Help me identify the women with Captain Herodd. Leave a comment/email, please!

Marianne was a top notch nurse who had to deal with a fair amount of motion sickness. The Norwegians wear metal wristbands and seem to thwart it. Our chef was the best, too.

Our doctor was par excellance, too. His specialty seemed to be EENT, Eyes, Ears Nose & Throat. That was Geno's assignment at St. Albans' Naval Hospital in Long Island, from May, 1969 to 1971. He wanted to become a physician's associate. So much for dreams.

If anyone can identify any of the women in this group, please leave a comment. They gave me a puzzle block landscape of Norway for a present. I need to email this to them. I tried on the ship but never knowing if the signal was good, I don't know if they got it. Maybe Captain Herodd knows one of them?

Our favorite saxophone player left after one week. Too short! He was responsible for charging my cell phone. Thanks, Lisbeth!

Our favorite wait staff!!!! She was great because she found time to talk with us. We heard that they get paid $25 an hour, and their jobs get rotated.

Norwegians, Princesses and princely!

Princess Martha Louise of Norway collaborated with illustrator Svein Nyhus in their children's book, "Why Kings and Queens Don't Wear Crowns." An afternoon with a princess did not happen at the U of MN Elmer Andersen Library because she was sick. Svein carried on like a prince.

"Going for the Gold" If you can't have a crown, well, gold is up to $600 an ounce, that's Troy weight, 27 grams. The first time I saw someone wearing this I thought it was the real Olympic medal. I should have known, the real medals look like CD's on a ribbon. This one if the finest chocolate from Torino, Grandiuta. My "football" soccer jersey is the retro one of Alessandro del Piero, numero dieci, #10. Now he is #7, sete di oro, if you play scopa with Napoletana cards.

The brother of Norway's heartthrob is the quietest, most industrious worker & person. He is so sweet.

Look at those blue eyes. His illustrations make each page a wonderful work of art. Welcome to Minnesota, Svein Nyhus!

Maundy Thursday & all things blue.

Women's history month...what about the rest of the year? We can't even get the Equal Rights Amendment passed. It took until 1920 to get to vote. Why rush?
To be a mother...each culture interprets it differently. It is the ultimate responsibility. Que mujer!
Roberto, Simona & Alice in Roma, Italia. No blue eyes in this group. Big brown ones!
Italian cousins Simona and Alice in Rome checking out USA Ranelli Gregory family photos.
Erminia plans to cook up a storm, especially using veal, with treasures Paolo brings home.


Proudly standing in front of his medals of honor. He warned us not to go to Sicily, because it was dangerous there. He remembered me. He has a box of everything I have ever sent him in the last forty years!!

Eyes of blue, Zio Mario Di Nino, brother of Grandma Concettina Di Nino Ranelli, 86 years old, Former carabinier, highest military Italian polizia.
Streets of blue.
Pockets of blue.
City of blue.
Norwegian stave church & cemetery. Minnesota has its own replica.
Water is so healing & refreshing.
The Last Supper, Maundy Thursday. Washing of the feet. Way of the Cross. Via dolorosa. Crucifixion. da Vinci code? Gospel of Judas? Shroud of Turin, not on exhibit during the Olympics, but went to church anyway. Confession in Italian, absolution in Spenish.
Follow the light. Where will it lead? Doorways into doorways, inviting corridors leading, going where? Spiritual dreams. Medugorje (miracle of the sun), Yugoslavia. Now Slovakia & Croatia. Smell of roses, metal turning gold. Appartions in my unretouched photos. Signs? Only if you have faith. Only if you believe. Dubrovnik, St. Blase Cathedral, blessing of the throat. Why did he still die of multiple myeloma cancer?
Art historical interpretation of the descent from the cross. Golgotha, hill of skulls, necropolis...the killing fields, repeated daily.