Simple poem

Sitting quietly reading all the books on my kindle which is installed on the iPad is giving me the chance to discover things I've never found before. To have leisure to read without carrying tons of books around with me is just wonderful so I'd like to share one of the poems I've found almost by accident. It's by Khalil Gibran but not The Prophet which I love but a simple poem for children which says everything I want to say to everyone. If I could catch a rainbow I would do it just for you And share with you it's beauty On the days your feeling blue If I could build a mountain You could call your very own A place to find serenity A place to be alone If I could take your troubles I would toss them in the sea But all these things I'm finding Are impossible for me I cannot build a mountain Or catch a rainbow fair But let me be what I know best A friend that's always there. - Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Actual work!

We have had a morning of sorting out. I got a bag together of our dirty clothes when I realized just how long we'd been wearing some of them! This involved everything being sifted through and put back tidily. It was the closest we've come to work in three weeks. Then our interim bills arrived. I noticed they had failed to charge me for some silver I'd bought for my dog sitter whilst at the same time my husband David noticed they charged him for it! Down to the pursers office we went. We have never merged our finances... I certainly didn't want him to pay my bill! There was an enormous queue. People clutching their bills clogged the lobby! They seemed to have made a spectacular number of mistakes. Getting my problem solved was easy and just required a signature . Others were not so easy. Tempers were evident, voices raised. The girl I dealt with was harassed and sweet tempered. I smiled at her and reassured her that it was not a problem....I just needed to know that my husband was not going to pay for my profligacy. So after the busiest morning we've had since we got here we are now waiting to go into the final lecture of out friend Richard. It's rather dull outside anyway! - Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Dolphins and turtles.

Another of my blogs has now been transported without trace to the graveyard of all unsolicited testimonials. I have no rational explanation for this save the ships Internet is very quirky. Sometimes it's efficient but never fast! We had an excellent lunch and met some very pleasant people, one of whom was the lecturer on the Panama canal. Apparently the Queen Elizabeth actually hit the side in one place and she carries a long scar to prove it. The consensus was that it could only be the pilot to blame! It's not so fiercely hot now...in fact I have had a swim and a sit in the sun again. We saw another massive pod of dolphins as we passed fairly close and it was remarkable how they leapt whilst staying perfectly aligned with each other. There are also turtles to be seen paddling just under the surface. This mornings lecture was by Gerald Scarfe. He and Jane Asher had been invited to our lunch but they prefer to eat privately. An actress from Eastenders was there however. We are passing Mexico right now and there will be another day at sea before we visit the only town it's safe to visit! - Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Ship board friendships

By this stage of the journey we know who we want to talk to and who to avoid if possible. It is interesting that often a friendship started on board can lead on to communications later thanks to the glory of E mail. Obviously the people you see every night at dinner are people you get to know well. Last year having been placed next to the famous tenor who used to sing through every meal we spent the first week plotting our escape but then we got used to him! A similar situation has occurred this time though it's not someone who sings so much as talks non stop very loudly. We have got used to it but are relieved when a no show occurs! There are limits to who you wish to have breakfast with though so we try to be a bit selective. Having a common language makes life easier though I have had many interesting conversations with people who speak no English at all. Sign language helps here as my grasp of French and German is very limited. We are off to meet an entirely new group of people this morning. One of the lecturers who we met last year is throwing a luncheon party for those he describes as the most interesting and pleasant people on board. Modesty forbids etc etc. but there will be 16 of us! Later at dinner I have ordered a bottle of champagne and some Madeira for afterwards for the six of us at our table. It's David's birthday! - Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Ship board conversations

Interesting conversations you overhear on deck. There is no way of not hearing some people and I learn alot inadvertently. Sitting in the jacuzzi are two men discussing the church. As one addressed the other as Father I assume it to be the Roman Catholic church. But I could be wrong! Apparently they complain about the diocese in America too! And they have old churches urgently in need of repair and no money to pay for it. It all sounded very familiar. Another rivetting conversation was Apple versus Windows. iPhone and iPad have achieved a revolution in this area. People who prior to having an iPhone would never have contemplated buying anything apple now sing it's praises...often loudly. I have discovered that buying an apple TV gives you access to all the programs on your phone, pad or computer. I have no idea how this works. I was only an eavesdropper so it would have been rude to ask. Comparing the merits of various writers only comes second to those of musical talent. People read a lot. Cunard provides a lending library! Everyone was quick to condemn the production of Twelfth night last night shortened to an hour! It merely confirmed my decision not to go! I don't set out to deliberately listen in but you really can't help it, unless it's a foreign language or whispered just out of ear shot! I will keep you all posted though! - Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Gods Grandeur.

Today is Sunday and the weather has changed . The sultry humidity of the tropical heat has been replaced by a brisk wind and white horses are galloping the sea. It's very beautiful. Away from home it's always a problem on Sundays as some sort of worship, different from the daily office seems called for. This morning I have been reading Gerard Manley Hopkins again. This wonderful Jesuit poet touches my heart over and over at every reading. Gods grandeur was the one that caught me this morning. It is all too easy on a ship in the middle of the ocean to feel the joy of the spirit as a very real presence. I always say whenever I preside that I am going with the spirit and by and large this true, warts and all! The last lines of Gods grandeur says it all. "Oh morning at the brown brink eastward springs Because the Holy Ghost over the bent World springs with warm breast And with ah, bright wings." Amen to that. - Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Way to San Jose

We found lovely churches in Costa Rica with glorious stained glass. Where ever we went we were greeted with warmth and offered hospitality. So I am now stocked up with fridge magnets, a gaudy rosary and seed bracelets. David was given the best coffee he's had so far. It's extremely hot so we are sitting in the shade drinking a bass and Tom Collins. No prizes for guessing who has what! This window was dedicated to St Luke!


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Into the jungle?

We are setting off into the unknown yet again. Puntarenas looks lovely but I can't remember anything about what we are doing on this trip. When I sat down at the computer to book them all it was cold , before Christmas and all a long way ahead! So we are prepared for anything. Proper shoes, sun hat, cover ups , sun tan cream, insect repellent. Bottled water! Thunder birds are GO' - Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

No nakedness please. We are British.

We are having another fairly strange day. At a lecture we attended given by our friend Richard which was covering the flora and fauna of Guatamala he produced a photograph of a very interesting lizard . Going by the name of The Jesus Christ reptile he told us . As my mouth dropped open he explained that in the swamps it's webbed feet gave the impression that it was walking on water! The temperature here is now 30 degrees and sitting in the sun is only possible for ten minutes at a time. Some people arrive, and move off fairly quickly but I fear for those who stay fully exposed to the sun. Fully exposed not does mean they are naked. The Brits rule the etiquette on this boat. No one, not even those from the Med take off their clothes in full view. This is a pity as I'd only just got used to it in Majorca last year and can now do it! I am writing this whilst drinking a Dark and Stormy! This interesting cocktail is mostly ginger beer and rum. Delicious.! - Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Work

Leisure time is productive I find....but I must whisper this I actually do miss work. Khalil Gibran said something wonderful on this subject. Work is love made visible. It also has the merit of being true for the lucky ones. As we iron our loved ones shirts I am not sure sometimes but when I find my albs and surplices freshly ironed for me by my husband I know it to be true! Kipling wrote this on the subject. When Earths last picture is painted We shall rest and lie down for a while Till the Master of all good Workmen Shall put us to work anew And no one shall work for money And no one shall work for fame But each for the joy of the working For the God of Things as they are. I am lucky I know but everything I do when I work brings me joy. To find this in my old age truly makes me a very lucky woman. Thank you God. - Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Panama. Wow

We


are sitting near a lock gate waiting for entrance. For anyone used to going through a lock on a British canal this is a well known procedure. But then we had to do much of the work ourselves and the first David developed lock elbow at one stage. Much like tennis elbow but obviously much much worse'. This an amazing place. We feel as though we are gliding through a rain forest. We havnt seen so much green since we left Southampton. The engineering involved is tremendous . We are accompanied by a crocodile. He is keeping pace with us. This is an unlikely hazard for any maintenance done here and accidents have happened. It's going to take all day to get out at the other end. Time for plenty of reflections. - Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Poem on getting old

Having time to spend on board this ship is wonderful. Many of us are old people. Many are very brave, striking off on their own to sample what ever life is still offering them. I watched an old lady this morning climbing gamely up some very unsteady ladders to get onto a boat and marveled at the resilience of age! This poem fragment by John Masefield says it all! Be with me Beauty for the fire is dying My dog and I are old, too old for roving Let me have wisdom Beauty Wisdom and passion Bread to the soul, rain where the summers parch Give me but these and though the darkness close Even the night will blossom as the rose. I love it! - Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Cartegena

we are pulling into Cartegena in the dawn. It looks lovely. Lots of old forts and fortifications. The scene of many battles over the years it is said that if the English had won all those years ago Columbia would now be English speaking. So I am not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing'. We are going on a smaller boat around the harbour this morning and the suns up. Later The trip around the harbour was interesting. A troupe of dancers attended us all the way with drums and flute like things. It was very loud. The bad news was that this place is full of shops selling emeralds. The good news is that they are along way from the boat. David has now relaxed. - Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Wet and windy

I've just been told off by my iPad. It said. "This iPad has not been backed up in two weeks. " there was a definite note of accusation and instruction as it told me the cloud worked when attached to the wifi! I doubt if the wifi cloud on this boat would welcome my ramblings! Today we are moving still further south to South America. Cartagena. Someone on twitter told me it was a rough place but that was 25 years ago! Our cheery captain assures us it's safer than Acupulco ! Most surprisingly it's wet and windy even though warm! The boat is moving again though. We all have our sea legs now and there are intrepid people walking the decks. We are not tempted yet! We've now been on this boat long enough to recognize people. It is more multi lingual than any other cruise we've been on. Communication is often by pigeon English and sign language which works well enough. We shout Ola at the Spanish and Portuguese and Guten Morgen at the Germans. There is a tiny Japanese lady in the cabin opposite and yesterday she lost her card, which switches on the light. She had groped in the dark until finally she asked me to stand in her doorway to give her enough light to search by. It was the first time I'd seen a cabin without even a window onto the outside world! When she'd found her card she threw both arms round me and hugged me! She was so tiny her arms only went half way round me. But the message was clear.....she was relieved! We are getting institutionalized on here having been on board for two weeks. But there are worse places! - Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Survived the tender.

My anxieties about the tender were well founded. The sea was choppy and just as I got to the jumping in point a great gap appeared. Stay there they roared so I did. Eventually we did get off. We travelled in and all the rest was great. I even walked into the sea. It was bright blue and warm. Praise be. Now back on board


are by the pool sipping Long Island iced tea. The decadent life seems to be suiting us! - Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Tenders needed

Its the first visit of the Queen Elizabeth to Grand Cayman. The captain said it was so we could all visit our banks personally! As we approach it looks lovely but I have now seen the bad news. They are unloading the tenders. Getting onto one of these is Childs play but the very first time I did it I tripped. Strong arms caught me but not before I'd seen the sea a long way down beneath me. So it's stout shoes and trousers. And fingers crossed. It's already very hot here and it's not yet 8 am. So cover up clothes are a necessity. We are going onto an old boat which is made to look like an old Spanish galleon. Mmm. I am told there are good shops here because it really is a rich persons play island but I'm not sure I can do that. I shall see what it all looks and feels like when we have done it once before doing it twice. - Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Ramblings.

I've tried to post a blog this morning but the Internet refused to play. This meant another trip to the stern young man who did his best. Unfortunately I am afraid he thinks old people are stupid. I want to tell him that it's not clever getting to 25. The real cleverness is getting to 75. But he wouldn't understand. I have now tested both pools and found them good. I have lost my pretty sun hat and now walk around with a fetching pink baseball cap. I look like an ageing desperado. I havnt been to church again but in the silence of my own heart He is there. And He doesn't mind what I look like. Which is just as well. - Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Everglades

What a day! We started out early so had no way of judging the temperature until later. It was 24 degrees and very warm. We were bussed to a water safari park where we climbed into a flat bottomed boat. At first the stream was a typical tropical landscape. Apart from one or two reclining alligators. Then the tough woman driver drove straight for a grassy bank. I braced myself. I was sitting right at the front. First in the water if we hit it. We drove straight through it. The river was the river of grass and the rest of the journey seemed to be overland apart from the odd splash . Alligators lined the banks in recumbent pose but they can move fast if that way inclined. A young man showed us how tame some of them were. They put up their heads as their names were called. I assume the titbits were not the remains of the previous party. The whole thing was brilliant. We saw the babies and the old ones free to wander. One of them had found a cat flap in a neighbouring house and the lady got home one day to find a young gater on her rug! The Eco system is now human tampering. They wish to keep this amazing water park safe. I hope they manage to do just that!


- this old boy was just having a little nap by the path No one disturbed him ! Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Alligator pie. And make it snappy.

blogging live from the Everglades This is just wonderful. More later


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Weird requests.

Things just get stranger and stranger here! Today I got a note asking me if I would consent to model some of the appalling clothes they sell in the shop! We are talking lurex , diamonte and slinky ! They have absolutely got to be taking the you know what! Then we bumped into the lecturer, literally, that I mentioned in another blog. He is here without his wife so we have several dates to eat and drink with him....should be great fun! We have been able to sit out on deck in the sunshine watching the wild life and the Japanese orangey floating stuff which has polluted this bit of the ocean. Apparently this is considered quite serious. It's definitely not a good color scheme anyway. Tomorrow we visit the Everglades , starting early. We have to wait to dock because 7 other cruise ships are all arriving at the same time. It is the playground of the rich ! The lecture we just listened to included an Anglican priest who set out to befriend the pirate community in the Caribean. He went home saying he thought there was little he could achieve! Poor man. But at least he tried which is more than I am going to do on the modeling front! - Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Sequins in the sun.

Its amazingly warm already. On the second day out of New York the temperature is pleasant. By the end of the day it could well be hot. We will arrive in Port Everglades later this evening. By nine am we have had our breakfast and had a preliminary stroll around the deck. There were people in the pool and jacuzzi already. The chairs and deck loungers were out and everything is geared up for a tropical day in the sun! I now understand why some unlikely sights can be seen on days like this. Because of weight restrictions care has to be taken not to over do the packing. Occasionally you see someone wearing an evening dress or top. It's because they haven't packed Tee shirts but have concentrated on the evening wear! It looks incongruous but I do understand the problem! I am not sure yet whether I am ready for a swim. It's something you have to build up to slowly. I do have the sun lotion ready though. Who knows what the day might bring? - Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Small world at sea.

A day of surprises and joys. We get a sheet every day detailing the events, lectures and activities. We noticed one lecture that had a familiar ring to it. It was about the battle of the River Plate. It seemed an unlikely subject as we were not going to South America but we went anyway and there was a lecturer we had met on a previous cruise. He and I had had the same problem with the sockets in our cabins. There seemed no good solution but we exchanged room numbers just in case one of us found it! We then went to his lectures. At one of them he said hopefully "Is the lady from stateroom ..... here by any chance? " I said I was. He asked if I'd solved the problem and I had by that time! He then went on to ask if I'd let him into the secret which I did. When we got to the theatre this morning and found technicians attempting to get his graphics up and running we guessed it was the same man and it was. He is funny, well informed and a joy to listen to. It's a small world out here! And the best bit is that he has another four lectures to give! - Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Hygiene please!

Now we have got rid of one set of guests and taken on a new set in New York we are back to very stringent hygiene procedures. We had had them over the first couple of days out from Southampton but they were relaxed very quickly . Today they are back. Hands are squirted with antiseptic gel where ever you go. Food is given to you rather than helping yourself. The problem with this is that I always get far more than I can eat. I approach the problem two ways. I say " Very small please. " This is accompanied by appropriate hand gestures. I still get mounds more than I can manage. We do appreciate the need for this as last year David and I both had flu after leaving New York and so did the rest of the boat! They are clearly trying to prevent a recurrence . As yet there is no sign of a problem. Last year when one person coughed in the theatre everyone else joined in. Short of issuing us with masks it's hard to see how it could all be avoided. On a lighter note I saw my first wild life at breakfast . A shoal of small dolphins were leaping gracefully in and out of the waves. Very beautiful. I hope no one imposes hygiene restrictions on them! - Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Bereavement .

Having left New York under cover of darkness I am left with the feeling that it is a city still in the last stages of bereavement. Everyone we met whilst we were there had a story to tell. I talk to people everywhere I go and this time all the Americans and the Canadians spoke at length of the day the twin towers were destroyed. With no prompting from me they spoke of the sadness and the difficulty of coming to terms with it, of the physical problems of the ash that covered the surrounding area, of the decision not to watch the the TV in case it showed something too hard to cope with. The rest of us have come to terms with what happened but some of those nearest to it are still having nightmares and reliving the moment. One man told of how he ran home, locked his door and didn't go out or a week. Another of how his local church ran soup kitchens for the firemen who were involved in the rescue operation. They all told the same story even though the details were different. That one event shaped their lives from the moment it happened. They knew life would never be the same again for anyone and the need to tell the story is typical of those who have lost someone dear to them. It is their way of coping. I did it myself when my husband died and recognize the need to do it. I pray the healing arrives soon for them all. - Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Big apple

Why are the taxi drivers so rude here! We joined a queue earlier to go to the museum of modern art otherwise known as Moma. The driver failed to understand any of our requests and made it quite clear that the fault was ours It probably was but that doesn't excuse the rudeness. We have scuttled back home via Times Square which is just as manic as we remember it.


Later this afternoon we set sail for Fort Lauderdale where we have planned a trip to the Everglades - Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Brooklyn Bridge.

We got through immigration control easily last night and took a water taxi up the Hudson. The blog about that trip seems to have disappeared into the ether. Coming home in the sunset was wonderful.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Entering New York

We did not sleep well last night. The captain has deadlines to meet so he was forced to increase our speed which made it very bumpy indeed. I got up several times to see what was happening and the wall of our balcony was swinging in and out! It must be made to do that because it looks ok this morning. It's just about eight am here. We are due to land in New York at noon. Then we have to clear immigration. But the good news is that our tour starts at one pm so we might not have to hang around for too long. Having got out our tour tickets we find we have been put with a German group with a German Tour Guide . Quite apart from not actually being able to understand what he is saying the Germans bring out the worst in David. ( don't mention the war) I spend most of my time soothing ruffled feathers! The waves are now much smaller and we are not being thrown about. We are therefor hoping to be on deck for the entry into the harbor and past the Statue of Liberty. Last time it was dark when we got here and dark when we left . Though my pictures of the Statue of Liberty were pretty dramatic when she lit up I hope to take some in the daylight this time. We will wrap up well....it's freezing out there and take our chances! - Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Cruise experience

We've been on this boat for almost a week now and are gradually getting it sorted out. We can find our way around most of the time though the odd dead end sometimes defeats us. Comparisons with other cruise ships are inevitable I suppose and it's amazing how many on here have travelled extensively with both Cunard and other lines. We met a man yesterday who was on his 68 th cruise. For some though it's their first and the whole experience is overwhelming. There are people here from all over the world and some are leaving the ship tomorrow whilst others are going all the way round. This brings on a sort of pecking order which is visibly fostered by Cunard. Those with alot of cruises behind them have special places reserved for them. Parties are organized for various groups and David and have so far been invited to everything but we have no idea why. Compared to many we are the new kids on the block! It is also amazing how people like to grumble. On a boat devoted to giving their passengers a luxury experience people are still grumbling away! The dryness of the toast exercises one man every morning! He says it's more like eating rusks. The tea or coffee gets everybody going. As I don't drink either unless pushed its something I really don't understand. The bottom line here is that you can have anything you want if you ask for it...some people take advantage of this of course but by and large there is no reason for any one to feel they are not getting properly looked after. I am left with the conclusion that people grumble because they enjoy it. It's a great part of their holiday and they need to make the most of it. Now I wonder what the dress code might be for a mid morning cocktail party? - Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Ripped off in Times Square.

I was ripped off twice in New York the last time we were there. As we approach landfall on Tuesday people are getting excited about doing some shopping at Macy's and finding various things like batteries for cameras etc. I am trying very hard not to be a damp squib but I have warned one or two to be careful. All I wanted was an adapter when I went into the shop nearest the hotel which just happened to be in Times Square. The sales man went into overdrive to show me this new camera which did everything anyone could possibly want. He demonstrated by doing a video of us both and we were hooked. He explained it was a revolutionary new product and he could do me a good deal. I asked for the connecter and he threw it into the package. I should have run then but of course I succumbed. It worked fine for a very short time but then we ran into trouble. I looked for a web site to get information. It was all there. Under the heading "Rip off in Times Square." Hundreds had been caught and sold very dodgy cameras. We got together to protest and may be get our money back. It was useless the authorities did not want to know. I still have my camera. It is a salutary lesson. If it looks too good to be true then it probably is. The second rip off was a minor affair. I bought and paid for 4 Big Apple tee shirts . When I got home there were only three! - Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Talking to the world

I attended the computer seminar yesterday and it was a good congregation there present. Several of them were on Facebook but only me on Twitter. The young lecturer did his best not to look surprised! Cunard have invested heavily in a room of iMacs and we were all invited to play. The conclusions reached were pretty much what I expected. Facebook is for people you already know ,whereas said the young man, on Twitter you can talk to the world. He did not cover blogs but mentioned them in passing , raising one eyebrow at me and laughing when I nodded. I might have been the oldest in the room! We are getting about despite the rough seas and I may well go to the captains service of morning prayer later. I was startled yesterday when he came through the intercom to ask us to pray for those lost in the tragic accident off the coast of Spain. The man clearly has a soul! The ship on her side is much discussed here obviously but few think of praying for the bereaved. As I am now speaking to the world according to our computer guru may I ask you all to pray for those affected. Especially as we are now approaching the spot where the Titanic went down! . - Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Ecumenical on board.

The approach of Sunday brings a new set of small anxieties. There is a Catholic priest on board. I have not met him but I know he conducts a mass every morning. Last night there was an eve of Sabbath service by the rabbi. What is entirely missing is an Anglican or Episcopalian presence. It's alright for me. I can do my own thing in my cabin but for those on board for three months it can get desperate. I got on very well with the Roman priests on previous trips , went to lectures etc but they are unable to break the rules and give non Catholics communion. The first one I met was lovely. We had lunch together and he said he would help if the Commodore allowed it. So on my first long trip I with the help of an Episcopalian I did a communion every Sunday night. Last year the entire boat had flu. I was in no fit state to distribute my bugs so I kept as low a profile as possible. We are approaching Sunday again . It goes against the grain to actually take on the job...If for no other reason it draws attention to myself . This week I will probably do nothing. I will wait to see if I'm needed. A quote God give me work till my life is over And life till my work is done. Winnifred ( Holtby ). I think. He usually does! - Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Huge waves

Amazingly huge waves. The decks are forbidden to us lest one of us goes overboard . Occasionally we catch a glimpse of the sun but it doesn't last long.


Most people are coping admirably well. This is my third Atlantic crossing and there has been a Storm each time. The waves are eleven feet high and the captain tells us it's force ten. What ever it's an event and of course we are resting , reading. And watching the events outside with great interest'.

Friday 13th.

It is very rough outside right now. And it's Friday 13th. Amongst the various superstitions here is one I found earlier. The reluctance of seamen to sail on Friday reached such epic proportions that many years ago the British government decided to take strong measures to prove the fallacy of the superstition They laid the keel of a new vessel on a Friday. Launched her on a Friday and and named her HMS Friday. Then they placed her in the command of one Captain Friday and sent her to sea on a Friday. The scheme worked well and had only one drawback . Neither ship nor crew were ever heard from again Let's hope this is not prophetic. - Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Deck Etiquette.

Walking along the deck this morning was interesting for all the intrepid souls determined to enjoy every minute. It is really not cold because we have taken the southern route to avoid possible disturbance . It's grey today..no sun as yet so we were all well wrapped up as we strolled. The really serious walkers bear down on us loiterers with impatience so I have perfected what I hope to be a placatory smile. The crew have put the deck chairs out and also the cushions. It all promises well for warmer climes. How ever one lounger was occupied this morning. An old lady stretched full length gazing out to sea wrapped in a full length mink coat! Not politically correct but she did know how to cut a dash! I am going to listen to a lecture in the theatre later. Not to worry. It won't be testing. It's a talk by Jane Asher. - Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

A boundless ocean

Great expanses of sea are mesmerizing. I find myself watching a ripple as it develops into a wave and then starting all over again with the next one. . "A boundless drop in a boundless ocean." Gibran not me said that. The captain tells us that today will be the last quiet day. We sailed off the continental shelf last night and felt the difference immediately. Queen Mary, a huge liner barely moves in the water. This one does. When David and I went to the Scillies on our honeymoon, the boat The Scillionian rolled so badly that for the first time in my life I was very sea sick. Sitting on deck throwing up was not a good start to any relationship. But David coped manfully, even managing to eat a pasty whilst I retched. I have got some sea sick tablets with me. I am hoping not to have to use them. Yesterday people spotted dolphins playing in the wake. We missed them so today will be wave and dolphin watch. At 15 degrees it is actually warm enough to be on deck! There were even people swimming outside yesterday! It's got to get much warmer for me to even contemplate it! There's light in the sky. Hurrah! - Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Death at sea

One of the joys of being on holiday and out of phone reach is being able to read. To read without guilt or anxiety without being interrupted is just wonderful. I have been re reading the Wreck of the Deutchland which ,written by Gerard Manley Hopkins is the story of five nuns who died at sea in a massive snow storm. Sitting watching the rise and fall of a gentle ocean in the winter sunshine it might be thought a strange choice but its beauty and grief have left me with tears in my eyes and with gratitude for being able to share the wonderful words written by another priest. "On Saturday , out of Bremen. America outward bound. "Five nuns died terrible deaths and are now immortalized by the words of the poet influenced by God. "For I greet Him the days I meet Him and bless when I understand. " Thank you God. - Posted using BlogPress from my iPad.

Morning has broken

We have spent our first night on board the newest Queen and she is lovely. Smaller than the Queen Mary but very comfortable. From now on our body clocks will take a battering. We lost an hour last night and this will go on every day till we reach New York. This makes time meaningless after a little while. We sleep when it goes dark and wake up in the day light. There is a great mix of nationalities on board so many of the messages are repeated ad nauseum. We have to hit the shops shortly. I forgot the shampoo and the mousse. Don't ask me how. It is one of life's mysteries! We met a lady this morning en route to breakfast dressed in shorts and skimpy tea shirt. . She had only just realized that having packed for the sun she was going to freeze to death between here and the big apple! I think we may bump into her at the shops! All human life is here. Most are not yet ready to communicate. But it's only a matter of time before reserve is thrown to the winds and we all start nattering. - Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Ruthless....when its needed!

I have just uttered the immortal words......
"That kitchen cloth has gone slimy....there's no redemption...its going"I can be ruthless on mornings like this....old apples, hard loaves, hot cross buns have all been jettisoned from the kitchen.   My husband is doing his best to rescue his things which look in danger but his ancient green grapes are the next to go......
We will be away for some time...I do not want to arrive home to find things have started a new life of their own. Sprouting onions,  eyed potatoes...etc.......all on their way out....
The house will have its own life in our absence.....the people next door, our cleaner, our children will all arrive at various times....   The plants will be either too heavily watered or not at all.....its in the hands of the Gods, as are we.
At least the weather is mild right now.
We are getting to Southampton without  snow or flood DV  and after that we are being looked after all the way!  
Onwards and upwards.....and watch out any sprouts that cross my path!

Crispins holiday!

Please don't worry about Crispin!  I have had a number of communications from people  having a little worry about my dog!   He is as well as any 14 year old golden retriever can be and is going on his holidays too!
His second parents Val and Terry love having him and he clearly thinks they are an answer to a doggy prayer. He watches his bag being packed wagging his tail and stamping his feet with excitement.
They have been friends for many years and have known him since he was tiny.
Without them I would have found my year as an ordinand close to impossible...they walked and fed him and cherished him whilst I was on retreat and they really are people I trust completely .
My son lives just around the corner and will be on hand to step into any breaches..
This morning he and I are transporting hundred weights of food and treats to his holiday home......we could do with a fork lift truck!
They live on the coastal path with easy access to sea , sand and rabbits!  He used to chase the rabbits but he really can't be bothered now unless one stumbles across his path!
All his old friends are around the place...human and canine.....he will have a glorious time in my absence and if the worst happens and I pray it does not then they are people I trust completely to make the right decision in my absence.
So don't worry about Crispin.....every body loves him!

Guilt

I am using the word guilt but it should be recognised  as Protestant guilt which is much less intense than Catholic guilt..
I am also  fully aware that my going on an extended cruise this year is self indulgent. It is against all the trends of poor economic growth for the country and for individuals....so I apologise to anyone who thinks I should be tightening my belt with the rest of the country!
I work a fairly full week on no pay and never claim expenses. We are both fortunate in having pensions that can fund our life style providing we are not out spending money during the rest of the year! We have worked hard for our present situation and are going to enjoy it.
Please also  bear in mind that David and I are old....we are also fairly newly married having lost our spouses through ill health and we are always aware that it could be our turn next and that this time next year we could have gone aloft with the cat and the dog!
WE are also fairly fit....we can climb on and off tenders and look at all the wonders we are visiting without  wheel chairs . So we have to explore  the world whilst we can and try not to feel too bad about it.
I always seem to end up working where ever I am... so I have got one dog collar packed just in case!
If God finds work for me then so be it!
But our main aim this year is not to get flu....to enjoy everything we are going to see, and I will dissipate some of the guilt by blogging as I go!
I might even get the hang of showing pics!

Vanity, vanity thy name is .......

Up fairly early I am conscious of time passing and am in a serious countdown now to our departure day which starts very early on Tuesday morning. I am working tomorrow so that just leaves Monday.
Things have now started to get serious so this morning I have tackled a number of vital jobs.
I have cut my toe nails....a job for which heavy duty woodworking tools would be better employed.
I have then painted them,,,a fetching shade of silver...and been careful to put the bottle in my suitcase for when it all starts to peel off!
I have trimmed my hair and resolved to put scissors in the case too as it was much too long after the last trip.
I have sprayed my body with instant tan so that the first time I have to wear a low cut dress I won't look like a scraggy white chicken waiting for the oven !
I have bio oiled my legs, and made sure the sun tan lotion is ready to be packed.
I have shaken various bottles containing insect repellent for when I go ashore....
I have checked all my creams and potions making sure that anything left over at the end can go in the bin..so it doesn't weigh my case down too much for the flight back...
And then I thought....."When did I  get so vain? "
I have  never been vain......I haven't even worn make up for at least 15 years and yet here I am attending to small details like some deranged old matron determined not to be caught lacking in anything!
What has happened to me in my old age that I could have just spent an hour attending to myself alone?
The answer must be since I started to go on cruises...
Once on board we are pampered....fed, educated and cherished...so there is no excuse for being unkempt at all.
Let no one be under any illusion about this....I am not without Protestant guilt here....but that's the start of a whole new blog!

Are you following your star?

The Wise men  have this week arrived at the cradle...

I have been interested in the Wise men and their star for a long time not least because during my hippie years I  became an Astrologer....  I suppose I have always felt the magic...  the white variety of course! 

I was drawn to Astrology because I could already read hands.....my grandmother taught me more than herbalism in the fields when I was very young! .....Astrology was for me a tool to play with, never an attempt to make money...and I did enjoy those years until moving to London another star rose in the East and I  went off on a completely different path! 

Following a call and seeing the path clear ahead is what the three wise men chose to do and lo by some miracle they all arrived in Bethlehem at the right time!  That's Astrology for you!  

The message here is for us all to follow our own personal stars which will be different according to our interests and abilities I suppose.. but that feeling of being called is real, is true and should therefor be listened to. Ignore your call at your peril! 

Not all calls lead to the church....a vocation to look after people is just as valid a call as is becoming an ordained minister. 

Once you have started on your path amazing things can happen...and no one puts it better than Auden in this poem

He is the way

Follow Him through the land of unlikeness

You will see rare beasts and have unique adventures

He is the Truth

Seek Him in the kingdom of anxiety

You will come to a great city that has expected your return for years,

He is the Life.

Love Him in the world of the flesh

And at your marriage all its occasions shall dance for joy.

Amen to that!  

 

Dieting makes you fat.

I joked yesterday that the only good news about seafood poisoning was that at least the post Christmas diet was unnecessary! The thought of food still makes me feel queasy!
Dieting used to be a constant for me...a way of life right through my adult years which I never questioned....if I wanted to stay slim I had to keep the diet under control...Eventually what I ate would have been hard pushed to keep a bird alive...I stayed slim but at a cost....of almost ruining my health since the body was starting to develop all sorts of problems caused by insufficient fuel to deal with the demands of a job and family.
A book came to my notice....It was called "Dieting makes you fat" I devoured it cover to cover and it made complete sense..It described what had happened to me in that whilst I was dieting I was subjecting my body to famine conditions and the way the body dealt with it was to store even more  fat against even harder times...
I had noticed the law of diminishing returns seemed to be holding sway with me..If we went away or it was Christmas and I ate normally my body used to immediately go into overdrive on the fat producing front.  I could return home from holiday  weighing  a stone more than I went.
The book made sense....it described the need to diet all the time as a chronic eating disorder...so what was I going to do?
I already walked my dog twice a day so exercise  was  in place.....it had to be something more drastic...
On my fiftieth birthday I gave up dieting for ever...
I didn't over eat, I just ate what other normal people ate and of course I got plump!  My husband was not best pleased with this new me at all....he preferred the slim line version but I persisted with not dieting.
After a year I was definitely fat....my body was talking its time to adjust to the new regime....I leapt from a size 12 to a size 16... so .a new wardrobe became urgent...
I wish I could say that after a year or so I became thin again but I didn't.  I did return to plump though and still am but this is healthy plump....my blood pressure is the best its been since I was young and by and large I am fairly fit for an old lady.
Thinking back now to those years when I did have an eating disorder I am grateful to have found the book and been able to act upon it...It took more determination to resolve not to diet than it did to diet and I had to be prepared to live with the results .  But I did and I am.... Thank you God.

End of a love story.

This story started for me last year whilst we were in South America. I got an email  from a lady who  had searched for a Rev Rolt and found me. She wanted to know if I was related to Rev Eric Rolt.  I was married to  his brother but Eric had died before that event took place so I  had never met him.
She wanted to talk to my husband and when we were home finally a very touching call took place....She had been engaged to Eric many years earlier and was in fact the girl next door....they had all shared Christmases and daft games together all through their growing up years. . David remembered her well.
He had not known that his brother had been engaged to be married until she told him that Eric had broken off their engagement with the news that he had resolved to be a celibate priest. She wept when she told him that...and went on to tell him that through her life as a teacher she had done good works for all manner of charities just as Eric would have wanted her to. She had never married and had always stayed faithful to the man who put God first.
David was able to reassure her that his brother had never married and that he had been to his funeral some years ago.
Last night I got an email telling us that she had died...
I passed the mail onto  David and he replied to it immediately.
When we got to bed some time later I was surprised to find him really quite tearful.
She was the very last link with his childhood,  all his siblings have already gone before him....
Then he said   "She will be back with Eric now.....where she always wanted to be.  He'll look after her up there, he'll take her round and introduce her to all the right people. "
I tried not to notice the tears.....
A love that has lasted a life time is I think to be celebrated....May she rest in peace and rise in glory!

Let the packing begin.

The day has finally arrived when I have to give some serious thought to packing. Being away for 7 weeks means that I cannot in all conscience take enough things to cover everything. There is a laundry and it will have to be used...
Those of you who have read this blog for over a year will remember the total humiliation of last year when in Cape Town I had to unpack my case in front of hundreds of interested viewers and stuff as much as possible into David's case before throwing the rest away.
This has definitely left me scarred for life.  Packing has now become a  science.  I have bought David a new suitcase....at least twice as big as last years.  He is under no illusion......some of that space is mine!
I will not take my huge suitcase....that's what got me into trouble last year....I filled it because it was there...
This year it will be a smaller one with another small one at my side!
Part of my Christmas present from Davids son  was a luggage strap that goes right round  the biggest case. My case is teal. The strap is neon orange with my name on it several times......it even includes the Rev!  I don't see how it could possibly  be missed!
My husband, unable to get into town this morning  for his paper has now given me baggage labels to fill in which include my mobile number.....its all started to feel real and very close.... but actually its still a week away!
All I have to do now is concentrate the mind as to how many ball gowns, swimming costumes, and walking shoes I need to pack and then weigh them!
Indiscriminate throwing things in at the last minute are out!
I can be disciplined......I can do this....well I can try!

Self knowledge?

At the start of a another year I have to ask myself the awkward question.....to blog or not to blog!  As I have always kept a diary of some sort blogging comes as second nature to me....but what doesn't and does still shake me is that I am unused to all and sundry popping in and out of my life at regular intervals.
For the first time in my  life I am exercising editorial content.    I find myself thinking  ...Oh dear, I  must not put that in case somebody I don't like much  sees it....
I am always startled by old friends as well as new ones who tell me with arch grins that they know an awful lot about me since reading the blog. Some from the various congregations I visit  have a new insight into the working life of priests!
Occasionally I have rethought the policy on what to include and what to omit....but by and large its an honest portrayal of my life from day to day...
During my hippie period when I read all the mystic tracts doing the rounds at that time I read everything ever written by Krishnamurti....whose books I still have in my book case and consult occasionally.
He advocates self knowledge as a tool for advancing spiritually and a daily , hourly examination of what the self is doing is part of that notion....I used to find it very difficult to even think of examining in my head all the stray thoughts that pop in and out unbidden but in fact blogging has brought me unexpectedly to that position.....I can't just sit down and write, I have to be self aware and edit as I go along....reviewing old faults, trying not to fall into traps for the unwary, always attempting honesty with myself.
I shall of course go on...at the start of next week I am away for seven weeks....and posting a daily blog is part of that adventure!
I hope to take you all along for the journey!