April 29, 2025

 

A good day at sea. I did my first talk at noon today, “Tempest in the Atlantic,” about a hurricane that saved one new world colony, started a second, and helped create a great work of art.  Tomorrow, “You Create: Photography.”  It was formerly called “The Camera on You Phone.”  And the next day is land-ho – we will be in Bermuda.

Well I asked Bonnie to make a couple of notes for me so I would remember to tell you in tonight’s blog.  She did.  Gave me the note and I’ve lost it and I only remember one of the two things on it.  She can tell you the one I remember and maybe she’ll remember the one I forgot.  Good grief!

Barring that, tonight at dinner – and a great dinner it was (escargot, seafood linguini, and apple crumble with vanilla ice cream) – a gentleman came to our table, he of the couple sitting in the window that the JAMM Kids saw in an early picture and after excusing himself for interrupting us said that he and his wife have reservations tomorrow night in one of the specialty restaurants and would we like to sit in the window tomorrow.  Yes, we said.  How very nice.

Tonight’s show was excellent – The Long Run Rocks, an Eagles tribute band.  We knew most of their songs, including, of course, the show closer “Hotel California.”  There was one fan who stood and danced during many of the song.  I should not be critical of the woman’s shape, because my  shirts come with a lump in them, but – she wore a tight, slinky red dress that was definitely not made for a body with a ponch.  She didn’t seem to care as she moved around to the music.  But back to the band.  The best part (and they are very good singers) was the outstanding guitar work.  Wow!

Since I can’t remember what I forgot, I’ll turn the  keyboard over to Bonnie and you can enjoy her reminiscing.  And hopefully she’ll remember what I don’t.

Well, here I am. We have turned our clocks up for our first one hour loss and of course he has the first talk tomorrow at 10 when most people will think it is nine!! We will see how many people come. The three speakers are back to back to back tomorrow.

Well, they had advertised a 2h learn to knit class. I said “oh boy” I will go to that. So at 10 am I was in deck 5 dining hall all ready to learn. In there was a lady as old or older than me with a duffle bag stuffed with a bunch of odd colored balls of yarn all different kinds of yarn. Also in the bag were knitting needles of all sizes and kinds. She began by having you sign in and give your email address. I was the second person to sign in. Then, she handed some yarn to the first lady and needles, asked if she knew how to knit, then gave here a paper with two short lines on it and said here are the directions for a potholder and here is what you do. Then she proceeded to explain to her how to do what it said on the paper. Then as she was turning around a third lady came in as old as we were. She signed in and said she had made one of the things on her display table and wanted to make another. She knew how to knit. So ignoring me she found some yarn and needles and proceeded to start her off showing here how to start. By this time there were now about 20 or so people in there signing in and wanting to learn. She is still working with the 3 rd lady. She told people to sign in and find a seat and at this point I left. It was total disorganization. There is no way you can go around 20 or thirty people one at time and give individual instructions and materials. I was frustrated.

So I went out to find a seat and wait for David to come up and do his talk. I was going to go into the theater but the Crown and Anchor folk were having their private affair with the Captain to hear who had the most points etc. So I sat in the promenade. They started a warm up stretch class right in the middle of the promenade from one end to the other. There were probably 50 to 75 people lined up in the middle footpath. Fortunately I was off on the edge in a chair. The crew leader up in the cross over up in the air started his music and off they went for the next 30 minutes. People trying to go from one end of the ship to the other were blocked. They were weaving in and out on the outside through chairs and tables where people were sitting. Crazy!!

David finally found me and we headed to the theater for his talk. Maybe 150 people and the talked seemed to be well received. We will see who shows up tomorrow for his photography talk.

We went to the buffet for lunch and then to the room for a nap. The room steward only straightens rooms once in the mornings. After nap we dressed and went to dinner. I had a salad, chicken cordon bleu, and ice cream. Enjoyable. Then, off to the show. We found great seats and the show was very good. The band was dressed in blue jeans and a variety of shirts and shoes. No fancy duds.

Then, we headed back to the room. They were having the Captain’s welcoming thing on the promenade, champagne, dropping balloons, etc. So we decided to go down to 2 and walk to the other end of the ship where our room is. Oops! You can’t walk from one end of the ship to the other on deck 2 or 3. So back upstairs to 4 and across through the casino, which is HUGE, and to the back and then down to 2 and left, left, left turn to our room. We were thrilled because the cabin steward had brought us ice and a paper copy of compass so I don’t have to try and use my phone app.

Well, we have turned the clocks forward the first of six times in total for the cruise and when I finish this we will head to bed. His talk is early so we will start early tomorrow.Having great weather so far. Not too cold or hot.Love you all. Mom, Granny and Bonnie

PS: I walked probably 15 flights of stairs!!! (And – this is David – she walked 78,296 steps, working on her 1,000,000 steps).

PSS: Hey TATE did Mom show you the teddy bears, haha!!s