October 24, 2014

We are back on land, hanging out with the Bro and CJ.  Disembarking was easy, nothing more stressful than waiting our turn.  The only discombooberation was The Family from Hell.  A family of I don’t know how many, on board for a wedding – I saw the bride carrying her wedding gown off ship, wrapped in a plastic bag (the dress, not the bride, although it would have cut down the noise if it had been otherwise).  Other than grandma and granddad, everyone was yelling at each other, making threats, rude noises, and generally behaving like jerks.  And the bride and groom were high up the list in that last sentence.  Holy cow!

Bonnie, Danielle, Jess, and I had a farewell breakfast together.  They were great dinner companions.  We talked about sailing together again.  Make it so. 

Kyle didn’t have any trouble getting into the port.  Arriving at the port three weeks ago was a circus, but I guess we were earlier for departure.  “Elena” took us a different way leaving the port, and we saved a $13 toll.  Hopefully we can remember so we don’t have to go over the Bayonne Bridge anymore (and we have one sailing for next year out of New Jersey, and possibly two).

Traffic down Route 2 coming into Edgewater was horrendous, however, making up for Port Liberty.  It took us an hour to go 7.2 miles!  We bought in one suitcase, watched Jeopardy and Wheel and then played three games of set back – hoes 2, bros 1.  But tomorrow is another day. 

And December is another cruise.  Until then.

TTFN!

Bonnie, Jess, Danielle, David

October 21, 2014

Today we went ashore in St. John, New Brunswick, wandered around, went to a museum, visited a local craft shop, checked out several stores selling yarn, saw a couple of old churches, ate lunch and came back on board.  That may all sound boring, but it was an enjoyable day.  We know that a lot of folks are disappointed not to have sailed to Bermuda, but we have enjoyed two places we’ve never been, and I’m going to do some talks on the two stops, because there are regularly scheduled cruises, especially for Autumn Leaves (which drift by my window – autumn leaves of red and gold).

The fun began at supper.  We have a great table, and the two young ladies who sit to my left are certified hoots. 

They took a ship’s walking tour yesterday, and one of their fellow tourers was a young man who said his girlfriend was asleep in their cabin, and asked if he could walk with them and be their boyfriend for the day.  They agreed and had an enjoyable day.  After the tour, he invited them to go to the 70's Disco Street Party and meet his girlfriend.  I am waiting for the results of that. 

After dessert had been served Danielle’s cell phone rang.  It was a text message telling her she was roaming and the charge was $15 a minute.  With a small shriek of horror she realized that she left it on when she came back on board, and it had been racking up roaming for four hours for a total of $3600!  Oh my goodness!

Jess and Danielle have lots of fun making a list of the things Bonnie and I have never done.  The whole table was talking one night about going to Disney World.  We’ve never been there.  Danielle said, “We’ll have to take a cruise and take you there.”  Last night was the Bon Jovi tribute act.  The table was talking about all of the rock concerts they’ve been to.  We’ve never been to a rock concert.  So we are definitely arranging a cruise to Disney World because they have rock concerts there.  Las Vegas.  Nope.  And it goes on.  They have great fun with our world travels now as retirees, but stay-at-homes before.  But I have them wanting to sail with us in December.  Whether they are serious or not, I don’t know, but they said they would check their calendars.  Good times.

Well, one more day at sea, one more talk, one more night at Table 346, and then we turn into pumpkins.

TTFN!

Rock carving in Peggy's Cove

Changing of the guards at the Citadel

Bonnie and friend

A clock in St. John

Stained glass in Trinity Cathedral

Trinity Cathedral

October 19, 2014

We are sailing for Halifax, Nova Scotia, arriving there in the morning at 7 a.m. their time (6 a.m. yours).  We will be in port for 8 hours, and Bonnie and I will be ashore for 6.5 hours of the time.  We have booked the “Best of Halifax & Peggy’s Cove” tour.  We will board a motor coach and be told entertaining, but little known facts about the city as we drive to picturesque Peggy’s Cove.  There we will either walk along the cove, or tour the rugged coast line at our leisure.  Then it’s back to the city for a lunch at Murphy’s Restaurant (I hope nothing goes wrong) on the Halifax waterfront, followed by a trip to the Maritime Museum (where more than 100 Titanic victims are buried), then the Citadel Fortress (where no Titanic victims are buried) and back to the Explorer of the Seas (no Titanic victims here either).  Photos tomorrow.  No word whether we will actually see Peggy.

To catch you up with our final (SADNESS) cruise for this time, we are at a good table for supper with Danielle and Jess (D brought J to celebrate J’s 21st birthday) and with a family of three from Savannah.  The wait staff at Table 346 cannot hold the menus for Anthony and Svetomir (from our last cruise) but at least they brought out our food in a correct, and timely manner.

We did lunch in the dining room today.  I am really tired of the Windjammer.  It’s okay for breakfast when I don’t have a lot of time – like this morning, getting ready for an 8:45 a.m. worship service – but the food never changes.  It’s good, but it’s the same from day to day.  We were the first to a table for 8 and were joined by Dave, Allen, Irene, Trisha, Sam, and Mama (Mama speaks no English, or at least did not join in the conversation).  The kids are all friends from New York, on their second cruise together.  They packed Friday night before boarding the ship on Saturday.  My kind of packing, but when you are 30 minutes from the port, you can do that easier than packing to leave from 233 Woodland Drive.

To compensate guests because of the diversion from Bermuda, and the damage sustained there from Hurricane Gonzalo, Royal Caribbean has credited each stateroom’s on board account with $250.  Because that channel has been constantly busy and because the line at Guest Services has been back across the bridge and past the elevators, we don’t know yet if we got it, too.  Chances are not, but since we don’t know yet, our fingers are still crossed.  Slim has not yet left town.

Well, my first talk is in one hour and 15 minutes in the Schooner Bar (I hope the patrons don’t become unruly when the football game is switched off).  I will rehearse once more, and then we will put on our formal clothes for this evening’s champagne reception with Captain James (free champagne is not worth drinking), supper and a production show (if we are still awake at 10:45). 

Below are pictures from Peggy's Cove:  Bonnie bundled up.  And Peggy's Cove, plus the Lighthouse.

TTFN!

October 17, 2014

Well, we are about 10 hours out of Port Liberty.  We will be an hour late because the feeder bands from Gonzalo were making the seas rough and Captain James slowed down to keep the wibble and wobble out of the Explorer of the Seas.  Probably be an hour late leaving, too.

As you might imagine, based on the hammering Bermuda is getting now, we are not going to the South Atlantic and the Caribbean next week.  Instead we are heading to Canada: Halifax and St. Johns.  And I have changed my talks to non-Caribbean themes.  I’ll be doing an old one “Literary New England” about famous writers who lived there, and some bits and pieces from their works, plus making fun of the language they crafted so well.  The second, and only other talk, will be “Space: The Final Frontier” about the early days of the manned space program.  The first is the only one itinerary specific, but when you change a cruise like RCCL has had to do, you do the best you can.  And I’ll be doing the worship service at 8:45 – wake up, saints!

Tonight two of our table mates finally showed up: Rob and Lisa from New Yak.  Really nice kids, wish they’d been with us the whole time.  This was their third cruise and the first time they’ve eaten in the dining room.  They said they won’t make that mistake again and will be sure to be in the dining room on their next cruise.

Our waiters, Anthony and Svetomir, from India and Serbia, were fantastic.  The best we’ve had cruising in a long, long time.  Great guys.  Super service.

We are packed and ready to move back to Old 9483.  Crazy system.  We started there.  This week they brought on a bridge instructor and instead of giving him this room, they gave him 483, and we move back to 483 for the next cruise.  Needless to say, one of us was not pleased.  We were packed in less than an hour, and it won’t take much longer to put everything back out tomorrow, so all is well.

And speaking of going back to the old – we will be back at Table 346 next cruise.  Hopefully our waiters will move down stairs, too.  They are rated based on guest response, and the third floor dining room is the place to be.  They are both recently back from vacation, so the likelihood of moving down this soon is slim.  But one never knows.  Do one?

Hopefully below is a picture of our waiters and a couple of views from the ice show.  That’s really fantastic.

Well, I will blog Sunday after my talk, and will check email sometime Saturday. 

TTFN!

 

October 15, 2014

Well, I ran out of internet time yesterday trying to post the pictures from Puerto Rico, so I just put another $30 on my Sea Pass Card in order to send those, and today’s pictures from Labadee, and anything else we may do in the next couple of days.  I may end up doing some surfing because the time doesn’t carry over to the next cruise.

Speaking of surfing, of which I have done none since coming on board, has there been any movement in the signing of Russell Martin.  I know the baseball season is still underway and free agency doesn’t start until following the World Serious, but I was wondering if anyone in the Burgh is talking.

We wandered off today in 90 degree heat and a lot of humidity for about 90 minutes – looked around, bought a couple of souvenirs, ate lunch, came back on board and took a nap.  Exciting folk we are.

Thanks to our re-routes we have enjoyed smooth waters and clear skies while our old destinations of St. Martin, Puerto Rico, and Bermuda have gotten, or are getting, hammered.  I was chatting with the cruise director today and he said we may make some adjustments next cruise to avoid the storms.  I told him what talks I have with me to use in an altered sailing, and he was appreciative.

We were talking to someone at lunch today who said they sailed on this ship, not under good Captain James, but slightly demented Captain Olaf who sailed through the outskirts of a hurricane saying this is a big ship and she can take it.  Glad we are that Olaf is off somewhere else.

The Captain just came on, speaking of storms and route changes and said we would be following Hurricane Gonzalo as we sail back to Bayonne.  The storm will be off to our starboard side (that’s the right side for you land lubbers) and about 250 nautical miles away as we journey north.  We may get some weather from the outside feeder bands, but nothing to be concerned about.

Bermuda, however, looks like it is going to get clobbered.  The storm is tracking directly for the island and will be a Category 3 when it gets there.  We are significantly to the left of the storm, and the Captain said if the storm should change direction to the left, he will turn towards Florida to keep us out of the path.

Last night’s Headliner was “Blaze of Glory, North America’s Premier Bon Jovi Tribute.”  I’ll have to take their word for it, since I’ve never seen BJ, and other than Straight to the Heart, I have no idea what they sang.  I will say this for them.  They are LOUD!!  A number of folks moved back from the front rows or left the theater entirely.  I am proud to say that after the second song, I took a nap.

Tonight’s Headliner Show is an Elton John tribute.  The performer is billed as having a unique blend of music and comedy and will give us his renowned, tongue-in-cheek tribute to Thir Elton.

The Crocheting Granny is making another hand bag.  One of the dining room staff saw hers and asked if she could have one.  So it is underway.

TTFN!

PUERTO RICO PICTURES

October 13, 2014

Well our visit to the home of Roberto Clemente was cut short by Tropical Storm Guido or Geronimo or Gustov or somebody.  The depression that was east of St. Martin became a tropical storm with prediction of becoming a full blown hurricane.  Because of that, and because of the fact that the storm is heading west, Puerto Rico was in a stand-by mode of closing the port.  If the outer winds of the new storm reach a certain level, the port is closed, and all ships in port must sail out – makes no sense to me, but, it’s their way.

Walking up one of the Callie’s in Old San Juan, we visited a hotel that had been a convent, and the oldest church on the island, and the governor’s mansion and government headquarters.  As we were toodling up to Fort El Morro, some folks coming back stopped us and asked us if we were going to the fort.  They had been at my talk today.  We answered that we were and they told us not to bother because the fort was closed.  Columbus Day.  Boy, howdy!  He sailed by, never got off the boat, got two monuments built to his memory and a third coming next year and the government offices, museums and forts were all closed!  The Dooney & Burke store was open and my traveling companion refused to make a purchase, even though her choice was 30% off.  I tried!

And Big Brown was working.  Bonnie spoke to the driver who was working the street where we were and he said, “Si!”

While wandering up the aforementioned Callie, we visited the Pigeon Park.  Must have been 200 of the coo-ers in residence, patrolling the grounds for handouts and flying into holes in the wall where they make their nests.

Our only purchases were a baseball cap for me (since I brought only my straw hat and was wearing my Roberto Clemente shirt, I wasn’t going to be seen in that combination) and two canned caffeinated beverages.  Total $10.  But it was a contribution to the local economy.

Walking around a number of residents commented on my Clemente shirt.  One old man saying, “He is our hero.”  Ours, too, I assured him.

When we got back to our stateroom, the message light was flashing on our phone.  Since I’d already spoken to the activities director about tomorrow’s schedule, I was understandably curious.  One of our fellow cruisers asked me to perform the wedding for his daughter and her fiancé.  I introduce myself as a retired UM Clergyman, plus I did the church service, so he knew of my background.  I told him I would be delighted to do so, if the captain gave his approval.  I am waiting for the cruise director to let me know.  Of course, the couple will have to listen to the “Three Ship” speech (ask Michael and Ivy).

Post Script on the above paragraph: The request was turned down by the ship since yours truly is a guest on board and not an employee of Royal Caribbean.

The ship’s orchestra went into the Maharaja Lounge tonight and played Big Band Music.  We sat and listened to such standards as “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy of Company B,” “A Train,” and “Sentimental Journey.”  Some more limber guests danced.  The band did not play “Chattanooga Choo-Choo” or “Tennessee Waltz.”  Sadness.

So, all aboard was 8:30.  We didn’t sail till almost 9:30 because one guest had to be taken off with a medical emergency.  We got to eat supper watching the city lights and when we got underway, it was fun to watch the lights sail slowly by. 

A good meal tonight.  The appetizers we chose were crab cakes and cream of mushroom soup.  Yummy.  Although we are alone at our table for eight, we are enjoying ourselves, and we have excellent waiters who make the meal time fun.

It has been my observation while cruising that a number of my fellow guests think that the good folk at Royal Caribbean should hold the Kleenex to their noses and the toilet paper to their old wazooes.  Demanding.  Unthankful.  Discourteous.  Today a couple was at the Guest Relations desk complaining that we weren’t staying overnight in San Juan after being promised the same and after missing St. Martin.  The woman said, “Well!  Our cruise next year will not be on Royal Caribbean!”  Lady, I thought, didn’t you hear the captain say he was getting us out of the way of two tropical storms, one well on its way to becoming a hurricane.  You go play in the middle of the street if you want to.  I am content to be toodling along safe and sound.  Good grief!

Tomorrow is a day at sea.  My talk on Labadee is at 3 p.m. and sometime between now and then, or sometime after then, depending on how the seas flow and the waves roll, I will post this.  Until then...

TTFN!

October 12, 2014

A brief post.

Captain James sailed south and west to get away from Tropical Storm Fay, and now we are too far away from St. Martin to make our call there on time.  Instead we are sailing directly for San Juan and will arrive there around 1 p.m. tomorrow.  We will stay over night and sail for Labadee at 2 p.m. on Tuesday – along with the medical staff, the tractor beams, and the photon torpedoes (cheap Star Trek reference).

In addition to Fay to the West of St. Martin, there is a tropical depression to the east of that island that will bring bad weather by late Monday or early Tuesday.  By taking the course he has, our captain has kept us out of the paths of two bad storms.  And over night in the land of Roberto Clemente is not a bad thing.

TTFN!

October 11, 2014

Strange things afloat today me hearties.  Actually Captain James told us this morning that a tropical storm is brewing south of us, and the winds that are blowing in our direction caused us to be late to dock in Bermuda this morning.  Because of that and a slower required approach speed, all aboard is 2:30 and its anchors aweigh at 3:00.

The Captain said we will be sailing west and then south to go around Tropical Storm Fay.  The storm is going north and east, so we will, in effect, be circling behind her.  Once we get past the storm, we will head south and east to St. Martin.  We are supposed to dock there at 1 p.m. on Monday, but detour may make us late.  Time will tell.  But what is time to a hog.

If he hadn’t made the announcement you would still know that rough seas are ahead.  Barf bags are hung in all the stair ways.  But he said we should be beyond the areas of roughest waves by midnight.  So batten down the hatches.

Bonnie and I stayed in the Dockyard area today.  We went to play Fun Golf this morning – a very interesting miniature golf course.  The first six holes are patterned after Bermuda golf courses, the 2nd 6 after American golf courses (#12 is the 12th at Augusta National – we both shot par 3s) and the 3rd 6 are courses from Scotland including a hole from Muirfield and one from the Old Course.  I won.  Bonnie beat me on the Scots section, but I built up a lead on the American courses and we were pretty even on the Bermuda side.  Bragging rights to your humble scribe.

The pictures below are of the 12th and of me addressing the ball.

Tomorrow I will lead the worship service in the Palace Theater at 9 a.m. and then we will be back in the Theater at 2 p.m. for my talk on St. Maartins.

Still just the two of us at Table 464 last night, but our waiter, Anthony said he was going to talk to the headwaiter and see if he could head some scattered souls to our table for a more enjoyable dining experience.

At breakfast this morning – seating is much better at breakfast and lunch because they fill up a table and then start seating guests at another table – there was a family of four from Germany who missed my talk and asked me questions about how to get around.  I was glad to assist them.  And the other couple at the table had been to the talk yesterday – which is how the Germans knew they had missed it – and said they were going to strike out for St. George’s as per my recommendations.  The lady who was going to St. George’s had Eggs Benedict with Hollandaise Sauce.  Bonnie wouldn’t let me tell the hub cap joke.  How rude!  Maybe I’ll get EB with HS tomorrow and sing the song anyway.

Well, it’s almost sail away time, so we’re going to watch and then I’ll post this.

TTFN!

October 10, 2014

Day 2, underway to Bermuda, Philipsburg, San Juan, Labadee, and Kukamonga.

Our table of 8 for second seating last night was supposed to have 8 folks seated.  Instead there were 4 – your humble sailing family and Dudley Do-Right of the Canadian Mounted Police and Fern, his female companion.  Moments after we sat down, Fern – whose arms, and front and back as far as one can see, and one could see farther than one wanted to see, was covered with tattoos of ferns – got up and went to speak to the Maitre D.  She is tattooed in ferns.  No hearts.  No parental nicknames.  No friends or lovers nicknames.  No pirates.  No skulls.  No sports teams.  Ferns.  And there were lots of them because Fern is very wide.  DUDley sat there saying nothing, grunting occasionally when we tried to make conversation.  When Fern came back she announced, “We are at the wrong table.  We are supposed to be at 494, not 464.”  And they left, leaving us alone.

When Anthony, our waiter came back with menus, we repeated what Fern said, and he said, “No.  They wanted a table for 2.”

So she’s a lying Fern in addition.

It’s not unusual for folks to miss the first night, especially second seating, so we’ll see if the other 4 people show up tonight.  If not we will ask the Maitre D to move us to a fuller table.  Maybe we’ll find Fern and DUDley (they did not get a table for 2, but a table for 4 with no one else assigned to it).  Or not.

My talk today on “King’s Wharf” was in the Princess Theater, and well attended.  Approximately 200 hearty souls joining me for whirl around Bermuda.  Instead of taking questions from the audience – hard to do in a room that size – I invited them to come down and talk to me at the conclusion.  I answered questions for about 30 minutes – a good response, I thought.

Bonnie brought a number of crocheting projects.  So far she has finished one pair of bedroom slippers (which one of you will find in your Christmas stocking) and a hat (which will not appear in a Christmas stocking).

I told you we had to move to a different stateroom.  Same size, interior cabin, but a mirror image of our first one.  The desk and closet are on the left side, the bathroom on the right.  The door opens with a left hand pull instead of a right hand pull.  It took a few minutes of getting used to, especially in the dark, but we have survived into our second day.

TTFN!

October 8, 2014

I have good news and bad news.

The bad news is we have to move.  The good news is, the new stateroom is on this same floor and on the same hall way.  The bad news is my traveling companion was less than thrilled.  The good news is we are all packed and they will move our stuff in the morning.  The good news is we get to stay on for another two cruises!  Yeah!!

We went to the ice show today, “Spirits of the Seasons.”  What a fantastic show.  It’s the third time we’ve seen it.  If this keeps up we will catch up to our “Cats!” total of 14.  And we’ll see it twice more before we come home.  The ice rink is one-sixth the size of a normal rink and the skaters do all the tricks – doubles, triples, and other incomparable stuff – that is done on Olympic ice.  The costumes are fall, winter, spring and summer, with music and choreography to match.  In the winter scene, they play an appropriate sleigh ride song, and get two kids out of the audience to ride in the sleighs.  The photos may be a touch blurry, but you’ll get an idea of the performance.

My last talk for this cruise, “Flight 19 and the Legend of the Bermuda Triangle” was once again in the Schooner Bar, and again to a full house.  Even the bartender was watching.  I am told that a new corporate Vice President is taking talks off of 5 day cruises.  If the sizes of my audiences are any indication, the folks enjoy having that option.  But he didn’t ask me.  Oh well.

The final show and the final meal for this cruise are coming up soon.  I had lobster at supper last night and Bonnie had prime rib.  Oh what do the simple folk do?  (Name the musical for bonus points).

Tomorrow we are going to try to breakfast in the dining room, and then we will go off ship for a few minutes, go through customs and come back on board.  I don’t know if I will post a blog tomorrow or not, but check back.

TTFN!

October 7, 2014

After breakfast (a bacon, ham and cheese omelet for me, and tomato, ham and cheese omelet for Bonnie) we bought ferry tokens and rode up to Hamilton.  The purpose of our excursion was to visit the Bermuda Art Museum’s exhibit “A View from the Edge.”  The first exhibit was a piece by local artist Amil Zanders entitled “When the Bough Breaks.”  A large portion of the work is made up of crocheted circles – and an inspiration for another work by local cruiser Bonnie Belle.

We also stopped at a small museum which houses intricate models of the “Sea Venture” – the ship which brought the original settlers to Bermuda (via a hurricane and a shipwreck), and models of the two smaller craft which the survivors made out of the wreckage (the “Deliverance” and the “Patience”) and then sailed on to Jamestown Colony in Virginia, completing the mission for which they sailed almost a year earlier.

While sailing into Hamilton’s harbor, we noticed a large church rising over the tops of the waterfront building and made that part of our trip.  We walked up to The Anglican Church of Bermuda and went inside.  It is a magnificent structure completed in 1911.  The original building was constructed in 1855, but was destroyed by an arsonist.  The photographs are the altar taken from the nave, and the pulpit.  Behind the high altar are 15 statues.  Jesus is in the center.  Luke is the 5th from the left.

After returning to the Explorer of the Seas we had lunch in the Windjammer, having arrived back on board too late to go to the dining room.  Closed circuit for Mary and Judy – we witnessed water balloons (imported from Montreal to the Explorer).

After lunch two ladies stopped us to thank me for the talk on Bermuda.  One of them said as they were on a bus driving around the island she was pointing out things and talking about them and when asked how she knew so much she said, “I went to the lecture on King’s Wharf.”  My head swelled.

As I type this it is 10 minutes until “all aboard.”  I will give my second talk of this voyage – “Flight 19 and the Legend of the Bermuda Triangle” – tomorrow, and then we dock in New Jersey on Thursday before sailing back to Bermuda and points east.

Until tomorrow, then.

TTFN!

October 6, 2014

We slept in until 8:30 this morning.  After shower, shave and shampoo we went to the Windjammer for breakfast.  Oatmeal for me, scrambled eggs for my beloved wife.  About 10:30 we headed into Bermuda, purchasing a transportation pass, and boarding the ferry for St. George’s.

We wandered around Bermuda’s first capital, checking out a yarn shop (where we bought nothing) and a drug store (where we bought 4 Arrow Words magazines – Bonnie’s favorite word puzzles).  We made a return visit to St. Peter’s church – the oldest Anglican church in the British Isles and the longest serving protestant church in the New World. 

We also visited Somers Garden for the first time.  It was here that the leader of the original group of settlers on Bermuda died, and his heart was buried.  The rest of him was put in a barrel of rum and sent back to England for burial.

Before catching Bus 11 to Hamilton, the current capital, Bonnie posed beside of a red PT Cruiser – the Chili Pepper 2.  After lunch in Hamilton we took the ferry back to the Royal Naval Dockyard and boarded the Explorer of the Seas for a well-deserved afternoon nap.  In a few minutes it is off to the evening show and supper.

TTFN!

October 5, 2014

Day 2, first day at sea, on our way to Bermuda.

I had my first talk of two for this cruise today.  There are only two full sea days, so only two talks.  Today “King’s Wharf: The Gibraltar of the East,” and Wednesday, “Flight 19 and the Legend of the Bermuda Triangle.”  I sent RCCL 4 talks and they picked these.  Two good ones for this itinerary.

My talks are in the Schooner Bar, Deck 4 aft.  We’ve never been in a bar to do a talk before.  Bonnie and I do have bar experience, since 46 and then some years ago I picked her up in a bar.  We weren’t sure what the crowd would be like or how the talk would go in the room, but there were nearly 100 folk in attendance – one of our larger talks.  And with the bar in the back of the room they could get snockered and laugh at my corney jokes (no, I did not tell the Hub Cap Joke).

Our dinner mates at Table 346, second seating are a family from New Jersey, father, mother, son and daughter-in-law.  The kids booked the trip for their parents’ 50th Wedding Anniversary.  And came along.  Hint.  Hint.

Church yesterday morning was good except for the fact that the person who put the PowerPoint together left the music for one of the hymns at 233, and left the words for another one at the same 233.  So I will have to redo the slides for the next service.  We had a good time.  The only other snafu, and I need to inform the activities director, his staff had not prepared “Church in a Box” – in other words, the communion set and the elements were not in attendance.

Bonnie has already completed one crocheting project, a blue coin purse.  Other projects to be completed are: a belt, two bags, a hat, and several coasters.

Our stateroom, 9483 is at the aft end of the ship.  There is only a corridor and balcony rooms behind us.  To be farther rear would to be on a ski rope being pulled behind the ship.  But it is the “speaker’s room” – so our cabin attendant Anne Marie tells us – and therefore we don’t have to move (unless a wedding part comes on, and surely we won’t have to do that again).

After the delay getting through the traffic jam that is Port Liberty Drive (took us an hour to drive less than a mile) we were on board around 1:15 and in our room by 1:30.  And what to my wondering eyes did appear, but three large suitcases outside our door.  We’ve never had our luggage delivered so quickly.  We soon filled every drawer, hanger and shelf in the room.  Thus organized we went to the Windjammer for our first meal.  Grilled fish for me.  Roast beef for She Who Must Be Obeyed.

And now it’s time to get dressed in our formal gear, go to the Captain’s reception, turn down bad tasting champagne, and then go to dinner.  We have the late show at 10:45 tonight.  There may be two cruisers sleeping through “Wild, Cool, and Swinging: From Las Vegas to New York. A tour of America’s favorite play grounds.”

TTFN