before Christmas Eve

Okay, an interesting vessel arriving in the half-light of dawn this morning, so I'll set aside the long, somewhat religious post I wrote and go here instead - -

Per yesterday's Vessel Schedule, this is North Ocean 102 arriving to load spooling, 

I suppose she lays cable at sea? At 442x29 she's quite narrow for her length, and I wonder how she rides in rough seas. My first ship, USS CORRY DD-817 was 390x41' and I remember my seasickness brought on by her rolls in the Atlantic Ocean as I lay in my bunk, my face against the skin of the ship for the soothing coolness, to the sound of rushing water a fraction of an inch from my ear.

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'Tis the morning before Christmas Eve and all through 7H there is peace and quiet, with a bit of melancholy because Joe is leaving at noon for ECP and his return flights to Louisville. 

But it's Christmas, and was Christmas, and will be Christmas, and here we are, my mind in a warship at sea, where I was Christmas Day 1969 - - for me a day in Hell, talking with Linda, Malinda & Joe for my scheduled and allotted five minutes on single-sideband telephone. 

Christmas 1963 in Yokohama, we'd never cooked a turkey, so our Christmas Dinner was a large fish, which we baked in the oven. 

Christmas 1962, train from Ann Arbor to Pensacola for the winter vacation.

Christmas 1952, kissed a girl for the first Time after long planning and practice in private to make sure I kissed lips and not an ear.

Christmas 2014, we'd moved into 7H, but went back to the Old Place for one last Christmas there.

Wishing you long years and many happy returns of the Season. 

RSF&PTL

T88&c