Sometimes you just have to run away to the Caribbean and unplug from the world. That is exactly what I did. I floated around on a ship with my 2,999 shipmates.
Hollywood Beach Florida, Photo – mineDeparting Port of Miami by me.St Marrten by Me
Yes the water is THAT blue – by meSunset at sea by me
Spent several days at sea – wonderful except for the throat infection days where I saw the ship’s doctor and slept. Did yacht racing in St. Maarten, took a tour of St. John, USVI and stayed on the boat for Nassau as I didn’t feel like snorkeling. Loved having someone to cook and clean after me. Could live there for that. When I was feeling better I started writing again but the cruise was almost over by then. **SIGH**
Unfortunately, I had to return to reality and the world here didn’t stop. So I’ve got a To-Do book instead of list. Oh, and I still feel like I am on ship – land sickness. I didn’t get sea sickness but I’ve got land sickness – prime demographic for it middle aged woman on sea over seven days. Good news – it goes away over time. Bad news – no treatment and can last months. Good news – not sick feeling just slight almost pleasant rocking feeling. Bad news – there are multiple documented cases of prime demographic that lasted years.
Stay tuned more photo posts to come. I’ve got three cameras of stuff to download and process.
I apologize from missing a day in posts. I had work and am battling a slight sore throat that just won’t go away. So work and straight to bed consumed my day. Hopefully Sunday I’ll feel better and get back on track. Speaking of that Mo is better but hobbling as I’m sure her little hip is very sore.
Back in June Mike had two weeks active duty in Naples, Italy. Here’s a few of his photos from around Naples.
As always there’s more over at my Flickr account you can get there by clicking on any photo. Until next time!
An ornament Aaron made for me when he was in elementary school.
Our holiday decorating has scaled back over the last few years. Trust me years ago when Aaron was little we went all OUT! I mean I even changed to Christmas themed dishes and no room in that large house was left undecorated! Today it’s a tree, maybe a bit more in the living room. No dishes are changed. Last year we even down sized our tree.
This year I came home from working the late shift to find the house decorated. I couldn’t lift, I couldn’t stretch so Mike it did all! I was thrilled. The lights were up outside and the tree was tastefully decorated inside with just a few of our most favorite ornaments. Having gone to a smaller tree less is needed to complete it.
So enjoy a tour of a few of our favorite pieces. Some maybe battered from years of use, others may not be perfect but they are to us.
Golden Violin – Aaron played the Violin for years this ornament was purchased to remember those times from elementary through high school.A wreath from preschool – do you see a theme developing here? Yep a gift from my son. He made it while in preschool.This Santa was on one of the presents Aaron got for his first Christmas.Couldn’t find a Wolvie one but Aaron liked Spidy so with great decorations comes great responsibility – Spidy guards our treeWhat Navy family’s tree isn’t complete witout a three masted schooner?I’ve not had a tuxedo kitty in my adult life but this one of several of my kitty ornaments. It’s a hand painted egg one from Russia. I like it very much and gives me hope that if the Cold War came to an end so can many other horrid things.
That’s it for this year’s tour. Next year I’ll highlight a few more. Until next time!
Last photo post left you on the Road To No Where also known as the Amstutz Expressway or IL-137. We were on the odd road heading to Bowen Park in Waukegan. We’ve commented on the park for years as we’ve passed. It’s restored Victorian house up front, the rolling hills and gardens, the use of its other building and sporting facilities have always caught our eye. We’ve talked several times of going down there to see just what it offered and touring the house. That was our agenda this Saturday before the University of Tennessee versus Florida game.
Oh my, she wasn’t much help.
We pulled in and weren’t sure where to begin. He headed down to the Jack Benny Arts center. There it appears they have a place for the performing arts. However we weren’t to learn much about the place. The lady behind the counter wasn’t very helpful and seemed put out that we didn’t know how the park operated. She kept her arms crossed over he chest the whole time, dismissed the idea there was more to tour than the house as if seeing well kept historical buildings and a museum sign didn’t suggest that maybe all were open. She didn’t offer to explain what the art center was or if there was something to see there. After struggling to get any useful information we learned the house was the historical societies and opened in twenty minutes. With that she turned her back to us to tend the stack of mail. Being so dismissed we wandered out into the sunny day and beautiful landscape.
What we learned wandering, reading plaques, and later from the helpful AND friendly historical society gentleman was that Bowen Park park has long been a park. Originally it was purchased by a family from New York City and was a farm for years. Then a Mr. Buck purchased the place, he was a forward thinker and wanted to designate the area as a park preserve for the town of Waukegan. Now the town thought this was strange because this was just a farm out in a large swath of farmland between Waukegan and Chicago. We’re talking pre-Civil War era. However Mr. Buck was convinced that an area needed to be preserved because the growth of both would one day meet and such areas would be needed. However, his idea didn’t fly.
It was then purchased by a Chicago Mayor and his wife. Well they used it as a summer home to get out of the heat of the city until the great fire. Then while Chicago was rebuilding they lived there full time. Along the way it was owned by Louise Decoven Bowen was a Decoven of the affluent Decoven of Racine, live here long enough you get to know the names. Upon her husband’s death she thought it’d be nice to bring underprivileged children from Chicago out to the country to get fresh air, do outdoor play, and learn things to help them get ahead in society. She’d spent years working with such families and saw the need for the children. The Bowen Country Club was born. Not a Country Club like we think of but club in the country for underprivileged children to get out of the sooty city and enjoy the countryside. The land was converted from farming to this park use. That’s really when the root of the park design started. The idea was Buck’s, the basis was Bowen.
This club officially ran from 1912 – 1963. That was when the dorms and cottages were finished and opened. Before them she hosted small groups in her home and out buildings. When the club closed the land was converted to a park for Waukegan. By then Mr. Buck’s idea didn’t seem so odd. The growth of Chicago and Waukegan proved to meet as he had predicted and this was a green gem in middle of them.
Today many of the buildings from the Country Club are still used for various activities. The Lilac Cottage houses a library and class rooms for the arts. Other buildings serve as offices for the park department or historical society. It’s still a place to get away from the city and enjoy the land. Judging from the children’s garden we found it’s still a refuge that caters to children. We eventually sat down on a bench and listened to the drumming circle. We watched children enjoy rolling down a little hill in front of us while a family set up a pavilion for their family reunion that day. All in all I think Mr. Buck and Mrs. Bowen would be pleased by the park’s usage today.
Mary Louise Eklund 