Anchor's Aweigh.....

So, I'm going to take a stab at trying to write a Blog post here this evening.  I've spent the past several hours attempting to load some pictures to be posted with this write up but it has been a real struggle - grrrr!  Not sure if it's my lack of understanding of how to move a picture from the camera to the computer and then magically load it to the picture platform for blogger which then has you paste them into the narrative and whether the problem is my talent, the size of the pictures or the intermittent snails pace that the internet runs at here most of the time.  But here goes.....

 

So, I was beginning to think there'd be little or nothing to write about this week until we learned that our old friends, the good, ol' U S of A Navy was going to sidle up behind up on our pier for an overnight this weekend!  Not only were we going to be blessed with some men in blue - (someone hold those nurses BACK)!  But they were showing up in a rented experimental ship of sorts so even the jaded, long in the tooth Navy vets like my room mate the CAPTAIN were a bit excited by this turn of events. 

You have to admit by looking at this sleek, unusually looking vessel that it would be worth  a chance to see if one could get a look around, hmmm?  

Swift Boat HSV-2

     

50cal Machine Gun on the look out for pirates

Naturally, everyone wondered if we'd be able to get on the ship to take a look around.  CAPT Peter figured, no problem for this old salt of the sea. I'll just put on my trusty blue Navy ball cap I happened to bring along complete with "scrambled eggs" all over the brim.  It didn't look very promising since we heard a rumor that they were entertaining dignitaries that night and we had a home grown film festival and party afterward on our ship.    

By Saturday morning the stealth vessel was either very well cloaked or running a bit late so we went off to the market and picked up some more presents for our loved ones and by the time we returned there was quite a crowd on the upper decks of the ship as the rumored vessel was still late but showed up soon after our return.  By its looks you can see it was well worth the wait!    

If you recall from last weeks blog I showed a picture of 50% of Togo's Navy berthed just across from us and how this is what makes the 100's of container ships that hang out off shore feel safe from the increasing presence of Pirates in these waters. I don't know about you, but the looks of this 50cal machine gun makes me feel quite a bit more safe. Obviously, we weren't the point of this poor guy hanging out in 100 degree weather in full fatigues and ruck sacks but I think they were a deterrent nevertheless. 

HM1 on the left provides all the med care for crew of 30+




Sunday morning I was down in the hospital computer room working on my trusty procedure manuals when out of the corner of my eye I noted something I hadn't seen in many, many years - Camouflaged fatigues!  No question - these were Navy dudes!  I jumped up and introduced myself as Retired Commander, Medical Corps, yadda, yadda and they acted happy to meet me.  I called Peter to let him know his opportunity to see the ship had walked in the door and he ran downstairs but by this time they were gone.  Less than a minute later he must have found them because he called me back to let me know we were leaving for a tour NOW!! I grabbed my camera and he grabbed said baseball cap and off we went with a few lucky others.   Here we are lined up in the main hallway of the ship just behind where their galley and one lounge area is for them to hang out and rest.   The picture below that looks like a giant garage is really just that.  They have a large ramp that can drop down to the pier and roll on and roll off any type of cargo, including M1 tanks.  I think they said they could hold three of those mighty machines! 



Then they took us up to their bridge and showed us around.  This was, of course, cool and interesting in that Peter and I haven't gotten a tour of the bridge of our ship yet.  I guess we should ask sometime....

As you would expect for something so modern it was very high tech, lots of computers and joy sticks for driving things around.  I thought - at the very least our children with all their computer games have got this to fall back on as far as marketable skills. 


Bridge of the Swift Ship

While on the bridge I was able to get a picture of the Africa Mercy from a different vantage point.  We then went through their minimalist berthing spaces and everyone felt very blessed to be on the Mercy - no matter the size of their cabin or number of room mates.  Our Navy friends have no room to call their own. 

    

We then went out the back to their impressive helicopter landing platform. They do not have helicopters attached to their unit but can call them in to help say evacuate someone who is very ill. 
And then it was over!  Of course, it would have been a thrill to get a ride!  But we mere civilians can't be too greedy! 

Their current mission is to go completely around Africa - actually looking to intercept pirates to help keep the seas safe!  In addition to the 50 cal on the front and the back they have huge water cannons that they shoot at intruders to turn them away without having to use lethal force. 

We were very lucky to get to go inside and look around. 

A couple of hours later they cast off their lines and headed back out to sea.  Peter and I both said we felt a real sense of pride when we saw the ship pull away flying the Stars and Stripes.  I guess you can take us out of the Navy but you can't take the Navy out of us.....
Yikes!  So - enough of the Navy nostalgia.  I figure I've put it off long enough.  I've been avoiding putting anything up on the blog about my venture back into the performing arts by participating in Godspell for Easter.  It was traumatic seeing the DVD a mere week later so I needed some time to recover after that.  But it's been a full month so I'm less traumatized now and can face sharing a few of the pictures and just thank the Lord we don't have streaming capability so I can truthfully decline any requests to see the show... 

In this photo I'm the narrator that tells the story of the soils.  The lady in the middle is a seed that is choked out by the weeds on either side of her. 

Then there's the parable about how God separates man into two groups based upon whether they get into heaven or not - like separating the sheep from the goats.  Sadly, I was stuck as a goat.  But, a clever goat thinking I could sneak into the sheep group and the shepard would be none the wiser.  In this first picture you can see that I was found out and sent packing so my face was none too happy.  Apparently, my series of faces was quite well received.  So, despite my mother having warned me that if I make ugly faces my face will stay this way, I took one for the team and after some therapy, I am willing to share with you all.                        

And now in the second picture I am skulking away, clearly - one very unhappy goat.  

And by the time I make it back to my fellow goats of the damned I'm just a sad, pathetic goat.         OK....so, enough about the goats.  I was in a few other scenes, sang some songs.....

So, here we are singing one of the classic Godspell songs.  It was amazing and terrific.  Too bad I've had such bad luck with video files or I would have regaled you with something and trust me ...you would have loved it.                       

And then, as I learned from my son Andy oh so many years ago... you can't have a show without a kick line...and here we are, well at least some of us are kicking our little hearts out to some song.         Since we pretty much put the whole show together in under three weeks and even had a couple of the songs choreographed less than 48 hours prior to showtime the fact that we made it to the end was a bit of a miracle.  That and the fact that tomatoes are at a premium and no food is allowed in the International Lounge - also a blessing!

So here we are at the end, still standing and free of any flying objects due to the generosity of our fellow crew mates.  They seemed to enjoy it and in the end we decided we'd had a good time after all.  Thanks to Michele and Marty for pushing us through and making this a special Easter season for all of us. 

Have a wonderful week everyone and a belated Happy Mother's Day to all my mommy friends.