The Answer

For anyone who has ever read Douglas Adams Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, you'll understand the photo.

If you're confused, I highly recommend that you go read this.  Love this book!

However, I've posted this because it's a bit more special to me this year.

This year I turned 42, so let's see if the next 365 or so days really do hold the answers.

Wishing You A Very....

Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day

Transitions

I realize it's been quite some time since my last blog and if anyone out there reads this, I'm sorry.

I have no excuse really.  Other than I just didn't make myself sit down and write a blog.  All I can say is that it's taking time to adjust to life in California.  I don't mean that in a bad way at all.

It's just I've gone from one way of doing things to an almost completely opposite way of doing things.  I need time to regroup and find my support network.  Those spouses who won't think I'm a nut and can tolerate my quirks.  Tall order I know!  I need to find my rhythm.

The Sound Of Silence

The house has been packed up and empty.  Now I'm just waiting to move to our new home in California.

While a part of me is excited about a new adventure in my life, there is another part of me that worries.  I've settled here on the east coast and am now in a comfort zone.  The same can not be said about the west coast.  I will have to learn new routes, patterns and places to go.  An adventure in itself.  But the organized part of me, or maybe it's the paranoid part, wants to have plans and have everything mapped out.

A Day In The Life: Adventures At Hampton Roads Naval Museum

USS WISCONSIN 

Volunteering.  We all say it's a wonderful thing, but how many of us actually do it?  I mean honestly spend more than two to three hours a month doing something that doesn't pay us.

I volunteer at the Hampton Roads Naval Museum in Norfolk, VA.  I know it's not feeding the homeless, but it's something that I enjoy.  I know kinda selfish, but I digress.  Normally I do administrative work, but that's dull so I'm going to focus on a single event in this post.

Every year in August the museum spends time with the Chief Selectees and gives them a bit of naval history on chiefs. It's called CPO Heritage.  I've been fortunate enough to help in four of these.  My first day of the first year I actually followed a group around and took photos.  What an experience!  The second day had me selling raffle tickets.

Color Me Baffled

As you may or may not know, I'm about to move to the west coast.  You read a few of the previous posts right?  So this really isn't news to you.

So this entails getting renters for our current home (Done!), finding a new place to live (still searching), packing up our place (currently happening) and then moving (soon).   Granted I don't physically move until the end of September, but this is the way that it's happening.

Oh and did I mention that my dear sweet husband isn't even home to keep me sane?  Or at least a semblance of sane.  Insert a sly grin here my friends.  The navy has other plans for him and that's okay.

I can do this!  And if I say it enough times I will eventually believe it!

Norfolk Botanical Gardens - WOW Garden

Recently I did a post on the Butterfly House and promised to do more on some of the other parts of the gardens.

Today is that day!

Color Me Mine

Once upon a time I was a ceramics fiend.  The ceramic store that I spent many an hour at is now gone and I let my painting hobby fall by the wayside.

Many of my spouse groups have gone here and have lots of fun.  Sadly I missed out on those fun times.

I recently rectified that this past week.

Norfolk Botanical Gardens - Butterfly House

The Norfolk Botanical Gardens is a hidden gem in the midst of a city.

I had been in the past to the Season of Lights (post on that later this year), but I'd never actually gone into the gardens.

So recently a friend of mine took me and I so appreciate it.

Inevitable

Isn't that an odd title for a blog post?

If you read my 'bio', you'll know that I'm a navy wife.  And in military life, you always know that inevitably you will be moving.  See, I've just explained the title.

We've been fortunate enough to stay in the Norfolk area for 8 years straight.  Shocking to many people, I know.  We've been here off and on since 1994 and have honestly come to think of it as home.

However, that streak is about to be broken.  In mere months we will be moving to the west coast.

So my summer has been filled with painting and prepping the house for renters.  Now the house has to stay in a constant viewing stage.  Which, I guess is good because it's a much cleaner state than normal.

Now it's time to make sure I do those last things that I've always wanted to do in the area.  I've been here 8 years, why didn't I do it before?  Probably because there wasn't a sense of urgency.  So now I need to make that bucket list for the summer and start checking things off!

I promise to post more as our crazy adventures continue.

Enjoy the rest of your summer!  I know I will.

Mermaid Hunting

What is Norfolk's obsession with mermaids?  Those half-women/half-fish sirens of the sea have a bad reputation in mythology, where these sea maidens “would sing to men on ships or shores nearby, practically hypnotizing them with their beauty and song. Those affected would rush out to sea only to be either drowned, eaten, or otherwise sent to their doom.” So goes the legend. Then along comes Ariel in Disney's version of The Little Mermaid, and suddenly the sea nymph’s image became all sweetness and light.

Fourth Of July

Pell Bridge

Some days you just need to step away from it all.  From the projects that have consumed you for the past month or so and just take a break.

I've been consumed with house projects and have sadly neglected my writing.

But this is exactly what I did at the end of June.  And a big shout out to my wonderful husband for recommending it!

Slover Library

Libraries seem to be an asset that really aren't utilized to their fullest potential.  Which is really sad.  There's something wonderful about libraries in general.  I've spent so much time in libraries growing up.  I must sadly admit that my relationship with libraries has waned.  I must get better about that.  Looks like it's time to renew that library card!

But I digress...

I was fortunate enough to get a tour of the Slover Library in downtown Norfolk by Will Hopkins, a fellow author and painter.

Author Appearnace

Did you miss the last book signing?  Never fear my friends there's always a second chance.

Join us this Tuesday at Slover Library in Norfolk, VA to chat about our book!

We look forward to seeing you there!

Coming To Terms

Death is inevitable.  We all know this, but none of us truly want to think about it.  It's morbid and depressing.  No one wants to think about loosing the one you love.  I mean that's something that's going to happen in the distant future so no need to worry about it now.  Right?

Since becoming an 'adult', I've attended three funerals for people that are not related to me in anyway.  Being an adult can suck sometimes.  Tomorrow I go to my fourth funeral.  For the first time it's for a military spouse that I knew.  This was something that I never thought would happen.

I know I could probably get away with not going, because we weren't close.  But I won't.  Funerals aren't for the dead.  They are for the living.  So tomorrow I will go so that her family feels that they aren't the only ones who will mourn her passing.

Time is fleeting, so treasure each moment.

A Voice From The Past

My husband and I love Robert Frost's poetry.  There's just something hauntingly beautiful about hearing his words out of his own mouth.

I hope you enjoy as much as I did.

Branching Out

I've started up something new for the blog.  Hoping that it will force me to work more on my writing and the blog.  Don't want anyone to think I've given up.

So, I thought I'd share things that are happening in my area.  Give you a glimpse of things that are going on in 'my neck of the woods'.

Willoughby Live Oak - Norfolk Naval Station

I honestly didn't know about this until recently.

Funny how you can live somewhere for years and keep learning new things about the place all the time.

I love all the history of the Hampton Roads area.

I hope you enjoy the article as much as I did.  I've yet to visit the actual site, but it is definitely on the agenda.

Books, Books, Books

Once again the authors of By The Bay: East Beach Stories will be signing their book on April 30th from 12 to 2 pm at The Book Exchange located at 116 East Little Creek Rd. Norfolk, VA 23503.

Come join us!

Books + Chocolate = Happiness

Everyone wants a happy place.  And we all have different happy places.  But what could be better than books and chocolate?  How about getting your By The Bay book signed by the authors and then getting some chocolate?  Fabulous right?  I thought so.

February 27th we did just that.  We were at The Royal Chocolate in Virginia Beach.

Royal Chocolate here I come!

Left to Right: Jenny Sparks, Mike Owens, Jayne Ormerod,
Mary-Jac O'Daniel, Karen Harris, Michelle Davenport,
Pat Clark & Gina Warren Buzby

I'm sorry I didn't get the word out sooner.  We will be having another book signing on April 30th at The Book Exchange.  More details to come later. 

Hope to see you there!

Big Screen Dreams

So a while back on By The Bay an interesting question was brought up.  How did we see our characters in our mind's eye?  Everyone envisions a character differently, but who would we have play our characters if they were to ever be brought to life in a movie for the big screen or even television?  Hey, you never know, the Hallmark Channel might do something like that!  Something like Chicken Soup for the Soul.  It would be fantastic!

Now when I first started writing my story, I honestly didn't have anyone in mind for any of my characters.  Just some traits and vague notions.  However, as I think on it I can get a 'vision' of who would play whom.

I could see Rick Moranis playing the role of Rick Dandes.  He's adorably distracted and sweet.  I think it's a pretty good match.

As Anna I see Jewel Staite.  She's just darling and would make an adorable match with her on screen husband.

And I definitely see Betty White as Dorothy Dandes.  I think she would be fantastic!  She's so versatile.  She can be tough and wise cracking one moment and the next she's sweet as pie.

Stella was the hardest for me, as I never really gave her any features.  But when it comes down to it I would love for Laura Cohen to play her.  She's extremely capable and I think she could pull it off.  I also have to admit I was binge watching The Walking Dead at the time, so she seemed a natural pick.

Of course Stella's convertible would have to be a 1990 Mazda Miata in white.  And if a movie is ever made I want the car when the movie is wrapped up.  Hey a girl can dream!

So who did you envision playing these parts?  Did it coincide with my mind's eye?  Leave a comment below to let me know what you think.