Ian McKellen and Scandinavia

There is about 8 inches of snow in the backyard at this time; and I don't know what path he took, but Gimpy was here at 7 this morning, even though I could not see any path or holes in the snow that was within view. Gimpy consumed half a bowl of peanuts before disappearing. The weather guys are saying we'll get another 2 to 4 inches of snow before it stops falling late this afternoon. I've been out walking already, and have picked up the Sunday paper for coupons and the TV schedule. Lovey and Banichi ran outside and ran right back in this morning. We hope to reach 30 degrees as a high today; but tomorrow it will be sunny and warmer, so I'm not worried. I start taking care of Alexy's cats tomorrow; then head to the Barreras' and also stop in for Ooch twice a day. One of my clients is having surgery done in Kansas City, and we're trying to find a time when both of us are free, so I can care for Silver while she's away.

Ian McKellen is portraying Number 2 in the new Prisoner series. It will debut on AMC tonight at 8 p.m. (EST) and will be on for 2 hours. The second and third installments, both 2 hours long, will air at 8 p.m. on Monday and Tuesday. While the original used Hotel Portmeirion in Wales for exterior shots, the new Prisoner was filmed in South Africa and Namibia. If you like Ian McKellen and/or are interested in this new Prisoner, I recommend you visit : www.msnbc.msn.com/id/33859249/ns/entertainment-television/ It will be very interesting to see this new re-working of the old series. Patrick McGoohan certainly made my mind follow all sorts of ideas, tracks, theories, and scenarios with the original series; I hope to be similarly captivated and entertained with this series. ... I am still having a great time exploring my Scandinavian heritage. In Denmark, my great-great-grandfather's family lived for almost 200 years in the same village, Gylling. The church of Gylling was built in the 11th and 12th centuries, so I could visit A. Pedersen's christening spot. The small community is in East Jutland, south east of Aarhus, and what's funny (in my mind, anyway) is that the closest town is Odder. So if you'd like to see what's around Gylling on the internet, you visit: www.visitodder.dk Odder sits at the confluence of two streams, and the name Odder is the plural of the word odde which indicates a tongue of land between two streams. (Of course, this does not make me any less odd.) And I'm still poking around in south-east Sweden trying to find the roots of the Johnson family.... It just takes time. Have a great Sunday!!

Favorites

The cottage of Number 6 at Hotel Portmeirion, Wales



An overview of part of Hotel Portmeirion, Wales



Sunrise at the marina at Karlskrona, Sweden



Is it time to dance around the Maypole yet? - Karlskrona, Sweden

Ensamhet and The Prisoner

The Flatirons are barely visible this morning through the fog, mist, and very low cloud cover. It started to rain and snow about 4 yesterday afternoon, and while the Denver airport received a measurable two inches of snow, all that arrived here melted almost instantaneously when it touched the ground. There were a couple of places that I could see snow laying on top of leaves in the backyard last night, but this morning it's just wet out. It's supposed to start snowing again around 2 this afternoon, with an accumulation of 8 to 12 inches by Sunday evening. ... I really enjoyed watching the last two episodes of The Prisoner last night - IFC has been showing the episodes as a lead into the "new" Prisoner series that will begin showing on AMC on Sunday, Nov. 15th. I dearly loved Patrick McGoohan as John Drake (the Secret Agent man)and the Prisoner, and in some ways it's sort of scary that he wrote and directed the last several episodes of the original. I think he's as warped as I am! But I'm looking forward to seeing Ian McKellan as (I'm guessing here) the new Number 2. ... The beaches of the Eastern Shore are still taking a beating from what was Ida. Electrical transformers for Delmarva Power are still underwater in many places. The eastern side of Crisfield, MD and the southern portion of Ocean City, MD are under water; Smith Island has about a 2-foot flood; low-lying areas of Chincoteague and Assateague are flooded; and many coastal and bay roads are closed. Even US 13, the main north-south artery on the Eastern Shore is closed in places due to high water. ... Lovey has been in and out and talking to me all morning; I don't know where Banichi went, but he was out for 45 minutes on a stroll, and returned with little icy-cold feet. Lovey has been talking since yesterday evening - she and Banichi seemed intrigued by the music and sound effects from The Prisoner, last night. And then I followed that up with a dose of Monty Python's Flying Circus - they both seemed concerned when I laughed uproariously for several minutes. ... I've known since I was a child that I frequently needed to get away from cities and so-called civilization; these days I go walking in open spaces in and around Boulder, walk through Chautauqua, or go hiking and choose little-used paths; when I was a child I went into the woods in southeast Gainesville, and I wandered without a thought all over Assateague Island. I read last night that this is something I probably got from my Swedish grandfather - that the Swedes call it restorative ensamhet: a trip of solitude into nature, so that one can absorb the inherent forces of nature and wildlife before having to deal with a lot of people once more. That makes perfect sense to me! ... "Be seeing you!"

Scandinavian Roots

A Swedish Dala Horse big enough for an adult to ride!



A boat house and old boat near Aarhus, Denmark



How THIS Viking gets his money....



A carving from a Viking burial - perhaps it is a "head board" which was placed at the prow of a ship when approaching a place to raid?

Weather, Rs , and Good Works

It's 37 degrees outside and we have already passed our high temperature of the day. It's grey and misty out, with water collecting on my glasses when I went out walking this morning. Yuck. The kits are chasing one another in and out through the patio door - I have it open about 6 inches, so they can get some running done and Gimpy can come in and eat. We're expecting snow beginning tonight and piling up through Sunday afternoon - actually, it's been so warm recently that most of the snow tonight and early tomorrow morning will just melt as it hits the ground. - Due to high tides and all the rain that Ida has brought to Virginia, the causeway from Chincoteague to the mainland was closed for 9 hours yesterday because it was under water. And currently there are about 155,000 homes without power on the Eastern Shore. Town officials say that the flooding should stop at two or three feet above normal. - I took Remy and Rosie out for their walk at 3 yesterday; my, they looked good! Their paw fur had been trimmed short, and judicious use of the clippers had shortened their feathers just a bit. Remy has so many cow licks over his back and body that I'm glad I don't have to clip him! Rosie, since her back surgery, has a shorter coat along her spine, while her feathers are very long and sun-bleached. They were both very happy to go out, having been at the groomer's for 6 hours - and we met three other dogs being walked, and had no barks or overt shows of hostility. In fact, the kids would spot the dog and walker first, look back at me, and then stop and sit about 20 feet away from the other walkers, so they could share a treat (and the dogs we met received some chicken jerky, too!). Since I've been walking the Rs late in the mornings, it's generally been sunny and warm out; yesterday afternoon, the shadows were spreading, and one could actually smell fall - damp leaves, turned earth, a spiciness from the juniper berries... it was pleasant, and very different from morning walks. - I feel a need to acknowledge Southwest Airlines in Denver. One of their officials saw a report on the local news about how little the local food banks have for Thanksgiving. The official started working the company big-wigs, and Southwest just donated 4100 frozen turkeys and a check for $50,000 to purchase other staples for the local homeless and needy. I am very appreciative of the gesture and gift. Have a good day today and a great weekend!

Family

Husband Jeffrey and Babe in Virginia

Kevin, Jeffrey and Krissy Devine at Devine house on Mattaponessex Church Road

Charles H. Nocks - first Navy photo

Sarah Nocks receiving award from the Missouri Highway Patrol

Odds and Ends

I had a blast walking the Rs yesterday, we went to the nursing home and then wandered through the neighborhood before stopping for a 10-minute romp with Suki and Boo. I'll be walking the kids late this afternoon as they are going to see the groomer today, and I'll being seeing my therapist during our usual walk time. - Chincoteague and Assateague are getting pounded by the remnants of Ida; they are under a Flood Watch, High Winds Watch, and a boating warning. Last night they had wind gusts from the east-nor'east at 60 mph, and with a nasty surf and rip tides, I'd say they're going to lose large amounts of the beach again. When there was weather like this when Mom was a youngster, they'd roll up the rugs and carry them upstairs, turn off the electricity at the fuse box, move all electric things upstairs, break out the old chamberpots, and tie the family dinghy up to the front porch. I wonder if there'll be a new high tide mark in the house after this storm? - Sabi has been found. Sabi is a black Lab, a trained bomb-sniffing dog attached to an Australian unit serving in Afghanistan. In September 2008, the unit was caught in a terrible fire-fight with insurgents; at the end of the battle, Sabi was missing in action. Fourteen months later, he has been returned to his unit and is in good condition, having been found at "a distant outpost" in the hills by the US Army. If he tests out as disease free, he'll be headed home to Australia for some R & R. - And yesterday I met a young lady who plays the euphonium. She climbed aboard the bus and sat opposite me with a somewhat large carrying case that had a rounded bell on the end/side I could see. Being terribly nosy (curious?) I asked what she played - and she told me about her euphonium. I found it very interesting, and, once we arrived at the bus station, she willingly played a few notes on her horn for me. Mmmm - nice sound; smooth, warm, mellow, velvety. I thoroughly enjoyed my music lesson yesterday! - It's sunny and warm out today; we have a front coming in tomorrow and are expecting a rain and snow mix with snow on Saturday and Sunday. The kits are running in and out, chasing each other, and Gimpy has already cleaned out the peanut bowl, so I need to re-fill it. Hope you have a good day!