Back to Christmas

This will be my fourth Christmas in my Wilmington home but the first to decorate for the holiday. In fact I thought of those three previous years as skipping Christmas.
Thinking of Christmas overwhelms me. In reality, it is no more overwhelming than anything else I do, but my mind perceives it as such. (How powerful are our thoughts!)
Since I am president of the Book Club this year, and since we follow the traditions that were set forth in 1942, I must have the December meeting at my house tomorrow. That means I must make some attempts to have a somewhat festive home environment. After stressing over it, and my slow plan of action, I am happy to say it is done. My hard-to-find tree is up, and though it isn't beautiful, it at least gives off a nice Christmasey aroma. I put live greenery and red candles on the mantle and have scattered a few other favorite things around. It all looks pretty, and I am feeling more relaxed.
Onward to the next week!

Getting used to the place

Only about half a block from the hotel is a great little place to eat, Green Apple. It is not exactly a restaurant, deli, cafeteria or shop but sort of a combination of everything. For lunch I had a veggie sandwich on dark bread. After returning from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, I had fresh carrot juice, and then a bowl of piping hot chicken noodle soup. When June got in from her day with family, we went back for gelato. I'm sure going to miss it when I get back to Wilmington and have to fix my own meals.

We are staying in the Crowne Plaza. The floors go to 46 and we are on the 18th. It has an un-grand look from the street, but inside it is very nice and is run very efficiently. Our room is large and the shower is wonderful. I see why people want to live in hotels. 

I joined the teeming mass of humanity on the streets today and enjoyed the sounds, smells and sights. It almost feels as if I am outside the USA as everyone seems to be speaking other languages. Going to the museum, Julie and I took the subway. On the way back we took the bus, which was much better. We enjoyed the drive down 5th Avenue and by Central Park. I am learning how to get around. 

(Rehearsal was early today giving us a free afternoon.)

Tomorrow the focus will be on the performance. Sound check and rehearsal at Lincoln Center from noon to two, then we go back again at seven in full black concert attire for the show. We have to stand on risers. I am not too sure about that and hope I hold up ok. 

Signing off for now. Hope this makes sense.

Now it is Monday night. The performance went smoothly, and the audience was appreciative. What great fun! After it was over, the entire chorus plus others who were involved were treated to a fabulous buffet at a nice restaurant that we walked to, even though it was a long way and we didn't know where we were going! It was a noisy, joyful time!
We will head for home tomorrow. 

I am in here somewhere.

 

Singing and Eating

Today we started what we came for.

I have never sung in such a large choir! Anout half of the almost 200 are from NC and the rest from other states. Our rehearsal seats were assigned according our height, that info turned in a few months ago. I sat between another alto, same height as me, and the first bass in that row of men. I love to sing next to a bass! The director/composer was charming and funny, and it was all a blast. Afterward we walked down to a crowded Johns Pizzeria. I can't say anything good about the food, but the experience was fun. I happen to like a place called Green Apple a half block away where you can pick up healthier foods for any meal at good prices. The city streets are jam packed with people. Yesterday June and I were getting ready to cross the street and somehow lost sight of each other in the crowd, but we both found our way back to the hotel. 

NYC

What a day!

I was looking to it with both joy and dread, and now it is history.

Because of the crazy traveling plans, I wondered if I would get any sleep and if I would make it! O me of little faith. It all worked out fine, and I survived.

The thirty of us who came together arrived at the Crown Plaza Hotel between eight and nine this morning, which gave us about six hours to explore before we checked in. The hotel is in a fabulous location on Broadway, right near the theatres. My traveling partner June and I had to find some things to do that hopefully involved resting. Only about a block or two away, I spied the TKTS booth. I had not counted on seeing a play, but now thought maybe we could get one in after all. I was thrilled that we could. And they were to the Gloria Estefan story, On Your Feet, for the matinee that started at 2 pm.  It is the one I most wanted to see, if on the wild chance I could. After getting the tickets, we still had time to kill, and preferred not to be On Our Feet! We found a Cuban restaurant that served breakfast and were lazy about the time. Then we went to church. Across the street from the restaurant was an old, ornate Episcopal church that June (an Episcopalian) wanted to check out. Lucky for us, we got to sit inside for a noon service. And did I mention how cold it was in the city and how my feet were freezing? When it ended I was sufficiently warmed inside and out, and we moseyed on over to the Marquis Theatre. What a fantastic experience we had! The seats we had gotten must have been the best in the entire place! Second row (not too close) and dead center. And the singing and dancing were spectacular. Some of my favorite music! The people around us felt the same. Thankful for great seats and a stunning performance that made us feel they were putting it on just for us.  

I hope this makes sense. I am going to sleep now. 

At the moment

Right now I am having the brakes pads changed on my car. Since it was going to take a couple of hours, I brought entertainment - books, a drawing pad and pencil - but all I really needed was my iPad. Overpacked as usual! I have walked around outside a couple of times on this coldest day so far of the new season, very glad I dressed warmly when I left the house. If all goes according to plan, next week will be fun. Family time at Thanksgiving, followed by an adventure in NYC.

Here is a photo taken with my iPad outside the garage.

Entering a new era

Why did Trump have so many Americans voting for him? I think the answer is in the word Americans. We are tired of the craziness that has been forced on us the past eight years and crave sanity. So much has been terribly wrong. Trump is a well known American, brash, daring and visionary. We do not need another lawyer or politician as president. We need an experienced CEO who knows business, who has learned from failures and successes. (to quote Kipling: If you can meet with triumph and disaster and treat those two impostors just the same). Someone who can hire great people who love our country to do the day-to-day work. He's hired!

a bad choice

About five weeks ago, I returned from Amsterdam. The plane hit the runway in Atlanta, and we were back on American soil. Home sweet home. But I was very disappointed at the inhumane way we were treated as we were rudely ordered and pushed  through all the required checks. Then I got to my gate for Wilmington and was even more horrified at the pure propaganda blasting from CNN on the many televisions anchored overhead. As I waited, I thought this must be how it is in Communist countries. But this is America.

Only a few days before the presidential election, and Hillary Clinton has the gall to continue her lies to the American public. Follow the money. If she wins, it will be the biggest swindle the world has known. Apparently a large portion of Americans don't know or don't care. There is a world of information out there about her and her husband who some people call Bonnie and Clyde, but we have to look past the television to learn who they really are. Deny, deny, deny is their theme. Some say they are grifters, people who build trust then steal and move on. This is their pattern. It is no wonder they never divorced because more important, they are partners in crime, and that trumps marriage. And the number of their friends/acquaintances who have died under very suspicious circumstances is staggering. Each death has a story.

This year alone, there have been several best sellers by truthful people who put their lives on the line to tell of Hillary's horrors, as well as thousands of excellent articles. But if they are not sought, if all info comes from the old bootlicking tv networks, if voters are satisfied with the lies and fantasies perpetrated on them by sycophants, or never think for themselves, America will continue the spiral downward. This one came out yesterday. http://www.breitbart.com/2016-presidential-race/2016/11/02/linda-tripp-great-clinton-con/  Her extremely extensive evildoing runs deep, deep, deep.

lyrics I learned long ago

Turn your eyes upon Jesus.
Look full in His wonderful face.
And the things of Earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace.

Tea

As I opened this empty box and pressed the sides together for recycling today, I thought...I buy too much tea. I like hot tea, but I don't drink it as much as my many containers make it appear. There are teas with caffeine for the morning, and teas for relaxing at night. There are teas for your tummy and teas for your sniffles. And some just come in pretty boxes or are loose in bins, and I want to try them all. On the days when I grocery shop, I now give a sigh of relief when I pass the tea aisle without buying.

photo of the day

It was a pretty day to stop by Greenfield Lake, and I wondered what the bird situation would be after the hurricane. As I was taking pictures of some mallard ducks cavorting in the water, an egret flew in and rested on a tree branch for a minute or two. I liked the way the late afternoon sun shined through his feathers.

The Aftermath

Yesterday I stayed in.
Church and other places were closed, and though I was curious what was going on, I relied on my iPad's images rather than going to see for myself.

Today I got out. In my neighborhood, there were several trees downed. Just about every house had a pile of limbs and yard debris by the curb. My house has only a few leaves and pine needles. Nothing else. (Thankful.) The marsh behind my house is pretty amazing. It really does act as a sponge!
It has been a beautiful, crisp clean day here. But because of the pattern of the hurricane and its huge water wall, neighboring areas more inland are still flooded badly. I hope the wind and drier air help the water recede before too much more damage is done.

Getting Hit

"They say" when Jim Cantore comes to town, you know you are in trouble.
He has been here all day, reporting on the effects of Hurricane Matthew. While he was practically getting blown away this evening, he actually said he was surprised at the worsening intensity of the winds and rains. I have learned this is the "back side" of the hurricane, and in our case, it is more powerful and damaging than the front part that started this morning. It does sound threatening and scary at times, and I will be glad when it blows away.

The Weather

Following the weather news on television has me a bit spellbound. Whether it is the repetition of the stories or the potential for disaster, I am into the drama.

The poor state of Florida! It looks like very little of it was spared by Hurricane Matthew.
When will it weaken to a tropical storm? Before or after it hits Wilmington?
Will there be flooding in my neighborhood?
What will my children on the coast of SC experience?
Are those reporters safe?

So far all we have had here are gray skies with light rains.
Nobody plans to leave, and unless we live on the beach, we don't have to.

So it will be watching and waiting. About this time tomorrow, the intense, slow moving storm may be passing by.

butterfly

My bug pictures aren't quite what they used to be, but here is a closeup of an orange butterfly on an orange flower that I took on Sunday.

what hurricanes can bring

We on the Southeast Coast are waiting to see which way Hurricane Matthew blows and hoping it is not toward us or any other highly inhabited area. Best case scenario is it will head to the open waters and dissipate. We will see.

I remember Hurricane Hugo in 1989 though some of the timeline is sketchy.
We were living in Columbia, a hundred miles inland, but Hugo cut a wide destructive swath. I remember lying in bed around midnight, listening to the pounding rains and strong winds, and sensing the strange atmospheric colors and sounds. At one point, I felt the eerie calm eye pass over. The next morning we found the neighborhood to be littered with debris, and trees and mailboxes down.

But what I remember the most is the new batch of patients who arrived at my hospital in the wee small hours. Possibly it was the next night. My diary would know, but I am not going fishing for it.

During the evening shift as I was working, my small privately owned psychiatric hospital got a call from its sister hospital in Charleston asking if we could take some of their patients who needed to be evacuated. The more stable patients could have gone to their homes or families, so the ones we were getting were not in good enough shape to be turned out in the community. A hospital rarely has extra beds, so we had to prepare exhaustively, using every available space and resource for them.

I stayed on. About three a.m. the bus arrived, and out walked a group of people, the likes of whom I had never seen before. I struggled to be professional and keep my true reactions - that I now attribute  to naiveté - to myself. But at the time, I thought they were the weirdest individuals I had ever seen. I had never heard names such as theirs, nor had I heard such stories! I had been a nurse only four years and had become pretty comfortable with the types of patients I had in my geographical area, and these new ones were as foreign as they come!

But over the next few weeks as I took care of them physically and emotionally, I began to love them just as I did my other patients. They got better - more functional - and one by one they were discharged. It was an experience for me, a growing, learning one.

I hope those will remain my two best hurricane tales.

My big boy

Street food

Stroopwafels. Delicious!

The one we got has chocolate on it.

Poffertjes: Like tiny pancakes

pot

One thing Amsterdam is known for is being able to smoke pot legally and for the coffee shops that are not for coffee but for selling pot. We walked by many of them. Just guessing but maybe twenty. They were small and dingy and did not seem to be happy places. Usually there were blank-faced people sitting on chairs in front or standing in the door smoking. Not appealing. I am more into stroopwaffels. This is one of the better looking pot places.

Oude Kerk

The day before we left, we decided to visit the Oude Kerk (Old Church), the oldest building in Amsterdam, built in the 1300s. I loved the book Pillars of the Earth about cathedrals built around that era, so that was the draw for me. It was not the same, but the architecture and history were interesting. It is now to be found in the middle of the red light district. The floor seems to consist of flat grave stones or markers. One is marked Saskia. She was the beloved wife of Rembrandt van Rijn who memorialized her in many drawings and paintings.
For some photos.

Jemgum

I neglected to post pics of the trip across the border into Germany to the little village of Jemgum.
It was nicer and newer than I envisioned.
After seeing the Jemgum sign, we stopped at the Rathaus, the town hall, where several cars were parked. Inside there was a dignified party going on. We chatted just long enough to find out they were celebrating the ending of a very long war that took place in the seventeenth century. They didn't seem to invite us to stay so we went elsewhere, explored, went to a grocery store, and I think we were probably fodder for conversation the rest of the day.
There was one old windmill in town, still being used. A nice guy let us look in it.

Airport waiting

We had our last NH Dutch breakfast, finished packing, checked out, and shuttle driver picked us up on time as expected. Then we began a trip around the city, even passing once again our hotel. Was he lost? He explained that many roads were blocked, and I can see that. The roads are not meant for cars but for bicycles and trams/trollies. Thankfully we left in plenty of time so we got to the airport without rushing. We went through the various ID processes, a real pain but at least I was not molested like I was when I left the US. Now we are waiting at Gate 3. In about nine or ten hours, we should be in Atlanta. We have had a wonderful adventure.

Friesland Cows

random street scene

Big outdoor market

Only about a mile away, but since we were going to be walking the whole time we were there, we took the tram to the Albert Cuyp Market. It was a couple of blocks long at least, and we found some of the must-dos of when in Amsterdam. Fresh stroopwaffels, the fish things, lots of flowers, etc.
We stopped at a corner restaurant to refresh ourselves, and it turned out to be a juice bar with delicious bagels! What a stroke of "luck."
I have had a hard time keeping up with my tram ticket. Not that I have lost it, but I have a bag with way too many pockets, and I can never remember which pocket I put things in, especially since I am always taking pictures. I am also having trouble posting pix. They are taking forever!
There are a few more places to go today before we leave for the US tomorrow.

boats

fishing village - Volendam

Zaanse Schans

Dutch Fowl

some things we have done

One full day left in Amsterdam, and what will we choose to do?
There were two main things, and I did them. One was to get a better sense of part of my heritage, and the other was to go to the Van Gogh Museum. I can check both off my list.
And when you tell people you are going to Amsterdam, the standard response has something to do with the red light district. Check to that, too.
We have eaten French fries with mayo and poffertjes from street venders, and Indonesian Rice Table from one of the best restaurants in town. Tomorrow we are in search of some street stroopwaffles.
Trip has done more exploring that I have. I defer to his youth! He is the one who knows which tram to get on and which stop to get off. Thank goodness! I feel like I have mostly walked and eaten!
The hotel has a fabulous breakfast, and its location is in a busy interesting location.
I am choosing not to bring some things back that maybe I should. Like cheese. Especially Gouda..
And by the way, it is not really pronounced goo da. It starts with a hard guttural G followed by an emphatic ow then a da. How stupid I have been all these years!!
Today we took a tour of some towns and villages that still live the way the we old timers learned about. Every place had chickens! Some had pretty black and white cows, goats, swans swimming, sheep, ducks...
I will post a few pix.

Breakfast

The hotel breakfasts are to die for!
I am back in the room after indulging myself on a specially prepared omelette, European breads, and the most delicious yogurt mixture. I try something different every morning, and everything has been wonderful. I will take pictures tomorrow. Trip keeps commenting on how the coffee is the best he has ever had, and it is truly so much better than anything we have in the US.

At noon we plan to leave for a "Countryside Tour" that I reserved before we left. It looks like we will be riding a bus to places that we think of as traditional Holland, old windmills, fishing villages, cheese shops, and places where wooden shoes are made. Sounds like a lot of photo opportunities.

Jemgum, our Saturday excursion, was so much prettier than I had imagined. It was all green, picturesque, relaxing. There were some newer neighborhoods of red brick two story houses that were very close together. The streets were brick also and narrow. I think it is primarily a farming village, hopefully dairy as we saw a lot of back and white cows that looked full of milk. The main person we talked to was a Nederlander named René who was sitting on a ledge overlooking boats on the River Ems. He had spent a lot of time in America when he was in his twenties, but was in his sixties now. He told us things about the history of Jemgum, and we found it all interesting.

Hillsong

When I learned that Hillsong church met two doors down from the hotel we are staying in, I knew I had to go. Like many of us who enjoy CCM, I have been singing their music a long time and was aware of its phenomenal success.
Last night I wondered how the restaurant and bar named Escape would become transformed enough to hold a Sunday church service! But it did. My early-bird son was out this morning and saw the people diligently setting up. I watched the tram stop several times right in front letting off a lot of nice-looking young people, and a little before noon, the doors opened and Hillsong Escape church began with a full congregation.
Afterward, I went across the street to an art market and was talking to one of the artists. I told her I had been to church, and she said she wondered what was going on every Sunday she is there. She said she always sees people leaving and they seem so happy! It was a treat to go.

around the museums

I don't know how many museums there are, but they are clustered together and form a plaza or district that is pretty and has a fun, lazy vibe. When we left the Rijkmuseum, there were musicians playing their instruments, a guy blowing bubbles for the kids, people sleeping on the grass

or climbing on top of the I am Amsterdam letters.

Museum Day

Today we visited the Van Gogh Museum and the Rijksmuseum. Both were wonderful, but since I love Vincent, it was my favorite.
Here we are standing in front of the same photo op place. We could take pix only at designated areas and none of the art.
The top pic is of the outside of the Van Gogh. It was glass and reflected what was around it. By the way, we did not have any trouble getting tickets.
The bottom one is the black-eyed Susans on the table at the cafe. They were cute.

Later in the day

At Rembrandtplein. 

And an Amstel beer at the corner restaurant where we had supper. Like the beer, the city got its name from the Amstel River.

Made it to Amsterdam

Trip and I met at the Atlanta airport as our plane overseas was loading.
Who wants to hang around anyway!
No complaints about the fight. It was smooth, the flight attendants couldn't have been nicer, and the fellow passengers were enjoyable.
We got to our hotel maybe about ten am, left our bags, and then walked around the city for the following four hours. Oh my aching feet!
Now after naps, we are a little more chipper.
Bicycles are everywhere, and that cannot be overstated. Stylish young women with flowing blonde hair weave and out of traffic as they talk on their cell phones. We quickly learned that pedestrians do not have the right of way. And to walk on the edge of sidewalks, to look and listen.
A pic of a canal here.

Traveling

On Wednesday, Trip and I will be flying to Amsterdam. We are so excited about it!
We have some Dutch in our ancestry and are going to see if there are some people who look like us.
And besides, who wouldn't want to go to Amsterdam! It looks both modern and quaint with lots of color, canals, art, and adventure. I will post some pix to this blog and maybe tell some stories if I have time.

A Fairy Ring

...in a neighbor's yard.
I haven't seen one of these mysterious mushroom patterns in a long time.

Now what?

Today I stopped by a fish market in the 'hood and saw a beautiful display of Spanish mackerel, my favorite fish. I decided to get the smallest one.
"Do you want it cleaned?" the young man asked.
"No thanks. I'll do it myself."
"You want to do it yourself?" He asked.
"I don't want to, but I am going to."
I have often watched other people gut them and cut off their heads, and I figured it was time for me to grow up. It wasn't too hard. The poor guy was already dead, so it wasn't like I was killing him.
And I knew it wouldn't go to waste.
The result? It wasn't pretty. But I baked it with lemon juice and butter, and it tasted good!

shadows across the garden

Since I had to be at the Arboretum at six pm, I went a little early to take a picture.

a nearby park

More like a "green space" with a walking/running/cycling path.
Found a fall leaf already!

church

It has been a pleasure for me to attend the church of my early childhood, the one I would drive by over the years when I was in Wilmington and long to enter.
It is a little different from the one formal service held when I was a little girl.
A second service at 0900 was added several years ago that is more relaxed and has a band that engages the congregation in contemporary praise music. (I think my grandmother would have approved.)
Because of the later 1100 hour, I attend the "traditional" service, and it give me the chance to participate in the regular choir. I love the old hymns and the anthems we sing. It is lovely and causes me to reflect on the way it was, but it is a relic of the twentieth century that will probably die out eventually. America doesn't seem to treasure propriety or protocol or much about good history.
But God's church, his body of believers, will always be, and all cultures will find a way to gather together and worship. God will always have his people.

rain rain

Yesterday's drive to and from Laurinburg was under an canopy of a bright blue sky filled with freakin' awesome majestic white clouds that looked ready to burst. I have come to recognize them as a sign a hurricane or hard summer storm is imminent. Today the sky was gray, not sunlit, and the clouds fulfilled their duty. The rains came and the winds blew and now it seems to be over, the hurricane traveling inward and upward.
I didn't mind as I had an excuse to wear my new rain jacket for the first time. The timeless shimmery brown one I had went missing. I had it for so long and must have taken it for granted and become careless. I must have left it somewhere, under a seat or on a hook at some place I rarely go. I kept hoping it would magically appear in my closet as it has before, but I finally let go of my denial and accepted the truth of its demise. My new one is actually prettier, and I hope I will enjoy it for twenty-five years like I did my other one. Who knows.

Still beautiful after two days

This birthday bouquet from Trip and Lori is just as pretty as when it was delivered.
Thank you!!

Happy birthday to me!

This is my fifth - or maybe fourth - birthday party right here in Wilmington. That's me standing on the right, my head toward the girl holding her dress. I wish I could remember who they all were.

at the beach this evening

It is fun to have visitors for a few days. We went to the beach this evening. The sky puts on a beautiful display. And two guys were playing soccer the whole time we were there.

The Moon Tonight



 It is pretty cool to be able to take a picture of the moon with my average camera.

This phase is a waxing crescent, and it's a good time to see its features per moongiant.com.

It is less than one-half illuminated by the sun.

 

 

renewed

It has been a while since I was at the beach. Any beach. But by default, that is where I was for a few minutes today.
On Monday I took my queen-sized, all cotton bedspread/comforter to a nearby place to ask if they could wash it. For twenty-five dollars they would be glad to, assuming I didn't mind waiting a week. Whaat?!? Not wanting to be ripped off, I decided to shop around. You may not have been looking for a laundromat recently, but there aren't many around anymore. I did hear of a decent one in Carolina Beach so I took my comforter there today. Self serve. A total of nine bucks. During the free time I had - forty minutes while the washer ran - I drove down to the rocks at Ft Fisher to breathe in the ocean air. It was such a beautiful day. Crisp blue skies. Fluffy white clouds. Happily a few majestic pelicans flew above me.
And I'm glad to have my white quilted comforter back, all nice and clean.

On this evening . . .

Now that my body is in better working order, I have been going for walks in the neighborhood near sunset this week. After a couple of rains, it was really nice this evening as the heat broke. The sky was pretty as usual. Children were on their scooters or playing ball; people were walking their dogs. A guy was cutting his grass, and the smell was nostalgic and wonderful. The chorus of bullfrogs came from the ponds, and the noise of cicadas blared from the trees. Thankful.

Pat

This week another cousin has come down from Maryland to stay with Margaret, or as they call her, "Mom." It is sad about the broken arm, but I have enjoyed spending time with these family members that I don't get to see often enough. Of the six grandchildren, Pat was born second, a couple of years after me. My first memory ever is of reaching up high to grasp the handlebars of the baby carriage so I could push. I was so proud of him.
Now he is retired and has the time to take care of his mother when she needs him.
Pat is the family historian and has even written a book about our ancestors. He enjoys being an active member of Sons of the American Revolution and knows a lot about the founding of America. Today he was telling me interesting stuff I didn't know, like about the importance of the fife and drum as a way of communicating during the war and the difference between militia and Minutemen.
It is always good to hear what the people we love are interested in.

From today

Since Margaret's arm is badly broken, she needs someone to stay with her most of the time to help with daily activities.
Today was my turn. She ate and napped, but we also had some good conversations. There was something I was curious about and wanted to see if she thought the same. I see our family as being somewhat formal. Like the British. She agreed. Formal or not, everyone is treated with love, respect and good humor, and I think I like it that way.

One of her neighbors brought her these pretty flowers. My iPad captured a nice picture of the arrangement and its reflection in the mirror  it was on.