Pobble Thoughts

Monday, July 13, 2009

And So It Begins


Kermit: Movin' right along in search of good times and good news,
With good friends, you can't lose,
Fozzie: This could become a habit.


Kermit: Opportunity just knocked, let's reach out and grab it,
Together we'll nab it.
Fozzie:Ya! We'll hitch-hike, bus, or yellow cab it.
Kermit (spoken): Cab it?


Kermit & Fozzie: Movin' right along

Kermit: Foot-loose and fancy free.
Gettin' there is half the fun; come share it with me.

Kermit & Fozzie: Movin' right along!

Kermit: Doog-a-doon, doog-a-doon
We'll learn to share the load.
Fozzie: We don't need a map to keep this show on the road.

(Dialogue)Kermit: (looking at the map) Hey, Fozzie, I want you to turn left when you get to a fork in the road.
Fozzie: Yessir: turn left at the fork in the road.(A giant fork appears in a fork in the road)
Fozzie: KERMIT!
Kermit: I don't believe that.

Kermit: Movin' right along we found a life on the highway,
Fozzie: And your way is my way--
Kermit: So trust my navigation.
Fozzie: California here we come, come pie-in-the-sky land.
Kermit: Palm trees and warm sand--
Fozzie: Though sadly we just left Rhode Island.
Kermit: (spoken) We did what?
Fozzie: (spoken) Just forget it.

Kermit & Fozzie: Movin' right along
Kermit: Hey, L.A., where have you gone?
Fozzie: Send someone to fetch us, we're in Saskatchewan.
Kermit & Fozzie:Movin' right along

Kermit: Doog-a-doon, doog-a-doon) You take it, you know best.
Fozzie: Hey, I've never seen the sun come up in the West.
Fozzie: (spoken) A bear in his natural habitat! A studabaker!

(Dialogue)Kermit: Hey, Fozzie, look up ahead.
(A tall creature is walking on the other side of the quiet empty highway)
Fozzie: What is that?
Kermit: Maybe we should give him a ride.
Fozzie: I dunno. He's pretty big. (The studabaker pulls alongside the creature)
Fozzie: Hey, there. Wanna lift?
Big Bird: Oh, no, thanks. I'm on my way to New York City to try to break into public television!
Fozzie: Ah...hmmm, good luck.
(The studabaker keeps on moving the other direction)

Kermit & Fozzie: Movin' right along
Fozzie:We're truly birds of a feather,
We're in this together--
Kermit: And we know where we're goin'.
Fozzie: Movie stars with flashy cars and life with the top down.
Kermit: We're stormin' the big town.
Fozzie: Yeah! Storm is right, should it be snowin'?
Kermit: (spoken) No, I don't think so.

Kermit & Fozzie:Movin' right along
Fozzie: Do I see signs of men?
Kermit: Yeah, "welcome" on the same post that says "come back again."
Kermit & Fozzie: Movin' right along

Kermit: Foot-loose and fancy free.
Fozzie: You're ready for the big time--
Kermit: Is it ready for me?

Kermit & Fozzie: Movin' right along!
~ The Muppet Movie
c. Kenny Ascher and Paul Williams





No bets on which one of us is Kermit and which is Fozzie.





Those are Pobble Thoughts. That and a buck fifty will get you coffee.

Posted by BostonPobble :: 6:33 PM :: 8 Comments:

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Monday, July 06, 2009

You Mean You Don't Know?

Lots of questions about where I'm moving. After all these years of reading and writing Pobble Thoughts you can't read my mind yet? Come on, people! I thought we had a bond here. *rolls eyes at self*

Since realizing I haven't spelled it out here, I figure it's time: We're moving...nowhere. And everywhere. We've decided to pack up, throw out, donate, minimize, clear out and store all our stuff and live on the road. :D:D:D:D:D:D:D Last night, our soon to be son-in-law came over and loaded up a truck AND trailer of furniture and household goods (remember the days when anything from Target could be considered "really, really nice" furniture?). We'll take them the beds this weekend. Yep ~ everything.

Lithus works for a new company now (his former employer finally laid him ~ and almost everyone else ~ off) but New Company is a smallish company, unlike Old Company used to be, so he works for contract rather than on a salary. If he's not working, he's not getting paid. I did the sit-at-home-and-wait thing for too long with the SGM. Even this last year with Lithus at O.C., I stayed home because Lionel couldn't travel well. Now? Now, my work can be done anywhere and Damned if I'm missing out on the adventure any longer. But if Lithus is going to be working that much and I'm going to be along, there's just no reason to keep an apartment and pay rent and utilities on a place we aren't. The N.C. pays for hotel and Lithus's expenses so all we have to pay for is my transportation and food.

At this point (because I have learned this is Totally subject to change at an hour or two notice), we are expecting to be either on the southern coast of Oregon fighting fires there, or back down in Vegas on a couple construction contracts. N.C. expects to have work for him through the summer at least. After that, he's got a lead on a job that starts late September in (drum roll please) Malaysia. Meanwhile, N.C. has also put bids on jobs in Australia and Africa; a friend of Lithus's has a lead on jobs in Chile and Portugal and they need another pilot (meaning Lithus); and N.C. is also working on more contracts in Mexico. AND Lithus has his c.v. out on job sites and has started getting requests for more information (one from Milan. Yes, MILAN, ITALY. Why would this suck?)

It's a totally new thing for both of us, living contract to contract and just having faith that the next gig will show up before we're out of cash from the last one. We have both always wanted to live this way and have never been with the person who would do it with us ~ until now. This is literally the culmination of a life-long dream for me. I remember being 11 when I saw my first road show (The Wiz) and realizing that OMG Not Everyone Lives In A House. That was it. I was done and this has been my goal since then. I'm thrilled beyond words and scared out of my mind. And happier than I have ever been in my life. :D:D:D:D:D:D:D

I also have faith that one of these days, our travels are going to take us near you, wherever you are.

For now, though, I have empty boxes taunting me so must get back to sorting and packing...

Those are Pobble Thoughts. That and a buck fifty will get you coffee.

Posted by BostonPobble :: 1:47 PM :: 10 Comments:

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Saturday, July 04, 2009

East Coast v. West Coast, In A Nutshell

When I have moved up, down and finally away from the east coast, my friends understood the time crunch that comes with moving. If the only way we got to see each other before I left was for them to come over and talk to me while watching me pack boxes, guess what? They came over and talked to me while watching me pack boxes. Usually they brought coffee because they are my friends and I am me. Helping wasn't the point, wasn't requested, wasn't expected (was sometimes given, though, but sometimes not). The point was having some last moments together to talk and laugh and experience one more story together.

When my friends moved, across town or across the country, I went and talked while watching them pack. Sometimes I helped; sometimes I didn't. That wasn't the point.

The few people who call us their friends out here have been told we want to see them, we want some time with them before we leave, we just have one week to get everything packed. We have invited them over, not to help, but to have some more time together before we leave the area.

Every Single One Of Them has said thanks but no thanks. One woman even said "Yeah, right, sure. I'm really gonna do that. But you call if you've got a free night to come over to our house."

Which is, in a nutshell, why I don't mind leaving the Pacific Northwest. At all.

Those are Pobble Thoughts. That and buck fifty will get you coffee.

Posted by BostonPobble :: 3:54 PM :: 12 Comments:

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Saturday, June 27, 2009

What Happens in Vegas...

...is actually pretty boring, really. After being told we would be in the Reno area through the weekend, Lithus came home Monday evening and said we were heading to Vegas for the week. A one day consrtuction job on Wednesday followed by a day or two on the same construction site Sunday or Monday (those that are coming up). So, he flew; I rented a car. He came straight to Henderson, NV. I got to spend the night in Beatty, The Gateway to Death Valley next to Nevada's Largest Nut and Candy Shop! Because really, who wants to miss that?

Now I can say that I've wandered the Strip, seen the fountain show at the Bellagio and eaten at the Harley Davidson Cafe. We went through the Freemont Experience and had wicked strong drinks in Hugo's Cellar. Tonight, we are hoping to catch a drag show.

But the truth is, I'm underwhelmed. Maybe it's because I don't gamble. Maybe it's because I don't like tourist traps. But should you find yourself out here, I would really seriously suggest you opt out of the Strip and head to Henderson. Remedy's is open 24 hours a day. The movie theatre is quite nice. And the Omelet House is worth the drive from Reno, let alone from Vegas.

But my favorite part of Vegas or Henderson? This very misplaced Bostonian is less than two miles away from a Dunkin Donuts. For this week at least. :)

Those are Pobble Thoughts. That and a buck fifty will get you a (Dunkin Donuts iced) coffee.

Posted by BostonPobble :: 9:11 AM :: 8 Comments:

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Monday, June 22, 2009

Back in the US

We are now back in the States (as of about 48 hours) and I finally have internet access. Last Thursday (or Friday? the days blur) we got the call that the contracts had indeed fallen apart and Lithus needed to return the helicopter back to the US. So we pushed hard and got her back here this weekend. Mind you, "here" is Sparks, NV which is quite a change from where I've been recently. LOL

There is so much to say and I can't put any of it into words. We have done so much ~ and really not all that much beyond flying in a helicopter. But Lithus and I have:
flown over the jungles of Mexico
flown over the oceans of Mexico
landed in major airports and tiny airstrips
lived in fleabags and 5-star hotels
learned to communicate enough in Spanish to get through a security check
had our sex toys found by VERY EMBARRASSED customs agents
sat on the beaches of Playa del Carmen and Acapulco and Cancun and Tulum
confirmed I don't like tourist areas but love local spots
slogged my luggage through 105+ degree weather
and so much more... and am LOVING every minute of it.

It feels so much like everything I've ever wanted. Everything makes me happy. And not just the beaches or fine meals. Delays are a good time. Customs searches are fascinating. Walking the 5 miles/day through and around the airfields to get all the paperwork handled in temperatures ranging from 95 to 110 is an adventure. Neither one of us can imagine ever going back to lives we were living before ~ and we were living more interesting lives than many people.

So, we're here in Sparks this week. Lithus will make a one-day jump down to Sacramento or somewhere to get the helicopter certified to fight fires here in the US and then we'll go...somewhere else. Probably CA or OR for the fires there. Meanwhile, his company is still trying to work out contracts with other companies in Mexico so we're hoping to get back there. Plus, he is continuing to apply for jobs overseas (the Caribbean, the Middle East, Malaysia, Hawaii [not overseas, I understand, but a very different culture than from the mainland]) and lots of contract work so we can either be based in somewhere interesting or keep living like carnies and travel. Even Sparks, NV is fun and an adventure when it's one stop on a long list of stops.

This is far from the end of Pobble Thoughts. Yet I get the feeling that posts may be a little more sporadic and even more stream of consciousness than usual. I'm still around, though. It's just gotten interesting. Why would I leave now? ;) Pictures soon as we have a cord for the camera. Until then,

Those are Pobble Thoughts. That and a buck fifty will get you coffee.

Posted by BostonPobble :: 10:11 AM :: 8 Comments:

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Thursday, June 11, 2009

What I Learned On the Way to Merida

My husband is a stud (even more than I'd realized).
You can get sunburned in a helicopter.
Nothing is as cool as that first take-off.
Unless it's the first hard bank.
Listening to air traffic control is as cool as I'd always hoped it would be.
Listening to guapo es spouso be a part of air traffic control conversaton is even cooler than I thought it would be.
It is possible to take a nap with the window open, the headset on, getting a sunburn and going 120 knots half a mile above the earth's surface.
120 knots is 160 mph to you and me.
Men with big guns get their way, even if they only want it because they are bored.
Flight plans get filed in one office.
The Aeropuerto de Commandancia has to stamp the flight plan in another office.
They are next door to each other.
No, you can't cut through the door ajoining the offices.
Dozing with your head on your leather bag in the shade of a helicopter is cool as shit, even when it's hotter than hell.
Living the life of a gypsy or a carnie is even better than I had imagined at 11 years old.
Running away with the circus was a great idea when I was a kid.
Running away with el piloto y el capitan is even better as an adult.
My husband is a stud (even more than I'd realized).

Those are Pobble Thoughts. That and a buck fifty will get you coffee.

Posted by BostonPobble :: 7:00 PM :: 6 Comments:

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Monday, June 08, 2009

What Happened Next

Thank you all for your support around Lionel's death. It was a hard week. Flora was great. Lithus was great. And the house was very empty. Life, however, goes on.



Thursday morning, Lithus called for my morning phone call (he always calls before he leaves the hotel for work) and said "Can you be on a plane tonight?" At which point I said "No way in hell." Then we argued a bit until he finally assured me that I didn't need to get everything done that he had asked me to do and I let go of needing to do everything he had asked me to do. Without those constraints, the answer was yes, actually, I could be on a plane that night. And so I was.



By Friday evening, I was in Mexico. He met me at the Cancun airport with his own suitcase. Since we hadn't had a honeymoon back in February, he decided the first two days of my time in Mexico would be honeymoon. We went to Cancun Desire. Oh my. It was everything you'd want a honeymoon to be. More.

Sunday, we were back in Cancun proper. We spent the afternoon tooling around the touristy areas but made it "home" ~ old town Cancun ~ in time for dinner with the crew. And here we are. Maybe until tomorrow. Maybe until next month. Who knows.

Holding the monkey made me miss Lionel's soft furriness. Seeing the man walk his dog made me tear up. And life goes on. In unusual and wonderful ways.

Those are Pobble Thoughts. That and a buck fifty will get you una cafe.

Posted by BostonPobble :: 12:51 PM :: 6 Comments:

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