Burr's Boat

When Burr left for his boat trip waaay back in late September, I got to go with him for a Sunday afternoon "move-in day." It was kind of surreal; think of kids dropping their parents off at camp or college instead of the other way around! Anyway, we took some pictures of the boat, of his room, of the planes, and of us... Enjoy!

That's the boat in the background...





Looks like there's a stow-away!

"He's Just Not That Into You"

Just not that into you... that's how I've felt about ye olde blog for the last several weeks. I know that the three of you that actually follow this are waiting with bated breath on a daily basis to see what's new with the Fergusons, and I'm sorry to disappoint, but I just haven't been interested in writing new posts!

Things have remained busy, even with "Ragtime" over and Burr still gone. My daytimes are filled with teaching students and preparing for lessons. My evenings are ridiculously boring as I sit home alone and surf the internet, munch on 100 Calorie Packs (bless the person who thought of that one!), read, and/or watch TV. Gabe and I still run daily, and I am loving diving more than ever. I just completed my GUE-Fundamentals rec pass (I'll post a link to GUE so that you can get an idea of what I'm talking about), and I'm looking forward to advancing my skills this winter and spring.

Last week, I had a welcome reprieve from the monotony of Burr's absence. The boats pulled back into port for a 36 hour Liberty period and Burr got to come HOME!!! We spent a great day and a half together, but it was such a tease! I didn't want to send him away again. Boo. But, he should be back to stay for a couple of months soon... I can't wait.

Other than that, just gearing up for a weird Thanksgiving in Okinawa with no Burr. I figure it can't be any worse than our anniversary, my birthday, Christmas or New Year's without him... and I've made it through all of those!

Hope that you're all well, and I'll try to get back into the swing of things on posting more regularly!

best,
rmf

My Birthday

Thank you all so much for helping to make my birthday a special day! I so appreciated all of the cards and goodies that came my way. On September 26, I celebrated by going on a dive, then opening all of the cards and some of my gifts. Then, I had a delicious lunch with a new friend at a Thai Restaurant (tradition? I think I had Thai food on my birthday last year too!) and followed that up with a birthday cake from Baskin Robbins. At rehearsal that night, the cast suprised me with a birthday cake and a rousing rendition of "Happy Birthday!" After that piece of cake, I was literally bouncing off the walls! All in all, a good day. Maybe next year Burr will get to celebrate with me??!!

Onna Dive

Waaaay back in early September Burr and I had the opportunity to get in a few dives together. The last one we did together was at Onna Point; incidentally, it is also the last dive I photographed. When I originally transferred the pics from the camera to computer I hit a snafu and thought that I had erased them. To my happy suprise when I did some picture transfers last week, I found them! So, here's a few pics of Burr and me at Onna Point, Okinawa, Japan.

Running makes me happy...

see????

Pet Tails

Anyone who knows Burr and me knows what a big part Gabe and Penny Lane play in our lives... so here are some recent shenanigans from the four legged members of our household.

Gabe's Birthday Party
Ok, we didn't actually throw him a party (we're not THAT bad), but Gabe certainly celebrated his birthday on his own in a BIIIIGGGG way. I was defrosting SIX chicken breasts in the sink for a post-dive dinner party... remembering "the rib fiasco" of '07, I covered the sink so that Gabe couldn't get the chicken out. Unfortunately Burr did not remember Gabe's magical ability to get to food, wherever it may be, and after he (Burr) turned the chicken in the marinade, he forgot to re-cover the sink. Burr left to go run errands, and Gabe enjoyed a Birthday Dinner of six raw chicken breasts. Yum.

Penny's New House

I woke up a few mornings ago and headed into the master bath. When I turned to look into the bedroom, I saw Penny Lane curled up in the middle of Gabe's crate! She looked extremely comfortable and pleased with herself, but hasn't made a return visit.

Gabe's Big Jump
Two night ago Burr and Gabe met me driving home on my way home from "Ragtime" rehearsal. I stopped the car and rolled down my window so we could visit and so that Gabe could put his paws on the window to look in. I turned around to unlock the back door so that they could ride home with me when, all of a sudden, Gabe JUMPED into the front seat with me THROUGH THE OPEN WINDOW!!! This is the same dog who likes to pretend that stepping up onto the bed is too much work for him... he JUMPED THROUGH THE CAR WINDOW!!! Burr and I were flabbergasted and laughing so hard at Gabe's antics. Gabe was just happy to be in my lap in the front seat!

I don't know what I was thinking last summer when I thought I could actually leave these crazy guys with family back home... life would be much less rich without them here!

rmf

Still Here

Hi all! Sorry it has been so long since my last post. Things have been rather crazy around here (in a good way) with me having a FULL music studio and adding MT clients, Burr working really hard to get ready for the MEU, "Ragtime" rehearsals every night, and diving... lots and lots of diving.

Burr completed his Open Water certification two weeks ago so we have spent the last couple of weekends exploring dive sites together! It's been a lot of fun, and last weekend we took some great pictures on our Onna Point dive... and then I erased them as I tried to put them on the computer! GRRRRR.... Trust me, they were really good pics!

I DO, however, have some pictures to share from the OkiNapa Wine Festival. This is a semi-annual event held at the Camp Butler Officer's Club; we spent this past Friday night sampling (and buying) wine! Not only was it a fun evening with tasty beverages and yummy food, it was also an excuse to dress up! We RARELY have reasons to dress up here on the island, so I was happy to get to wear the cute BCBG dress I bought when I was home this summer. Here are some of the pictures.




So, all is well on Okinawa, just extremely busy. I have more stories and pictures to share, and will try to do so soon!

rmf

Funny Conversations

I'm not sure what it is about this week, but a lot of people I've talked to have been a little on the goofy side. Here are some of the highlights from three recent conversations.

1) At the dive shop. I went in to find Burr and do a little shopping. Upon entering the door and looking around a bit...

Sales girl: Can I help you find something?
Me: No, I'm just looking for my husband.
Sales girl: Ok, what's his name?
Me: Well... I don't think you know him. Have you seen a guy in a flight suit come in?
Sales girl: No, I've only seen Marines in here today.
Me: He IS a Marine. Bye.


2) At the bank. Burr had to exchange yen for dollars after the Flightline Fair, and they (the bank tellers) made him roll all of the coins. But when he got back to the teller, she started to UN-roll the coins!

Me: Um... why did you make him roll all of the coins if you were just going to un-roll them?
Teller: Because we're not allowed to roll them.


3) This one's a little embarrassing, but it might have been a compliment, and it was still pretty funny.

Girl: Ok, don't hate me for asking this, but... Are those yours? (while discreetly glancing at my shirt)
Me: Are what mine? Huh?
Girl: You know, are Those Yours?
Me: (as the lightbulb clicked on and my face filled with heat) YES! I'm all natural!


So, that's been my week! And it's still only Thursday! Who knows what other craziness will come up between now and Sunday...

rmf

The Sea Turtle

They say that you never forget your first... and I'm not sure that they were referring to seeing your first sea turtle on a scuba dive, but I KNOW I'll never forget my first!

Yesterday, I dove Toilet Bowl with a buddy. And the dive was INCREDIBLE. Probably the coolest, most scenic, best dive I've done since I started. And I saw a Sea Turtle! It was... I don't know... words... AWESOME. And not in the "surfer dude" sense of the word, but the "event inspired awe within me" sense of the word. The Sea Turtle was quite large, and moved with grace and majesty through the water. I was so excited to finally see one, because I've heard from many others just how fantastic the experience is.

The Toilet Bowl dive is one that I will definitely repeat. The entry and (especially) exit are a little dicey, but completely manageable with proper planning and survey of the sight. Actually, I wasn't able to do a second dive there yesterday because the weather changed and made the exit too dangerous. But the one dive was worth the drive to the sight and I am SO GLAD that I had the opportunity.

dive on!
rmf

Recurring Theme

Be forewarned - this post is just a rant!

Ever since I was a little girl, I have tried to make plans and do special things with my friends. In elementary school, it was dressing alike; "Mom, I need my pink shirt and blue shorts because we're all going to dress alike tomorrow and wear our hair in side ponytails!" And a frantic search would ensue for the said items so that I would keep my word to dress like my friends. And then, the next day at school, of course, I would be the only one who had actually done what we said we were going to do.

This trend continued through junior high and highschool and took on the form of phone calls and plans that never came through. So, it's really been no suprise to me as I've grown up that people don't always come through with what they say that they will. "I'll call you..." "Let's do lunch..." "We HAVE to get together again!" etc... and nothing ever happens. No suprise, but still a disappointment.

I know that sometimes I'm the one who drops the ball, and I understand that things come up, preventing people from coming through in the way they said that they would. Sometimes I just feel like I'm doing all the work to make plans, see them through, and meet the needs of my friends. I don't mind... relationships mean a lot to me, so I'm willing to do the work, I just get tired and wish that it weren't so one-sided.

Ok, rant over. Sorry.

On a lighter note, I was VERY pleasantly suprised today when someone actually did call me back! I'm trying to put together a boat dive for a group next weekend, and I called the boat Capt. last week to book the trip. Our conversation was rather brief and didn't leave me with much confidence that he would follow-up. But he DID! So, the dive is booked and five friends and I will be hitting the water next Saturday off of a boat! Hooray! (Now, the question is, will the said five friends still come through to do the dive... hmmm... it remains to be seen.)

Remember, don't call me... I'll call you!

rmf

Giggles

This has been a really neat weekend, despite the fact that Burr has been working the whole time at the Futenma Flightline Fair!

As previously mentioned, I dove Saturday morning with some of Burr's co-workers. Then, Saturday afternoon/evening I headed out to Torii Station to the beach! POPs (Pacific Okinawa Players) had a beach party and it was so much fun! We grilled out, played beach volleyball, made s'mores, and I even went swimming in the ocean! The giggles kicked in when I rode down the waterslide with some of the pre-teen girls in the group (cementing myself as a "cool grown-up!"). I can't remember the last time that I rode a waterslide! It was a blast... I was sliding up on the sides of the slide, picking up tons of speed, and giggling all the way down. When I hit the water, I made a huge tidal wave (I'm a bit bigger than the 4-13 year olds who usually frequent the slide!), and it was just too much fun!

Last night, Naomi and I went to the Flightline Fair on Futenma to see Burr, check out the helicopters and planes, watch the fireworks, and (let's be honest) eat Funnel Cake! It was so much fun! There were tons of local nationals meandering through the booths and touring the different aircraft. Junk food vendors were everywhere, and there was no shortage of "Moonwalks." They even had carnival rides for the little kids, and game booths for winning giant stuffed animals. I loved eating my funnel cake and it put a big smile on my face all night long. (Ok, I got rather naseaus around three this morning b/c of all the grease, but it was worth it!)

I loved getting to see the fireworks and I smiled through that giant display as well. All in all, a very fun weekend. And even though Burr was working for most of it, at the end of the day yesterday, I got to ride home with him. Doesn't get much better than that!

rmf

In Retrospect...

I probably shouldn't have done the dive I did this morning. The waves were breaking up against the seawall, and the only people going into the water were surfers... no other divers... not a good sign. But alas, I was with a group of Marines and we were all really itching to get into the water... so we did!

We did our dive at "Junkyard" -usually a benign spot with pretty coral and fishies- but today it was ROUGH!! We got sloshed around by the waves going out to the drop off, and once we got under the water the current was still strong. You know you're in for a hard swim when even the fish are swimming sideways! At times, in the current, I felt like I was on a treadmill. I was kicking my feet, but staying in the exact same place! We finally got deep enough to actually swim, but the visibility was pretty poor and with the exception of two other divers, the rest of the group was straight out of their Open Water classes! So I was preoccupied with keeping them in my sight and making sure that we all stayed together and watched our air. On the upside, I saw two seasnakes and two blowfish. And I think I spotted Nemo again!

The swim back in was even more tough than the swim out. I kept getting battered by the waves and pushed back from where I wanted to be. At times I just pulled myself along on the reef! When I finally made it back to my car, I was very certain that I would NOT be doing a second dive and fairly sure that I shouldn't have even done the first one!

It has to be said, though, that Marines Do It Better. Breathing, I mean... The guys I was with today didn't suck down their air quite as quickly as some of the members of the other Service Branches with whom I've had the pleasure of diving! Go Marines! I was the only girl (again) but had a really good time despite the poor dive conditions. I just hope on the next big Marine Group dive, Burr will be certified and able to join us!

On the upside of only doing one dive; I was home by eleven and got to soak up sun and read on the roof for a couple of hours this afternoon before going to the POPs beach party. Life really doesn't get much better...

rmf

Nearly Perfect Chicken Sandwich

I have to share this sandwich with you! I made it for Burr today at lunchtime, and it was sooooo good! It's not from a book, it's just from my head... here goes!

Pour olive oil on a boneless, skinless chicken breast and salt and pepper both sides.
Grill the chicken breast.
Saute thinly sliced onions with olive oil, salt and pepper until golden and gently carmelized.
Cook two slices of bacon.
Slice and toast a Kaiser roll (I did this on the grill pan with the chicken so the inside got toasty but the outside was still soft.).
Assemble the sandwich by first cutting chicken to the size of the bun. Top chicken with a slice of muenster cheese and put sauteed onions on top. On the bottom of the bun, put the bacon (break it in half and lay on the the bun), on the top part, generously spread Major Grey's Chutney. Put the chicken in between the two pieces of bread and ENJOY!

We had ours with ceasar salad and kettle cooked potato chips. It was a fantastic meal!

In case you're wondering why I made such a heavy lunch, it's because Burr and I are like ships in the night right now... just passing in coming and going from the house! So, we're making an effort to have lunch together a couple of times a week to get in some quality time that we wouldn't otherwise have! I really like having my big meal in the middle of the day... and I LOVE getting to see Burr!

OK, try the sandwich this weekend (if you're NOT a vegetarian... if you are... sorry!), and let me know what you think!

rmf

Going Bananas

I have to tell a story on myself from last week. I was getting ready to go to rehearsal one night, and laid out a bottle of water and a banana to take with me. I was in the car, with all of my rehearsal gear, on the phone with Burr, when I realized that my banana was nowhere to be found! "Burr!" I cried, "I've LOST my banana!" After pseudo-searching the car (safely, I promise... while driving and talking on the phone) I determined that my banana must have been left at home. Bummer. Fast-forward to the end of the rehearsal and my return home. And NO banana! It wasn't out where I had left it... I really had lost my banana!

Now fast-forward to the next morning, post-run, when I crashed on the sofa to relax... and saw a half-eaten banana peel on the floor. Any lucky guesses on what REALLY happened to my snack? I'll give you two guesses, but you'll only need one!

Gabe T.D. Ferguson likes bananas.

Better than chocolate, I guess!

rmf

Let's Try This Again

Hi Friends,

I've just re-opened the blog for comments. You may have noticed that you couldn't leave comments for the last few weeks; that's because I was getting a lot of cryptic, weird comments from people that I didn't know. Please, comment away, but keep it nice and relevant to the topic at hand! I LOVE reading what you have to say and hearing what's going on in your lives, so let's hear it for "Comments!"

rmf

Wish I'd Had a Camera

Two times since I've been back in Okinawa I've really wished that I had my camera. The first was on my very first Saturday back. Burr and I got up early and took Gabe on a nice long walk down the Seawall to American Village. After coffee and pastry at Starbucks, we began our trek back home.

And that's when we saw him.

Hitler.

The Cat.

I'm not kidding... this cat looked like HITLER! It had a white, meanish face, and a rectangular black mustache between it's nose and mouth. Spooky! I know you don't believe me, and that's why I really wish that I'd had a camera.

Second, if I'd had my camera with me on a recent run, I could have shared with you a picture of the rainbow I saw arcing down from the sky and into the ocean. In the early morning sky, alight with colors, it was an amazing sight. I felt truly blessed to get to see it!

rmf

Summer Vacation Part One

Hello all! Since I did such a poor job of updating and letting you know about my summer trip back home, I thought I would try to make up for it by posting some of my favorite pictures from my month in the Southeast USA. Enjoy!


Caroline and I at the Below Family Reunion in Bowling Green, KY!


The original "Mitchell Girls..." Now known as Medbery, Lusk, and Ferguson.


Grandmother's House... "my old kentucky home"


I love my Grandmother's house.


Had to post this. One Fresh Stirfry is "one" of my favorite restaurants in the WORLD!!! It's a local chain (ok, there are two) in Tallahassee, FL, and on our way to visit Grandad and family in Daytona, Mom and I made a very neccessary stop there. This is my favorite meal... half portion, brown rice, chicken, bell peppers, broccoli, zucchini, terriyaki sauce #2, topped with green onions, served with lemonade/sweet tea and malted milk ball. Sooo good!


Grandad with his grandaughters: Caroline, Rachel, and Andrea.


I'm sooo mean. Sorry Uncle Terry!


"Hi" from Daytona Beach, FL


Caroline and Grandad


"Family Talent Show" = a good time had by all and Uncle Terry, me, and Mom snuggling on the couch!

I had such a wonderful time visiting my family back home... sorry these pictures are late, but I hope that you enjoy! I'll post a link to more pictures soon, and stay tuned for Summer Vacation Part Two!

rmf

Dive Report

On Saturday I got to do my first dive in over a month. It was AWESOME!! I went with Burr and one of his co-workers, Paul. Gabe also came. Paul suggested that we do the dive at Horseshoe Beach; that was fine with me, because I had never been there and it's always a good idea to go to a new dive site with someone who's been there before. Burr and Gabe got to hang out on the beach while Paul and I dove, because neither of them have their dive certs yet. My camera had a low battery, so I don't have very many good pictures, but here's a little sample of what we saw.


Horseshoe Beach


Me!


Sea snake


Paul

Just a note to any divers out there thinking about diving Horseshoe. It's a bit of a swim to get from the beach out to the reef where you can drop down. Be prepared for a tough current, take your time, and don't panic in the waves. Go with a buddy. This is not the site to be a rebel and dive alone! Enjoy the sights! We went left on the first dive and saw seasnakes and fishies... on the second dive we went right and saw two octopus, fishies, and gorgeous coral!

Have fun,
rmf

We're Not as Smart as We Think We Are

That's the hard truth that Burr and I learned today.

Last night we went out to a friend's birthday party. We took my car, planned on leaving it overnight, and picking it up today. Excellent plan. Poor execution. Burr's car keys were locked in the glovebox of my car. And we don't have a spare. One cab ride later, we picked up my car and Burr's keys... hooray us. :)

My second moment of "brilliance" today came when we went to see a movie. I checked the times this morning, and we planned our day around a 2pm matinee. Bear in mind that the movie times are listed in "military time" and the movie we wanted to see was listed at 1600. Um, yeah, I can't do math. 1600 is 4pm... not 2pm. After rushing to get to the theatre in time for the 2pm show, we stood outside and laughed at my blunder. Then we went on with our afternoon; grabbed a late lunch (since popcorn was now out of the question), did our errands on base, and ended up renting a movie instead.

We've had a good night. We enjoyed watching "Charlie Bartlett," Burr got all packed for his week at the rifle range, we tag teamed the floors (I swept, Burr Swiffered), and enjoyed a yummy Freschetta pizza. Now it's time for bed...

'night!
rmf

With bated breath

I know that's how some of you have felt while waiting for my next post! Sorry my voice has been quiet lately... I had grand intentions of blogging with regularity while I was home in Alabama, but somehow my travels through the southeast (and pool time and shopping and eating) didn't allow me to hit Ye' Old Blog as faithfully as I planned!

But I'm back now! And to start out the new month, I thought I would post this survey that is making its way around all of my friends' blogs. Enjoy!

Bloggy Survey...

10 years ago: I began my senior year of highschool. Go PURPLES!

5 years ago: I met Burr the day after college graduation. Later that summer we picked up Gabe! I like to say that I got both of my guys in the same summer...

5 months ago: I sent Burr off on a boat to Thailand. I started running again, went to rehearsals for "Joseph" and made some new friends!

5 things on my list of things to do tomorrow:
1. Teach eager young students how to sing and play guitar
2. Organize my office
3. Run
4. Teach the "New Rochelle" ensemble their music
5. Stay up late b/c Burr will be SDO and I'll be lonely!

5 bad habits:
1. Over-committing my time
2. Laying out in the sun (but it's soooo nice!)
3. Staying up too late
4. Planning too much for the future; not enjoying the moment I'm in
5. Procastinating

5 places I’ve lived:
1. Bowling Green, KY
2. Birmingham, AL
3. Grenoble, France
4. San Diego, CA
5. Okinawa, Japan

5 things people don’t know about me:
1. I'm terrified of heights. I have an unreasonable fear of the structure on which I'm standing crumbling beneath me.
2. I DON'T color my hair.
3. I can't watch scary movies. My imagination is too active and I can't sleep well or be by myself after dark afterward!
4. I stink at sports that revolve around any type of ball; soccer, softball, football, basketball, etc. I'm much better at "solo" endeavors; running, swimming, etc.
5. I love to play Spades. I'm always looking for people to sit and play cards with for hours!

The Roads I've Travelled

Last weekend Mom and I hit I-65N and headed from Birmingham, AL to Bowling Green, KY. For the four years that I attended Samford University this was my trip home. I still remember my favorite exit (351) and all of the food choices there, and I still look forward to the prettiest part of the drive - the big bridge through the wildlife preserve just before Huntsville. Crossing into Tennessee is always nice, and the Jack Daniels Distillery still let me know that I'm on the right road!

Yesterday we hit the road and travelled from Birmingham to Tallahassee, FL. This was my drive for the two and a half years I did my graduate work at Florida State. It was exciting to pull back into Tallahassee and go to one of my favorite restaurants and to pass all of the familiar landmarks on the way. From there, we drove on to Daytona Beach to see Aunt Rita, Uncle Terry, Grandad, Aunt Tammy and Andrea. We are having an impromptu family reunion this weekend... should be fun!

It's been neat to drive these familiar routes the last couple of weeks. Seeing things that were such a part of my life for so long and experiencing it all in different way now that my life is so far removed. I think that it's always fun to look back, but the best of living happens in the present.

Have a great weekend,
rmf

Dog Days of Running

I’ve been enjoying my runs more and more lately; I’m running a bit longer everyday and enjoying covering more ground. This weekend I went running at Grandmother’s in Chalybeate, KY. My run Saturday morning was beautiful. I enjoyed trading in my seaside views in Okinawa for the rolling green hills and farmland of South-Central Kentucky. Seeing the countryside from a runner’s perspective was a special treat over the Family Reunion Weekend. Until the dogs started biting me.

Yes, you read that correctly; I was bitten by, not one, but two dogs on my Saturday morning run. It was a strange experience for me to feel frightened by a dog, but I was really uneasy with the two mutts circling me and snapping at me as I stopped my run and stood still to let them see that I was not a threat and try to get them to go away. Standing still didn’t work. They just kept breaking their circle and nipping at my ankles. Thankfully, no blood was drawn and the owner eventually got them back under control, but still. I have teeth mark bruises on my left ankle and am in no hurry to try that running route again!

In a funny twist that could only be found in Southern Kentucky, I found out post-run that I’m actually related to the owner of the mean doggies. When I told Aunt Jane about the incident and where it occurred, she realized that we are cousins of the people who live there! (She also called over to make sure that the dogs are up to date on their shots; they are – I will not have to worry about bringing rabies to Okinawa!)

In the meantime, I‘ll keep running but will avoid unleashed dogs at all costs! Suddenly Gabe looks like a Very Good Boy!

Family Reunion

The annual Below Family Reunion has been so special this year. It was hosted by the “Bowling Green, KY” First Generation siblings, and much of the activity has been centered at my grandmother’s house. I have gotten to stay in my dad’s old bedroom and have really enjoyed this time of reconnection to my extended family and to my roots!

Of the original eleven brothers and sisters of my grandmother’s family, nine are still living and they all came in for the reunion. This is the first time that this has happened in recent memory and has made it all that much better! Additionally, many of my second generation cousins (my dad’s generation) came in for the festivities, and several third generation (that’s me!) cousins came as well! I have gotten to visit with cousins on an “adult level” for the first time in years; I think that the last time I saw some of them was when we were all in second or third grade and driving our parents and grandparents crazy! It has been fun to come together this time as young adults and learn about each other’s interests and lifestyles and to see how similar and diverse we all are.

This year’s reunion began with a potluck dinner at Grandmother’s house Thursday night. She had a delicious country ham for us and fresh country vegetables (you just can’t find them in Okinawa!). Aunt Chicky made a luscious Jam Cake and I enjoyed the brownies as well!

On Friday Aunt Jane and I went into Bowling Green to run some errands and to do a bit of shopping. I stocked up on a couple of new swimsuits, goggles, and shoes at one of my favorite outdoors shops, Nat’s, then we noshed on bagels and cream cheese from one of my high school haunts. A quick stop at the grocery, then the flower shop and we were back in Chalybeate putting together the stratas for brunch on Saturday morning. Uncle Russ hosted dinner in Bowling Green Friday night; that was the first “big event” of the weekend, with 40+ family members in attendance.

On Saturday, the First Generation had breakfast at Aunt Chicky’s; the rest of us had brunch at Grandmother’s. Aunt Jane and I were in charge of the stratas, and several others pitched in by bringing fresh cantaloupe (Delicious!), pastries, donuts, coffee, and juice. It was a great party! Several people went to Mammoth Cave National Park for a cave tour afterwards and seemed to be a highlight of the day. In the afternoon, Grandmother’s was once again the gathering place and the porch-sitting began in earnest. We had dinner at her house then did our annual “Christmas;” a Dirty-Santa style gift exchange in which about fifty people participated!

The festivities wound down on Sunday with a brunch at Sharlene’s house. I think that all will agree that this year’s reunion was quite special and one to remember fondly for years to come. I am so blessed to come from such a wonderfully diverse, unique family.

Goin' to the Carwash

I’ve already told you that I probably should not be allowed near your computer… now I must warn you that you might want to reconsider before asking me to go get a carwash with you! Mom and I filled up her car last week and as she paid at the pump she added on a carwash. We pulled into the wash and sat back to let the soap and water do their work.

And then I rolled down my window.

Seriously.

I’m not kidding.

I had my foot propped on the side of the door and inadvertently activated the power window. We had several stunned moments of “oh my gosh, the window is down… we’re getting wet!” before our reactions kicked in. Mine was to quickly roll the window back up, but in my haste I caught the soft cloth washer material in the window! So then I had to roll the window BACK DOWN! In Mom’s haste to help, she then rolled down HER window! Suffice it to say, the inside of the car was as wet and soapy as the outside!

Really, I just can't go anywhere nice!

The Last Few Days

I arrived back in the USA on Monday afternoon. Customs was not quite the nightmare I was anticipating, and I made it to my gate for my connecting flight with ample time and even got to check my email! We boarded the plane about twenty minutes after our scheduled departure time but quickly pulled out of the gate. Then, we sat on the runway for and hour and a half. And I had the pleasure of being seated within a row of a crying baby, and right next to a teenage guy who snored and had no sense of personal space. His yucky socked feet got way too close to mine too many times. But I can't complain... I was safe in Atlanta by 9pm and back in my own bed by midnight! And it has been SOOO GOOD to see my mom!

The last couple of days have been pretty busy and the jet lag hasn't been as bad as you might imagine. I think the trick is to just get up at a decent hour the next day and go through the day then hit the bed at a decent hour and get a good night's sleep!

So far I have accomplished the following tasks:
- Eye exam and new contacts
- Computer repairs (seriously, don't let me near yours... my presence will cause something on it to break!)
- Two long walks and a run
- New sneakers
- Barnes and Nobles (I got two new cookbooks! and some "inspirational fiction" to keep my mind clean...)
- Zoe's Pimiento Cheese - just as delicious as I remembered!
- Some quality pool time (technically laying out by the pool time...)
- Stocking up on some groceries

Tomorrow I will head up to Kentucky to stay at Grandmother's for the Below Family Reunion. I love this traditional gathering that we do every summer. I feel very lucky to really know my great aunts, uncles, 1st, 2nd, and even 3rd cousins! It should be a fun weekend of family and GOOD FOOD! (Another important family tradition!)

I will also make a stop at the cemetery to see my dad. That will never feel right. But I couldn't go home and not see him. That wouldn't be right either.

rmf

Headed Home!

In just a few hours I will be boarding a plane bound for Atlanta, Georgia. There I will launch myself into my Mom's waiting arms, and stay there, in her hug for the rest of the month.

I have been looking forward to this trip home for quite a while. Here are some of the specific things I'm looking forward to. (Notice how many of them revolve around food!)

- Papa John's Pizza with Pepperoni and Mushroom
- Nabeel's chicken salad
- Zoe's chicken salad and pimiento cheese
- Surrin West - Pad Thai, Chicken Panang, Surin Baskets
- Steak
- Fresh produce
- Farmer's Market
- Bread and Bagels (cinnamon sugar bagel with strawberry cream cheese)
- Great American Donut Shop
- Grandmother's biscuits
- Making a cherry cobbler with Mom
- Seeing the Fam in KY
- Seeing Grandad, Aunt Rita, Uncle Terry, Aunt Tammy and family at some point
- Re-visiting my Birmingham haunts
- Shopping - Banana Republic, J.Crew, Williams-Sonoma, Pottery Barn
- Laying out at the pool at The Preserve
- Going to the Gulf Coast
- Playing music with Caroline
- Talking for hours with my Mom
- Porch-sitting with Aunt Jane and Grandmother
- Going for long runs
- Moe's Burrito!
- Hanging out with Kristy
- Seeing as many friends as I can
- Lunch with Dr. Richardson
- Sleeping in my favorite bed
- Papa John's Pizza with Peperroni and Mushrooms

The Lion King

First of all, let me clear something up. In the last post I said, "sadly Burr has left and I am traveling back to the States tomorrow." I meant that it is sad that Burr has gone away again, NOT that I am sad to be traveling home tomorrow. I can't wait to be home! Let me be clear, I am SO EXCITED about traveling home! Ok, understand? Good.

Yesterday we went to a matinee of "The Lion King." Theatre isn't one of those "must do" things in the Tokyo guidebooks. Actually, Burr was hard-pressed to find any information on it at all! We were the sole Westerners amongst a sea of Japanese theatre patrons. And the show was completely in Japanese! Not only was it an enriching experience just by virtue of "going to the theatre" but we were enriched by the foreign-ness of what is a "normal" experience for us. Some observations: the audience did not applaud much between numbers, nor did they laugh at many of the jokes and funny parts. We only knew that something funny had happened by the kids sitting near us. They would get all tickled over something and start giggling, but nothing from the adults! But at the end, we learned that it had, in fact, been a very appreciative audience; the cast recieved SEVEN curtain calls! SEVEN!

It was incredible performance and Burr and I were each blown away by the costuming and staging. The sets were incredible! And that stage! Rotating stairs, elevated platform, retractable floors... wow! And back to the costumes... seriously... the ELEPHANTS AND GIRAFFES!!!! WOW!

So even though the plot is a little fuzzy in our minds (it's been a while since either of us watched the Disney film) and we didn't really catch any of the diaglogue or lyrics, it was a wonderful experience. I love "The Lion King!"

Tokyo Highlights

Burr and I have shared a wonderful weekend in Tokyo for the past few days. Sadly, he has left to go back to work, and I am traveling Stateside tomorrow; but for now enjoy these highlights of our weekend! As always, there is a link to the left with more pics.


Hama Rikuyu Park


Boat Ride to Asakusa


Asakusa


Friday Night on the town...


Lunch at Uemo Park - delightful French restaurant with luscious food and incredible views!

Sayonora!
rmf

Which of these is not like the other?

That's how I've felt since I arrived in Tokyo to meet Burr on Thursday afternoon. As we make our way around this mega-city through the train stations, intersections, and tourist destinations, I am hyper-aware that WE are the strangers in a strange land. Imagine a sea of people... all of them have dark brown hair, light skin, and delicate Asian features... then there's this red and blonde hair showing up in the midst of it all. We kind of stand out!

Tokyo has been incredible. We toured Asakusa and had dinner at The New York Grill at the Park Hyatt Hotel yesterday and are going to a production of "The Lion King" this afternoon. I have enjoyed sitting back on this trip and letting Burr navigate our way from here to there; my only responsibility is saying "hey, this might be fun" and Voila! he makes it happen!

I'll get some pictures up soon, but right now I have only one minute and thirty seconds left in this rockin' hotel business center!

Hope all is well with you and yours and that you have had an incredible July 4th weekend. Happy Independence Day!

rmf

What I Did Yesterday

Diving! Emily and I went out in the AM and hit Maeda Point. We were early enough to get a parking spot and miss some of the crowd. We did two dives and were home by noon... it was AWESOME! Then, last night I went back to Maeda to do a night dive and finish my night specialty certification (at least, I think I finished it... I'll have to check!). Here are a couple of pics from the daytime, and for more fishy pics click the link to the left.





rmf

Good Hair Day

When it happens, you just have to share!



rmf

Sushi Go Round

A few weeks ago I made it to the "Sushi Go 'Round" in American Village for lunch. While I have to say up front that it wasn't the best sushi I've had on island, I would still go back and take a friend just for the novelty of the place. Basically, you go in and sit at a diner-type counter. In front of you is a conveyor belt that is constantly going around and it is loaded up with little plates of sushi. Whenever something comes by that looks tasty, you just take the plate off of the carousel and munch away! When you're finished, they total up the price of your plates and out the door you go. I got about five different types of sushi for less than 1000 yen (about ten dollars). Here are a couple of pictures.

Don't Interrupt Me

Seriously. If you see me in a swimming pool going back and forth and back and forth, don't interrupt me!

I did my workout at the pool on Wednesday and right in the middle of my main set another swimmer decided he needed to know all about my workout, how far I was going, how many laps I'd done, etc. HELLOOOO!!!! I'm watching the clock here, buddy! I have only about eight seconds rest between each 100 and I don't want to spend it talking to YOU!!

So again I say, please, if you see me working out in a pool (the swim cap, goggles, and sporty swimsuit will clue you in that it's a workout and not just a quick dip during suntan time), don't interrupt! I'll be happy to tell you all about my workout when I'm done.

That said, if you see me running, feel free to interrupt! I'm always up for chit-chat in the middle of an hour long HOT run!

But don't talk to me at the gym either. I'm not there to socialize and I probably don't smell very good.

rmf

Small Town USA

Living on Okinawa is an interesting experience, especially as I get more and more involved in the American community. It is rare for me to go to the commissary, exchange, library, or even running without seeing someone that I know. This is the first time I've ever lived somewhere that that happens on a regular basis. And I've got to say, I kind of like it!

The Weekend - Sunday

Sunday AM - Blueberry pancakes were the order of the day, and they were quite tasty. (Ok, I didn't put any blueberries in my pancakes - not really a fan - but Burr enjoyed his!) Burr did up his stack of "penny pancakes" (like my mom makes) with butter, maple syrup, and cool whip. Sugar rush, anyone?

Sunday noonish - We hit the Exchange to pick up a few things for the house. The only thing we couldn't find was compressed air with which to clean the computer fan; we are still on a quest to find it, though, so we'll let you know how that turns out!

Noonish cont - Burr and I loaded up our snorkel gear (seriously, so much easier to get together than all my scuba gear) and headed up to Maeda Point. Maeda is a popular (and gorgeous) scuba/snorkel spot on the island and we hit the water and snorkeled! Having learned our lesson the hard way in Palau we slathered on the sunscreen and got Burr a rashguard to protect our skin. No sunburns and several fish sightings later, we headed back home.

Sunday afternoon - As you know, I've been running a lot since Burr has been gone. He's been working out hard too, so we decided to keep the trend going and take a run yesterday afternoon. Typically it is too hot and sunny to run in the afternoons here, but it was kind of overcast and breezy when we started out, so we thought we'd be ok. We ran from our house up past the Foster Globe and Anchor Gate, around to the Legion gate and entered Foster there. We hit Taco Bell to get some free water for ourselves and Gabe and then continued our run. Upon my suggestion, we extended our route a bit, and then finally ended up at the Commissary gate (our exit point to head home). Now, I learned several weeks ago that they don't let people ENTER that gate on foot, but I had no idea that you also could not EXIT that gate on foot. Lesson learned. We had to wait at the gate for about half an hour to catch a cab that would drive us the 100 feet out of the gate to the road. Grrrrr.... On the upside, we ran for just over an hour, thereby earning bragging rights for ourselves for the rest of the day and the ability to eat (in moderation) whatever we wanted taht night!

Sunday evening - Thanks to the great Lemon Chicken with Artichokes and Capers recipe that Aunt Jane sent, we had a delicious dinner. It was a nice night with a gentle breeze and low humidity, so we ate on the roof.

Now it's Monday morning and Burr has the day off! He plans to get our taxes done, and I have to teach one lesson - other than that, we have no firm plans, so who knows what fun we will have this afternoon?!

Have I mentioned how nice it is to have Burr home?

rmf

The Weekend - Fri and Sat

By now you know the big news of the weekend - Burr finally made it home from Thailand! We've enjoyed just hanging out and reconnecting all weekend long. Here are some highlights of the weekend.

Friday night - I did my second night dive! Now I only lack one in getting my night diver specialty cert. I enjoyed this dive much more than the one last Friday when I was feeling seasick. I saw FIVE seasnakes, and only got freaked out by one of them; the one who swam up between my buddy and me and looked like he wanted to get even closer! Yikes!

Saturday AM - The "World Famous Flying Tigers" returned to Futenma. They flew in over the hangar in six plane formation did a fancy landing and a "hollywood shutoff" where they all stopped their rotors at the same time. By 8:45am Burr and I got to see each other for the first time since the end of April. FINALLY!!!

Saturday AM cont - I sort of felt bad as I rushed Burr out of the squadron and back home, but our time was short; I had to be at the Futenma Chapel for my first Whole Note Recital at 9:30! It was wonderful having Burr there to see the students perform and get a feel for what I've been doing with myself for the last few weeks. I was so proud of all of my students. They all really rose to the top and had very successful performances. Bravo!

Saturday PM - We spent the afternoon just resting at home. Visiting, sleeping, snacking, walking Gabe, playing with Penny Lane, sharing pictures and showing off what we've each been doing the past two months. I had a lovely dinner in mind to prepare, but was too pooped to put it together! We ended up going to one of my favorite sushi spots "Sushi Zen" and had a really nice meal. The wild part is that our dinner was paid for by a family that left right before us. They had a baby with them that was not really enjoying dinner and cried the whole time. They felt so bad that they had "ruined our night" that they took care of our bill! It was a completely unneccessary, but nice, suprise.

This post has gotten kind of long, so I'll save the adventures of Sunday for another time.

rmf

Scuba Girl

That's me! Well, getting there anyway! I have nine dives under my belt, have earned the Advanced Open Water Certification and Boat Diver Cert, and am hoping to tack on Night Diver soon. I am absolutely loving this sport!

It's a great fit for the little girl who always wanted to be "The Little Mermaid." I am able to swim down to 100 ft below the surface and just swim along and LOOK. And I mean, there is a LOT to see. First, you have the reefs themselves. They are gorgeous and huge and intricate and filled with colors and little creatures. Then there's all the aquatic life - I love recognizing the fish that I've seen before and taking mental pictures of the ones that are new to me to check out after the dive. The last two weekends have only given me a taste of this new world, and I can't wait to "dive in" (pun TOTALLY intended) to see more!

Someone asked me recently what I'm thinking about when I dive. I was ashamed to admit that at this point, it's still pretty mechanical in my mind. Ie: "do I have enough air?" "am I breathing correctly" "am I neutrally bouyant?" "equalize, idiot!" "don't get seasick in the waves" "oops, too much air in the BCD" etc, etc. But that's ok. I'm doing it... experiencing something I've always wanted to, and getting better with every dive. Now that I've spent so much time in class dives, I'm ready to just hit the water with a buddy and go play!

In anticipation of the boat dives last weekend, when I purchased all of my gear (my credit card is still burning), I also got a dive camera. The dive sights were incredible and I can't wait to go back. Sadly, I can't share much with you in photos b/c like an idiot I didn't even open up the camera until I was in the car on the way to the sight. Only then did I realize that I had no memory stick! My day of photography ended up being limited to six photos and I am sorry to say that this was the best one of the day:



Oh well. Gives me an excuse to go diving again to get more pictures!

rmf

Southeast Botanical Garden

I find it hard to believe that two weeks have flown by since I visited the Southeast Botanical Gardens on my "Day of Near Misses" but that seems to be the case! Here are some of the pictures I took at the gardens.











rmf