December 7, 2014

December 7, 1941, a date which will live in infamy. Before both the morning worship service and my Labadee talk I acknowledged the date and thanked those in the audience who had served, asking the service men and women to stand so we could honor them.

Crazy start to the day’s activities, however.  We had room service breakfast, which wasn’t crazy – quite good in fact – but when we got to the Palace Theater the Catholic service was still going on.  Father Bernard Kiratu had a good turnout, and I don’t know if he got started late, or just ran long, but his 8 o’clock was supposed to be over so my 8:45 could begin.  He wasn’t finished until after 8:45, and there were no technicians in the house to hook up my laptop, and the ship’s “church in a box” had no communion wafers.  Graciously Father Bernard gave me some of his, so we Protestants could come to the Table.

Not starting until about 9:15, I finished about 9:50, switched Power Points, and did the Labadee talk at 10:00.  Knowing the timing this morning would be close, I did my rehearsal last night, and a good thing I did or I would never have been ready.

We hung around until about 12:30 and went to lunch.  The ship cleared customs about 12:15, but we were in no rush to go ashore, so we went to the dining room and joined three other folk for lunch – a mom and dad in their 80s and their daughter, in her 50s.  What a complainer the daughter is!  Her milk wasn’t cold enough.  The soup was too salty.  The roast beef last night was too tough.  The meal the night before was not good at all.  And on and on.  I told Bonnie if we had been assigned to their table for our evening seating, we would have eaten one meal there and asked the Maitre d’hotel to move us.  Holy cow!

I did not tell you that after my first talk, a man came down at the question time and introduced himself as Allen Sisler from Friendsville, Maryland.  For those of you unfamiliar with The Old Line State, Friendsville is 20ish miles from Loch Lynn Heights.  We knew a clan of Sislers there, but this seems to be a different group.  Closed circuit to the Bro – when I mentioned Harold and the antique business, Allen said they were unrelated, and he knew of no Harold.  But I think he looks like the Harold Sislers.

And after my second talk, another man came up and told me that a Sisler from Terra Alta, WV (30 or so miles from home) was the best man in his wedding 40 some years ago.

Neither the Friendsville Group nor the Terra Altans issued from Grover Cleveland Sisler and Stella Mae Cooper, but in a small area like that, there is probably some connection a generation or so back.

But to get back to today.  We left the Explorer of the Seas at 1:45 and walked back on board at 2:45. 

I know there are folks reading this blog who think Aruba is the cat’s pajamas, but been there.  Done that.  And I must not be the only one who feels that way because a survey was placed in each cabin asking to rate all kinds of thing about our visit here.  I have never experienced that on any other cruise, or any other stop.  Maybe the cruise lines are rethinking their itineraries.  Bonnie and I were wondering if the islands make a deal with the cruise lines to bring folk, and people are complaining that they are not enjoying this stop.  Just guessing, but as for your favorite cruisers, it is not a stop that rates high on our list of favorites. 

As I said, we did an hour.  Bonnie bought $20 worth of souvenirs, and I bought one Coke Zero at her request and 5 Mountain Dew for myself (and we walked to a gas station to buy the drinks).  Big timers we are!  But when you are on a cruise ship, all is well!

Tomorrow is Bonaire, and Tuesday is Curacao.  We’ve booked a tour at Curacao, so we will have a picture or two then (it took over 15 minutes to get the pictures you’ve seen posted, so unless I find free wifi, there won’t be an enormous amount of pictures sent to you while we are sailing.  I’ll do a picture post from 233).

So while my beloved wife takes a nap I will go post this.

TTFN!