Travel Video... No Really You'll Like It

I envy these guys for the project that took them around the world to film this one minute video... one second / one location at a time. It is very well produced and makes you want to jump on a plane, tomorrow... after your auto parts are delivered!

MOVE from Rick Mereki on Vimeo.

Autopartstomorrow

In Fort Worth, Dallas or Houston…

or in San Antone…

It’s doesn’t matter where, but this time, Dallas it is. I’ll be there for a few days for a conference. This trip has added benefits in the fact that my friends from across the state will be there. I can contact any of them by email, telephone or text, but we don’t get to meet in person often, so we take advantage of the opportunity when we can.

Education Service Center Regions in Texas

We’ll, laugh, joke and learn from each other. We started as a group of strangers and we’ve become a group of friends. These are the people I depend on when I have a problem in the program I work with. I have no qualms asking dumb questions. Sometimes I get dumb answers in return but most of the time I get new ideas, new information and new perspectives or find the answer that was in front of me the whole time.

It’s not often a group forms the dynamics we have, especially with the distance involved, and it is a real pleasure. I’ll be surrounded with support and encouragement. I’ll bring it back with me and hope it can last until the next time we meet in person.

In Beaumont, Lubbock or Austin. Or in El Paso…

In Fort Worth, Dallas or Houston. Or in Abilene…

I tried something new the other day. I just happened to see an advertisement for a crocheted bead bracelet class. It was my week off from work so I made arrangements to go. When I went in to register and got a look at the bracelet, it wasn’t what I had thought. In fact, it looked really simple to put together. And it was. I had to string the beads that were in the kit before I got there and bring a crochet hook.

Beads strung on cord

There was no pattern. Instead we got spoken instructions. I didn’t mind that but some of the finishing techniques were new to me and I’d have liked a written copy or a picture or something to make sure I can do it should I try another one. The crochet part was simple. It was chain for about four and a half inches with a bead in each chain. Then there were three single chains, without beads, and another section of four and a half inches with beads. This continued until the cord ran out.

Crochet bead chain

Putting it together wasn’t all that hard either. What I found out is that I can’t see! I really couldn’t see the ring to open it or to put it on the beads. I couldn’t see to add the charms. I didn’t even know I couldn’t see what I couldn’t see! I got a little help from the instructor on that part.

Charms might not have been exactly where I wanted but since I couldn't see...

The end product didn’t look bad at all! I enjoyed the class and hope I can participate in more. Maybe my next class should be one of those eyeglass holder necklaces, with some new glasses attached!

Finished product!

The arm isn't so great but the bracelet is!

I hope I can meet with my peeps again soon. Anywhere.

In Wichita Falls or Waco or San Angelo…

Somewhere round about Fort Worth Dallas or Houston or ol' El Paso…

I'm Learning To Fly

But I ain't got wings.

Coming down is the hardest thing…

I’m beginning to realize that I may be challenged when it comes to airline travel. It is very easy when I’m with someone who isn’t travel challenged and I follow their lead. It’s when I’m on my own that it becomes a bit more difficult! I do contend however, it’s not completely my fault. Well, ultimately it is, but rationalization works for me.

Southwest Airlines is my favorite airline. They are helpful, friendly, give travel points and drink tickets and don’t charge for luggage unless it’s over fifty pounds. You are allowed two pieces of luggage, or one hundred pounds, so you can take several pair of shoes or bring several pair back! You are also allowed two carry on items, one being a personal item, like a purse, then another bag, like a computer bag or such. This allows many to bypass the luggage check process completely. Alas, the one quart baggie ordnance prohibits me from this luxury, but I do have plenty of leeway to bring back items from educational conferences or shopping excursions.

My one quart baggie with liquids 3 oz or less

Southwest also has a frequent flyer program that allows a traveler to reach what they call an ‘A’ list status after so many trips or now, points. The ‘A’ list provides some perks such as always being in the first 60 to board the plane. It also allows you to bypass long security lines at some airports and you don’t have to check in 24 hours in advance to secure an early boarding pass.

I was on the ‘A’ list for two years. It was great. I would watch my travel companions check in exactly 24 hours ahead of their flight only to receive a ‘B’ or higher boarding document. I would retrieve my pass when we got to the airport and smugly get in the ‘A’ line.

Alas, all good things come to an end. With changes in job descriptions and budget restraints I didn’t travel as much during the year and I lost my ‘A’ status. It’s not really a big deal except for one problem; I cannot remember to check in ahead of time!

On a recent trip to Austin, as I was driving to the airport, I suddenly remembered I had forgotten to check in. EXPLETIVE! Luckily I have the SWA app on my Droid so I carefully checked in with one hand as I was driving.

Fully expecting a ‘C’ boarding pass I was surprised to see a note to pick up the boarding pass at the ticket counter. I had never received that message before!

I got to the airport about 45 minutes before the flight was scheduled to leave. Did I mention I might have left the house a little late? It’s a small airport with little to no waiting so I wasn’t terribly concerned. I went to the self check counter to print my pass and it wouldn’t print. I checked my bag and went through security and went to the counter at the gate and got the pass. It was C 27, but I was on the plane!

I knew I would be a middle seat. When you are a ‘C’ there is little to no eye contact because nobody wants you to sit between them. I was lucky and when I boarded the 3rd row had an empty seat. I asked and was granted the space between two nice, thin, women.

The trip turned out well with my luggage and I both arriving at the same destination Lessons learned? If you are not checked in an hour before your flight is to depart the airline can (and will) give your place to another passenger. From now on I will set an alarm on my phone to remind myself to check in. It’s also possible to purchase an ‘A’ pass by paying a $20.00 fee. In my case that just might be a good investment, at lest until I can get back on the ‘A’ list!

I'm learning to fly around the clouds

But what goes up must come down

I’m getting tired of doing everything twice! It started with the crocheted Summer Twilight Shawl, continued with the green/blue Bias Shawl and now drifted over to the One Skein, A Stole project. I had a random skein of Noro Silk Sock yarn and it called for Noro Sock yarn. My mistake. There’s about 100 yard difference. So I took it out and found another random skein of Noro Sock yarn and started again. It will definitely have to be blocked. I also got two of my Madeline Tosh's in, Malachite and Dahlia. The pictures don't capture the color. They are both beautiful. I'll plan a project for my next airplane trip!

Noro Silk Sock yarn wound in a ball after ripping.

One Skein A Stole

Close up of stole

Madeline Tosh in Dahlia and Malachite

I'm learning to fly
I'm learning to fly

Puff The Magic Dragon

Lived by the sea,

And frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called Honah Lee.

Little Jackie Paper loved that rascal Puff,

And brought him strings and sealing wax and other fancy stuff.

I had a lot of toys when I was growing up. One of the first I remember was a sock doll named Jack. My mamaw made him for me. He was made like a sock monkey except he didn’t have the monkey snout or a tail. But Jack was special. She made his head by tying a string tightly around the top part of the sock, stuffing it and gathering the cuff to make his head. He had a little tuft of sock cuff at the top, I guess his hair. She embroidered eyes and a mouth on him. He had blue eyes and a red mouth.

I carried Jack with me wherever I went. I loved his head off! Since he was getting pretty ragged, she made another doll. His name was Johnny and he had green eyes. I don’t know if they thought I wouldn’t know the difference or what, but I knew it wasn’t the same. I’d leave Johnny and look for Jack whenever they tried to trade them on me. Jack’s head was safety pinned shut and most of the stuffing was gone, but I still carried him around. Johnny never even had his head loved off! I’m sure I still have him somewhere, with the near perfect Johnny, in a box.

As I got older I found other toys and entertainment. My family lived on a corner where the street made a T. That gave us a long stretch of sidewalk to play on. I had skates. These weren’t the kind of skates that attached to a shoe. You had to put your own foot and shoe in and tighten the skate with a skate key. I wore the skate key on a string around my neck because if it was lost the skates didn’t work. My good friends and I would skate up and down that sidewalk for hours.

Skate key used to tighten skates.

My sister and I also had a wagon. It was really fun if you could get someone to push you. Steering was done with the wagon tongue. If you were going too fast it was easy to miss the corner and fly into the street. That happened more than once!

I never had a Barbie. I never even wanted one. I had troll dolls instead. I had a whole family, a single mother family. Goldie Gotrocks was the matriarch. She had a daughter named Lola and and a baby named Moonye. She was a regular size troll doll and Lola was one that would fit on a pencil top. Moonye was a tiny plastic doll, probably from a gum machine. They had an aunt named Starlynn. I played for hours with these dolls. My sister and I and the girls across the street, Jana and Judy, would make clothes, create elaborate soap opera type stories and build little houses, most of the time in the squares of the very same sidewalk where we skated. Judy and Jana had a troll doll house. It was plastic and folded and latched, like a little suitcase. I thought it was the best thing ever. It really enhanced the value of their property. But, since Goldie was a hard working single mother all she could afford was the makeshift house on the sidewalk square!

This isn't Goldie. She's in my hope chest in storage. But it's kind of how she looked but shorter.

Probably the best thing I had when I played, was my imagination. That’s what made Goldie Gotrocks and family. That’s when we weren’t skating up and down a sidewalk but racing in a roller derby or setting a new world record. That’s how I talked to Jack when I needed to. I see the littles using their imaginations all the time and it makes me happy. Evan plays super heroes and knows all of the trendy new toys because of his age. He likes video games but they haven’t captured his attention entirely. He can play outside, on the slide tower they have, for hours. Caleb is a dinosaur and can tell you anything (and more) than you ever wanted to know. He set up a Natural History Museum dinosaur exhibit with all of his plastic toys. Belle talks to her babies and has some quite good conversations. She and Caleb love to bring fast food orders out to you. At any time one or all three may have a cape of some sort attached to their backs or maybe a hat or scarf or some such costume.

I’m not sure at what age you stop playing with toys. It varies I’m sure. One of my boys still secretly (or not so secretly) plays with his little cars! Some people never really stop but they don’t play like they did when they were little. People tend to substitute big kid toys for the toys they played with as kids. They cost more but the purpose is the same. What stops, in some cases entirely, is the imagination. Kids are allowed to do things that adults would never do because of social rules and norms. If you see an adult with a cape pinned to his back running around with a plastic dinosaur in hand what would you think? Seeing a child doing just that brings a smile to even the dourest personalities.

Is seems that adults have to work a lot harder at sparking imagination. Often, it’s not anyone’s fault. Daily routines, responsibilities and even habits can frequently cause the imagination to deteriorate. That’s why there are so many ‘bored’ adults around. Try hanging out with or even watching little kids play. You’ll not be able to keep out the power of their dreams. You might even find your dragon.

Lego Dragon at Disney World. Puff?

A dragon lives forever but not so little boys.

Painted wings and giant rings make way for other toys.

One grey night it happened, Jackie Paper came no more.

And Puff that mighty dragon, he ceased his fearless roar.

Day 350, March 16, and we’re in Orlando. No bus problems today, yet, so we get to look around. We caught the shuttle for Downtown Disney and head out to look around. We found a good place to eat, Captain Jack’s, then shopped around for souvenirs for the littles.

It was humid which made us hot because we’re dessert rats! I checked email and got a message from a blog friend in Ireland, Sinéad, and she said be sure and stop by Raglan Road Pub. I looked around and we were right there. I told Alan it must be an omen so we stopped. It was a nice break.

Wednesday night took us to Epcot. It took a while to get the shuttle so we hurried to the restaurant. We got there to be told we had to have reservations. Thanks for the notice. Anyway, we hurried to another restaurant, on the other side, and were told, and not very nicely, they were closed. It was 9:02 and they closed at 9:00. I realize they’ve worked all day but jeez, she could have been polite. By this time it was late so we headed towards the bus again while the fireworks show started. We didn’t stop to watch but stole glances as we hurried towards the bus. Thank goodness we beat the crowd. We ended up eating in the dining hall at the resort. It all turned out well but we were tired yet again…or still. I chose a red variegated sock yarn.

Day 351, is March 17, and St. Patrick’s day. I had green. We went back to Downtown Disney, ate and did some last minute shopping. Then it was time to get the bus so we went back. Alan and Hector went for the bus and I sat out by the pool in the shade with a couple of the other drivers and listened to them talk while I knitted. It was a relaxing time before the trip back. I’m not sure why but we were scheduled to leave at 8:30 pm. Everyone was exhausted after being on the go all day. And grouchy. I was glad to be in the suburban! I took the first shift driving and we were on the way. I chose a green variegated cotton I was using for some St. Paddy day knitting.

My new shirt

St. Paddy Day knitting

Day 352, March 18, and we are still driving. It’s such a long way. We finally made it to Texas at 11:45 am.

First rest area in Texas

There’s probably at the least 12 more hours to drive. I chose a variegated worsted with pink, green, purple and orange in it. Day 353, March 19, and we’re home. I’m glad to be out of the car. My ankles were starting to swell! Well, one anyway. It was midnight or a little after when we finally got in. Just went straight to bed then sat around and rested all day long. We had steak for supper and started gearing up for the coming week. I chose a pink variegated tape yarn. It was a good trip and I’m glad that the kids get to go. It’s the only time some will have the chance. I hope they remember forever and keep their imaginations. I’m afraid for some it’s already too late.

Together they would travel on a boat with billowed sail.

Jackie kept a lookout perched on Puff's gigantic tail,

Noble kings and princes would bow whene'er they came,

Pirate ships would lower their flags when Puff roared out his name. 
Oh Puff, the magic dragon lived by the sea...

If I Leave Here Tomorrow

Would you still remember me?
For I must be traveling on, now,
’cause there’s too many places I’ve got to see.

And then there were none. We have an empty nest again. According to Google Maps, Bryce is a 5210.33 miles away. Ty is 958 miles away. Callye is only 100 miles away, but sometimes it seems like 1000, too. Point is none of them are here. Well, except for Junior of course.

Bryce is in another country. 5000+ miles is hard for me to picture. But I’m happy for him. He’s on his big adventure! He’s working on a master’s degree in geophysics in Europe. It’s a two year program. He starts off in The Netherlands and goes to Switzerland and then Germany. It’s exciting and scary at the same time. For me that is! I knew, at least, while he was in the states I could go see him if I needed to or be there if there was an emergency. I don’t have that comfort now.

 We helped Bryce move from Tulsa, where he’d been for three years, back to Crane so he could prepare for his big trip. It was a hard trip to Tulsa. We left at 4:00 pm and got there around 4:00 am. We did stop and eat Chinese food in Abilene, but other than that we didn’t stop. As soon as we arrived we went to bed, for a while anyway. Alan and Junior slept in the living room. Yes, Junior was there. I slept in the bedroom with Bryce. The little bed in the extra room was already packed up. It seemed like we’d just lain down and it was time to get up.

He had worked. I was skeptical because I know my kid. But he had done some packing. Quite a bit really, which made it a lot better then it could have been. He and Alan went on a speedy breakfast run, while I got a quick shower. Bryce’s friend James came over and the fun began. They got started on loading the big items, the couch, table, chairs, etc., and I was relegated to his bedroom to start on the clothes.

My job was to pack up Bryce’s clothes and stuff in his room. I looked in his closet and I felt a kinship. He likes shoes and clothes. I do too. And neither of us think you can have too many! His clothes are hung, grouped together by color. I have more clothes than him but I like mine grouped the same way. He doesn’t like to wear the same pair of shoes two days in a row. I don’t either. He wants enough underwear and socks available so he doesn’t have to go to the laundry every week if he doesn’t want to. I think that’s a necessity. He likes his quilts and afghans. I love quilts and made the afghans!

 I start to pack. He doesn’t have any wire hangers, which for some reason I find humorous. I take the shirts off their plastic hangers in the order they are hung. The color grouping is transferring to the suitcase. I can’t help it. I’m rolling each shirt and placing it in the suitcase. Next are his pants, rolled as well, and put in a suitcase. I even set his shoes, pair by pair, into another bag. It occurs to me that I’m packing the last three years of his life into suitcases and bags.

 

 Soon, his apartment is almost empty. The warm rooms, the bright colors, home as it’s been for the past three years, is fast becoming a memory. As I am packing I think about what I’m doing. I’m not just packing belongings. I’m helping Bryce get ready for a new journey along life’s highway. It’s a long way ahead and he’s ready. And I’m reminded that it wasn’t all that long ago when I was the one getting ready for the journey. And it makes me a little sad.

But, if I stayed here with you, girl,
Things just couldn’t be the same.
Cause I’m as free as a bird now,
And this bird you’ll never change.

Day 144 of knitayear is August 22, 2010. I called mom, a day late, and wished her happy birthday. She sounded good. It’s Sunday and I’m tired. Seems I’m always tired. But it’s a good day, taking things easy, getting some things done but not stressing. Rested at the end of the day, I’m ready to face the week ahead. I chose a ribbon yarn, a blue/black/orange and green colorway. It’s peaceful to me, colors that meld together and remind me of sunset somehow. Day 145 is a typical Monday. I’m busy, with a lot of things to get done. I’m tired by the end of day. Again. I chose a brown and green sock yarn, doubled. I’m trying to remember what I made out of it and it’s slipping away, just at the edge of my memory. I give up. Tuesday, August 24 is day 146. I can’t believe I’ve been doing this for 146 days. That’s a long time! And what is it? I still don’t know. It’s just a year of my life. I am still tired. Drained. I visited two schools today. The visits were productive. I chose a black/gray flag yarn. I can’t perk up. The white part is the energy and the gray, sinking til it’s finally black with no energy left. Day 147 is August 25. I’m helping some schools who are having trouble with their accountability. It’s a state rating thing. I’m not sure why I was asked. But I’m here, nevertheless. I have a lot to do and I’m satisfied when all the schools are settled and I can go back to my desk and get my stuff done. I chose a purple/green/blue variegated wool. It’s pretty and a great combination. It makes me feel better for some reason. I’m ready for the rest of this week’s journey. I think.

 

Bye, bye, it’s been a sweet love.
Though this feeling I can’t change.
But please don’t take it badly,
cause lord knows I’m to blame.

Cause I’m as free as a bird now,
And this bird you’ll never change.