Well - I've been out of town for quite some time and with no internet connection, so needless to say this has been a bit neglected.

See, I keep promising myself that I'm going to feed and water this thing everyday - or at least several times a week. But somehow life just seems to get in the way and it doesn't happen. But this is a new week and maybe, just maybe I can keep a promise.

So anyway, what do I say about last week? Yes, I went to the beach with Jim's family and largely spent my time in the pool (it being too hot to do anything else) - but there's little to say about a vacation where your ultimate goal was to do nothing. Suffice it to say that I was successful.

But let's talk instead about my trip out to the Monitor. I went out on Saturday (the 27th) to the barge Wotan where NOAA and the US Navy are working on raising the revolving gun turret of the Monitor.

Now what you have to understand (if you don't know me) is that I am a maritime historian. That's right - I am in love with things nautical. The great irony here is that I tend to hurl my guts out when I'm on anything bumpier than a ferry ride.

Ok - that's not quite true, but you can guess what my trip out to the 'Graveyard of the Atlantic' was like....

But really, it wasn't so bad. I mean - if I hadn't been hacking vital organs, I might never have known that the colour of the sea 16 miles out is nothing like the colour at the beach - or even a beach in the Caribbean where the colours are truly unreal.

Navy blue. No - electric navy blue. It was fascinating - and I couldn't take my eyes off it. The golden flashes of flying fish made it even more incredible.

And then there was the barge. It loomed up out of the mist like something out of a sci-fi movie. We were plucked off the boat Emmanuel by the small crane - careening over the sea clinging to cargo netting. (God! I could do that all day!!!! It was better than any amusement park ride.)

Then onto the barge where Jeff and John were waiting for us. Poor Jeff, who is on the overnight shift, had waited up to see me and Susan. Apparently the food is better this year than last year because he didn't look like a skeleton this time.

Navy divers everywhere and the stunningly beautiful Bobbie Scholley in charge of them all. The whole thing was choreographed like an elaborate dance - largely because of her. No wonder Hightower calls her perfect!

Divers, divers everywhere - all covered with incredible tattoos and all so excited about the mission. All so polite and seemed genuinely glad that they were there and happy to show us what they were doing.

And what they are doing is nothing short of phenomenal.

They were supposed to be raising the turret this morning. I've been up since 6 waiting to hear the news - but it looks like the weather is not so great out there today. But - for all I know they could be doing it right now. Raising the turret and it's occupant (occupants?). They found a skeleton the other day. That changes the feel of the whole mission - but in a way makes it even more important. It's about time he came home.

OK - well - I'd better stop now and deal with the Amityville Horror situation in my house. Flies. Everywhere.

It's always something.