ProseKnitic – of Words und Wolle

We have all had those dreams  -  the one where something important is happening. Or there is something critical to accomplish, but the information is hanging there just off the edge of remembrance.

And then there are those times when you dig desperately through you luggage as if in a dream. Hunting as it were for that one item to lighten your burden and make the world all rainbow. I just knew that I had packed my Imitrex, I always pack the Imitrex. This time, when I close my eyes and peek through the sparkly flashes, I see it there on my bed. The bed which is out of reach since yesterday afternoon.

The Zomig is well past its  ”use by date” so a day on which I had planned on knitting the bAck of my SWeAter is lost to a migrAine. One unpleasantly left to run its course of pain and nausea. I really could have done without it.

Or the stuck caps kEY…..

yes, it is for real that we are headed out again. I started the year with 60 days on the books. I earn 30 a year. Since I can not take leave after 1 Oct due to being in Afghanistan, I decided to vacation this year. So far I have managed to use almost 30 days and am working on the second 30.

(Did I mention that I have the Greek Isles and Australia to go?)

I will be down to around 30 days when I head downrange.

(dropped off the laptop case and chose a sock instead. Need something that was a bit more portable and besides, there was a new Cookie A sock pattern available for free…)

Yes, that is right. More burning off leave by one of the most fun ways possible. Up the coast of Norway, leaving on the Artemis tomorrow. What is even nicer is that we are leaving from South Hampton, less than 90 minutes from the house.

All of that really translates to not having to trudge through airports and train stations with stuff. This time I packed more stuff that usual. Partly because I wanted some choices on clothes but mostly because the weather is going to be varied enough to require a range of clothing.

In a spurt of common sense, I am only taking along three knitting projects for choices. After all, I am going to Norway – land of lots of yarn and yarn stores.

1. Donna – a Hanne Falkenberg sweater. I have the right front completed and am ready to start on the back. Now that I have the pattern down, it is a easy project (yes, miles and miles of knit).
2. Blues, hauling back out the HF vest pattern that I first started on the Nile Cruise (oh, oh – that was end of 2008)
3. a laptop case, just for something different.

As I remember, the first day is at sea, and Tues we arrive at Kristiansand. That ought to give me time to get unpacked, addresses pulled off my yarn store list and be ready to hit the streets with my camera.

If I can find Internet free/cheap – you will here from me. If not, well – expect pictures when I return!

Remember I mentioned about dealing with the Army, them trying to move me this summer (or not) and about being extended beyond my retirement date next spring in order to make that happen?

Someone finally got around to clearly looking at the rules.

Now, remember I have been dealing with this issue since last fall.

It seems like you can not extend someone past their retirement date just to get them moved. Further, to do a retire and recall the next day – the paperwork has to go in no earlier than 12 month prior to retirement. It then takes about 6-9 months to process the recall.

Are you with me?

Retire April 2011, which means paperwork in April 2010. 6 Months is Oct 2010. Meanwhile I have to move in Aug which means household good on their way in June. Not to mention that I will be in Afghanistan when the decision is made.

None of this helps get The Mole moved to the states and settled for University which was one of the main drivers.

Now that all of that mess is settled – looks like I am headed to Ft Livingroom next spring. Meanwhile, nothing like having to sort out my stuff here in the UK, and come up with a plan for every second between now and Ft Benning.

Probably my own fault, I didn’t go read the retirement reg.

We pulled into Dover at 0700 this morning. Then there was walking, taxis, a few trains (three) and another cab.
Lunch and laundry – then ready to head to Gosport for a conference!

Back on shore, I think the Mole covered miela thia morning just walking around the city. I know that I did, partly just because I was looking for an In ternet connection. MacDonald’s is the answer here for free wiif.
The area near the harbor is both industrial and obvious post WWII hasty, ugly construction. Never the less, there are some wonderful parks, greeen avenues and benches on which to rest. Numerous monumnents to the towns people, the Resistence and the deported hold prominent place on a main square.

I skipped yarn stores today (surprised
you there, didn’t I?)

I wandered through The Docks – a former warehouse area that has been converted to stores with wonderful interior areas. Guard came over to tell me that photos were not allowed, but I am not deleting those I took.

Tomorrow morning we arrive in Dover. Before then, I am going to try and upload more photos.

Knitting count to here is two scarves, one cowl, three pairs of socks and all but the border on a full size shawl.

Not bad!

Is just fine for me. The Mole prefer ports because he is used to walking for a couple of hours a day plus jogging. If there were a few more young people, he also might be really cheerful, but he reports that things are ok. He has read a number of books and talked to a number of people.

Since there really weren’t any teens, the organizer and he spent a number of hours just talking. He also wound up with a gift backpack containing a Costa Towel, ballcap, thing on a string, keychain and a couple of small pouches that look perfect for knitting projects.

Tomorrow we are back on land.

This is day 2 and another post which has been prepositioned.

I invite you to go here for some of the photo galleries I have managed to get uploaded. Hopefully the sublinks will be working…..

If my link included doesn’t work – try clicking above on Travel, then pick this cruise off the list. With a Bijillion people on the free port WiFi on Wed, the band width was so slow as to drive a person insane with the ability to upload maybe two photos an hour.

I am afraid that it is not likely this is a live post. After all, at the price they want to charge, I am not going to be on the Internet.

Our day is fairly simple – I get up early in the morning while The Mole sleeps in. Starting today, I am going to the gym at 0700 (which is when it opens) hoping to miss the worst of the crowds.

After breakfast, there is plenty of time to find a comfortable deck chair or, should the wind be blowing too badly, a lounger in which to sit, knit, and listen to music and books for the duration of the day.

Mid-day, avoiding the heavy lunch, there is the buffet to be followed by a stint in the hot tub. If I still have eyes left after that (I, like most of the rest of the people on this ship, do not look particularly glamorous in a swim suit) there is more knitting, napping and conversation to be had.

Our dinner companions all hail from the UK. Three couples ranging from my age up into their late seventies are at our table. One pair are on their first cruise, the other four have been at it for a while.

The evening entertainment has been varied. I am going to run up the ISO setting on my camera and see if I can actually get decent photos. The Mole is hanging with some of the cruise staff as there are few anywhere near his age on the ship.

This is our last day in port till we see the French coast on the 18th. Docked at the port no more than a couple hundred meters from town we have arrived at Sydney. (Sydney is Cape Breton Island in case you were wondering).

Another classical Canadian port town, it features clean, friendly and an obvious Scotts heritage.

From the rather large fiddle monument on the dock to the groups playing at practically every tavern music forms a major part of the culture.

The architecture is functional; mostly wooden houses, brick office buildings and stores. The Fiddle, Light House inside the visitors center and exhibit provide great photo opportunities. In my spare time, I have started another pair of socks, collected a list of email acquaintances to whom I will be sending pictures, and listening to audio books (Mike Resnick’s “Stalking the….” series).

If the wifi connection here were not so slow, I might just pull the new CSI episodes, but I want to see more of the city.

I don’t expect to be back on line after this afternoon until Le Harve

-Holly
Cabin 6190, Costa Atlantica

What an absolutely lovely city! Sitting on my balcony this morning, I watched our approach to Pier 22. Piped in by bagpiper and drummer, the terminal is new, clean, shiny and extemely attractive. The more than helpful people at the information desk had us promptly organized with maps, routes and information guides.

The Mole headed up the hill to the main gardens while I met Merlin and took a tour of the Atlantic Maritime Musuem. More than just the history of sailing in Nova Scotia, there is also an extensive exhibit on the St. Louis (1939) and the Titanic.

I found The Loop (yarn store), chatted and enjoyed a cup of Chai before finding the public library and free internet.

I will head to the Fort from here and then spend time just walking around.

We are off to Sydney in the morning.

Since it is another day of going ashore by tender, of course the temperature has dropped, the wind is up and it looks like rain inbound.

Bar Harbor is a lovely town, especially a couple blocks back from the main drag sitting in The Morning Glory Coffee Shop. Free Internet is a concept here and I should be good till the battery runs down on my MAC.

I skipped a bus ride out to Acadia National Park in favor of spending time in town. It seems, however, that Monday is not terribly popular with the shopkeepers. Most seem to be restocking or relaxing after the weekend invasion of Boston visitors. I should really not be surprised, but the scrapbooking, fiber and yarn stores will be sadly missed.

Since I have a decent connection here, I am going to try and start posting some of the pictures from earlier in the journey. (look under images)

(and I decided not to rent a car and drive to Webs. I have to get home from Dover on the train. I have lots of yarn with me. Avoiding both Buttons and Yarns seemed like the smarter thing to do…..)

The sun is shining while the wind is cold and almost strong enough to knock me off this bench in Boston Common. The city, as it turns out, does have free wifi in parks. The coffee shops all feature one carrier or another. Not being local, AT&T is not in my vocabulary.

The fog rolled in yesterday while we were on shore, making the remainder of our historical walk rather interesting. Seeing wooden houses oveer two hundred years old is quite impressive for the US. The fact that they areer wood means that they are far more liekly to have decent insulation than the brick refridgerator in which I currently reside.

I found the yarn shop at 555 Thames. Nice woman behind the counter but not much exciting in the yarn, book or magazine front.

We wandered through a lovely nautical book and map store, noticed more yacht agents than reaal estate agents. Empty store fronts along most of the streets quietly speak to economic hardship even here.

After 30 minutes of standing in line for a tender back to the ship, we had the experience of motoring along in fog so thick that the ship arose white hull high only visible 20 meters out.

Newport is a harbor town. Next to the sea, of course it is wet. Raining as a matter of fact. The ship is at anchor out closer to the ocean and we came to shore in tenderncraft, aka life boats.

Stopping to have a chai, the Mole and I are tking the opportunity to check email and let you know that we are still well and doing fine. As it turns out, I like to chekc email and he needs to look at Facebook. Different priorities for different ages.

One scarf and a sock completed, second scarf and a acowl have been started.

Off to do th historic walk around town while shooting more pictures.

I am not sure that anything today will compare to pulling away from the New York skyline and the hole still left by the Twin Towers.

Sitting here in the sun, I sm taking advantage of the Free WiFi offered in New York public parks. On Broadway about at the level of 23rd, I am looking at what I expect is the Flat Iron building.

The Mole is riding the northern loop of the bus around Central park and has the Museum of Fine Arts on his list after that.

I am headed to Chelsea Market and lunch with a friend.

We have to be back on board by 1700 to steam out of the city and on to Newport.

Thank you all for the well wishes! I am hoping that this turns out to be quite the trip in the positive sense.

Of course, we almost did not make it. Arriving at the airport early courtsey of a lovely colleague, the nice lady at the Air France check in counter told us Gate 20 and sent us on our way.

The boy was taking a nap and I was listening to an audio book when I heard the tail end of an announcement. The gate next to us – 20 – was aboarding a flight for Korea and the time was 0710. At the same time I heard the final call for our flight at Gate 22. We ran.

It is a long, long way between those two gates. Ten minutes and we barely made it. My lungs were burning and I am not in bad shape. (I will not mention the heavy back pack or the leg cramp that slowed me down). At least the flight was not full.

New York City

It was 1800 by the time we arrived at the ship last night.

Today we were out bright and early. (pictures to be added later)

We got to the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, Ground Zereo, the Empire State building and did one of those ride around the city double deckers till we were sunburned.

Did I mention that it was 26* C?

Totally wiped out, I crashed fairly early.

From home to Heathrow.

From Heathrow to CDG and from there to New York City to board the Costa Atlantica (me and the Mole) for a lovely 14 days back to Dover via

5-7 May – NYC
8 May – Newport (RI)
9 May – Boston
10 May – Bar Harbour
11 May – Halifax
12 May – Sydney (Nova Scotia)
13-17 May – at Sea
18 May – Le Harve
19 May – Dover

and a train to home.

I am excited, packed with enough clothes, laptop, camera, and more than enough knitting.

This is going to be fun!

The Egyptian Geese couple had done it again. Third spring that I have been here, and third clutch of hatchlings cheeping and following their parents along the dock and across the greenery.

Nile Goslings

mom with followers

peaceful island

otherwise, my day was spent cleaning, sorting and packing.

What, a reasonable person might ask, do these two individuals have in common? Besides both being English?

(I am not even going to make you go down to the bottom of the page for ….)

the answer?

Both were born within two hours drive of my current location and said birth places can both be visited on the same afternoon.

Churchill and Blenheim Palace

Sir Winston Churchill was born 1874 at Blenheim Palace and spent much of his youth there. Built starting in 1705 by the 1st Duke of Marlborough, it has been in one branch of the family or another ever since and currently the residence of the 11th Duke & Duchess of Marlborough. Note: His parents had enough sense not to name him George. In that family the legacy is not a good thing.

(for the Morris Dancing Fans – there is a note that there were three groups which performed at the corner stone laying ceremony:  one of young men, one of young women, and the last of aulder women….. So much for the “women don’t do Morris Dancing Crowd” They certainly did something with that name in 1705!)

Any who, one heads south from exit 9 off the M40 and follow the signs.

the front gate

side garden

Blenheim Palace 1

inner courtyard

center courtyard 2

tree in the back garden

tree in the back garden

back of the castle

I would show you picture of the interior, but photography is not allowed.

Shakespeare and Stratford-upon-Avon

So, since we were out and about it seemed like a good idea to continue on.

the town

Shakespeare's House

the entrance

yes, really

Although it was toward the end of the day, we wandered through the house which belonged to the family for several hundred years post Shakespeare. After a time as an Inn, the house was purchased in the mid 1800s to be restored and available to the public.

I have not been knitting. I have been goofing off.

Or rather, I have been doing things for work all week followed by getting the DH from the airport yesterday.

I still can not make plans for next year but there are two options:

1) Retire – which means I will have to move stuff back to Germany NLT the 4th of July,  then go on Vacation with the previously mentioned DH, spend two more weeks in the UK, finishing around 16Aug, teach ATLS again 17-19 Aug. Head for Melbourne (AussieCon here I come) with the Maus (she is the only one who does not have to be in school prior to the Con’s ending. Get back for Rosh Hashanah, go to Ft Benning, go to Afghanistan, go to Ft Benning, head back to Germany and retire.

2) Not retire – which means that stuff goes from here and Germany to Monterey. I live out of suitcase from mid June. Take vacation with the DH, come back, orient my replacement, go to Germany and teach ATLS, fly to CA 20 Aug and get in-processed and settled. Go to Ft Benning, go to Afghanistan, go to Ft Benning, go to CA.

Notice that both options have me without “stuff” for a good 30-60 days? Notice the lack of the Australia junket in the second option?

Why can’t I make up my mind? Well, you see, the second option is contingent on Madigan (well, people at Madigan) doing a bunch of paperwork that has to be approved at multiple levels. Doing it might be high on my priority list, but not necessarily on someone elses. It also might just wind up falling in the too hard to do box.

I have decided that, should nothing be at all decided by the time the Mole and I return from our cruise, option 1 will go into effect.

Semper Gumbi I guess!