August 6, 1965 we were on our way to Port Adelaide, Australia to join the Italian passenger liner Marconi for our first overseas adventure. There was an air of excitement mingled with apprehension as we negotiated the swaying gangplank with our carry on luggage. Down in the bowels of the ship were our earthly possessions, a modest collection of furnishings and household bits and pieces. … Continue reading Passage to India
Thursday February 12, 1942 dawned a pleasant summer day and this five year old climbed out of bed and headed for Eric and Maude’s bedroom as usual, to be tucked in for a few moments and enjoy parental conversation before all emerged to greet the day together. For some time now little boy Ian had been rescheduled to Eric’s side of the bed, a source … Continue reading The Day the Stork Arrived
A shaft of light penetrated the bedroom gloom. It was 6.15 am and Georgine was already up and about. She was anxious to get on with our morning routine and thought that manipulating the Venetian blinds was the best device for waking Ian up. Alarm clocks did not seem to work effectively since his hearing began its slow decline a few years back, so Georgine … Continue reading The Morning Walk
Copyright reference for above image – http://levechad.blogspot.com/2010 “You have no appreciation of what I’m trying to do for this family!” Joe was working his way to the top of his stress threshold as he paced the room waving his arms in frustration. Kate almost decided to retreat before things got out of hand, but her tendency toward brinksmanship prevented her. “Joe, this family needs a … Continue reading Balancing Life’s Activities
June 1, 2006 we arrived in Portland, Oregon and were whisked across the border to Vancouver, Washington where we were to attend an important birthday bash of one of our closest friends. I’ve been instructed not to mention the actual age of this close friend so we will leave it at that. As there was to be a day between our arrival and the grand … Continue reading Still Alive After Mount St Helens Visit
This had to be one of the most difficult days Jake had experienced in recent memory. His office phone had been ringing off the hook since arriving at his executive office early morning, and his cell phone had recently joined the chorus, accumulating message prompts at an alarming rate. Things were not going well in the real estate market and Jake was very much a … Continue reading Monkey See, Monkey Do
I hadn’t been in Singapore long in 1985 before I realized how important it is to know what’s going on in other people’s heads when it comes to comfort in travel. Travel to northern countries like Japan and Korea is a trip to be coveted, and I noticed there was no lack of volunteers to handle business in these northern countries as we sat together … Continue reading Northern Exposure
It was one of those days when warm rays of the sun sought out and caressed limbs, finding their way through neatly pressed coverings to end in a glad embrace. On a day like this one would normally be dreaming of soft white sand and gently lapping waves and be dressed for the occasion, but today was the day to sit and listen to our … Continue reading Looking Up
Image courtesy of: http://www.vivalamobile.com/blog/ “Want to eat something?” Ramesh pointed to the rickety structure around which crowds of people clustered, drinking their chai while they shouted and gesticulated. I looked at the chai stall and instantly recollected a recent bout of Madras belly. “No thanks!” We’d reached the border, a wildlife sanctuary sandwiched between the state of Tamil Nadu and Kerala, on the southwestern coast … Continue reading Riding the Bus in India
The last stretch of road to Gympie Australia consisted of several miles of washboard dirt track. It was evening. Dust created by passing cars choked me up as I clung to my Mother Maude, blinking through tired eyes as I watched the dim lights of Gympie moving into full view. My Father Eric wrestled with the car as it bounced over rutted roads, urging it … Continue reading Happy Days of Childhood
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