Observe, Do Not Disturb

Have you ever wanted to hold a giant silky soft fish?

It goes against my training as a diver, “Observe, DO NOT Disturb”.

I knew it was wrong and just like my recent rebellious photography at St George’s church, I loved it anyway.

I do seem to be breaking the rules more in my old age.

What’s worse for divers than touching a wild animal?

Feeding it!! (We did that too).

Southern stingrays LOVE squid.  They adore it.  They love it so much they will let two people hold them as long as they are in company with the squid bringers.

They love it so much they use a professional vacuum amount of force to suck it out of your hand.

I’ve never experienced anything quite like it.

Would you hold a squid under a vacuum cleaner if it was wild and free?

And in the 50 or 60 dives I’ve done over the years, I’ve only seen one southern stingray and a few spotted eagle rays.  Well, once I saw a school a devil rays and there were about 25 of them but I was snorkeling and I didn’t get to touch or feed them…

Today I saw, felt, touched or fed about 20.  And I need you to understand the ones we got pictures with were the SMALL ones.

They rubbed on my legs in greeting like a cat waiting for a can of tuna.

The biggest one even hip checked me, perhaps because he could.  Perhaps because he had a bit of a pre-squid feeding frenzy.

I was giddy for hours after.  In fact, I still feel a little in awe.

Move over monkeys, I have a new animal for the top 5….

P.S.  We only had 10 people with us because we asked our hotel owner to book us any day, any time, when the cruise ship people would not be there.  I’ve heard they take up to 200 people.  That would not be enjoyable.  I preferred our 2/1 stingray to people ratio.

Do not go gentle into that good night

My dad’s journey on this Earth is finished. His M.S. caused his days to be filled with emotional and physical pain but he fought back with his constant jokes and stories. I picture him running through heaven, running like he has not been able to in decades, hopefully from one fishing hole to the next.

My dad made friends everywhere he went. He loved to laugh and to make those around him laugh. He wanted people around him to be happy, even better if he could be the source of that happiness.

He often told me he loved to hear me giggle. So I will try, to giggle, remembering the good times, for the rest of my days when I think of him.

When he had a heart attack about 10 days ago, this poem came to mind. I have been reciting it in my head over and over, selfishly the last 10 days. Wanting him to stay with us a little longer, wanting him to fight, desperate to have him rage against the dying of the light. But today, I tearfully realize, he did fight his whole life. He stayed with us longer than he could have. And for those who know the whole story, we were united as a family in the end. Apologies were made, regrets were voiced and what more could I ask for from the man who raised me to believe in myself. To believe in God, and to believe in reason, logic and humor. Farewell for now father, I will try to take all the good that you taught me and make you proud. And I shall continue the fight, and I will not go gentle into that good night.

Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Though wise men at their end know dark is right,
Because their words had forked no lightning they
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright
Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight,
And learn, to late, they grieved it on its way,
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight
Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

And you, my father, there on that sad height,
Curse, bless, me now with your fierce tears, I pray.
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

–Dylan Thomas

DeLyle Clair Southam passed away on January 22, 2013. His final days were spent with his family around him. He touched the lives of many throughout his lifetime with his outgoing and friendly nature, quick wit and with the sparkle in his eyes as he told a joke. In his younger years he loved to fish, hunt, dance and spend time outdoors. He served in the National Guard for six years. He earned a Master’s in Guidance and Counseling and he worked for CES as a beloved seminary and institute teacher for over 20 years. He loved his family, a good meal and a great movie. He battled Multiples Sclerosis for over 50 years, never giving up hope. He served a mission for and was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and he had a strong testimony in Christ. He married Carol Southam in the Salt Lake City Temple then they had four daughters. DeLyle is survived by his brother Lavar Southam, his wife Carol Southam, his daughters Kristine Sipple, Renee Reid, Wendy Southam, Debra Fisher and his three grandchildren JJ Sipple, Nicole Sipple and CJ Reid.

Stonehenge and Space Odyssey

In general I don’t love large tours.  However, I thoroughly enjoyed my trip with Premium Tours.  Our guide tried and succeeded in making us the first people to enter Windsor Castle, which enabled me to have my fabulous experience at the church.  He cracked a lot of jokes throughout the day and provided a lot of history and information.  He also didn’t mind when we went out on our own.

But my favorite thing he did was timing the theme song to the Space Odyssey with the first sighting of Stonehenge.  As the bus climbed the hill we listened to the beginning of the song and as soon as it went “DUH NAAAAH” we spotted it.  It may sound cheesy but it made it even more impressive.

Not that the 40 ton rocks that are between 4-5 thousand years old need additional fanfare to make them impressive.  But like Darth Vader walking around to the Imperial March, it does add to the overall effect.

Our guide told us that a few years ago a team of engineers, archaeologists and scientists tried to move just one of these rocks the 250 miles by the leading theory of how they were moved thousands of years ago.  They made it to the river and it got stuck.

Did you know Stonehenge was used as target practice by planes during World War II?

This artist was bundled up and sketching the monument.

Did you know the sun lines up through each archway (if they were all there) during each month?  And it lines up perfectly through the top and the bottom stone (think 12 and 6 on a clock) when it’s summer and winter solstice?

Did you know it’s fun to play with your shadow and dance, even if other people stare at you and think you’re a little crazy?

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Did you know the Bluestones are warmer than the air in the winter and colder than the air in the summer?

If you don’t take a tour here, or if your guide is not as fantastic as mine, I highly recommend listening to the Space Odyssey theme song anyway.  It just fits.

Windsor

When it’s sunny, the outside of the castle is as impressive as the inside.

The British flag and the Queens flag were both flying high.  When the Queen’s flag is up it means she is here, but I didn’t see her, Prince William, Prince Henry or catch a sighting of Kate.  Maybe Kate & William got their own place after they got hitched?

I followed the “no pictures” rule inside the State Apartments because of the crowds and the guards.  And because my tail was still between my legs after the scolding in the church.

After viewing the apartments I went to the changing of the guards.  This alternates, every other day between Windsor and Buckingham.

It was impressive!  The beat of the drums echoed throughout the area and after the guard change a military band played Christmas Carols for about 30 minutes.

I decided to each lunch on my own instead of with the tour bus.  I enjoyed wandering through the streets to find a pub.

I found a great place and enjoyed a steak and potato pie.

Then I wandered through a few shops until it was time to meet everyone at the bus.

Windsor town is cute!

A Thousand Words

If you wake up in London on day four and the sun is shining, do not hesitate to go to Windsor Castle.  Take the train, car or a coach.

If you carefully jockey your position so you are the third person to enter when it opens at 10am, even if the queen is in, do not follow your audio guide, map or numbers…go to St George’s Chapel.  You may even want to run.

If you arrive at 10:04, you may be there before any of the vergers.  In which case, you may choose to ignore all the “no photography” signs.  After all, those signs are for the people who do not know how to disable their flashes…  Those signs are for people who will disturb other people with their photography…  But if you are alone taking photos without flash, is it really wrong?

I couldn’t help myself, the stone glowed with morning light.  It called to me.  It was begging to be photographed.  For I could write a thousand words for each picture I took that day, but it would not be enough to describe the peace and beauty of that morning.  So I will let these photos speak for themselves, although I tell you, they do not do justice to the chapel at Windsor.  So you should visit it yourself.

The area that honors the Order of the Garter was incredible.  Each flag and helmet represents a coat of arms for a Knight in the highest order of chivalry.  I entered the room so quietly the vergers who were in deep conversation did not hear me.

And then, I finally got caught by the kind fellow in this picture.  I felt horribly guilty, just not quite guilty enough to delete all my previously taken photographs.

Here are the beautiful doors I shamefully exited through.  I doubt I was the first to leave ridden with guilt while thinking, “it was worth it”.