Green Line Train to Dallas

Mister Guy and The Lady have been really busy that last two weeks getting ready to go back to school. They are teachers and have to be prepared to share what they know with all of their students, so they have not been able to help me work on my blog post.

Mister Guy started back to school two weeks ago and The Lady started this past week.  I have never gone to school, but when I listen to them talk about it, I think school might be fun. They told me I would be the only blue and orange furry monster at school if I went. Maybe someday they will take me.  While they have been gone, I’ve been at home thinking about all I have seen since they adopted me.

In July I wrote about trains, planes and automobiles. Well, I hadn't really seen any trains back then. But, now I have! Just before school started, we all went to downtown Dallas on the train.

Mister Guy needed to go to take some papers to the County offices. The Lady wanted to go to a place called Thanksgiving Square. They said it is a really pretty chapel. I wanted to go because I am always full of thanksgiving because they adopted me. They told me that having me makes them always thankful too. 

To get downtown we rode something called the DART train!  We went to a special place called the Farmers Branch Station, bought tickets and got on the long yellow and white train. It is called the "green line" so I don't know why the train is yellow.  Mister Guy and The Lady said blue and orange furry monsters get to ride free. So away we went! 

The train was fun. And very interesting. We passed a lot of places and saw a lot of different people.  

I had never seen so many buildings, not in Delaware or anywhere else that I have been. At one point while we still riding on the train, two people came by and Mister Guy had to show them the tickets he had for himself and The Lady. The two people looked at me, but the Lady told them that she thought that blue and orange furry monsters did not have to have a ticket. They said that was true and moved on.

When we go to the stop closest to the county offices, we got off. The Lady, who likes to take pictures, wanted a picture of me at the station. 

In the background is a DART guy smiling at all of us, or maybe he is surprised to see a furry blue and orange monster riding on the train. He must not see very many blue and orange furry monsters. 

We went into the records building, The Lady and Mister Guy told me this was where lots of papers were kept to show who owns things. Mister Guy needed to give them some papers. We could not take pictures inside.  The Lady and Mister Guy showed me a water fountain that had a sign that said “Whites Only”. They told me that once upon a time people who did not have light colored skin were not allowed to use that water fountain. They said that anyone could use it now. The sign was still there too remind people of that awful time. I just cannot imagine why people would be like that to other people, That is wrong.  Everyone should be allowed to get a drink when they are thirsty, especially here in Texas where it is SO hot. I don’t understand what drinking water has to do with your color.  I wonder if I would have been allowed to use that water fountain. Does blue and orange fur count as light skin?

After Mister Guy finished the business part of our trip, we all went outside to look around. 

Mister Guy had not been to downtown Dallas in a long time and The Lady had not ever looked around in this area. In the background was a great big tower called Reunion Tower. 

Mister Guy said when he was a boy that was where all the trains came into Dallas. But that train depot and a lot of the tracks are now gone. I would have liked to have seen all those trains. Oh well, I got a good look at the tower. The Lady said that at night is is all covered in lights that turn on and off like they are dancing. I want to see that some day too!

We also saw a monument to John F. Kennedy. Mister Guy said that JFK was once President of the United States but that he was killed here in Dallas, very close to where we were standing. 

This monument was built in Dallas to help us remember JFK. Mister Guy said JFK was young and well loved by people in this country. Mister Guy could not explain why someone would kill JFK. The Lady and Mister Guy both said they did not understand how anyone could kill another person. I do not understand that either. 

We then walked a few blocks to Thanksgiving. Square. 

When we got there we discovered that the chapel was closed! The sign said there were problems with the water inside. Water seems to cause a lot of problems for people in many different ways. The Lady was especially disappointed because it is supposed to be very beautiful inside the chapel and she loves to take pictures of beautiful things like me and Mister Guy… 

I was disappointed too that we could not go inside the chapel at Thanksgiving Square. The Lady said we could come back on another day. That made me happy because it would mean another train ride! The Lady did get this picture of me outside the chapel.   

Don't tell her that I said this, but from the outside it looks like a great big cupcake.

The Lady and Mister Guy were hungry. They decided to go to a small restaurant that had Mexican food. It is called Miguel’s Cantina. The Lady and Mister Guy said the food was very good. Blue and orange furry monsters don’t eat Mexican food, though it smelled good to me. The folks that worked there smiled when The Lady took this picture of me inside. 

I like the colors that they used to decorate!

Here I am on the outside. 

 I think The Lady wanted this picture so they could remember the name of the restaurant in case they want to come back again.

Mister Guy remembered another chapel that he used to visit when he was in high school. Mister Guy had a friend back then by the name of Bill Joseph.  His parents owned a cleaners downtown. Mister Guy told me that he used to go downtown in the summer and meet his friend and they would visit this chapel. 

Mr Guy seemed sad and the Lady told me his friend had died a year ago and Mister Guy had not spoken to him in a long time. We went inside the chapel, called St. Jude’s Chapel. It was a really great place, quiet and peaceful. 

Outside in downtown Dallas it was hot and loud with all the cars and people. Inside the Chapel, it was almost cold. Blue and orange furry monsters like the cold.

So that was our day in Dallas!  It was fun to see a big city! I hope we get to go again sometime soon so the Lady can take pictures of the chapel at Thanksgiving Square. Maybe we can get all the way over to Reunion Tower, too. The Lady said there is also a very nice place with lots of art in downtown Dallas that we should visit sometime. All of these things sound like fun to me.

I think I am going to have lots of grand adventures with my family here is Dallas!  I am looking forward to sharing them with you.

To Philadelphia and Beyond

So today was adventure day.  We got up early so that I could pack all of my T-shirts.  Well, the Lady packed them in her camera bag.  She said she is going to have to get a new camera bag for all of my shirts.  I think that is just her excuse to get a new bag.

I slept in the car on the way to the airport.  There wasn't much to see but corn fields, a chicken processing plant, and a few old buildings.  I wanted to be wide awake when it came time for the ride on the airplane.

The one thing I don't like about airports is going through security.  That is scary for a little blue and orange monster because they won't let Mister Guy or the Lady carry me.  I have to go through the scanner tunnel.  Today was different.  The TSA people in Salisbury were the nicest agents I have ever met.  They smiled and talked to me.  They knew I was scared so they made sure I was nice and safe in my bin.  

See...I told you they were super nice.

When it was time to board the plane, Mister Guy carried me.  I was still a little tired.  

Sometimes I wonder what people think when they see him carrying me around.  I don't warn people to laugh at him or make fun of him. Mister Guy told me not to worry about that.  People can say whatever they want.  It won't change how he feels about me.

On the little plane from Salisbury to Philadelphia, we sat in the Exit row.  The airplane lady said that that was a very important place to be seated because we might have to help in an emergency.  She asked each of us if we were willing to perform such duties.  I said, "Yes!" And offered to show her that I could pull the levers and through the window out.  

She assured me that that was not necessary. So, I just looked out the window.

We had a long wait in Philadelphia before our flight to Dallas so we had lunch.  Then I asked the question.  "Can I have a new T-shirt?"  The Mister a guy wasn't sure because I didn't really visit Philadelphia; the airport didn't really count, but the Lady said she thought getting a shirt would be OK.  I stayed with Mister Guy and the bags because I could not be left unattended.  The voice in the airport sky said that.  The Lady got me a special T-shirt.

While we were in Delaware, Mister Guy and the Captain, the Lady's dad, watched a lot of something that they called baseball. That explains the special shirt I  got. The Captain is a fan of the Philadelphia Phillies. I could tell by the way The Captain and Mister Guy talked, that the Phillies are not too good at this baseball, but sometimes they seemed to do it right.  Last night they had to play a really long time to beat another team called the Youstin Astros, or something like that.  The Astros live in Texas, but I like the Captain's team best because I got to watch the Phillies with him.

When it was time for us to leave Philadelphia, the plane had too many people on it so we had to wait for the next one.  Mister Guy said that was OK because we got to fly first class.  I didn't know what that meant.  He said that I would have my own place to sit and we would get food.  That sounded good to me.  It also meant that we would get home to Dallas very late, way past a little blue and orange monster's bedtime.

Because I was so excited to tell the story of my airplane adventures, Mister Guy and the Lady helped me write this post on the airplane. 

 I kept getting distracted because I wanted to look out the window at all the pretty clouds.  

When it got dark, I finished writing and now am going to go to sleep in Mister's lap.  Goodnight!

Peering From the Pier

Today the Lady and Mister Guy told me that we would go see that big ship again. It was going to be sailing out in the Delaware Bay! It would be cool to see it with all of its sails upl. So all day I  waited to go. While I was at home waiting, the Lady and Mister Guy went out  to eat lunch. They found a new place called Blue Sea Cafe. They did not know it was all decorated in orange and blue, like me! My kind of place! But I didn't get to go. The Lady took some pictures to show me.

At dinner time we all left to go see the big ship. When we got to the dock, it was already out sailing.  Mister Guy and I waited and watched for it to come back. The Lady wanted to take pictures. While we all were waiting, she took some pictures of us. 

Mister Guy always tries to make sure I can see the interesting things. He also makes sure  that all of my fur is orderly for the pictures. 

The Lady tries to make sure  we both look good. 

The big ship finally came. It had been out sailing for almost two hours. 

We were all disappointed because it did not have its big sails out as it approached the dock.   It was being powered by a motor.  That just didnt seem right.  I guess they have be careful just how fast they are going when they come into the dock. It was still cool to see it gliding across the water. 

The place where the big ship lives also has a ferry. I learned that ferrys are another kind of big boat.  This one that takes people across to a place called New Jersey.   I think that I have heard on a TV commercial that New Jersey is where they make salsa.  The ferry will even let people take their cars aboard! 

Before we left the ferry terminal, we stopped to take a picture at the ferry boat sign. 

The ferry has been going back and forth from Lewes to Cape May for 50 years! Gosh, I haven't even been around a whole year yet.  I think the Lady and Mister Guy are older than the ferry route.

On our way out, the Lady got all excited because she saw something and said we had to stop. She called  it Ms Pac-Man. I watched it for a while. 

The Lady said she used to play Ms Pac-Man A LOT once upon a time. So I learned this was a game I was seeing. She said it was more than a game; it was therapy when she was in college...whatever that means.

I was more interested in the reflection of myself than in those little ghostie things floating around.  

Don't tell the Lady though;  she was so excited to show this game to me.   We went to the Blue Ocean Cafe, the blue and orange restaurant from earlier, they were closed. The Lady took my picture next to their sign. We matched perfectly!  I would like this place.  The Mister Guy promised to take me next time we come to Lewes.

Tomorrow we go home. I really have not been there much. Maybe this time I will get to learn more about where I will live most of the time.  But first, a new airport.  And, maybe a new T-shirt!

And Now Ships...

Yesterday the weather was cloudy, but there wasn't any rain. So the Lady and Mister Guy took me out with them. We went to the Cape Henlopen State Park.  The first thing I saw was this sign.

Were they talking about me?  Am I a pet?  I wasn't so sure I liked this place.  The Mister Guy assured me that I was not a pet; he said that I was family.  That made me feel good. 

The Lady wanted to get pictures of something called a lighthouse. At first I wondered if this was the opposite of a heavy house. When we got there and I saw it. I must be right! The house was in the middle of the water so must be light to float, right? 

It sure looked tall…and it was round! Did someone live there?

The Lady and Mister Guy explained that it was really a big tower with a light on top to help big ships find their way through the breakwaters without hitting the land. Someone might live on the bottom of the lighthouse to make sure the light went on at the right time. And, it is so tall so the light shines a long way!  I think that's cool.

We got to see the beach too. I had already been to a beach. But there were not any belly dancers at this one! I took a second to sit on this bench. It is nice that someone put the bench here to help remember another person.  It is so peaceful here.  I bet the people who donated this bench come here where it is quiet and beautiful and think about the person they love and miss.

Then we went to the park shop and I got another shirt! Yay!  I love new shirts from the places I've been! This one is blue. Not MY blue, but blue. We went out to the woods and took some pictures.

 I got to play in a tree. 

Mister Guy showed me a pine cone and explained how the tree I was playing in came from a pine cone just like the one I was holding. 

It made me wonder if blue furry monsters come from blue fur tree cones.  The Mister Guy explained that I had my "I's" and "you's" mixed up...something about fir and fur confused.  He talked about phoning home or home phones…I didn't quite catch it all.  That was too much for a furry blue and orange monster to think about on a Sunday afternoon in the park.

After that we saw another tower. This one was not a lighthouse. It was big and heavy and we could walk right up to it. 

We could even climb up inside it, up to the tippy top. Mr Guy read that there were a bunch of these towers in Delaware. They were built to let people watch out for the enemy in a war. He said it was called World War II. I asked what war was and he said it was when people got so mad that they started killing each other. He said that there have been two times that so many people were mad at each other that almost the whole world was fighting. These times are called World Wars.  There had been many smaller wars. In fact people are fighting each other right now in places far away.

That sounds bad to me, even if it is far away. Blue and orange furry monsters like everyone.   I then got scared and asked if people here could start killing each other. The Lady said sometimes they do. I did not like hearing that.

To take my mind of or fighting, we decided to climb up the tower.  I could see a long way. 

I understood how this tower was used. I was glad to hear it help keep fighting from happening here, but the idea of people killing each other still made me sad. Then I looked down I saw this message and it made me happy.  

There must be some people who are not angry.

We climbed back down…well, actually the Mister guy carried me all the way up and all the way down. 

Then we went to a place on the water that was not a beach. There was a place for ships to stop. It's called a dock. And wow!  What a ship was docked there!  It was a cool looking ship with an anchor and port holes, and ladders...a ran right to it!

The Mister Guy smiled at me and then told me to turn around and look the other direction.

OH WOW!  This ship was much cooler.  It had a bigger anchor, more port holes, longer ladders, and great big sails!

I was told that this ship is a copy of a ship that existed a long time ago, one that brought people from far away to Delaware. But, they did not call it Delaware back then. Those people wanted to get somewhere they could live happily ever after…just like me.  I liked hearing that last part of the story. 

So, I had a very good day! It was fun, a little sad, but good over all.

And I got a new shirt!