My previous blog of September 1st was titled “Ich bin ein Berliner” this one ends with “I bin a Bayer” in the sphere of Oktoberfest.

One of the best transatlantic flights, there have been many, I ever had. On an airline I had never heard of. The Icelandic Happy Airline. I was impressed with their online booking setup and when checking in at Schiphol on September 26 that was the fastest and smoothest experience ever. On the leg from Reykjavik to Baltimore I had a emergency exit row with lots of legroom and the center seat stayed empty. But, alas, Happy Airline ceased to operate four days later.

I am still on the Hard in the Yard, siting next to my shopping Card at wall-Mart, (can be sung to the Dutch tune of “Op de hoek van de straat…”) while waiting for the southbound bus with the last items I need to ant-foul Fleetwood IV’s bottom. When done I expect to be launched again, after they move a fleet of huge boats from around my spot. I’ve been busy trying to get a new US phone working. It has been another nightmare like I have gone through on the last four annual re-entries into God’s country. Verizon, Ting, Boost, Google Fi and last year’s T-Mobile.

T-mobile had my most recent phone number and I tried to re-open my subscription but they refused to use the three absolutely good credit cards I have. Noone else has this problem. So, then there is this senseless exchange where they have to  send me a security check to the phone that they have blocked. So, I still had a good sim card from a previous attempt to use Google Fi. Everything worked fine until they had to come up with a new phone number for me. They kept sending me messages with an apology for the delay, but were still working on the number. For the next 12 days. So, I settled on a new service and new $100 phone with Verizon.

Please, use the above 253-294-1022 number from now on. Also for Whatsapp. I’ll be checking the Dutch number 31-649676419 less frequently on my Dutch cell phone.

I lost an inch from my waist line having raw cole slaws for dinner. My 26 kg LPG tank ran out and so far I have not found a way to fill the tank. It has a German valve and the system here is set up for the barbeque grill propane tanks. I have had some help from the German mfr of the nice allu tank but no adapter found. So, most likely Lou Engretti the ironmonger friend here who did some very creative work in straightening the bend rudder shaft on Fleetwood II in 2018, after the 2017 shipwreck, will try to make up a custom adapter. In the meantime I purchased a one burner camping propane stove and had my first home cooked meal last might and real coffee this morning.

One new thing this old goat learned in the 6 trips I took up to see Lou in Exmore and to Wallmart, about 40 miles north of here, is a a piece of Americana that I have been involuntarily been sheltered from for most of my life in America. 99% of the riders are local African Americans.  They know every one by first names in the 50 square mile territory, and their parents and their siblings. The back and forth chatter is hilarious but kind and respectful. It makes the over one hour ride with side trips into a landscape that I have seldom be exposed to an eye/ear opener. If I do this a few more times I might be able to add another language to my five plus languages, so far I am at about 50% of it. But enough that I envy my black brothers and sisters and wished more of it would rub off on me.

This evening we celebrated the Birthday of Laila Moretto at the home of Sharon Whitman. Laila’s birthday was on October the 9^th which happens to be the same brthday as my Dad. He could have been her granddad if her grandmother had wanted him. And my daughter. Laila was born in Nazareth, Israel. Her mother is Armenian who grew up in Eastern Turkey and her father was raised in Egypt and just like the other Nazarene father was a carpenter. She speaks fluent Arabic and Hebrew. Visiting her cradle is very high on my list for the years I have left. The picture was taken by Susan Kovacs. I will send a link to my super-duper Dutch dentista, Linsey, she did one fine job on those lower teeth.

Just to fill you in on the progress of the latest developments on “Fleetwood III” in Amsterdam. I decided to repaint the cabin roof and window sides. Even though both hull and cabin roof paint job by the seller looked very good, I discovered that in the spots where a machine sander could not be used the paint was coming loose. They had not removed the obstacles. I did it right and removed these and in the process found more rot to be removed, which extended the time I had allotted. My nephew is removing the masking tape.

The judge gave us a deadline of October 28 to respond to the retort from the vendor to our claim. And that has kept me busy the last ten days. The vendor has figured out that I have lost my e-mails to him from before June 10, 2024.  When Go Daddy screwed me in the migration of my jack@cometosea.us address to Microsoft. So, he claims that I never communicated with him for 2 years until I sent him the last bill the end of 2024. And that this solves his problem. But this might actually proves to the judge that he is a crook. Because we can prove his double hibernation, after all. And I am blessed with a very competent defender and from what I have seen of his representation, his is the opposite. But it remains a game of luck and, please, say a prayer to God or your preferred deity. Also, I have a favor to ask. My lawyer asks if I can rustle up a few written testimonies from any of you who recall me speaking or communicating in e-mails or in these many blogs I wrote since the story began in late May 2022, about the fact that I mentioned that the job was not done yet and that there would be more bills to send to the vendor. Remember that, until now I have kept these highly entertaining blogs without commercials, so you owe me a favor. Or else….

I intend to fly to the N.W. on November 15 for Thanksgiving and return after St. Nicholas, December 5^th and then head south for the winter. I hope to make a short trip North on the Chesapeake to visit friends in Kinsale and to pick up a furling drum for “Fleetwood III” near St Michaels, Md. before November 15^th. I plan vote here on November 4^th. Here in Virginia my vote can make a difference. Not in Western Washington.

This Sunday evening we have an Oktober Fest dinner at our parish hall. I shall have my lederhosen on and sing: “Ein, Zwei, Sufa…… “ Und erzeigen was Ich vertragen kann…..