazing!!

my flight plan...give or take...

My best friend loves to simplify things well...or complicate them mightly...lol but I guess that is what it takes to fly buddy passes...so... I leave tomorrow on Alaska Airlines at 0730....I arrive in Seattle at Noon their time Being the good friend she is my lay over in seattle is just enough time to switch planes...I leave Seattle at 1250 and arrive in Denver at 1625.....no this is the city of choice she gave me for a layover...the mile high city...but I have friends in the area who would love a surprise visit so if I get stuck in Denver over night no big deal.... If I get out of Denver it will be a three hour lay over then I am off to Kennedy International Airport...and then right off to Phillidelphia landing at 1854 pm....those time zones make it look worse than it is she assured me...she better be right...lol So once I am there we will remain in New Jersey for a few days...playing it by ear with Joshs deployment....we are hoping to go visit Phillidelphia and the Liberty bell.....she would like me to see the Statue Of Liberty and Ellis Island...that may be fun...cept I hate the city...but the history is going to be neat... We will head to New York around Monday....spend some time with the kids then back to Jersey...for my flight back... Leaving Phillidelphia at 0750 November 18th...the holiday played a big role in these plans and as luck would have it I was able to fly from Philli to Seattle arriving there at...1222.....but not leaving untill....(unless I can get on a stand by flight and there are five possible) 2135...yuck as I have spent a lot of time in that airport....now if I do not catch one of the five straight to anchorage flights I get to take another detour to Fairbanks for the rest of the night...leaving there at 0605 and arriving in Anchorage at 0715.....I could drive faster...lol...but hey Iguess I will see a lot of new things...as well as HATE planes even more when I get back.... I love you all....I will miss you lots...and I will post often...

Forever in my Heart...

Forever a bonding moment....and one of the best memories of my life....reenacting this song....with my big brother....