First Mates Asunder

An occasional poem finds its way from my fingertips and, though I meticulously guard the junk stashed atop my night stand, my written material usually is not so safely watched. Happy fingers today turned up one such leaf, penned in 1993 on the occasion of my brother's death. Before I return it to its hiding place, I should share it here.

First Mates Asunder

Bounding high above the waves
    I watched another sail
    at distance far. It seemed to be
Diminished - growing pale.

Its timbers once were lofty rigged;
    It leaned to any wind;
    Never mindful at which port
Its course would haven find.

Oft I've wondered why my ship,
    Tho crafted like in name,
    Found not her courses through the years,
Nor anchor set the same.

But, ships of sea do rarely share
    Like hold beneath the breeze.
    Though like in manner they are launched,
They sail on different seas.

©1993 Donn Coon,
(For brother, Robert - April 1941, September 1993)

Next Cruise

For the December trip, we're anxious to see how many friends we'll be meeting from previous cruises.

ms Veendam (Alaska, May 2000)
Vision of the Seas (Mexico, 2001)
Regal Princess (Panama Canal, Dec 2004)
Regal Princess (Mexico, 2005)
GTS Summit (Alaska, May 2006)
GTS Summit (Hawaii, Dec 2006)
Regal Princess (Hawaii, May 2007)
Diamond Princess (Hawaii, Sep 2007)
Dawn Princess (Mexico, Feb 2008)
Island Princess (Panama Canal, Oct 2008)
Golden Princess (Hawaii, Dec 2008)

Lemon Turkey Recipe

I just received this from someone else. Well, it's not too late for next year's planning.
Print it out so you'll have it when needed. The photo shows you how it will look when properly cooked.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL !!

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Lemon Turkey Recipe

Great! Enjoy ...

Ingredients:

• 1 whole Turkey (weight is dependent upon how many servings are required)
• 1 large lemon, cut into halves
• sprig of rosemary
• salt and pepper to taste
• butter or olive oil, whichever you prefer

Directions:

• Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees
• Rub butter or oil over the skin of the Turkey until it is completely coated
• Take a knife and gently separate the skin from the breast meat
• Slide lemon halves under the skin with the peel side up. This way the juice from the lemon will coat the breast.
• Season skin of the Turkey to your preference, and place sprig of rosemary into it.
• Cover and place in oven for first 30-45 minutes.
• Remove cover and continue to roast until juices run clear, basting every 15-20 minutes depending on the size of the bird.

If you've followed these steps correctly, your Turkey should look like the one in the photo.

Bon Appetite!

True Travelers

We are counting the days until our next cruise - December 10 through 24 to Hawaii. "Oh, no - not another Hawaii cruise," you say? That's probably only because you have not taken this wonderful trip. We're looking forward to two weeks of relaxation and new friends.

HOWEVER: Check this out:
Our cousins (once removed), Christina and Jon Lemke, are threatening to make our travels seem a bit maudlin. They have been traveling for the past five months in Japan, China, Mongolia, Russia, across Central Asia, Turkey, and are now in Greece and heading west. They bought a car in Mongolia and have been driving since then.

Jon and Chrissi have been blogging their travels - Voir Dire. Their pictures are awesome, and the descriptions of their experiences are mind-boggling. Recommend, while you're waiting for our next trip to begin, check out this intrepid young couple.

Kay Hawkins

Through The Years - 1940 / 2008



The Memorial

New Hope, New Americanism

Only moments ago came the announcement; Senator Barack Obama is projected to carry the day for the United States Presidency. We watch the sea of faces on our television, and realize that, as white Americans, we cannot possibly internalize the same feeling that millions of African Americans now are experiencing.

It was more than 40 years ago that this writer first dabbled in political activities. As a member of fledgling Students for a Democratic Society, our focus was two-fold; we joined forces with Civil Rights workers in Chicago while we supported the growing anti-war movement.

Proud as we may be of that participation, it cannot compare to the new pride we feel at this moment. Despite many advantages in the intervening years, we view this moment as proof that there truly is such a thing as the American Dream.