The Bounds of Knoxville Visit

We had a lovely visit from Patti and Tommy in late October. Although we haven't managed to post several previous trips, I figure this one is worth jumping the queue.

To the right, the famous Big Ben. Jordan, Tommy, and Patti spent Monday in London, seeing the sites.

I started the year with 25 days holiday plus bank holidays. I now have one remaining day left to take. I suppose we've gotten out of town quite a bit, but to me it seems like I need MORE days off!

Anyway, I only had Thursday and Friday off, but Jordan

took the whole week off. They went to see the American Military Cemetary and to London at the beginning of the week. Thursday we left for Edinburgh, Scotland, and came back to Cambridge on Saturday.

This squirrel apparently was very friendly with Tommy, as you can kind of see here.

View from the Endinburgh caste, which sits on a hill in the city.

It was really chilly. In the above photo you can see both Tommy and I purchased new hats on the trip.

This is outside of a little cafe in what used to be a blacksmith's building en route to Edinburgh. It was incredibly windy in the hill country. We got to see lots of sheep grazing or hunkering down to avoid being blown off the hill. Okay, that may be an exaggeration, but it makes a point.

In Jordan's squadron.

In front of Cafe Rouge, where we had a delicious lunch on the Saturday Tommy and Patti arrived.

Quayside, Cambridge, where a lot of punting goes on.

Rota, Spain TDY

http://www.spain-holiday.com/rentals/travel/road/maps/132/Rota/1/Rota.html
(map - Rota is in Andalucia, South of Seville, near Cadiz)
I got to go TDY with Jordan and his crew to Rota, Spain. It was so much fun and I really appreciated being able to see what this part of his life is like. The gorgeous beach and constant sunshine weren't bad either.
The view from the beach inland.
A lot of these pictures aren't in order, but this is of Jordan's takeoff to come home to Cambridge. We were only supposed to be there one night, but due to some circumstances, we stayed an extra night/day. My boss was very understanding about my last minute, emailed request to stay. I'm told it was the office excitement for the day. I brought 2 dozen Krispy Kreme doughnuts in the next day, so I am pretty sure all was forgiven.
Here is the runway in Mildenhall. I got to sit in the jump seat and be on the radios, so I was able to get such a shot just prior to landing.

There was a festival in Rota, kind of like Cotillion girls parading around in honor of some saint. More data needed on that one. We all thought Ms. Spain was there (not true).

A good looking man at work.

So, I am thinking to myself, what if my husband really messes up this landing, what if...I am tossed from my seat and the next thing I know my head is contacting the top of the plane? well, these things never entered my mind....I knew that the landing would be great and I would be really comfortable the whole time....well, the landing was great. I would fly Jordan Airlines anytime and with good reason, the landing was soft and really good. My confidence was restored and it was honestly the best landing I have ever experienced. Now....I must confess there have been some other good ones, but what else can I say....we were to spend the better part of two days on the beach. Okay, well, I admit, Jordan is writing now and I (Jordan) am a little biased, but you get the point.

There is a time when you feel the sun shining, the stars aligning and the time spent apart starts to make sense, you now know what it feels like to be with the one you love, doing what they love, you now know why you spent these nights apart and while you can understand there is a part of you that doesn't want to. You now know that nights on Spanish beaches, while nice, are never the same without you and that your place can never be replaced. You will now know those things that you only guessed before....your eyes have been opened, maybe for good, maybe for not...but at least now you know what it is like to say goodbye and not knowing when it is that the sun will shine on you again and reunions will be again.

Sitting on the jet, waiting to go home (we didn't go that day, which was great)

Me on the wing. I have a nervous posture here because I wasn't entirely sure I should be out there. It did give me a chance to soak up the sun whilst stuck on the plane from 9ish-3:30ish


The room we had on Rota Naval Base was incredibly nice. This is the sitting room.