Washouts Along The Path

Flooding during Hurricane Sandy took out a couple of sections of the walkway through the FINS area west of the Grove. Preparations are being made to replace the destroyed areas. Meanwhile you have to walk on the bay beach in a couple of spots to reach Sailor's Haven.

Healthy Japanese Dinner

Seaweed salad, edamame and soft shell crab tempura...and sake!

At Aki Philadelphia

Great Japanese food...always busy!

Law Professor Predicts Nationwide Marriage Equality in 2015

By the time the U.S. Supreme Court rules on the constitutionality of state SSM bans—probably about a year from now—there will no longer be much risk that recognizing a right to SSM will put the Court out of step with the country. By then it will be clear, as it is already clear to every judge to have ruled since Windsor, that it is, in Justice Scalia’s peculiar phrasing, possible for the Justices to “get away with” the long-overdue recognition that SSM bans violate the constitutional guarantee of equal protection of the laws.

- See more at: http://verdict.justia.com/2014/05/28/will-lower-court-consensus-sex-marriage-influence-supreme-court#sthash.LtuUy5Z7.dpuf

Torrential Rainfall

In Philadelphia at lunchtime...Whole Foods Store.

Spring Blossoms Near Sailor's Haven

These pretty little miniature blossoms appear along the concrete walkway between Cherry Grove and Sailor's Haven.

Pacific Coast Cruise Group Photo

This group photo was taken on board the Celebrity Century during our recent Pacific Coast cruise LA to Vancouver.

A Nice Cocktail Hour

Our friend Ron invited us for cocktails Sunday evening at his house in Cherry Grove. Ron had a tree house upper deck built which is a really nice place for cocktails.

L to R: Ron, Dan, Jack, Jim

2014 Season Flamingo Display

Flamingoes on display in the Fire Island Pines.

At Bayport Flowers, Long Island

Selecting plants for the summer season.

The Beneficial Side Effects Of Marriage Equality

Some in the GLBTQ civil rights movement are not in favor of putting so much effort into marriage equality. They would rather concentrate on GLBTQ employment protections, poverty, income inequality and a host of other pressing concerns. While marriage equality by itself does not make us equal, and does not solve all of society's ills, it does have much benefit for GLBTQ people. Probably the most important collateral benefit of marriage equality is that it serves to further de-stigmatize and humanize GLBTQ people, and undermine traditional forms of bigotry and animus directed at us. It's the second recent major building block, after the end of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" along the path to full equality. Further building blocks could include a favorable supreme court decision on nationwide marriage equality, an executive order from the president forbidding job discrimination against GLBTQ people by federal contractors, and the passage of ENDA in the Congress. In the meantime, the marriage equality train has left the station, and the haters have lost. As each new state comes on board with marriage equality, acceptance of GLBTQ people as equals in our society is furthered.

Canada Geese Hatchlings

Canada geese are a problem, but the chicks are cute!

Legal In Pennsylvania!

On Monday we're not legally married in Pennsylvania, on Tuesday we are! There was a great rally in Philadelphia Monday evening to celebrate. Republican jackass governor Corbett will no doubt get a stay, but for the time being there is marriage equality in Pennsylvania it it feels great!

At Home, Unpacking, Decompressing...

...and re-bonding with my animal companions.

At The Melrose Diner

In South Philadelphia after a late flight in from Houston.

Heading Home From Vancouver

Our flight to Houston was delayed due to maintenance issues with our A319. It looks like we will miss our connection to Philadelphia. We'll have to wait and see what United Airlines says and does for us.

The Long Voyage Home

Our cruise is finished and we'll make our way home today on United Airlines from Vancouver, BC to Philadelphia via Houston. It's been a great trip!

Photo: Race Rocks Light, Strait of Juan de Fuca, May 17, 2014. from http://www.unc.edu/~rowlett/lighthouse/bc.htm: 1860. Active; focal plane 36 m (118 ft); white flash every 10 s. 24.5 m (80 ft) round "Imperial" stone tower with lantern and gallery, painted with black and white horizontal bands; lantern painted red. Fog horn (three 2 s blasts every 60 s). The original keeper's house was demolished in 1974, but the more modern light station buildings have been in use as an ecological research station since 1997. Located on Great Race Rock, a small island in the Strait of Juan de Fuca about 15 km (9 mi) southwest of Victoria. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed (special permission is required to land on the island). There is a colony of sea lions on a rock nearby.

Victoria, BC

Dan visited Butchart Gardens and enjoyed high tea at the Empress Hotel. We had great weather for our visit to Victoria.

Whale Watching: Victoria, BC

I got the chance to go whale watching today out of Victoria. I went on a 12 person Zodiac fast boat about 20 nautical miles South of Victoria to Juan de Fuca Strait, which separates Canada from the US. The boat travels as fast as 30 knots with sea spray and wind, so the tour operator provides full exposure suits including caps and gloves. In the Strait, we spotted a Humpback and enjoyed watching the animal dive repeatedly and surface spouting huge plumes of spray as it exhaled. We had perfect weather, and we also spent some time observing a colony of colorful sea lions.

The Original Starbucks Store

This is the first Starbucks store, near Pike's Market in Seattle. The Starbucks corporate headquarters is also in Seattle located in an old Sears brick headquarters tower.

A Brief Visit to Seattle

This afternoon our ship the “Century” docked in Seattle. We had a bus tour of the city that took us to two iconic spots in the Northwest city: the Space Needle and Pike’s Place Market. The Space Needle, built in 1962 for a World’s Fair, included a trip to the observation level, with multiple views of this city, so spectacularly located on the Puget Sound. Pike’s Place Market, which I hadn’t seen in 40 years, seemed to be much larger than remembered, and has probably grown. It’s now not only filled with fish and produce stands, including ones chock full of magnificent flowers offered at cut-rate prices, but also was a sea full of all sorts of shops, from international dried goods to home-made pasta, pastries, cheese and much more. What did we wind up buying? Chocolate covered dried cherries—after all we’re on a perpetual diet. If you can’t let your hair down on a vacation, when can you? --Dan

In Seattle

Waiting to ascend!

At Sea On The Celebrity Century

Thursday we were at sea as our ship made its way from San Francisco to Seattle, where we will dock a little later this morning. We spent the day relaxing and socializing with many delightful new friends we have met on board. We had a table of eight for lunch and Thursday evening we dressed for the second formal attire evening of the trip. It was a festive occasion with a group photo op held on the grand staircase for our contingent of about 50 gay men traveling with Pied Piper Travel on this cruise. We'll enjoy Seattle today and Victoria Island, BC tomorrow before ending our cruise Sunday morning in Vancouver.

Martini Bar Light Show

On board the Celebrity Century, the small but elegant Martini bar features colorful constantly changing lighting.

San Francisco Views

Photos: The Legion of Honor (art museum;) sea lions at pier 39; ship leaving San Francisco passes underneath the Golden Gate bridge.

A Wonderful Friend in San Francisco

It's nice when you visit a city only once in a great while to have a most kind and generous friend who lives there. Dan and I are most fortunate to have such a friend who lives in San Francisco. His name is Rich. Jim has know him since high school days and Dan met Rich decades ago. Rich kindly picked us up at the cruise ship terminal and drive us to a fine Japanese restaurant Tuesday evening where we enjoyed a really fabulous dinner. Rich also picked us up along with our friends John and Dennis and drove us to the Legion of Honor art museum Wednesday morning. Rich waited for us and took us back to the ship, with a bit of a tour along the way back featuring the historic Haight-Ashbury district. We all want to shout out a special think you to Rich for his kindness to us during our brief stay in San Francisco! Thank you Rich!

Dan Giving A Tour

With friends John and Dennis, at the Legion of Honor in Lincoln Park, San Francisco. Dan is treating us to a tour of this fine art museum.

With New Friends In San Francisco

Yesterday we took our wine train excursion with two friends we met on board, John and Dennis, who live in Tulsa, OK. First we stopped for a photo op at the Golden Gate Bridge. The food on board the wine train is excellent. In the photos, Jim is seated next to John, and Dan is seated next to Dennis.

Selfie On The Wine Train

I have the observation deck to myself!