<p>haha - yeah zonker - my thoughts exactly.
Regarding his sea project, he told me that he was moving pretty well on it. He's got time to work on it and folks are willing to help.</p>
<p>Wonder what vienna sausage and twizzlers cost in China? :)</p>
<p>Don't think he's eating twizzlers and vienna sausage in China....he's looking forward to Dog jerky..........ugh! My husband made the mistake of telling him about the dog jerky he found on his last trip to China. Apparently they raise special dogs (like we do beef cattle) just for dog jerkey...........YUCK...PHOOEY......GROSS... :p :p :eek: :eek:</p>
<p>The trips out are getting interesting. While on ship my son: was in the San Francisco Bay during a small earthquake, had a small fire, had to put steel plating on the hull, been through high winds, and two shift changes on the ship. The captain told them to batten things in their cabins before turning in one night. My son thought that the fridge and TV would be okay. He woke up in the middle of the night against the wall with the TV and fridge coming toward him. He now has the TV in the closet and the fridge tied to his bed.</p>
<p>He was saying also that each time they cleaned up after a big wave which would knock things down that they would get another big wave.</p>
<p>I don't know if any of this was scary at the time, but he made it sound funny in the telling of it.</p>
<p>Awww. C'mon SuzanneGra!
You've China-traversing husband SURELY asked one of the locals if they loved dogs.
"Ah yes. Especially with a little lemon-pepper sauce and beurre-blanc"</p>
<h2>:D</h2>
<p>(Just joking, everyone! don't have SPCA or PETA call me. I love petting dogs too! I'm just stuck in a house with CATs and it's driving be loopy -short trip;) )</p>
<p>Have received two e-mails thus far and both have been very positive. In fact, it sounds like she's having a great time! She is pleased that the Chief Mate is teaching her lots and told me about the fun (?) she had crawling around the hold checking the lashings of the containers while the ship was rolling! Said she's already read most of the books she'd brought along, which was the perfect opening for me to remind her to stay on top of the sea project (I can nag even at long distances!). I checked sailwx and she is smack-dab in the middle of the Atlantic and I refuse to check for weather. Sometimes the less I know the better. All in all, I couldn't ask for a better situation...great sea partner, good crew and she thinks it's fun! Thank you KP!!</p>
<p>greetings to all from glorious Long Beach. hooray for my dad posting all my e-mails, just kidding... i really don't care either way. love you all hope thanksgiving was grand! have a great month till we speak again!</p>
<p>Is2Day: Enquiring minds want to know.</p>
<p>Thanks to JRH for teasing us with what it is like at sea for you kids.
But now, YOU can post some stories! We look forward to hearing what you have to say. I, in particular, liked the oil/water separator story, and would like to hear what it's like in the engineering spaces (how hot, tasks, etc). </p>
<p>And I understand our Christmas gifts will be delayed this year, but I wanted to make sure I'm NOT on the list for Doggie Jerky (I hope I've been better than that!) :D</p>
<p>PS. Welcome back to the states. Did you have a chance to have any FRESHLY cut ripe pineapple directly from the field? It will spoil you for the rest of you life. :) </p>
<p>PPS> Thanks for posting, as always!</p>
<p>Juliemrn</p>
<p>The way I understand it, </p>
<h1>1 my kid has the best partner !</h1>
<h1>2 the Red Sea isnt really red (maybe at sunset)</h1>
<h1>3 and they CANT WAIT to reach port (any port)</h1>
<h1>4 ping pong is very popular</h1>
<p>Sounds like they are having a blast</p>
<p>Christmas in Norfolk ?</p>
<p>I wanna hear more engineering stories ! </p>
<p>(and I'm just teasing about Is2Day4Him getting me a big Christmas present -- hope that wasn't the reason he stopped posting).</p>
<p>.
.
.
Besides, a small present is so much easier to transport ;) (teasing)</p>
<p>Hey Zonker......is2day does not have internet access very much (as most of the mids at sea now). He was in Guam yesterday, and I believe heading to China now. Last story I heard was on the way from Cali to Guam the ship encountered 60 foot seas and got beat up pretty badly. Here's a statement from him: </p>
<p>"I knew it was going to be an interesting day when at breakfast the captain
and the chief mate both went skidding across the floor and slammed into the
wall. one of the Christmas trees on board crashed to the ground. in my room,
books went flying, things went thumping and bumping all night long, it's
been rough."</p>
<p>Heard from my D today while she was in Singapore. I love hearing that she's having a blast seeing these exotic places (Dubai indoor ski resort, Singapore Sling in Singapore). She and her sea partner are getting along great and she is kinda working on the sea project. The crew are most definitely taking care of the "girls", showing them the ropes of calling from foreign ports, exchanging money and shopping. Her words...."We are so lucky to get this ship and this crew." And I'm so grateful as well. Now they turn back west to return to NY after a stop in Sri Lanka. They will be in NY for an overnight in early Jan. so we can see her overnight. I can't wait to see all the pictures!</p>
<p>Zonker
My 2010 engineer says shes doing alot of WELDING on her APL ship to Singapore and back. Shes a little tired of WELDING but thats what needs to be done, I guess.</p>
<p>I got a call from Is2Day (at 2:00am no less - don't they understand time zone adjustment?) :) - he's doing a lot of welding too. The crew of his ship changed in Long Beach and he said this one is giving a lot more "real" work to do instead of making coffee, etc. They're pulling into Ningbo, China in a little bit. His sister's 9th birthday is tomorrow and he said he would call from Shanghai - oh geez...I wonder what time that will be??</p>
<p>Sounds like everybody is having a great experience so far. Merry Christmas everybody.</p>
<p>JRH, I'm sure you feel the same, but even in the middle of the night, those calls are so great. One day back in the early fall we got a call from somewhere on the European Continent ( I can't remember because I was heavy into the REMS at the time) and our mid told us to wake up his little brother (10) and tell him "All Hands". Later that morning when everybody was getting ready for the day we all remembered that there was a phone call we just couldn't remember what was said. Even so, I wore that smile on my face for a few days.</p>
<p>oh yeah - I enjoy all of them, regardless of the time. Funny - he called his little sister for her birthday (which is today), but he called yesterday, which is today there, so I guess today is tomorrow...and if he called today, he would be too late for her birthday.
:)</p>
<p>My older boy is not at sea, but he's in Iraq and I just got a 0500 call from him! Yea!! Don't care what time the phone rings.....as long as it rings....it was a few hours late from my birthday on Sunday, but at least it came!</p>
<p>Ran across this video trailer for a PBS Special that's going to air soon. Though everyone might enjoy it:</p>
<p>YouTube</a> - Shipping Out, the story of America's Seafaring Women</p>
<p>Looks like my Kp'er is sailing all the way back from India with no port stops till NY.</p>
<p>Email will need to suffice.</p>
<p>JRH, LOL LOL LOL on the latest sea story. Is2day cracks me UP! He still doesn't know what today is so I kinda find his CC name here fitting somehow. Between the fried duck eggs & the tea story, I was laughing through the whole read. Good stuff. He's experiencing pretty much everything I'd say. Wonder if he liked the duck eggs. Yum Yum.</p>
<p>LOL Jamz it was funny! Wanna hear something really cool? My husband is going to be in Shanghai the same time Is2Days ship is there in January so he's going to take him to eat some good duck eggs....that is provided Is2Day can figure out what day it is to meet my husband :)</p>