A touching of base
Not much knitting. Not much anything, except Duolingo.
My life needs more structure. I think I’ve got the stitch count straightened
out, for Miss Rachel’s sweater, and should (finally) polish off the body
tomorrow.
One thing I did want to say, a propos huge cruise ships, at least vaguely. My mother (born 1906)
said once that she was glad she had been born late enough in history to fly the
Atlantic. I feel exactly the opposite: glad that I was born (just) early enough
(1933) to have crossed on the waves, when that was the normal method of getting
to and fro. An ocean liner, at the beginning and end of a ‘50’s summer, was a
floating seminar.
Until recently, at least, it was possible to sail one
way and fly back – Franklin and his partner did it not so long ago. But that’s
not at all the same, because the ship would be essentially a cruise ship, not
primarily a means of transportation.
Flying is great but I still remember the pride my Father felt at having crossed the Atlantic on board the Queen Elizabeth - when she was a troop ship, she brought him home from Canada.
ReplyDeleteAs for the modern cruise ships - I doubt if I could be persuaded to board one, and the sight of those monsters sailing INSIDE THE LAGOON AT VENICE strikes me as obscene. I loved our ferry trips to Denmark, and of course the dearly beloved Scillonian. Proper ships!
Harrumph over.
if you like to sail (as I do) I'd hate for you to avoid all ships because of those obnoxious ones. Maybe something smaller like your Shetland one or a river cruise that caters to older passengers (now I sound like a travel agent:-)). For structure, how about taking a real-life, not virtual, class in a subject or language that has always intrigued you. A friend suddenly decided to learn Russian after retiring and loved it. I think she felt exhilarated just to have mastered the Cyrillic alphabet.
ReplyDeleteOh, or volunteer on a once-a-week basis to teach knitting to the disadvantaged/handicapped/yarn store, etc, or work once a week in a library (where you can sit). These are obviously just suggestions, Jean. Just do what is fun.
ReplyDeleteI should have worded it as "at our age we should do what is fun." Sorry for the lecturing tendencies. Chloe
ReplyDeleteMy father was also proud to say he had sailed on the Queen Mary. As a troopship in 1942.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was a child we moved to Argentina and we traveled there on a "mixed use" ship, cargo and passengers. It was a memorable trip! I don't know if that type of carrier is still available. Enough passengers to have a doctor, but not enough to have a nightclub. (There was a bar we were not allowed in.) Of course that was 50 years ago. Thanks for the chance to reminisce.
ReplyDeleteJane
The Queen Mary 2 makes regular crossings between Southampton and NYC, no need to go both ways. It's a good way to cross the north Atlantic, happens about 30 times a year. Like going to an elegant hotel, and it takes you across the ocean in a week. Lots of knitting time, interesting lectures and music, and no need to swarm off the ship every day with a thousand others to "explore".
ReplyDeleteWe immigrated to the US in 1957. We were supposed to come by ship but, due to my father's commitment to the job he was leaving, we came by airplane in order to come in before our entry visa expired. Thus our family of four arrived with two suitcases of clothes between us. My grandparents came twice by ship to visit. The last time they visited was the first time my grandparents (born in the 1890s) flew. The plane was a Boeing 747! A steward kindly sat with them an chatted about the experience. My grandmother asked the steward to make sure he let her know when they were taking off."look out the window" he told her-they were already far over the ocean. She was amazed at the experience.
ReplyDelete