week in review

adjusting to a new home has it's challenges and it's rewards. i'm still jobless, and it's slow going, although there seem to be plenty of interesting openings. that's the number 1 challenge--staying optimistic as i watch the funds slowly drain from my bank account, and knowing nothing is coming back in. i'm living frugally, but still it goes. i like to pretend it's analogous to a tsunami. the water (money) recedes and recedes, gathering at some unidentified point, only to come crashing back to shore with devastating force. i could seriously be happy with a 'devastating' paycheck:)

in other news, last week, i started meeting people. it's been a slow warm up, as i've been getting the lay of the land, checking out different wards, and visiting the mid-singles (27-40) institute (non-mormon translation: scripture study). the institute class has been extremely rewarding. the teacher is excellent, and because the class is older than is standard, the discussion is engaging and enlightening.

not only that, but it's also been the easiest forum for meeting new people. just a couple thus far, but they are very nice. in general, the people here are nice, and i realize that once i start coming out of my shell a bit, there will be plenty of opportunities for new friends...which sounds easy, doesn't it? well, it's not. anyone who has ever relocated knows how difficult it can be to motivate yourself to attend activities and functions solo...even for someone who considers themselves a social person.

so i forced myself to go to a halloween dance on saturday. it was a large mid-singles activity, and more than anything, i wanted to get an idea of what a 'large mid-singles activity' looks like. oddly enough, it actually was large. but it was also a dance. a mormon dance. and true to form it was not only difficult to meet new people, but it had all the usual markings of the rhythmless. in the 'unexpected' category..the fact that there were so many inappropriate costumes for the setting. but i guess people will continue to surprise and disappoint you.

nonetheless, i was glad i went, if for no other reason than to prove to myself that i could.

on sunday, i went back to one of the large mid-singles wards here. in actuality, it's a mixed ward, half the congregation being families, the other half being mid-singles. after checking out a couple other wards, and having a little bit of flexibility where my records end up, i decided it was as good a place as any.

as the bishop was going through the opening announcements and callings, a familiar name was read. i recognized it from virginia, a friend of a friend of a friend type thing. i haven't seen her in awhile, and though i knew she was coming out to the area, i didn't realize she would be in the ward. she arrived a little bit later, and sat next to me. after sacrament meeting, we caught up before heading our different ways. it's interesting to see a face from home. no doubt there is some relief in that, yet at the same time, we weren't friends there (despite the opportunity to be so), so i don't expect that will change now. and truth be told, the challenge of finding my own way through the social albatross of the single set is more appealing than glomming on to someone for the sake of being needy.

monday night, i couldn't quite muster the courage to attend the ward's fhe, so i used the excuse of staying home and watching the kids carve pumpkins. i love holidays with children around!

the kids get down to business

rachel shows off her first pumpkin face

while the kids were carving, jenny told me a story i had never heard, and that she had just remembered earlier in the day. apparently, when my cousin mick was 19, he had been preparing to go on a mission, but hadn't been able to get the required amount of money together to go. he pondered postponing for a year and working, but his parents insisted that it would all somehow work itself out. they were able to put more together, but it looked like they would be $100 short every month. my aunt told mick that he should go and have faith. fast forward to his departure...many family members, including my parents, were in attendance at the mtc to say their farewells. at some point that day, without knowing the background, my folks handed my aunt a check for $100 and said 'there will be another one of these every month for the duration of his mission.'

my parents never had any thought of being repaid, nor can they have possibly suspected that some 16ish years later, that debt would repaid to their daughter in the form of an unusually generous amount of hospitality.

when jenny told the story, the kids commented that i didn't 'owe them' anything, and jenny tried to make it clear that that was irrelevant, because it's what family does for family. how rare it is, and how grateful i am for family (both immediate and extended) that not only professes such a creedo, but lives it.

it has continued to be a busy week, and tuesday was a definite highlight. i headed up to the santa barbara area early in the afternoon. unfortunately, there was a HUGE accident on the 405 (finally, some infamous california traffic!), and the two hour drive became 3. i had given myself plenty of time though, so after a quick stop at stearns wharf in sb to pick up a replacement for the bracelet charm i lost after my march trip, jesse called to let me know that he was done at work, and i made the 15 minute drive to his place.

he caught me up to date on the changes/additions to the apartment since my last visit, and then we headed out for dinner. he took me to this great little place on the water, where we enjoyed our meal outside at a picnic tables, while taking in the vibrant colors of the sun falling below the horizon. gorgeous, i tell ya! and the food and company happened to be pretty good too:)

from there, it was on to my very special treat. i refer to it as mine, because when jesse asked what i wanted to do, there was only one answer. it was the night before halloween afterall, and that calls for a haunted house!

i absolutely LOVE haunted houses...there isn't much that scares me, but people jumping out from dark corners gets me every time. and there's just something cathartic about a few good screams. we had independently found a place about 20 minutes from his apartment, and he pre-purchased vip tickets for us. the tickets would mean we wouldn't have to wait (theoretically) and had a few more 'scenes' then the regular priced peons.

not scared...yet

as it turned out, we did have to wait as a result of them opening late. but we were the second group to go in, so it was still worth it (easy for me to say, since it wasn't my dime). our group consisted of j and i, and two teenage girls. oh yeah.

i liked that they weren't pushing us through in groups of 10 or 20, but i didn't like the fact that i was elected to go first. at least jesse had the decency to hang on to me through out the course, and i'm sure that that was solely for my benefit;)

as it turned out, i had it the easiest, since creepy scary guys were usually coming from behind. i got my fair share of screams in though, and there were a couple of times where i literally tried to bury myself in jesse to avoid said creepy scary guys. yeah, i'm a wimp when it comes to these things!

though it was shorter than i would have liked, it was thoroughly satisfying.

after we finished up (and by finished up, i mean after i was sent sprinting out the exit being chased by chainsaw guy), we headed back to his place and hung out for awhile before i made the drive back (which was far less eventful than the drive up).

and that brings us to tonight! happy halloween! tonight i got to go trick-or-treating with the kids. since kendyl is 3, i haven't had the opportunity to do that in some time, and it is just so amusing! watching the kids plot which houses to hit, and seeing who in the neighborhood likes to put on a show and who wants nothing to do with the spooky holiday. in fact, there was one house that actually strung a 'keep out' sign across their stairs--which i thought was overdramatically bah-humbug. the kids had a great time though, and it was fun for me to be able to participate.

watch out world, er, neighborhood

the rest of the week promises to continue being busy (thank heavens). back to institute tomorrow night, then on friday, i'll be attending the 'savior of the world' production mick and jenny's stake is putting on. jenny is producing, and the stake has pulled out all the stops. since we are where we are, the talent pool is immense, and most of the significant players both onstage and off are professionals. i missed the opportunity to see this when my virginia stake put it on, so i'm excited to get a second chance!

on saturday, i've got what i expect to be another highlight. i have several friends out here in the la area from high school. in this case, they are people i genuninely enjoyed, and since we were all drama buddies, it makes a certain sort of sense that they all migrated here.

brandon and michelle were high school sweethearts and married shortly thereafter. they are still happily married with two little boys. andy and kevin have always been the comic relief, and bronwyn was my english drop out buddy... we were both in the honors english program, but during the summer of our junior year were assigned a bunch of reading we didn't want to do. so we both dropped out. since the honors program basically just puts you a year ahead, the only thing they could do, was stick us in a senior english class. so together we sat that year..keeping our heads down and entertaining ourselves surrounded by 'scary' seniors. ;)

got a call from brandon on monday that saturday is andy's birthday party. he and michelle know i'm coming, but the rest will be completely surprised, and i can't wait!!

the santa ana's are predicted to make a reappearance this weekend, so things are lible to get interesting again. stay tuned for more california adventures...

the state of the state

though i haven't changed my license or registration yet, i think going through a state of emergency qualifies me as a 'californian'. when you can chat with the local surf bum (who adheres to every stereotype you can imagine) while you lay on the beach, about how 'gnarly' the pervasive smell of smoke is, i think all other criteria are waived. and such is life as a local californian.


the fires continue to burn, as the wind conditions have exasperated the situation. we learned on monday morning that sunday's news reports weren't quite accurate, and the fire was actually closer to us than we realized--just about 5 miles away. in this one case, i think we were all grateful the location was slightly misreported, as we slept better than we otherwise would have. the path of the santiago canyon fire (the one in our backyard) is no longer frightening to us, although it still threatens land and building alike, as do the many other fires around the state. sadly, it has been determined that 'ours' is arson. i believe they consider all the others natural, but some numbskull intentionally set this one. they've found at least three start points, which means it is most definitely not accidental arson (ie cigarette butt or random other man-made spark).


in non-fire related news, i'm finding the 'fit' just as natural as i expected. having visited the state on many prior occasions, i have always known that i could live here. the people are nice, the weather is nicer, and the beach is 15 minutes away.

the only frustrations to date, come from not exactly knowing what to do with myself. i have been visiting local mid-singles wards and attending institute, but so far, just getting the lay of the land. and, as i am still jobless, i have a lot of time on my hands. i try and make myself as useful as possible, so as to minimize my intrusion here, and fortunately, have had a few opportunities to be of assistance to the family.

since arriving, i got my 'space' at mick and jenny's in order, with a little help from my friend 'bed, bath, & beyond'. and quite frankly, i like it.


in fact, i like the whole environment. it's been a long time since i have been around children (more than one) for an extended amount of time, and i find that i just love the sometimes chaotic, yet always exciting energy that fills the house.

nicole, the oldest, is 12. brad and rachel, the twins, are 10. and drew, the youngest, is 7. between the four of them, there is never a dull moment. each one has a distinct personality, and yet each is thoughtful, courteous, and extremely bright. at no point thus far have i desired isolation or separation, but rather enjoy participating in family home evening, or hearing about what brad is reading, or picking nicole up from school.

top: drew and rachel
bottom: brad and nicole

already, two moments stand out in my mind as both heartwarming and humbling. the first took place during my first weekend here (wow, was that only a week ago?!?). jenny's cousins were in town from utah for a long weekend at disneyland. on the way to the beach one day, we all stopped at the newport beach temple to check it out. after i had taken a photo of jenny, her cousins, and all the kids, drew approached her to say 'mom, can we take a picture with tara in it?' jenny's cousin zane stepped up, which resulted in the pic below. (you can see all of the pics from that first weekend here)


the second came sometime last week. the kids (and adults) are off to school far earlier than i am or will naturally be out of bed. one morning, i overheard them whispering family prayer before departing. nicole was the voice, and in her prayer, she said 'please bless tara that she finds a job nearby, so that she can live close to us.'

me and nicole

yes, life is different, and that is exactly what i had hoped for.

the job hunt continues. technically, i have been here for a week and a half, so i am attempting to not let myself get frustrated. there are positions, and there are a couple of promising leads, but everything comes down to timing, and most employers do not operate on the 'interview and hire in under a week' schedule. patience has never been a forte, and i am being reminded of that daily.

other things i have learned or relearned since arriving:

1. gps is an awesome investment when you move across the country into completely unfamiliar territory.

2. i am blessed with an amazing family, both immediate and extended.

3. being able to spend less than 30 minutes in a car to get to the ocean is as close to heaven as i expect in this life.

4. i am capable of being a minimalist!

5. the three hour time difference is affecting me far more than expected. by the time i am ready/able to call friends on the east, they have long since gone to bed. if i do remember to call earlier, then ensues a lengthy internal debate about whether or not i can afford the 'peak' minutes.

if i have not called, and you had expected/hoped i would, please don't be offended. with no income, i do have to be cautious about my expenditures. it does not mean i love you any less.

i realize i need to finish off the trip report, but thought it important to do a regular check-in, so bear with me, and i will get to it. oddly enough, i have plenty of time...just little motivation to do anything other than job hunt or lay on the beach:)

don't mess with the santa ana winds

just a few miles from my current home, today's santa ana winds have ignited a fire in the canyon (santiago canyon).

when i arrived home from church, jenny asked if i had seen smoke. i hadn't, but it didn't take long. the sky turned black, and the fires have been spreading more quickly then expected as a result of the strong winds. the glow is easily seen from our windows, and members of mick and jenny's ward have voluntarily evacuated. it is unlikely that the fires will spread to us, yet it is certainly making for an interesting evening. the kids, have gathered sneakers, sweatshirts, journals, dolls, etc, but this is mostly to alleviate their fears by helping them feel prepared.

for the moment, we watch and wait. one small earthquake and i'll consider my california experience complete:)

catching up, part two

picking up where we left off...

staying for the bat flight put me a little behind schedule, but i received a warm greeting in el paso nonetheless.

tommy and i met several months ago online, and since my journey would be taking me through his hometown, a meeting was in order.

upon arriving, i was welcomed with open arms by him, his mother, and the three dogs. i was promptly fed before we headed out to see the sites of el paso. we drove up 'scenic' drive and got a great overview of not only the city, but also, just across the river, mexico.

as a matter of fact, we even managed to get stopped by border patrol on the way back from t's work. it sits on the mexico side of the river, though still technically in the state of texas. with a quick 'i work here' from tommy, and the obviousness of our non-Mexican heritage, we were speedily let on our way.

after a tour of the utep campus, we headed home and called it a night.

the following morning, i got to sleep in. tommy and his family all got up and out to their various activities for the day, and it wasn't long after that i heard my door open. apparently i hadn't latched it completely, and the dogs were looking for company. that was alright by me, and with a 'come on', i suddenly found myself covered in canines. one on my feet, one at my stomach, and one in the crook of my arm. i fell back into a blissful sleep, the sadness of missing my own dog, temporarily alleviated.


eventually, it was time to start moving. i got up, got ready, and when tommy came home he took me to a great little tex-mex place for lunch. then it was time to be on my way. still a lot of road to cover!


from el paso, it was on to albuquerque. this had been my one 'must see' of the trip, and as such, i didn't have a lot of flexibility on timing beforehand. i had bought tickets to attend the annual international balloon fiesta on the 10th, and i was not going to miss it. having heard about this for years and years, as it is one of the premiere hot air/gas balloon events in the world, i couldn't believe my luck when i had learned that the timing would coincide with my travels.

i arrived in abq in the early evening and got checked in at my hotel. i thought it would be prudent to check out the 'park and ride' pickup location that i had selected. though you can park at the grounds, it was actually cheaper for me to do the park and ride, and since i had no idea what to expect, also safer. i wouldn't have to contend with thraffic, or finding my car after having been up since 4am.

the pickup location was easily found, and i headed back to the hotel to settly in for the night. i needed to get some sleep if i was going to get up that early, and though i wasn't entirely successful, at least i was just relaxing--not running hither and fro.

but 4am still came far too early. time to suck it up. i was at the park & ride by 5am to catch the first shuttle to the park. the first event i was attending was the 'dawn patrol', a pre-dawn flight of a dozen or so balloons. what makes this such an interesting event is that it gives an opportunity to see what the balloons look like lit up.

i arrived at fiesta park to find rows upon rows of vendors selling food, gifts, you name it. i paused to watch the local nbc team do a little morning show filming, and when on break, the weatherman called a few of us over to be in the shot. as i was just behind his right shoulder, i was famous in albuquerque for a minute or two:)

from there i wandered over to a booth where i picked up breakfast, then began my search for a charm for the bracelet. i started this tradition about 5 years ago, and since, have been collecting charms from places i travel. the bracelet is starting to get very heavy, but it's one of my favorite things to wear, as it is full of memories.

my search was successful, but i continued my wanderings until the balloons were ready to launch. the contrast of the balloons lit with fire against the dark sky was quite dramatic, and made my early rising well worth it. as you might imagine, pictures were difficult, but i did manage to capture this one:


after the dawn group had left, scores of trucks and trailers began littering the field. there were more rows than i could count, covering an expanse farther than i could see, of balloons lining up. having had the opportunity to fly in a couple of hot air balloons previously, i know what a physical challenge this can be, and i was amazed at the precision and efficiency demonstrated in preparing the balloons for launch.



as the sun began to rise, balloons began to launch. the sight was incredible. balloons as far as the eye could see, both lined up on the field, and already hovering in the air. i am told that nearly 300 balloons flew that day, and i believe it!

there were some particularly fun balloons, a darth vader (which remained my favorite) balloon was the first 'special shape' to launch, but there was also a turtle, an angel, bumblebees, a cow, the wells fargo wagon... but even the 'regular' balloons were amazing. i have always thought hot air balloons quite beautiful, but seeing so many in one place was breathtaking.



i did a little more wandering, as the balloons could clearly be seen from just about anywhere in the park. i met some interesting people--learned that the turtle balloon cost a cool million, visited the balloon discovery center, and enjoyed the perfect day. blue and clear skies, gorgeous temperature. all in all, it was a perfect experience, and one i'd love to share with a friend or companion in the future. if you ever happen to be in the southwest in october, this festival is a must!



to be continued...

playing catch up

there is so much updating to do, and the prospect is absolutely daunting. but, i must begin if i am to finish. as for you, maybe popping a bag of popcorn, grabbing your beverage of choice, and settling in, is in order.

i arrived in mississippi on thursday (the 4th). after a slight error landing me at the neighbor's house, i made my way next door to find laura and robert on the front porch waiting for me. i was greeted with hugs, ushered in, and shown my room and bathroom for the next couple of nights. after a bit of pizza, the three of us spent time reminiscing, more like old friends reconnecting after a seperation, than a group of strangers meeting for the first time. that is the most appropriate summary i can give of my time with them, but it was only just beginning.

on friday morning, we got up and ready, and made the 90 minute or so drive to new orleans. to get there, we took the causeway. the causeway is the longest bridge in the world, at 24 miles long, and made for an interesting route!

we made a quick stop at lee circle--or i made a stop, hopping out to snap photos, while laura and robert drove around the circle--before heading on to the tomb of marie laveau, known for being a voodoo queen. it took a little longer than expected, but we eventually asked a tour guide leading a small group through the cemetery, and were pointed in the right direction.

robert, tara, and laura, at marie laveau's tomb

after the cemetery, we found parking near the french quarter and paused at jackson square to sign up for a ghost tour later in the evening, before meandering on to the flea market. we also wandered through a few of the nearby shops. at one, i picked up a charm for my bracelet, as well as a darling fish necklace. i've never been fish lover, but after coming across the current blog template, i was struck with the 'fish out of water' and 'little fish, big pond' analogies to the current life change.

the sun was hot, and it was quite humid, so we stopped for beignets--french pastries, covered in powdered sugar. the intensity of the wind meant that i ended up as covered as my beignet, but boy was it yummy!

we spent the rest of the afternoon wandering, sometimes on foot, sometimes by car.

new orleans provided the perfect opportunity to have my palm read--something i've always been interested in, but never done. the best way for me to describe it, is 'creepy'. i was very careful to give nothing away, wearing sunglasses, and providing no information unless directly asked (which only happened twice). 99% of what the woman said was already true or could be, given my circumstances. the information fairly specific, and as such, the reading was stranger than i expected. i don't put too much stock in such things, but i do find them interesting.

having my palm read in jackson square

after an early dinner, we headed to the assigned meeting place for the evening's tour. we were early, so laura and i wandered down bourbon street, during which time, the skies decided to open up and unleash a torrent of rain on us. slightly soaked, we made our way back to robert, and the three of us discussed whether or not we would proceed with the ghost tour in the rain. eventually it slowed to a stop, and our decision was made for us.

the tour guide was extremely animated--so much so that it bothered me initially. but, i adjusted. she walked us through the streets of the french quarter, telling tales as we went. among the stops was the lalaurie house--a creepy house with a dark past, and which is now owned by nicholas cage. needless to say, we didn't go in the house:)

after the tour, we immediately got in line across the street from our pickup point, at preservation hall. preservation hall is known for jazz, and i was excited that the revised schedule would allow me to see it (only open on weekend nights). while we waited for the doors to open, we heard music and cheering further down the street, and eventually we found the source . it was a new orleans style wedding, and we watched as the entire wedding party paraded by us on the street, led by their own personal jazz band.

eventually the doors opened, and everyone packed in. i found a seat on the floor up front, and laura and robert found cushy seats just outside the main hall. we stayed for about an hour, and i got to listen to some great jazz. the hall itself has a unique character that is only enhanced by the musicians who fill it with sound.

we left the hall after the first set, and wandered a bit more. during our wanderings, i picked up a new look, and a new boyfriend!













we eventually headed back--exhausted, and called it a night!

laura--feel free to add any details you wish in the comments section:)

saturday morning, i was up and making my farewells, with many a fond memory to add to my repertoire. robert and laura were wonderful hosts, and my visit to new orleans was a smashing success.

on the way to san antonio, i stopped in houston. since it was on the way, i thought it would be the perfect opportunity to see the space center. it was supposed to be open until 7, so imagine my disappointment when i arrived at 4:45pm and was told they would be closing in 15 minutes! turns out that some pretentious event planner had rented the facility for a private function. the nerve!

actually, my ire was softened when i learned that, but i am afraid that this is as far as i got.

i tried. i really tried.

so, on to san antonio i went, and my experience there could best be summed up by a t-shirt that reads "i got spoiled in san antonio."

my former co-worker, rhonda, moved to the city with her family about a year ago to work in the office there. i was excited to see the house i have been hearing about for months, and it did not disappoint. the house is situated at the top of a hill, and the layout is open and spacious. the cherry though is the back porch and pool, complete with waterfall.

rhonda and i, along with her husband george, and daughte michelle, spent the majority of the evening sitting on the back porch, chatting, and enjoying the san antonio night.

on sunday morning, we all overslept, and no one minded.

then it was time to head in to town. we loaded up in rhonda's new 2008 windveil blue mustang convertible, and she is a beauty! in the back seat though, the wind wreaked a little havoc.

slightly windblown

we stopped for a delicious breakfast, then continued on. we parked, and began our wanderings.

first stop--the alamo. i knew that the alamo was in the middle of the city, so i wasn't expecting much. ah, the beauty of low expectations! it was gorgeous...both the buildings and the grounds-- which were more expansive than i had previously thought. we enjoyed the architecture, the history, and the garden.

last stand

after the alamo, george and rhonda did a little shopping, and we decided to stop at pat o'brien's for a snack. though i had not had the opportunity to visit the bar/restaurant in new orleans, i came away with a similar experience, sipping my virgin hurricane on the patio, eating gumbo, and listening to jazz. i was even given beads! i think san antonio might have an identity crisis, but i wasn't complaining.

my own personal hurricane

after the mid-day break, we headed down to riverwalk, and i fell a little in love with the city. we decided that the first order of business was to take one of the river boat tours. it was a perfect way for me to see the entire length of the river, and to learn some fun facts while enjoying the breeze and the scenery.

the river ride

as we floated the river, we saw that there was a crafts festival taking place, so after we departed the barge, we wandered around, stopping at various stalls, with rhonda making several purchases along the way. it was an absolutely beautiful day, and the wandering was lovely.

eventually it was time for dinner, and we stopped at saltgrass--a favorite steakhouse of the host couple. after enjoying my pepper encrusted sirloin, i could understand why! apparently you are required by law to have steak when you visit texas, and i'm no rule breaker;)

after dinner, we headed back to the house. i did some laundry, some uploading, and some catching up on email, and capped off the evening by taking a relaxing dip in the pool.

on monday morning, i was up bright and early to make it to carlsbad caverns with plenty of time to spare. i said my goodbyes and thank yous, and got on my way.

i made it to carlsbad at 3pm or so, and though i had missed the tour i hoped to take, i got my ticket for entrance to the big room. i wasn't expecting much, but the 'big room' took me over an hour to wander through. 'big room' is an understatement.

don't let the ceiling height fool you--the place was ginormous!

as i wandered through the caverns, a volunteer stopped to chat with me. if there is one thing i learned on this trip, it's that being alone makes you far more approachable. in some cases that could be bad, or even dangerous, but fortunately in this case, it was nothing but frosting. the volunteer asked me if i would be staying for the bat flight. i was clueless, as i guess is bound to happen once in every lifetime.

the bat flight is a nightly ritual that takes place may through early october, when the 500,000+ bats living in the cave, leave it to find dinner. when the volunteer told me this, i knew i would be staying.

i made my way to the ampitheater (yes they have an amphitheater for a bat flight) at 4:30pm or so, based on the expected flight time. but as nature will, the 'schedule' was not adhered to. while waiting, and waiting, and waiting, i met and talked with a woman who was traveling cross country, round trip, with her son. she was also from virginia and had taken the northern route. she had looped around and was on her way back. i asked both her and her son what some of their favorite stops were, and of the many she mentioned, i had been to every single one.

in that moment, i realized more powerfully than ever before how blessed i have been, and how grateful i am to have had parents who were excited to show me (us) so many incredible places. what wonderful lessons i have learned as i have been exposed to the interesting, the bizarre, the magnificent, and the unparalleled places that exist both within the borders of this country, and beyond.

we continued to wait for the bats, and i reflected on how perfectly the trip had gone so far. had i been with a traveling companion, i never would have waited. and it seemed that in each place i had been alone, i had been grateful for the flexibility. yet, in each place i visited with friends, i had been grateful for the company.

my solo status here gave me the freedom to just sit and wait. and wait i did.

waiting

at about 6:15, we started to see movement. photos were not allowed, so i had to wait until i had left the ampitheater to sneak in a few. nonetheless, the photos do not do it justice.

bats at sunset

the bats are small, and as they exited the cave, first creating a vortex of movement, then expanding across the horizon, they looked more like birds than creepy bats. the sun was setting, and the scene was absolutely magical. not a word i ever expected to pair with 'bats', but magical nonetheless.

well, i think that is enough recapping for one night! i'll pick up again tomorrow with my el paso experience.

just a reminder that ALL the photos are here.

i made it!

i'm here. i'm tired. i obviously have some catching up to do, but i'm going to go explore.

in the meantime, feel free to peruse the pics--they are all up. if you watch in slideshow mode, click 'show file name' for descriptors. fair warning..there are A LOT of balloon pics!

The balloon festival rocks!

road trip: day 4 (mississippi bound)

travel time: 10 hrs. 13 min.
distance: 669 miles
average speed: 78 mph


just outside macon,georgia came a last minute recollection. a passing comment uttered some time ago. but now, it was stuck in my head. as it would turn out, this memory came just in time, and with help from a few friends chained to their computers, i was able to confirm my destination.

exiting the freeway just a few short miles after receiving that confirmation, my anticipation began slowly building. it had 25 miles to build, and i was making my way deeper into the isolated back woods of georgia.

there were no signs telling me where i needed to go—no mention at all. had i not been driving with a specific purpose, and the aid of my gps, i likely would have missed it entirely. i certainly never would have found it on my own.

none to soon, i arrived at my destination, and was immediately overcome with a sense of gratitude. often i find myself grateful for authenticity—for a truthfulness that rarely exists. so often in my travels, i have found it lacking where i hoped for and expected more. but as i pulled up to the whistle stop café in juliette, i was incredibly excited to find that it was exactly as i had expected.

situated caddy-corner, railroad tracks on one side, and a small street on the other, the whistle stop sits, exactly as it appeared so many years ago now, beckoning you to come in and enjoy some fried green tomatoes.

i couldn’t resist that call, and when i opened the screen door, letting it close with a loud bang behind me, i was even more amazed that the interior of the café also appeared to have been plucked directly from the silver screen. but in this case art imitated life, instead of the other way around.

the café was quiet, with the exception of that screen door slamming from time to time. at the counter sat a couple of obvious locals, and in addition to me, there were two occupied tables with visitors from other parts. i must admit that i was shocked. how was it that this place wasn’t full of people? was it the lack of signage or direction? was it the nature of it’s ‘hidden’ location? is it just that so few are aware of its existence? i can’t say for sure, but again i found myself grateful.

rather than contending with obnoxious tourists (i fall into the latter, not former category), i was able to enjoy my meal in peace, marveling at the integrity of the structure.

the waitress approached, ‘can i get you something to drink?’
‘diet coke please.’
‘tomatoes?’
‘yes please

that was that. drinking my cola from a mason jar, i gobbled up the tomatoes, dipped in a spicy horseradish sauce. truth be told, i don’t really like tomatoes—but i liked these. maybe it was psychological, but i was so happy to be there.

after my mid-day snack, i got back on the road towards mississippi. i would be meeting laura and robert for the first time after having heard about them for years and years. i was not to be disappointed as they were everything i had expected and more. their graciousness in accepting a virtual stranger into their home was only enhanced by the experience of actually spending time with—i was laughing from the minute i walked through the door!

we chatted and laughed for quite awhile, and finally, it was time to call it a night.

t-mobil: westward bound #2

Gabcast! t-mobil: westward bound #2

road trip: day 3 (savannah)

ah, savannah!


unfortunately, it was a rainy day, but after checking out weather.com last night, i was prepared, and determined to make the best of it.

i was up at 7am, but spent some time taking care of some personal business, so it was about 10:30am when i got out of the hotel. based on anne's suggestion, i opted to hop on one of the many trolley tours that take you through the historic district. it seemed like a great idea since, 1) i would be dry, and 2) it would give me an overview of the city, and i could later decide where i wanted to spend more time.

the tour was very comprehensive. the guide drove us around the city for an hour and a half and gave a lot of historical information as we passed by the various sites. the historic district is as beautiful as i expected, even in the rain. spanish moss hangs from every tree, and the houses seem to have been made specifically for the purpose of drinking mint juleps on front porches. it was everything i expected it to be.

me on the trolley tour

following the trolley tour, i was starving! i debated hitting paula deen's well known lady and sons restaurant, but the truth is, i don't like southern food. even when i lived in north carolina, i could never get my head (or taste buds) around collard greens, grits...and frankly, fried chicken is okay, but not my favorite way to eat chicken. so i decided i'd rather have food that i liked, and i walked up to city market where i found a cafe and ordered a bbq chicken sandwich. now THAT was tasty! the place was kind of a dive, which made the food even more tasty, and i found that eating in a restaurant by myself, for the first time in a long time, was completely bearable:)

following my yummy bbq, i stopped at a nearby candy maker and picked up some divinity and pralines--both seeming the perfect southern desserts. i paused in a covered gazebo to stay dry while savoring my treats. i haven't had divinity in ages, and it was absolutely delicious! i know how difficult it is to make, which made me appreciate it even more. while enjoying my cover and my sugar, i was joined by a local character who chatted me up a bit before i decided to get on with my agenda.

mmmm...divine

the next stop was the telfair museum.

i'd be lying if i didn't admit that much of my interest in visiting savannah has been associated with 'midnight in the garden of good and evil'. i read the book when it was released, and the descriptions of the local 'cast' and setting have called to me. as such, seeing the bird girl statue pictured on the cover of the book was a necessity.

the statue used to guard a grave in bonaventure cemetery, but after the book/movie, the grave was receiving a great deal of abuse, and the statue was moved to the telfair. it's quite a lovely statue actually. it is very serene and calming, and i can imagine that the effect of it's original placement would have been even more so.

unfortunately, pictures were not allowed, so i had to settle for one outside.

telfair museum

i enjoyed the remainder of the afternoon wandering around the various squares, pausing in chippewa to reflect on forrest gump's box of chocolates.


i continued my wanderings, pausing at the birthplace of juliette gordon low, and appreciating some of the more 'decorative' oddities savannah has to offer.

the aforementioned 'decorative oddities'

eventually, it was time to dry out! it had rained all day, and i had spent the majority of my time outside, so i needed a break before determining how i would spend the rest of the day. i came back to the hotel, uploaded photos, and managed to fall asleep.

about two and a half hours later, i woke up to my phone ringing. first anne, then julie. i called anne back and mentioned that i kind of felt 'done' with savannah--like i had seen what there was to see. i was asking her what i was missing, but she had had a similar experience here. then i mentioned that i had considered taking a ghost tour, and she encouraged me to follow through. my head was killing me, and it was still raining. but i knew i would probably regret it, since 1) who knows if/when i will ever be back here, and 2) savannah is known for being fairly haunted, and i LOVE a good haunting!

colonial cemetery

i stopped for a bite on the way back to the historic district, and arrived a bit early. i killed some time in my car (it was dry there), and then went to meet the guide at the colonial cemetery.

as it turns out, i absolutely would have regretted it.

i was the only person on the tour, which meant my guide, tana, could personalize it and show me things that aren't usually included. it didn't hurt that we got along quite easily.

the tour was a 90 minute walking tour, and it was awesome. i learned all sorts of fun facts, and it was on this tour that i learned some of the quirkier things about the city--the ones that interest me.

i was amused to learn that standing on the sidewalk outside the fence of the cemetery, we were actually standing on graves they had decided to pave over. in fact there are several former cemeteries in the city that have been paved over and now have buildings on them!

i was also amused by the mass grave for yellow fever victims. 666 of them died, but the savannahns refused to put '666' on the grave, so instead put 'almost 700'.

there were many great stories and quirky facts about the city, and i was so glad i had fought the headache and the rain, and my laziness, to go. as it turned out, the headache meds kicked in and the rain stopped just as the tour began, which made for an absolutely delightful experience.

me and my private tour guide, tana

i plan on/hope to sleep in tomorrow, at which point i will get on the road to make the 10+ hour drive to mississippi and the schuckman's, who will be escorting me around new orleans on friday. yay!

for those who haven't realized yet, i'm posting photos as i go, and they can be found here. and by the way, why are you all so silent?!

road trip: day 2 (savannah bound)

travel time: 4 hrs. 48 min.
distance: 330 miles
average speed: 77mph


this morning i was up early with the kids..the 'kids' being colby and julie's--otherwise known as madison and cooper. it's hard to sleep when kids are afoot, but it worked out because i had errands to run. first stop was the advanced auto parts to return the unneeded thermostat. next was the saturn dealership to return the unneeded relay. they couldn't give me cash back so instead cut me a check. which meant the next stop was my new bank (after the paypal/ebay debacle, i switched to bank of america). that proved to be more difficult than expected, but success was ultimately found. when i pulled up to the drive through atm (the check scanners in the atm have completely won me over to b of a!) there were four cars in front of me. instead of panicking about my car overheating, i was content to wait my turn...absolutely fearless.



after the bank, i headed back home for a couple of hours before i decided it was time for lunch. which, of course, meant sonic:)

the afternoon was spent playing with the kids, and topped off with yet another of colby's delicious steak dinners, fresh of the grill.

no telling when i will see julie and colby again, so the goodbye was bittersweet. but the journey must continue.



got on the road about 6 and it was wide open. i realized somewhere along the way that with all of the traveling i've done over the years, this is the first trip i have ever taken alone. granted, i have traveled to a place solo before, but was always meeting someone on the other end. this is a first. the first of many firsts i hope:)

when i arrived in savannah, i called the folks to let them know, and dad regaled me with his journal entries from my last trip here. i had no recollection of being here, and i guess since i was 7, and the end of the journey was disney world, i suppose it's fairly understandable!

it's raining here, and i'm hoping it passes tonight so i can fully enjoy tomorrow!

road trip: day 1 (raleigh bound)

travel time: 4 hrs. 45 min.
distance: 317 miles
average speed: 75mph

i loaded up my car this morning praying that all of the 'to take' items would fit in my saturn ion. and they did, but barely. sometime next month i will have to fly back to pick up the dog and the rest of my things (thanks to my parents on both accounts), rent a van, and make one more cross country trip. even though i am leaving much behind, the essentials and pseudo essentials had to be stuff, shoved, pulled and pushed into every nook and cranny of available space in the vehicle.

saying goodbye is always hard, and i have been trying to avoid 'real' goodbyes as much as possible, resorting to 'see you later's and 'talk to you soon's. but saying farewell to the folks was tough. mom tried to remain unemotional, with little success, and leaving the driveway i couldn't help but reflect on how much i had enjoyed sharing the same house with them again for the last few years. i am fortunate to not only love my folks, but to like them too. at some point soon, i will have to pay tribute to all of the ones i've left behind, but for now, i am focused on the getting to where i'm going.

the drive to julie and colby's in raleigh was largely uneventful. laura called to check in on me and near the end of the conversation as we got to talking about why the blog change. as a result, she googled me, and landed upon my old address. that's when we learned that it had been taken over by a porn spammer type page. i imagine that many someone's out there are very clever and have a way of finding recently released addresses. and i imagine that they probably try and take over sites that get a decent number of hits, and for better or worse, i have. unfortunately, i don't know everyone who reads my blog, and there are some who didn't 'get the memo' about the change. it is mortifying that those people will get a great deal more than expected. i've contacted blogger to see what can be done, but as of yet, no response.

i'll be honest...it's been kind of a rough week. my work situation changed unexpectedly on monday, and the job i thought i had until mid-november is no longer so. i've been overwhelmed, panicked, flustered--you name it. i was feeling after that conversation with laura, that i really needed something to go right.

and tonight, something did.

many of you know that my car has been having problems for over a year now. it's a problem that only surfaces in warmer temperatures, and it has been in the shop multiple times in an effort to fix it. the problem is that when idling, the temperature gauge would skyrocket and the ac would stop working. it didn't take long, so i could be sitting at a stoplight and my car would start overheating. the only solution was to turn on the heat at full blast, which was mighty uncomfortable in mid-july, let me tell you! it was a constant source of fear for me, and i begged off driving friends anywhere for fear i'd get stuck and have to sweat them out.

someone suggested i try replacing the thermostat, but it turned out that would prove more difficult than expected. all along, i had planned to have colby look at it when i got here. nick took a preliminary look last night, and gave colby a heads up about potential complications. when i got here, colby did a bit of fiddling. after a run to the parts store, and colby's threat to sabotage my car, thereby forcing to camp out in nc for awhile, a phone call was made to a local ward member/mechanic, who told me to bring the car right over.

long story short, a series of coincidences unfolded, and after two hours, a lot of head scratching, and some pure 'luck', the problem i have been dealing with for over a year now was fixed. and it didn't cost me a cent. now i am left trying to figure out how such a gesture is adequately repaid...for the first time in a long time, i got in my car without fear, and that is an amazing gift.
after departing, julie and i hit the wal-mart for a few necessities i had not had a chance to pick up before leaving. we forgot that we were in my packed car, and there was no room for our purchases. we made it work, but poor julie was a bit crunched.

tomorrow i will spend the majority of the day here, enjoying the new pool, and eagerly awaiting colby's promised steak dinner (anne..remember how yummy that was?). tomorrow night i'll head to savannah where i'll attempt to get some good sleep before playing there the following day.