It’s Like Riding A Bike – Or not

How often have you heard the expression: It’s just like riding a bike? Something you used to do – and overall, do well – then you stop doing it, then you do it again. The concept is that you can just pick up right where you left off and still know how to do it. Like riding a bike. Right? Wrong.

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What’s Going On At the Baer House?

Well, it’s been a year now and we’re getting to know the bed and breakfast routine pretty well. We’re also becoming familiar with the highs and lows of tourist traffic patterns here in Vicksburg. Vicksburg is very much a tourist town, but I think it’s pretty accurate to say we definitely have a tourist “season,” and thank the good lord for that.

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Horsing Around in Skagway Like Nobody Else Can Can

Another day, another port. Today we explore the northern most port on our cruise – Skagway, Alaska.

The long walk into Skagway, Alaska. Photo by P. Rickrode 2014.

Today our luck was fading. While it never rained, we did experience the Alaska drizzle, fog and dampness. Despite the gray skies, our spirits soared as we traveled through the metropolis (I say that with tongue-in-cheek) of Skagway and into the wilds of Dyea, a former mining mecca of the northern frontier.

The road to Dyea. Photo by P. Rickrode 2014

Me and my sweetie pie. Dyea, Alaska 2014.

After a half hour van ride across a bumpy gravel, oft-times, one-lane road, our Chilkoot horseback adventure began.

The ranch – Chilkoot Horseback Adventures. Photo by P. Rickrode 2014.

The trusty steeds – Chilkoot Horseback Adventures – Dyea, Alaska. Photo by P. Rickrode 2014.

We saddled up and headed into lush, dense woodlands, heading for the boggy marshes and estuaries of the Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park.

Me and my better half aboard our beasts of burden Sage and . . . I can’t remember the other horse’s name. Dyea Valley, Alaska 2014.

Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park – Dyea, Alaska. Photo by P. Rickrode 2014.

My hopes remained high that I would yet see a bear, although I was not overjoyed that, if it was going to happen, it would be from the back of a four-legged creature known for fleeing at the slightest threat. So much for my chances of capturing a photo.

Dyea Flats – Dyea Alaska. Photo by P. Rickrode 2014.

Dyea, Alaska. Photo by P. Rickrode 2014.

After a morning slogging through abandoned logging roads and fog, and not seeing bears or any other wildlife for that matter, we arrived back in town for some on-foot exploration. We discovered a quaint little theater known for it’s Days of ’98 Show With Soapy Smith, which has played continuously in Skagway since 1923. That’s a true story – same show for 91 years. (No – not the same actors. I know some of you are going to ask that question.)

This melodrama-esque show is based on a real life person – Soapy Smith – and the actors do an admirable job of relaying history in a funny, yet poignant way. Towards the end of the show, the ladies in the cast performed a little dance number that required the assistance of two audience members, one of whom you may recognize.

P. Rickrode and the cast of the “Days of ’98” show (Gold Rush Productions) – Skagway, Alaska. Photo by C. Rickrode 2014

That’s right, I made my Skagway debut on the stage that day, although I was apparently the only one who did not stop dancing when the music stopped. Seems my exuberance was more than this little acting troupe could handle, thus making this my debut and farewell performance all at the same time.

So, there you have it, my adventures in Skagway. Have you ever, as an unsuspecting audience member, been called upon to use your hidden acting/dancing/speaking/juggling/whatever skills in a totally impromptu manner? What hidden skills do you possess? Come on. Spill the beans. I know you have that one thing.

Word of the day: Jalousie (No that wasn’t my stage name)

Fun fact about me: My very first live stage performance was at a melodrama theater much like this one in Skagway. Ah, the memories.

Original post by Jansen Schmidt, September 2014. Original photos by P. and C. Rickrode.

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Heading North by Cruise Ship

So by now you’re all sick of me talking about Texas so we’re going to give that little outing a rest. It’s time to start focusing on my upcoming cruise. That’s right, in September I’ll be sailing on the deep blue sea, headed north to Alaska.

Carnival Liberty docked at Cozemel, Mexico.
Original photo by P. Rickrode

I don’t know about you, but I love cruising. Only on a cruise can you be in a different port every morning, miles away from where you were yesterday and not have to pack your things and move to a new hotel. On a cruise, your hotel goes with you. Stellar!

Now, I’ve been on several cruises, to several glorious destinations: Eastern Caribbean, Western Caribbean, Mexico, Hawaii, but this will be my first journey to Alaska. And the bonus? I can check another thing off my bucket list. You see, it’s a goal of mine to visit every state in our great nation before I meet my maker. So far, with the exception of Alaska, I’ve been in every state west of the Mississippi River and all but the far north eastern corner on the east side. I’ve been as far up as Virginia but that’s it. Some day I’ll visit that last corner of the US.

But, I digress. I’m gearing up for my journey north and in so doing, I’ve been doing some on line research. I don’t want to miss any of the important stuff when I’m in port. Whilst surfing the web, I came across this silly video about cruising that made me giggle. I wanted to share it with you. It’s short and hopefully will bring a smile.

And so I leave you with this question: Have you ever danced behind someone without their knowledge? Would you ever? I think I just might have to give this a go when I get on the ship in a few weeks. Stay tuned for my report (and with any luck a video).

Word of the Day: Zaffer (zaffre)

Fun fact about me: I have owned 9 cars in my life; all but the very first one were brand new when I bought them.

Original post by Jansen Schmidt, August 2014. Original photos by P. Rickrode. Video courtesy You Tube.

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What Haven’t I Done?

It’s a new year and that means new ideas! So this year here at Blogging From the Edge of Eternity I’m starting a new game. It’s time for the first installment of “What Haven’t I.”

For the first installment I’ll focus on theater related questions. Some months there might be a theme, some months it might just be random silliness. Either way, 3 of the 4 things listed I will have honestly done. 1 of the things, I have not. If you follow my blog, you should be able to answer some of these questions.

There are no rules really, just read the questions, the multiple choice answers and guess which thing among the four listed you think  – I have not. There’s only a few questions so it won’t take much of your time. Record your answers in the comments section below, because on January 30th, I’ll be awarding the first person with the most correct answers with a lovely prize. You can’t win if you don’t play.

I hope you have some fun and learn a little more about me in the process. Remember, you must put your answers in the comments section below in order to qualify for the prize. Oh, and you must check back to see if you’ve won because I will not contact the winner unless they acknowledge on my blog that they’ve won. Sort of like, you must be present to win.

Oh, one more rule – Husband, you cannot play this first round. (You won’t like the prize anyway.) As always general comments are welcome if you choose not to play along.

So without further ado, let the games begin:

#1 – What show haven’t I been in?

a) Anything Goes; b) Annie Get Your Gun; c) Once Upon a Mattress; or d) Camelot

#2 – What form of dance haven’t I studied?

a) Polynesian; b) Clogging; c) Belly Dance; or d) Irish

3# – What song haven’t I sang on stage?

a) Downtown; b) Oh Holy Night; c) Moonshine Lullaby; or d) Play The Game

#4 – What character haven’t I played on stage?

a) A boy; b) A hobo; c) A harlot; or d) A Queen

#5 – What costume haven’t I worn on stage?

a) Suit of armor; b) Cat suit; c) Nun’s habit; or d) Neglige

#6 – Which thing have I not done on stage during a performance?

a) Smoked a cigarette; b) Kissed a girl; c) Disrobed; or d) Fired a gun

#7 – Which role haven’t I performed:

a) Director; b) Choreographer; c) Lighting Designer; or d) Costume mistress

So there you go. Good luck! I look forward to your guesses.

Word of the Day:  Ogee

Fun fact about me: I used to make my own clothes (this might be a hint)

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It’s Two Games in One!

It may be just plain lazy, but I’m calling it multi-tasking. This month, I’m playing along with three different people and their chain blogs.

On August 14th Myndi Shafer posted “The Letter B to the Tenth Degree” http://myndishafer.wordpress.com/2012/08/14/the-letter-b-to-the-tenth-degree/ and on August 21st, KB Owen posted “Grateful for the Letter R and Myndi Shafer” http://kbowenmysteries.com/posts/grateful-for-the-letter-r-and-myndi-shafer/.  I’m  playing the letter game with “Why I Love the Letter D.” See below for my reasons.

But I am also playing the Booker Award game with my friend and SVR chaptermate, Cyndi Faria. http://www.cyndifaria.wordpress.com The rules are simple.  Someone nominates me (see Cyndi’s blog for my nomination) and links my post. I blog about my 5 favorite books and nominate 3 other people to play on their blog.  Upon nomination, should you choose to accept the award and play along, you put the Booker Award photo in your blog (cut and paste from the my blog), list your 5 favorite books, link back to me and nominate 3 others who in turn link back to you.

My list of books and nominees are listed below my favorite “D” things.

So, without further ado, let the games begin!

Why I love the letter “D”, or, what things that start with the letter “D” do I love, is probably more appropriate but awkward to say.

Dark chocolate. I like all forms of chocolate really, but dark chocolate is my favorite. I can’t rightly say why. I just prefer it. And I’m told it’s actually good for you so I try to slip in a little bit evey week or so, as a precautionary measure you understand. It’s purely medicinal. And can I help it if he happens to pair nicely with port wine?

Dogs. Take a look at that sweet face and tell me that I need to expound on the reasons why I love dogs. There’s just no getting around it – I’m a sucker for that face. Every dog has one. And again, I’ve read that owning a dog will actually improve your life-span. So again, in a conscientious effort to maintain good health, I’m a proud dog owner. (P.S. This is not MY dog. My dog won’t sit still long enough to be photographed. The paparazzi have tried.)

Distilled spirits. Need I say more? It’s all about good health this month. I know what you’re thinking, but hear me out. A little liquor loosens the muscles and joints and helps me move better and relax. A nice cosmo or snifter of brandy helps me sleep. A glass of wine improves the quality of my cooking. I love cooking with wine. Sometimes I even put it in the food. Of course too much of a good thing can have an adverse effect and I strongly recommend moderation. And never, and I do mean NEVER drink and drive! Natalie Hartford will tell you why in her blog. http://nataliehartford.com/2012/08/31/impaired-driver-kills-parents-of-5-and-serves-only-7-months-in-jail/

Diana, Princess of Wales. She is, in my book, hands down the most beautiful woman who ever walked the planet. If there was one person I could meet in the whole entire world, it would be Princess Diana. I love her spirit and determination. She bucked the rules at the palace when it came to raising her kids. I admire her stength to end a loveless marriage despite seemingly insurmountable obstacles and the whole world watching. I think her world views were ones to be emulated. She was caring and empathetic. I know if she were still with us, she’d be proud of the children she raised. (Except maybe that wild child, Harry, but you have to love him, too. Strip billards? He’s welcome at my party any time!) It was fifteen years ago that the world lost this beautiful soul. May she rest in peace.

Dancing. Any form, but in particular, Irish dancing. Who doesn’t love Riverdance? If you haven’t seen it, visit You Tube and watch. I could have posted a link, but I’m lazy so you’ll have to look it up yourself.

Disney. All things Disney!  This one is a no brainer. Unless you’re been trapped on a desserted island somewhere and have never visited my blog, FB page or know me personally, you’re probably wondering why this one wasn’t at the top of my list. Answer: It should have been and it would have been, but my efforts to cut and paste were fruitless and I ended up screwing all of the formatting up on the other stuff so I just left it here. (Damn WordPress!)

Diamonds, and not the baseball kind. This one should probably be a little higher on the list as well, but for the same reason stated above, it’s staying here.

Desserts. I’m not a huge of all desserts, but certain ones will tempt me every time. Like pie. Fruit pie. I love fruit pie. And birthday cake. I can never resist a piece of birthday cake. And I’d really love a piece of this yummy looking thing. Anyone know what it is and how to make it?

Deserts. Deserts have a mystical aura about them that I love. There is something hauntingly beautiful in every desert I’ve visited. The silence and the way the shadows slide across the distant mountains is awe-inspiring. When they bloom, deserts are some of the most beautiful places in the world. And most people avoid the desert so usually it’s a nice vacation spot if you’re seeking some solitude. Unless you’re visiting the Burning Man Festival, in which case you will most definitely NOT alone. If you’re not familiar with this, Google it. It’s crazy, weird and fascinating. But don’t get hurt if you go because you are days away from help. The festival truly takes place in the middle of nowhere. I know because I’ve been there. Not to the festival, but the location in Nevada. It is about as desolate as your can get.

And, my most favorite “D:”

“To have and to hold, from this day forward. In sickness and in health, for richer or for poorer . . . “

. . . my Darling. This wonderful man asked for my hand in marriage almost 12 years ago and he has stood faithfully by my side ever since. He’s my hero, my rock star, and my cowboy.

Now for the Booker Award portion of this month’s blog. Because I don’t have favorite books, so much, I’m going to list favorite authors, in no particular order:

1 – Phyllis Whitney. My mother used to read Phyllis Whitney’s books when I was a youngster and when she felt I was old enough to handle the adult content, she passed them along to me. Not that they are in any way erotic, because they are FAR from that, but a certain level of maturity is required to truly appreciate them.  After reading my very first novel, I was hooked. My keeper shelf has every book she ever wrote on it and I will not part with even one of them.

2 – Linda Chakin. She only wrote a few books, that I’m aware of, and then she disappeared. I never tried to find out why, but I miss her stories. She wrote mostly historical, faith-based books that came to life in my hands. Again, I believe I have every book she ever wrote on my keeper shelf.

3 – Linda Castillo. This is a new author to me and I can’t get enough of her books. I fell in love with her Kate Burkholder series set in Amish country and I always wait, impatiently, for the next book in the series to come out. The first book in the series is being made into a movie and I can’t wait to see it!

4 – Christine Feehan. In particular, her Drake Sisters series and her new Sea Haven series.

5 – Victoria Holt. Again, this is author from yesteryear, so to speak, but her romantic suspense novels are awesome and she was the second author I fell in love with as a young person with a passion for reading. While I don’t have every book she ever wrote on my keeper shelf, I probably have most of them.

Now for my nominees, may I have the envelope please (drum roll):  Jeannette Marie Powell, Pat O’Dea, and Louise Beheil, come on down. You are the next contentants on the Booker Award blog game.  Anyone else who wants to play along, please feel free to do so. Just let me know so I can pay you a visit and check out your books. And don’t forget to link back to this blog so others can see how to play.

So there you have it. Two games in one. I hope you’e enjoyed this month’s blog and that you’ll take a few minutes to visit the links above and check out the authors I’ve shared with you. I’d love to know some of your favorite “D” words, or favorite books and/or authors, so why not tell me about them in the comments section below.

Word of the day:  Juvenescent

Bonus fun fact about me (besides the ones listed above): When I was in high school, I could run a mile in less than six minutes. (Ginger Calem would be proud! http://www.gingercalem.wordpress.com)

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