A Day in the Life of Maya

    I must share a normal day for Maya.  Why, because oftentimes I elect to spend my days on her schedule, and it is quite refreshing.  Maya will usually wake-up 20 minutes before the alarm is set (of course) and ask to go outside.  Maybe I should elaborate on this.  She will place her chin across your breathing apparatus (mouth and nose), and with your response, she will flip over on her back, which we all know as the universal "rub my belly" signal.  As she gets a belly rub, Maya will awake more of your senses by muttering an obnoxious noise; there's really no way to explain this sound other than she might be dying.  After her belly rub needs have been fulfilled, she will then jump down from the bed and wait.  Sadly, Maya is not patient when it comes to waiting.  If one of us does not get out of bed immediately, she throws a complete tantrum which included frantically jumping up and down, loudly crying out, and running from the door back to the bed.  This will continue until you get out of bed.
    Maya then goes out on the back terrace where she has found to be the most private and safe place to complete her duty.  After picking up any solids and rinsing off the terrace (and using the bathroom myself), Maya and I usually go back to bed while PDub is awoken by his time-to-get-ready-for-work alarm.  Maya and I sleep for about another hour before she throws a fit again.  This tantrum is an indicator that she needs, no, requires breakfast.  After she devours her breakfast like any dachshund would, she goes back to bed.  Another hour goes by before she awakens, stretches, and proceeds to play.  Playing generally consists of chase, hide-and-seek (she's a great finder), or fetch.  After this, she hits the couch for some R&R.  This might be interrupted to bark at some sounds in the hallway or to move to a different location, but otherwise, she sleeps all day.
    Typically an hour before PDub gets home, we will go on a walk through the park.  Maya, a few homeless people, and I are typically the only ones inhabiting this area, but sometimes this changes.  Today, for instance, my cute little dog (and me) was surrounded by about ten 12 year old girls with softball shirts on needing to pet Maya.  Maya has yet to become comfortable on our city walks, so as you may guess, she peed herself a little with this much attention (I might have too).  The girls' coach finally told them to move on while I mouthed a "Thank you."  This was a unique and traumatic experience for Maya seeing that little girl attacks don't always happen.  Anyway, when we return home from our walk, Maya usually gets another nap in before she sits and waits at the door for PDub to get home.  PDub arrives and Maya is all greetings and wiggles (the girl knows how to shake her hips) as if he has been gone for weeks.  She then gets in another playtime before eating and hitting the naps right before bedtime.

Sleep.....

   

Play.....

 

More Sleep.....

Scuba Diving....Or the Lack Thereof

    With the exception of not becoming an Olympic swimmer, you could pretty much call me a water bug, mermaid, fish, etc.  I honestly do not have a first memory of being in the water, but there are pictures of me in my absolutely adorable swimsuit with a bulging diaper bootie.  Therefore, I know that my parents threw me in the water at a pretty young age.  When I was about 9, my dad took me on my first snorkel trip in Jamaica.  Prior to jumping in the ocean, I practiced in the pool with my hot pink mask, snorkel, and fins (stylish, eh?).  It was probably the greatest experience to be able to see and breath underwater without coming up for air.

    Whether it be on the lake, pool, or ocean, PDub was also raised in and around the water.  Due to this love, the majority of our vacations are based around warm weather and a body of water.  We have taken several snorkel trips and, of course, loved viewing the creatures under the sea.  This led us to become interested in scuba diving.....du du duuuuuu....and the plot thickens.....

PDub chillin' by the pool....Bring on the hot babes!

Say....Bubbles!

PDub and I trapped under a glass bottom boat....No worries, we survived.

On our way to sea....

In a Cenote in Mexico

    PDub's sister, Doubles Shark-Whisperer, had been scuba diving for awhile by this point and convinced us, Evens Tyrone, and my father-in-law to become certified.  We read through the textbook and flew to San Diego for the pool and four ocean dives.  After sitting in the classroom for a day and passing the written exam, we geared up and headed for the pool.  Here, we descended for the first time, and it was actually pretty surreal.  It felt like flying.
    The next day, we took a shot at the shores where we would do our first and second ocean dive.  During the classroom portion, we were told that getting certified in San Diego automatically makes you a whiskey diver.  Let me explain this a little better.  Like the ever-so-delightful fruity cocktails, Mexico and the Caribbean offer you clear, warm, calm waters; on the contrary, San Diego offers you murky, cold (oh so cold), rough waters.  It's hard to drink an entire glass of whiskey, but once you have, it's easier to drink any other beverage.  Anyway, before gearing up, we ate some sustenance, bananas, that Evens Tyrone had cleared out of a nearby Starbucks and then affixed our wetsuits.
    My buddy, also known as PDub, helped me get decked out with gear that weighed more than me.  We checked each other over and trudged into the great Pacific.  Instead of flopping off a boat (that would be cocktail drinking), we charged through 3 foot waves (8 feet to me), swam 150 yards (8 miles to me), and finally dropped down to about 30 feet (80 feet to me).  I could hardly see in front of me, the intense surge tossed my body from side to side, and the water pierced through my wetsuit at a bitter 57 degrees.  It probably wasn't the best experience of my life, but I conquered the first dive.
    We ascended and relaxed in the water before diving again.  During this time, it hit me that I did not feel too amazing.  My nausea blindsided me, and while everyone else bailed (including the instructor), Doubles Shark-Whisperer held on to my floating self while the bananas reappeared.  We pushed the remnants away and swam back to shore.  In addition to this tragedy, I lost one of my new fins on the way back through the waves.  And God said (in a booming voice), "No scuba diving for this girl!"  Needless to say, I didn't go back down that day....or ever again.

My scuba buddy....Sorry we couldn't share this hobby!

The scuba class with Doubles Shark-Whisperer, two dive masters, and our instructor.

The real stuff!

    In the future, while my PDub, his sister, and Evens Tyrone go diving with sharks and clown fish, I'll do what I do best: sit on the beach, sip a cocktail (not whiskey), and read a book.  Sayonara scuba diving!

Born and raised a beach babe....my grandma and me

The Battle of Gettysburg

    Imagine living in a small, quiet country town with a view of colorful farmland and sky-piercing mountains, cattle grazing on the hillside, singing from the nearby seminary, and the smell of freshly baked bread.  It's June 30th, and yet another hot summer day is coming to a close.  As you prepare the house for sleep, you hear a knock at the door, and as you open it, you come face-to-face with a Union soldier.  Although you know the war has been going on for two years now, it has mostly remained in the south, destroying your Virginia neighbors.  The soldier comes bearing a message from his superior asking you to prepare your home for a hospital; a battle will occur the following day forever altering your view of those fields and mountains.

    After tossing and turning, you awake the next morning to find that your small country town is now inhabited by about 94,000 Union soldiers and 72,000 Confederate soldiers fighting for their lives and especially their beliefs.  Doors in your home are ripped off their hinges and used as operating tables while curtains are torn to shreds for bandages.  Not only has your town been invaded, but also your home.  For three days, you see and hear death in the largest bloodbath the war has seen and will ever see, and even after the battle and after the armies depart, your home is overturned with dead and injured men, only a portion of the total 51,000 that are dead, wounded, and missing.

    The digging begins where man upon man are shallowly placed in the ground.  Four months pass by before a permanent burial ground is bought by a local attorney.  On November 19, President Abraham Lincoln visits your town, and you attend the cemetery dedication listening to his most and history's most famous speech, The Gettysburg Address.  Lincoln reminds you of your nation's foundation which these men are fighting for, and he instills hope in you that this war will end in a way that these men's lives will not be useless.  Even though the war is not over and you will still have nightmares for the rest of your life, you find closure in your own experiences and contributions to the Civil War.

The Gettysburg Address (picture taken in the Lincoln Memorial)

Good old Abe.

    Yesterday, my cousins and I visited Gettysburg where we took a step back in time and learned about the gravest battle and turning point in the Civil War.  We arrived at the visitor's center, where a Gettysburg geek (as he called himself) climbed into the driver's seat and guided us around the battlefield and town.  He showed us hilltops where generals could view the battle for miles and miles away.  He took us past homes and barns that still had bullet markings and cannon holes.  We saw the progression of cannons over the course of the war and the many memorials located throughout the battle grounds.  Our brains were filled with war tactics from both sides, actual battle fields where combat took place, and sadness for the death of so many soldiers.  This was a trip I would recommend to any Civil War addict.

A soldier....

Loud noises!

The view from Little Round Top, a Union-controlled location.

Indiana Memorial

Fireworks

    From drummers to loud clapping, I have never been a fan of loud noises.  My brother was an avid swimmer throughout his younger years, so when it was my time to dive in the pool, my parents took me to one of his meets to see if I was interested.  My dad was in charge of shooting the starting gun, and with the big POW, I immediately eliminated the option of becoming an Olympic swimmer.  To this day, I still wonder if I had missed out on a completely different future for myself.  Knowing this, you can probably guess that I am not a big fan of fireworks, and therefore, 4th of July has never been one of my favorite holidays.
    Growing up, I would sit just inside our backdoor and view the Salem, IL fireworks.  Eventually, the tree tops grew too tall, so with a little courage, my viewing moved to the roof where I would sit on a blanket, sip Coca-Cola, and eat popcorn.  As I was surely becoming the 4th of July reject, I sucked it up one year and attended the firework show with some friends.  Before I go further, I must inform you about Salem's fireworks.  Unlike big cities which shoot them off one after the other, Salem's consisted of one every 20 seconds (or more).  The grand finale is comparable to the normal portion of the show in a big city.  There would always be time for discussion: What will the next color be?....Can you pass me the chips?....What is that person wearing?  Needless to say, covering and uncovering my ears for 20 minutes was not desirable, so I refused to attend any more shows....or at least that's what I thought.
    We returned from our trip to the Outer Banks to spend 4th of July in our nation's capitol.  Seriously, what better way could you spend it?  PDub, Evens Tyrone, and I metro-ed into downtown, starting our day at the Library of Congress where we proceeded to walk over 3.5 miles in 99 degree temperatures hitting up museums, parades, monuments, and finally Arlington Cemetery.  Just thinking about the history that this city embodies and being able to celebrate Independence Day here still gives me goosebumps.  We soon returned Evens Tyrone to the airport and prepared ourselves (or really I should say myself) for some loud noises.

At the Capitol Building....PDub thinks he's getting business accomplished here....

Dipping our feet into the World War II Memorial

My new home

Yes, this kid has an umbrella under the refreshing sprinkler.

    Contrary to other cities who were unable to shoot their fireworks off due to draught or other cities who accidently shot them off at one time, Washington D.C. delivered with (literally) flying colors.  There's nothing like watching fireworks with only the sounds of the Air Force Band and no big booms.  We parked ourselves under the Air Force Memorial within view of not only the fireworks but also the Potomac River, the Washington Monument, and the Capitol Building.  It was well worth viewing...loud noises or not.

Our view

July 4th is also my mom's birthday!....so we blew up her phone throughout the day with these pictures....

Kill Devil Hills, NC

    After spending the night in Virginia Beach, we loaded up the car once again and headed south for Kill Devil Hills.  This North Carolina town is located on the Outer Banks, which is composed of a 200-mile stretch of barrier islands.  This long string of land is perfect for tourists (like us) to come and enjoy the beautiful beaches and warm weather.  There are also several other draws to the area, which brought our group here.

North Carolina and its Outer Banks

On the road again??

    The real reason we headed for the Outer Banks....scuba diving.  PDub, Doubles Shark-Whisperer, and Evens Tyrone are all scuba divers who enjoy going on an annual trip (this is only the second year) to dive while I lay on the beach and watch the pups.  Our first trip was last year to San Diego where PDub and Evens Tyrone were convinced by Doubles Shark-Whisperer (a die-hard Divemaster) to become scuba certified.  I began the class but did not finish....another story that I will share at another time.  Anyway, due to the unpredictable weather, changing shallows, and needed currents, there have been over 500 shipwrecks, causing this Outer Banks region to be known as the Graveyard of the Atlantic.  What better place to dive?

The Divers....and a man with a mustache

    In addition to the diving, I was able to convince my fellow travelers to visit the Wright Brothers' Memorial and Museum, a lighthouse, and the Nights in Rodanthe (by Nicholas Sparks) house from the movie.  The Wright Brothers' first powered flight took place in Kill Devil Hills, where now stands a monument and a museum with replicas of their gliders and airplanes.

A replica of the airplane (the real one is practically in our backyard at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum in D.C.)

Their perspective on "pretend like you are flying"....from airplanes to Superman

The monument

The Outer Banks are also known for their lighthouses, so we, of course, had to visit one.  The Bodie Island lighthouse was first built in 1847 when after 12 years it was abandoned due to poor foundation.  Another was built in 1859 which was then destroyed by Confederate troops during the Civil War.  The most recent one was built in 1872, and as history may tell, it is under restoration.  Therefore, we were unable to climb it.

Sadness

After visiting the lighthouse, we traveled even further south to Rodanthe, which any Nicholas Sparks addict would know as the location where Paul and Adrienne fall in love and find purpose with their lives.  The film-adaptation of this novel was actually filmed in Rodanthe, and the house still stands.  This house was located at the entrance of Rodanthe, and this is where you might remember it from the movie.  However, due to a hurricane and since it was then standing in the Atlantic Ocean, the 83,000 pound house was lifted and moved into town.  It now stands as an inn (making plenty of money...I am sure of it).

Nights in Rodanthe house.

Beach Babes.....or Bums

This is what we call beachelaxing....

    The Outer Banks were fun, and I am definitely looking forward to going back.  I still need to check out the birthplace of the first English settler, the lost colony, and several national parks!  BUT.....As always, I am glad to be home, and I think Maya is too!

Today's stage III with a snarl....or smile....

Virginia Beach

    On Friday evening, we barely escaped the 80 mph winds in the D.C. area and headed south for the July 4th week.  While our milk and chicken breasts spoil in the refrigerator that has no power, we are reclining carefree on the beach.  Life couldn't get much better....other than dreading the return home.
    Our SUV was packed full of scuba gear, suitcases, and two traveling pups.  Doubles Shark-Whisperer and Phoebe joined our family for the trip.  We spent the night in Virginia Beach where we proceeded to pick up PDub's old roommate and good friend, Evens Tyrone, from the Norfolk airport.  I drove the entire, frustrating way to Virginia Beach with an estimated time of arrival of three hours at the start and an ending time of arrival of five hours.  East coast traffic is miserable!

On the road....No worries, I wasn't driving; I was taking the picture.

    My biggest mistake....not getting into the packed HOV lanes.  At first, we made fun of those traveling in the HOV lanes because they were at a stop-and-go for even longer than our lanes were.  However, the further we got from D.C., the faster those lanes went.  My lovely company gave me crap about not cutting over to the HOV lanes by taking one of those "Authorized Vehicles Only" connections.  A little about myself, I follow the rules no matter what they might be, from washing only whites together to obeying major traffic laws.  I told them that maybe if they were driving we would take such a chance.  Another 30 minutes passed and only about three miles.  Up ahead, I could see yet another "Authorized Vehicles Only" connection with 7 cars crossing over in just the time that I watched.  With the support of my carload including the pups, I took the SUV off-road and fell into the fast HOV traffic.  Sadly, after driving five miles, we hit the stop-and-go yet again.

Everyone loves unexpected traffic....It's like the perfect surprise!

Are we there yet?

    After arriving to Virginia Beach, checking into our hotel, and eating some grub, I so politely asked that PDub take the driver's seat this time and head to the Norfolk airport to retrieve his friend.  Somehow, PDub took us the back route into the airport through the FedEx cargo and into an area that seemed like we were on the runway.  Finally, we made it to the arrivals section where PDub avoided a parallel park job and instead pulled in nose first onto the airport sidewalk.  After noting that the park job was probably not good and contemplating for a few minutes, he luckily came across a spot where he was able to pull in normally.  Evens Tyrone joined our group, and we returned to the hotel for a few laughs (somehow Evens Tyrone short-sheeted himself while making down his cot) and some greatly needed sleep (Stage III for the pups).

Houston, we have landed....in Virginia Beach

One with Doubles Shark-Whisperer, PDub, and Evens Tyrone

Now one with me!

Awe....Do you like my unitard?

Neptune (spoken in a deep, commanding voice) and yes, he is palming a sea turtle....not to be confused with a basketball.