October 2023

October 2023

Greenland, Iceland, PA, DE, DC, NY

 1- SU - Leaving Greenland 

Our last expedition was a zodiac tour. Amy warned us that it is going to be cold so we should dress in layers.  Another expedition leader also got on the PA and suggested we layer up.  So, I stopped getting dressed and put my boots away. My trip was over. I didn’t need to see any more ice.

 

In the afternoon, Yvonne gave another talk on the ice sheet situation. It was over my head, but it is abundantly clear that we are in trouble as all this ice continues to melt away.  The melted ice is raising our sea levels and saturating our atmosphere.  So, our tropical storms are only going to be more intense.

 

After dinner, there was a bar talk about being a young, female pilot in Texas.

 

Around midnight, we hit the sea as the ship took one hit after other from ice blocks.  The port holes were closed for the rest of the trip.

 

I was awaken several times throughout the night from the bumps and knocks of the waves and ice knocking against the ship. It was intense. 

 

2-M- At Sea

 

We had a rocky day at sea.  Most of us hung in our cabins and tried to avoid vomiting. Walking in the hallways was tough.  I skipped breakfast.  For lunch, I made it to the dining hall but quickly grabbed a piece of chicken and went right back to my cabin.  By the time it was evening, we seemed to be out of the roughest seas, and I could sit and enjoy my meal.

Emergency meeting to tell us that we will be arriving hours off schedule.

 

At one point the waves were so high, it looked as if we could have gone surfing along side of the boat.  It was rough out there.

 

The Captain’s Farewell Reception was held right before dinner.  The expedition team showed up in various types of scarves and ties of the tartan plaid designed to show the polar seas.  They looked nice.

 

After dinner, the resident photographer showed us his photo slide show of our journey. I didn’t see the hare, the musk ox running, the artic fox or the piles of ox hair found on bushes along the way.  But I saw enough.  I saw a vast, cold, artic land that would be better off without us, homo sapiens.  We are destroying this corner of the world and that will have a devastating effect on the rest of the world. And it appears as if we are running out of time to fix this damage and the results will be irreversible.

 

I was able to secure a copy of the journey's photo slide show today so now I can show it to people when I return home. I just know everyone wants to see this 17 minute video.

 

Once the photo show was over, we all slithered down to our cabins and took cover, in hopes that we would soon be in the protected channel and out of these rough seas.

 

 3- TU- Arriving in Iceland

 

Today was a day of hurry up and wait.

 

Our luggage had to be outside our cabins by 8 and we had to be out of our cabins by 10.  So, we all spent 3 hours in the lounge, waiting to arrive in Rejvakiv.  I sat with two women who were good company and I wish I had met them earlier in the trip.

 

Craig gave a lecture on the history of whaling.  I wonder how much more we can take from the sea. I don’t know how we haven’t depleted it yet with all of the fishing and whaling we have done for centuries.

 

DeDe is asking a few people about some of the recent books she’s read and enjoyed.

 

The crew is stressed out as they are trying to shut down the ship and yet, we still need to be feed at some point.  They quickly put together a little lite fair lunch which consisted mostly of cakes and candies and a few veggie wraps.

 

As we get closer to shore, the people with the afternoon flights are becoming more anxious.  If we get in around 1PM, there is a small liklyhood that the 4PM flight people will make it.  But that seems unlikely at this moment, and I am so grateful that my flight doesn’t leave until tomorrow morning.  My only worry for the day is to secure a way to get to the airport tomorrow for 10 AM flight.

4- W- Iceland, Canada, PHL, West Chester 

Today was a day of travel.  I set my alarm for 5:30 AM to begin the day.  The param didnt go off but I really didn't sleep much at all.  And when I checked my phone, I had mistakenly put in a 5:30 PM alarm.

So I got up, made my way to the bus stop to go to the airport.  I took a flight to Toranto and then off to PHL and then got a very expensive taxi ride to West Chester and made my way to my apartment and as I dropped my things on the floor, my 5:30 PM alarm went off and I went off to bed.

I walked over 6000 steps today.

5- TH- PA

The fire department was here early in the AM to test the alarm systems.  So that annoying buzz went off and on all damn morning.  OMG, why couldn't they have done this while I was away.

I went grocery shopping and spent $70 and I still don't feel as if I have anything to eat here.  I did get cream fro my coffee, so that is a start to going back to normality.

I am having a bit of a motion problem today.  I feel like I am swaying a bot.  I was in the shower and I had to hold on the wall at one point.  Walking down the hallway, I felt as if the floor was titled.  It was as if I had to get my land legs readjusted from being at sea for so long.

Sharon and I spoke for almost an hour as she recanted her book launch.  I am sorry I missed it.

I went on Facebook to check on my friend, Libby.  In early September, she had posted a dreadful photo of her in a hospital bed.  She was unrecognizable to me I checked in with her and she has had terrible health problems but she indicated to me that she was on the upswing.  When I looked tonight, I discovered that she died on the day I left for Greenland. This is upsetting news as she was so full of life. We traveled together through Northern Europe in the spring of 2013.  She was great fun and so much a part of that trip. There is a little less joy in the world without her.

On a happy trash picking note, I had a big find this evening.  I went on to the recycle bin in the trash room and found an outstanding power cord that fits my dying, 9 year old computer.  I was so damn happy.  Thats about a $40 find.

I walked over 5000 steps.

Twitter: I think siding with Gaetz on the removal of McCarthy is going to backfire on us. Gym Jordan is not a better choice. I wish the Ds had let Gaetz’s motion fail. That would have been a stronger message. #VoteBlue

 

6- F- PA

I hung around the apartment today and did mostly nothing but I did do a couple loads of wash.  I mopped and vacuumed the floors.  I continued to unpack from my trip.  I did go to the pharmacy and pick up my drugs.  I did take a walk around town.  I did reconnect with Nick, Sara and Kim so now the security people all know I am back in town. I went to my local sandwich shop and got three sandwiches to eat throughout the weekend. I uploaded more photos on my social media. I tended to my plants which weathered my three weeks of neglect. I chatted with Sue D. AND... I walked over 5000 steps.  So I guess it was a pretty good day after all.

7- SA- PA

A young woman was walking down the hallway and stopped me to tell me that she is enjoying reading my hotel door signs that I put on my apartment door handle.  When I go to a hotel, I take the door tags and leave them outside my door and I think I am so damn funny.  It was a boost to my ego to be acknowledged by this stranger. I am so easily reinforced.

Kevin and JoJo had a party in the lounge. Kevin's college friends were in town for the weekend and by Saturday night, JoJo had had enough of them. Andy, from the building, was also at the party and we spent the night in random conversations with Kevin's friends.  Pete came down late in to the party. He had forgotten that he was invited to join us. I sent him a text to remind him and he came down. And then, at some point, they all left at once. So Kevin, and JoJo and Pete and Andy and I just sat in the lounge and chatted.

Pete told us that he has liver cancer. He seemed calm about the situation.  But he told us that he thought he was sick.  So he is giving up alcohol which has been the source of his escape from the death of his wife last December.

8- SU- PA

As I slipped in to bed, I couldn't remember if I took a sleeping pill.  I thought I had but I wasn't completely sure but I decided not to get up and take one just to be safe and I am glad I didnt.  I feel asleep quickly and stayed asleep until 8:30 and then got up to hydrate and slipped back in to bed and woke up at 2:30 PM.  I was sound asleep that whole time. And then I found another blanket because my apartment had an Autumn chill.  And I listened to podcasts and YouTube and sent messages to people and all of the sudden, it was 7:30 PM and I still didnt get up.  I was content where I was.  I didn't get up and get dressed until 9ish and I dont care.  It was relaxing to be such a lazy ass today.

I did send an email to Jerrie and she called me right back to tell me that things for our WAFW program in china are tense.  Jerrie is not allowed on campus as she has been deemed a "person of interest" with the campus Communist party.  Our program hasn't started yet and I have not received approval to teach there in December. I assured Jerrie that I am still committed to going to China.

9- M- PA/NJ

Chris would be 66 today. Fuck them.

I hung in the lounge for a little bit as there was a man working on my balcony and I didn't want to be in my apartment with him.  So Paulo and I sat down and loved all of the political issues with our country.  And then we gossiped about all those dreadful men who lived here when I first moved it.

It was a great day for a drive so I went to Robbinsville, NJ to see the new Hindu Temple that opened up yesterday.  The newspaper article indicated that it would be open to the public fo r the next ten days.  But I must have misunderstood the article becasue I was not allowed in to the site.  it's a huge campus with a cultural center and a temple.  Lots of cars were being let in but I was not one of the lucky ones to get pass the guard.  I will have to go back later this month.

I stopped at Neshaminy Brewery (1)- NJ.  Ive been here before and this place doesn't thrill me.  I had two pumpkin ales and two IPAs.

I'm listening to the book, I'm Glad My Mother Died and I think I have to agree with the author.  That mother was a big, fat, fucking, mean spirited pain in the ass. She was brutal to her daughter. I love listening to a good story.

Now that my China trip is on hold, I am at a bit of a loss.  I always have a big trip ahead of me.  My big trip is on hold and I don't know what I should book a few months out because I don't know when we will get the OK to come back on campus and, if we can go back, I'm going back.

Horrific events are going on in Israel.  They were attacked by Hamas over the weekend and now war has been declared and the West Bank is being blown up in to little pieces.  Hostages, including Americans, have been taken and some of them are being executed. 

10- TU- PA

I finished my audiobook, I'm Glad My Mom Died by Jeanette McCurdy. What a dreadful woman this mother was.  I was glad she died, too.

In the afternoon, I went to Philly to have an early dinner with Sharon and Genn.  We walked to the waterfront and sat outside and had tacos and beers and then we went to a pub near their house and had another round of beers.

I heard from Sharon's college roommate who lives in Israel.  She and her family are well but terrified.

And I walked 10,000 steps and I am exhausted.

11- W- PA

I was exhausted from walking so much yesterday but still I took a sleeping pill.  So I really slept well last night.  I didn't wake up until 10:30ish.  I got up and got something to drink and slipped back in bed and didn't wake up again until 2:30.  Then I turned on a new podcast series and got hooked on it and I had to force myself to get up by 5. 

Of course, I had wild dreams and I seem to be having more dreams going going back to PSU for a semester.  I am not really working towards any degree.  I just seem to be here and existing.  It's almost like these dreams symbolize moments in life when I need to drop out but still  be somewhat productive.

I had to double check but I was sure there was an event in the lounge today.  There was an event to celebrate breast cancer survivors. Just a few of the regulars attened.  And I now have Krissy trained that she had delicious beers to drink.  She even had two kinds  of pumpkin beers. And since I was the only one who drank these beers, Zac gave me a six pack to go.  That made my day.

Several of us stayed in the lounge and watched the Phillies win their baseball game.  It was a great game: 10-2.  We won handsomely and it was fun to watch in the lounge with a group of people.

I called Sam and we chatted about an hour. I think once you have cancer, people think you always have cancer.  Whenever we talk, I have to give her a full medical update and I have to reassure her that my cancer is gone.

12- TH- PA

Jaye texted me early to day and we made plans to get together for dinner. We went to Slow Hands.  I had never been here before and it wa OK.  Im not sure I will go back again.

I came home just in time to watch the next Phillies game.  It was nerve wracking.  We were always ahead but it was too close to comfort and the tension was unreal.  I was all wired out by the time the game was over.  Anyway, we won and now we move on to a new series of games that start on Monday.

13- F- PA

I had to close my balcony door because my apartment was so cold this morning when I got out of bed.  That's a surrender.  It's too early to close down for the winter.  Maybe there will be a few warm days next week and I can open it again.  I think I opened it last April.  So, 6 months without closing my balcony door is pretty good.

I started listening to a new book, A Man Called Ove. I saw the movie last year and liked it. Lets see how the book works out.

In the afternoon, I went to the movies to see Flora and Son. I love to go to the movies in the afternoon.  I haven't been to an evening movie for so long.  It' been years.

I'm in a social media fight with people from the Catholic Church.  Someone posted a video of 5000 priests and nuns walking through Time Square at rush hour on a Friday night. There was a bit of bragging about this congestion.  I posted the question as to why would they inconvenience so many people.  The responses came back with a spew of distain for me.  So then I posted that all I saw was a parade of pedophiles.  And that statement set off the war. I was responding to them until 2;30AM.  They are mad.

14- SA- PA

I woke up to lots of hate from the Catholics and I wonder why I promote this behavior.  I have a right to vote my opinion but I think I need to stop getting tangled up in all of this bad energy.  I just should not respond to any of their statements.

PSU played today and we beat our opponents 58-0.  That's a boring game.  I watched the game at Tricia's house.  She and I stayed upstairs and watched and Bill watched downstairs.  We can't watch together because Bill demands absolute silent while the game is on.

Mostly, we sat upstairs and talked about the Israeli/Hamas situation.  She, too, had empathy for the Palenstine people.  They are being slaughtered just as the Israelis are.  It's a mess.  And there are now rumors running around that Trump may have given secret documents to Putin.  So I looked it up.  Back in June, there was a statement from Israel defense that thinks Trump compromised their intelligence and gave it to Putin.  He, in turn, gave it to Iran and Iran began working with Hamas.  Now, this situation in the Middle East will distract us and we will forego our efforts to help Ukraine and Putin will rush in, take back Ukraine and move on to other countries to capture.

Twitter: Do you think Trump gave secret intelligence about Israel to Putin and then he gave the info to Iran so that Hamas could invade Israel and then we would be distracted from Ukraine? I do.

15- SU- PA

Stacey and Sally and I went to the Victory brewery (2) for lunch. I would have enjoyed spending the whole afternoon there. But the Eagle's game were on Sally's list of things to watch today. So we only spent about an hour there.

I had dinner at sue's house. Kirsten is in from Germany and it was great to see her again. She came alone this time as there are only 9 students with her this year. We caught up with each other as we ate and watched the Eagles lose their football game.

found Bose earbuds

16- M- PA

OMG, there was another Phillies game to watch tonight. I have never watched so many baseball games as I have this season.

ear buds returned to Greg

17- TU- PA/DE

I had to set my alarm to get up in time to drive to DE and have lunch with annum. She was on fire with anger over her views that the USA is one-sided in the Israeli/Palestine issue.

In the early evening, I drove to have dinner at the Ironhill Brewery (3) in media for have our welcome dinner with Kirsten. Sue, Bobby, Sloane, James, Aiden, Bill and Pat were there. Bobbie picked up the tab and Sue brought delicious bundt cupcakes and I ate like a pid and drank the most delicious pumpkin ale. It was a great dinner.

I got home in time to discover that the Phillies were 2 runs ahead and in the second inning. The game ended with the Phillies winning 10-0. So now we are at 2 wins in a best of 7 series.

In the midst of the game, there was a minor dispute between Kevin and Sharon. Kevin came to the lounge to watch the game. Sharon came down to socialize. At one point, she and Steve were leaning on Kevin's stool and discussing bread recipes. They were chirping away right by his ear and he snapped at her to be quiet. She was offended and came to me to be rescued. I tried to ignore it because I do not want to get in the middle of this minor incident. But when Keith showed up, Sharon let him in on the situation and he decided to mitigate the situation by teasing Kevin about his outburst. That, of course, only angered Kevin and he and Sharon parted with a bit of too much tension.

18- W- PA

I slept in and it felt great because I was so damn tired from yesterday.

The Phillies' fan Club was coming to host a rally in West Chestier this afternoon. Many people here, went and enjoyed the excitement. I stayed behind and had the lounge all to myself. And that was a treat.

Rosina wrote to us to let us know that she finally sold her house and is now moving to Italy. I feel a great loss. I met Rosina in 1966. She lived in my neighborhood. We went to high school together and remained friends all this time. She moved to Italy before but at that time, we were in our 30's and busy with our work lives and families. We only saw each other every five years at our high school reunions and that was enough. But for the last ten years, my high school friends have made it a point to get together on a regular basis and hang with each other. It's as if we are aware that time is running out. And now, she is leaving the pack and hanging with her will be very limited and not enough.

19- TH- PA

The first of Trump's co-defendents has entered a plea deal and plead guilty to election interference. Fuck her, fuck him and fuck all of those who tried to overthrow an election and destroy democracy.

I got my hair cut. It does look shorter but it still looks like I need a hair cut.

There was another Phillies game tonight and we lost. My crew is devastated. We were all hoping for a 4 game winning streak but that isn't happening.

20- F- PA

The second of Trump's co-defendents has entered a plea deal and plead guilty to election interference. Fuck him, fuck Trump and fuck all of those who tried to overthrow an election and destroy democracy.

I wandered around town today. It was beautiful. I stopped at Market Street Grill for lunch. But they were just about to close in two minutes and they were still willing to accommodate

so I ordered a burrito and ate half of it and took the other half home and it was delicious and they were so nice to me that it was a nice encounter.

A few of us went to Jake's for a quick beer. Andy came with us this time. And when people saw him coming in his wheel chair, they jumped to help him get inside. And when it was time to go home, they eyed me to see if they should help again and I nodded to them and they jumped to step in and help.

Trump was found in contempt of court and mandated to pay $5000. I wish he had been sent to jail.

 The gang of us watched yet another Phille's game. We lost. It was so damn stressful and I don't even care about baseball. And my crew is worried. We are now tied in the best of 7 series. And that isn't good enough for us. We play again tomorrow night.

21- SA- PA

I went down to the lounge to watch PSU get beaten by Ohio State. I hate that university. But truthfully, we played better than I had anticipated. It wasn't a bad loss and the game was exciting until the very last play.

I made arrangements to go to the Taylor Swift movie tomorrow. I really don't understand the hype around this woman but I want to make sure I am not slipping away from current culture. So we will go tomorrow with the thought that we do not have to stay for the full three hours.

Thinking that Kirstin has had enough of baseball, I went and picked her up at Sue's house and we went to Media for dinner.  It was fun to just hang with her.  She told me tat her most difficult time during covid was when Tom died and she just couldn't fly over t1-SUwith Sue.

After dropping Kristen off, I got home just in time to join my crew and watch the Phillies win tonight's game.  Now we are 3-2 in a 7 game series.  We are all confident that we are going to win this series on Monday, the next time we play.  I committed to buying hot dogs and grilling them for everyone.

Twitter: If every American who ever visited Israel also visited Palestine, we would not be in this mess right now. #Gaza #Israel #Palistine #Humanity

22- SU- PA

There is no baseball today but the Eagles play football later so I will have to continue to be engaged in sports talk.

Tricia and I went to the Colonial Theatre to watch the Taylor Swift movie.  I went with the interest to find out what's the big deal about this woman.  And i was pleasantly surprised to see what an entertainer she is.  Her show was so over the top in staging, special effects, costumes, dance, and enthusiasm. She was a crowd pleaser and I get it now.  I don't really care about her voice or songs and all o1-SU songs sounded similar to me.  But everyone at 1-SUoncert and everyone in our audience sang every song with her.  She is a sensation. She knows how to put on a show and make a buck.

23- M- PA

The Phillies lost tonight and I am pissed off.  I got up and went to the grocery store to buy everything needed to feed 20 people with hot dogs because you have to eat hot dogs at a baseball game. And I promised that I would cook hot dogs for this victory game. And the Phillies didn't deliver so now we have to go to yet another game tomorrow and this game is due or die. And I am nervous.

24- TU- PA

I started a new book, Bird By Bird by Anne Lamott. I thought I had read this book a few years ago but nothing sounds familiar to me.  "Freedom fighters don't always win but they are always right."

Kevin sent me the itinerary for our DC trip tomorrow.  We meet at 6:30Am and don't get back to Springfield until 11:30 PM.  I am going to be so damn tired.

Another defendant flipped on Trump and pled guilty to trying to overthrow the 2020 election.  Fuck Jen Ellis and all of the other traitors who have done so much damage to the well being of our county.

The Phillies lost the game tonight adnthe baseball season is now over for teh year.

I spent the night at Sue's house

Twitter: It's maddening that these people have done irreparable damage to the confidence of our election process. Our country will suffer from their actions for years. It's an injustice that they are not doing jail time. #LockHimUpAlready #EllisGuilty #PowellGuilty #ChesebroGuilty

W- 25- PA/DC

We were up by 5:30 AM today and I was tired because

I didnt sleep at all last night

train to Washington, DC

tour of the Capitol.

got in to the session in the House of Representatives to vote on a Speaker of the House

23,335 steps

Holy shit, my feet hurt.

Trump was found to be in contempt of court for the second time. He was mandated to take the stand and take an oath to tell the truth.

26- TH- PA

I slept soundly until 11 AM today as I was so damn tired from yesterday. And I had to force myself to get up by 2 so that I could get ready to meet up with the Germans by 4:30. And I was still very tired and could have gone back to bed and slept for the rest of the day.

But once I got outside,I was sorry to have missed so much of the day as it was gorgeous and warm. It was a stunning day and we won't see many of these days any time soon.

But I made it to the Brick and Brew just on time to hand with Rob N, Bill, Kirsten, Mark S, Dan S and his parents. We spent five hours there and rehashed every fun detail from yesterday's DC trip.

I spent some time reading about our new Speaker of the House, two positions away from the Presidency and he is a scary guy. He's an evangelical national christian and I find that view to be narrow and scary.

27- F- PA

Bonnie Raitt's tour tickets went on sale this morning and I grabbed two ticket sight away but had trouble at the check out counter. So the sale didnt go through. So then, I thought I should buy 4 tickets and invite Sharon, Tricia and Joann. But I can't get out of my first sale. So I will try a little later to get the done.

Annum wanted me to come down to DE to take her to get her driving permit. But she asked to reschedule becasue she just didnt feel confident enough to take the written test. That was a relief for me becasue I didnt feel like going there today. I didnt have enough energy to let her practice with my car.

So I looked up a new brewery and decided to go there. But when it came time to go, I changed my mind. I was still tired from the other day and a day without drinking would be a good thing for me. So I slipped back in bed and scrolled all afternoon on social media.

There was a horrible mass shooting in Maine and I can't even bring myself to read about it. I cant take any more.

The new Speaker of the House is already getting trashed by a few in his party. He made a statement about systemic racism and his crowd denies there is racism in this country. And this is just Day Two for him.

When I went to the lounge tonight, Pete was there with his son and DIL. So I just made myself comfortable and invaded their conversation. Mostly, we talked about Pete's liver cancer.

I ordered two tickets to see Bonnie Raitt in June.  And after I bought them, I was sorry that I didnt buy 4 so that I could invite Sharon, Tricia and Joann to join me.  The tickets were $100 with a $30 service fee.  Fuck them.

Twitter: I don't want the bible, a fictitious book, to dictate my life. #SeparateChruchAndState

Twitter: I know we can’t talk about the shootings in Maine yesterday because that would be too political. But has enough time passed yet to talk about Sandy Hook and VA Tech and TX and the night club and the hundreds of other mass shootings in this country?

28- SA- PA

Mike Pence dropped out of the presidential race. Now we have to get rid of trump as well.

I finished my book, Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott. It was a book of advice on writing and as I listened to her read her story, I wondered why more of us cant get published. Her writing was interesting but it wasn't really very sophisticated.

I watched Penn State play football. We won but it was a hard win and it wasn't relaxing to watch the game. I was alone in the lounge and found myself shouting at critical points. I wonder if anyone int he lobby heard me.

It was another gorgeous day. It was in the low 80's and sunny and it's the end of October. I spent this beautiful day sitting around and waiting to usher at Uptown at 6 PM.

Jeffrey Gaines took the stage tonight and the crowd loved him. He received

two standing ovations in the middle of the concert. As I looked around the audience, I noticed that everyone was a cotton head and the men reminded me of my grandfather.  Then I realized that I am now at that grandparent age.

Twitter: I hope Pence now finds the courage to speak out about Trump.

28- SU- PA

I had the starngest dreams last night. It was a dream about returning to school but it ws not quite my usual school dream.  But it was so weird that I don't even want to write about it.

I was up earlier than usual because I had to meet Sue and Kirsten for brunch in Springfield.  We went to Tank & Libby's and I checked out the menu yesterday and figured out what I wanted to order and couldn't wait to get there and enjoy my cremebruelle french toast.  I also had a green juice in an attempt to equalize the nutritional value against the delicious french toast.

Kirsten went back to Germany today.  It's been a fun two weeks. And I am already looking forward to next year's visit.

When I got back to CS, a few people were in the lounge, watching the Eagles play. We won but it was up to the  last play before we could claim victory.  In the midst of the game, Pete and I got annoyed with each other.  We both think we are right and the other is wrong.  Today's disagreement was on who has freedom of speech and Pete thinks none of us have this freedom.  And I, for one, because I am a white, middle class American, have never had my speech denied. But I cant say that for other Americans.

I spoke with Sharon and the crime rate in Philly is getting to her.  She needs to sell that house of hers and move elsewhere. 

30- M- PA

I decided to hang here today and get things done.  So I:

• called my pancreases doctor
• called Sharon
• post 15 quotes on the Great Dame dropbox page
• caught up with my mail
• blogged
• cleaned most of my dirty dishes
• drank coffee
• criticized trump on social media
• tried unsuccessfully to retrieve my gummies that are stuck under my damn bed

In the evening, there was a showing of the Addams family movie but I just couldn't get in to it.  Several people showed up and it was fun to hang with them and the beer was good.  So it was a good night.

Twitter: We don't want him killed. We remain hopeful that he will go to jail. And that he lives a long life in there. #LockHimUpAlready

Quote

Terrence K. Williams

@w_terrence

·

22h

I fear for President Trumps life, if they can’t put him in jail then they will try to kill him

31- TU- PA/NY

Southern tier Brewery Company

it snowed a little bit

all of the fall foliage is gone.

finished my book, A Man Named Ova

 

 

Christmas In July Family Party

Christmas in July(ish) Family Party Photo

August 3, 2024

My place

By the time this photo was taken, five people had already left.  Six people cancelled at the last moment due to covid and seven people were not able to make it to the party.

 

Kamala

Kamala

I'm Speaking

I'm voting for her for a number of reason.  But in my male dominated career, I often found myself having to talk over men who were interrupting me.

 

I Love This Goofy Kid

 

My New Phone

My New Phone

IPhone 15 Pro Max

September 2024

There was really nothing wrong with my old phone. It was an iPhone 12 Mini and I loved the size.  But I am taking a big trip at the end of this month and I am in a dilemma about taking my large camera.  I just don't want to carry that much equipment anymore. But I really wanted the opportunity to use my zoom lens. So I looked at a special lens fro my iPhone and that was going to cost me a couple of hundred dollars.  Then I looked to upgrade and with the trade in of my phone, I was able to get this new phone for only $13/month foe two years.  I just couldnt pass it up.

And look at how damn great the zoom lens is. I am so excited.

 

2024-Road Trip #9- Maplewood, NJ- August

 2024-Road Trip #9- Maplewood, NJ

August 31- September 1

• I went to see Heather in her new home in Maplewood, NJ.  They left Philly in early summer and I miss them terribly.
• Peter and Elliot gave me a tour of the house and they were so excited to show me their playroom and sunroom and bedroom.
• The boys put on dreadful plays for us.  I remember subjecting my parents' friends to these moments. So I just sat and watched as they performed nonsensical skits.
• We packed up the car and drove an hour to a brewery in NY, Drowned Land Brewery.  The beers were delicious and the boys could run all over the wide lawn as we enjoyed pizzas, beers and pretzel,
• We went to an 8:15 PM drive in movie to see Despicable Me.  The kids loved it.  I loved their giggling.
• In the morning, I had a nose bleed which was annoying.
• We went to a vegan bakery for a pastry and a coffee (with oat milk).
• We spent about an hour at a nearby park where Peter picked up a few friends and Elliot tried to entertain himself.
• At one point, I asked Peter if he knew his friend's name which he didn't so I suggested that he ask this kid what was his name. Peter walked over the the kid and told him that "Bridget, Mom and Dad want to know your name."  He then pointed to us and told the kid, "They are really nice." I wanted to kiss him.
• We went back to the house and I was just about to leave when I got yet another nose bleed.  Heather sat with me in the back yard as I tried to get this thing under control. But it was a body mess.
• I got out of town just as soon as my nose stopped bleeding.

Greenland and iceland

Iceland and Greenland

Sept 17- Oct 4, 2023

Sept  17- SU- PA

So I am finally off. After a year of anticipation, I am finally on my way to Iceland and Greenland. i cant wait.

Sept 18- M- Iceland

I got in around 8 AM and got through immigration with no effort. I found the city bus to my hotel with no effort and I was at the hotel around 10:30. A big effort was made to get me in my room within the hour and I slept the rest of the day.

I wandered down to the bar in the lounge and had a delicious seafood chowder and a great beer.

I almost burnt down the hotel with my lack of understanding that an electronic adapter is not the same as an electronic convertor. So, after a very loud popping sound and the loss of all electricity in my room and a terrible smell of burning rubber, I went to the front desk and had to confess my sin. The fuse was reset. The smell permeated all night long, even with the window a but ajar. And I made plans to go find a converter tomorrow.

Sept 19- TU- Iceland

It was windy and cold and hard to walk as the wind pushed me to walk faster than I wanted. I was scurrying.

In the afternoon, I went looking for a particular brewery, found it and discovered that it was closed even though the website said it was open for business. So I called their phone number and got a woman on the line who assured me that they were open When I told her where I was, she agreed that this place wants open but there other taproom was. But I had lost interest in finding this place.

Then, I stumbled across the Bryggjan Brewery which was right by my hotel and open so I went in for a flight of an IPA, a pale ale and a white ale. I liked them all. And now I can add Iceland as a country where I have visited a brewery.

My fish lunch was delicious. I had a white fish kabob. Im not sure what kind of fish it was but it was light and tasty. I also had a lobster bisque and it was not worth eating. But truthfully, I have never had a good lobster soup anywhere.

My hotel had a sweet little restaurant and so I went there and had a delicious fish stew dinner and a great local IPA.

It was a good day and I am tired.

Sept 20- W- Iceland

I had a dreadful night of sleep. And I thought for sure I would just fall asleep because of my very active day of walking. But I tossed and turned and suffered from a hot room and a narrow bed. I finally got up and took a sleep aid around 5AM. And that was a mistake. I still struggled to fall asleep and then struggled to get up at a reasonable time to meet the Expedition team in the lobby.

I have no energy, a slight sore throat and drozieness. I don't feel like doing anything and I had a fun day planned of a new seafood place and two breweries. But I think I am going to hang low, drink plenty of liquids and placate this minor sore throat.

I had a lousy dinner. I was so damn full that I felt sick. And now I am nausea again. I will be so angry if I am sick the whole time I am on the trip.

Sept 21- TH- Iceland

 

I had another dreadful night of no sleep.  I didn’t take a sleeping pill last night because I had to be up early this morning. For one thing, I wanted to go to breakfast as it was free to me today and it usually costs $26.  But I didn’t make it there.  And then I had to drop my luggage off to the Quark clerk by 10:30 and I had to check out of my hotel.  But we were not reconvening to go on the ship until 4:30 so that left me with hours to fill. And I had no energy.  So, I checked out, found a spot in the hotel lounge, and curled up on a couch and fell asleep until 2:30.  If I had not been awakened by my own snoring, I would have slept soundly at this time. I had just enough energy to wander off and find lunch.  But I really couldn’t eat so I took most of my cake and sandwich with me as I headed to the ship.

 

Getting on the ship was easy and without incident.  My sweet little room is perfect. It’s right at the bottom of the main deck.  My porthole is a gift of a lifetime.  Now, I do not have to wake up in the dark.

 

There only seem to be about 60 people on the voyage.  It appears as if there are plenty of empty cabins which is why it was so easy for my scheduling mistake to be rectified so quickly. And it appears as if there are 100 crew and staff members here to make this trip great.  We have a bird expert, a photographer, a glacier ice expert, a biologist, a geologist, a native from Greenland, a man to translate the Mandarin for the Chinese, kayak guides, a medical doctor, 

 

I had dinner with the ship’s Bird Expert. He’s from Africa and described the beauty of Rwanda and the ecological progress it has made since its horrific genocide in the 1990’s.  We talked about the silverback gorillas, and he was so positive about this adventure that I am going to book a trip as soon as I get home.

 

Sometime in the night, we received an announcement that there were some visible, fainted Northern lights.  I was too tired to get up for faint lights, but I will be filled with regret if this is the best we get on this trip.

 

Sept 22- F- Iceland

 

OMG, I couldn’t sleep again last night.  I am afraid to take a sleeping pill because I felt so sick, and I was afraid I would be too sleepy to get up to vomit if I had to do so. So, instead, I tossed and turned and took a nausea pill and hoped for the best.

 

Motion sickness has struck the boat.  Many, many of us are throwing up everywhere.  Some of us find it to be shameful so we discretely slip over to a doorway or a corner for a bit of privacy.  But some people are just comfortable sitting in their chair amongst all of us, with their faces deep in the vomit bag, throwing up breakfast. A few people had to led out of the lounge by the staff. They looked ragged. It’s a rough day on the ship.

 

Amy is our group leader.  She looks too young to be our leader. She is enthusiastic and knowledgeable. And the rest of the crew look like great fun as well.

 

We had a mandatory briefing about our trip and what to expect:

• ·    We are not encouraged to touch any dead animals, especially the dogs as they may have rabies.
• ·    There is no expectation of encountering polar bears, but our guides will all carry rifles in the event we do encounter a bear.  And we were assured that all the guides have been thoroughly trained to carry and kill if necessary.
• ·    We were to use a sailor’s grip as we got off and on the zodiacs.
• ·     We must keep a hand on the rails of the boat at all times.
• ·     Every landing will be a wet landing.  Be prepared to get wet.

 

We had two off boat trips today.  But my vomiting left me so drained that I didn’t join the others. I laid in bed and felt sorry for myself. I was worn out and achy and depleted.

 

 

Sept 23- SA- At Sea

 

I seem to have the motion sickness at bay, but the swells are so intense that walking around the ship is a treacherous challenge.  This moment reminded me of the time I erupted my eardrums as a teenager and that threw off my complete balance.  That’s how I felt today.  I thought for sure I was going to fall and really hurt myself.

 

We had a few lectures through the day and when it was announced that people could watch the lectures from their cabin, it appeared as its attendance in the lounge dropped significantly. Most of us were hunkered down and laying low from the claws of the rough seas.

 

I’ve met a few kooks on the ship.  

 

There is a woman from New Zealand, and she wants to talk to Americans about the political divide in our country   One gentleman suggested we not get started as it is only Day One of the voyage.  That response seemed to surprise her.  But when the South African man at the table asked us not to talk about politics, that seemed to quiet her for the moment.

 

Then one woman, DeDe, asked if she could sit near me even though there were 100 other open seats.  She is a retired educator and decided after a few minutes that I should run for president because she need women in office.  She high fived me every time I said something she seemed to like.  She wanted to know if I was a reader.  She told me that she just loves to read and then asked me to identify my favorite genre and authors and then tell her about the last two books I just read. She asked if I had ever been to Antarctica. She hadn’t been and wanted my opinion as to whether she should go there or not.  He husband joined us, and he suggested I write a book about my trips to Greenland and Antarctica.  I was happy to say goodnight to them.

 

Sept 24- SU- Greenland

 

Early in the morning, the ship left the sea and entered the channel and settled itself and the seas were no longer so rough.  We were finally on calmer water, and it felt reassuring to know that I could now roam the boat without fear of falling all over the place. And the sun was gleaming through every window and the heat of the sun felt great.

 

I had another terrible night of restlessness. I can’t believe that I can nap in the afternoon and fall asleep quickly and deeply and then struggle to get up but the minute I lay down for the night, I am painfully wide away. I have to start taking my sleeping pills.

 

We had a morning excursion.  I suited up and I think all my clothing added another 25 pounds of weight on me.  I moved like the Pillsbury dough boy. 

 

Getting off and on the zodiac was relatively easy.  But I think I have much more movement than I did in 2007, the last time I had to do this.  I’ve lost some weight, about 30 pounds, and breast weight and that seemed to make it easier on me. I was stunned at how difficult it was for me to walk today.  I think all this extra weight of the clothing wore me down and it reminded me of all that weight that I carried with me for all those years.

 

When we land on shore, we are broken in to 4 groups:  the challengers who want to travel fast and far, the medium fast people, the medium people and then the leisurely walkers.  I chose the last group.  And once we were all together, we broke in to two groups that even separated the two of us.  There were 7 of us in our Geritol group and we were pathetically slow. It was a sad statement of our laziness. But in my defense, I do not like to hike and there isn’t much more to do but to hike when you are in Greenland.

 

DeDe was in my group, and she introduced herself to me again.  I told her that we had met last night.  She didn’t remember.  But then she asked me if I had ever been to Antarctica.  I told her yes and must have made a face because she asked, “did we discuss this last night?”

 

I didn’t go on the afternoon trip because I was too tired and now, I am mad at myself.  I have got to get through this sleeplessness. It’s interfering with my energy and decisions.

 

Our afternoon recap session was so informative.  The photographer gave us a great tip about how to use live photos.  The geologist showed us the history behind the rock formation we saw today, and the biologist pointed out all the things I didn’t notice this morning.

 

I finally had a beer for dinner.  I’m off the nausea medicine and the sea swells are down so I broke out and ended my beer fast.  But the beer I wanted in not on the list of beers for free.  I got a Norwegian IPA and I had to buy 3 beers for $20.  My waiter felt so bad about this situation and asked me to consider a European lager instead.  I didn’t and my beer was delicious.

 

I’m sitting in one of the lounges and DeDe and her husband just walked by. She wanted to know how fast the internet was.  When I told her that I wasn’t on the internet, she asked if I was writing a book.  She is becoming a pest.

 

As I was heading to my cabin for the evening, someone shouted to us that there were some northern lights on the port side of the boat.  I went out to see them.  They weren’t great but now I can leave Greenland knowing I saw the lights at least once.

 

Sept 25- M- Greenland

 

It was two years ago today that Deirdre and Kevin got married. So, in two years, they married, bought a great house, and now have an adorable one year old boy.  It’s been a busy two years for them.

 

And on a positive note, I slept very well last night.  I just couldn’t believe it.  I went to bed at 11ish and the next thing I knew, the expedition leader was giving us our wake-up call.

 

I had two reoccurring school dreams.  In one of them, the new cafeteria staff was giving out beers for lunch as a morale booster for the teachers and I had to try to get her to see why it is not a good idea to distribute beers while high school kids were around. 

 

I got up for breakfast, determined to make both on shore trips today since I felt so damn great.  But then I talked myself out of the morning trip.  It was another hike on what looked like the same terrain.  I stayed behind and checked out the hot tubs. They were warm but not warm enough for my enjoyment. I like it hot. I was the first of all the guest to use the hot tub.  That’s a silly, small victory for me.

 

At lunch, two of the top guides joined me and wanted to know how I enjoyed the morning hike. I hated to tell them the truth as I was concerned, they would be disappointed in my laziness.  I didn’t have the heart to tell them that I hate to hike.

 

I was standing outside the dining room, reading the menu on the wall. DeDe walked by and asked, “what are you reading?” When I told her that it was the menu, she made her way in front of me and began reading as well. I can’t seem to get away from this woman.  I can’t remember if she remembers me.  I think she realizes she has had a conversation with me, but she may not remember what we discussed.  If she asks about Antarctica again, I think I will tell her that I’ve never been there before.

 

In the afternoon, I forfeited my kayaking excursion because I just thought I wouldn’t have the stamina needed to keep up with the group.  And I think I made the right decision as they were out there for over two hours, and it was 35F. I would have been exhausted and miserable and sore.  So instead, I went back to the hot tubs and found someone to turn on the jets. The water was still too low for me.  I think it was around 92F and I like it over 100F.  But I got in and had a soak and I think I am the first in the voyage to use the tubs.

 

It been five days without access to the news, the internet, social media, text messaging and other ways to stay connected to the world.  I feel isolated. To make matters worse, I deleted all 300 podcast episodes from my phone.  I didn’t download any movies or music in advance. I didn’t download any mindless video games. I didn’t bring any books or magazines. I did download two books from the library, and I thought they would suffice.  But the books are not interesting and so I am left with nothing to entertain me.

 

Sept 26- TU- Greenland

 

After a long journey south throughout the night, we arrived at the beach for our morning excursion. We were 200 nautical miles from yesterday’s destination. As the crew was scanning our landing site, they spotted a polar bear wandering round on the shore. His presence was greatly accepted by all of us.  But that meant we could not go on shore because of the potential danger he posed.  So, we anchored in place for two hours and stood on the port side decks and monitored his every move. He started walking away and then he would turn around and come back and finally, he just plopped down on a rock for a mid-morning rest.

 

So, our only excursion for the day was forfeited but I didn’t think anyone really minded. It was fun to see this magnificent mammal.  To compensated for the lost opportunity, Marla got up and gave a spontaneous one-hour presentation on the life of a polar bear.  And she had several photos of the bear on the beach. The staff photographer was able to grab some great photos of the bear.

 

Then the captain opened up the bridge and offered tours to everyone who was interested. I wasn’t interested.

 

It was colder today, and it snowed a little.  It really felt like winter, so I was OK with missing the excursion. As a matter of fact, I was a bit relieved.

 

In the afternoon, the glacier expert gave a presentation on sea ice that was admirable.  She spoke for an hour and never stammered or stumbled on any of her thoughts.  The topic was complex, and her graphics were clear.  And I had trouble staying up with the complexities of the situation.  I did understand the bottom line.  We are fucked if we don’t address the disappearance of sea ice.  We are already killing off the emperor penguins and are killing the food sources under the ice.  We are running out of time to recover.

 

I have been outside my cabin, in the lounge for much of the afternoon.  This is to allow Nate, my cabin assistant, to clean my cabin.  I am driving him crazy because I haven’t let him in yet. He’s going to change the sheets and that will be a nice treat.

 

We had afternoon tea and I am being silly about the stupid candy they put out with the sandwiches. Today they had Twix’s and I am a sucker for this damn candy. I hate that I get sucked in to eating this garbage.

 

After dinner, a young woman gave a talk on her time as a volunteer with Doctors Without Borders. Her team stayed in international waters and rescued refugees from Libya.  Her stories were overwhelmingly sad and left me feeling helpless and wondering what is wrong with society that we would be so passive about so many people in this world who are fleeing from their countries.  I have no clue what it must be like to be in so much danger that I would risk everything and get in a small boat and set out to sea in hopes of being rescued.

 

Sept 27- W- Greenland

 

We started the day with a visit to a remote village.  All of the houses are painted to denote their roles in the community.  The blue houses are the police.  The red houses are the store owners and residences. The green houses are involved in agriculture. And it seemed as if all of the residents were warned that we were coming because they seemed to be in hiding from us.

 

There was a neighborhood food store, but we were asked not to buy anything as supplies were limited and anything we purchased took away from the opportunities to buy things that they may need. A supply plane comes in so infrequently that supplies were limited for the locals.

 

There are no streets, so people get around on ATV and they roam the area with an unnecessary speed.  Where are they going in this community of so few people and so few places to visit.

 

There were very few people in the village. I wonder if they were told to hide while we were there.  Other than the three craft people, they were not to be found.

 

After lunch, we made it to our afternoon stop but the currents were too rough to stop there.  So, we moved on and around 5 PM, Amy announced that we were going to change plans and have a zodiac cruise around the glaciers.  I was so damn excited as this is what I was waiting for.  So, I bundled up and made my way to the gangway.  The swells were so rough that our launch platform was under water and caked with ice.  The swells proved to be a challenge as well.  But I go on the zodiac without incident and sat down and enjoyed the beauty of the glacier.  At one point, it calved, and we watched as this avalanche ran down two areas of the glacier.

 

We didn’t get back to the ship and off to dinner until almost 8 PM.  We were tired and cold and hungry.

 

We had a quick debriefing after dinner. Ria, the young woman from Greenland, gave a bar talk.  And most of us went to bed.

 

At some point, there was an announcement about some northern lights.  I got up from bed, got dressed and made it to the decks but I didn’t see any lights.

 

Sept 28- TH- Greenland

31F

 

Damn, damn, damn, I didn’t take a sleeping pill because I only have 4 more pills until I get home.  So, I tossed and turned all damn night.  And then Amy was on the PA to tell us that it was 730 and time for breakfast.

 

The shipboard newspaper indicated that Trump was found to be guilty of tax fraud and may no longer do business in the state of NY.  What a fucking disgrace.

 

I didn’t go on the morning excursion.  It was another hike and that doesn’t hold my interest. So, I slept and watch David Attenborough on the TV. As people came back from the excursion, I beat up on myself for throwing away an opportunity to explore Greenland.  When I was in Antarctica, I couldn’t believe that there were people who chose not to get off the ship.  I rarely missed that opportunity to get on land and hang with the penguins.  But I don’t feel that need here. The hiking opportunities just don’t hold me interest.  I think I will step up my walking level tomorrow to see if that helps my interest.

 

We had an afternoon zodiac tour, but I didn’t go on that either because it was so damn cold and the trip was going to be over 2 hours.  That was too long for me. I wanted to go out for only an hour.  That would have been plenty for me.

 

I spent the time on the decks, taking photo after photo of the icebergs.  Now I am going to have to spend the evening, deleting the multiple duplicates.

 

There is going to be a polar plunge sometime during the voyage, so people were asked to volunteer.  The Argentinians and the Aussies signed up.  So now we have 8 people.  I am not one of them.

 

We had a barbecue on the aft deck.  It was fun.  The air wasn’t too cold.  The sun was setting and the there was a beautiful red sky.  The food was good, and everyone seemed to enjoy the challenge of eating outside on this chilly night.  I sat with a group of Australians, and they talked of things that were of no interest or unfamiliar to me. But they were good company.

 

 

Sept 29- F- Greenland

 

We had a zodiac tour this afternoon.  I came prepared to keep warm.  I grabbed a blanket and a towel from my room to wrap around me.  But I didn’t need it.  Our guide took us to beautiful icebergs.  A few of the icebergs had tunnels through them.  But much to my chagrin, we didn’t go through them. Apparently it was way too dangerous.

 

Then he took us to a particular iceberg with an intense blue streak through it and we all tried to take a time lapse photo of it.  He zipped around the iceberg quickly, three times.  I lost my balance around the second time through, and my finger is showing up in the corner.  But I think I know how to take a time lapse photo now.

 

When I got back to my cabin, I could get one boot off, but the other boot just wouldn’t come the fuck off.  I had to limb out into the hallway and wait for some unsuspecting person to come by and help me.  An old woman came by.  She offered to help, and we struggled like hell to get that damn boot off.  I was so afraid that she was pulling so hard that she was going to lose her balance and seriously hurt herself.

 

We had a briefing before dinner. Rai, the young woman from Greenland, gave a talk on Greenlandic dogs.  She ended her speech with a statement that these dogs, after 10 years, are retired and/or eaten.  “I am sorry, but it’s the truth.”

 

DeDe was standing with the bartender, asking him what kinds of books he likes to read.

 

The Polar Bear Plunge was a huge success.  I think 17 kooks jumped in at some point. I took three videos for the first three plungers.  Thereafter, I had to go inside because it was too damn cold to stand out there. They all got a free tee shirt for their participation.  There is no prize anyone could give me that would be enough reward for doing that stupid plunge.

 

After dinner, we had a bar talk. Becs told the story of her daughter’s diagnosis with Spina Bifida.  She had major surgery while the fetus was still in the womb. This procedure was to reduce so many of the potential liabilities she would have if she went to full term with this dreadful disability.  She survived and now had autism, seizers, no bowel or bladder control, some motor skills problems, and multiple surgeries.  What a heartbreaking story. I see Becs differently now.  What courage on her part to handle all of this without a partner.

 

I have done something with my gum.  Its inflamed.  I think I have been grinding my teeth too much and now a cap is digging into my gums and causing bleeding.  When I brushed my teeth, I slit put a lot of blood.

 

Sept 30- SA- Greenland

34F

 

I didn’t go on the morning excursion because there was a chance that we would be going on an afternoon trip.  And the boots were only going on my feet once today.

 

I read the daily shipboard paper and learned that Diane Feinstein died.  What a shame that she stayed too long and went out with a cloud of disgrace.  Her dementia was an embarrassment to her and all who supported her.

 

In the afternoon, we had a ship excursion through the ice.  So, we didn’t go on the zodiacs. It was as if we were in an ice city with icebergs the size of buildings.  At one point, I took a photo of a string of icebergs off in the distance, and it looks like the NYC skyline.

 

Every iceberg looks like a sculpture and the blue ice strips that ran through them just added to their beauty.  I would take too many photos, go to my room to view them, delete many of them and then come back out to take more photos. I know I am going to struggle with which ones to delete later on because I do not need 300 iceberg photos.

 

At one point, we were all invited to the back deck to a cup of hot chocolate and the liquor of your choice.  I had Kailua and it was delicious. But it wasn’t enough to keep me outside for long as it quickly got cold.

 

As usual, we had a great briefing right before dinner.  Marla showed us her favorite 20 books in the library.  I found one or two that I would like to take home with me. Someone explained the physics of northern lights and it was over my head.  The historian told us of a Scotsman who explored Greenland and I never heard of him.  And Amy gave us an idea of what the next few days will be like.  Tomorrow morning is our last excursion and then we head back to Iceland. So, we will have 1 ½ days at sea before we disembark in Iceland on Oct 3. And we were warned that we may encounter some rough seas on the way back so we should start our motion sickness medicine as a precaution.

 

I went to see the doctor tonight about my swollen gums.  Because I am on Prolia, he wanted to start me on an antibiotic right away.  And I think that’s a good idea.

 

After dinner, we had a trivia event in the lounge, and it was well received. I think most of the ship guests showed up.  I didn’t play but it was fun to hang with everyone. Meg was the MC and I think she was drunk.  At one point, teams won points just for bringing her a beer.

 Oct 1- SU - Leaving Greenland 

Our last expedition was a zodiac tour. Amy warned us that it is going to be cold so we should dress in layers.  Another expedition leader also got on the PA and suggested we layer up.  So, I stopped getting dressed and put my boots away. My trip was over. I didn’t need to see any more ice.

 

In the afternoon, Yvonne gave another talk on the ice sheet situation. It was over my head, but it is abundantly clear that we are in trouble as all this ice continues to melt away.  The melted ice is raising our sea levels and saturating our atmosphere.  So, our tropical storms are only going to be more intense.

 

After dinner, there was a bar talk about being a young, female pilot in Texas.

 

Around midnight, we hit the sea as the ship took one hit after other from ice blocks.  The port holes were closed for the rest of the trip.

 

I was awaken several times throughout the night from the bumps and knocks of the waves and ice knocking against the ship. It was intense. 

 

Oct 2-M- At Sea

 

We had a rocky day at sea.  Most of us hung in our cabins and tried to avoid vomiting. Walking in the hallways was tough.  I skipped breakfast.  For lunch, I made it to the dining hall but quickly grabbed a piece of chicken and went right back to my cabin.  By the time it was evening, we seemed to be out of the roughest seas, and I could sit and enjoy my meal.

Emergency meeting to tell us that we will be arriving hours off schedule.

 

At one point the waves were so high, it looked as if we could have gone surfing along side of the boat.  It was rough out there.

 

The Captain’s Farewell Reception was held right before dinner.  The expedition team showed up in various types of scarves and ties of the tartan plaid designed to show the polar seas.  They looked nice.

 

After dinner, the resident photographer showed us his photo slide show of our journey. I didn’t see the hare, the musk ox running, the Arctic fox or the piles of ox hair found on bushes along the way.  But I saw enough.  I saw a vast, cold, Arctic land that would be better off without us, homo sapiens.  We are destroying this corner of the world and that will have a devastating effect on the rest of the world. And it appears as if we are running out of time to fix this damage and the results will be irreversible.

 

I was able to secure a copy of the journey's photo slide show today so now I can show it to people when I return home. I just know everyone wants to see this 17 minute video.

 

Once the photo show was over, we all slithered down to our cabins and took cover, in hopes that we would soon be in the protected channel and out of these rough seas.

 

Oct 3- TU- Arriving in Iceland

 

Today was a day of hurry up and wait.

 

Our luggage had to be outside our cabins by 8 and we had to be out of our cabins by 10.  So, we all spent 3 hours in the lounge, waiting to arrive in Rejvakiv.  I sat with two women who were good company and I wish I had met them earlier in the trip.

 

Craig gave a lecture on the history of whaling.  I wonder how much more we can take from the sea. I don’t know how we haven’t depleted it yet with all of the fishing and whaling we have done for centuries.

 

DeDe is asking a few people about some of the recent books she’s read and enjoyed.

 

The crew is stressed out as they are trying to shut down the ship and yet, we still need to be feed at some point.  They quickly put together a little lite fair lunch which consisted mostly of cakes and candies and a few veggie wraps.

 

As we get closer to shore, the people with the afternoon flights are becoming more anxious.  If we get in around 1PM, there is a small likelihood that the 4PM flight people will make it.  But that seems unlikely at this moment, and I am so grateful that my flight doesn’t leave until tomorrow morning.  My only worry for the day is to secure a way to get to the airport tomorrow for 10 AM flight.

Oct 4- W- Iceland, Canada, PHL, West Chester 

Today was a day of travel.  I set my alarm for 5:30 AM to begin the day.  The param didn't go off but I really didn't sleep much at all.  And when I checked my phone, I had mistakenly put in a 5:30 PM alarm.

So I got up, made my way to the bus stop to go to the airport.  I took a flight to Toronto and then off to PHL and then got a very expensive taxi ride to West Chester and made my way to my apartment and as I dropped my things on the floor, my 5:30 PM alarm went off and I went off to bed.

 

 

The Curls

The Curls

They belong to my adorable nephew. His hair so so beautiful that my niece won't cut his hair and I agree with her.  He is beautiful and looks like an angel.  However, I want these curls when she does finally cut this hair.  I have an old printer's drawer and I will save these curls along with the other curls I have in my collection of beautiful baby curls.  I have cutting from two of my nephews who also had this great hair. And if I am lucky to have any more relatives with beautiful hair, I'll grab those curls as well.

 

My 400th Brewery

The Fat Lady Brewery

Philadelphia, PA

August 7, 2024

 As of today, I have visited 400 craft breweries around the world.  Most have been outstanding. A few have been uninteresting. Two have made such bad beer that I will never go back there again. As a matter of fact, one of these breweries was so bad that we poured our beers in to the potted plants that were near out table.

I picked this brewery for my 400th becausee I thought the name and the decor of the place had just the right character for my big moment. My sister and BIL joined me as did a college friend and a former co-worker.

This place makes very few beers so I only tried three of theirs and then I had to drink some of the guest beers. I asked the server if there was any food available.  He showed me a small bag of Cheetios and confessed that was all he had. 

We didn't stay long. And now it is on to #401.