Story 14April2023

It was the end of the RMS Titanic 111 years ago. The SS California is stuck in the ice. The seas are perfectly calm, and you can see for miles in the crow’s nest on the foremast of the Titanic. It is bitterly cold, with the salty sea being colder than freezing. RMS Titanic is still alone. The coal strike has reduced the number of ships out today. RMS Olympic, the sister ship of Titanic, has left and is headed to New York just about a day behind Titanic. She will be known as Old Reliable, survived a collision with a warship (thus giving her and the Titanic the unsinkable label), sinks a U-boat in World War 1 by raming, tows a torpedoed battleship, and survives a torpedo attack (the dud broke her double hull–installed after the disaster and the damage was found in her post-war refit), and is finally scrapped after being the choice for movie stars and the wealthy to cross the Atlantic until the Queen Mary arrives. I have a piece of Olympic in my collection from a first-class stateroom.

The RMS Republic sank only three years ago after a collision in the fog. The radio was able to call for help, and the lifeboats from other liners were able to help. Most passengers and crew were saved (except those lost to the collision). The new radio was declared the savior for the passengers, and all important ships now carried the Marconi wireless. The great risk to liners was considered to be fire and collisions. The Titanic and other early liners all used electric lights to avoid open flames. The water-tight door system, having been proved in the Olympic when it was rammed, removed the last chance of all known casualties. Stricken ships in this new modern world could always call for help.

The night was moonless and pitch black 111 years ago in the northern Atlantic. The field of icebergs, reported by the SS California, was known. The Titanic wireless had demanded that the nearby SS California stop using its radio as it was jamming the Titanic’s signal. The wireless in California was then taken offline. The iceberg, the first one spotted, was hit as the ship tried to spin around it. The single hull was punctured for about 300 feet, causing unsurvivable damage. This was late on the 14th, and it took until the 15th, past midnight, to determine that RMS Titanic was doomed.

A CQD and later SOS were sent; California, the only nearby liner, did not know about the stricken ship. Instead, ships that were too far away to help in time rushed anyway. Olympic was a day away, but she rushed full speed to her sistership. RMS Carpathia rushed through the ice and hurried to the rescue, but it was too late for most, but Carpathia was able to get the lifeboat survivors aboard and safe as the sea turned choppy. This includes the Unsinkable Molly Brown. The end of Titanic started 111 years ago today, alone in the Northern Atlantic surrounded by ice.

For me, today started, as usual, for Fridays, working from home. When I woke, I was relieved that none of the breathing issues reoccurred, and I felt better. I slept into 7:30ish and then found my way to breakfast, an NYC bagel with cream cheese (I still have a few frozen, thanks, Joyce), and drank all the liberal coffee made in my French Press. The project has two data conversions and testing running this weekend; ugh! I spent the whole morning in various status and information-sharing Zoom meetings. I read status, emails, and Slack channel updates all morning–keeping informed.

I made a taco salad out of leftover taco meat (reheated in the microwave), some shells I baked, and salad items (lettuce, chopped carrots, celery, olives, and sour cream. I ate this while watching a few shows on YouTube from some fav channels (Battleship New Jersey, Ship Happens, The Discriminating Gamer, and Cody Carlson P.h.D.).

I next boarded Air Volvo after loading the cargo hold with my Apple and Nike laptop and Grand Hotel Austria board game. Air Volvo delivered me to Susie’s place at the hummingbird house in Portland (Tigard) at Allegiance Senior Care LLC, 9925 SW 82nd. Ave. Portland (Tigard), OR 97223; phone (503) 246-4116. The traffic was a bit heavy near 217, and Hall Boulevard as Hall was reduced to one lane for construction. But I arrived without issue.

It was 64F (17.78C), sunny, and had no rain (yes, we get rain when sunny), and the wind in Tigard was non-existent (there was a cold wind in Beaverton). Perfect. Ana, the nursing aide today, helped get Susie in her wheelchair and dressed in a coat and a blanket–it is so easy to get cold when just sitting. We then headed out into Metzger Park, next to the hummingbird house.

The park was busy with kids with families, folks walking dogs, and just visitors like us. We pulled up by a bench in the sun, enjoyed the warm, almost hot sun, and called Leta, Susie’s mother. Susie and Leta were delighted to chat outside. The sun made it comfy, and all the kids running around was nice. The bugs, primarily bees, were out, and I saw a hummingbird zip by. The park manager was also out, and he stopped by to chat; he was pleased with the crowd, and you could see he was proud of how excellent the park was. He got the new crushed gravel in the parking lots, and the grass was mowed. It looked amazing.

We have a redwood in the park that loses its needles for the winter, a particular tree that the park manager was happy to point out to us. I was concerned it looked dead, but he said it was a favorite and would soon look fabulous.

We soon finished chatting with Leta and the park official, and Susie wanted more travel in the park. Obviously, she was not cold. So I pushed her through the rest of the park, up the streets, and back to the hummingbird house. The little daisies were out, the daffodils were bright, and various trees were still flowering. But, again, Susie was looking everywhere–last time, everything was wet and tired; Spring was full running today in the sun.

We returned to Susie’s room in the hummingbird house, and Ana got Susie safe in her bed. I sat in the chair beside her and followed along at work while Susie watched M.A.S.H. on her TV. At 4PM, I stopped following along at work (I also read the rules of Grand Hotel Austria again as I might play it on Saturday night for my birthday) and started on Susie’s fingernails. I had new supplies, and it could quickly remove the old chipped paint. I soon had all her nails stripped of pain and used a nail file to remove rough edges. I painted the nails again and carefully removed any overpainting. We let that dry (almost a whole M.A.S.H. episode), and I put on a clear topcoat. Susie was excited to have her painted nails back. Later, I found Ana had started on this for the other gals, and she was surprised I did the nails for Susie, “just once in a while,” I said. It was not nearing 5PM, and time for me to head out.

I left with a kiss, and Susie needed a nap.

After more traffic, I arrived at BJ’s Brewhouse and had a Porkchop. There I wrote the blog. I had Jill as my waiter today. The food was perfect.

Here is Mister Lincoln tea rose enjoying the day–a few months from a flower. Notice how large the canes are–it was just a stick last year!

Thanks for reading.