Navy Wife
The old ladies across the street brought these oranges from Florida, they do this every year. “Groves” oranges actually (ironic), and they are absolutely the juiciest oranges I have ever had. We usually just poke a hole in the side and drink the juice because there is so much of it.
The other day when all of us girls went out, we had driven through a rather industrial part of Baltimore (least I think it was Baltimore….tho I’m a country girl so I was quite lost). It was night time, and quite beautiful to see all of the tall buildings lit up.
At one point we drove over some large river (again no idea where we were), and there were some naval ships docked at the edge of the river. Quite the flashback for me, remembering all the times I was in and out of the Naval Base in Norfolk Virginia. I loved going there at night, seeing steam come from the grates in the ground, how void everything was of human activity, only the sound of steam and various machines doing whatever it is they do.
I was very priviledged to be able to see aircraft carriers up so close, and watching submarines being lifted from the water for repairs. Our apartment at the time was right down the street, and large military aircraft flying over (and extremely low) was an everyday occurance. I got used to it.
When I was 16, I flew out to Chicago to be with “Ex #1″ while he was in boot camp in Waukegan. Quite a big thing for me at the time, being so young and flying so far away by myself. But I managed. On the way home, I had just enough money to take the shuttle from my hotel down to Chicago O’Hara airport. I had no money, just my ticket to get me home.
However my plane was delayed 10 hours, and I was starving. So I stole coffee creamers from one of the food places and drank them 
Just before “Ex #1″ and I got married, I took a Greyhound to Biloxi Mississippi, 32 hours one way. Many layovers, Atlanta Georgia is nice at night time, Mobile Alabama looked like quite the crap town.
I dunno, a part of me misses being a military wife. I mean there were a lot of bad things about it, the lack of money the crappy neighborhood, the constant deployments and duty days. But I enjoyed the structure of it, the order maybe? I’m not sure.
I’m very grateful to be home though. I originally moved home because “Ex #1″ was due for a 6 month deployment and I didn’t want to live down there by myself for that long. Also I didn’t like being away from my father because while I was down there, he had a stroke (I guess in November 2001?) and I would never forgive myself if something happened to him and I couldn’t be here. And obviously “Ex #1″ and I were pretty much separated, so there was no reason for me to stay.
Anyway, a trip down memory lane.
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