9/11 - The 20th Anniversary

"I had just been released from hospital the day before and was still on sick leave. My father called me on the phone and told me to turn on the TV at once because there was something going on in America. Swedish television was broadcasting live.

Just a few seconds after I had turned on the TV-set - and before I understood what was going on - the television screen showed a passenger airplane flying suspiciously low close to the tower that had been hit first. Then I saw the plane steering right into the second tower, flames erupting around the hole that had been caused in the structure halfway up on the building.

I was baffled, shocked, sad, angry, and frightened. After seeing that I remained in front of the television all that day and well into the night to follow the news. There were many speculations concerning the number of casualties, so once the true numbers were released, I was strangely relieved that they were much lower than the initial speculations. 

2,977 people died in the attacks (and 19 hijackers committed murder–suicide), and more than 6,000 others were wounded, it's a scary thought that I could feel relief at such a high toll.

In my mind's timeline there will always be a before or after 9/11, Everything changed, or at least my outlook on everything changed."

(The above has previously been posted in 9/11 - In Memoriam.)

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We must also always remember that the terrorists are an extremely small minority in any community, religious group, or society. In the words of the American president Barack Obama, "We don’t differentiate between them and us. It’s just us."

Flying With Tomais

As I have told you all several times before the laird's spouse is an avid collector of transportation vessels of all kinds, but predominantly airplanes and sailboats. He never ever seems to have enough.

Besides collecting them he likes to use them, and it is a good way of relaxing for both him and the laird. Yesterday he was experimenting with a new flight HUD.

Coffee with His Unholiness

My royal consort Tomais and I were honored by a surprise visit today by His Irreverent Unholiness Butch Diavolo-Gracemount, the pope of Southern Charm.

The pope dropped in for some coffee, croissants, muffins and conversation about involuntary euthanasia with regards to Bashar Al Assad and Donald J Trump, our worries concerning the upcoming presidential election in the USA and Egyptian airplanes missing over the Mediterranean. 

Mission of Mercy

My prospective lover and I decided to go out motorboating yesterday. As Butch logged into SecondLife just as Tomais was preparing the boat he was invited to join us.

After we had been out to sea, enjoying the sun, wind and pleasant conversation (although I was secretly irritated by Butch shamelessly flaunting his huge bulge at my boyfriend) Tomias informed us that he had received a "Mayday"-call. Apparently the Prince of Paradijs, my son and heir, had been out flying with Dex Moleno in one of my son's latest toys (The big spender bought no less than t-w-o airplanes yesterday) and had now crashed somewhere in the middle of the Blake Sea.

I suggested to Tomais that we should ignore it and let the princeling stew a while on the desolate island, but the man has a heart of gold and was by the steering wheel so it was - after a little bickering on my part - decided that we would be merciful and pick Guyke up anyway.

When we arrived at the island the poor princeling was huddling by a fire and looked like a drowned cat, at that moment my heart overflowed (temporarily) with warm and fuzzy feelings and I was happy that I had been persuaded.

Having picked up Guyke we continued the trip across the Blake Sea and later ended up getting merman-outfits and merman-AO's, but thats another post.