Sub Mariners!

While in Connecticut, we took a visit across the Thames to check out the US Navy’s submarine museum, adjacent to the Groton Sub base. We were pleasantly surprised at how nice and thorough the museum was. After checking out some exterior displays we wandered through new display galleries marking the history of the US submarine force. The highlight of the museum is the tour of the first nuclear powered sub, the Nautilus. Encased in glass within the Nautilus was a first printing of Jules Verne’s “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea,” hence the name. The greatest disappointment in the museum was the snub at Southern submarines. A “yankee” mini-sub, the Turtle was developed to combat the blockading British navy in the Revolutionary War outside New York. The timeline of sub history picks up after the American Civil War, apparently overlooking the CSS Hunley, which actually sunk a ship. I suppose the natives of Connecticut were still sensitive towards the Housatonic, sunk by the Hunley outside Charleston. We discovered a somber display on the USS Wahoo, which was sunk in 1942 apparently by its own torpedo.

New London, CT

New London, CT...home of the United States Coast Guard Academy and Cadet Anthony "FREAK" Burley, c/o 2010.

Mystic Pizza

I didn’t have to work the week of spring break, so James and I decided we would go visit Tony at the Coast Guard Academy! We hadn’t seen him there since we dropped him off for swab summer last July, and we didn’t know when we would get a chance to go and visit again, so we decided to go. It was only about an 11 hour drive, so we got there Saturday night in time for dinner. We ate at Mystic Pizza, a famous pizza joint where Julia Roberts filmed “Mystic Pizza.” The pizza was actually fabulous, and the restaurant is in a quaint whaling town that has been restored. It was very cute, and I would love to spend more time there during the day, especially at some of the galleries and boutiques. Tony was allowed to stay out until 1:00 am, so we went back and watched movies before we took him back to base. On Sunday morning we went to church on campus, which has an absolutely gorgeous chapel and listened to Tony sing in the choir. It’s funny at church, because you can tell which class is which by the way the cadets dress. First years have to wear their uniform at all times, which kind of look like pilots’ uniforms.
Second years can wear khakis and a coast guard academy polo, which Tony is very excited about, and Third and Fourth years can wear whatever they want to.

Glowstick Fun!

I am such a little kid, and love things that glow in the dark! James and I brought lots of glowsticks to play with for Sarah and Abigail’s birthday…and it was so much fun. We made balls and necklaces and bracelets, and played outside in the cold with them. Grandma Gouger made a “bling bling” necklace with three balls that was awesome, and even AJ had a glowing collar. I’m sure the people driving by that night thought something crazy was happening at the farm, which made us laugh! When we were done playing with them, we decorated the front porch so that everyone driving by would enjoy a nice scene!!

Virginians!

It is sooooo good to be back in Virginia!! This is where we were meant to be! We love the winter and all of the beauty it brings. James and I intend to enjoy every chance of it we get!!

Can you see me?

The Old Mill

For three years now, I’ve wanted to go to the old mill at the farm, but it was always the wrong season. You can only go in the winter, because the path is too over grown in the spring, summer, and fall, and last time they went during the spring, Abigail picked up a copper head. So…it’s safest to say the winter is the time to do it. We went on an awesome short hike through the woods to the creek. Branches kept hitting us in the head, and Colin wasn’t too impressed with the branches, but we made it! Abigail and Brent have this awesome baby carrier for him… I think we are going to get a doggy one, because AJ was super tired out by the time we got back. The mill is from the late 1700s, and probably went out of commission in the 1830s. Some of the maps show the mill and some of them don’t, so there is some conflicting data as the size, purpose, and age of the mill. The ruins are really neat though! I enjoy being around ruins, because it makes you think about the past so much, and how awesome it is something could survive for hundreds of years! We got some awesome pictures while we were there…we only had seven digital cameras!! :-) We looked for the wheel, but couldn’t find it, although it has been seen before. >We think the hole was filled up, and we couldn’t differentiate between the wheel and the rest of the rocks. We followed the creek down to the old dam, which was also very neat!