Christmas Eve
Offshore between Puerto Vallarta and Acapulco
December 24, 2017
The day began and ended with a Mass, the first for the fourth Sunday of Advent and the second, at Midnight, to celebrate Christmas.
In between was a relaxed, enjoyable Christmas Eve. My first accomplishment after the morning Mass was to recruit a couple of Battle Creek residents to the Franklin congressional cause.
My “Lake Michigan: Unsalted” shirt caught their eye, at which point they made the mistake of asking whether I was from Michigan or if I had family there.
The hook baited, I reeled them in so they are now flopping within the shell of George’s 6th district boat. For reinforcement, I also brought my “Glenn Store” T-shirt, so will put that to use in coming days to lure further prey.
In addition to a book on the Donner Party (including a large contingent of Breens) that my mother kindly provided, I also have begun (in a race against our itinerary) David McCullough’s Path Between the Seas, checked out yesterday from the ship library.
The books, as I think about it, are related. While many ostensibly insurmountable obstacles argued against construction of the Panama Canal, the Donner Party provides a powerful affirmative counter-argument.
As I alternated between these books this afternoon in the Crow’s Nest, we were given an unexpected gift on a warm clear day as an escort of at least fifty dolphins cascaded for what must have been ten minutes along the bow of the ship. David and I, with a gathering crowd, were astounded by both the persistence and proximity of our aquatic companions.
Donning our finest for a formal Christmas celebration, we convened among the decked halls of our festive vessel, enjoyed a formal dinner, and an entertaining comedic magician.
Midnight Mass was preceded by a moving and beautiful performance, first by the Amsterdam singers and dancers, then by a chorus of the Philippino crew, followed by another from Indonesia. Another singer supplied a rendition of O Holy Night that brought tears down faces and patrons to their feet.
Merry Christmas,
JD
