Memory: Meeting the Ship

Memory: Meeting the Ship

My father was a Merchant Mariner who sailed from Galveston on the U.S,S. Stella Lykes. He usually departed from and returned to Galveston. But sometimes the ship would return to New Orleans and my mother and I would meet the ship in New Orleans. Since New Orleans was where his family lived, it would be a time to visit all the Aunts and Uncles and cousins.  But that was not the best part. The best part was the trip to New Orleans on the overnight train. Now that my friends was adventure!

We took a taxi to the train station. I had a little yellow overnight case with a brown deer on the front in which I carried my nightgown and a few other things. I felt so important at the train station. I was helped up the big steps onto the train by a porter. I had to sit on my overnight bag to get a good view out the window. I was not frightened at all, just very excited. I remember the dining car but I don't recall if we ate or not. What I remember so well is the sleeping arrangements. The porter pulled the bed right down from overhead! I was astonished! Who would have guessed there was a bed up there!?! I loved the clickety clack sound of the train on the track and the gentle swaying motion. I must have slept because the next thing I knew, we were getting up and dressed and coming into New Orleans. Time to visit Aunt Beulah and Uncle Edwin and cousin Joan and Grandma. I don't think I went to see the ship but I do remember my father coming in with a big doll. (I named her Wanda but I can't imagine why because I knew no one with that name.)

We must have taken the train back to Galveston but I don't remember that so well as the trip to New Orleans with those remarkable beds overhead. 

100 Movies Worth Watching

I started this because I saw someone else's list of favorite movies and didn't like half of them. So I thought I would come up with my own list.  This is a work in progress.  I will add them as I watch them on Netflix.  What would you suggest that I watch and add to the list?

My 100 Favorite Movies

The African Queen
Amadeus 
Apollo 
Argo
The Artist
Avatar
Captain Phillips
Chariots of Fire
Coralline
Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood 
Forrest Gump
Gandhi
Gone with the Wind
Gravity
The Hunger Games
The King's Speech
Les Miserables
Lincoln
My Afternoons with Margueritte 
Oranges and Sunshine
The Queen of Versailles 
State of Play
Searching for Sugar Man
Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy
Titanic
Zero Dark Thirty

Iraq and Afghanistan

I wonder if there is anyone who thinks that we (the U.S. and various allies) have accomplished anything worthwhile in Iraq and/or Afghanistan? We are still bringing young Americans home in flag draped coffins and we are still spending billions of dollars on these debacles. Why? It is long past time to declare victory and get the hell out. Who will be the last person to lose their legs or their mental well being or their life? Who will it be before we finally stop the madness? I am not a pacifist. I fully realize that there are people out there who would do us harm.  But I think we need to be careful in spending lives and treasure.  We are coming up to 2014 which is the date that President Obama has determined is time to exit Afghanistan. There will be all kinds of pressure on his to leave troops behind for "training" or "support." Will he be strong enough to resist? I wonder.

Wild Boar Out Back

 

 

 

We live out in the country. One of the great pleasures of living in the country is the wildlife we see--raccoons, birds, possums, an armadillo now and then. But one critter we don't like to see are the wild pigs. Wild boars are not your cute little piggy; we have trapped them up to 300 lb. of fighting mad meanness. This is one of many we have trapped and turned into sausage.

 

 



 

 

 

I have been making this for about 40 years. It is so easy and so good.

 

 



Banana-Nut Bread 

½ c. oil

1 c. brown sugar

1 tsp. Vanilla

3 ripe bananas

2 eggs

1 ½ c. whole wheat flour

½ c. wheat germ

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. cinnamon

¾ c. pecan pieces 

Cream oil, sugar, bananas, vanilla, and eggs.

Add remaining ingredients and stir well.

Bake in loaf pan which has been sprayed with Pam at 325 degrees for 1 hour and 10 minutes.





Saturday Poetry: How the Grass and the Flowers Came to Exist, a God Tale

I suppose 
the Lord said:
Let there be fur upon the earth,
and let there be hair upon the earth,

and so the seeds stuttered forward into ripeness 
and roots twirled in the dark
to accomplish His desire,  

and so there is clover,
and the reeds of the marshes,
and the eelgrass of the sea shallows
upon which the dainty sea brant live,

and there is green and sturdy grass,
and the goldenrod
and the spurge and the yarrow
and the ivies and the bramble
and the blue iris

covering the earth,
thanking the Lord with their blossoms. 


Mary Oliver 

Goals for Next Week

Goals for Week Ending Saturday, November 9

Home
     Finalize Fidelity allocations--done. 
     Clean out 5 drawers or cabinets--done. 
Quilting
     Block #20--done. 
Garden
     Repot succulents--not done. 
     Clean back porch--done. 
Reading
     Garbology by Edward Hume--in progress. 
     Nature Writing by John Muir--in progress. 
     The Guns at Last Light by Rick Atkinson
     Blue Iris by Mary Oliver--in progress. (Finally poetry I really love!)
Cooking
     4 dinners--done. 
Health
     Exercise--done. 
     Weight Watchers--not done.