Christmas 2024 Newsletter

Merry Christmas to all my family and friends!

We’ve had a unique year this year. Looking at this year, we’ve been able to see many things as inconveniences and tried hard to focus on the blessings.

January through the first half of March had us enjoying our Florida house. In January we ripped out most of the carpet and had the terrazzo floors redone.

In March, we went to Orlando for the week to watch my great-niece Kaeli’s softball tournament. She plays ball for Cortland University. It is a good way to visit with Deanna and Kaeli and enjoy the ball games too.

We returned to South Carolina in mid-March. When we walked into our house. We found that the roof had storm damage and caused a leak. This made the entire kitchen ceiling collapse. We didn’t have our kitchen for the rest of the year.

In June we went on a road trip and went to the Zombie Knitpocalypse knitting retreat. On the way, we spent a few days at Mammoth Cave National Park and had a wonderful time!

I taught my Furman practicum class online in July. It went well.

In August, we went to the Smokies and stayed at the Treetops Resort. We had a great time hiking and relaxing.

In September, Hurricane Helene hit on my birthday. We were without power for 6 days and it flooded our basement. It killed our HVAC system. We had several trees down in our yard, including our beautifully big pecan tree. Trees fell on top of one of our rental houses and another house had trees down int their yard.

After cutting as many of the downed trees as possible and then paying a tree service to get the trees off the rental house, we decided it was time to head to Florida! We also had to roof redone on the rental house.

In November, we went on a 12-day cruise on the HAL Zuiderdam out of Ft. Lauderdale. We went to St. Maarten, Antigua, St. Lucia, St. Kitts, St. Thomas, Dominica, and Half Moon Cay. We had a great time!

In December, we went on an 8-day cruise on the Caribbean Princess, out of Port Canaveral.

Even though we had some ups and downs, we are happy to be healthy and happy. Compared to some of the other people suffering from the hurricane, we are thankful for so many blessings.

We will have a quiet Christmas and plan on watching lots of Christmas movies all day long!

I hope you enjoy your Christmas and have a safe and fun holdiay1

Caribbean Princess

The Caribbean Princess can hold 3142 passengers and 1200 crew. Our captain was Ozren Marelic, the hotel director was Duncan Fouche, our Cruise director was Jody Miles. Our balcony cabin was C702 on deck 10 (Caribe deck) and our cabin steward was Allan Oliva.

Day 1: Embarkation - Sunday, December 15, 2024

Click here for pictures of our time on the ship.

We left our FL house at 7:30 and stopped to get Gas at Sam’s before arriving at the Port around 10 am. There wasn’t a lot of traffic and we dropped off our luggage and parked our car. There seemed to be lots of parking spots available at this time. We waited in line for about 10 minutes, and I talked to two ladies (Sandy and Deb) while Don talked with the lady behind him so time went by quickly. We went through security (I had to take out my laptop) and went through the “green” line since we had our medallions. We were told to go to another man who scanned our passports, and we scanned our medallions and then we were able to board the ship. We were on the ship by 10:30. We went up to the Lido deck (deck 15) and got a seat but lunch didn’t open until 11. After lunch, we wandered around the ship and did our safety drill requirements. I had a question about how to switch devices for the internet (logout.com on the device, and then login.com). When we got back to the cabin, Don’s suitcase was there so we unpacked it. Next, we went back up to the bar on deck 16 and relaxed until we sailed away. I met a lady, Christine who brought her phone cord but forgot the block to plug it in so if I find her, I will lend her one. We also met Tim (from Colorado) and enjoyed talking with him. When it started to get cold, we went back to the cabin and unpacked my suitcase. We met our cabin steward and told him that our safe had a low battery. He immediately got the supervisor who quickly changed out the battery. After that, we went to dinner on the Lido deck. I asked an officer where we get our premium desserts (2 a day with our package) and he told us to go to Coffee and Cones. So, after dinner, we got these huge sundae-type desserts ($17 each). Next, we went to the show which was supposed to be a Motown show but the main singer was extremely seasick so they called in the piano player from the Crooners bar who played Billy Joel and Elton John songs. I thought he was great. After the show, we went to bed.

Day 2: Sea Day - Monday, December 16, 2024

I sat on the Lido deck until around 7 am and then I went to see if Don was up. Since he was up, we went to the dining room for breakfast at the Palm Restaurant. Service was slow and the selection was slim. After that, I went to meet knitters at the Skyview Nightclub and Don went to the talk in the theater. At 10 am, we went to Club Fusion for the “Welcome to Princess” reception which was very nice. I learned that I could track Don on the Princess app and know where he is. After the reception, we went to the Casino for the slot tournament (organized by Gillian and Darren from Facebook). There were 12 of us chipping in $20. For the first machine we all had 4 pulls and we ended up with $83 left. I was the first one and I didn’t do very well. Then we moved to a new machine, and I did well my first time. We played with that machine until all the money was gone. It was fun and a nice way to meet new people. Next, we went to lunch, and I ate a little but wasn’t overly thrilled with it. We tried to get a premium dessert, but the line was too long. We ended up getting a beer but when it started to rain, we walked around the ship. At 3 pm, we went to the nice tea. Don had cucumber sandwiches and I had a salami sandwich, a cookie, and a scone. Next, we went to get our premium dessert which was massive! Then we walked around some more but I was starting to feel yucky, so we went back to the cabin until it was time to go to dinner. It was formal night, so we ended up eating on the Lido deck. I was still feeling nauseous (I think it was from overeating all that sugar!) so I had a small forkful of mashed potatoes but that was it. We were too early for the show so we went back to the cabin. We watched Deadpool 2 and Guardians of the Galaxy. I slept on and off through it. Before going to bed, I turned our clocks back an hour.

Day 3: Sea day - Tuesday, December 17, 2024

I felt so much better today! After breakfast, Don walked laps while I sat on the deck and read my library book. At 9, we went to the Skywalker Nightclub for me to meet with the other knitters and crafters (crocheters, cross stitching, etc.). At 10, we went to the talk about Roatan, and the speaker was very good. After lunch, we had our sundae and met this amazing couple in their 80s (Maggie and Frank) who are ballroom dancers. They happened to be on the Diamond Princess in Japan when Covid hit. Frank flat lined and Maggie had a severe stroke that left her somewhat blind. They were in a Japanese hospital for 3 months before they returned to the States. We found out that a documentary was made about it so I hope we can find it someday. Then we went to the bar and visited with Tim from Colorado again. At 4:30 we went to the Club Infusion to hear Stephen Cox, a retired NASA engineer talk about the Apollo 11 Moon Landing. We had heard him before when we were on the MSC Magnifica last year (Nov. 11, 2023) and enjoyed hearing him speak. After dinner, we went to the show, Evolution: Motown which was very good. Then we tried to go see the comedian but the room was full. It was a fun day!

Day 4: Roatan, Honduras - Wednesday, December 18, 2024

Click here for pictures of today.

This morning we got off the ship around 8:30 and were at the beach by 8:45. We walked from the ship to Mahogany Beach. Before we could cross the bridge, we had to show our ship’s ID which seemed to be a nice way to keep the riffraff out. We swam for about an hour and then sat and talked to a nice couple from TN who were on the Carnival Liberty. She is a school bus driver, and he works for CSX. Then we returned to the ship around 11:00, cleaned up, and made it to lunch. After lunch, we had our premium dessert (these are humongous sundaes!). Then we sat on the deck and relaxed until it was time to get dinner. We made reservations at Steamers, the casual dining restaurant ($15 per person but included with our package). We started with clam chowder. For the main entrée, I had steamed clams (about 3 dozen) with corn on the cob, green beans, red potatoes, shrimp, and sausage. Don had steamed mussels with corn on the cob, sausage, and scallops. For dessert, we had strawberry shortcake (which was hard as a rock and we couldn’t eat it). I wasn’t that impressed with the food here. Then we went to the show- Born to Be Wild.

Day 5: Belize City, Belize - Thursday, December 19, 2024

Click here for pictures.

This port is a tender port – you have to take a small boat from the ship to the dock. We got on the tender at 9:30 and got to the dock at 10 am. Our ship was 5 miles away from the dock. We walked to the post office and the clerk, Tanya, was very nice. We ended up buying $200 Belizean Dollars’ worth of stamps ($100 USD). Then we walked around town and back to the ship. We went back to the tender around 11:30 and got right on the tender (It runs every 30 minutes). After lunch, we sat on the deck by the Tradewinds Bar and relaxed until dinner time. After dinner we got our premium desserts and then went to the show – Sartori. In the middle of the night (1am), we were woken up by an announcement for the Medical Response team to go to a cabin on the Riviera deck.

Day 6: Costa Maya, Mexico - Friday, December 20, 2024

Click here for pictures.

We got off the ship at 8:30 and walked around the port area. We left the port area and walked to the big intersection on the way to Mahahual, but it didn’t look like much had changed. If you want to swim at the pools in the port area, you have to buy food and drink. We watched these 4 guys climb to the top of a tall pole, tie themselves with rope, and then spin around upside down until they ended up at the bottom. It was cool to watch. Around 10:30 we went back to the ship. Then we just ate, drank, and relaxed until it was time to go to the NASA talk. Stephen Cox talked about what happened with the Space Shuttle Columbia explosion. He did a great job and was really interesting! I’m glad to hear that he has a booking agent now that will book him on cruises. After dinner, we went to the show – Broadway Ballroom. Then we went back to the cabin and watched a college football playoff (Indiana vs. Notre Dame).

Day 7: Cozumel, Mexico - Saturday, December 21, 2024

Click here for pictures.

We didn’t get off the ship in Cozumel because we have been here so many times. We were docked a few miles away from town. We watched the people get off the ship which was fun. There were a lot of ships in the port today. Don did his exercise walk and I read while he walked. Then walked around the ship until lunchtime. They said there was a college football game on in the casino but it was on a little TV above the gaming tables so we left. We ended up relaxing on the deck until it was time for the Clemson game. We watched half of the Clemson game until it was halftime and then went to eat dinner. When we got back to the room, we had trouble getting the game on the TV so we watched it on my laptop. Don fell asleep early so I watched Jurassic World until I was ready to go to sleep.

Day 8: Sea Day - Sunday, December 22, 2024

After breakfast, Don got a cappuccino and I ordered a butter pecan latte. It was really windy and cool outside. Since it was early, Don did his exercise walk and I read my library book on Deck 7. It was so cool, I had my hoodie zipped and my hood up. When we were done, we went back to the cabin and put on my blue jeans. Then I went to the knitting group at 9 am while Don went to the theater to save our seats. At 10 am, we saw the culinary show which was like a comedy show with the executive chef and the director of dining services. After lunch, we went shopping and then packed our suitcases. Next, we went to a lecture about sharks. After that, we went to eat our last premium desserts (huge sundaes). Then we sat on deck 7 and had a drink while we listened to the piano player. For dinner, they served prime rib and a seafood buffet on the lido deck which we enjoyed. After dinner, we put out our suitcases and watched Independence Day.

Day 9: Debarkation - Monday, December 23, 2024

I was up at 4 am and went to the Lido deck to save our seats. At 5 am, Don got up and we got all of our stuff and went to breakfast (which started at 5:30 am. We were supposed to meet in the Crown Grill (Luggage tags Navy 4) at 7:50 am to get off the ship. We were led to level 7 and off the ship by 7:50. The face recognition machines weren’t there so we had to talk to a real live customs agent. Then we got in our car and left the parking garage quickly.

Things We Learned:

• We liked the service on Princess but we want to try another one to see if it is consistent throughout the line.
• The medallions are different. They even open your door but they work just like sail and sign cards.
• The screen at your cabin door has your names on it.
• The Premium desserts were delicious but calorie-heavy.
• I wasn’t overly thrilled with the food
• Service in the dining room was very slow so we only ate breakfast there once.

Original photos by Pat Hensley

HAL Zuiderdam 2024

The HAL Zuiderdam can hold 1,916 passengers and 842 crew. Our captain was Frank Van der Hoeven, the hotel director was Glenn Cowley, our Cruise director was Karlijn Verpalen, and when Karlijn had to leave for a family emergency, Glen Michaels the Entertainment Director took over. Our inside cabin was 7132 and our cabin stewards were Johan and Matt. We had dinner at table 23 in the Dining Room 3rd deck. Our servers were Apri and Desri.

Day 1: Embarkation - Saturday, November 23, 2024

Click here for pictures while we were on the ship

We left our FL house at 9:30 and made it to the port by 10:30. There were no lines for dropping off bags and when we got to the parking garage, we found a spot on the 2nd level. Embarkation went very smoothly and we were on the ship by 11:30.

After lunch, we walked around the ship and dropped our stuff off at our cabin. Since our luggage wasn’t there yet, we walked around and got a couple of drinks. We found our dining room table (it was a table for 4) and we also checked on our shore excursions. When we checked, my suitcase had arrived so I put away my clothes. At 1:30, we did the safety drill which meant we had to go to Deck 3 and check in. Once we saw our lifeboat (section 16), we could leave. We watched the safety video on our TV and that was it. Don’s luggage had arrived so we put away his stuff. Then we went up to the Crow’s Nest to watch us leave (supposedly at 3:45). By 4:30, we left to get our jackets for dinner and went to the dining room.

We sat at table 23 and it was only the 2 of us. For dinner, we started off with French onion soup (for me) and a beet, orange salad (for Don). Don had Ocean Hake (fish, muscles, and clams) for the main entree, and I had the NY Strip Loin. We both had a cookies and cream sundae for dessert.

After dinner, we went to the Captain’s reception for 3, 4, and 5-star mariners. I got a picture with the captain. We went to the Crow’s Nest to get a cappuccino and then returned to our cabin so Don could watch football.

Day 2: Sea Day - Sunday, November 24, 2024

After breakfast, we walked for an hour around Deck 3. There were a lot of walkers out there with us. At 11, we went to the talk about The Caribbean Up Close: Water Works with Karlijn. I realized that we had been on the Rotterdam with her in 2022. She did a great job! I left at 11:30 to meet up with knitters and 6 others showed up. At noon, I met up with Don for lunch. At 2pm, we heard Karlijn talk about the Caribbean Up Close: Treasure Islands. Then we stopped at the Pinnacle Bar and had a couple of Bloody Marys before dinner. I enjoyed dinner in the dining room and our servers are excellent. After dinner, we went to the show: Emile Diego Doles, Tyler Michael Breeding & Company in Song & Dance. Then we stopped at the Pinnacle Bar for one last Bloody Mary before heading back to our cabin. Before going to bed, we watched DeadPool.

Day 3: Sea Day - Monday, November 25, 2024

After breakfast, we walked for an hour around Deck 3. There were a lot of walkers out there with us. At 11, Don went to the talk about The Caribbean Up Close: The Islands’ Spirit with Karlijn while I went to the Crow’s Nest to meet the knitters. After lunch, I went to a watercolor class on painting jellyfish. That was a lot of fun. At 3pm, we went to the Rolling Stones Lounge to hear Karlijn answer questions about St. Maarten. When we got there, Glen Michaels, the Entertainment Director, was in her place due to a family emergency. He was very good! On the way out, I gave him a gnome as a thank-you for jumping in to help Karlijn. After that session, we went to the Pinnacle Bar for pre-dinner cocktails. Dinner was very good again and after dinner, we went to the show: The Alans, a husband-and-wife team. He was the magician, and she was the mentalist.

Day 4: St. Maarten - Tuesday, November 26, 2024

Click here for pictures of St. Maarten

We met on the dock at 8:15 for our shore excursion: Under Two Flags, Island Drive. We got on the bus and our driver was Nicholas. We drove through Philipsburg (the Dutch capital) and headed to the French side. We passed by Orient Beach and stopped in Marigot (the French capital). We walked around for 45 minutes and found the post office but we didn’t buy anything since they didn’t accept US dollars. We stopped by Maho Beach on the way back to Philipsburg. We arrived back at the ship around 11:30 and felt this excursion was well worth the $30 pp that we paid.

After lunch, we sat on the deck and relaxed for a little while. Then we had a couple of drinks before going back to the cabin for a shower. After that, we went back out for another drink and then to the Lido deck for French fries. By then, we walked around until it was time to change for dinner. Dinner was prime rib which I enjoyed but Don’s prime rib was tough. At 7:30 we went to the show All That and enjoyed the show because we recognized all the songs. When we got back to the cabin, we watched the movie Avatar, the Way of the Water.

Day 5: Antigua- Wednesday, November 27, 2024

Click here for pictures of Antigua

We got off the ship around 8:30 and walked to the post office. Don bought $2 worth of local stamps. Then we walked to the Central market, the meat market, and the fish market. We got back to the ship around 9:30. We sat on the Lido deck and had some cool drinks while we waited for lunch to open. After lunch, we went to deck 3 to sit in the lounge chairs with a beer. Eventually, we had to move because they were cleaning the lifeboats so we went to the Pinnacle Bar and sat for a while. Then I sat with some knitters before going back to the cabin for a nap. At 5pm, we had a reservation at the Pinnacle Grill.

For dinner, we had lobster bisque as a starter. For the entrée, I had a 15 oz. boneless ribeye and Don had the Chilean Sea Bass. For dessert we had crème brulee. Our whole dinner was fabulous!

After dinner, we watched The Alans again do their magician mentalist show. It was entertaining.

Day 6: St. Lucia - Thursday, November 28, 2024

It was raining when we could get off the ship so we ended up staying on the ship all day. It pretty much rained all day until it was time for us to leave the port. We were glad that we had been here many times so we didn’t feel like we missed anything. In the morning we sat out on the Lido deck and read until lunchtime. After lunch, we spent the afternoon in the Pinnacle Bar listening to podcasts and I knit. After dinner we went to the show – Class Act which features songs by well-known women (Bette Midler, Enya, Helen Reddy, Ann Margret, Tina Turner.

Day 7: Dominica - Friday, November 29, 2024

Click here for pictures of Dominica

We had to get up early because we had a shore excursion scheduled – Dominica’s Favorite (4.5 hours for $60 pp). We met on the pier and got on the bus very quickly. Our tour guide was Corey and he was fabulous. About 15 min. into the drive, our bus broke down. We were right in front of the water treatment plant. 30 minutes later a replacement bus was sent and we were on our way. Some people needed to use the restroom so he stopped at a small store and asked if people could use the restroom. They came back and said that there was no seat and no toilet paper and it didn’t flush. I’m glad we didn’t need to use it. Our first scheduled stop was at the Emerald Pool. It was about a 15 min. walk to the pool downhill which means it was uphill on the way back but it was well worth the hike. Our next stop was at Trafalgar Falls and it was a 10 min. walk uphill which made it a lovely downhill walk on the way back. Our last scheduled stop was at the Botanical Gardens. At one of the Powder Puff trees, the hummingbirds were all over it. Before heading back to the ship, we went to the top of the mountain and got a lovely view of our ship and the town of Roseau. When we got back to the ship, Don and I went to the General Post Office which was a 2 min. walk from the ship. It was really hot and sunny outside. We weren’t sure where to go and the security guard asked us if we were looking for the post office and welcomed us in. It was nicely air-conditioned! The lady in the post office was patient and nice so we ended up buying $7 USD worth of stamps. On the way back to the ship, we stopped at the supermarket.

When we got back to the ship and went up to the Lido deck, it was just closing. Don was able to get a salad right before it closed. I went to the Dive In and got a hot dog and French fries. Then we stopped at the Pinnacle Bar for a drink before returning to our cabin to clean up for dinner.

After dinner, we skipped the show because we both were pretty tired from our busy day. We went back to our cabin and finished watching the movie Avatar. Then we went to sleep early.

Somebody told us that they went to Champagne Reef and went snorkeling. The cab driver wanted $100 but they negotiated down to $60. The driver dropped them off and then came back for them. Maybe next time we will give it a try.

Day 8: St. Kitts - Saturday, November 30, 2024

Click here for St. Kitts

We had to get up early again because we had a shore excursion scheduled – St. Kitts Railway (3 hours for $130 pp). We docked later than expected because it was very windy. It took 3 pilots and a tugboat to get us docked. We got off the ship around 8:30 and rushed to our meeting place on the pier (we were supposed to meet at 8:15). After a 10 min. bus ride, we got to the Needmust Train station where we got on the train. We stayed downstairs because it was air-conditioned. They gave us unlimited drinks (rum punch, punch, soda, or water) and a sugar cake (a candy mixture of brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, etc.) We got back to the ship around 12:30 and got on board to have lunch. After lunch, we sat in the Pinnacle Bar until it was time for dinner. After dinner, we went to the show featuring comedian Bill Boronkay. When we returned to the cabin, we watched the movie, Arthur the King which was very entertaining.

Day 9: St. Thomas - Sunday, December 1, 2024

We arrived in St. Thomas around 8am but we didn’t get off the ship. After breakfast, we sat out on deck 3 and enjoyed the scenery. I knit, read, and listened to podcasts. Around 11am, we went up to the Lido deck to claim our table for lunch. After lunch, we went to the Pinnacle bar to have a couple of Bloody Marys. Then we went back to the cabin to watch the Bridge of Spies. At 5 we had dinner at the Pinnacle Grill and then we went to the show featuring a Celtic violinist, Mairead Nesbitt who was very good. They showed a video of scenery (probably Ireland) while she played almost nonstop for 50 minutes. She was very lively and energetic as she played. We had to turn our clocks back an hour when we went to bed.

Day 10: Sea Day- Monday, December 2, 2024

Today we relaxed all day on the ship. We sat on deck 3 and relaxed until lunchtime. Don forgot his hearing aids and had to go back to the room. Then he had trouble finding his way back to me. I don’t know if his sugar is up or if he is dehydrated which may be causing his confusion. After lunch at 1, we went to Ask the Captain. At 3, we went to the Royal Dutch Tea. After dinner we went to the show Hey Mr. DJ which was very good. We sat with Mari and Viji again and I learned a little more about them. They are fascinating to talk with!

Day 11: Half Moon Cay - Tuesday, December 3, 2024

When we arrived at Half Moon Cay, it was windy and overcast so we decided to stay on the ship. We sat on deck 3 until lunchtime. After lunch, we went back to deck 3 where I read and Don walked laps. Then we went to finish packing our suitcase which didn’t take long. We also worked on a letter to the hotel director complaining about the deceptive advertising of the specialty restaurant. Then we relaxed in the Pinnacle Bar until it was time to get ready for dinner. After dinner, we went to the show which was a combination of the comedian and the violinist. Viji and Mari sat with us, and they gifted me a beautiful pair of earrings! I enjoyed the comedian because he used new material, but the violinist played the same songs that she played the other night. When we returned to the cabin, we put out our suitcases and finished watching the movie Horizon Chapter 1 and it was a horrible movie.

Day 12: Ft. Lauderdale - Wednesday, December 4, 2024

I got up at 4am and then went to the Lido deck. I saved our seats and went back to the cabin at 5:30 to make sure Don was awake. We got everything together and went for breakfast. Since we are 4 star mariners, we were able to get off the ship at 8:15 and we were on the road by 8:30. It was a very smooth debarkation!

Things I Learned:

• St. Maarten – cab ride to the boardwalk is $3 each way; water taxi is $4 one way/$7 round trip. $2 public bus ride to Maho Beach.
• Antigua - Someone recommended going to Jolly Beach so maybe next time we will take a cab there and check it out.
• Dominica – there is a mountain covered in grass and when the rocks get hot, the grass catches on fire and burns. Then the seeds that didn’t burn eventually grow and cover the rocks in new grass.
• We liked Dominica and want to go back.
• St. Kitts – the St. Kitts scenic train ride was bumpy but fun. The view would probably be better upstairs, but the downstairs was air-conditioned.
• I messed up and saw we were charged for Pinnacle Grill last night. I read on the Have It All package that we got 2 nights at the specialty restaurant. Apparently, it is only 1 night at the Pinnacle Grill and 1 night at Canaletto. So we had to pay for last night. I still feel like they misled us on purpose but I learned my lesson for next time.
• I’m glad I brought my magnets with hooks for me.

Original photos by Pat Hensley

Ocean view

 Good morning! I hope you enjoy the view that I had this morning! 

1923 8c Radiator & Propeller

The design for the 1923 8c Radiator & Propeller stamp (#C4) was based on a photograph of the radiator and propeller of a De Haviland plane. The stamp was issued on August 15, 1923, at the American Philatelic Society annual convention in Washington DC.

The history of airmail dates back to the early 20th century when aviation was still in its infancy. The first official airmail route in the United States was established on May 15, 1918, running between Washington, D.C., and New York City. This pioneering route marked a significant shift in how mail was delivered, as it allowed for much faster transportation compared to traditional methods like trains and boats. Charles Lindbergh, who would later become famous for his transatlantic flight, was one of the early pilots involved in these flights, helping to demonstrate the potential of air mail.

The early air mail service faced numerous challenges. Pilots flew small, open-cockpit airplanes, often navigating through rough weather and difficult terrain. They relied on maps and their instincts to find their way, as navigation technology was not as advanced as it is today. Despite these obstacles, the service quickly gained popularity. By the 1920s, a network of routes was established across the country, connecting major cities and allowing quicker delivery of letters and packages.

One of the most significant developments was the transcontinental airmail route, which stretched from New York City to San Francisco. This ambitious route enabled the postal service to deliver mail across the entire country in just a few days. It played a crucial role in promoting air travel and helped to build public trust in the safety and reliability of flying. As airmail continued to expand, it transformed not only the postal system but also the way businesses operated, allowing for faster communication and commerce.

Today, air mail is an integral part of global communication, largely thanks to the innovations and risks taken by those early aviators. Their efforts laid the groundwork for the modern air mail system we rely on today, connecting people across vast distances in a matter of hours.

References:
The stamp is part of the author’s collection
"The History of Air Mail." Smithsonian National Postal Museum.
"A Brief History of Airmail." U.S. Postal Service.
"The Birth of Airmail." National Geographic.
https://www.mysticstamp.com/c4-1923-8c-radiator-propeller-dark-green/

Taking the Trains to Miami

A few weeks ago, we decided we wanted to ride the trains to Miami since we had nothing planned. We found out that an all-day pass on Tri-Rail only costs $2.50 for seniors on the weekend. Of course, you have to buy this on a weekday to get the discount. If you buy an all-day pass at the station kiosk on the weekend (ticket offices are closed), you have to pay the regular $5.

We arrived at the Boynton Beach TriRail station at 7:52 and the southbound train arrived at 8:45 am. It runs every hour on the :45 minute mark.

At 10:01, we got off the Tri-Rail at the Metro Transfer Station. We found a kiosk for the Metro-Dade Transit and bout a 1 day pass for $5.65 plus $2 for the card each. The southbound train arrived at 10:15 and we got off at the Government Center at 10:30.

We transferred to the Metromover which was free and rode the Inner Loop to the Bayfront Park Station.

Once we got off the Metromover at 10:43, we walked through the park along the waterfront to the Bayside Marketplace. Everything there opened at 11 so we were right on time. It was fun to look around in the shops and people watch but everything was expensive.

After a snack at McDonalds, we decided to head back home. The College Bayside Metromover was right beside the McDonalds.

We retraced our steps back to the Metro Transfer Station where we had to wait for 2:03 northbound Tri-Rail train back to Boynton Beach. It runs every hour according to the schedule and we would have planned this a little differently if we had realized that. We arrived back at the Boynton Beach station by 3:15 pm. 

We had a wonderful time and would do this again in the future. We are thinking about visiting the Frost Museum next time because Veterans get in free and those over 65 get a $5 discount.

Original photos and video by Pat Hensley

Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge

Today we went to the Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge to walk around the boardwalk. The weather was nice and there wasn’t a lot of people there when we arrived at 9 am. We saw that they offered a free tram tour but it was filled up so we just planned on doing the walk. When we got back to the visitor center, we were told that we were welcome to join the tour if the last 3 people didn’t show up. When they didn’t arrive, we took the tour. The tour guide, Don, was fabulous. Even though we have been there several times, I always learn something new! He was very knowledgeable and you could tell he enjoyed sharing his knowledge with others. We probably will sign up to go with him again just so we can hear him share more information!

I learned about the sawgrass blade and felt the edge of one. If you move your finger along the edge in one direction, the edge is smooth, but if you move your finger along the edge in the other direction, you can feel the sharp saw-like edges. I also learned that if you estimate the length in inches from an alligator’s tip of the nose to his eyes, that is how many feet long the alligator probably is.

We stopped near the levee and learned about the history of the water flow in the Everglades. We also learned about pythons and alligators. We were given a little time to walk to the fishing pier and we saw a great blue heron watching the fishermen. It was funny when one of the men caught a fish and the heron hoped he would get the fish but the fish was returned to the water.

It was a wonderful tour and I would highly recommend it to anyone who has time to take it. It fills up fast, so you want to call ahead and reserve your spot.

Other activities are scheduled like Sunday photo shoots and bird walks that we want to check out. We are also thinking about volunteering here but I tend to act on impulse too quickly so I'm trying to be patient and think about it before jumping in with both feet. We might want to check out the other activities to decide what we want to volunteer for.

Original photos by Pat Hensley

Aunt Het Festival 2024

Today was the Aunt Het Festival in Fountain Inn, SC. It was supposed to happen last week but it was postponed until this week due to Hurricane Helene. Debbie came over to our house around 9:15 am and we walked to the festival. It started out cool but eventually, it warmed up. We stopped at several tables that were giving away bags and I could put my jacket in it. We also saw a vendor selling aprons and I was looking for a garden apron. We found a $10 one that was made of denim and perfect for what I was looking for. I also ran into Amy Burns who was playing a fiddle with a band. I hadn’t seen her in over 20 years and she looked the same as ever! Around 11:30, we went to Bucky’s BBQ and got takeout to bring home to eat in front of the TV.

Original photos and video by Pat Hensley

Feeling Like a Lumberjack

Since hurricane Helene hit on September 27, we have been cutting trees. It has been an enlightening experience. It seems as if the more we do, we aren’t so exhausted and sore. The first couple of days, we were pretty tired and used muscles we weren’t used to using. We cut a lot of the stuff we could off of our pecan tree and the Leyland cypress in our yard. Then on that Saturday Dyanna and Earl came with the pickup truck and helped us haul it to the street. On Sunday we hooked up the garden cart to the lawn mower and moved some more stuff to the street. We went to Dyanna’s house on Wednesday and cut up some of her trees. There are still 3 trees on top of her house and we are waiting to hear from the insurance company. We are also waiting on 2 estimates for removing them from the house. It has been a very long week!

Original photos and video by Pat Hensley

The 1987 22¢ Badger North American Wildlife stamp

The 22¢ Badger stamp (Scott # 2312) from 1987 was part of a special collection of U.S. stamps featuring different animals. This stamp was released on June 13, 1987, as part of a sheet with 50 different animals. The stamps were made to celebrate the wide variety of wildlife in America. Each animal on the stamps was chosen to show the different kinds of animals that live in North America. The artist, Chuck Ripper, drew the animals using a pencil and he also included plants that are common in the places where these animals live.

National Badger Day is a special day celebrated on October 6th each year to raise awareness about badgers. On National Badger Day, people learn about the importance of badgers in nature. Some people organize activities like nature walks, art projects, or storytelling to teach others about badgers. The day is a chance for everyone to appreciate these unique animals and to think about ways to protect them and their habitats.

Badgers are small, strong animals with black and white stripes on their faces and are known for their strong digging skills. Badgers belong to the weasel family, which includes animals like otters and wolverines.

Badgers live in underground homes called setts, which they dig themselves. These setts can have many tunnels and rooms, where badgers sleep, store food, and raise their young. Badgers are mostly nocturnal, meaning they are active at night. They have powerful claws that help them dig for food and create their setts. Badgers eat a variety of foods, including earthworms, insects, small mammals, and plants. In the winter, badgers stay in their setts most of the time, but they don't hibernate like bears do. Instead, they might take long naps and eat food they've stored.

Badgers play an important role in nature. By digging in the soil, they help mix it up, which can improve plant growth. They also help control the population of some animals that might otherwise become pests. Overall, badgers are fascinating creatures that are well-adapted to their underground lifestyle. They're strong, smart, and important members of their ecosystems.

Stamp from the Author’s collection

Hurricane Helene

On September 27, Hurricane Helene arrived with a bang! It was my birthday and I was anticipating a fun day. Instead, I woke up to high winds and heavy rains. At 6 am, we lost power. As I sat in my sunroom in the dark, except for a candle, I heard the wind whipping around outside. I heard what sounded like ladders flying around, which I found out later were my neighbor's gutters that had fallen and were sliding on their porch hitting the railings. At daybreak, our oak tree in the front yard by the driveway fell across the street blocking both lanes. If it had happened a little earlier in complete darkness, one of the cars I saw passing by would have driven right into it. A little while later, a Leland Cypress and our huge pecan tree (over 100 years old) fell in my backyard. Luckily they didn’t hit the house.

Since our power was out, that means our sump pump wasn’t working in our crawl space under the house. Once it was filled with water, our hot water heater and HVAC system were completely submerged under 6 feet of water. When our power came back on, the pump emptied the water but we have to let the equipment dry out before we can even try to see if they will work. (Imagine dropping your phone in the toilet. You have to let it dry before you turn it on or you might fry the electronics.). As of now, we just have all the windows open to keep the house cool. Last night we had to turn on the ceiling fan in our bedroom so we could sleep more comfortably.

We are so thankful that we weren’t hurt and no one we know was hurt or has died. It is almost a week later and 50% of our county still doesn’t have power. Some use well water so without power, they don’t even have water. So many other people and towns have had it worse than we have. As we look at all the devastation around us, we look at our problems as more of an inconvenience than a catastrophe.

Now it is time for clean up.

Original photos by Pat Hensley

Knit-Away Retreat Day 3

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After breakfast, we headed towards Burnsville Along the way, we saw a sign for an antique store called Sparkling Clean Antiques. It was an interesting place and we had a nice chat with the owners.

When we arrived in Burnsville, we parked and walked to Hammond’s Antiques. Then I found the yarn store called Yummi Yarns. I bought a skein of sock yarn and the owner tossed in a free skein of Bamboo Pop.

We stopped at Ingles for lunch on the way back to the lodge. Since we got back early, we watched the Clemson football game. Around 4 pm, I joined the group and knit until dinner. After dinner, I knit until the general meeting.

At the general meeting, they gave out prizes and awards. It was a great ending to a successful retreat.

Original photos by Pat Hensley

Knit-Away Retreat Day 2

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Last week we went to the Knit-A-Way Retreat at Big Lynn Lodge in Little Switzerland, NC. It was hosted by the Spartanburg Knitting Guild.

After a wonderful breakfast at 7:30, we headed to the Linn Cove Viaduct. We hiked on the Tanawha Trail and the weather was absolutely perfect for hiking! We hiked a couple of hours in and then back to our car. It was tougher than I remembered. We had to climb up and down a lot of rocks.

After hiking we headed to Spruce Pine and had lunch at the Anchors Away Diner again. Then we went to two antique shops in town.

When we returned to the lodge, I sat and knit with my friends until dinner time. Then after dinner, we knit until the general meeting. It was time for Show and Share and many people had beautiful things to show and share.

Original photos by Pat Hensley

Knit-Away Retreat Day 1

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Last week we went to the Knit-A-Way Retreat at Big Lynn Lodge in Little Switzerland, NC. It was hosted by the Spartanburg Knitting Guild.

We left home around 8:30 am and drove through Woodruff, SC. Then we stayed on Hwy 221 to the Blue Ridge Parkway. We stopped in Rutherfordton at the Victorian Lace Antique Mall which I thought didn’t open until 11 am as Google Maps stated. It was open when we arrived at 10:45 and the lady said they opened at 10 am and Google was wrong. We ended up buying several things there including a Tom Clark figurine. We finally arrived at the Big Lynn Lodge around 1 pm and were able to check into Room #132. It was in the building on the right and the last room upstairs. The room was very nice!

I sat on the porch and knit until dinner and Don watched TV. Dinner was turkey, mashed potatoes, corn, and cranberry sauce. For dessert, we had peach pie a la mode. Dinner was delicious. After dinner, we knit until the dining room was cleared and then met at 8 pm for our general meeting. I was excited that I won a door prize tonight!

By 9 pm, I was ready to head back to the room and get ready for bed.

Original Photos by Pat Hensley

Paris Mountain State Park

For the past week, we have been volunteering at our state park. We lead second graders on a nature hike. I love being around the little children and hearing their conversations. Some of the children have never been to a state park before! 

Original photos by Pat Hensley