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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.

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.

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.

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.

Monday, June 01, 2009

Lionel

Whenever possible, I celebrate the finishing of a book with time at a spa. Today was the Bobby's Book Spa Day. I was gone for about 5 hours. When I came home, I could hear Lionel barking from the street.

Upstairs, the place was covered in vomit and poop. He was on the kitchen floor, unable to get up. I cannot think what his day was like. I made it home in time and that is what matters. I picked him up and he collapsed his head on my shoulder. He never does that.

Without even putting him down, I called the vet.

It was fast and appeared painless.

There may be more later. There may not be.

That's all I got tonight.

Addendum ~ The hardest part is when I realize he isn't coming back. He's not at a play date. He's not hiding or asleep under his blankets. The vet won't be calling to say I can come pick him up. Lionel just...isn't coming back. As Lithus pointed out, it happened suddenly. It was expected but he was fine this morning. This morning. And now he isn't coming back. That's when I start to cry again.