SkyWatch Friday: My view for breakfast

If you've been paying attention you know I'm opposed to air travel.

As in, I won't do it.

The last time I flew was in 2007 when Andrew graduated from BMT in San Antonio.

And that's how I plan to leave it. In fact if I get my way I'll never fly again.

Without a generous serving of valium.

Unless Johnny Depp sends that private jet to pick me up.

Seriously. If Johnny texts Dearest Jennifer, my Gulfstream G550 is idling on the tarmac at Columbia Metropolitan airport, pack yer pirate duds and make haste ... well then.

Wheels up in thirty.

Until then, no. Just no.

So I would have a kid with all kinds of ants in his pants to get airborne at least five times a week.

This past Tuesday he was part of an aircrew that took off for Hawaii en route to Guam for a 21-day deployment.

At eight thirty that evening I received this text from my little tumbleweed:

Just landed in Hawaii

So I wanted to know where in Hawaii he was. On the big island?

No, we are on Honolulu, we passed the big island coming in

(Actually he was in Honolulu, on Oahu. But still.)

Here is the island coming in, you can see diamond head volcano

Indeed, right there it is.

I wanted to know if he was staying on base. That would be Hickam AFB.

Nope we are at Outrigger Resort Waikiki ;-) DBJ

J is for Jealous, DB is for Don't Be, and despite the fact that she who won't fly doesn't stand a chance of making it from South Carolina to the South Pacific, I was. Sort of.

I texted was he serious?

Yup base billeting is all full

Then:

Haha yes I'm serious

So I Googled Outrigger Resort Waikiki and was duly impressed and I texted my son that it sure looked luxurious.

Haha thanks for paying your taxes

Oh, well, you know. You're welcome. Although last time I checked, I hadn't any choice.

But I'm glad to pay taxes for American heroes to stay in a nice place for one night if base billeting is full.

And I told him so.

Haha yea I know, we sure are lucky, all of the passengers from our base that flew out here with us are all on base in billeting, they are so mad. Haha

Later Andrew texted the picture at the top of this post.

View from my room

And a few minutes later, this photo:

You know: the Hawaiian-resort-balcony-in-my-flight-suit selfie.

I texted back: You hot dog, don't fall. And: You look tired.

It was a long day not gonna lie.

So I said I hoped he slept like a little bitty baby that night.

But there was lots of day left in his Polynesian paradise and my guess is, the boy didn't sleep for many more hours.

Wednesday afternoon (South Carolina time) he texted this photo:

My view for breakfast

A few hours later he embarked on the four-thousand-mile flight to Guam, during which he crossed the International Date Line.

There's a fourteen-hour time difference between Guam and South Carolina.

So when my phone went ding at four oh seven Thursday morning, I was sound asleep.

Made it to Guam, completely exhausted

It had been an eleven-hour trip, on top of the nine-hour flight he'd endured the day before.

I came awake enough to reply that I hoped he'd be able to get some rest.

Then I went back to sleep and had lurid dreams of a scary Guam-like place.

I waited until late Thursday afternoon local time to text him again, when it was about seven thirty Friday morning in Guam.

He had awakened several hours before that, Jet Lag sitting on the bed beside him poking sticks in Andrew's eyes and laughing its mean old head off.

Aloha Boomer!

I wanted to know if he was flying that day (I hoped not).

No I don't fly until Monday, have a couple briefings to go to today

I texted: You're in tomorrow ... so weird.

I know it's really weird, lost a day but I will get it back on the way home with two days in Hawaii ;)

At which time his breakfast view will likely not be of Waikiki Beach.

But that's okay because it'll still be paradise.

He hopes to pay his respects at Pearl Harbor on the return trip.

I'm grateful that my son is serving his country and enjoying his life.

And if in the sky is where he wants to be, I'm glad he gets the opportunity.

As for me, I won't miss an opportunity to stay on the ground. But I'll be looking up.

=0=0=0=

Happy Friday ~ Happy Weekend

Comments

[Glenda]

What a view for breakfast. So happy that Andrew is loving the life he has right now and praising him for keeping in touch with you...great pictures too! He is a keeper!
Oh, and BTW...IAJ!!!

[Donna M.]

Ah, glad that he is getting a few perks, though he's paying for it dearly with the jet lag.

I love the flying part and getting to see God's world with my own two eyes. It's the airport part (including breast exams by TSA) that I can do without. Wish I could do some traveling right now, but I don't get much of what I wish for anymore.

[Mari]

Andrew is such a great guy! I love how he kept you in the loop. That's a great picture of him too. This taxpayer is happy to pay for guys like him to have a few perks. (Sure beats paying for POTUS to take another vacation!)

[Barb]

Dear Jenny, How great is Andrew's smile! Good Luck to him. I'm glad he got the perk. I don't particularly like to fly, but I do when there is someplace I need to be too far to drive.

[Freda Mans]

Lovely views!!

[Lady Fi]

What a wonderful view!

[Sally]

Many many thanks to your son for serving his/our country! I'm glad at least he got one night at such a beautiful place, and that he arrived in Guam safely. I know you're proud; heck I'm proud and I don't know Andrew. He's a good looking kid!

xoxo

[Felicia]

beautiful scenery.

God bless your son for his service to our country.

[Peter B]

He looks like a great kid! A night or two of relative luxury is very well deserved. Thanks for a fun post.

[irene]

What an adventure. I'm glad to watch from below as well.