Oregon, Ira, and excellent food

Just to recap a few things I have past without posts due to waiting on pictures to submit...

While traveling in Oregon (same trip as the redwoods, sand dunes, beaches, etc...) I was able to stop by and visit with Ira Krizo (and family) founder of the Christian Chefs Fellowship.

They have a nice B&B and restaurant Pine Hurst Inn (with a seasonally rotating/changing menu) within a terrific scenic and historic area giving it a wonderful backdrop for a nice night out and/or vacation to get away. I hear they might even have, or be, doing weddings and such in the future!

Excellent food, great place! Thanks for the hospitality! (please check out the links provided for more pics and info)

Public Library

You may find this a boring post but I am just realizing how much I missed our public library. I don't know what size or how it ranks in the nation but it is great!

We have movies, CD's, tapes, and of course books...But a million other things too! The library also has some of those oversized plush chairs that are very comfortable and hard to stay awake in unless you are reading a really good book, or the newest edition of Bon Appetit, Gourmet, or one of those other food magazines(OK maybe that's just me).

Our Library looks like a big fort and its about 3 or 4 stories high. I am not completely sure because some levels are used for conferences, meetings and such. The picture is real small too...But it was the only one I could find(I found a bigger one, so that is what you are looking at now).

The Library is close to the Wellness Center where I have rejoined so I can work out and exercise again after all these years...I have also got a cell phone now so I can have that mobility and ease of communication wherever I go. No, I will not give the number out publicly. You would probably call and text message me so many times I would loose all my money and good credit rating, not to mention alienate me from the rest of the world when they deactivate my phone! Ha!

Why is all this so important? Because as high as gas is I will be trying to walk everywhere and enjoy as much free entertainment as I can!!!

Oh yeah, still waiting on that job. Its great being home, seriously!

Found

I finally found the digital camera I lost...I packed it away with some stuff I thought I wouldn't be using for a few weeks.

So now that I have found it maybe I can get the pics downloaded and upload a picture of the watermelon I carved for my church's 25th Anniversary.

On another note: Some days it is just extremely aggravating working on my website...And in the end it just seems to be the difference between upper and lower case letters, one or two of them!!!

My software (frontpage) does not differentiate between upper and lower case letters in the html pages, but obviously my server which holds my website does! UGH!

I think I got it all straightened out now...



Ok, so the contour of the watermelon was tricky but all of the other watermelon had their prices written on them with permanent black markers...Not to elegant when they show up in the middle of your creation. And I told the sellers at the farmers market that too!

I'm back and ready to go

I did return to the ship on Sunday night..Somewhere between 9 and 10pm. Just in time to redeem myself from the wondering mind of the crew. After they saw my empty bedroom when they put some of my mail in there, they truly wondered whether I planned to come back at all.

I can pack all my stuff into the hooptie, so why not? I figure if something weird or unplanned happens to the ship or me there will be no reason to go back to get anything...Or worry about it being missing or damaged. So I took it all. But I did store some of it at my parents until I travel out to the IOC next month.

Now that I am back I am ready to go...hahaha, and will shortly do so. Now the time seems to have gone by fast.

I am looking forward to a trip out west and then a week at home before going to the IOC in August. Your probably saying 'he was just at home'. You know being at home can be very stressful and busy when you usually average being home 2 weeks to a month out of the year. There is so much to do, so many people to see and spend time with. Being at home last week was a blessing, if not for circumstances beyond my control I would not have been.

Slow Leak

My car had a slow leak in the back passenger tire that became a fast leak. When I tried to get it patched Walmart told me it was because the rim was dented. So today I went to the junkyard to get a rim. The rim cost the same amount whether it had a tire on it or not! So Bill and I ( Thanks to Bill for taking me there and helping me find the wheels!) found a rim with a good tire on it that was still holding air..then I got to thinking about getting a second one...hmmm. Now I could replace that bicycle tire they call a temporary that was in my trunk with no air in it!!!

I bought two wheels today, both with excellant tires on them that still held air and had good tread. When I got back I took the two back tires off...I kept the one that was flat because it still had a good tire on it (remember the rim was dented) and I took the other off and replaced the temporary tire in the deep part of the trunk and lo' and behold!!! There was enough rust down there to deteriorate part of the temporary rim and the rest of the trunk!!!

Well I am not certain that the actual trunk was in danger of falling thru like spots on the ship...I just looked around quickly to make sure Katie had not seen this and come running with a needle gun ( a tool here on the ship used to remove rust that I think she has an obsession with! ) whewwww, I quickly breathed a sigh of relief remembering they were gone to the movies.

On second thought maybe I should let her get at it, then primer and coat it when they get done..what do you think? Nahhhh, its just Da Hoopty!

Why bother?

In about another month I will be packing again. I sometimes wonder why I ever bother to unpack. Maybe I can get me some of that luggage that just sits up straight after you carry it and it looks and functions like a dresser, hmmm. Maybe they can even make a mirror the same size as the bag that when you slide down the elongated handle ( like those ones that roll and have a telescoping handle when you go on planes) you can slide up the mirror in place. Wha-La! A small dresser complete with hidden slide-up mirror.

Better yet, make my 13 inch TV/vcr with a DVD/CD player also built into it (did I mention Bose Acoustic Speakers too?)...And have two rolling wheels at the back and a telescoping handle for those quick easy moves. Being 'carry on size' for this would be nice too.

Oh, OH! And maybe have one 'credit card' style card that you use for everything...Program it that way. Slide your card almost anywhere and pick which one you need: Passport info, license, American Express credit, Visa credit, Mastercard credit, bank debit...Just pick the one you need from the options screen. Then have it multi-task for sliding in your door at home to get in, slide in slot to get in car, slide in slot and push button to start car...At work you could also use it to ID yourself clocking/punching in and out at the timeclock.

I am sure all this will be coming shortly, its just that its not helping me now...now when I need it the most. So packing, traveling, and moving isn't so frustrating. Especially when you have done it so many times in the last 3 months.

After all this time I pretty much have it down to a science though...I use canvas or some other durable material for my 'soft luggage' (all my luggage are duffel bags and/or back packs) its more forgiving in moving stuff in it all the time. Fits more places on planes, trains, and buses too. I give everything away like Santa Claus and then keep the basic clothes and shoes (I have found this very liberating and most of the stuff I give away ends up being replaced by kind unsuspecting people at my next destination who never knew I just gave the same item away. Its usually to much trouble to travel with it, or mail it.

Books are easy to get rid of because I only have a few that I keep and the rest I usually have read them anyway.

Believe it or not I bought a business card holder (like a slim picture album) and I keep multiple cards of all sorts for different regions of my travels and then just swap them out in my small flip style credit card wallet.

For example, I have a Blockbuster (movie rentals) card for Mobile Alabama. I also have one for various other states, Canada, and a few other places that rent movies. So when I get to the Dominican republic I get out all the cards that are valid for use in that area and put all the other ones back in the card 'album' and I have 'prepared' my wallet for the next destination.

Somewhere after your thousandth mile, or second,third trip from home you start to get a little smart with this whole traveling thing.

My passport actually looks like those faded blue jeans that 'double' for church pants in a pinch. Yes, the original dark blue (or whatever color you want to call it) of my passport looks that worn out now...Of course it didn't help that I washed it at least on time I know of...And there is probably enough dried sweat in it to produce 'DNA Matching'.

I am very happy though, I have enjoyed my travels immensely and sooner or later my packing problems will be over...Apple will probably come out with an prototype called 'ipac' to put all these things together...AND play MP3's!

It will just take it forever to get down to a price I can afford!!!

Random thoughts and discoveries

I have made a 'discovery', a bag of Joyce Meyer tapes I found on the ship which I am now enjoying listening to. She has always seemed to be on a level I could understand clearly and doesn't go about fooling herself when it comes to self evaluation...I like that about her.

My own self evaluation has come up wanting, lacking. But I have in no way tried to build myself up into something I am not. Rather, I was told by a close friend that I expect to much of myself. It could be that I create to much undue stress thinking about all of the expectations I have in my mind, not including supposed expectations others may have of me.

I sincerely hope (if that is the case) that I move on from this stress because I can see where it could cause me a lot of indecision and doubt in every day life. I would like to think that I prepare myself for changes, expectations, trials by moving ahead in my actions - by making decisions to advance myself.

What am I rambling about?

I have made the decision to move on from the ship since technically my job is done here for now (not necessarily Mercy Ships). So now I need to to think about going to work at the IOC (Mercy Ships International Operations Center)in Texas or going home. In making one decision, I have created more decisions to be made.

Ahhh, that's life you say? Yes, I suppose it is...But it doesn't make it any easier.

From there, it creates thoughts of expectations for myself that diversify into the two different scenarios...But really, why should I concern and worry that far ahead when I haven't even decide which road I will be going down?

As another good friend said once, 'Tyrone, you think too much!'. hahahaha

Yes, sometimes I suppose I do.

Leaving?

Well let me tell you...Everybody is probably on there way out, exiting, leaving, moving on to either the IOC (International Operations Center), Anastasis, Africa Mercy or some point between here (Chickasaw Alabama) and home, their own home.

Most of the crew of the Caribbean Mercy will be gone by Monday the 6th. I have chosen this weekend to go home and visit my family (mom and dad, sister, brother in law, niece and nephew) and my home church, Valley Fellowship.

By doing this I have created some more quality time for me to be with family after being gone nearly 7 months to Europe and Africa essentially missing several birthdays and holidays...And I have also released myself from a weekend of 'goodbyes' of which I don't really enjoy participating in anyway. And more than likely I will see a lot of these people again. They only left the ship, not the whole organization.

For those of you that may be mad at me for ducking out...I hope you have safe travels.

I will return on Monday and start back to work getting ready for my next phase. Cleaning and organizing all my foods into smaller refrigerators and freezers, shopping, cooking, cleaning, menu planning, etc...For about 8 crew members that are 'left behind'. Nine including me. I will also be responsible for being on a rotation for a 24 hour 'watch' that will keep me restricted to the ship with certain checklist and maintenance points to mark off. Happily I will not be involved with any night watches!

There were a few 'goodbyes' I made sure happened before I left...And those were of a private nature anyway, not for public or shipwide 'news', but a personal farewell to those that may not be coming back, or be seen again anytime soon.

And a big thanks goes out to Jeff (my boss) Chief Steward - 2004*2005 - best one I ever had...Best wishes and prayers for you and your family. You made it the best for me!~

Fixin, Fittin, and Gettin things done!

Alright it seems we (the Anastasis) will be sailing to Liberia in about a week, hopefully. We have all our parts crucial for the engine to work...so now I can actually plan my flight ticket and have it purchased. But now instead of going to the Dominican Republic the Caribbean Mercy has some further repairs itself...so perhaps I will be seeing 'sweet home Alabama' once again before disappearing on a sail to Barahona.

I am getting things prepared already because there is a 20 kilo weight restriction which means just one bag at 44 pounds. Not a lot I will be taking with me since my chef/culinary attache case weighs about that much...and since the most of the knives and equipment will not 'carry on' I will be giving away my OTHER possessions (What? You think I would actually give anything away in my attache case, thats ludicrous!) like Santa Claus in about 3 weeks.

But of course, I love it! I like to travel light and with only the essentials...like most though if given the choice I would probably take extra if I could. Most of the things I will be getting rid of are about used up anyway. My clothes (stained and weather worn) have been with me for years...actually I would probably be embarrassed by them except that #1 I'm a guy, #2 most other missionaries tend to have the same 'fashion' culture as me, #3 Being a guy most of the time I just don't care...I'm not here to impress anyone and my work clothes are usually taken better care of than the rest of my clothes, simply because that's mostly what I do, work.

So I am fixin' to leave this ship at the end of the month, I am fittin' to start 'cleaning house', and I am gettin' a plane ticket!

Marinating

No, this is not going to be an article about food. I am the one marinating, in my own sweat. As I sit here thinking about the love I have for this small fan I possess it reminds me of growing up in the projects having no air conditioner for at least most of my childhood life (till 17). You take a shower at night and then run jump in bed and try to go to sleep while the fan blows cool on your wet body. Then wake up in the middle of night stuck to your sheets with a damp pillow slowly suffocating you....

Yes the air conditioner is out on the ship again...But let me reassure I live no luxurious life. The galley (kitchen) I work in on board has an air flow system, blowers and exhaust, but no air conditioner. This ship is over 50 years old and when they finally installed the system in the ship they didn't run it to the kitchen(can I get a sane excuse for this error?!?!). So after sweating all day in the hot kitchen (I have drunk at least four liters of fluid already today and that was just at work) I have to start all over again after my shower.

This is usually not the case for my room. This last week has had problems with our generators (we are on emergency generator now), boiler (that means no hot water or steam kettles I can use in the kitchen, dishes, cleaning, or showers for that matter!), and my refrigerator and freezer units have not come down to the proper temperature for refilling them with food. And even if they do, it has taken way to long...That's not a good sign. We also have containers of food that have arrived but its hard to store what you already have in rented storage on the docks.

Oh, guess what? We are supposed to leave in two weeks!

But I'm not worried a bit...This is how it goes and how it is sometimes. You can only do all that you can do, and pray some more. God does things on His timing, if He ever does something right on time by your standards then that is all the more reason you should praise Him!

Then again, maybe I do live a luxurious life...I love it.

My Big Toe and other interesting things

As of lately I have been walking around with my sandal/flip flops on washing my big toe a couple of times every day, and wondering how many other people it will make flinch noticeably when they see it.



I had an ingrown toenail that was infected and had a kind of fungi in addition to other problems so in order to solve everything in one swoop...tada! No toenail! Nah, it doesn't hurt near as much as before and hopefully I won't bang it in to anything.



Its amazing how much pain you can be in every day and not even notice it. It comes to your attention one day that little by little the pain was growing stronger and stronger and you just realized by a stroke of genius that hey, maybe I ought to take care of this. OHHhhhh, the relief and happiness it brings from pain created to relieve the problem that has been constant...All worth it many times over.



Now the trick is to keep it clean and not let it get infected.



I wonder how many OTHER things in our life are like that? How long have we felt pain, put up with things, and/or ignored things so long that we didn't really know how much it was affecting us until we woke up one day and realized we had to take care of it. Yes sometimes things bring more pain in order to start the healing process but that pain should be nothing compared to the release/joy it should bring from being free of it.



Think about it. And remember the next step: Now the trick is to keep it clean and not let it get infected (again).

Happiness, let me tell you what it is!

Happiness, I have the definition all wrapped up...right here on board this ship with me!


Even though I am not going to be 'home' for Christmas I have received some real good mail and anticipate a little more...because I was told it was coming, and that in itself is making me happy thinking about it being on its way!


First I have received great mail from several people wishing me Holiday greetings. I have a new Emeril cookbook called 'Potluck' which I will endorse right now on the spot (It is a great recipe/cook book, ingredients should be easy to find in the store and he does such a good job at making it simple but still 'gourmet'...I also sense its got that 'Southern' feel that I really love, check it out!). I read it like a novel...we in the South are always 'up' for a good potluck dinner. Thats good eats!


In the same box I also received some cards from family, some Christmas Blend Starbucks Coffee (yeah baby yeah) and a December/Christmas addition Food & Wine Magazine...that I will be readin' while I am sippin' on some Starbucks!


But don't stop there! There's more! If I wait long enough there will be pictures of my niece and nephew (to go on the door beside the card) coming in the mail with some stollen bread! How about a nice piece of that with coffee and magazine?! That's right! Food stains on the magazine...I will pause here to give you a little culinary food lesson: Definition: [STOH-luhn; SHTOH-luhn] Germany's traditional Christmas yeast bread, stollen is a rich, dried fruit-filled loaf that's often topped with a confectioners' sugar icing and decorated with candied cherries. It's shaped like a folded oval and somewhat resembles a giant parker house roll. My sister's mother-in-law (or my Brother-in-law's mother) is from Germany, so this is the real authentic stuff!!! Thanks Ursula!


I have another friend who has sent me a CD that just came out in the states that was the second part of 2(and also some specialty coffee and 'other' things!). I already have the first CD so this completes it! SO now a little new Music for my enjoyment during Christmas.


I won't go on and on...but as you see it doesn't take much to please me if you know my heart.


True happiness will be in celebrating the birth of Jesus, and I can celebrate that and enjoy these things this Holiday Season. What a blessing!

Understand

Recently I have found a lot of frustrations between understanding leadership (my boss or bosses) and the people that I am responsible for. There are several aspects that make it a difficult chore. First I would think that it is because I work with people from so many different cultures, Secondly so many different ages and religious backgrounds, and Third...Ah who am I kidding? There are so many different factors to consider that I don't think I could list them all!!!



What is, or used to be part of Gateway and Segue training (which is like teaching people for work in missions with Mercy Ships) is a training class called '7 Habits of Highly Effective People' by Franklin Covey, but it is taught from a biblical standpoint. I even have my card with the 7 Habits on one side and the 'work' quadrants on the other side...Its been washed and dried a few time but it is fairly legible. (Work quadrants would be another topic for later) I just want to center my attention on one of the 7 Habits that I believe is the key to a lot of my frustration... Seeking first to understand, then to be understood.



Combine that Idea of thinking with the aspects I cited earlier...In my opinion most people do not have time to understand and conveniently assert their way of thinking and how to do things because they do not have the time or patience to hear your thoughts. Why? Because they already know how to do things, they have already heard what you are going to suggest and it doesn't work, and/or most of the time they have already refused to accept any new options. One reason is because it could change so much, and (everybody say it with me!) thats the way 'we' have always done it.



How do you over come this? Most of the time its a long road of prayer, finghting battles, hours and hours spent listening to lectures, attending meetings, and listening to ideas that you have heard over and over again because repetition wears people out, or convinces them. Does this make it right? No. Do most people surrender when they realize the long road they may have to travel to make a difference or change? I don't know...



You really want the answer to this now that I brought it up? This is my opinion: Stay close to the Lord(Jesus, God, Holy Spirit) thru prayer, scripture, praise and worship and let the Lord speak to your heart...It will come. Maybe just one answer at a time, or completely for a whole situation. But be ready for the answer, its not always the one YOU think of...And it may not come as fast as YOU think it should.



One day I will understand all this...And then maybe it won't be so imperative that I be understood. Confused?