In the beginning.....

 My name is Edward. This is my first Blog post. In fact, it is the first time I have had a blog. I decided to create it to chronicle happenings and events related to our move to Poland for family and friends back home. We moved from Oklahoma to Poland. What a change for me. My wife, Alicja, is Polish and our move was, for her, a homecoming. So, she is, I believe, very happy.

Christmas trip review

Christmas 2014

As I had mentioned earlier, we booked a Christmas package at the Hotel Krasicki in Lidzbark Warminski.  Lidzbark Warminski is a small town located about 120 kilometerrs northeast of Malbork and about 40 kilometers from the border with the Russian province of Kaliningrad..  It took us about 2 hours to drive there since the roads are all two land and some stretches are quite narrow.  But, it was enjoyable for me.  I was not driving and it was through an area I had not yet seen.  Of course, most of Poland is still new and exciting for me to see.

On the road:

Sunday, December 21 2014

Yesterday, Saturday, we had to go do some shopping.  Grocery shopping.  Actually, first, we went to the post office to mail a letter.  It was very busy as you might imagine, but we persevered and finished our task after about 15 minutes in line.

The week in review..............

This has been an interesting and enjoyable week.

Thursday, we went to Elbląg for a visit to the cardiologist.  It was dark when we finished, so I took some pictures in the Old Town area.

Looking down the street:

Politics.....

Everyone in this part of the world is pissed off at Vladimir Putin and the Russians.

The news here has been full of the situation with Ukraine and the hardships being endured by the Ukrainian military and people near the Russian border.  But, additionally, there was a news report earlier this week about a Russian plane or planes coming into Polish airspace and being run off by the Polish air force.  The Poles have F-16s from the U.S. and have scrambled them to greet the Russians.

Then, yesterday, there was a news report from Sweden that their airspace had been violated twice by Russian military aircraft.  Both times, the Russian planes turned off their transponders and crept into Swedish airspace.  Each time, the Swedes had to divert a civilian airliner to avoid coming too close.  And, the Swedes scrambled aircraft to confront the Russians.  The Swedish government said it is as bad now as it was during the cold war.  I think they are quite displeased.

The Polish people, in general, do not trust the Russians.  Many of them would not be surprised if the Russians actually invaded Poland.  I guess that, by this point in history, an invasion by another country is just not something that would surprise the Polish people.

For my part, I hope nothing like that happens.  If it were to happen, I hope the US and NATO live up to their commitment of mutual defense.  I don’t speak Russian.  And, I don’t want to learn.

One month

It has been one month now since I left Oklahoma.  We flew out of Oklahoma City on Wednesday, November 12, 2014.  This is actually the longest I have been away from Oklahoma since I was young and in the Navy.  That was back during the Vietnam era - a long, long time ago.  For me, it is a bit hard to believe that I am actually living here.

Another Friday......

Today is Friday, December 5th.  This was a quiet day.  We did very little other than go to the post office to mail a couple of packages home.  The weather is still cloudy, gloomy and cold.  It is now 8:00 p.m.  It has been completely dark since 4:00.  We have a fire going in the fireplace and are just chillin’.

Thanksgiving 2014

Thanksgiving 2014 was a new experience for me.  My first Thanksgiving in Poland.  Of course, here it is not a holiday.  Just another work day for everyone.  But, we made it a holiday of sorts anyway.

Saturday reflections........

It is Saturday, November 22, 2014.  We have now been in Poland a bit over a week.  For Alicja, it is home and a strong feeling of happiness.  She is now near her parents and brother and son.  For me, it is still a matter of cultural and geographical adjustment.  I am, of course, very far from my daughters and grandsons; but; thanks to the technological wonders of facetime and skype, we can communicate quite well.  I remember when I was in the Navy during the Vietnam conflict and a letter home would take seven days to arrive.  Things have certainly changed.

Phones and coffee and darkness.........

Thursday, November 20, 2014


More progress in my transition to life in Poland.   On Tuesday, we went to the cell phone place and got phones for each of us.  T-Mobile because of the price.  Nothing fancy, but functional.  Of course, Alicja’s started ringing as soon as two of her friends learned her number (that figure multiplies exponentially, you know).  Mine, on the other hand, has remained silent.  But, at least I have one.