Cruise to Alaska Glacier Bay & Skagway

written on May 27, 1996

This font refers to what was written in 1996        and this font is my own commentary in the present.

May 20  Monday

            Our cabin steward was named Gaetano.  He left a new Princess Patter each night to inform us of the events that would be held the following day.

            We entered Glacier Bay.  For the most part, people were seen on the decks and outside of the boat - probably more that day than the rest put together.  We visited two glaciers and the ship stopped for each one and turned around.  They were pretty.  Still not what I had expected.

            There was a juggling act before our scheduled dinner and so we went and saw that.  We were greeted by the head waiter when we went into the dining room.  Everyone had missed us as we had not been there the night before.  That was pretty cool - the warm welcome and sincerity. 

            Trying new foods was great.  And having the option of having appetizers and so forth to add to the main meal.  Oh, the food was so wonderful.  Of course, I weigh more now than when the cruise began.

            After dinner, we went to see How to Make an American Quilt - that was interesting. A show I'll probably appreciate more with each time I see it - if I have that desire.

            Bed Again.

May 21 - Tuesday

            Now, this should be a more lengthy entry.  We stood in yet another line on Monday so that we could pay for tour trips.  Today we will do the first two on our side trip list agenda.

           

            Enter Skagway.  Population 700 or thereabouts.  I can't remember if that's the summer or winter population.  There are twice as many in summer than in winter.

            We're told that we arrived at 5:30 a.m. - I was fast asleep and have no way of knowing if we were on time that day or not.  Our first tour started at either 8:00 or 8:30 - I had told mom and grandma that I did not want to wake up before 7:00.  And so they went to breakfast without me.  For the next few days, in fact.  Grandma snored loudly and I seemed to have to go to the bathroom more often (different air I would imagine) and since climbing out of my bed was such a chore, I didn't really sleep all that well.

I remember walking around the boat a few times when it was only 3:00 a.m.  That's when the janitorial action happens.  And apologies to my family who have had their fair share of hearing me snore loudly.  I am not aware that I am doing it. 

 

After we disembarked for our first tour, we took a bus to the summit.  On our way, we stopped off at a gold panning camp, heard stories about Skagway and legends of conmen - particularly one who earned the nickname Soap - E (I don't know the spelling that was used; I had originally spelled s-o-p-p-y but the pronunciation is a hard O) and had a lesson on how to pan for gold and received opportunity to do so for ourselves - oh, boy - what a thrill (NOT)

Then up to the summit - that was quite beautiful.  Of course, I took many pictures of that area [back before digital cameras; mine required film] the sign converting 55 miles into 90 kilometers.  

The bus driver let those of us who wanted to get off the bus and walk across the Canadian border.  That was fun.

When the tour ended the driver said he could drop anyone who wanted to get off in town before taking the rest back to the ship.  And so mom and I found souvenirs (hers were sweatshirts while I wnt for a stack of postcards)

We took a shuttle back to the boat (it cost us a dollar each) and ate lunch in the dining room.  Mary Ann (one of our dinner companions) told about the glaciers she had visited.  And we told her and her parents what we did. 

After lunch, we disembarked the ship once again to take a second tour - this time by street car.  And some of the stories we heard were the same [as the ones we had been told on the bus trip] but some details seemed a little different. 

I thought it was interesting that there was only one school in Skagway.  Grades 1 - 12

Skagway was a cute little town.  We were supposed to set sail at 6:30 but didn't leave until after 7:00. 

Blackberries Growing Wild

            To the best of my knowledge, nobody around here intentionally plants blackberries.

            They grow like weeds.  Most people don't seem to like them.  They're not attractive plants.

            When we first moved to Tri City, we would pick berries from an overgrown explosion down the street.  They were gone the following year.  But we did have the opportunity to hike our brown hill to get to them.

            But now we have an opportunity to reach the blackberry goodness without having to leave our yard or climb the hill

            They have come into our yard, I'm guessing by the wind.  They are starting to chock the life out of our poor fir tree

            But we like the fruit - though retrieving it is quite a chore as the plant is a very unfriendly one with thousands of thorns that guard the berries and will prick and scratch at you if you're not careful.

            Roland made a fabulous blackberry sauce.  Although it was intended as a syrup, its thickness is somewhere between syrup and jam.  We have used for both and I like it.   

            The shape of the  blackberry reminds me of the raspberry

            I used to love raspberries, but now prefer the taste of the blackberry.  I also like them better than blueberries or Oregon's own marionberry.  I cannot tell them apart by sight, but I can with my pallet.  I am not too impressed with the marionberries lack of flavor.

unless I am wrong and we have been eating marionberries all this time instead of blackberries - though I don't think so.  Someone had brought us a marionberry pie last Thanksgiving and the berries were not all that tasty.  I like the pies, cobblers, and syrups that Roland makes from the wild blackberries.  I don't like the summer brown.

        

             In addition to dry grass, we have Queen Anne's Lace popping up all over

            I would rather have lush and green.  It's nice when it rains.

Cruise to Alaska College Fjord

written on May 27, 1996

May 18  continued

We did get dinner.  We were (each group) greeted by a waiter who would take us to the next available table.  I don’t ever remember what we had – I know we sat clear at the end of the dining room, up, nowhere near a window.  I had hoped we’d be close to a window in the future.

There was a lifeboat drill – life jacket rather.  We were requested to meet in the show lounger and bring our life jackets so that we would know what to do in the event of an emergency.

 I saw more pursers, directors, and that sort of crew that night than I did for the entire rest of the trip.  I remember thinking one of the female crew members seemed rather curt and ornery – that was the only night I saw her –  during the demonstration of the life jacket.  I don’t even know what her position was.  She was wearing a full uniform . . .

Did we go to a show that night?  I think we did.  Yes. He was a comedian.  I didn’t find him very amusing.  I left before the show had ended.  I don’t recall whether mom and grandma stayed or if they went with me.  Or exactly where I had gone after I had left the show lounge. 

I know that the boat didn’t take off at its scheduled time.  Passengers were still arriving to Seward from Anchorage

When I returned to the cabin, one of the beds had been pulled from the ceiling and there was a ladder that went up to it.  What a chore.  My new bed for the next seven days.  What a trip.

May 19 Sunday

A newsletter called the Princess Patter outlined the agenda of daily activities.  I had wondered if there would be any kind of Church services.  And they were.  Holy Mass, they called it.  I figured it was for those Christens who felt the need to attend services for Sunday worship.  I had no way of knowing that Holy Mass was going to be an everyday occurrence.

We had gone on a self-guided tour of the boat.  When we got to the princess theatre, I could see the ministers upon the stage addressing their congregation.  When the congregation stood up to sing amazing grace, I decided that I would return to the cabin and read my scriptures – not that I got a whole lot out of them.  I did attempt it though.

Grandma went to the library and got herself a book.  I went outside and took several pictures of college fjords.  It wasn’t as exciting as I thought it would be.

I was thinking that we had met our dinner companions prior to the breakfast, but maybe not.  I got the eggs Florentine.  Sounded good, but they were actually kind of boring.  We had gone to see the Bridges of Madison County – I don’t know if we had gone before or after lunch – or if we had even eaten lunch that day.  I wrote that I had missed two mills [should be meals - I do know how to spell - I obviously had not communicated that to my pen] in the dining room.  I don’t know if we had gone to the café de sol for their interpretation of a snack before or after we had gone to the movie?

Anyway, after the movie let out, we noticed the movement on the boat - or at least I did.  The boat was going in one direction and my stomach was going in another.  Mom didn’t feel well either.  We had gone back to the cabin to lay down.

It was the captions welcome dinner.  We were supposed to dress up formally, so we all changed and made our way to the dining room and as we were waiting to get in, it dawned on all of us that none of us were hungry (that’s why I think maybe we did have the buffet snack) and so we decided to go see the early show instead.

We couldn’t find three seats together.  We were lucky just to find three seats.  We’d gone up to the balcony.  The show was fabulous.  The theme was called A Night On the town.  Dance periods introduced.  I like watching dance performance.  And the band was good, too.

There was a Name the Tune being played that night.  I had planned to go to it, but just didn’t feel well and went to bed.

The next morning, we went to breakfast.  Maybe that’s when I ordered eggs Florentine.  Or perhaps that is the morning I went with mom to the buffer and then with grandma to the dining room.  That’s probably what it was.  I didn’t really participate in the breakfast meal during the cruise.

I'd rather go to Disneyland

            We have tried saving up for a Disneyland vacation for the last three years - asking each of our children and my siblings to please save for October this year.  Each year we have dipped into our funds - not that we ever had enough to get us there.  Last year we had gone back to Utah for Jeanie's funeral.  Next year will be returning for a wedding between Biff and Clair.  I really would like to meet her and support Biff again.  But truth be known, I HATE weddings.  I'd much rather go to Disneyland.

            We used this year's tax refund to pay off bills, replenish our food storage and an excursion to Enchanted Forrest - though the latter was not necessary.  After struggling from paycheck to paycheck every month, sometimes you just feel that you need to do something so as not to go insane.  So after Jeanie's funeral, I changed the Disneyland excursion to next year.  I suppose if we were to save our tax refund and not touch it until September, we could do both . .. but we'll still have bills.  Still in need of new furniture.  I realize that Disneyland should not even be placed on the list of priorities - Disneyland is not a need whereas food and electricity are.

            I don't know when in September, but I would like to ask Kayla if our family can crash with her family for the length of time that we are there.  Maybe we can drive to Disneyland together (should we happen to be in that position)  I guess it's good to have a goal to shoot for - because even if we never obtain that goal, we have used the money for a more important purpose.  What dilemma.

Cruise to Alaska May 18, 1996

          I grabbed a notebook before we drove the girls to Coos Bay on Independence Day.  I figured I'd have thoughts which I would wish to write as they happened since my mind is not reliable at remembering anything less than a minute into the future.  I haven't quite slipped into being Dory as I am aware of what I've forgotten, but I seem to be getting close.

https://movies.disney.com/finding-dory

          After I had completed my thoughts, I turned the notebook to the front and found an entry I had created on May 27, 1996.  I was amused by much of what I had written and so thought I would share.

This font refers to what was written in 1996        and this font is my own commentary in the present.

  Originally, I thought I would start at the end of my trip and work my way back to the beginning – since the end was what happened most recently and I should remember it best.  But there’s still a lot that may never fall in order anyway.

 May 18 – Patrick drove mom and me to the airport.  He just dropped us off at the terminal and we walked in, checked in our baggage, and waited to board.      

We had a connecting flight in Seattle.  Grandma got off the plane to find us but got back on before we were called to start boarding. 

There are so Many people.  And everybody starts to cram in line.  And I’m thinking what’s the point?  I’m on vacation.  Relax.  We’ll get there eventually.  Let’s wait for the line to die. But then mom starts in with her paranoia because she knows grandma is going to worry. 

 So, let her worry.  That’s her problem.  We weren’t the first ones in line.  And there’s nothing we can do about that. 

I don’t know what grandma’s hurry was.  Old people are always in a hurry.  I am never going to get old.

[Though my body and mind seem to be aging in ways I seem unable to control, I am proud to say that I can still take my time; I believe in enjoying the journey and not focusing solely upon the destination.  I am in NO Hurray!]

After we arrived in Anchorage we were shuttled to a waiting area and spent a few minutes before being shuttled again – this time to a line – where we found our luggage and waited for our shuttles.

The driver of our bus had been in Anchorage only two days longer than we had – or was it one day.  I can’t remember.  I personally would never have admitted to that – it certainly didn’t seem to go over very well with many of the passengers.  They were so uptight anyway and her being “new” to the area didn’t ease their minds at all.

 Old bitty in the back of us talked loudly to her companion – perhaps subconsciously, or maybe it was for the driver’s benefit.  I wanted to turn around and smack her – of course, I never would.  But her negativity was rubbing off I guess you could say. 

 So, we’re on the highway going to Seward I took some pictures – not a log.  But a few.  I didn’t know we were going to stop – that ought to account for better pictures. 

[keep in mind that this was in a day before I had any kind of access to a digital camera.  I was using film and would not know the results of each picture that I took until the film was developed]

The broad [which I had spelled "braud"]behind us had seen it all – knew it like the back of her hand.  She couldn’t understand why we were stopping.  I wanted to tell her to shut up.  Of course, I didn’t.

We drove passed Turnagain Arm.  Our driver gave us a little history and told some bad jokes.  Several of the passengers were not amused.  A bunch of sour people in my opinion.  Even grandma was getting antsy and so of course mom was also.

https://www.cruisecritic.com/articles.cfm?ID=1236 (Train pic)

“Is this what the entire trip is going to be like?” I wondered.Once we arrived and got out with our luggage and worked our way up to the boat, we had to stand in yet another line while each group of people had their pictures taken for the embarkment. 

We were in B124 – perhaps we knew it was the Baja deck.  But I don’t think so.  I don’t remember anybody showing us how to get there.  I know we asked someone.  It was an awkward arrival.

Two Classes and the Writing Center

       Currently, I am taking two classes.  Neither is difficult, but both (especially accounting) are very time-consuming.  So time-consuming that I have been working on assignments or other class projects on Friday.  In the past, I have always had each of my projects completed before Friday, though sometimes I have taken time to review before sending on Friday morning.  This month I have not.

       The University offers an online writing center where students can submit their papers or make appointments to get feedback.  Thus far it's been a very devastating experience for me.  But then again, I haven't used for almost two years. It appears I had only used it three times the very year I started, and may not have used it at all, but it was required in one of the classes that I took.

       The idea is to get feedback on grammar, sentence structure, APA format and so forth.  It could be useful to me this mod if I could better plan for it.  As all assignments are due on Saturday and I often don't have my assignment finished until Friday and the center needs at least 48 hours to return, I have not gone with that option.  For the most part, having a friend read for me and give me instant feedback has been more beneficial.

       Turning an assignment is not a big deal.  The waiting might be, but it beats trying to keep an appointment that I was unable to get into because my connections wouldn't work.  The school may have improved the system, and I do have a laptop in which I was able to get on to blackboard without a major struggle.   Because of the trauma I had encountered, I never did bother with it again.

       However, this week I had actually completed the assignment for my Ethics class on Tuesday and so chose to turn it into the writing center for feedback and moved on to a more extended research and wordy assessment for my accounting class. The accounting essay has now been graded and I am still waiting for feedback on my Ethics assignment so I can get that turned in.

        I know that my paragraphs either need to be spread out into two or three while others should be combined.  If I don't receive feedback from the center by tomorrow, I will turn it in according to what I feel is best.  Thus far I have received full credit for what I've turned in. Grammarly doesn't always make accurate corrections on the entire spread, though it does seem to capture most of it -  a lot more than spell check.  But still . . .

The Sights and Sounds of Utah . . . NNNOOOOOO

          Corey has had to deal with the challenge of driving to work in Las Vegas construction or attempt to try and maneuver himself around it.  Ah, the good old days (not) of experiencing that very thing in Salt Lake.  I suppose Las Vegas and SLC can afford to put up detour signs - though it seems inconvenience - there is the option of using other streets.  Not so true in this part of Oregon.

          I told Corey that has been another plus to living here.  Sometimes I have noticed Roseburg streets seem at a shutdown, but here in Myrtle Creek, the road construction has generally been less than a week.  Cones go up, signs go up, but they either move down the road or else disappear altogether.

          There was the inconvenience of going South on Old Pacific during a few months last year, but hey, Old Pacific is a long road connecting Myrtle Creek to Tri-City and a way out to Riddle.  As inconvenient as it was for many, it did at least move.

          This year there has been construction on a neighborhood road leading out to Old Pacific.  The signs have moved - but seem to be making their way into the neighborhood rather than out of it.  Currently, there is the option of turning right instead of left and winding my way through the adjoining neighborhoods - but I prefer going to the light than around the neighborhood.  At the rate the signs are moving, it will be inconvenient to try to go either direction.

         

          The news forecast told about an expected heat wave for Roseburg.  No No No.  I want the temperatures for the past six weeks to continue.  Heatwave not welcome!  When Jenna and I passed the fire department this morning, we saw that the fire danger sign had been changed from moderate to high.  NOOOOO  

          The largest class in attendance to the water fitness last year had been 15 - or maybe 16 with the instructor.  On Friday we had 20 in attendance - our largest class yet.  And the pool was cold again.  Body heat does not penetrate in the water or else no one had any to give

          I haven't been to the pool for four days and my body has been rebelling as I haven't had a good workout.  I chose not to go on Monday as it looked cold out, and though the temperature of the pool has been opposite of the air in years' past, that has not been the case this year.  Yesterday my stomach was giving me problems and I thought being in the water would only add to those problems. 

          We were told that the water was the coldest Monday than it had been all summer.  It was also learned that the thermostat/heater has not been producing accurately.  I had that figured out last month.

          We could hear police sirens in the distance sounding closer to us and had expected to see them.  After we returned home, I was hanging wet clothes on the line.  I could hear yard buzzing coming from my neighbor's yard.  We don't have a garden this year. I haven't missed having to go out and weed and so forth.