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Psalms 35:9 And my soul shall be joyful in the LORD: it shall rejoice in his salvation.
List three things you are thankful for:
I Wonder…….
Dear God,
Did you plan all this when you first spoke and divided the heavens from the seas;
when you spoke and the earth separated from the water? Could you see what your creation, man, had the potential to do as he questioned and asked and tried?
The first man to build a raft or canoe – was he thankful?
Were the Vikings thankful for their dragon lead ships?
How about the Chinese with their junks, were they thankful?
Was Christopher Columbus thankful for the Nina?
Those that built the Mayflower, what did they think?
Were all these builders and users thankful? Did they appreciate the improvements gained from one to another? Did they realize how each improvement served the purpose so completely?
As I ride on this ship – that, except for a little quiet rocking and seeing the wake through the water, hardly seems like riding or traveling. I marvel at how far this ship has come from a raft. I wonder at the ability God has given man to question and create, building, improving, and fulfilling their dreams.
Are we, am I, fulfilling God’s dream for me? What did He see for me when he said “Let there be light”? As I have made my choices and planned and dreamed – Have I been thankful for my steps and my improvements?
Can God still look at me as his creation and say…It is good? Amen.
Quebec
October 25, 2009
Quebec… if you ever get a chance to visit Quebec don’t turn it down.
A romantic city of narrow cobblestone streets at the narrowing of the St .Lawrence River, Quebec invites you to wander and take your time exploring. A horse drawn carriage gives a glimpse of more of the town and whets your appetite to spend and extra day or two.
Emily visited the city 4 years ago and tried to tell me what it was like, but I needed to walk the streets myself, hear the sidewalk musicians play, feel the breeze off the river and see the lights as they came on at night to really appreciate Quebec.
The weather was gorgeous, sunny and clear and crisp. We were told the 23rd it snowed, and the 24th it rained all day long. We were thankful for the weather prepared just for us.
I spend some time exploring outside on deck watching the lights of the city and along the banks of the river. A large half moon hung in the sky watching over me as I meditated the grandeur of God’s plan in a quiet almost deserted spot.
With Emily’s 219 pictures, Mary’s 149, Mom’s and Elmer’s, I’ll have many to try to show my version of Quebec.
Overcast and Cloudy
October 24,2009
At sea, over cast and cloudy all day. We all wandered here and there taking in the programs, listening to live music, eating as the spirit moved us, sometimes together and often apart.
That is the end of October 24, 2009. Good Night…Sleep Well…Love you
Numberless Thoughts
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Psalms 40:5 Many, O LORD my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are to us-ward: they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee: if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered.
List three things you are thankful for:
Standing in Line?
Evening tidbit
The older you get, the fewer things seem to be worth standing in line for
May words & meditation be acceptable
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Psalms 19:14 Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.
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Bunches of Nothing
October 24, 2009
Today at sea. I saw a hint of land about 5:30pm, Anticosti Island as we went through the Gaspe Passage.
A day at sea means you can do bunches of nothing or go from one activity to another provided by the activity crew.
We did alot of one and a little of the other. The other was the show that was supposed to be country and western. It was loud and not very country or western. I guess I’m just not that kind of person.
I saw Mary once while she ate breakfast/lunch and Em before she left for the day. Mom went to a comedy workshop. she said it was really funny, she had a good time. We had dinner with Mom and then saw the show. Elmer got ice cream to eat in the room. Back to our cubbies. I ate the gingerbread with lemon sauce that I got at Peggy’s Cove, It was yummy even though it was cold.
What the girls did???I don’t know may be I’ll find out tomorrow.
To listen is to entertain
Evening tidbit
The only way to entertain some people is to listen to them.
Precious Thoughts
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Psalms 139:17-18
How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!
If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee.
List three things you are thankful for:
Agreeable Advice
Evening tidbit
Advice is what a person asks for when he wants you to agree with him.
Halifax to Peggy’s Cove
October 23, 2009
We woke up in Halifax, Nova Scotia, 702 nautical miles from New York.
We had a bus tour through Halifax to Peggy’s Cove, a rustic fishing village where 40 people live year around and on a loop back to Halifax. We really enjoyed the tour. Our tour guide was good, that’s important. We heard about Halifax’s part in the rescue of the survivors of the Titanic, a shipping explosion in the Halifax harbor and the crashing of an airliner from New York. (I’ll have to check with the others for info I forgot). You’ll
need to see the pictures, to kind of understand the remote, lonely feeling of the Cove.
We had Italian for dinner. I thought of you, Shirley, while I ate Tiramisu. Elmer and I went back to the room. Mom followed Mary and Emily this evening. I’ll have to get the low down tomorrow. Tomorrow a day at sea, Quebec City, Sunday morning.
That is the end of October 23, 2009. Good Night…Sleep Well…Love you
These posts will be so much more complete when I can post the pictures.
Lazy Day at Sea
October 22, 2009 written October 23, 2009
We were at sea this day, so were pretty lazy. Overcast in the morning so didn’t eat breakfast out side. We checked out different parts of the ship, did some shopping, 2 sweat shirts, and a cup with a lid for me, and a water bottle for Elmer. Reading, knitting, and enjoying the ride were high on the list of activities.
We met for dinner dressing up a bit, Em wore her mink coat and cowboy boots. Elmer went back to the room, Mom checked out a couple performers on her own. I hung out with Mary and Em following them around. Some of the performers were pretty good, some we didn’t stay for very long. M & E pick seats so if they don’t like the act, they can leave easily with out disturbing anyone.
That is the end of October 22, 2009. Good Night…Sleep Well…Love you
Relatives in Burying Ground
October 21, 2009 written October 23, 2009
This won’t have pictures, it takes too long to upload and insert them one by one, since I’m having to buy internet time and speedy it is not.
It was nice not to have to hurry. Elmer and I went up to breakfast about 11:00 at the Grill, a mini breakfast bar with scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, fruit, pastries, hash, toast, coffee, juice, at the rear of the ship. It was sunny. After we ate Elmer went back to the room, while I sat and knit for a while. One waiter said he’d watch my progress.
We arrived at Boston 12:30pm. We didn’t have a tour planned. I wish we had, because we didn’t
know where we were going and the map we had was tiny and not too clear. Elmer again stayed on the boat and the Ladies went walking. Years ago when the buildings in Boston were built there was land around them, now there are tall buildings and sidewalks and busy roads. We did find an used bookstore that Emily said was how bookstores should be. And we found a cemetery on Tremont Street, King’s Chapel Burying Ground. The stones had skulls and skeletons and father time engraved on them. There was a plaque tell what the symbols meant. When we started reading this plaque, Mom said Joseph Tapping that is the name of our forefather, Tapping was changed to Topper. (For those who don’t know Topper was my maiden name.) I’ll include part of the plaque information:
“One of the first and most famous gravestones, visible upon entering the burying ground, is that of Joseph Tapping, (d.1678). The marker is famed as a work of art conceived by the unknown carver known as ‘the Charlestown Stonecutter. The stone is one of the most elaborate in the burying ground with beautifully carved symbolic images: the skull with wings represents the soul leaving the body, the hourglass represents time running out, the skeleton snuffing out the candle is Death ending life, and the bearded figure is Time attempting to stop Death. The stone’s Latin inscriptions refer to the quick passage of time and awareness of death’s inevitiablity. Little is known of Tapping, a Boston shopkeeper who died at the age of 23, leaving his young wife Marianna, a widow.
Next is the grave of his father John Tapping (ca.1628-1678), a felt maker, and the double tombstone of his mother, Mary (Woodmancy) Tapping Avery (ca.1629-1709) and her second husband William Avery (ca.1622-1686). His mother is said to be the first female bookseller in Boston.”
This was the highlight of Boston for me.
At the ship, we all went our separate ways, Mary and Em pairing off. Elmer and I had a late dinner and crashed. Mom did the same. Mary and Em watched different performers, while playing cards and knitting.
That is the end of October 21, 2009. Good Night…Sleep Well…Love you
from New York City to the Ship
This post had such creative dialog and pictures, then………..the computer monster entered the process. Maybe someday we will see the pictures, please just use your imagination as you read.
October 20, 2009, written October 21, 2009, 8:30amEST
View from hotel room window about 8:00EST – Mom’s room
View from Mary, Emily & Mom’s room
Mary, Emily, Mom and I left Elmer in bed at 9am (6amCaliTime) to see the sights.
After some discussion with a longsuffering concierge, Emily and Mary as our fearless guides led us to the subways of New York. Subways are underground and not dark and dank as I had pictured. In some areas it was like mini malls food courts and stores. Other areas were waiting areas for the trains. We bought $8.00 passes that were good for 4 transfers. We used three.
We took the R downtown train to 34th. Walking in New York felt like San Francisco and Chicago, but not like Birmingham. We breakfasted at a Café, that was long and narrow; food counters on left side, tables on right. A waiter took our order although we could have ordered at the counter. Everything was available: traditional breakfast, lunch, sandwiched, soups, Chinese dishes, fruit, luscious looking desserts and muffins. We visited Duane Reade, like a rite aide. DR are located often through the city.
When the doors of Gotta Knit opened at 11:00, we were there. On the 5th floor a room about 15×20, full of samples and yarn on the left and rear, on the right portioned off by screens was their office. Not a very large variety of yarns, but high end cost and quality. Emily was the buyer, a skein of hand spun, she make a pair of sox or a scarf as the spirit moves her.
Down to E subway, downtown to W 4th to Purls a quilt shop. On ground level, again the store area was very narrow 8 ft wide and 20ft deep, with office/storage behind closed door. Different fabrics than commonly seen in Sac. Emily purchased fabric of a baby quilt (that had been on her list) and princess and the pea fabric for a pillowcase as a souvenir of New York. Mary bought fabric to make a tote bag to remind her of the City. My buy was the store’s own canvas tote, $15.00, The girls didn’t tell their totals, but the main fabric in the princess and the pea collection was $18.00 a yard
Walking on down the street about 4 stores is Purls, a yarn shop about twice as wide and the same depth, Both shops are owned by the same people. Everyone escaped with no yarn,
By now it is 1:20pm, we were to be back at the hotel by 1:00. Elmer has checked out of the hotel, put luggage in storage, and has had breakfast (about 11:00). He is now waiting very patiently in the lobby for us. I missed judged the time because of the subway rides and the walking to get to where we wanted to go from the subway stations.
We called Elmer, got back on the subway and were back to the hotel about 1:45. As the porter brought out our luggage to load into the taxi, he said to Elmer, “Looks like she brought the whole house!” A Yellow Cab was whistled down, a suv type, five seats for passengers and luggage compartment big enough for everything. By 2:30 we were at the port and saw our ship. I knew the ships were big, but hadn’t realized just how big.
This is what our balcony looked like. We had two rooms side by side with connecting door on the balcony
We checked in with little waiting in lines, got our picture taked and walked up the gang plank. Champagne and orange juice waited for us.
This is what our room looked like.
We got on our way about3:00 and safety drill at 3:30. We learned how to put on our life vests. The vest weren’t flattering to anyone.
We went back to our rooms to put life vests away, get settled in, have coffee (thanks, Mom), and relax on the balcony. We watched the Lady as we left New York Harbor. Mary started singing The Cross is my Stature of Liberty.
Neat Picture of the Lady
Mary and Em went scouting; the rest of us vegged. By chance we all meet in the Garden Café, a buffet, for supper and watched the sum sink into the ocean. We split up again,
Elmer and I to sight see and get internet connected, Mom to the library, etc, and M and Em ?????.
I crashed about 9:00, I must have walked two miles in New York and there are many steps down into and up out of the subway.
More firsts:
My first subway ride, on one leg of the trip I knitted.
First time I (we) was honked at crossing the street.
My first Yellow Cab ride, from hotel to boat dock
this one I didn’t watch too closely as he drove.
Now I know about the others after dinner:
( the short version)
Mom went back to her room, took a bath, had a flood in the bathroom, called the plumber, water got cleaned up and read in bed for a while.
Mary and Em picked up their knitting, card games, and water bottles(because the cups are tiny) and went to –
- Crystal Atrium, listened to a string quartet
- went to get water
- back to Atrium for sleepy music ( their words)
- went to Bar City, Constance played piano, then another lady played guitar and sang ballads and played Phase 10
- went to the theater and played garbage while the band played, then watched a comedian re-enact the Wizard of Oz
- returned to room to shower and bed and read.
Beautiful sunset
That is the end of October 20, 2009. Good Night…Sleep Well…Love you.
Thoughts of Grace 