A Hairy Problem

          St. Bob is on a quest.  He wants to buy the shampoo and conditioner they have on Viking cruise lines.  He is this close to booking another cruise, just to get their hair products.

          Now, as a reasonable person, you might think these items could be for sale online.  Not a chance. Oh, sure, some traveler may be trying to sell theirs on ebay, but are those opened? Old? Germy?

          He called the company and spoke to someone in charge of such things, and was told that even he—the “in charge” guy—couldn’t acquire them.  Like giant diamonds in a hidden vault in a hidden warehouse, it simply couldn’t be done.

          Well, you try not to tell St. Bob that something can’t be done. He picks up that challenge, puts it on, and does battle with the impossible dream. And sings it.

          Meanwhile, I am calculating what it would cost, per ounce, to go on another cruise just to get the shampoo and conditioner. I’m figuring several thousand dollars per container.

          Maybe this is why some people sell their homes and just cruise for the rest of their lives. They may not see loved ones for awhile, but their hair looks awesome.

It's not too late-- grab a few copies of my super-inexpensive book, A Little Christmas Prayer to give as gifts. 

Viking Rock

          Okay, this is not about a Viking rock band. It’s about the time I went panning for gold, which I described two weeks ago.

          What I didn’t mention is that I found a treasure: A rock upon which an ancient Viking drew a cartoon! Well, it’s more like a tiny pebble, less than an inch wide.

          But it still has a hieroglyph or a petroglyph or SOMETHING on it. I think a Viking used a ball-point pen, myself. Our eldest son is a geologist and he said it’s possibly plagioclase feldspar. Something about one mineral filling in the cracks of another. But what does he know?

          I say it’s a drawing, and this is my attempt at showing you what I saw:

          Basically a Viking with a bushy beard, a big, round nose, a horn hat, and muscular biceps. Actually, this one appears to be a waiter Viking with a towel over his arm, perhaps standing on a skateboard.

          So this ancient Olaf or Sven was not only showing us what Vikings do in their off hours, but that they had streamlined food service for quicker delivery. And you thought “fast food” was a modern thing.

          Equally fast is the delivery you’ll get when you order one of my books!