My First Home

    I grew up and lived in the same town and house for 18 years.  Since then, I have lived in eight different places ranging from dorm rooms to houses.  As you can probably imagine, I am still very attached to my parents' home.  Although there is new paint on the walls, fluffier carpet, and different furniture, the sounds and scent still give me comfort and fill me with warmth.
    Last week, I had to leave this house for the thousandth time and return to my new home.  I hugged my mom goodbye, and my dad, Phoebe, Maya, and I hit the road for the 13 hour drive.  In my rearview mirror, I took one last glance at my home, which I now so painfully call my parents' house, and said goodbye to my past yet again.
    Every time I leave this house whether it would be to return to school for a few weeks or like now return to my new home for an inevitable amount of time, I develop an ache in my soul that will usually heal with time.  I guess this is a part of change.  All routines must be interrupted at some point, and change must be faced head on.  Each time I return to my parents' house, my memories awaken, and I live as if I were 12 again helping my dad pick out a tie and suspenders and talking with my mom over her coffee in the early morning.  We not only have to grow up but also live the lives we have chosen for ourselves.  Therefore, here I am back in Arlington settling back into my routine and healing from my trip to Illinois.  Luckily, I have PDub and Maya to get me through it.

My new home is wherever these two crazies are.

Tasty Tuesdays

    As I mentioned before, PDub and I live from meal to meal.  While eating breakfast, we discuss what we will be doing for lunch.  I wasn't always like this, for when I was growing up and in college, I would be so busy that I would often forget to eat at all.  PDub has changed my diet and made me fall in love with food (and cooking).

    Like most Americans, I have a love/hate relationship with food.  As Jenna Marbles once compared, Lady Gaga's "Bad Romance" song isn't about a male/female relationship (or female/female, male/male....whichever you prefer) but instead about a human/food relationship.  During my day, everything will be going great with yogurt and juice for breakfast, but then I start craving me some McNuggets.  I may make it through the day successfully without giving into my unhealthy cravings, but there's always the stress of tomorrow's meals.  In addition to my three meals, I usually have an afternoon snack.  I'll sit down with a fat free bag of pretzels, and before you know it, I've eaten half the bag.  The guilt and regret I feel!
    Recently, PDub declared he was going to cut down on his portion size.  The night he started, we ate, and then I went to bed while he watched the basketball playoffs.  Shortly after I laid down, I heard him open a bag of potato chips and French onion dip.  Food!  What is this relationship we have?  A give and take.  And we all go through it....we all have to eat!  So in honor of this close relationship I have with food, I proclaim Tuesdays as Tastey Tuesdays where I will share my trials, tribulations, and love for food (and cooking).

The Lake and Peggy J.

    I grew up on the lake first drinking squeeze-its (which then became water guns) and more recently Chardonnay.  The first boat my family owned was an old wooden Chris Craft.  Had I known the sadness of not having this boat in the future, I would have begged to keep it instead of dying for an upgrade.

Squeeze-it?.....Don't mind if I do.

Passing on the squeeze-it legacy to my little KD-Did

    We would take Peggy J. (that was her name) to Forbes Lake and dock her there for the summer.  I still remember my parents loading my tiny self down with lifejackets, snacks, and God knows what else to make the hike down to the boat.  Peggy J. and the family would embark on many adventures whether it be skiing, tubing, or fishing,  However, it was unlawful to swim at this lake, but this didn't stop us.  We would anchor in a "hidden" cove knowing a code word that would trigger us to exit the water or jump on the tube fooling the Ranger of our true intentions.

Peggy J. with my dad, my ImpostorBro, his mom, and me.

    Fishing on Peggy J. always made for a good story.  My brother and I always caught far more fish than our dad (I must specify fish seeing that socks and seaweed do not count).  One trip was the worst.  My dad had not caught a single fish in an hour.  After seeing our flow of fish, his frustration led him to flashing a light on his line to find his hook dangling from a tree.

Who wears short shorts???  FisherDad wears short shorts!!!

     Life was always good on Peggy J., and I hope the person who owns it now has made just as many memories as we have on it.  Hopefully one day, PDub and I will have a family and a boat to share our many boating memories with and make many more.

Fathers and Flying

    Today is Father's Day, and I am spending it in stressful airports and cramped planes.  But best of all, I get to be with my daddy, a first in at least three years.  I am sure one of my first flights was as a small baby (and I was small) when my father would soar me through the air, airplane sounds and all.  However, the first flight that I truly remember was one when my dad, my blankie (which I called Woobie), my baby doll, and I boarded an airplane headed to Florida to meet my mom.
    At that time in my life, there was no reason for a bag or purse with a book and IPod like I carry now.  My Woobie and baby doll was all I needed.  Before take-off, the flight attendant asked that all items be stowed away in the seat in front of you or the bins over head.  I gently wrapped my baby doll in Woobie and placed her beneath the seat.  The flight attendant seeing this allowed me to hold my baby for take-off (a true treat!).
    After lift-off, I remember looking at my dad with pain in my ears hoping for some pointers or at least a consoling hug.  He responded by popping gum into my mouth and showing me how to chew and yawn.  My head didn't explode like I thought it would, and I give all credit to my dad.
    So here I am sitting on the flight back to the midwest chewing gum and reminiscing.  I may be 25, but I will always treat my father like a daddy still accepting his blown kisses, wise pointers, and terrible jokes.  Cheers to all the daddies out there...

My Dad and I at Muir Woods

My Dad and I at Great-View-of-Golden-Gate-Bridge Place

In Federal Prison

    Yesterday, my parents and I Baywatch ran into the ice cold San Francisco Bay to swim the distance from Pier 33 to the federal prison of Alcatraz.  In the 48 degree water, we battled with sharks and avoided barges and yachts.  We successfully arrived at the prison to find that tourists can actually take a ferry to The Rock.  Who knew?

On our swim...waterproof camera

The Vessel

    Alcatraz, also known as The Rock, was a federal prison from 1933 to 1963 housing some of the country's most dangerous men from Al Capone to the Birdman.  It is now a National Park where for a little money (predictable) one can walk the island seeing inside the prison and listening to recorded accounts of prisoners and guards.  From the isolation to the escapes, this tour may have been one of the best I've been on.

No worries, we didn't try anything shady...

Behind bars

Nerds

    On our return from the tour, we took the ferry, or what they called the vessel.  As our wet suits dried, we enjoyed a little of Fisherman's Wharf, a definite tourist trap (and we took the bait).  While dining at the Wharf, you can't help but envy the sea lions basking in the sun on the docks below.  Something I must try in the future....

On our return....my hair dried quickly from the swim.

Lazy sea lions

    Yet another day in San Francisco....

Muir Woods

    After five hours on a plane and more than four hours in airports, my parents and I have arrived in San Francisco (PDub is yet again in France).  We blessed our bellies with potstickers and Mu Shu from Hunan Home's Restaurant in Chinatown before succumbing to sleep well before 8pm pacific time.  On our first whole day, we woke up early to get on a bus headed for Muir Woods and Wine Country.

    Muir Woods is the home of the great redwoods.  These particular sequoyahs grow to about 400ft tall and are over 1,000 years old.  These giants should not be confused with the other species of redwoods, which you can drive through, that grow in northern California.  That adventure is for a different day.  Sadly, the trees we spent a little time with are a portion of the 5% that are left in the world.

    Luckily, the park was empty when we arrived, and we were able to experience these ever-so-wise trees in peace.  With the sound of the creek trickling through and the coolness of the morning air, we journeyed along the pathways taking in not only the trees but also the ferns and clover fitting into their niche perfectly and the deer drinking and eating near the creek.  Oftentimes in this hectic world where nature is being destroyed, we need to stop and observe the beauty that was given to us.  And that we did....before heading to Sonoma and Napa to indulge on alcohol a.k.a. wine tasting.

Giants...Not the humans, my friends

Do I see a tree gnome?

Down by the creek...also pronounced "crick"

Momma Deer and Bambi

Creeper

Treehugger

UPDATE:  I've seen 4 fanny packs in the past two days...Jealous?

Shoes

    Did you know that the average woman has 40 pairs of shoes?  As you can probably guess, I had some difficulties fitting all of my shoes into my new closet.  Of course, this meant I couldn't buy anymore shoes...quite a change in lifestyle!  As you can also probably guess, I only went a little over a month without buying more shoes...
    It seems like every time I return to my hometown and visit my parents, we have to go shopping, yes, such a bother.  Yesterday, my parents, my niece, and I drove the hour to the nearest mall toting along our coupons and store rewards cards (we know how to shop; professionals, if you ask me).  The best news of the entire day, my niece (KD-Did) can finally wear women's shoes, my size at that.  I, therefore, had to teach her how to shoe shop, which is an art if you ask me.

She held on for dear life in these...

    I must inform you that department stores always display their smallest sizes, which is perfect for small-footed people like KD-Did and myself.  You never have to ask for a size to try on...makes shopping go much quicker!  These were the types of things I was teaching my niece the novice.  After treating my feet to many shoes, my loving Daddy bought me a new pair in exchange for some work for him (4 hours worth...boo!).  I informed PDub of this, and his immediate and silly response was questioning where I would put my new purchase.  I answered that I would put them on my feet....duh.
    After shopping, we headed home where KD-Did proceeded to fall even more in love with shoes.  She tried on all of my heels, and I taught her how to walk in them.  Maya followed us around as we strutted like supermodels.  I am so happy that I got to share a bit of my shoe fetish with family.

Work it...