April 30, 2014. Ridgeland, Mississippi. My Sister Carol.

My sister Carol would have had a birthday tomorrow on May 1st, but she died suddenly two years ago in June. She would have been 79 years old. She had always been a good sister to me. Her skills were not my skills. By the time she was 12, she was making all her own clothes, using my Mother's sewing machine. No one taught her how to do it. She just figured it out on her own. And she always did my hair. Until she left for college, I had never brushed my own hair. Unbelievable but true. All her life, she made things. Her pies were delicious. She could knit, sew, crochet, and embroider. I can do none of them, perhaps because as children she could do them all, and very well too. And of course, she did them all for me, all her life. I still miss her. As adults, we never lived in the same city but we talked on the phone. She did love to talk and we often had long conversations. At least, I would listen to Carol while she caught me up to date on her family activities. Now that she has died, no one tells me about all her extended family. She and her husband were also generous with their cottage. Both of my boys were invited to spend time without their parents at their cottage and when her husband Ken retired, he invited David to spend the summer at their cottage, and he had a grand time. Andrew was scheduled to be in Panama that summer. So my sister helped to raise my boys as well as her brood. I had only one sister and one brother. To my knowledge, our family has never had a disagreement. I have been remarkably fortunate with my family, both immediate and extended. But my family is shrinking which must mean that I am getting old. Tomorrow, I will celebrate my sister's birthday and drink a glass of wine with Christina and Ken in her honor. We will all wish that our family was bigger.

April 29, 2014. Ridgeland, Mississippi. Car Phones.

Yes. They were actually called car phones and the phone was attached to the car, with a transmitter hidden in the trunk and an antennae attached to the top. I know this because I bought one of the first car phone contracts in Montgomery county. I was a real estate agent and it was 1985 or 1986. It is hard to believe, but Cellular One was having difficulty selling the phones and could not figure out to whom they should target their advertisement, so they had me tell a true story about my success with the car phone, and they put that ad on the radio 150 each day on 50 stations, for two months. For about 3 months, I was famous. And I have not been without a portable phone since that time. But today, my granddaughter Kate gave me a lesson in taking pictures on my new fancy iPhone. My son David, when he was in Jackson for Andrew's service, urged me to buy a new phone that could easily text. It is easier for him to text me than e mail, as he can do it while waiting for a basketball game, or even waiting for the lights. As he asked me several times, I bowed to his wishes and now I have my new, modern phone. I have become a modern woman. It has been fun learning the buttons but as I have used my iPad for several years, I found the systems to be very similar. Now my e mails come right to me on my phone along with the text messages, but you already knew that bit of information. My old flip phone actually did everything I needed a phone to do, but the texting was difficult. But not any more. Of course, as I have a bit of a tremor in my left hand, I can not use my thumbs while holding the phone. Instead I must secure the phone on my knee and rest my arm on something. Perhaps I will get more adept. Do not ever believe that you can not teach an old dog new tricks!!

April 28, 2014. Ridgeland, Mississippi. Tornado Watch.

The whole Jackson area was under a tornado watch. The emergency service notifies you on your cell phone, telling you to seek shelter, and the sirens wail, reminding you of danger. It is all very unnerving. But it is necessary. On the local television station, the weather man was on the screen continuously, telling you the track of the storm and urging people what to be doing. Everyone in a mobile home was to immediately leave and seek shelter in a secure building. Anyone in an automobile was to leave their vehicle and seek shelter. Everyone was to make a secure area of the house complete with pillows and mattresses to stay during the storm. We were told to be sure to wear shoes. It was exciting as we watched as we ate our dinner. We watched on TV while the storm hit Vicksburg and kept coming east toward Jackson. The whole area was full of tornadoes. New storms kept breaking out. Our safe spot was ready and all the outside furniture secured. Our section of Jackson received only rain, wind and hail but tornadoes set down in several places, one with four fatalities. After the rain, Ken and I drove home to our condo. The streets were deserted. Several yards were pools of water as were many streets but we made it home without difficulty, having survived our first tornado watch in Jackson.

April 27, 2014. Ridgeland, Mississippi. Habits.

Habits are interesting. Often we perform acts that we never think about, but we repeat the process over and over again. For instance, when the electrical service is out of order due to a storm and we know perfectly well that the candles are lighting the room, every time I enter a room I flip the switch. It is my habit to turn on the switch when I enter any dark room, so I just keep repeating the process, even though it may take days before the electrical service is restored. And then there are bathrooms. I enter a bathroom to put in my eyedrops and before I leave, I must use the toilet even though, when I walked in, I felt no need to use the commode. It is my habit to never walk past a toilet without using it, especially when traveling, so I have programmed myself to use the toilet whenever I walk into the bathroom. It is my habit. Molly was playing with friends down the street. She ran into the house with great glee and called out,"Daddy and Mommy. I am home". There was dead silence for a moment and I called out to her that I was in the kitchen and the awkward moment passed. It was her habit to report her presence to Andrew and Christina. It will be interesting to see how long she keeps that pattern.

April 26, 2014. Ridgeland, Mississippi. Questions.

Some questions we will never know. For instance, the question of what happened mid year of 2013, when Andrew's business faltered? Did he run out of cash reserves? Did he lose interest or energy? And another question is why did Andrew did not ask for help? David would have helped him in a heartbeat, and I know something about building a business but he did not say a word. Even his good friends John, Jim and Bo were not aware of his distress. These things are mysteries that will never be solved. But somethings we do know. When Andrew could no longer look after the financial life of the family, he chose to end his life. It was Ken who first suggested the idea that Andrew was so embarrassed by his lack of financial success that he did the equivalent of falling on his sword, which is the true Japanese manner when you have let someone down. When Andrew started his business, for four years all went well, with the income stream going up comfortably every year. But something happened and Andrew did not ask for help. And now he is gone. Eventually we will remember the vitality that came from Andrew. His love of life and his family came through every interaction. Soon we will remember and smile. With Andrew, one of his great charms was that you never quite knew what he was saying or doing next. But at the moment, he has left a big hole in our lives, and we miss him. I am not writing another wee web log about Andrew. I have said everything I know to say. Now I must move along.

April 25, 2014. Ridgeland, Mississippi. Baby Steps.

We are all beginning to take the baby steps of living in a world without Andrew. He was such a big presence in our lives that we feel as if we are living with a hole inside of us. Yesterday, Christina went to lunch with two friends in her sister in laws home and it was a normal, quiet lunch with no weeping. Today, Christina reported to me that her day was remarkably normal. Friends have picked the girls up, Kate to go to a movie and dinner and Mary Frances to play with Polly, then go out to dinner with their family. Ken, Christina, Molly and I walked down the street to a very small park just before dinner, and chatted cheerfully with neighbor families. Andrew has always loved dill pickles. Usually, when we visit, I buy a huge bottle of dill pickles and bring it to him. Today at the grocery store, I did not even cry when I walked past the pickles. I must say that I did not linger. For the last two nights, we have eaten dinner with just the family. Normally, we eat in the dining room but I was not prepared to spend the dinner hour in the dining room without Andrew so I suggested that we sit around the coffee table and eat dinner casually, with Ken sitting at the counter. He hates to eat with a plate on his nap. It was pleasant. Tonight it was an even smaller group as both big girls were out, and again, our meal time was quiet and pleasant without weeping. I don't know what a heavy heart really is, but I know we all have it. But I am beginning to see that there is light at the end of the tunnel. And I say "Thank You God. Thank You for Andrew." Tomorrow would have been his birthday.

April 24, 2014. Ridgeland, Ms. Good Things.

I have read that something good comes out of everything. Kate and Mary Frances have discovered that fact. David and Suzanne are committed to keeping close touch with the Mississippi girls. David suggested that it would be easier if Kate and Mary Frances both own new smart phones, as Kate's phone is old and MF does not have a phone. Monday evening, David told the girls, that on Tuesday morning, they would go shopping with Suzanne and buy any phone they wanted and he would pay the monthly charges. The girls were stunned and for 15 seconds all was quiet, until MF said "Hot damn", and she smiled, which was the first time anyone has seen her smile since Andrew died. Now both girls are the proud owners of new fancy iPhones and they are thrilled. From David's perspective, he can easily check up with the girls by texting or by looking at the bills. If the girls are not using the phone it will mean someone is depressed, so a phone call will be needed. It is a situation that has worked well for everyone.

April 23, 2014. Ridgeland, Mississippi. Friends.

The Mississippi friends have been marvelous to Christina and to the girls as well as to the friends and relatives who have come for the funeral and to mourn the death of Andrew. They have literally and figuratively wrapped their arms around us all with strong arms of love. Since an hour of Andrew's death, food began arriving to the door, given by close friends and from others that they knew very little. And they have filled the home with love. It has been very impressive to a stoic Canadian. Katie, Cindy and Katie took over the kitchen and provided dinners for Sunday and Monday evenings at Andrew and Christina's home. Hoards of people came by to express regrets, and to stay for dinner along with all the arriving relatives and friends. Last evening, Eleanor and Jim gave an event to honor Andrew, held at their beautiful home which is in the country. 70 people and 25 children attended, all because they love Andrew and Christina. I knew them all from past events. This group of loving caring people will provide comfort and support and love for Christina and the girls over the coming years. I feel it in my bones. And this evening, three lady friends brought dinner, so Christina, Ken and me, David and the three ladies dined on home made soup, home made bread and homemade chocolate cake, sitting around the coffee table enjoying each other's company. I can not think of a better place than Jackson, Mississippi to be struck by tragedy. These good loving folks seem to understand grief, and I am grateful.

April 22, 2014. Ridgeland, Mississippi. Upbringing.

I am always surprised how my upbringing impacts my present life, especially during times of stress. Things I had thought I had forgotten long ago, often pop into my mind at unexpected moments. Many times they bring comfort. In the middle of the night , tossing and turning with anxiety and grief, the words of an old hymn came to my mind. The poet had just been told that his four children had perished in a fire. In his grief, he went to a church to find solice and he wrote: When peace like a river attendeth my way, When sorrows like sea billows roll; Whenever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say, It is well, it is well with my soul. I discovered, surprisingly, that it was well with my soul. What a gift my background has given me, at my advanced years.

April 21, 2014. Ridgeland, Mississippi. Children.

Every baby born is a gift sent from God, and is a treasure. We do not know how many years we will be allowed to cherish and enjoy the child , as the child attempts to gains strength and expertise and knowledge. As parents, we have every expectation that the child will grow up to reach the full score of life, as we, the next generation, reach our declining years. But we have never been promised. This has certainly been true in our own lives. Ken and I had three boys born to us. Our first baby boy died at 13 months. Walter was a gift from God. We learned much from that experience, which stood us in good stead for the rest of our lives. That knowledge acquired about each other from the adversity was greater than we would have ever learned without our first boy. Eight years later we had born to us a son Andrew and 15 months later, our David. We were thrilled to assist them to grow to their full manhood, with every expectation to see them through our old age. But we are not in charge. And now we have the good fortune of having one son, our dear David. And we will be eternally grateful for our seven lovely granddaughters. Despite the pain of today, I would never have missed the life we spent with Andrew. He was a gift from God, and we are both grateful.

April 20, 2014. Atlanta, Georgia. Grief and Pain.

C.S. Lewis was the first person who described grief as a type of pain. I believe he was correct. Since Thursday, when we were told of Andrews death, both Ken and I have felt pain in every bone and every muscle. It seems physiological. And all food tastes like sawdust. We know we should eat but everything is unappealing. "What a difference a day makes". Since Friday when we left the ship, we have been wending our way to Jackson. There was a 4 hour flight from the little Pacific Island to Sydney, followed by a 10 hour flight to Hawaii. Fortunately, we upgraded to Business Class for the long flight. Then a 8 hour flight to Atlanta, where we sat at the back of a huge plane. Of course, in order to not miss connections, we had 3 hour layovers in each place. Finally, we will make the short flight to Jackson, where we will try to understand what happened to our dear son. Fortunately, we qualify for the Delta Sky Lounge so we have been comfortable in all places. But neither Ken or I are at our best The outpouring of love and prayers from family and friends has been comforting. David and Suzanne Have been in Jackson since Friday and will meet us at the airport. The family is gathering to celebrate Andrew's life. But the situation has not changed. We must live with the concept that we can only talk about Andrew in the past. Everything has changed.

April 18, 2014. Oosterdam. Andrew Dickie.

Ken and I are have spent the better part of the afternoon weeping. Our beloved son, Andrew, died this afternoon. Tomorrow we begin the long sad journey to Jackson, Mississippi, where the family will congregate to celebrate his life. But we are sad. Very sad. Clearly, Andrew decided to lay down his burden and end his life. We do not know why. And neither does Christina. It all seems so much out of character, for this outgoing friendly soul. But Andrew clearly had burdens that he was not willing to share. I wished he had asked for help. We certainly miss him already…and we weep.

April 17, 2014. Oosterdam. The Wonderful World.

In many respects, this is a wonderful world.. Here we are, ordinary people, visiting an island in the Pacific Ocean that is anyone’s idea of gorgeous. The water is aqua marine in color and 85 degrees in temperature. The coral reefs abound. And we sit in a beautiful ship overlooking the whole bay. On our ship we have about a third Canadians, Americans and Australians. In other words, everyone looks the same, until we open our mouths,but we are all in wonderland. Fifty years ago, the man I met at breakfast would not have been on a cruise ship in the south Pacific. But now, in today’s world, he travels the seven seas. He is retired and single. In his working life, he worked as a groundskeeper on a gold course, so not a high paying job, but here he is, living the high life and enjoying every minute of it. What he does is to sign on for a cruise at the last minute where the rates are seriously discounted. “I can afford those rates,” says he to me. “It is cheaper than staying at home.” It is a great world. This man is having a great time and the cruise line has filled the ship. Hurrah for today.

Dunedin to Doubtful Sound

April 16, 2014. Noumea, New Caledonia. Watches.

Time seems to be important to me. I have no clue why but if a watch is not on my arm, I am uncomfortable. When we took the journey down the Grand Canyon in the small row boats, all our friends took off their watches as we were instructed by the guides that we would operate by the sun. The plan was to get up at sunrise and go to sleep after dark. Everyone did as they were asked, except me. I like my watch on my wrist, where I can check at any time what is happening to the day. When my watch stopped working in Sydney, I managed without it for 48 hours. There were no batteries to be found in our Mall in Sydney and there are no batteries on the ship so yesterday we found the shop and bought a watch. Now I am a proud owner of a solar powered watch so I will never run of batteries again. It would have been possible to purchase a much less expensive watch, but then I would have been back to the same situation with a watch that would not work, so Ken convinced me to buy the fancy solar powered watch. I think he is tired of hearing me complain!! I am told that people under 40 never use a watch. They use their cell phone to tell time. But I am 76 and I like wearing a watch. Actually, I like watches. In my possession I must have 25 watches and I love every one. The real question is how I managed to leave home with only one watch? Must be old age. Can’t possibly be stupidity!!

Dunedin Port

April 15, 2014. Oosterdam. Hope.

There is still hope. Today we chatted with two different couples who are both almost 90. And they are doing well. Our plan today was to have breakfast at the Lido, the buffet restaurant on the 9th deck. We were actually reading in the cabin and we forgot the time, mainly because my watch battery stopped working. I foolishly brought only one watch with me for this five month journey. Clearly, I was wrong, so we missed the breakfast hours in the main restaurant. But during our breakfast at the Lido, we sat beside an older couple from Washington State. They are both in their upper 80’s and are delightful. They have already booked their cruise for 2015. By mid afternoon, we went back up to the Lido for a dessert and chatted with another delightful couple, both who are almost 90 too. They too have booked their 2015 cruise. They are from Edmonton and for them, cruising is the easiest way to travel, so they always keep a cruise planned for the future. We do not like buffet restaurants but today we enjoyed our visit to the Lido. Now we think that we will be able to travel for the next ten years. There is still hope!!

April 14, 2014. Oosterdam. Crazy People.

On this ship I have found people just as crazy as us. Of course, every one is cruising from Sydney, Australia to Vancouver, Canada, which will take almost a month, but in addition, I have already chatted with three couples who have done it both ways, just like us. One couple, who have done the cruise to and back, are also taking the train from Vancouver to Orlando, Florida. Another couple, after our cruise is over, will take the Rocky Mountaineer through the Rockies, then take a bus back to the west coast and pick up a cruise to Alaska Inner Passage. While in Alaska, they will visit Fairbanks, Barrow, Denali and Anchorage before taking a cruise back to Seattle. They are full time RV folks and have been for ten years but for the past five years they have spent the summers in Vermont, where they stay on a farm in their RV. They both help around the farm, she with the cattle and he with the gardens and grounds, in exchange for parking their RV. The rest of the year they visit their son in Wisconsin and their daughter in Savanna. It is fascinating what people are doing with their time. It is truly a wonderful world.

April 13, 2014. Oosterdam Getting Set

We are set for the next 28 days. Our clothes are unpacked and the cases stowed away. The wine has been ordered for dinner. The cabin was even ready for us when we arrived. Boarding cruises ships can be difficult and tedious. The Cunard and the Celebration lines had the smoothest and quickest systems, but the Holland American did a pretty good job. Actually, Ken and I cheated. Our time to board the ship was 1:00 but check out time at our apartment was 11:00 so we came directly to the ship on a taxi and proceeded to board the ship. No one said a word to us. We were in our cabin by 12:00. And we are pleased with our cabin too. The balcony is wide with two lounge chairs with ottomans plus two chairs and a dining table. The cabin itself has a King bed, a full size couch plus two comfortable chairs, with enough space in the cabin for the two of us to pass. The cabin also has a desk and a dressing table. We even have a window over the desk, in addition to the large windows by the door to the balcony. Actually, about a month ago, Ken and I decided to upgrade to a larger cabin. Now we are glad we made that decision. Over the next 28 days we will spend many hours in this cabin. Now we will be comfortable. We are now set for our last cruise.

April 12, 2014. Sydney, Australia. Cyclone Ita.

A cyclone has hit the coast of Australia. It has been interesting to watch the TV coverage of the storm, not the least being the direction of the winds within the storm. In the southern hemisphere, the winds are opposite to us in the north. Australia is so big that the storm is up the coast from us, but we will soon see lots of rain. Cookstown is on the north east coast and took the direct hit. The town has small but looked very cute…before the storm hit. Tomorrow we leave Australia. We board yet another cruise ship, this one bound for Vancouver. It will be a slow journey, taking 28 days but we will enjoy our last bit of elegance. The real work is beckoning!!

April 11, 2014. Sydney, Australia. What To Do.

Having nothing to do has an advantage. I must figure out what I want to do. For most of my life, I have been busy, with a to-do list close at hand. There were always more tasks needing to be done that I could possibly accomplish. But this has not been true on this long journey. Since we left home on December 28, I have made no beds. Neither have I entertained or talked on the phone. I have had nothing that required my time and energy. I must say that it has been fun, figuring out what I really wanted to do.. Mostly I read but my eyes let me down after several hours so to give my eyes a break, I watched TV. I have realized that I will watch any sport. If I don’t understand the game, I try to figure out the rules and strategy. If I am familiar with the game, such as baseball, I enjoy the play and the expertise of the players. On this trip I have watched the world championship of Snooker, a devilishly difficult game that I had never seen played. The NCAA Frozen Four playoffs are being held right now so we are enjoying them. I love baseball but never get to see a game but in Sydney every morning I watch a game on TV while watching breakfast. I have learned that I really do not enjoy watching Rugby, perhaps because I don’t know the rules. Footy I have loved with it’s constant action. In my life, I have watched about ten hours of golf but this year, I bet I watch The Masters. I really have nothing else to do early in the morning in Australia. I bet I will enjoy it.

They call it Footy. Actually, it is Australian Rules Football. Over the years I would watch this sport and the thing I liked the best was the referee, who after a kick was scored, would march to the center and bring both arms to his waist in a very official manner. It was a ridiculous sight. Since being in the Southern Hemisphere, Ken and I have watched hours of Footy and we are still trying to figure out the rules. Jurgen, our guide in New Zealand, told us that there are no rules. It is just mayhem, but I do not believe him. However, it is an interesting game and in several ways, superior to American football. The play is continuous. The ball must be passed or kicked. And the players wear no equipment, merely shorts and sleeveless tight shirts.. To score, the ball must be kicked through the posts, 6 points to the center and 1 to either side. The scores are high, which I like, so it is fun watching the games. Now I know more than laugh at the antics of the referee. It is my guess that Footy will not sweep the world, but here in Australia, it is the top sport.

April 9, 2014. Sydney, Australia. The Chinese Garden.

The Chinese Garden of Friendship is beautiful. It is full of wonderful sights, waterfalls both big and small, lakes and hidden pathways. It was initiated in 1988 by the local Chinese community, to celebrate Australia’s Bicentenary. And rocks are everywhere. Each section is separate from the last, so surprises are around every corner. The Garden is walking distance from our apartment so the contrast from the urban density in Darling Harbour to the quiet and beauty of the Chinese Garden is dramatic. In fact, the foliage is so dense I told Ken we needed to leave because I was claustrophobic. The Chinese Garden serves tea, so at 3;45, we drank green tea and ate scones and cream. It was lovely, but not quite up to the standard of the Queen Elizabeth high tea. After taking the people mover back to Darling Harbour, we acted Australian. We sat and drank a beer and snacked on anti pasto while sitting outside beside the Harbour We are becoming Australians.

April 8, 2014. Sydney, Australia. A City Tour.

We had a great time, riding on the top of a double decker bus, touring the city of Sydney. Definitely, we were tourists. This city is interesting in that it is not old, yet it seems very old. The streets are narrow, which you often find in old cities but this city was only founded in the 19th Century. Whoever laid out the plans had no vision that once it would become a great city in need of wide boulevards. Heck. Even the founding fathers of Winnipeg, Manitoba had the good sense to keep the streets very wide. What happened to the Aussies? Most of the older buildings are from the 1920’s and are charming. The urban renewal folks in the 60’s were well on their way to tearing down all the old buildings, but wisdom prevailed and only half the early buildings were demolished. The rest of the downtown area is packed with very tall buildings full of glass. We enjoyed the tour, but did not stop at any of the attractions. What we did not enjoy was the bad air. Ken thought that because we were on a harbour, the breezes would keep the air clean but today there was no wind and we were riding on an open bus passing roads full of cars and trucks, surrounded by tall buildings. We were reminded to stay out of cities. Next time we will do better.

April 7, 2014. Sydney, Australia. Cleverness.

It is clever. From our apartment at the Guysbrough Hotel/Apartments, we can walk to the Harbourside Mall on covered walkways. Yesterday it rained all day but we left our apartment and spent the next three hours never getting wet. It is clever indeed. First you take the elevator to the second floor and walk along a long walkway, all in our building. Next you walk along an elevated walkway that takes us over two lanes of a busy street, where we end up in a huge parking garage. Halfway along the parking lot you find another covered elevated walkway across to the huge mall. There are three floors of stores and restaurants that any normal person could be busy for a long time. We discovered a People Mover. For a $5. fee, you can ride all around Darling Harbour and going up to the Chinese Garden. The rain continues to pent down but we were covered and happy, investigation the area. The afternoon was warm but wet so we ate dinner outdoors under huge umbrellas watching the Harbour. It seemed to be typically Australian because others were dining out too. Our apartment is convenient. We can walk for ages without getting wet…and we have a washer and dryer!!.

April 6, 2014. Darling Harbour, Sydney, Australia. Differences.

Already we have noticed the differences. We have been in Australia for 4 days, living in Darling Harbour, Sydney, so my observations may not be accurate for the rest of the country, but again, I may be right in my assessment. People in Australia are not nearly as friendly and helpful as are the New Zealanders. It is actually quite difficult to find tourist information. And when you stop and ask questions, they have no answers. A man wearing a security uniform was standing outside a ticket seller. I asked him a question about a water taxi, and he told me that he was working security, and knew nothing about the water. He told me to get in the line to get the information. That never happened to us in New Zealand. In New Zealand, we saw no overweight people. Not so in Australia. Walking the malls, you see many obese people., which surprised me. The mall is full of sweet shops and ice cream stores., so no wonder folks weigh too much. There are a huge number of restaurants. The whole Darling Harbour is lined with restaurants. It is lovely to sit and watch the people walk by. I did not see anything similar in New Zealand. The populations are different as is the size of the country so the economy is different . Both people speak with a distinctive accent too, but sometimes I can’t tell the difference between the two!! .

April 5, 2014. Sydney, Australia. A Good Book.

Reading this book reminds me yet again of the foolishness of inherited positions. The book is “The Life of Elizabeth”, written by Alison Weir. It is a personal biography of the Queen. I read pages of the negotiations of marriage, all of which result in failure. She would not marry a Catholic, now would she marry a commoner. In addition, as she was the daughter of King Henry V111, she was fearful of any marriage. The 16th Century held many ideas that would not be accewptable today. There was no free speech., nor of religion. The Catholics and the Protestants seemed to hate each other. The Pope declared it legal to kill the Protentant Queen. In order to marry, the so called Royals needed the permission of the Queen. If you married without permission, you could put into the Tower of London. The concept of Devine Right to being the Queen was accepted. And your position in life depended on your interited title, unless the Queen gave you a title. Reading this book reminds us that we have come a long way indeed.. The real question in my mind is why reasonable people spend so much time paying attention to these inherited titles. It is clearly a ridiculous system.

April 4, 2013. Sydney, Australia. The Second Day.

It takes about a day to get everything all together. I think most people don’t travel because they are not prepared to put up with the first day. Upon arrival, everything seems wrong. You are tired and nothing works. You have no idea where the restaurants and stores are to be found. Everything seems hopeless. Amazingly, by the end of the second day, the anxiety has disappeared. Yesterday we made great strides in understanding Darling Harbour in Sydney. Now we feel as comfortable as natives. I had a pedicure. We exchanged our New Zealand money for Australian. We booked a tour of the city. We found at least twenty restaurants we would enjoy, all within an easy walk of our apartment. Even the Internet is working. And the shower works like a champ. Ken and I have travelled a lot but I am still surprised by the first day syndrome. I talk myself through the idea that we must just do one thing at a time, one after another, and that the first day anxiety will soon disappear. Today, we are back to normal, where yesterday we were weary. It happens every time, fortunately!!

April 3, 2014 Sydney, Australia. A successful day

We are living downtown in a big, beautiful city. Our apartment is in Darling Harbour. This afternoon we walked to the shopping center right on the edge of the antique boats, with dozens of restaurants by the water. Our departure from the ship was easy. Each cruise line is working hard to get passengers off easily, and this morning was the most efficient. We ate breakfast on the ship and left by 7:30. Bu 8:00 we were at our apartment in Sydney. Fortunately, the place was ready. We made great progress today although we miss our friend Gill to reconoiter. So far, we walked to the waterfront and toured the Gallery of The Museum of the Sea. At dinner, we found bunches of ethnic restaurants within a ten minute walk, and we shopped for breakfast food at a local store. Tomorrow we will check options for city and harbour tours. We are set for our ten days in Sydney.

April 2, 2014. Celebrity Solstice. John Bragale.

My hats are off to John Bragale. He fought the good fight right to the end. He was far too young to leave this world, but he has gone. And for many reasons, I will miss him. John worked very hard. I often found him at work in the office long before anyone else appeared. He cared about doing a good job too. Many early mornings, John asked for advice and he was quick to tell me what had gone wrong. He was dedicated to his family and he was dedicated to the Gateway office. He was proud to be a contributing member of the group. He came to work looking like the successful real estate agent that he was. Right until two weeks before he died, he was hard at work, looking the part and giving his all. I will miss his energy and his enthusiasm and his expertise. And I say “Rest in Peace”.