Early Inhabitants of Florida
There were an estimated 350,000 Native Americans in what is now Florida when Europeans first arrived early in the 16th century. They belonged to three major nations, the Calusa along the southwestern coast, the Timucua in the northern half of the peninsula, and the Apalachee where the peninsula joins the panhandle. Peoples dominated by the Calusa lived along the southeastern coast. All were settled agricultural peoples, as skilled with the hoe as they were with canoes or with bows and arrows. They lived in villages, where they cultivated corn, beans, and other crops. Noted warriors, they fiercely resisted early attempts to bring them under submission, but coexisted peacefully with the Spaniards for most of the first 198 years of Spanish occupation. Diseases introduced by the European explorers drastically reduced the populations of these Native Americans. They had no resistance to pathogens such as measles, smallpox, and typhoid fever that Europeans normally survived. The Native Americans also lost ground because of slaving raids by English forces from South Carolina and Georgia. By mid-18th century these nations no longer existed. The modern Native Americans of Florida are the Seminole, originally Creek from the Georgia-Alabama border, who entered Florida in the period 1716 to 1767. Today they have five reservations in the state.
Labels: Travel information
The Climate of the Atlantic Ocean
The climate of the Atlantic Ocean and adjacent land areas is influenced by the temperatures of the surface waters and water currents as well as the winds blowing across the waters. Because of the ocean’s great capacity for retaining heat, maritime climates are more moderate and have fewer tendencies toward extreme seasonal variations than inland climates. Precipitation can be approximated from coastal weather data and air temperature from the water temperatures. The oceans are the major source of the atmospheric moisture that is obtained through evaporation. Climatic zones vary with latitude; the warmest climatic zones stretch across the Atlantic north of the equator. The coldest zones are in the high latitudes, with the coldest regions corresponding to the areas covered by sea ice. Ocean currents contribute to climatic control by transporting warm and cold waters to other regions. Adjacent land areas are affected by the winds that are cooled or warmed when blowing over these currents. The Gulf Stream and its northern extension towards Europe, the North Atlantic Drift, for example, warms the atmosphere of the British Isles and north-western Europe, and the cold water currents contribute to heavy fog off the coast of eastern Canada (the Grand Banks area) and the north-western coast of Africa. In general, winds tend to transport moisture and warm or cool air over land areas.
Atlantic Ocean History
• In 1858, the first transatlantic telegraph cable was laid by Cyrus Field.
• In 1919, the American NC-4 became the first airplane to cross the Atlantic (though it made a couple of landings on islands along the way).
• Later in 1919, a British airplane piloted by Alcock and Brown made the first non-stop transatlantic flight from Newfoundland to Ireland.
• In 1921, the British were the first to cross the North Atlantic in an airship.
• In 1922, the Portuguese were the first to cross the South Atlantic in an airship.
• The first transatlantic telephone call was made on January 7, 1927.
• In 1927, Charles Lindbergh made the first solo non-stop transatlantic flight in an airplane (between New York City and Paris).
• After rowing for 81 days and 2,962 miles, on December 3, 1999, Tori Murden became the first woman to cross the Atlantic Ocean by rowboat alone when she reached Guadeloupe from the Canary Islands.
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Welcome to New York City, New York
New York City (officially named the City of New York) is the largest city in the United States by population and one of the world’s major global cities. Located in the state of New York, the city has a population of 8.2 million within an area of 321 square miles (830 square kilometers), making it the most densely populated city in North America. With a population of over 22.1 million, the New York Metropolitan Area is one of the largest urban areas in the world. New York City is an international center for business, finance, fashion, medicine, entertainment, media and culture, with an extraordinary array of museums, art galleries, performance venues, media outlets, international corporations, and financial markets. The city is also home to the United Nations and to many of the world’s most famous skyscrapers. Popularly known as the “Big Apple,” and the “City That Never Sleeps,” it attracts people from all over the globe who come for its economic opportunity, culture and fast-paced cosmopolitan lifestyle. The city’s geography is characterized by its coastal position at the meeting of the Hudson River and the Atlantic Ocean in a naturally sheltered harbor. This position helped the city grow in significance as a trading city. The city’s land has been altered considerably by human intervention, with substantial land reclamation along the waterfronts since Dutch colonial times. Reclamation is most notable in Lower Manhattan with modern developments like Battery Park City. Much of the natural variations in topography have been evened out, particularly in Manhattan.
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Dreams Do Come True…
When the great explorers of the past set out to sea to discover new lands, they did so in vessels not much larger than the size of three of our lifeboats, end to end. Food was scarce, the accommodations were spare and the hope of a safe return was only that – a hope, not a guarantee. How things have changed! We set sail on January 15 to circumnavigate the globe with the hope that we might discover something new. Unlike those explorers of the past, we set sail in a beautiful ship designed to navigate the 7 seas. The food was plentiful and delicious, with different menus every day. The accommodations plush and sumptuous, brimming with exquisite art, antiques and fragrant flowers. The vessel was manned with hand-selected and well-trained crew ready to cater to every need and guarantee a safe return after our circumnavigation of the globe. The navigators of yore set out with a fervent “dream of discovery” and for some, the dream never became a reality. On the ms Amsterdam, over six hundred and fifty crew members went to work every day with just one goal in mind – to make your dream of discovery come true. The months of intense preparation and planning all come down to these 105 days and the hope that at some point every day, something we offered you, or somewhere we sailed, or someone you met put a smile on your face. Perhaps the most significant discovery is what we discover inside ourselves as an adventure of this magnitude unfolds. A true discovery should change you. How can we not be changed by the generous hospitality of fellow citizens of the world in over three dozen ports of call, greeting us in their native language? How can we not be changed by the heartwarming smiles of the world’s children, eager to see and be seen with you? How can we not be changed by walking the same path where extraordinary history was made? How can we not be changed by our participation in On Deck for the Cure or the Gifts of Love program? Our hope is that your own personal discoveries will bring you warm and lasting memories of this unique experience. Dreams do come true when we discover a new blessing every day. All we need is the open mind and heart of an explorer to find it. It has been a privilege to be your Cruise Director on this “Dream of Discovery” voyage. Until we meet again…
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Welcome to King’s Wharf, Ireland Island, Bermuda
King’s Wharf, better known as the Royal Naval Dockyard, is located on Ireland Island, on the western most tip of Bermuda. Work began on this massive complex in 1809, shortly after the Napoleonic War. Built by slave and convict labor, it was to be a strategic British military outpost, but closed its gates in 1951 when the US military established a military presence on the island with two bases. Since then, the 75 acre site has been renovated to accommodate shops, restaurants, museums, a movie theatre, The Arts Center and the Bermuda Craft Market. In 1989, the Bermuda Government decided that, owing to the increasing size of cruise ships, they required a deep water facility for visiting cruise ships to come alongside rather than lie off in the harbor. They also needed to upgrade their ferry terminal facilities for the ferry route from the capital, Hamilton, to the west end of the island. As a result, the West End Development Corporation (WEDCO) was formed to develop the historic Royal Naval Dockyard into a cruise ship terminal, a ferry terminal and a destination tourist attraction encompassing the historic dockyard buildings.
Labels: Travel information
Tuesday, April 22, 2008 (Personal)
Bermuda
What a surprise. I thought Bermuda was much like the rest of the Caribbean islands. I had always envisioned it as a tropical island with beaches and beach babes and all of those trappings. Not so! It is in a temperate zone so there are deciduous trees, some tropical vegetation, and a mild climate. It wasn’t too hot for me, which says a ton.
When you approach the island the first impression is that of houses in pastel colors, all with white roofs. The whole environment is neat and orderly, no trash, very British. We were late getting off because there were yet again several disembarkations of injured or sick passengers. We had about 1-1/2 hours, but also had to do some shopping for the ship. They had run out of backup discs for the ship’s medical records. They have had over twice the expected patients, so they had used up all of their supply. The first several streets in this little town are all lined with very upscale shops, so we had to find someone to direct us to the techie part of town. In addition, I had just run out of chocolate, so there HAD to be a quick stop at a grocery store to a new supply.
Then we took off for some parks and walking. There are multiple smaller parks that have cute little nooks and crannies, beautiful flowers, pools, fountains, and a cool breeze. Carter loved the simple displays and even I could hear all of the birds in the parks. I didn’t start sneezing uncontrollably here as I did in the Black Sea area, so most of the initial blooming must be over. Then back to stand in line for the tender to take us back to the ship. There were only 4 tenders for the entire day, so we didn’t dare miss the last one back. It ended up that we had to stand in line for almost an hour because the tender was later than anticipated. Some smart people went to a bar overlooking the ferry terminal and sat in peace, sipping wine while we sweat in the sunlight.
One more day until NYC and disappointingly, none of the crew will be let off in New York. I guess they have trouble with crew disappearing into New York and because of all the security and immigration worries we are all confined to the ship. Why would I want to escape into NYC? This is my own country. I guess they had to make a blanket rule and since we are crew, we must follow.
Our surprise entertainers for the last segment of the cruise have been the Osmond brothers. They have been fun to have on board – and as all the entertainment staff says, “They are nice!” Most entertainers of their stature bring along all sorts of “keepers” and refuse to even speak with any of the passengers or crew. These guys just blend right in. Their show was oh, so polished, almost effortless. You can tell they have been performing for a long time. One of the Osmonds brought along his son – must be around 13-15. He is very polite, but more into his iPod that anything else. Carter has gotten to know them socially and is enjoying them.
Well, I am thinking of packing. I think we have shocked most of the passengers because they brought up to 12 suitcases each – and we feel like peasants because we only brought 2 each. Granted, I haven’t had a different handbag for each formal dinner, but I haven’t been an embarrassment, I hope. Carter keeps saying that they will change uniforms again, back to the whites, so I don’t dare pack his stuff until we figure out when that will happen.
Labels: Personal
April 18, 2008 (Personal)
At Sea in the Atlantic
Well, it is not smooth sailing, but it isn’t unreasonable. We are in what is termed “moderate seas” which means about 5-7.5 ft waves. I think they speed up at night when they figure everyone is in bed and we can take the bumping more. We are undergoing an hour time change every day for 4 days in a row. That makes our days longer, but it also seems to get people up much earlier. Usually when I work on the computer in the morning between 6 and 7 am I am the only person awake – maybe one or two regulars. This morning, there were multiple people who wanted to talk. Luckily, I hadn’t signed onto the internet yet, so I sat and listened. Then once I was on-line I just ignored all who passed. Each minute costs money, so I try to be efficient.
Before we came I had told Carter that I needed internet access or I wouldn’t be able to come with him. I was assured that it would be no problem. After the first week or so, it has been fine, until yesterday and his computer refused all internet access. It seems there have been some computer system changes in the office in Seattle, and his computer was simply shut out. So, I am back to using my computer and paying per minute. I have to use my computer for the on-line banking and other duties, so that isn’t too much of a strain and I can work off-line for all of the letters and blog things, but my work is another story. Luckily, I am not working for the weekend, so I am ok for the next 3 days. I hope they get it fixed.
I finally figured out where the smell of blueberry muffins is coming from. Several days ago I saw a slivered almond on the floor in the stairwell. I then saw another and started following it up the stairwell. The stairs go up to the Crow’s Nest, the highest part of the ship, a bar, but also the place where they have afternoon tea. Now I get it. The stairwell is where they store the goodies before they serve tea. It also explains the occasional smell of coffee and the fact that it isn’t always smelling of blueberries, but sometimes even almonds or lemons. Mystery solved.
Labels: Personal
April 14, 2008 (Personal)
Lisbon, Portugal
Carter and I went our separate ways again today. I was assigned to escort a tour called Lisbon Highlights. Carter struck out on his own. My tour tended up being fantastic, other than the fact that there were 42 other people on the bus and it took more time to empty and load the bus than it took at each stop. I got a ton of history, saw many sights and felt good about my stay in Lisbon. Carter took the hop on/hop off bus, then found a quaint restaurant and was able to eat a true Portugese meal. Of course, he has photos of it and said it was amazing. The fish was fresh, the veggies pristine. Who could ask for more.
Carter took 149 photos and posted about 25 on the blog. I took about 50 (many for me) and posted 6. We loved the different sidewalk designs that are so Portugese, and were amazed at the varying architecture. There were the very old buildings from the 1500’s and then totally modern office buildings and malls. There were quaint areas of town, with the squares and statues of old, but then very functional apartment buildings. And they were biting the bullet and building a huge light rail system. It was a mess and traffic was at a standstill many times, but they know it will get better.
The favorite story was that in the Palace there is a man who feeds all of the stray cats. He has a following of about 30-40 and he plays the flute prior to feeding them. He walks around the castle, playing his flute and all the cats follow him. It was quite a sight. There are also a flock of peacocks in the castle. Whenever they are laying, there is a special place set aside for them. When questioned if the cats bothered the eggs or the baby peacocks the answer was, “No, the peacocks chase the cats away, so they never bother the birds.”
April 16, 2008
Funchal, Madeira, Portugal
It was strange, but it felt almost as if we were coming home when we docked here. We were here 2 years ago, had a wonderful time, and today was similar. The weather was my kind of weather. It was a high of about 62, a few clouds, a little breeze. Perfect! The white houses with their red tile roofs, the banana trees, flowers everywhere and volcanic mountains. Someone was comparing Madeira with Santorini and although there are similarities with the volcanic islands, these are lush and green, while Santorini was dry and a little dusty.
We were late getting off the ship, so we ran to the shuttle bus which took us to town, then had a plan to go see the Botanical Gardens way up on the top of the mountain. Little did we know how difficult it was to get to. First we had to ride a funicular for about 25 minutes to the top of the mountain (definitely, not my favorite activity. I just sat looking up the hill, holding onto the seat.). Then we had to walk a ways downhill to another funicular which took us down the hill about ½ way. This one was much slower and took us over beautiful green areas with waterfalls and streams all thru it. Once we got off we walked to the park entrance, only to find out that we had to pay again for admission to the Gardens. We thought the 2nd funicular fee was the garden fee as well. So, we had spent all of our Euros and they didn’t take credit cards, so we went to the shops, browsed and started the trek back to the ship. It was the day of the funiculars.
Now we head back to the States across the Atlantic. Hope it isn’t too bumpy.
Labels: Personal
Welcome to Funchal, Madeira, Portugal
Funchal is the capital of the Madeira Islands of Portugal and is also the largest city on the island. It was founded by Gonsalves Zarco in 1421 and was elevated to city by King Manuel I in 1508. The city is named after fennel, which grows on the island. Funchal is passed with a main road linking to both parts of the island and another road linking north to Faial and Santana. Part of Funchal Municipality is Ilhas Selvagens (Savage Islands and Desertas Islands), two beautiful nature reserve islands south of the city. In the early 1400s, Alvaro Fernandes was the commander of Funchal. And, in the 16th century, Funchal was important as a stopping place between the Indies and the New World, and was known as a wealthy place. Portugal, located in southwest Europe on the western Iberian Peninsula, includes the Madeira Islands and the Azores in the northern Atlantic Ocean. Originally inhabited by the Lusitanians, a Celtiberian people, the mainland area was subjugated by the Romans in the 2nd century BC and was later conquered by the Visigoths and Moors. Spain recognized Portugal as an independent kingdom in 1143, and it soon flourished as a maritime and colonial power with holdings stretching from Africa to the Far East and Brazil in the New World. Much of its empire was lost to the British and the Dutch in the 17th and 18th centuries, and the remaining colonies in Africa became independent in the 20th century.
Madeira Archipelago
Madeira is one of the autonomous regions of Portugal, with Madeira Island and Porto Santo Island being the only inhabited islands. Although it is part of the African Plate, some 400 miles (650 kilometers) off the coast of Africa, it belongs politically and culturally to Europe, some 535 miles (860 kilometers) from the mainland. Madeira, known originally to the Romans as the Purple Islands, was rediscovered, possibly accidentally, by Portuguese sailors some time between 1418 and 1420. The archipelago is considered to be the first discovery of the exploratory period initiated by Henry the Navigator of Portugal. It is a popular year-round resort, noted for its Madeira wine, flowers, and embroidery artisans.
Labels: Travel information
At Sea in the Mediterranean (Personal)
April 12, 2008
Our ship is able to desalinate the sea water, but it takes a moderate amount of energy, work, etc, so when the ship is able they will take on water at the ports that have “safe” water. As you can expect, most of the Asia ports were not acceptable, so the water had to be made as we cruised along. They can only desalinate while we are moving, so when we are in a port for a day or two, we have to store up the water ahead of time, necessitating several days between ports.
As I wrote the last time, we ended up in Malta early. I’m not sure if it was planned, but we took on water the first night we were there. They usually sequester that water until it has been tested, then release it to the general ship’s water supply. The evening we left Malta I thought the water in our room was a little strange tasting, but it seemed better when it was hot or extremely cold. I knew they wouldn’t give us anything unhealthy. By the next day, many of the passengers were truly upset. One woman thought she was being poisoned, others were complaining because they couldn’t get any lather when they shampooed their hair, and I must admit, the taste was even stronger than the night before.
Then like magic, the water supply has returned to normal. There is no taste and the uproar has subsided. I felt sorry for the environmental officer because he was one of those poor souls on the tender bouncing around as he embarked in Split. I would have needed more than a day or two to recover from that.
Our speakers have been wonderful this segment. They are history professors. One from Oxford/Vancouver and the other from U of WA. They have been able to take us from one empire to another and make some sense of the European history. The prof from U of WA even explained the natural history of the European Union, how it truly started right after WWII and had evolved slowly. He was able to explain it as an American, but kept warning us that much of what they are doing is totally an experiment – not anything that we can compare with our own experience. Many times the newscasters try to relate their structure to the US Congress, etc., but he showed how that isn’t correct.
Gibraltar tomorrow. I am escorting a tour which sounds short and low key. Carter is staying on the ship for most of the time.
Sunday, April 13, 2008
Gibraltar
Carter and I went our separate ways today as I had an escort job and he went out on his own. I went in a 22 person bus (They can’t use anything bigger because of the limited road space here.), and Carter took off walking. I didn’t realize how small this country is – only 2.5 square miles – and it is considered one of the most densely populated places in the world. They are continually reclaiming land and building out. They have exhausted most of the building into the hillside and are now up against rock.
We did the usual visiting the viewpoint where you can see Spain, the Straits of Gibraltar and Africa, then up to the top where there are miles of underground roads, a huge limestone cave, then down to see the monkeys. We were told over and over not to mess with the monkeys because, after all, they are wild animals. Of course, one passenger got bit – and it was on my tour! These monkeys are treated like gold because there is a legend that if the monkeys leave, the British will have to leave, so Winston Churchill passed some ordinance that protects the monkeys. Even one of the human hospitals has a special ward just for the monkeys. They are all give rabies shots and given physicals yearly. So for once, there was no worry about obtaining the rabies shots for the passenger.
Carter decided to go to the Botanical Gardens, walking about 5-6 miles at a rapid pace. He went thru the center of town which is a stone-bordered city, mainly pedestrian streets, shopping and historical sites. He even took the tram up to the top – which would have done me in. I found that when we were driving up one lane roads to the top of the Rock, I had to look the other direction. It was just plain too scary. If you took at the photos, you can tell that Carter spent quite a long time in the Gardens. He had a hay day.
The ship left this port by 3pm, which is very early by ship’s standards. Unfortunately, several people missed the ship and will have to join us in Lisbon tomorrow. This ship waits for only those who are on their sponsored tours. Woe to those who go on their own and are late.
Labels: Personal
Welcome to Lisbon, Portugal
Lisbon is the capital and largest city of Portugal. The metropolitan area in total has around 2.8 million inhabitants, and 3.34 million people live in the broader area of the Lisbon Metropolitan Region. Due to its economic output, standard of living, and market size, the Grande Lisboa (Greater Lisbon) subregion is considered the second most important financial and economic center of the Iberian Peninsula. The Lisbon region is the wealthiest region in Portugal and it is well above the European Union's GDP per capita average – it produces 45% of the Portuguese GDP. It is also the political center of the country as seat of government and residence of the Head of State. Lisbon was under Roman rule from 205 BCE; Julius Caesar made it a municipium called Felicitas Julia, adding to the name Olissipo. Ruled by a series of Germanic tribes from the 5th century, it was captured by Moors in the 8th century. In 1147, the Crusaders under Afonso Henriques reconquered the city for the Christians and since then it has been a major political, economic and cultural center of Portugal. Unlike most capital cities, Lisbon’s status as the capital of Portugal has never been granted or confirmed officially by statute or in written form. Its position as the capital has formed through constitutional convention, making its position as de facto capital a part of the Constitution of Portugal.
Say it in Portuguese
Yes Sim
No Não
Thank you Obrigado
Please Por favor
Goodbye Adeus
How are you? Como está?
Where is the restroom? Onde é a casa de banho?
How much is it? Quanto
Labels: Travel information
Welcome to Gibraltar, British Territory
Gibraltar is a British overseas territory located near the southernmost tip of the Iberian Peninsula overlooking the Strait of Gibraltar and shares a border with Spain to the north. Gibraltar has historically been an important base for the British Armed Forces and is the site of a Royal Navy base. The name of the territory is derived from the Arabic name Jabal Tāriq, meaning “mountain of Tariq”, or from Gibel Tāriq, meaning “rock of Tariq”. It refers to the geological formation, the Rock of Gibraltar, and the Berber Umayyad general Tariq ibn-Ziyad, under the orders of Caliph Al-Walid I who led the initial incursion into Iberia in advance of the main Moorish force in 711 CE. Earlier, it was known as Mons Calpe, one of the Pillars of Hercules. Today, Gibraltar is known colloquially as Gib or The Rock. A one-year investigation and analysis of 235 countries and territories by Jane’s Country Risk listed Gibraltar as the top stable and prosperous British Territory, in 5th position overall. The sovereignty of Gibraltar is a major issue of contention in Anglo-Spanish relations. Spain requests the return of sovereignty, ceded by Spain in perpetuity in 1713 under the Treaty of Utrecht. The overwhelming majority of Gibraltarians strongly oppose this, along with any proposal of shared sovereignty.
Early Gibraltar History
There is evidence of human habitation in Gibraltar going as far back as the Neanderthals. The first historical people known to have settled there were the Phoenicians around 950 BCE. Semi-permanent settlements were later established by the Carthaginians and Romans. After the collapse of the Roman Empire, Gibraltar came briefly under the control of the Vandals, and would later form part of the Visigothic Kingdom of Hispania until its collapse due to the Muslim conquest in 711 CE. At that time, Gibraltar was named as one of the Pillars of Hercules, after the legend of the creation of the Straits of Gibraltar.
Labels: Travel information
April 8th, 2008 (Personal)
Split, Croatia was a bust. It was starting to get a little rough as we got into the later evening last night and by this morning the waves looked worrisome. It wasn’t that rough on board because of the direction of the wind and the way the Captain had placed the ship, but after only a few minutes of watching those poor tenders go to shore, I knew we weren’t going to get off here.
So, some entertainers and crew were disembarked, other crew picked up and those two tenders rocked and rolled their way back to the ship. I couldn’t figure out what was taking so long, but as I watched the water fly over the top of the tenders, then they were jostled from side to side, I got the picture. Thank goodness I wasn’t on board them. If I had been one of those entertainers, I would have had to call in sick, for sure.
Just some funny happenings from Venice that I remembered too late to add in the correct place. I just love the Italians and their attitude. The port agent came on and told the medical team that since it was Sunday on the first day we were there, they should keep the patients who needed consults on board. She said that the Italians work better if they are under pressure, so if we waited until Monday and were leaving Monday, we would get better service – and it worked!
Also, Venice was an important port for picking up supplies. There were truckloads of stuff. And not one thing was taken off the containers until Monday morning. It was all accounted for, but I was worried.
April 10, 2008
Valletta, Malta
We got to Malta about 12 hours earlier than intended. Carter had a patient who needed to get to the hospital quickly, so the Captain had extra time due to the skipping of Split, so he sped up and we landed here at 5pm. The ambulance people were so efficient, it was a little mind-boggling. Within 15 minutes of docking, I heard the ambulance siren going and the patient was off to the hospital. That would never happen in India! The other thing that was remarkably efficient was the rapidity with which the restaurants in Malta opened up and were serving food. This is still not their high season, so most of them were closed as we came into the harbor, but once there was word that the ship was docking early, lights started to come on and food was cooking. Carter and I stayed on board last night because we had been here before, so the rest of the crew took off.
Then today, after clinic, Carter and I walked to the top of the fortified hill, bought some bread and water and took a 3 hour hop on, hop off bus around the north part of the island. Most people go to the south part, but we wanted to see all the sights that our friends Freddie and Steve experienced during their week-long stay here several years ago. Carter took over 200 photos. The one smell and sight that I will always remember was a lady feeding about 6 homeless cats right there on the steps leading up to the main cathedral in town. She didn’t pet any of the cats, probably because they were feral, but she spoke to them very lovingly. The cats were happy.
I’m beginning to realize that we have only a little time until we return to real life. Back to cooking, making my own bed, washing the bathroom. And then to do taxes, fix my checkbook after 4 months. This is depressing to consider. I’ll just have to enjoy the last 2 weeks and remember how nice it has been.
Labels: Personal
