The sun sets early here at about eight o'clock.
There are no Chick-Fil-A restaurants in HI.
Adult cartoons are shown way too early, like in the afternoon!
Geckos creep me out. I can't say this enough.
Groceries are very expensive.
It's sort of really hot here.
My English complexion is not cooperating with the sun.
It takes forever to get anywhere because the speed limit is 25-35 mph around here.
Poke is delicious.
It's beautiful.
Seafood is delicious.
It's beautiful.
Watching the kids snorkel is entertaining.
It's beautiful.
The water is a perfect temperature, warm yet refreshing.
It's beautiful.
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Sunday, July 31, 2011
USS Arizona Memorial
Yesterday, we visited the
It was very sobering yet interesting at the same time.
It was also great photo opportunity. This flag flies from the severed mast of the USS Arizona.
1177 servicemen died on the USS Arizona alone; almost 2400 service people in total died that day. All I know is that there were a lot of names on that wall.
One of the Tree of Life windows
Oil continues to leak from the battleship 70 years later.
The USS Missouri AKA "Mighty Mo" where the Japanese surrender was signed.
The kids really do read about history.
The ship's bell
Cool sign
On our way back to the cottage, we stopped at the Pali Lookout. The views were spectacular even on a cloudy and rainy day.
This is how I feel about Hawaii.
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It was very sobering yet interesting at the same time.
It was also great photo opportunity. This flag flies from the severed mast of the USS Arizona.
1177 servicemen died on the USS Arizona alone; almost 2400 service people in total died that day. All I know is that there were a lot of names on that wall.
One of the Tree of Life windows
Oil continues to leak from the battleship 70 years later.
The USS Missouri AKA "Mighty Mo" where the Japanese surrender was signed.
The kids really do read about history.
The ship's bell
Cool sign
On our way back to the cottage, we stopped at the Pali Lookout. The views were spectacular even on a cloudy and rainy day.
This is how I feel about Hawaii.
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Saturday, July 30, 2011
Hawaii Day One and Two
We had a great flight on Hawaiian Airlines
and the views were beautiful.
We went over to our longtime friends' house, the Wilcoxes, for lunch. Again, it was like we had seen Shirley yesterday instead of seven years ago. Such good friends for over 20 years. Yikes!
The kids played in the surf on Pyramid Rock beach after we checked into our fab accommodations. Check out these views...
from our lanai...
I am going to spill a secret to all DoD readers that these places are available to us and are way cheap at $115/night. They are a bit spartan and really only accommodate four, but Owen doesn't mind the couch. They are also under an active airstrip but so far it's been more fun watching the planes and helicopters than being annoyed by the noise. Also, there is daily maid service.
Owen is doing what he does best...
catching hermit crabs and lassoing geckos...
and here is my cache for the day.
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and the views were beautiful.
We went over to our longtime friends' house, the Wilcoxes, for lunch. Again, it was like we had seen Shirley yesterday instead of seven years ago. Such good friends for over 20 years. Yikes!
The kids played in the surf on Pyramid Rock beach after we checked into our fab accommodations. Check out these views...
from our lanai...
I am going to spill a secret to all DoD readers that these places are available to us and are way cheap at $115/night. They are a bit spartan and really only accommodate four, but Owen doesn't mind the couch. They are also under an active airstrip but so far it's been more fun watching the planes and helicopters than being annoyed by the noise. Also, there is daily maid service.
Owen is doing what he does best...
catching hermit crabs and lassoing geckos...
and here is my cache for the day.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Thursday, July 28, 2011
McCarter Family Reunion
We had a great McCarter family reunion in Leavenworth, WA. Attendees included Gran & Gramps, Aunt Beth & Emily, Aunt Vic with Aunt Wendy & Melina, Uncle Pete with Taylor & Sammy, and ClanMcCarter.
The lodge we rented was pretty much in the middle of nowhere with limited bits and bytes of civilization. However, the sound of the wind in the trees and the incredible display of stars made up for it for me. We hung out and hiked some and made use of the hot tub.
Leavenworth is located in the Cascade Mountain range and it's situated in a gorgeous location. In the '60s, the train and logging had declined so the citizens of the town all jumped on a revitalization bandwagon. They decided to make the town a lot like a little slice of Bavaria which is in Southern Germany. It reminded us a lot of Garmisch which is a slightly Americanized town in Bavaria. The town went all out and it's very quaint if not kitschy. Even the McDonald's and Starbucks signs have a German flair. My favorite establishment name was a burger joint called Heidel Burgers.
One day we visited the
Applets and Cotlets candy factory in nearby Cashmere. They are locally (within WA) known for their production of delicious candy that is very much like Turkish Delight, but better and fruitier.
You, dear reader, may eventually experience this yumminess if you keep bein' nice to me. I felt like we were litruhlee in a mini Wonka factory including Oompa Loompas. We also stopped at the Pioneer Village Museum which was jam packed with American Indian artifacts and stuff. The kids enjoyed it too.
Another day we traveled to Duvall, WA to see some ex-Catonsville residents, Sue & Davin Henrikson and their daughter, Sophie. It was soooo good to see them and where they live and it was like I'd just seen them yesterday instead of at least five years ago. Good friendships never die. We went to the river for the kids to play and enjoy the town's Sandblast Festival, a bunch of small towny awesomeness.
We left Leavenworth on Tuesday and headed over to Vicki and Wendy's place to see where they lived and had to leave before Vic got there (she and Pete and the girls took a horse riding detour) so Vic & Pete if you are reading this, big hugs to you all. Then we were off to Portland, OR to spend the night and then catch a flight to Honolulu, HI which is where I am now writing this blog, on the plane that is. We can't wait to be in paradise and see some more friends.
Aloha!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
The lodge we rented was pretty much in the middle of nowhere with limited bits and bytes of civilization. However, the sound of the wind in the trees and the incredible display of stars made up for it for me. We hung out and hiked some and made use of the hot tub.
Leavenworth is located in the Cascade Mountain range and it's situated in a gorgeous location. In the '60s, the train and logging had declined so the citizens of the town all jumped on a revitalization bandwagon. They decided to make the town a lot like a little slice of Bavaria which is in Southern Germany. It reminded us a lot of Garmisch which is a slightly Americanized town in Bavaria. The town went all out and it's very quaint if not kitschy. Even the McDonald's and Starbucks signs have a German flair. My favorite establishment name was a burger joint called Heidel Burgers.
One day we visited the
Applets and Cotlets candy factory in nearby Cashmere. They are locally (within WA) known for their production of delicious candy that is very much like Turkish Delight, but better and fruitier.
You, dear reader, may eventually experience this yumminess if you keep bein' nice to me. I felt like we were litruhlee in a mini Wonka factory including Oompa Loompas. We also stopped at the Pioneer Village Museum which was jam packed with American Indian artifacts and stuff. The kids enjoyed it too.
Another day we traveled to Duvall, WA to see some ex-Catonsville residents, Sue & Davin Henrikson and their daughter, Sophie. It was soooo good to see them and where they live and it was like I'd just seen them yesterday instead of at least five years ago. Good friendships never die. We went to the river for the kids to play and enjoy the town's Sandblast Festival, a bunch of small towny awesomeness.
We left Leavenworth on Tuesday and headed over to Vicki and Wendy's place to see where they lived and had to leave before Vic got there (she and Pete and the girls took a horse riding detour) so Vic & Pete if you are reading this, big hugs to you all. Then we were off to Portland, OR to spend the night and then catch a flight to Honolulu, HI which is where I am now writing this blog, on the plane that is. We can't wait to be in paradise and see some more friends.
Aloha!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Monday, July 25, 2011
A Pitstop
On our way to Leavenworth, Craig wanted to make a detour to Snowqualmie Falls and North Bend as both were featured in an old TV drama that we love, Twin Peaks. We had visited both in years past and they brought back some good memories for us. The diner in North Bend was under new ownership but the pie was still as delicious as we remembered and diner food is delish, pretty much even with pub food. MmmmMmmm diners...
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Saturday, July 23, 2011
Seattle
We really enjoyed our day and a half in Seattle. We visited the
where we saw a ton of
and
We also saw a brass pig,
a metal giant squid,
and the ORIGINAL Starbucks.
We went to the Space Needle
which had beautiful views
and a cool logo.
The monorail took us right back to our hotel. Phew!
After wondering how to stay awake and fight jet lag...
We decided to see HP7b and all loved it.
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where we saw a ton of
and
We also saw a brass pig,
a metal giant squid,
and the ORIGINAL Starbucks.
We went to the Space Needle
which had beautiful views
and a cool logo.
The monorail took us right back to our hotel. Phew!
After wondering how to stay awake and fight jet lag...
We decided to see HP7b and all loved it.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Thursday, July 14, 2011
First Impressions
People smile. They smile A LOT. AND they look at you whilst smiling and/or saying hello - to a stranger.
People say "excuse me" all the time and realize they are blocking your way.
Whilst shopping, people stay to the right in an orderly fashion. It's really awesome.
Shopping carts (trolleys) don't drive themselves sideways, but they squeak more.
Cars stop for you to cross the road.
I had proper biscuits and butter and no one thought I meant "cookies".
Sweet tea is everything I remembered it to be and tasted really great in 95 F weather.
Leftovers can be taken home in a box.
Waiters automatically bring the bill.
Seinfeld.
Very wide roads and fabulous parking spaces.
Shorts, flip flops and ball caps are worn in the appropriate weather.
Sushi is amazing, especially an all-you-can-eat sushi buffet. O.M.G.
It's great to see people we know.
People are loud.
There is too much food served on a plate. We are all busting a gut.
Jet lag sucks. We are all up at 6, 6:30AM and exhausted by 7PM.
It's really hot. We are trying to get acclimated but it is hard work and probably adds to the exhaustion.
I have no idea what or who they are talking about on the radio. News is really news to me.
People wander in parking lots just like in the UK. I guess aimless wandering is a human trait.
People say "excuse me" all the time and realize they are blocking your way.
Whilst shopping, people stay to the right in an orderly fashion. It's really awesome.
Shopping carts (trolleys) don't drive themselves sideways, but they squeak more.
Cars stop for you to cross the road.
I had proper biscuits and butter and no one thought I meant "cookies".
Sweet tea is everything I remembered it to be and tasted really great in 95 F weather.
Leftovers can be taken home in a box.
Waiters automatically bring the bill.
Seinfeld.
Very wide roads and fabulous parking spaces.
Shorts, flip flops and ball caps are worn in the appropriate weather.
Sushi is amazing, especially an all-you-can-eat sushi buffet. O.M.G.
It's great to see people we know.
People are loud.
There is too much food served on a plate. We are all busting a gut.
Jet lag sucks. We are all up at 6, 6:30AM and exhausted by 7PM.
It's really hot. We are trying to get acclimated but it is hard work and probably adds to the exhaustion.
I have no idea what or who they are talking about on the radio. News is really news to me.
People wander in parking lots just like in the UK. I guess aimless wandering is a human trait.
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
The Journey
Our trip to Heathrow was uneventful but Neil, the driver, is definitely no nonsense. He was there in plenty of time probably expecting us to be running around like a bunch of chickens with our heads chopped off, but we were ready to go although we did almost forget Evan's suitcase. Teenagers!
We got to Heathrow it took a very long time to check in our 10 bags. In order to be allowed our ten bags, we did have an slight issue with the attendant needing to see Craig's ID which he had to hand in at work before leaving the country only to get another one exactly like it today at work in the States (stupid rules) but there's a blurb in his passport which sufficed. We had a great meal as far as airport meals are concerned. It was nice to be there very early to actually enjoy traveling. Owen found a DS game in the shop for less than five GBP so he was happy.
The flight was long. It's just not fun and the movie selection was a bit lame. However, I need to admit that I have been wrong for a very large part of my life. I have always avoided whatever genre Jane Austen and the Brontes are classified as for no real reason, just because... Jane Eyre is one of the best stories EVER and the latest remake with Mia W something of Alice in Wonderland fame was fantastic! Where have I been?!?! Thank-you Charlotte Bronte. Although I am still unsure about Jane Austen.
Immigration was great. The passport control guy was so wonderfully nice and friendly and American. Customs was silly and they are so clueless. In hindsight, we should have ignored the stewardess and NOT have claimed the ham and cheese sandwiches we were saving for later in case of child starvation emergency. And I should remember the real date of Craig's birthday, yeah, the one that's on his passport. Whatever.
We were reunited with all of our luggage (I counted it three times) and got our pre-booked shuttle. Our first impression was how HOT it was at eight pm. On the way to our hotel, we were entertained by some mighty awesome lightning storms. The gods knew that we were gypped out of fireworks on the 4th of July for three years and made up for it in spades. However, the shuttle we were in must've had wonky windscreen wipers or the windscreen was waxed because the visibility was awful for most of the way to Columbia. It was nerve-wracking.
The hotel is great & as roomy as needed plus there's a pool. We all were awake by six am this morning due to a time change vs. internal clock issue. We went straight to Chick-Fil-A and then to see Grandmom & Pop and then to Target. We are relaxing from the heat and having some American snacks whilst watching Cartoon Network, yes even me.
Oh, and one last thing, we have returned to Honda Odyssey land. I swear they are every third or fourth car on the road. Scary.
We got to Heathrow it took a very long time to check in our 10 bags. In order to be allowed our ten bags, we did have an slight issue with the attendant needing to see Craig's ID which he had to hand in at work before leaving the country only to get another one exactly like it today at work in the States (stupid rules) but there's a blurb in his passport which sufficed. We had a great meal as far as airport meals are concerned. It was nice to be there very early to actually enjoy traveling. Owen found a DS game in the shop for less than five GBP so he was happy.
The flight was long. It's just not fun and the movie selection was a bit lame. However, I need to admit that I have been wrong for a very large part of my life. I have always avoided whatever genre Jane Austen and the Brontes are classified as for no real reason, just because... Jane Eyre is one of the best stories EVER and the latest remake with Mia W something of Alice in Wonderland fame was fantastic! Where have I been?!?! Thank-you Charlotte Bronte. Although I am still unsure about Jane Austen.
Immigration was great. The passport control guy was so wonderfully nice and friendly and American. Customs was silly and they are so clueless. In hindsight, we should have ignored the stewardess and NOT have claimed the ham and cheese sandwiches we were saving for later in case of child starvation emergency. And I should remember the real date of Craig's birthday, yeah, the one that's on his passport. Whatever.
We were reunited with all of our luggage (I counted it three times) and got our pre-booked shuttle. Our first impression was how HOT it was at eight pm. On the way to our hotel, we were entertained by some mighty awesome lightning storms. The gods knew that we were gypped out of fireworks on the 4th of July for three years and made up for it in spades. However, the shuttle we were in must've had wonky windscreen wipers or the windscreen was waxed because the visibility was awful for most of the way to Columbia. It was nerve-wracking.
The hotel is great & as roomy as needed plus there's a pool. We all were awake by six am this morning due to a time change vs. internal clock issue. We went straight to Chick-Fil-A and then to see Grandmom & Pop and then to Target. We are relaxing from the heat and having some American snacks whilst watching Cartoon Network, yes even me.
Oh, and one last thing, we have returned to Honda Odyssey land. I swear they are every third or fourth car on the road. Scary.
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Monday, July 11, 2011
Full Circle
Well the day has arrived. On July 11, 2008, we arrived in Prestbury, Cheltenham, England thoroughly physically exhausted but totally excited. On July 11, 2011, we leave Prestbury, Cheltenham, England thoroughly mentally exhausted but totally excited. We have come full circle, litruhlee. A new adventure begins. Thanks for the best three years to all of our friends and this great country. See YOU again!
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Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Owen's Passed Out
The title of this blog requires some previous knowledge. I was reading something somewhere and I saw that a guy who had "passed out" of a military academy. Now I thought this meant that he got sick or failed but no, it means he graduated and was allowed to pass in review at graduation or something like that. So Owen has passed out of Junior School. He is officially a Senior School candidate.
The ceremony was lovely and brought me to tears a bit when the keynote speaker (who is the newly appointed Headmaster of the Senior School) actually told a story about an impromptu meeting/discussion about friendship he had had with Finn earlier in the year without naming names. Owen knew it was about Finn too which actually made him listen.
We all went out to dinner to spend a chunk of our US Government per diem rate, saw some friends who are flying away tomorrow and had a delicious but looong meal. Who knew it took a half hour to make gelati and dough sticks... We are 3/3 on the marathon meals since going into temporary housing. The McCarter curse.
The ceremony was lovely and brought me to tears a bit when the keynote speaker (who is the newly appointed Headmaster of the Senior School) actually told a story about an impromptu meeting/discussion about friendship he had had with Finn earlier in the year without naming names. Owen knew it was about Finn too which actually made him listen.
We all went out to dinner to spend a chunk of our US Government per diem rate, saw some friends who are flying away tomorrow and had a delicious but looong meal. Who knew it took a half hour to make gelati and dough sticks... We are 3/3 on the marathon meals since going into temporary housing. The McCarter curse.
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Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Mr 11
On the day we moved into temporary lodging, Owen turned 11. I eventually baked a cake and we celebrated a few days later. Owen was very accommodating which was a welcome bit of maturity. Here are some photos of our family celebration.
Here are some snaps from his party at BattleZone.
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Monday, July 4, 2011
Lynford Hall
Here are some snapshots of the place where Evan and I stayed whilst in the process of shipping the car.
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