TRAVELS AND TRIBULATIONS # 323

May 5, 2022

Happy Birthday Rachel Marie!  Soon to be a bride.

While you are sleeping in the morning, we will be on our way to Pisa to check an item off of my bucket list – an item that has been on it almost as long for me as if I were a certain 7th grader of my acquaintance asking, “Mom, can you pick me up early today?”  In other words since I was 13 (and maybe earlier).  The crazy thing about seeing the Leaning Tower of Pisa is, we stayed in Civitavecchia twice, for 6 days both times, and didn’t go.  And it is only a 2 hour train ride from there.  But tomorrow it is.

I did my last talk today and before I started I thanked the audience for coming and for their response.  It really has been a good cruise for cruise talking.  And great to be back at sea.  We have said we won’t be sailing as much as before, but these transatlantics (and each ship does 2 a year, to Europe in April or May and back to Florida in October or November).  Throw in a 14 day Western Caribbean, and that is some good sailing.

Tonight was not formal night, but it was lobster night in the main dining room.  Mom dressed in a great outfit, a top that she makes look great, and I was wearing just an Augusta National shirt, so I changed into my sport coat, white shirt and tie, so I wouldn’t look like a slob beside of her.  I should have tucked my napkin under my chin when I was eating my escargot because I dribbled the buttery, garlicky sauce on my tie.  Well, I won’t be wearing it in Italy so it’s okay,

The rest of my meal was a second appetizer, this one a Vidalia onion tart, broiled lobster tail and baked potato for the main course, and Baked Alaska for dessert.  It was all very good.

Our cabin steward delivered our luggage tags today, so after supper tomorrow night we will pack and set our suitcases outside, ready to be picked up in the terminal Saturday morning and then meet Giuseppe for the trip to Rome.  TnT will continue from Rome and Venice.

One more thing.  For all of you who read “Pluggers” in the comic strips, I know the man who does it, Rick McKee.  Rick used to do the editorial cartoons in the Augusta Chronicle before budget cuts took that away.  We talked several times while we were both at the Chronicle, and The Bro and I came up with an idea for the strip that I sent him.  He emailed me yesterday that our “Pluggers” will be out on June 5.  If it is not in a paper near you, let me know, and I’ll email you a copy when I get it.

Mom wants to write to you, so here she is (and not nearly as wounded as we were led to believe – although when she sat down to darn one of her socks, she darned the wrong one).

TTFN

* * * * *

Can you say 3 am!  This is the third or fourth morning that I am wide awake then. Laid on the couch for about an hour then managed to sleep a couple of more hours. We were finally up about 7 and showered, dressed and headed for breakfast. The high today was to be 63 (I don’t think it ever made it). The ship was rocking pretty good and when we got up to the Windjammer the wind was blowing so hard the sliding doors wouldn’t come open to the outside. The air was frigid!! So no deck 14 crocheting for me. We had breakfast and he went to study. We agreed to meet for pizza and I went to 270 to sit and crochet. I sat in the chair were I had up dumped the mustard and all evidence of it was gone. WOW! Not even a stain. I put my earphones in my ears and turned on my Clive Cussler book which I have started three times and never finished. I was going to finish it this cruise. I had started it over on day 2. I finally finished it just before we went to his talk.

Well, I crocheted. Today in the 270 they were having the cake decorating contest between a member of the crew and a passenger. A chef was there to explain the steps and help the guest. Today the Captain was the staff member. Everything the chef said to do he literally threw at his cake. He had a mess. The guest who was helped by the chef did as she was shown. At the end the audience got to vote and everyone voted for the Captain’s “mess”. Very funny. Of course they overruled the audience and declared the guest the winner. Very funny. The chef’s in the kitchen had already prepared a very large Black Forest cake (which was what they were making) to be served to all the guests in the 270. It was delicious, yes I had a piece. 

The next event in the 270 was a Crown and Anchor meeting for the upper echelon. I didn’t want to listen so I headed to the pizza restaurant where I was to meet Dad at 12. I was a little early but they have lots of tables so I picked one sat down and continued listening to my book. By the way while sitting in the 270 I finished one of my crochet hexagons. He arrived on time and we had lunch. It may have been 50 degrees on deck 14 but we went up to get an ice cream. We brought it down with us. It was really weird to see all the lifeguards standing by the pools, one with a ski hat on because it was so cold. What ninny would be swimming. But the pools were open so they had to be on duty. The wind was so bad the North Star was not running.

Well back to the room to wait for his talk. Full house again and everybody was very complimentary. They even gave him a round of applause before he started. He told the hub cap joke, Ugggh!! [She may say Ugggh, but they loved it].

Well, tomorrow we have to be up very early. We meet for our tour at 7:15. It is supposed to be cold and rainy again. I am hoping not since tomorrow night we have to pack our suitcases and put them outside the door by 10 pm. I am wearing to supper exactly what I plan to wear off on Saturday. Our scheduled departure time is 7:45 but who knows. Our tag number is 32. We are to wait in our cabin till our number is called. They will be notifying you by the TV, which we have turned on twice and there is literally nothing to watch!!

Supper was minestrone soup, shrimp cocktail, tenderloin steak, scalloped potatoes, broccoli, and carrots. The broccoli and carrots were way undercooked but the steak was good. For dessert was molten lava cake but unfortunately if was way overcooked. After supper we went to guest services to get envelopes for tips and then to the room. Then, upstairs for a game of cards. I am now ahead 2 to 1. So I win the cruise part of our trip. Games to continue. 

We are now in our room soon to retire. 5 am comes very early. We are to dock at 7 am. The high tomorrow is to be 61. We will be dressed warm and have our umbrellas. Quick breakfast upstairs and then to the music hall to wait to go off. 

Love you all!! Mom, Granny and Bonnie

ALERT!! ALERT!!  Mother’s day gifts are on dining room table. Also, Mike and Matt there are birthday presents and graduation presents (Emma and Gabe) there too. Mother’s day is this Sunday!!!

Bye

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