A pack of Camels peaked out of the pocket of his plaid flannel shirt. His teeth were yellowed from a lifestyle far different from mine, and the only thing longer than his hair was his beard. Perley M was our taxi driver who picked us up at Jakalof Bay, near Seldovia, Alaska. Like many great trips, the journey was far more interesting than the destination. We’d taken a high-speed water taxi ride from Homer, Alaska across Katchemak Bay. The thirty minute ride rearranged my internal organs Continue Reading
Escaping the heat, Part 1
I just recently returned from a seven-day cruise with my friend, Kathy. It took us from Boston to Montreal via the St Lawrence Seaway. As a result, I have produced Pam’s Cruise Rules. 1. Unless you are a high-stakes gambler, fly into your departure port the day ahead of time. Sure, the hotel is expensive, but not as costly as potentially missing the cruise. No one wants to hear “your upcoming flight has been delayed” knowing you'd miss a connecting flight. We had gambled, booked a red-eye, Continue Reading
Rose Parade
From the Hare Krishnas beating their drums to the fleet of horns-a-blaring, lights-a-flashing tow trucks, the 2022 Rose Parade was everything I could have imagined. To be clear, the Hare Krishnas, followed by the Jesus Saves group, were not official entries. And there was little chance my soul would be saved that day with what I muttered when the alarm sounded at 4:30. However, they did provide some pre-parade distraction along the route while we waited. The tow-trucks however, were the Continue Reading
Going Home -Part 1
Can you ever go home again? And what does that mean to you? I ask because in a couple of days, I’m on my way home. Oh, not permanently, but for a brief visit, enough to conjure up warm memories that are already making me a bit gooey inside. The smell of spray starch when I bounded in from school and chatted with my mom while she did the ironing.The slap, slap of the cards on the dining room table as Dad played solitaire every night.The snow forts we’d make in the winter when the snow plow Continue Reading