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12月31日 Dec 31 - Driving to Palm SpringsToday I woke up a little early - 7:30am. After breakfast and packing I drove to La Jolla and the relatively new Birch Aquarium at the Scripps Institute on the campus of UCSD. It's a nice aquarium, as you can see from two of the pics below. But I found it to be about the same as Seattle's Aquarium. It was a pleasant visit and the view down on Scripps pier was clear and beautiful.
After about two hours (and $80 worth of kids books from the bookstore) I headed east on I-8. I took hwy 79 north through Cuyamaca. A few years ago, the area was devastated by a fire and the damage is still evident. The strangest legacy in the burnt area is the remaining California live oak trees. Many survived, though the branches didn't. All the new growth is coming from the trunk. They look like alien flora, with scraggly black limbs projecting out from a green bushy central column.
After passing through the burnt valleys, I decended into the next valley where Lake Cuyamaca is located. It too is devastated, but not by fire - rather by drought. The lake is a mear shadow of its former self, less than half the size of the original lake from my youth. It's sad to see. Nearby Julian is still a pretty town, and was quite busy today with holiday tourists. After a quick drive past the frontier stores of Julian, I headed down the moutain slope eastward on highway 78. Some of the viewpoints along the way were quite beautiful on a clear breezy day like today (see below). I took a side tour through Borrego Springs because I had never been there before. It was larger than I expected. About the same size as Ocean Shores, and just about as depressing to look at.
As I headed east along the Borrego Salton Seaway, I was amazed by the large number of giant RV's parked in sprawling impromptou camps among the scrub and shallow canyons near the highway. Those luxury campers had their ATVs and dune buggies running at full bore. I remember when I was in high school and classmates would mention going to the desert to ride their moto-cross bikes and ATVs. I always wonderded what it was like. Now I know.
My next stop was at the Salton Sea - California's largest lake. The water was as placid and flat as a glass sheet and with absolutely no sign of life at either of my two stopping points (pic below). There was no foul smell or dead fish as some have reported. Neither was there anything of interest. There should be a state park at the Salton Sea. It's an interesting body of water with a fascinating history (accidentally created by humans). Perhaps there is a visitor center and I'm just not aware of it.
From Salton City (that moniker is a stretch of the term) it took just an hour to drive north on highway 86 to my condo at the Shadow Ridge Resort in Rancho Mirage. I arrived exactly on time: 3pm. After unloading my car, I did my usual grocery shopping for the next two days, then I settle in for the night - enjoying a couple glasses of a speical wine from California while I ate and watched a movie.
I have a beautiful view across the golf course. The condo is lovely. Here's a strange note: when I parked my car, I was part of a lineup of three Lexus hybrids all next to each other. Anchoring each end was a Mercedes. Hey - this definetely ain't El Cajon! Later, during sunset, the distant moutains were beautiful as they turned orange and then red, floating above the green fairway out my window. When I arrived today, the temperature was 72. Tomorrow, the weather should be clear, sunny, and again in the low 70s. After my hike in Joshua Tree National Park, I think I will enjoy a dip in the pool here at the resort.
12月30日 Dec 30 - America's "Finest" City?First of all, let me send a big birthday hug to Marcus. You have no cracks yet, not even at 44. But, I was mistaken for 37 the other day so I must be avoiding them too! Good black don't crack, good white don't blight.
Secondly, I don't think San Diego is really "America's Finest City." That's just a tourism slogan. But it sure as heck has some fine weather. Sunny and 68 today. Knowing there is snow and rain up in the Northwest right now makes me think, why did I ever leave here? But, there were good reasons - I'll get into that later.
I woke up after a good night's sleep, showered, and picked up a serving of hot breakfast in the Hearth Room here at the Residence Inn. I stay in a lot of places like this because the living room couch, kitchen, and greater space make me feel at home and they give me more options when traveling - especially by myself. Rather than eat fast food or sit solo in a restaurant, I can browse the aisles of the local supermarket and go back to my hotel room and fix my own dinner, watch a movie, and even take an evening dip in a pool or hot tub.
Today I attended the Eucharist at St. Paul's Episcopal Cathedral. It was a beautiful mass with all the bells and smells I appreciate. It was crowded too - amazing! I'm used to the sparse attendance of churches in un-churched Seattle. The crowd was friendly and there were gay couples attending who didn't feel uncomfortable expressing affection for each other. Thank God for the Episcopal church.
After mass I came home and changed out of my Sunday-go-to meetin' clothes, ate a lunch of some leftovers from last night's dinner, and then I headed to SeaWorld. I think the choice of an amusement park on a holiday weekend afternoon may have been a mistake. The place was packed wall to wall - mostly families with small children. I focused on the old traditional exhibits for freshwater and saltwater fish. I also saw the Penguin Encounter, the arctic animals and the Shamu performance. I skipped the shark exhibit and most of the shows and rides due to very long lines. The only two rides that didn't have long lines were the Atlantis roller coaster and the river rapids ride. I suspect they had short lines because they both include getting soaked - not such an enjoyable event in the winter, not even in San Diego.
After 3.5 hours at SeaWorld, I returned to my car and went for a drive to El Cajon. Either my childhood memories of my hometown are recalled through rose tinted glasses, or El Cajon's economic status has gone downhill. I felt completely out of place there. Our old home on Bearing Lane used to have tall beautiful trees in the front yard. They have all been chopped down. There are no roses or junipers, just a big square of grass and a concrete parking pad filled with a giganitc trailer. In fact, several of the homes have front yards where the central ornament is a big RV. Perhaps time has somewhat clouded my memory, but I also recall that big four whieel drive trucks were common when I was a child - and so it it today. I noticed a total dearth of luxury cars. There were no Prius hybrids anywhere to be seen during my drive. Perhaps it is not El Cajon that has changed, but rather it is I that have experienced an alteration of perception.
I have spent so many years in Seattle living in upper class neighborhoods driving fancy cars that I have been forever changed. I must remind myself that I moved away from El Cajon when I was 18 and I never returned for good reasons. I never did fit in with the 4WD shit-kicker crowd from Duncan Hunter land.
If there is a place that I feel comfortable in San Diego, it's within a relatively small geographic area. Hillcrest, Mission Hills, North Park, Mission Valley, Point Loma and La Jolla all feel comfortable to me - and that's about all. San Diego is a conservative town. I can feel the Republican and fundamentalist values in the air. Despite the beautiful weather, this is definetely no longer my home. Add to those feelings the fact that San Diego has an incredibly corrupt government, is deeply in debt, public services are at minimal levels and the conclusion is disappointing but clear: It's a nice place to visit but I wouldn't want to live here ever again.
Tomorrow I hit the road again. My destination will be Palm Springs.
12月29日 Dec 29 - The Road to San DiegoI didn't hear the alarm this morning, so I woke up more than one hour later than my intended time. After showering and breakfast in the dining room I packed up and headed south on US 101. The weather was foggy with light showers. By the time I reached Livermore, things had dried up but traffic was heavy once I merged onto I-5.
Traffic continued to be thick through the San Joaquin Valley. But despite the heavy volumes, things kept moving at 70 mph - which made things kind of scary due to the short distance between cars and trucks. I stopped twice, once at a packed rest stop for a pee break (there were lines for parking and in the restrooms), and again near Coalinga for gas and a dose of Toxic Hell (Taco Bell). I arrived at my hotel (Marriott Residence Inn) at 5:15 - exactly 9 hours after my departure from Santa Rosa. During much of the drive I listened to a book on CD: His Excellency - George Washington, a biography of our nation's father.
Once I arrived at the hotel I did a load of laundry and some shopping for dinner at the grocery store. Tomorrow I will go to church and SeaWorld. I was hoping to meet a high school classmate for dinner but it looks like our schedules won't mesh, so I don't think I will see anyone on this trip. Dec 28 - Sonoma WineriesI woke up at 8:30 am and took advantage of a free continental breakfast served in the Marriott Hotel dining room. Then Pat and I met to explore some of the numerous Sonoma County wineries. On a dry but cloudy day we first stopped at the Seghesio Family Winery in Healdsburg - one of the oldest wineries dating back to the late 1800s and the Italian/Swiss Colony. They had a pleasant and simple tasting room. We concentrated on zinfandel wines, and I bought two bottles of my favorite vintage. Then we headed north to a much larger winery with a far grander reputation, but still - almost as old.
We stopped at the beautiful grounds of Ferrari-Carano in the Dry Creek appellation. First I walked through their beautiful garden which included some fascinating cork oak specimes. Once inside the large tasting center, Pat qualified for free tasting of their premium wines. We headed downstairs to a beautiful basement tasting room and wine storage facility. At the wine bar the pours were huge! - a full two ounces each. We had to ask the charming male employee to cut down on the amount before we had to be dragged out just to sleep it off. Pat was more affected than I, probably because I have the great advantage of more body fat!. I can drink him under the table!
I focused on Chardonay wines at Ferrari-Carano and again bought two bottles along with a new cork puller. Afterward, while Pat was chatty and a little sloshed, we crossed into the Alexander Valley appellation for what turned out to be my favorite stop: Locals Tasting Room.
There are hundreds of wineries in Sonoma County, but most do not produce many cases nor do most have a tasting room. Locals is a private wine tasting facility that contracts with about 10- local micro-producers. They feature wines from small wineries not open to the public, and they offer the opportunity to taste in flights - that is a series of 4-6 wines that are usually made from the same or complimentary types of grapes. Pat and I shared a flight of pinot. But the main point of my choosing Locals as one of our stops was to try a flight of a vinifera I had never heard of previously called viognier. It was paired with a couple rose wines as well. Of the five wines in the flight, I really enjoyed three so I bought two bottles of viogner, two of rose, and two chardonays from our first flight. The excellent wines were served by a wonderful host from South Africa. She has been in the area for seven years and her personality was relaxed, approachable, honest, and fun. The fact that she also poured more than one ounce for each wine didn't hurt.
After the three tastings Pat and I ate lunch at the River Rock Casino in Napa County. It was one of the best buffets I have ever had. Cruise lines could learn a thing or two from the River Rock Casino. Then we took a drive through Calestoga and soon headed back over the hills to Santa Rosa. After relaxing in my hotel room for a couple hours, the day ended with dinner at Chevy's for Mexican food. It was fairly authentic and my tacos featured fresh hand-made tortillas.
Tomorrow I head to San Diego. I plan on leaving early because Pat says it should be about a ten hour drive. 12月27日 Dec 27 - Santa RosaToday was an exercise in relaxation. It started when I woke up at about 8:30am. Pat and I met for breakfast at the Omlet Express cafe just two blocks from my hotel in Santa Rosa's Historic Railroad Square. The omlet was great, but the toast was too thick and dry. The potatoes were good too. We also had coffee and read the paper at a nearby coffee shop.
After breakfast I took my car to a local carwash. It was a bit more upscale than I'm used to - but worth the extra few dollars. The car was covered with mud and muck from yesterday's drive through the snowy mountains of southern Oregon. They vacuumed and cleaned the interior, washed the exterior thoroughly, dried every part (including the interior door frames) washed the inside of the windows and wiped down the interior surfaces. By late morning Pat and I headed to a local state park for a two hour hike up to an old reservoir. It was a beautiful sunny day but cool. There were several horseback riders and mountain cyclists on the trails.
During the mid-afternoon I spent three hours in my hotel room relaxing, reading, and chatting either online or on the phone with my friends Chris and Marcus - holiday updates and family were the main topic of conversation. At five o'clock Pat picked me up and we headed south to have dinner with our cousins (once removed). As is typical when our family from the Archer line gets together, dinner was loud, funny, relaxing and very enjoyable. The Archer clan knows how to have a good time. It must be the Irish genes we share. I remember when I was a kid and had the opportunity to spend hours with the women in my grandmother's generation who lived in the Bay Area. There was always lots of food and wine, jokes and conversation. Even with the younger generations, the outgoing personalities and fondness for humor and debate have been passed on and remain unchanged. Eight of us consumed copious amounts of Italian food at a restaurant in the town of Larkspur called Ristorante Fabrizio. My choice for a prima piati included involltini - a thin veal cutlet combined with herbs and prosciutto rolled and resting on a bed of risotto. Yum! We shared a couple bottles of wine including one Pat selected - a bottle of Amarone, a specialty of Italy's Veneto region.
Tomorrw I expect we'll hit a couple wineries. I'm sure I'll manage to acquire some more bottles for my small wine cellar collection at home. As for now: Sono pieno come un uovo . Bona notte. Dec 26 - On The Way to Sonoma CountyMy brother and I headed to his home base, Sonoma County, early on the 26th. Snow was falling on the Siskyou pass in Northern California so we diverted our route to the coastal highway which probably added a little more than an hour to our journey. Butl we avoided the snowiest route so I think our choice was a good one. There was plenty of snow on the last couple passes in southern Oregon. The highest one was just over 2000 feet. I can imagine the Siskyou pass on Interstate 5 would have been much more difficult because it's further south and above 3000 feet. Despite the fact that I have an AWD car with snow tires, I'm not really interested in testing its limits unnecessarily - neither am I interested in testing my winter weather driving skills.
Working in our favor is the fact that much of the coastal route (Highway 101) has been widened in the last 5-10 years - speeding our progress. We left Portland at 6am and arrived in Santa Rosa at 5:30pm. I was very tired from sitting in the car all that time, but after checking into my hotel and taking a shower I was refreshed and ready for a nice dinner. We met my brother's ex-wife and enjoyed a very nice dinner at the Hyatt Hotel across from where i am staying at the Marriott. The Seafood Brasserie was a perfect choice. I had pasta with shrimp, scallops, and salmon in a light tomato broth.
Tomorrow the weather will be cool but sunny. We'll probably do some sort of hike before rain comes into the picture later in the week. 12月21日 On the Downward SlopeIt's Friday night and school is dismissed for the long holiday vacation. 2008 is coming to a close. Last night I hosted the annual staff holiday party at my house. I think about 22 people showed up, and afterward several thanked me and remarked that they had an enjoyable and relaxing time. I certainly did. Once the potluck food was on the table, I had plenty of time to relax and socialize. A quiet bunch of about 8 folks (including me) spent most of our time down in the family room. The rest remained up stairs in the kitchen, dining room, and living room enjoying conversation, laughter, and a gift exchange. During the party, one of my colleagues commented, "I bet you'll be glad to end 2007. It's been a bad year for you." I disagreed. 2007 has been fairly good to me. In the last week I've been thinking about how I will follow through with my annual end of the year summary which I usually write and post on January 1. My thinking about the 12 months is actually quite positive. Sure, Gene's death was a low point (perhaps that's an understatement), but there have been many positive points rising from that tragedy. And many other blessings have come my way prior to the awful month of September. I'm closer to my friends now than I have ever been. I've been on the receiving end of a tremendous amount of love and support -dinner, brunch, museum trips, concerts, cards, hugs and kind words. I've learned to accept help from those who care about me - something that wasn't easy for me to do in the past. I'm financially stable and my job isn't in jeopardy, I have a new car, and two silly dogs that keep me occupied. The parent's at my school have been nothing but supportive and sensitive. My family has been as helpful and kind as anyone could hope for. My life is going on and I have a good life. There are many wonderful events awaiting me in 2008. We are in the midst of the Christmas season, and that has long been a happy time for me - a season of beautiful decorations, music, cultural events, time with friends and a time for travel. It's also a reminder that powerful and blessed lives arise from humble and even difficult circumstances. And though the lives of some end tragically, grace can rise from the worst circumstances. Surely I can find the grace in any year - even 2007. I have the love of my friends and family. 2007 has had sadness, but it also has had joy, and that's because I chose to recognize it and create it. The text of my favorite poem comes to mind whenever I face difficult times. It helps me get through them with a positive and hopeful attitude. My life is guided by the words of this poem because I've learned life is something we create and accept. I am neither all powerful, nor a powerless victim of fate. I accept what I receive and I create what I want. INVICTUS Out of the night that covers meBlack as the Pit from pole to pole,I thank whatever gods may beFor my unconquerable soul.
In the fell clutch of circumstanceI have not winced nor cried aloud,Under the bludgeoning of ChanceMy head is bloody, but unbowed.
Beyond this place of wrath and tearsLooms but the Horror of the shade,And yet the menace of the yearsFinds and shall find me unafraid.
It matters not how strait the gate,How charged with punishments the scroll,I am the master of my fate:I am the captain of my soul.
- William Ernest Henley Here is a picture of my Christmas tree. You can also see a bit of my new carpet. The house is really warm and comfortable right now. There is much to celebrate (especially since my house is clean and the laundry is caught up!) Tonight I attend the Seattle Men's Chorus Holiday Concert and soon I head out on my first vacation since Gene's death. I wonder if I will feel as good when the trip is over as I do now. 12月16日 I Can't Catch UpSometimes it seems as though I can never catch up on the regular tasks that are a part of my life.
Yesterday I vacuumed the downstairs and cleaned the shower. Then I picked up a piece of furniture I had ordered and went to the pet store to buy the brats some expensive food and I stopped by the cemetery to revise the design of Gene's headstone. Then I set up the bedroom after the new furniture arrived including putting on fresh sheets and a new duvet. I dusted too. Today I woke up late (9am) and went to church. Then I spent 3 hours paying bills, balancing the checkbook and working on Gene's estate. I also set out a few more pieces of Christams decor. I washed and folded two loads of laundry. I went shopping for groceries and linens (and finally found the sheets and duvet I like after 4 separate trips to about 8 stores). Finally, last night I revised my upcoming road trip to extend my stay in Santa Rosa and by 8:30 I was able to climb into the fresh sheets on my new bed, write in my personal journal and read. I finally went to sleep at about 11:30 and was so tired I ultimately slept for almost ten hours.
But - my desk still isn't clean and I have a lot of papers I need to file. There are two more loads of laundry to do. I need to strip and reapply the surface on the kitchen tile, and I need to skim dead leaves out of the pond. I haven't packed away all the Christmas ornament boxes since completing the tree. I have to shop for the staff Christmas party (which I am hosting this coming Thursday). The cat box is in desperate need of cleaning. There is more pruning to do in the yard. I have to move books around to accomodate the new side table in the den. And, of course there is always more laundry.
I am grateful that one part of life will soon fall into the hands of someone else. This coming Wednesday my new house cleaner starts taking care of the vacuuming, dusting, bathrooms, and kitchen floor. I hired a service called Mrs. Clean. On Wednesday they do my BIG initial cleaning. It will cost me hundreds and require hours to complete, but at least the house will be spotless and for the next several months I won't have to be responsible for the muck and mess all by myself.
The conclusion is clear: I need a new smaller house. I need a smaller yard. I need to simplify my life. I suppose my goals for 2008 are already set. 12月11日 Amazing GraceRecent genetic research indicates that the human race is evolving rapidly. 10,000 years ago there was virtually no such thing as blue eyes! Back then, many more humans had dark skin, but as humans spread north those with lighter skin were able to survive better because they could absorbe more Vitamin D from sunlight.
An article in the Los Angeles Times (and carried in the Seattle Times) provides a report of genetic evidence backing up the evolution of the human body due to rapid population expansion over the last 10,000 years. Human mobility exposed our species to new environments not previously experienced by our African ancestors. Those environments assured that only a few would survive - those able to adapt. The survivors went on to foster offspring with adapted genetic characteristics, but there is also a great mystery.
The human brain seems to be getting larger and more complex. Scientists are not sure why such changes would be advantageous. My theory is those humans capable of compex and creative thinking were better able to survive and breed. But who am I? I'm not a geneticist. I'm sure it's more complex than an interested observer can understand.
Human evolution is a fascinating topic. I'm sure the religious fundamentalists are already working to conteract and deny the findings of the study. After all, it's related to evolution so it must be wrong. I must say that one thing I have long admired about the Roman Catholic church is it's recent openness to finding new links between God and science. It's a change just in the last 100 years of church policy, but a worthwhile alteration (and much of it due to Jesuits and Dominicans). The god of fundamentalists apparently has stopped creating, he has stopped speaking for he has nothing new to say or do. What a flacid and impotent god he must be? That is not the god I worship.
My god is complex and mysterious. We cannot fathom His/Her power and grace. We have no idea where His/Her creation will take us. My god is all powerful, all loving, and still has much more to say if we are willing to listen. Thus, we have much more to learn. In my faith, God's creation is awesome because the more we know, the less we understand it. We keep trying to know the universe created by divine providence. Maybe that's why our brains are evolving? For many of us, we are constantly trying to understand. Thank God for science. 12月7日 The November Vacation EndsI didn't know I was on vacation through much of November. But today, I'm only one week into the month of December and emotionally I feel like I have taken two steps backward. I've had dreams of hundreds dying at airports. The visions (as clear as day) of Gene lying on the floor at the Museum of Flight surrounded by medics have returned. I'm powerless to do anything to save anyone in all my dreams. Sometimes I dissolve into tears while watching TV shows. The resurgence of all these emotions started last Saturday afternoon, the day of my last blog entry. Everything changed that day after I had written about the snow. Late in the afternoon the light was blocked not just by flurries but by the return of despair, and it all welled up when I opened a little drawer in my dresser. I set a goal to start cleaning out Gene's things last weekend. I started by clearing out a couple minor dresser drawers in our bedroom - one filled mostly with empty jewelry boxes and the other stuffed with T-shirts. It seemed the proper time to start letting go. I hadn't cried about Gene's death in almost two weeks. I felt confident in the progress of my grieving. I must have been arrogant because now I feel as though I have been slammed against a wall. Every jewelry box, every momento, every T-shirt slogan was a reminder of the man I now live without. Within thirty minutes I was exhausted. I collapsed on the bed with a gasp. "Oh my god! This is exhausting! What is going on?" I thought. Then on Tuesday the 4th, my therapy session was a return to a time almost three months ago when I cried through most of my sessions. Un-packing two drawers and throwing away empty boxes or worn T-shirts felt like sending an entire man and his legacy to a garbage dump. It was as though I had taken Gene, placed him in a garbage bag and set him by the curb. The real garbage bag, filled only with empty boxes and shirts still sits in my garage. It never made it to the garbage can for final disposal. December is going to be a difficult month. I predicted that to myself, but that prediction was only an intellectual exercise that offered no clue as to the real emotional impact. I have been assured by my therapist and myself that the resurgence of my tears is normal - an understandable low point that is in fact a sign of progress, but that's not how it feels in my heart. Right now I see no light ahead. I feel immersed in the darkness. To those of you who read this and care - do not give up hope. I have not. This is called a bad patch. Every relationship has them. These are the things that married people get through. No marriage is so easy to break - even by death. Gene and I have had bad patches in the past and we are having another now. I am the survivor. This is all about me now. Gene has already let go. But for me, It's hard letting go of 14 years, yet I am doing so. That's why I'm hurting right now. The pain is from progress. I've been told I need to ask a close friend to help me continue the cleaning process because it will assist me as I move on. I know that is good advice because I have read it and heard it from more than one person. Telling someone the story about the ring that came in that now vacant box will move me forward. Remarking on the old T-shirts and the vacations which they recall will set the stage for healing. But, damn, it is so hard to do so. I know who I will ask to help me. Asking her will be one of the toughest things I have ever done - but I will do it. I believe in my heart that the best way to move on is to actually keep moving on - no matter how tough it may be. One small and painful step followed by another will get me where I want to go. I will not rush, but neither will I delay. I know I have bright days ahead despite the gloomy skies I see today. I have faith, and faith has always carried me through. 12月1日 I Think Winter Has Arrived
"Oh the weather outside is frightful" - well...sort of. Actually the weather is fun, it's the idiot drivers that are frightful! Hello Seattle - you won't make it up the hill at 5 mph! STEP ON IT! As you can see, we had our first snow today. It was just a dusting - definitely enough to turn things white and to make the streets slick. The new car handled my errends with aplomb. While driving I could watch the status indicators as it shifted into and out of AWD depending on information gathered from the traction sensors. Today was also Sophia's first snowfall. She has seemed uninterested. In fact, maybe she has been a little annoyed. When sent out to pee she returns more quickly than usual. Amy, being the wise elder schnauzer knew to take a sheltered shortcut under the deck while taking care of her business. Unfortnately, the snow is already melting. I was unable to watch the satellite TV during the showfall. The flakes are so wet the dish up on the roof is coated with a thick layer. I suspect the dense snow clouds also obscure my signal. But, the snow will disappear by late tonight - replaced by light rain. I'm sure the satellite signal will return soon. Tomorrow I will drag out my French Christmas tree (aka faux tree) and begin the decorating process. Previously, Gene and I were planning on traveling to Japan during Christmas vacation. Realistically, I wasn't up to doing that trip on my own. Instead I will be driving to California in the new car. I'm staying in Portland, Sonoma County, San Diego, Palm Springs, and Yosemite National Park. I plan on spending time with friends or family during most of my stops. I'll be gone twelve days. As previously noted in an earlier posting, I had to figure out what to do with my Japan airfare - or lose more than $1000. I decided to change it into a first class seat to NYC in late June. That's the embarkation point for a cruise I'm taking on the Queen Mary 2. I'll arrive In New York a couple days early so I can take in a museum and a show or two. The next nine months are going to be very busy. I also need to consider buying a new house - but that's an issue I will leave for another posting.
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