One of the bends in our river came when we were transferred to Washington DC. 

We had been living in Westchester, NY. First there was an apartment, a husband and two little girls (born just one year apart).  Then there was a larger apartment, a baby boy, two sisters, and a husband.  Finally, there was a tall English Tudor, two little girls, and two little boys. We lived close to family, college and high school friends..  I was busy and happy.

But in DC our lives changed.  We had a bigger house, a small sailboat on the Potomac, and children who were now at school all day.  I painted the new house and wondered what I would be doing with the rest of my life. I tried playing bridge, got pretty good at the game, but was bored with the life style.

I was busy all summer with swimming lessons, swim meets, and new friends.  But I wanted to do something more demanding, something that would allow me to work when the kids were at school but be home when they were home.  School!!!  That, I thought, could provide the answer. 

Fairfax, Va has a county-wide school system and they were advertising for teachers.  I had the right college credits and so I applied and went for an interview. 

The young man who interviewed me was pleasant enough; but he made it clear that he thought I was too old. (I was 37).  I was furious. I didn’t think of myself as"old."  I had been rejected. As I left the office, I flung a parting comment over my shoulder, “I hope everyone you hire gets pregnant.”

The Lord works in mysterious ways….  A short while later I saw an advertisement in the paper for a "home-bound teacher".  I applied and was enthusiastically accepted.  That decision changed my life for years to come. The Lord had taken this opportunity to bend my river toward a pet project of His...kids with problems.

Oh yes, I even got the last laugh.  When I was in line waiting for my TB X-ray a young woman approached me.  She was the secretary of the man who had previously interviewed and rejected me.  She was laughing. “Aren't you the lady who wished that everyone my boss hired would get pregnant?”  I nodded.  “Well, they did…most of them are expecting before the year is out.” 

Th

Back from a trip through the Panama Canal

Rol has always wanted to see the Panama Canal...so, late in October, we sailed from Miami on Royal Caribbean's "Serenade of the Sea," for a trip through the canal.
I have to admit that I was less than excited about seeing the canal. But I have changed my mind. It was really fascinating to watch the ship transit the locks. Our ship slipped through with only a few feet to spare.
We passed through on a pleasant sunny day (unusual in the rainy season). Rain is really the resource that makes the locks work. The water flows into the locks from a created lake high along the continental divide, rather than being pumped up into them... Although, I understand that the new locks now being built will require reclaiming some of the used water.
The cost to our ship for its transit was $350,000. Next year this cost will rise to $500,000. and Royal Caribbean is not planning to come back for a while.

The ship was lovely and our accommodations were very nice. We rented an inside room and were very comfortable. We saved a considerable amount of money by booking our own air flight through Southwest Airlines. They allow booking legs. ..i.e. Philadelphia to Miami (one way) and San Diego (one way) back to Philadelphia.

We thought that the entertainment in the early evening was not as good as the entertainment we experienced a few years ago on an Alaska trip...I suppose they are trying to cut corners too. The food was good and plentiful.
we registered for four side trips and were fortunate that 3 of them were canceled. We quickly found that we could buy the same trips cheaper right at the dock and saved a quite a bit, while enjoying the same sights and excitement.

All in all, the trip was great...Rol had his interest in the locks satisfied and we both enjoyed ourselves..