jamesmasonjordan

Obrigado, Azores.

The Jordan family makes it back to the Azores and Pico Island to discover their roots in August 2019. We all fell in love with these islands and their people and can’t wait to return. My family and I started this quest with a small bit of knowledge, few expectations, and high hopes for having…

Jerry Enroth 1945-2019

Style. Grace. Love. Beauty. She made us all better people. I got the unexpected news on Monday, January 7 that my dear friend and longtime Del Campo colleague, Jerry Enroth, had died. Her light may be extinguished, but her influence will forever be with me and all who knew her. “Death lies on her like…

A yearbook story.

1984 Decamhian. A gift that keeps on giving. We made a yearbook together 35 years ago. Over the years I had gotten back in touch with 1984 editor in chief Tracy Wiedman and then assistant editor Melodi Dewey on Facebook. At some point Melodi had also run into editor in chief Jaimee Arent in their…

My Thanksgiving Memory. 49 years ago. “It’s fruitcake weather!”

November 21, 2018 Last weekend I noticed a Facebook post from Mary Beggs, a name I recognized from my past – the daughter of one of my high school English teachers at Placer High School. I only had three English teachers in high school. Mrs. Katherine Beggs for Freshman English; John Chaney for Sophomore English, and…

Cruisin’ Alaska with the Jordans – Day Seven and Eight – August 30 and 31

Day Seven. At Sea. Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. The big event of the day was I lost my phone, so there will be no pictures. (wound up using Christine’s camera) Brent Nixon Bald Eagle show. Relaxed in the morning until 10: 15 and went to the Brent Nixon Bald Eagle show at 9:15. These are…

Cruisin’ Alaska with the Jordans – Day Six

At Sea all day. We sailed out of Skagway at 6 pm. on Tuesday night and we are now heading straight to Victoria, British, Colombia. We learned that because of the Jones Act, ships with foreign registry that sail from an American port are required to stop in a foreign port at some point in…

Cruisin’ Alaska with the Jordans – Day Five

Skagway Today has been a pretty low key day. We arrived in Skagway at about 6:30 a.m. and watched the tugs maneuver us into port. As we had decided not to book an excursion, we just lounged around all morning and had a very late breakfast. If we were going to do an excursion, we…

Cruisin’ Alaska with the Jordans – Day Four

Endicott Arm Fjord and the Dawes Glacier in the Tracy Arm Wilderness Juneau and the Mendenhall Glacier Canoe Adventure Up at five for glacier watching. We decided to get up early and go up to Deck 14 as we moved toward the Dawes Glacier. The only issue was that it was raining. I went up to…

Cruisin’ Alaska with the Jordans – Day Three

Ketchikan, Alaska Slipping into port at Ketchikan. We thought it was 6 am. but it turned our it was really 5 a.m. What that meant is that we were able to watch the sunrise as we pulled closer to Ketchikan. Room Service Time. At 8 we got a little room service snack. Coffee. Tea. Assorted…

Cruisin’ Alaska with the Jordans – Day Two

Day Two – At Sea Once past Port Angeles, Washington, we headed out on the open sea as we inch along the Canadian coast toward Ketchikan and Alaska. Breakfast in the room. We decided to have breakfast delivered to the room. Coffee. Tea. Bagels. And a whole plate of bacon. Why? Because we could. And…

Cruisin’ Alaska with the Jordans – Day One

Day One – Sacramento to Seattle to Sea We never thought of ourselves as cruise people. Cruises were for older people who couldn’t navigate well by themselves anymore. Cruises were for rich people who want to wear a tux every night for dinner. Cruises were a place for bad entertainment. Cruises were just a little…

The Reality of My Retirement

What it’s been like during the first nine weeks of retirement. October 7, 2017. When you leave a career you’ve loved for 40 years, it’s easy to worry about what the transition to the retired life might be like, but I am here to report that retirement for me is off to a wonderful start….