Roaming About

A Life Less Ordinary

Category: Special Events (page 4 of 4)

Reblogging: Great Britain, RIP by Al Lane

June 27, 2016 / / 18 Comments

The result of the Brexit vote/referendum in the UK has shocked the world and its impact is global and immediate.  The Brits regrettably (and regrettingly?) have decided to leave the EU.  We all suffer because of it. I am disheartened by the way politicians misrepresent the truth and by how people don’t think critically and for themselves anymore. I fear for this right-wing trend to continue everywhere and hope the US, among other countries, will learn from the UK’s “mistake”.

My blogger friend Al is a writer, poet and citizen from the UK, who did an interview with me for his Dirty Dozen series recently.  He put his sentiments in words that make total sense. I have decided to reblog his post from yesterday on Roaming About, because of the insights it presents, and because I stand by his side. My intended bog post for today about visiting the biggest mountain in Massachusetts on Sunday will be postponed until later this week. You can see Al’s original post and comments here.

This great video by British comedian and HBO television host John Oliver also hits the nail on the head…

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Quite Insane: Our Flannel Sheets Remain!

June 11, 2016 / / 14 Comments

In the cold and rain
We wait in vain
For summer to maintain
And revoke winter pain

Submitted to Six Word Saturday

A Fun-filled Memorial Day Weekend

June 2, 2016 / / 18 Comments

I’ve mentioned before that one of the nicest things about the A-Z Blogging Challenge was meeting a bunch of interesting people online through stories and comments. That I would actually meet one of these blogging travelers in person a month later came as an unexpected bonus!

The second half of April, I discovered Jaye and Dan’s blog “Life Afloat”, where she writes about her minimalistic life on their 33’ sailboat Cinderella. I learned that, over the summer, she and her husband would crew on the tall ship El Galeon a second time. This life-size replica of a Spanish galleon would pull into Newburyport over Memorial Day weekend. And the rest was history as they say…

With our tour guides Jaye and Dan

With our “off duty” tour guides Jaye and Dan in front of the tall ship El Galeon

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Keeping Our Cool on Valentine’s Day

February 15, 2016 / / 2 Comments
Happy Valentine!

Happy Valentine!

It is Sunday, February 14th, 2016. Mark usually gets up earlier than me and therefore takes the dogs out. Today, I jump out of bed as well, to join him. Not because it is Valentine’s Day, we don’t really care about commercialized holidays, but because I am curious about something I have never experienced before. The media have been hyping it up and we have been keeping an eye on it as well: today is by far the coldest day in decades, and certainly in my whole life… The lowest temperature was scheduled at 6am. Mark and I joked about it last night, but refused to leave our warm bed this early for the sake of possibly freezing. It is 8am now and, based on our weather information, it is still pretty darn cold outside: -12°F with a wind chill of -34°F (-24°C with a wind chill of -37°C)!!!

“Are you ready?” Mark asks, while the dogs are wagging their tales and I finish putting my winter coat, wool hat and walking shoes on. Mark wears our one set of winter gloves. My warm pockets do the trick of protecting my hands.

“Sure,” I say. I’m always ready for a new and exciting experience. Continue reading

Goodbye 2015. Hello 2016!

January 1, 2016 / / 5 Comments

Mark and I finished 2015 in style. Our “unofficial” celebrations started on December 28th, when the owners of our house sit arrived back home from their trip up north. We concluded a successful two week stay in their home with drinks on the patio and a wonderful meal out in a Japanese restaurant. The four of us had a great time and hope to meet again.

Bob, Mark and Jane with cocktails in the “bird cage”

On the 29th, we drove from The Villages to Vero Beach to celebrate Rosie’s birthday. She and her husband Sim were moored there with SV Wandering Star, awaiting a good weather window to go to the Bahamas and – more importantly – awaiting us. Continue reading

A Wonderful Christmas in The Villages

December 26, 2015 / / 3 Comments

Just like in many other places of the world, Christmas had been highly anticipated in The Villages, Florida, with decorated squares, benches, golf carts and houses.

Mark and I went to a “sound and light” spectacle in one of the neighborhoods in The Villages. The Christmas light display was a riot: humorous, beautiful and very popular. Colorful lights in the yards of many different houses “danced” to the music of the local radio station. One could walk by the several displays or take a golf cart tour. Continue reading

A Special Birthday in Maine

December 1, 2015 / / 2 Comments

One thing can be said about my birthday this year. Well, two things actually… It was a big one: number 40! (Ouch) And, it was the coldest one I have ever experienced in my life.

My 40th celebration of walking around on this amazing planet had to be somewhat special. None of that profusely sweating, staring at pretty beaches, lounging in the shade of a palm tree or futilely trying to find a decent restaurant for dinner, as was the case in previous years. Continue reading

A Typical Thanksgiving

November 27, 2015 / / 2 Comments

During our eight years of sailing around on Irie, there was one day every year when Mark wished he could be in the United States with his family: Thanksgiving. This no-nonsense event has always been his favorite holiday; a relaxed one with heaps of yummy food, without the madness and obligations of Christmas. In the past, we always hoped there would be some fun cruisers around with whom we could celebrate and share a somewhat special meal (chicken or duck instead of turkey, but always heaps of stuffing!). Continue reading

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