21 December 2008

Suez

it's 0335 in the am and we're approaching the Suez canal. The pilot is onboard,
we're somewhere in the convoy, but I have no idea as I'm down below and it's
dark out and you can't see anything on the CCTV. C/E D to be relieved today but
C/E B missed his connection in Paris ... one of the worst feelings ever for a
seaman. Once you're mentally "relieved" to have to stay a minute longer is
torture. Seems B will get a different flight to Cairo and manage to join us as
we leave the canal later this afternoon, but nothing is certain until he
actually arrives.

So I'm passing some hours down here, watching the plant, available if something
goes amiss, but confident it won't. No conversation with the second engineer as
he is inadequate to his job, and must realize it as he spends an inordinate
amount of resources trying to suck up to me, and I'll have none of it. Do your
job and we'll get along fine; we get along fine anyways but I'm not willing to
exchange chit chat when I'm carrying you on my back.

Made a few loaves of bread, using the NYTimes "no knead method" and suddenly I
don't get greeted in the morning with "Good morning, Jonathan" but rather
"Jonathan, you bake bread today?" and "Jonathan, please, come, show me to make
bread, I must teach my wife. This is really tasty."

2 comments:

  1. Jonathan,

    Thank you for the updates. It's very evocative.

    Seattle is snowed under. 7 or 8 inches of snow in my front yard--most I've ever seen here.

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  2. i like kneading... there's something deeply satisfying about transforming a ball of goo into something with its own new elastic life... still, i'm sure your bread was delicious! oooh - Bens is just home, in the snow, having gone out for chocolate for me... yum!!

    wishing you a very merry xmas Jonathan!
    cheers!!
    meg

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