I think I saw something out the window.

Tropical Storm Debby took a few minutes off today, long enough for the observer to note, for the first time, that this is actually Florida during the early summer, not the Phillipine Islands during monsoon season.

Crazy Woman Talks to Machines

I find it highly likely that this reunion will be remembered as the Year Technology Took Over. A good number of us have arrived already, but the relationships they have with their new devices is worrisome.

I was talking with Debbie Holl and casually asked her if she knew which way to walk to the nearby pharmacy. She picked up this pink thing and said to it, as though conversing with plastic was perfectly normal, "I need a drug store."

Then she looked at the thing for a few seconds and said, "Walgreens is .3 miles north."

I've always thought of Debbie as a sensible woman. I'm beginning to wonder...

A break in the storm

I'm awake, I've run some errands, seen some people and will post photos later today.

--The severe weather we're experiencing in Orlando is Tropical Storm Debby. It pulled into town this weekend at the exact same time Debbie Holl arrived. She insists that the slight difference in the spelling of the names is proof that it's not her fault. We know better.

-- Seen around and about the hotel: Bob Leketa, Kim and Debby Holl, Terry Chesson, Leon Harris, Randy Martel, Jim and Stephanie Richards, Cecil Strange, Wilbur Smith. As I just came in, returning from a grocery store trip, Bill Sterck was checking in.

--Any piano players who are still on the fence are cordially invited to come. We need more than me, who is unusually lame, and Bob Leketa, who is usually busy.

-- We are experiencing our first break in the tropical storm. Water is currently not gushing from the sky. I had no idea there were palm trees outside my window.

--The storms will continue, but are expected to clear up, depending on what climatological expert you listen to, on Wednesday or Thursday. This is good for us, not so good for the thousands of people who brought their families to Orlando for fun in the sun this week.

-Later, friends.

Finally: Orlando

Real late Sunday night, 24JUN12--

Despite thunderstorms in Moline and Detroit, and a tropical storm in Florida, I made it to Orlando without an airline hitch. Well, hardly a hitch, but I'll tell you about that later. For now, let me just say that as the plane approach Orlando, the turbulence was extreme, barf bags were in evidence and the landing was like touching down in the Philippines in a C-130 piloted by a JG who just got his wings. I led the cabin in a chorus of "What a Friend We Have in Jesus."

I got to the Doubletree at 2200, and discovered that my plans to be the first NMA member on site were all in vain. While I was checking in at the Doubletree, Jim and Stephanie Richards stopped by to say hi. They told me Bob Leketa, Leon Harris and Kim and Debbie Holl were around, and Terry Chesson and Dennis Allard had just arrived.

I haven't seen any of them yet--too pooped to party, I wound up here in my room. I'm planning to cop some heavy zs starting in about two minutes.

I'll be back in touch sometime tomorrow morning.

More about Mears Transportation to Doubletree

In an earlier post I mentioned I planned to take Mears Transportation from the Orlando Airport to the Orlando Doubletree Universal for the NMA reunion. Having now arrived, I can see the process was a breeze, and will add these few details:

A shuttle train will take you the baggage and ground transportation area. It's an easy, short ride.

You'll detrain at Level 3. You'll have to work your way down to Level 1 for ground transportation.  No problem.

Check in at the Mears desk. If you don't have a reservation (I did) you can get a ticket there. The clerk will direct you to the outside departure area.

A dispatcher in the departure area took my ticket, gave me an electronic hockey puck which would beep and light up when my shuttle van came. Vehicles came and went, and in about six minutes, my hockey puck signaled that my van had arrived. I turned in my puck and hopped aboard.

There were three fares with three destinations. As advertised, they'd grouped nearby destinations together. I was the last dropoff, and the entire trip was about 40 minutes.

Considering that traffic was slowed by a tropical storm that was hammering Orlando, that was good. It seem likely your trip could be shorter.

If you want more boring details you can read that earlier post. Or make a reservation on line, as I did, at http://www.mearstransportation.com/

The Daily Poop - Sun., 22JUN12 - Final Issue

I plan to wake up in Orlando tomorrow morning. That will begin a week of LiveBlogging the NMA reunion. Okay, it doesn't officially start until Wednesday, but who doesn't love two days of photos of empty ballrooms and florid descriptions of the intolerable temperatures outside? It worked in San Antonio, it'll work here.

That's the plan. However, my plane leaves Moline, IL at 1300, and the weatherman is calling for showers and thunderstorms this morning. I have a layover in Detroit and leave there at 1730, where showers and thunderstorms are expected at that time. Arrival in Orlando is scheduled for 2030, where, again, showers and thunderstorms are on the menu.

And I just heard th-th-thunder. One little, distant, brief flamadiddle. But I'm worried.

Well, one way or the other, I'll get to Orlando.

And I hope you will, too. If you're still undecided--and a few of us are, juggling schedules, commitments, have-tos and want-tos--keep in mind that you're not getting any younger and the future isn't getting any longer. The NMA reunions are a tremendous way to celebrate an important part of our lives. Every one of us has offered our lives and skills to our country in hopes of building a better world; it was a noble investment, and it's fitting that we share the interest with each other.

For those who must stay home, keep in touch. LiveBlogging the reunions means I see all comments shortly after they arrive here at NavyLyres. Your input is of great value--it proves that somebody is paying attention.

And so, weather willing and the planes run roughly on time, I'll be back tomorrow with the new, improved NMA Reunion LiveBlog 2012, which will bear great resemblance, I'm sure, to it's earlier, unimproved predecessors.