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Tiger Cruise

When I mentioned to friends that I was going on a Tiger cruise, they thought it was some exotic, exciting vacation involving tigers. Although, it was enjoyable and perhaps exotic in being alien to my normal life on land, it was not your typical luxury cruise. (Or so I believe, since I have never actually gone on one). So, what is a Tiger Cruise? When a Navy ship is coming home from deployment or leaving for deployment, they give relatives a chance to meet the ship and cruise the rest of the way home with them (provided they are not the sponsor’s spouse or significant other, are not younger than 8 or pregnant. The relatives are called “Tigers.” So I jumped at the opportunity and privilege provided by my sponsor and the Navy to board a Missile Destroyer and became Tiger Lily.

On our first meeting, Tigers were given a “Personnel Qualification Standards” or PQS which are typically training requirements used by the Navy but was designed to familiarize us with the operation, daily routine, and capabilities of the ship. It was three pages long and to be completed in the amount of time we were on board using the tours and exercises that were scheduled. There were spaces for the signatures of the sponsor, cruise coordinator and commanding officer to be signed and qualify you as a TIGER SURFARE WARFARE SPECIALIST (TSWS).

Of course, this was for a fun activity and not a requirement but being the lifelong learners and overachievers that we are, our sailor ensured that we saw and learned everything on the PQS including the bridge/navigation (we proudly watched her communicating on the bridge as the ship was docking), weapons (I donned the Search and Seizure outfit

60lbs of gear worn by VBSS teams to climb stairs,board ships, jump out of helos

and held the M16 and we brought home CWIS shells that were shot and are now a pencil holder at my office), Engineering and Damage control (we stood watch with her) and Combat Information Center where I learned that AEGIS is not an acronym. Well, of course we qualified as TSWS and so did all the other Tigers whether they touched the PQS or not. Nevertheless, Tim and I learned a lot and received the following certificate from the CO: 

“To all who shall see these presents, greetings: Know ye, that by the authority vested in me, I hereby designate (my name), an honorary crew member of (Navy Ship)……having born the appropriate pride in all Tiger activities, provided countless hours of loving support to crewmembers and having demonstrated a constitution worthy of distinction. (Signed Commanding Officer).

This certificate now sits in an honored place in my office along with the pictures of the real crewmember and other people close to my heart.

In addition to learning a lot about the ship, I was very happy that I recalled the Girl Scout motto about packing only what you can carry…but I did not realize it would be through narrow stairs where the cover is down for those below deck. This means carrying person and luggage through a hole the size of about a 3 ft circumference. I also should have realized that the water during any season is always cool and I should pack a lot of warm clothes. I was happy for my 3 layers which I wore every day plus the sweatshirt I bought on the ship. The captain joked that his mother kept his room at 125 degrees.

So future Tiger Cruisers: Take layers with several underlayers, a jacket, a ballcap (forget about hair), shower shoes, towel, washcloth, warm sleepwear, comfortable close toed shoes, Dramamine taken whether seasick or not, a camera and a small durable bag. Remember, the quarters are quite close and the movement of the ship can make for a queasy challenge (although our sail was apparently the smoothest they remember and I did not get sick). The families sleep in bunks just like the sailors and eat in the same Mess or wardroom as the sailor.

While onboard, I ate three full meals a day (unusual for me)…and was pleasantly surprised by the food. There were other activities, in addition to experiencing the numerous activities the sailors performed on a daily basis. These included the weapons systems in operation, a RIB demonstration and race, an anchoring, and a small boat attack simulation. In addition, there were Morale, Welfare, and Recreation-sponsored activities for the entire crew including a karaoke night (where the Captain’s mom, myself and two other moms set the bar pretty low), a movie in the hangar night,, a night for officers to cook (Pizza and chicken wings), a beach party on deck where the Chiefs grilled burgers and brats. In addition, there were 13 burials at Sea with the full military honors, and a crew award ceremony. It was great to see a very personable captain and an XO who seemed to enjoy having civilians on board. In response to my thanks and comment about the Tiger Cruise being a very wonderful experience, the Xo said, “To be honest, we have more fun showing off our ship to you.”

Well, the Navy does have very good PR people (including our crewmember who made us very proud)…and they did accomplish what they set out to do. It was very worthwhile. Not only did we get to see our crew member, but we saw what an awesome ship the DDG is and why our crewmember requested this as her first post. We cruised out to sea and they put on a fantastic show, we saw whales and seals, and they fed us well and we had a great time. And best of all we can picture our crewmember when she is deployed and understand a little better what life is like for her at sea. Go Navy.

Well, Bravo is kicking off it series on the next installment of the Housewives series with Real Housewives of DC. Bravo describes these ladies as “connected DC Power players who “have their pulse on the most important cultural events, political galas, gallery openings, and fundraisers in Washington society. They are supposed to be an interesting bunch, living adventurous lives.
I don’t know if these ladies are representative of DC…but they all live in the DC burbs as I do, all are about my age and I can’t imagine that their life is any more interesting and adventurous than mine has been this past month.
If my life were a television show, the setting for the various episodes would have been a Hon Fest in Baltimore, the diplomatic rooms of the State Department, the Rose Garden of the White House, the flight deck of a US Navy Destroyer and a Zoey Muth concert in Seattle…all in one month.

Just think of the ratings and script possibilities:

• Hon Fest: Technically this is not DC (Baltimore-Washington) but for an important cultural event, it can’t be beat. Honfest in Baltimore celebrates the historic working women of Baltimore with the dressing and wearing of Beehive hairdos. While the hon fest I was referring to actually took place at Martin’s West, (and I say this with all the affection for the very nice and honoring event), a Housewife episode of beehive hairdos and this festival would have delighted fans. A smashing of beehive would make for better TV than tugging at an Atlanta housewife’s blonde wig, or perhaps the nesting of a bird (Bethany’s hair notwithstanding) causes pandemonium. (Captures the working class audience).

• Diplomatic Room of the State Department: The Benjamin Franklin Room and the view of DC from the Balcony can’t be beat since you get to see all of the Monuments, Memorials, the Capitol, White House all in one view and be entertained where countless powerful people from all over the world have been entertained.
• The White House –an actual invitation to the White House, listening to President Obama and greeting him in the Rose Garden. No Party Crashing necessary. Try “leiing”the President and watch him take it off almost instantaneously. (Must be some Presidential Protocol or Security thing..even though he is from Hawaii.)
• Military personnel and their families would have been tuned in to the episode of the Tiger Cruise where a housewife sees what it’s like to be a woman on a Navy Destroyer. The only crashing would have been the waves, and the potential for it with the staged Visitor Board Search and Seizure exercise. But it would make for entertaining television to watch the head knocking on a lot of steep stairs (ladders) especially the stairs below deck. The show could have been staged with high heels and skirts. (Alas, there is already a movie that has been made of a naval carrier with civilians on board being ordered in combat mode.) In addition, the opportunity to debut a new song like the two other housewives who cannot sing (Tardy at the Party etc.) was possible at the Karaoke night on ship or as the wake up song played every morning. Imagine a duet called Captain and Tenille….Never Mind. More on Tiger Cruise to follow.
• Perhaps the next DC Housewife aspiring singing performance could have been in the Tractor Tavern in Seattle with a country-flavored & blues-infused contemporary folk song ala EILEN JEWELL and ZOE MUTH & THE LOST HIGH ROLLERS. A surprise twist would include going on stage for an impromptu duet (which occurred) or trio….
According to Bravo, the cast “leading members of D.C. society are in the know and comfortable discussing everything from the economy to high fashion.” Well, I can do that…..but I am NOT “the talk of the town in the most powerful city in the world.” Thank God!

When Devi asked us to take care of Nimbus so he wouldn’t suffer harm with the arranged for caretaker, surprisingly my first response was: I love my grandcat because I love my daughter. She loves him; therefore, I love him.

And thus I dip my toe into the waters of grandpetting:
• I get to experience the joy of a pet with only temporary responsibilities (I think). I only have Nimbus for a moment in time so we spend that time enjoying it and having fun. I have that sense of freedom that grandparents have of enjoyment without the responsibility. He comes to me with the tiny mouse and wants to play fetch..which is highly entertaining.
• I do things with/for them that I could not do earlier….because I am in a totally different place in life. I can now recognize that some things are not as important as I once thought.
For example, the first day at our house, Nimbus began to scratch all the furniture. I did not spray him but did what any grandparent would do, I went out and bought not just one, but TWO different models of scratching posts and catnip spray to entertain/distract him. He, of course proceeded to ignore the scratching post because he preferred the furniture. So I decided to do two things: 1.) Entice him to the scratching post with is favorite food, canned tuna. 2) Make my house look like a constant place for a slumber party by covering every piece of furniture in sheets and comforters so that Nimbus can have free rein.
• I have the opportunity to step back and let him be who he is ..a cat, and allow him to make mistakes realizing that is how he will learn. Getting upset over little things is not as important. Some things just don’t matter. If what he is doing isn’t hurting anything or anyone, lighten up and enjoy the moment! So, now I am comfortable with all his climbing. In fact, grandcat puba was tossing the tiny toy mouse from his den and accidentally tossed it through the stair bannister. Without apparently missing a beat, Nimbus jumped through the rail and fell down the stairs. When Grandat Puba, looked down, there was Nimbus proudly holding the mouse in his mouth. He ran back up and wanted to continue, so there were high flying leaps down the stairs in fetching that was great exercise.
• I can spend time getting to know Nimbus and enjoying each aspect. He is a cat that plays fetch and nudges you when you don’t throw the mouse. He’ll sit with you when he pleases, and he has a horrible sense of smell which is why catnip is not successful. After I discovered he can’t even smell tuna unless you put it close to his nose, I would put the tuna to his nose, he would follow and I would lay it on top of the scratching post so he would have to go there to get it. Now, he is successfully using one scratching post…but the furniture will remain covered. He is terrified of certain noises and hid when the cleaning people came and started the vacuum cleaner. He was missing for about 7 hours..so we left every closet door and every room door open because we didn’t know where he was. I should have guessed he would be under our bed…hiding.
• I have also now found myself on visits thinking about the Grandpets. On a trip to Ocean City, I saw a cowboy hat for a dog and I could not help myself and bought it for Winston. Just like my greataunts and greatuncles, who on visits would bring me candy or something cool, so have I entered the realm of taking stuff for the grandpets.
• Although, my family would not call me an animal lover, I have been the only one to regularly clean the litter box…. Doing what’s best for any pet is loving them.

So now, that I have taken that dip into Grandpetting, I will be taking a plunge as Winston will be coming to stay later this summer. I hope that Nimbus will not be living under our bed but that his doglike behavior will make him and Winston buddies. So lessons in grandpetting will continue…

This potato curry should be served with a sada roti or roti. It is a good vegetarian equivalent to chicken curry or any meat curry, and is a good satisfying meal. My vegetarian daughter-in-law’s favorite meal is roti, pumpkin, and aloo.

Ingredients:

• 3 tbsp vegetable oil
• ¼ tsp cumin seeds
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 green onion, finely chopped
• 3 celery leaves, finely chopped
• 1 hot green or red pepper, seeded and minced
• 1 tbsp curry powder
• ¼ cup water
• 2 lbs potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 2 cups hot water

Directions:
Heat oil in medium saucepan over medium high heat. Add cumin seeds and fry 1 minute. Add garlic, onions, celery leaves, and hot peppers and fry for 2 minutes.

Combine curry powder and ¼ cup water in small bowl to form a paste. Add to pan and sauté 3 minutes.

Add potatoes and stir well. Add hot water and cook over medium low heat until potatoes are very tender, about 10 minutes. Serve hot.

Channa refers to chick peas in Hindi. While I pronounce it my typical ChA-nAH, my Indian friends, constantly berate me saying it is ChUH-NUH. To make a ‘crunchier’ channa, don’t simmer the chickpeas but soak them overnight. This East Indian snack should be served warm or at room temperature in bowl as a side dish or a snack.

Ingredients:

• 8 oz dried chickpeas, soaked overnight and drained; or canned chickpeas, drained
• ¼ cup vegetable oil
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• ½ tsp cumin
• ¼ tsp chili powder, or paprika
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
If using dried chickpeas, cover with 4 cups boiling water, add ½ tsp salt, and simmer over medium heat until tender, about 45 minutes. Drain.

Heat oil in a frying pan until hot. Add onion and sauté until golden. Add chickpeas and seasoning and sauté 3 to 4 minutes.

This was much made by Nanee, who would often fill the house with the smell of roasting eggplant and tomatoes, much to the chagrin of the kids who were afraid of eating anything purple! But don’t worry, this lovely dish is delicious. Baigan means eggplant in Hindi, while choka refers to the method of roasting vegetables and blending them with spices. Eat with roti or bakes; or as a side dish to a meal.

Ingredients:

• 1 large eggplant (aubergine)
• 2 cloves garlic, halved
• 1 medium tomato, cut into 6 segments
• 1 small onion, quartered
• ½ tsp cumin
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 °F (220 °C/Gas 7).

Make two lengthwise slits in eggplant. Insert garlic, tomato, and onion into slits. Wrap in foil, place on baking sheet, and bake until eggplant is soft, about 40 minutes.

Carefully unwrap eggplant. Peel back skin and scoop out flesh with a fork. Place eggplant flesh in bowl with garlic, tomato, and onion. Add cumin, salt and pepper, and mash together until well blended. Serve hot.

Bora are also known as yard-long beans or snake beans. Serve this with roti or as a side dish. If you don’t have Bora, use long, fresh green beans (not out of a can).

Ingredients:

• 3 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 medium onion, sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
• 1 hot red pepper, seeded and finely chopped (optional)
• 1 lb bora, washed, stringed, and cut into 1 inch pieces
• 3 tbsp water
• ¼ tsp cumin
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
Heat oil in frying pan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and sauté 1 minute. Add tomatoes and hot pepper and sauté 3 more minutes. Add bora and water, stir well. Add cumin, then salt and pepper to taste. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until bora are tender, about 8 to 10 minutes, stirring regularly. Serve hot.

Simple vegetable dish to serve with dhal, rice, and roti. Usually made in small portions as a response to vegetarians who show up at the last minute when you have made an entire pot of chicken curry because it is simple at tastes very good.

Ingredients:

• ¼ cup vegetable oil
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 lb okra, trimmed and sliced
• 1 tsp cumin
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Sauté garlic and onion until soft. Add okra and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Add cumin then salt and pepper to taste and cook 10 minutes longer. Serve hot.

Bhaji is the name given to Indian kale or calallo and sometimes known as Chinese spinach. Serve as an accompaniment with rice, dhal, and roti. You can use Swiss Chard, spinach, calallo leaves or kale to make this dish. Note: contains shrimp.

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 8 oz spinach, callaloo leaves, or Swiss chard- washed, stemmed, and finely chopped
• 2 oz dried shrimp (prawns) soaked in 1 cup water (optional for vegans)
• 1 hot pepper, seeded and finely chopped
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
Heat oil in heavy saucepan over high heat. Add garlic and greens and stir well. Drain shrimp and add to saucepan with hot pepper. Use salt and black pepper to taste. Cook until greens are wilted and most of the liquid has evaporated, about 8 to 10 minutes. Serve hot.

This is a fruit, fish, and dumpling dish that is very delicious, and is eaten like casserole in the U.S. I highly recommend trying this dish if you are new to Guyanese cooking, because it will quickly become one of your mainstay dinners.

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs fillets of snapper or other white-fleshed fish, cut into pieces
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• salt
• 2 tsp chopped fresh parsley
• 1 sprig fresh thyme or  ¼ tsp dry
• 2 cups water
• 2 green plantains or green bananas, peeled and cut into thirds
• 8 oz yam, peeled and cubed
• 1 lbs sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 1 lb cassava, peeled and cubed
• 6 black peppercorns
• ½ tsp finely chopped thyme
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed
• 4 cups coconut milk
• 2 carrots, sliced
• 1 large onion, sliced
• dumplings

Directions:
Rub fish with lemon juice, salt, parsley, and thyme. Set aside.

Bring water to boil in a large saucepan. Add plantain, yam, sweet potatoes, cassava, peppercorns, additional thyme, garlic, and coconut milk and cook over medium heat until liquid reduces a little, about 15 to 20 minutes.

Add carrots, onion, and fish and cook about 5 minutes. Add dumplings. Cover and cook 10 more minutes. Do not lift the lid during this time or the dumplings will not be soft and fluffy. Serve immediately.