Karen’s Place

It’s a little scary to fly when the pilot tells you the plane needs to be deiced before you can take off.

How is it that your luggage still makes your connecting flight even when you barely do?

What did we do before GPS?

I’m in a tiny terminal in Detroit and overhear the very nice man next to me on the phone talking about having to write a letter to MY department at MY company.  Can I ever really get away from work?  To answer your question, yes I helped him.  Just because I wasn’t on the clock, doesn’t mean I don’t still believe in great Customer Service.

Surprise whirlpool bathtubs in hotel rooms are a VERY good thing!

So, as you can tell, I’ve begun my journey East and I’ve brought my GPS along for the ride.  I tell you what.  With Jill as my co-pilot.  I think I could drive just about anywhere!  I’m not all that confident she doesn’t take me in circles sometimes around town, but you know what, as long as I get there that’s all that matters to me at this point.  Jill was the Garmin budget model and right now she’s working out just fine.  As a matter of fact, considering I don’t know the town anyway-how do I really know if I’m going in circles???  hummm??? 

Yesterday I flew into Norfolk, then rented a car and drove down here to Fayetteville NC.  I love this part of the country.  I’m serious when I say I’ve never felt more at home anywhere.  My company has an office in Raleigh,  I often look for openings one day if the time is right…The first thing I had to do was maneuver through downtown Norfolk.   I really had no idea how big this city was.  Or how much traffic it would have at 5:00 on a week night!  Ugh!  So, I’m sitting on the freeway and all of a sudden I start seeing signs ahead for a drawbridge.  Whoa!  A drawbridge?  Now that was pretty cool!  Too bad there was too much traffic that I couldn’t actually see around it or over it, or anything else.  It just looked like any other bridge to me at that moment.  Well, except for the fact that this one had gates that raised in lowered when needed.  I’ve never seen that in the middle of a highway.  Then not long after the drawbridge I began seeing signs for a ‘tunnel’.  A tunnel?  I drive though tunnels at home once in a while, out DOT never felt the need to announce it.  Holey Moley that this was not a little tunnel that goes under a street or railroad bridge…If I’m understanding correctly, and I will have to ask my Navy friend tomorrow.  This particular tunnel went under the ELIZABETH RIVER!  Now, this was impressive!  I was a little nervous at first, but then I loved it!  Again, I owe it all to Jill (my GPS), she was there the whole time coaching me to stay to the left on I-such and such.  So my normal worry of being lost in an unfamiliar area was gone.  I could really just enjoy traveling.

Last night I was able to go to my friend’s pub and listen to the guys do their thing.  They placed this song "The Green Fields of France" just for me.  They know it’s my favorite.  With my friends all going off to Iraq (or at least it seems), it felt appropriate.  I’m heading back tonight.  I hear Friday nights are crazy and lines are around the building to get in.  Good thing I know people! 

Tomorrow I head back to Virginia to spend the weekend with my Navy friend.  I’ll get to tour his ship and see the sights.  I’m not sure I’m coming home.  Brother Dan, think you can pack up my things???  :)