The whaling capital of the world!!!

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Greetings everyone!!!!

Thursday morning I left the house at 5:45 AM to be sure that I would not have any problems making my 8 AM flight. Arriving at AirTran at 6:00 AM, I checked the suitcase in curbside and headed for the security checkpoint carrying only my laptop and a muffin. By 6:05 I was thru security and at the gate eating a muffin, drinking a coffee and reading the paper. I guess flying to Boston is different than flying from London !!!!!

Speaking of the whaling capital.....back in the 1800's, a good portion of the world's whaling fleet sailed from New Bedford, Mass. Think Moby Dick, the Seaman's Bethel and precious whale oil. It was all great until some guy discovered oil in the hills of Pennsylvania and ruined it for the whaling folks. Still, today, some of the grand houses in the upmarket part of town still have a many windowed room on the roof of the house where the wives used to look and see if her husband's ship had come in. Once whaling died out, cotton mills ran the economy and when that moved away the fishing fleet took over. That is still here, but much smaller than it was. About the biggest thing going now is the fast catamaran that can take you to the island of Martha's Vineyard in about 75 minutes.

My reason for being here is to spend time with my parents who both will be 90 years old this year. They have full time 24 hour a day nursing assistance at the house and believe me, there is a constant flow of people in and out. The weather during the day is in the low 80s and at night down to the 60s, so a pleasant break from the Florida heat and humidity. On the 30th, I'll be taking the train to New York and connecting to an Amtrack sleeper for a 30 hour run south to Hollywood. That should be an experience!!!!

If anything remotely interesting happens in the next 12 days or so, I'll let you all know.

Oh....one last thing. I've added a few names to my subscriber list, but if you really don't want to be bothered by all this stuff, feel free to unsubcribe yourself.

Bob

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Comments

[anonymous]

Does this mean that WE will make the blog, after you come visit us??? Please spell our name correctly: R-O-E-SS-L-E-R. Looking forward to seeing you! ga

[Stuart]

Flying
God you are so lucky - that flight sounds like a dream compared to travel from London. Went to Berlin two days after the "Critical security" - everything was checked in baggage apart from passport and wallet. Not even a key, cigarette or a bottle of water. Even water bought air-side had to be consumed before you boarded. If you were going to the USA God help you. I swear to god they would have done a CAT scan and urine sample before letting you board a flight. Is there nothing these terrible terrorists won't do to destroy our freedom and close friendships across the oceans? Everyone was just really thankful throughout the inconvenience, defiant against these people. Enjoy your trip and see you soon in the UK. Stuart