Sockmonkey visits Gannimal house day 5

One thing I forgot to mention in last posting was that when Sailor Dan came home from work on Tuesday he had very sad news about one of his shipmates, she had been in a domestic dispute with her boyfriend and she ended up dying from her injuries. So terrible, also ironic as before we went east I had just finished a 40 hour training with my local YWCA on how to be a domestic violence volunteer. Such an unnecessary loss. RIP sweet sailor. Anyhow back to my travel-log. Wednesday Sailor Dan went off to dry dock to do more scrapping and sweeping on the Truman. Sockmonkey and all the household wrangled up the loads of laundry and headed off to the laundromat. It was going to take awhile so we wandered down the street to a second hand store. Sockmonkey had the idea that we might find something interesting to bring back and sell at August Moon. Dave really got excited over some antique salt and pepper shakers, tiny and cute and a bargain at $1.50. We also found some neat metal plaques that were wine themed and advertising Sonoma and Napa which went great with the other wine pictures and plaques Tiff is decorating her kitchen with. By this day almost starting to feel like locals with all the driving around we did in the Nissan Versa, what a great little car. Although Sockmonkey still didn't feel quite brave enough to wander out on his own without someone from Gannimal house to direct us. Laundry finished, almost dinner time by now so home to have another great evening with everyone. To be continued...

Sockmonkey visits Gannimal house day 4

Tuesday, Sailor Dan had to go back to work as an ABH (currently stands for Advanced Broom Handler!)on the Truman in drydock where it's going thru a complete refurbish in order to deploy in 2013. Sockmonkey and the gang slept in awhile then it was housekeeping and furniture re-arranging at Gannimal house. There had been a new (well sort of) sectional couch brought in on Saturday just hours before Dave and I arrived. Eric was nice enough to pick it up in his truck and the sailors brought it in and kind of just dropped it in the living room without much sense of feng shui. Tiff had a great idea of restaging the old piano and couch to give more leg room while t.v. watching. So with Sockmonkey in charge we cleaned and pushed furniture around. Before we knew it, time to pick up Sailor Dan after work. He was pretty impressed by how great it all looked. We were all bushed so got dinner going, put our feet up and called it a day. Sockmonkey really thought we did a good job too. Too be continued...

Sockmonkey visits Gannimal house day 3

Day three arrived clear and balmy (or at least I think that's how it was.) It was Columbus Day so sailor son had the day off which was great so we could do some touristing out in the Historic Triangle which is Williamsburg, Jamestown and Yorktown. The drive out there was beautiful, not quite the autumnal foliage but still pretty. Got to Williamsburg which does Colonial re-inactment over lots of acreage but once we got into the visitors center and were told it would cost $40 per person decided that was pretty pricy so got into the Nissen Versa and headed to Jamestown. The entrance there was only $15.00 so thought that was a great bargin, paid and went in to wander through a wonderfully impressive museum and then got to take a walk to the James River where there were replicas of ships that had originally brought the colonist from England. Those ships were small! Very nice view of the river and got a real feel of what it might have been like. Sockmonkey didn't want to go on board with the rest of the fam, claustraphobic you know so he hung out on the dock to wait. Super fun day and very educational. Sockmonkey was very impressed by  the story of Pocahontas, she pretty much saved those Colonist. We might have to watch that Disney movie about her again. After the tour of Jamestown headed back to Gannimal house for a bbq dinner. A good time was had by all. To be continued...

The Sockmonkey travels to Gannimal house day two

After our long day flying to Norfolk, the next day we decided it was a good day to just hang about Gannimal house. Tiffany, Crystal and I went to the local smoothie shop for hangover smoothies for the kids who had overindulged on their Saturday night. The weather was nice for hanging out in the back patio and getting to know two of Dan's sailor buddies, Eric and Zack. Oh and can't forget little guy, new sailor in the pack who's name I kept forgetting and it turned out to be Dan! haha! We took the Nissen Versa rental car out for a couple of errands and pretty much called it a lazy Sunday. Sockmonkey liked the couch in the garage where all the guys like to be and of course upstairs is the mancave but it was kind of stinky from too much beer and smoking the night before. So we sat in the sun and breathed in the fresh Chesapeake air, just happy to be spending time with the Pacific Posse. To be continued...

Sockmonkey Travels to Gannimal House

It's all my sister's fault, she started taking her sockmonkey on trips and posting pics etc. So when we were going on our trip to VA and D.C. she and Chadd were going on vacation to New Mexico, it became a battle of the traveling sockmonkeys. It was a long first day on the way back east beginning in S. F. at 10 a.m. At a stop in Orange County California the text on my phone was letting me know that Brie had no way into the house since her purse was in someone's car, was any door or window open that she could break in. Ally to the rescue since she has a key. Next stop, Chicago where we waited awhile for the connecting flight to Norfolk. By then I knew I was glad I had gotten anxiety pills from the doctor, took one after boarding and promptly fell asleep waking up at 10 p.m. eastern daylight time in Norfolk. Sockmonkey napped most of the trip too. To be continued...

Indian Summer or what?

Will have a bunch to tell about my trip east to visit sailor son and the Gannimals but first want to tell you about having a very nice time with two awesome ladies up in Mendocino County last Wednesday. Was invited to the family ranch of Leigh Anne with all her siblings and their families from all over the place who were out for the annual grape harvest. Well as it turned out the harvest was on hold for that week but toured all over the beautiful property on west side of 101 between Redwood Valley and Willits. Another friend who came was Robbi and I'm so glad because I had wanted a chance to get to know her better. We chatted and roamed in a 4x4 into the boonies just like we have been friends for years. Had a chance to sit on a wonderful deck at the family guest house and soak up the sun and eat cabernet grapes right off the vine. It was just a fantastic day. Am invited back this week for when the harvest is really going to happen but alas have other things on the agenda. Hopefully though between the three of us brainstorming about a writers retreat that Leigh Anne would put on, will be back up there soon and get a whole weekend stay. So enjoy this beautiful weather and don't let any spooks get you on Monday. Happy Halloween!

Job hunt

A lot of you might be interested in an update of how the job hunting has been going. Well almost 3 months and not until today did I want to cry. Had been doing well, 70-80 resumes going into cyberspace with a few responses. Excited about a job interview this morning, filled out paperwork and then a short math test to be done only with your brain. I knew I didn't do too well but for heavens sake who does math without technology now days. A greying man with an accent motioned me to a chair across from him at his desk, looked at answer to first question involving percentages and yes I suppose a sixth grader knew the answer but I didn't. After still answering it wrong when he asked me, he stood up and thanked me for coming by but unless I could do better on the test he wouldn't waste anyones time further by conducting an interview. Well I hope he gets bad karma because I would have made an awesome employee and maybe I don't do math but I can out proofread probably this entire planet, so there. Ok well you now have my latest update on job hunt. Not going to let that get me down and since my trip with the hubby out to Virginia is just about here will give Craigslist a rest until we return. Anyhow, enjoy your October, I know I will seeing the sights out along the Atlantic and a train ride to D.C. as well. Take care, I'll send you a postcard.