Something quick...

Though there is plenty to say, I only have time for a bit...

I have been offered a permanent job... ending the desert of temporary assignments that I have been wandering through for almost two years.

Life... is good.

A good day...

I just wanted to say... today is a good day. The sun isn't really out, I'm at work, things haven't really changed at all... but today is a good day. *smiles* Maybe it's the apple juice...

The Trip, part 3...

Back to the tale...

Saturday dawns, as every Saturday should, bright, sunny, same wet nose attached to happy bundle of dog. We're up a bit earlier today, things must be done, so that we can get on the road at a reasonable hour. Thankfully, we had done much of the work the night before, so much less was left. Some packing by both of us, a few more loads of laundry, and general straightening so the house would be in good shape for guests. We worked well together, alternating between boring tasks and things a bit more interesting... and a few phone calls to the respective beloveds. One of them, from Cap's true blue, gave us cause for pause. We could, if we drove straight through, get home by 10:30 the next morning. What?! Was it possible? Did we want to do that? The initial thought was no, and we continued with the final preparations.

At 1 pm, that bright and shining Saturday, we hit the road running. A short trip to the shore near her house, to show off her lake, and then it began. My second ferry trip, getting us back to the mainland, passed uneventfully. I didn't look back, only forward. We punched in the first planned stop of the night - somewhere in Sacramento - and took off. Me, wielding a spiffy digi-cam, her driving through Seattle-Tacoma traffic, pointing out sights. The Space Needle, Mount Rainier, Mount Shasta, Mount St. Helens. And almost all the mountains looked alike, except for St. Helens... the divit in her side a reminder that Mother Nature has patience with those beings residing on her planet, but only so much. Ok, Mt. Rainier, or Reindeer as we were wont to call it, had a LOT of snow on it. Holy... it was hot up there, and the mountain looked like Christmas was around the corner!

Washington passed beneath our tires relatively easily, and we slid into Oregon going about 75. Which was immediately reduced to 60 for no good reason that we could see. Ever. The drivers quickly gained a new title... which went on to become something of a curse after a while... tree huggers. *laughs softly* I have nothing against hugging a tree, I've been known to hug them now and again... but it worked as a way to let off steam while driving down a two lane highway with a bunch of tourists acting like they were in the Rose Bowl Parade. Then there's the whole 'Left Lane for Passing Only' thing. Excuse me? The left lane is for blowing the doors off of anyone else who isn't treating the freeway as it should be treated - the American Autobahn. Ok, so maybe I have a thing for speed. Ok, ok... I do have a thing for speed. Give me a fast car and a clear road, and I'm gone.

*sighs* So, we puttered through Oregon. Ok, it was a bit faster than that, but not much. Now, a couple of things, should you ever wander through that fine state. 1 - Oregon takes about 4-5 hours to get through. 2 - You can't pump your own gas there. We met a nice gas jockey, name of Jack I believe, who gave us a quick rundown of his life history as he pumped our gas. He wasn't apologetic or down, just seemed like a happy enough guy, pumping gas, and being friendly. We should all be so lucky, I think. He never got tree hugger status, unlike most of the folks we drove by on the freeway.

It's starting to get dark by now, about 8:30 or so... we're getting close to California, and decide that Sacramento is our target. We search for hotels, find one on the far side, and barrel on down the road. Into a mountain range. At night. With me driving. Is this bad, you ask? All I'm going to say is... ask Cap. The dog slept through most of it. My knuckles were white, but we made Sacramento without a scratch. Had some interesting conversations as well to keep us awake, but those are for another time, another blog. Suffice to say, Denzel, I'm yours baby, if you're ever looking. *grins* Of course, once in Sacramento, a police car nearly creamed us, all the inns were full, and by gosh, there wasn't even a stable in sight! Turns out, there had been a fairly horrific crash on the freeway that backed everything up so much, the folks had gone to hotels. All of them. We decided to try the next town. Then the next. And so it went, until, at about 5 am, we found a likely rest area. A final walk for the ever patient Frankie, then we locked the doors to catch a couple hours of rest. Two hours later, we were back on the road... And so it continues.

Day 1 driving - 16 hours, including stops. Entertainment value - massive (tree huggers!) Cost of living off fast food - $50, give or take, including burgers for the dog. Bonding time with your best friend - priceless.

Tune in for the next installment - same bat time, same bat channel...

Here we go again

Another day, another chance to get it all right or all wrong. Or partially right, and partially wrong. Or whatever. Today, however, I'm hoping to hit one out of the park. The day started out quite well... mmm... which was good after a fairly restful night. (thank you, love) Then of course a bit of frustration always must rear its head, but I figure it's to remind me that a perfect life would be, in time, very dull.

Lately, I've been in a blue mood. Not a good blue, either. Rather, a vaguely unsettling sort of blue, slightly off-color, and unsure of how to get beyond it. To deal with it, get back to the true blue, I've been reaching out, grasping onto whatever willing hand I see. At the same time, I want to curl myself up tightly, block off everything and everyone, and hide. It's a horrifying thing, in some ways... I'm not sure how to handle it, or any of the things going on that are causing it. Sometimes I see the light at the end of the tunnel, other times it's too blocked to see beyond the end of my nose. I have a rather small nose, so that's not very far.

So, rather than turn this into a complete bitchfest, I'm trying to see the good things. mmm, I got to connect again with someone very special to me... a new friendship is being born... there is still bright potential for a new position (thus the batting practice)... the beloved is working... Cap has completely tossed her support to me for today's interview (for the price of a few breadsticks :D)... so this part of my life isn't nearly as bad as it could be. I am blessed. In spite of me, thank God. Even with the leanings to insanity that lurk in the darker corners of my little mind.

I have not forgotten that I have a road tale to finish. I will, I promise...

The Trip, part 2

So, where was I?

One week ago today, I was waking up in Washington state, on an island called Whidbey. There's something to be said for waking out of a restful sleep with a cold wet nose in your hand, followed by the rest of the dog bouncing on the bed wanting a tummy rub. Coupled with sunshine and singing birds, it's really hard to be beat. So, I'm not going to try.

After our s'mores debauchery of the night before, Cap and I recovered nicely to spend Friday wandering around the island and getting the house ready for guests coming the next week. While we had kind of planned to leave on Friday, as the day went on, we decided that we could make the run south to home in two days, thereby leaving us one day to enjoy things, and take our time. Which is exactly what we did.

We puttered around a little town called Langley, having a leisurely breakfast before letting me indulge my tourist bent a bit in the town. Shopping for some trinkets (imagine a t-shirt with two lobsters on it, proclaiming their plans for a road trip, and you'll know of what I speak), taking a look around things, and just generally hanging out. Once back home, we rested a bit. I read an interesting book that I would recommend, The Rule of Four, if you like historical, semi-true mysteries. While I have a bodice-ripper bent generally, just a lost romantic am I, books like this fill another spot in my heart... a good mystery that may or may not exist, and may or may not be solvable... I love those. Anyway, while I did that, Cap tried to get photos of a particular bird from the balcony. Now, I love Cap, with all of my heart and soul. But, I can only laugh when I think of how much that bird taunted her. Hours, and a couple hundred pictures later, she still had not seen his face. hehehe, just the white of his chest and under-wings. Oh, and a fine series of shots of him... err... preparing for flight, if you will. Lightening the load, I suppose? *grins* His mate was a bit more cooperative, but only a bit. I imagine they are still there today, sitting in the trees, laughing at the featherless, flightless creatures who just couldn't get enough of them.

The deer, on the other hand, were much more accommodating of our attempts at paparrazi-dom, posing a bit, pretending to ignore us as they ate the yard with the little younglings. Two fawns, still in spotted outfits, were a bit more wary, but as their dams didn't immediately run, they figured it was ok to hang around. Which was much appreciated by all of us that day.

As the day wore on, we started the task of cleaning up, loading the car, beginning laundry, dishes, then falling into bed exhausted. It was a very good day.

You'll find, I believe, that sometimes the best things are those little surprises that remind you of a simpler time in your life - a happy dog, laughing birds in a perfect blue sky, a naturally ripened fresh blackberry from a bush in your best friend's garden. When you think about it, does it get much better? I'll let you decide... :D

Stay tuned, gentle reader... there is more to come...

Morning again...

Ok, I'm awake...

*sighs*

There are days, as always, that are better off avoided if at all possible. Call me Little Bleu Lost... for I am losing one I can't stand to lose... because I cannot demand they force themselves into being untruthful so that they remain. What am I to do? The blue in me wishes to hide her head, so I bury it in work, and wish for the day to go away. Or word...

*sighs*

The Trip, Part 1

It begins, as many trips do, in the middle of the day. A flight into a new part of the country for me. I hate flying. Not because of the height, or the idea that I'm in a metal tube that theoretically shouldn't be able to get off the ground, being piloted by people I don't know, and therefore must trust to be at least proficient at their chosen jobs. I hate flying because no matter what I do, I always end up feeling ill at the end of the flight. And I'm stuck in a metal tube with a bunch of strangers, breathing recycled air. *shudders slightly*

Once we land, I'm struck yet again with the desire to kiss the carpet in the terminal, but I fight the urge successfully, and manage not to knock down the old ladies debarking in front of me in my rush for semi-solid land. Walking through the airport, I'm on the phone with Cap, trying not to get lost and looking around like the tourist I am. The Seattle-Tacoma airport is much like any other international airport, busy, confusing, and full of food and gift shops, and harried people trying to find the baggage claim areas, conveniently placed a mile (as the crow flies) from the terminals themselves. I manage to find her, we hug and laugh and head off.

On the drive to the island, I continue touristing, taking pictures of anything I can see out the windows of her spiffy car, including a few of her. There are trees everywhere. This is normal, of course, to anyone not living in the desert, but it feels a bit odd all the same somehow. San Diego, though it has its share of nature, it falls under a different category I think, as this place does. Green is the color of the day, and it makes me feel at home, like I was back in Wisconsin, just... not. We get to the ferry, and wait. Not a long wait, and the folks at the shop we stop at are accommodating to someone who wants a hot dog when they don't have hot dog buns. They take to the suggestion of using a burger bun easily, and the results were quite impressive. I have to say, those were some of the best french fries I've had in a long time, too.

On the ferry, we're packed in somewhat like metal sardines, parked on one of the angle ramps pointed at the water. Both Cap and I pale a bit, then hop out of the vehicle and check out the view. Amazing. From the front of the boat, it was amazing. Water, trees, the sunset over the island, very impressive. From the back of the boat, I don't know. I took one look and nearly lost it. So, we decided that I must always look forward, never back. Sometimes those lessons we learn while fighting rising nausea are the most important ones. :D Anyway, the island life is its own kind of creature. Slower, a bit less hurried, a bit friendlier, all these things hold true. We got back to her place in time to see the house, and the families of deer using her lawn for food. Also met a bird who found great pleasure in taunting Cap every time she tried to take pictures of him, which she still did anyway. Nature presses in around every corner, but not in such a bad way really. I could see staying in a place like that. mmm, I've always been something of a small town girl, even here in SD, so there is that charm.

We built a fire, playing with our pyromaniacal tendencies in an allowed way, and made s'mores, which is always a good way to relax from traveling. I highly recommend it, even the chocolate dreams that come after. Went to bed about midnight, a smile on my face as I thought about the beloved and another, and didn't even dream about the sardine plane stuffed with crying babies.

to be continued...

Back again...

To paraphrase a favorite line from a flick - Hello kids, I'm baaaack!

Yes, after a brief hiatus on the lovely island of Whidbey, in Washington, the bleu one returns. :D

Details of the trip will follow. Suffice to say for now, Cap has a few more gray hairs, and I can highly recommend the freeway rest stops for a place to catch a bit of shut-eye, if you're going to dead-head your way down the western coast of the US.

Just wanted to say one thing, to someone very dear who was greatly missed - I love you.

Now, back to our regularly scheduled programming...