So far I have visited lots of states, but I still have several left to go. Here is the list. One of the girls that I worked with at Beading Dreams was from Alaska and that is definitely towards the top of my list.
 Late October on Lake Michigan Originally uploaded by mic stolz |
 Blue Footed Boobie Originally uploaded by DLSDesigns |
 The Eiffel Tower at Night Originally uploaded by DLSDesigns |
 Hog Island Shoal Lighthouse 1 Originally uploaded by DLSDesigns |
I was lucky enough to have beautiful weather and plenty of shooting time. I got some great shots of the Hog Island Shoal Lighthouse and the boathouse. I will try to upload the boathouse photos soon. You can check out all of my Hog Island Photos on my flickr.
It cold, dark, rainy and foggy out... Just a generally depressing day. A kind of day you want to stay inside in a nice warm house. Thank goodness I have no classes today so I can do just that. I just got back from taking Dad to the airport. It now a little bit past 6:30am and I have been up for two and a half hours. That wouldn't be so bad if I had gone to bed at around 9:00pm, but considering I has insomnia last night and didn't fall asleep until after 3:00am, it feels like I didn't sleep at all. This would have been such a good morning to sleep in, too.
I got to Dad's house around 4:35am even though I didn't have to get their until 4:45am. I thought about driving by Whataburger on my way for some taquitos, but Dad had told me I was his back up in case he didn't get up. Like the good little Daddy's girl I am, I got to his house early. BUT was he ready? Nope. So I sat on the couch for a bit. around 4:45am or so he came around the corner with his suitcases. Grunting, Dad asked, "Will you put these in the car for me?". I respond Sarcastically, "Oh, of course, Dad. Anytime. " I go out to the car with the suitcases and load them up. One of them seems to be at least 70 lbs. If not 70lbs., then it was definitely over 50 lbs. I then decided to get in the car and play some Tetris on my phone, but the car was too close to the wall to get in on the passenger's side. I went inside to get the keys and crawled in from the driver's side. About 15-20 aggravating minutes later, I crawl back out the driver's side to see where he is. I get into the kitchen and there is his meandering from his bedroom. I aggravatingly asked, "Are you ready? Where have you been?". Dad nonchalantly responds, "Oh, I was saying a prayer and printing out my boarding passes." How does he always make me feel guilty when I haven't done anything wrong? I said that we were supposed to leave 20 minutes ago and we're late. He casually says, "Oh, we're fine on time." I angrily think to myself, "Then why did you make me get up and dressed and to your house so darn early?
The ride to the airport was relatively uneventful and actually some what pleasant between us, until he told me that I have to pick Grandpa up at the airport on Saturday around 5:00pm and that I have to pick him up late on Sunday. Of course this completely disrupts my plans for Saturday. I haven't really made any friends since moving here 5 years ago and now that I am finally making some...grrr. I expressed to him the problem and that I was upset that the one time I actually have a potential social life he springs this. Again he pulls the guilt card. He said, "Well, you can see if Manuel or Francisco can pick up Grandpa...[pause to make me think he is being nice]. But it costs me $50-$60 for them to do that and I don't have the money right now." I know Stephanie wouldn't even think twice and she would just say she couldn't do it. Then she would get all pissy and Dad would say, "Okay, Okay, You don't have to do it." If I tried to pull the same stunt as her, he would pull out all the things he has done for me and how I owe it to him. Then I would feel guilty and probably cancel my social obligation. Stephanie says that he only does that because he knows it works. Well it does work. How am I not going to let it work?
Of course when I ask if I can get and keep the gray kitten, Dad said, "We better discuss this at Dr. D's". (Dr. D. (Abbreviated for his and my privacy) is my therapist and our mediator.) This translates to, "If you do blank, blank, and blank, then maybe you can have the kitten." Although when we are with Dr. D. he will say, "Sure you can have the kitten....fill in tangent...if you do blank, blank, and blank." Then he will ask Dr. D., "Do you think I am being unreasonable? How many father's do you know who are as supportive of their 26 year old daughter as I am?" I guess I am destined to be alone. No man... No kitten... All my potential suitors will be scared off.
When Dad and I pulled up to the airport, Dad informs me how I need to wait outside for him. He isn't sure if the heavy bag will be light enough to fit on the plane. I waited out front. A few minutes later he came outside and thanked me for taking him to the airport while he was asking me to hand him a bottle of water from the car. Then he says he going to be outside for a minute and I think he was going to ask me to stay with him. Before he got a chance to either guilt me into it or to ask it, I said, "I am going home and going to back to bed.
On the way home from the airport, I gave in to temptation and stopped at Krispy Kreme. We all know that at that unearthly hour, the glazed are hot and fresh. Mmmmm. I am not going to confess how many I ate, because 1 was 1 too many.
Between Krispy Kreme and home, I was feeling so relieved I could just go home and not have to go anywhere, because it is so dreary and cold outside. When I pulled in the driveway, I gathered up my things from the car and filled my arms with as much wood as I could carry. I built a fire in the fireplace and sat to blog. Now that I have finished blogging and have been up for almost 4 hours with only 1 hour sleep, I think that I am going to curl up under the covers and get some much needed rest.
While I sit here in this loud face paced café located at T.F. Green Airport in Warwick, RI, I feel at home. Although my driver’s license was issued in Massachusetts and for about 300 nights a year I lay my head on a pillow in Dallas, I find myself feeling most at home in this small café and bar. I am over 1500 miles from Dallas and almost 40 miles from the home I grew up in Norwood, Massachusetts, but this place feels comfortable and soothing. Perhaps it’s the sailboat models in the windows or the blue paint on the walls reminding me of my most “at home” place, the beach. Maybe it’s the sounds of the people. I hear “wicked” being used as an adverb and a waitress who doesn’t say her r’s, “What would you like to ohdah?” The feeling could be based on the familiarity since its probably the 100th time I’ve sat in this café as I took my first plane ride at 18 months.
I remember the time I sat at the next table over with my sister who has tears in her eyes as we discussed how much we missed this place, “our home”. We talk about the internal battle both of us as facing. Our hearts ache, because we are plane rides away from our friends, family, people we love, and each other. Yet, if we think logically and not emotionally we know that we are making the right decision to be so far away. Her career is taking off in Savannah and Savannah’s market is a good place for her to gain valuable reporter experience. As a poor college student, the cost of living in Dallas pales in comparison to the cost of living in Massachusetts or Rhode Island and I am forced to stay in Dallas until I have finished my Bachelor’s degree.
Another time I was here dining with my father. He insisted on sitting at the bar stools by the window, a much less intimate setting than the one my sister and I were at. We ordered two lobster rolls since Maine lobster in Texas is non-existent. Of course the man who is always in a hurry, order an extra to go.
Thinking about the memories and atmosphere which makes this place special, my heart longs to be home. I yearn to stay here. Will I ever feel at home in Dallas?
