Dackel Princess

First Day At Sea

Our first day on Ruby Princess, we were lucky enough to find pleasant companionship for lunch, as well as dinner. We all chatted and joked like old friends.

At dinner Jack had Barramundi fish with pineapple chutney and I had duck with lots of carrots and a wonderful sautéed potato.

I did decide that their version of New England clam chowder is not like Mama used to make. I did enjoy an appetizer of crab and artichokes baked and served with bruchetta like bread toasts.

After dinner, Jack wanted to go to that evening’s show in the Princess Theater. We saw the Princess Dancers (17 of them) do a routine to “We Are Family”. The young people have so much energy! The dancing was great as well as the singing.

Then the comedian/juggler began his routine. He was awesome. We laughed and laughed and the entire audience was in hysterics! This man was not just a juggler, but he could do almost everything, including riding a unicycle and juggling at the same time!

After the show, we came back to our cabin and settled in for the night. The bed is comfortable and we just love our Cabin Steward, Annop. He is such a kind and gentle man.

Actually everyone is very nice on board. Jack and I engage the crew in conversations about their home countries and they appreciate it when we tell them that we’ve been there, or in Jack’s case toured around quite a bit, and learned so much of their history. They appreciate that he studied their history.

I woke early today and went over to just get a coffee. I sat with a nice couple and before I knew it, an hour had passed. I grabbed a coffee and juice for Jack and off I went back to our room.

I went off to find out a few things with Passenger Services, and then watched a fruit and vegetable carving with three chefs. Another man did towel shaping, and one was a Dachshund!

I came back to the room and spoke to Annop for a bit. He wanted to make sure that everything is good for us, and that we did not need anything else.

The seas are calm, just a gentle rock back and forth. I have my sea sickness patches on and I am feeling great. But I met a man who was suffering. I directed him down to the medical center, where they hand those out like chocolate candies.

Tonight is a comedian in the Princess Theater. We will try to make that show. It’s so nice when you can be entertained with live performances.

Luncheon was in one of the main dining rooms. Our table mates were new to us, but we had a good time.

Jack had a wonderful and I had potato latkes. We’re going to wait for a bit and then go down for afternoon tea.

Life on a Cruise Ship

Well here we are on the Ruby Princess. We have settled in our room and unpacked and soon enough we will go down for dinner and then afterward, I think we will walk around the ship so we can see her.
The Ruby Princess is a newer ship and there is much to see. We have had some heavy rain, but that’s okay. It is nice to be in the warmth and the humidity. It has made my hair very curly once again!
At lunch we sat with a former flight attendant and her husband, and a man who is retired from FedEx and his wife. The food was great and luncheon lasted for three hours.
Everyone is so nice. I feel like I am constantly smiling. Our cabin Steward is from Thailand, Changmai in fact, and he is a delight! His name is Annop.
Apparently the dackels would not let Ben sleep last night. I told him to get out the dog crates and then tonight to crate the three dackels and close them in our bedroom. I sure hope this works. Ben sounded very unhappy and frustrated. I hope everything will be okay.
Apparently some people got off the ship in Fort Lauderdale and they have not gotten back. They keep paging them.

Florida

You know how sometimes things work well and you get through all the right lines and make all your flight connections despite the snow/ice storms last week. I saw us standing at the terminal in Boston, holding our bags, while our plane departed without us.

We were lucky. Our flight to Laguardia went smoothly and we connect there with our direct flight to Fort Lauderdale. Now the only glitch was landing in 62 degree rainy, windy weather. I will forgive the weather Gods if they let the sun shine and return the temperatures to 80 degrees.

After we checked in to our hotel we went for a walk. I know, in the rain? But we did. Both of us felt that we needed to stretch those legs and move them around.

Eventually the rain did stop, but the wind was high and of course it is humid, so my hair did it’s usual super curl thing. Not in a pretty way either! Tomorrow I will wash it and use some gel and hopefully get it to behave.

Ah yes. Hubby and I are here. We are happy to be on vacation at last!

Wednesday Hodgepodge

1. Every January 1st since 1976 Lake Superior University has published a list of words they’d like to see banished from the Queen’s English. Words may be banished due to misuse, overuse or just general uselessness (go here to read more about how the words were chosen). Here are the words/phrases they’d like to see banished in 2014-

selfie, twerk/twerking, hashtag, Twittersphere, Mr. Mom, T-bone, ____on steroids, the suffixes-ageddon, and -pocalypse added to anything and everything, from the world of politics the words-intellectually/morally bankrupt and Obamacare, and from the world of sports the words-adversity and fan base

Which of these words/phrases would you most like to see banished from everyday speech and why? Is there a word not on the list you’d like to add?

I say Twerk/Twerking. and may I also add that I really detest Miley Cyrus! I just do not like that sort of vulgar behavior!

2. What one unfinished project nags at you begging to be completed in this new year?

My office. I know, I know. I have been talking about that for years. Maybe this year I can get it done.

3. When did you last have a bowl of soup? What kind? Homemade or from a can? What’s your favorite soup?

French Onion Soup that I made on New Years Eve. I make it myself with Gruyere cheese! Then I bake it. Both Hubby and I love it. In fact, I think he married me for that one dish!

4. Snowed in, snowed under, snow job…which one most applies to your life in recent days, figuratively speaking.

Iced in, not snowed in, although we certainly have had our share of snow. Thankfully, we are in Boston and on our way to sunshine!

5. What’s the funniest movie you’ve ever seen, or at least one of the funniest?

A Christmas Story. We just love that mov ie!!!

6. In general, would you say you’re clumsy?

Ah yeah. It’s freaky, but true.

7. Elvis Presley was born on Hodgepodge Day (January 8th) back in 1935. Are you an Elvis fan? What’s your favorite Elvis tune? If that’s too hard, which Elvis tune do you dislike the least? Click here for a list of his songs.

Not really. I tend to get irritated by people who believe that they are better or greater than anyone. Unfortunately, Hollywood has not learned a lesson from Elvis. and then end up ending their own lives.

8. Insert your own random thought here.

Here we are in Boston. We fly out (hopefully) for Fort Lauderdale in the morning. I took the pups out before I left home only 8 degrees (F) and I’m sitting here in the hotel with a red slightly wind/cold burned face. Happy we are here, missing the pups, and looking forward to warmer weather and 9 days of reading my books! Love you Kindle!!!

Monday Madness

I have been so busy all day. In the morning I cleaned the entire house and prepared the guest room for our house sitter. I even put an extra comforter on the bed because it has been so cold.
I vacuumed, I washed floors, and I worked packing suit cases, making meals, and writing out plans for the house sitter. He came to dinner and we went over everything. I think I was over protective of the dogs, but he understood.
I finally made Hubby pack his suit case and think about clothes to pack. He makes me crazy. I have been packing for two days and he just tosses things in a bag and away he goes.
Our weather has been very bad. I woke up today and looked outside and the driveway was sheer ice! After breakfast Hubby tried to clear it, but it was very hard. He fell once flat on his back, and poor Fritz couldn’t walk on it and kept falling as well. In the afternoon our neighbor, Perk came and offered to use his truck to sand the driveway. He did and that made things better. But you should have seen it before Perk came with his truck! One time I was watching out the window and Hubby was trying to break up the ice with the Jeep and he came sliding down the driveway and I thought he would hit my car! But he swerved off and did not hit it!
So tomorrow we will drive to Boston and stay over night at the near the airport. Then we will get to the airport early and begin to try for our pass ride to Fort Lauderdale Florida. We have a reservation at a hotel there for Wednesday night. We leave at noon on Thursday. Please keep your fingers crossed that we will make all our flights!

Pack This…Pack That!

I broke out the suitcases this morning and started to pack. I’d hoped that Hubby would pack his own, but alas, that is not to be. I managed to get my suitcase pretty much packed, and tomorrow I will have to sit him down and figure out what he is taking.

We drove to Rite Aid Pharmacy today because I needed to get those little plastic bottles for shampoo, conditioner and sunscreen that will go through Security. I also needed to buy panty hose. Now I almost never wear them, but with two formal nights, I need to have them with me.

I was checking out when the sales clerk asked me how I said my name. I told her and she said that she was related to my cousin Janet’s husband Dave! Thus, it is a small world and strangely, she and I are related in a weird way.

The funny thing is that I have known her for a while, and always liked her. So today I got a new friend/relative.

We arrived at home and I started thinking about what 3 ounces liquid containers I needed in my back pack, and I asked myself if I had flip flop sandals. I could have sworn I did. I looked and looked and about the time I was giving up, I found them. They needed some cleaning, but I have them to wear when I am either at the beach, or at the pool.

So everything is coming together. Just keep your fingers crossed that we can make all out flights on Wednesday morning.

The Last Minute!

Yes, it’s count down time. I started got my hair done, got the 3 ounce little plastic bottles for shampoo and conditioners, and all of Hubby’s diabetic supplies.

Our house sitter arrives on Monday and we will teach him all he needs to know about the house. I’ve shopped for dog food, and all I might need to have on the trip.

Now stop me! I promised not to pack too much, and yet the ‘what ifs’ in life worry me and cause me to over prepare.

The temperature was a mere -12 degrees (F) when I got up this morning. Hubby asked if I could please take the station wagon when I went to get my hair done. His car had been sitting outside over night and I did wonder if his battery would turn the starter.

It did, but I must say, that the car never warmed up the entire way to the hair stylists. On the way back it did eventually warm up and start throwing some nice hot air!

Please pray for good weather from now until after we have departed Boston. We simply have to get out of Boston!

Ooooh Baby! It’s Cold Outside!

Ooooo-whoooooo! Today it was cold! I am talking very cold! It never got above 8 degrees (F) and currently it is -3 degrees (F)! Yeah it is a little cold!

On the news on Friday they warned people to put in blankets, thermoses of coffee or hot chocolate, and gloves, hats, and mittens, if they had to go out in their cars.

I did have to go out in the Jeep and here is what I found.

The snow was across all of the roads. The plows could only do so much and the salting will not work if you have temperatures below 10 degrees. Thus I was driving on pretty slippery roads. I was nervous, but I made it the 10 miles to the hospital for tests, and back again.

I do think that people are crazy with the way they drive. The three accidents that I saw prove that I am right!

Our house sitter comes on Monday for dinner. He is happy to be moving in with the pack of hounds, and his girl friend will be joining him.

I cannot begin to tell you how happy it makes me that they will be here with the dogs and the house. I can really go away and relax.

Ah yes, it’s getting close now! I can almost feel the sun!

Friday Five

Here is this weeks episode of Friday Five!

I got my tooth fixed! It turns out that my bite was terribly off, causing me discomfort!
When I woke on Thursday it was already snowing. It snowed all day Thursday and as I write on Thursday night it is still snowing. Pretty, but I am so done with snow this year!
My hair stylist re-arranged my appointment from Thursday to Saturday due to the snow. She is a peach.
Hubby and I are thinking about getting a (newer) car. A hybrid 4X4 that would be good in both the winter and summer!
The packing has begun!!!

Day 1, 2014

My first day of 2014 was spent trying to organize travel plans. After an hour or so I stepped back (figuratively) and let it go. Everything will work out and be fine. No worries!

After lunch Hubby went out to chop ice on our steps and I stayed in and worked on laundry, and packing lists. I keep reminding myself that less is more, so I don’t pack too much!

Then as the sun set and the house began to cool, I built a fire in the fireplace and got it going. It’s currently 9 degrees (F) and dropping. The fire feels so good and the dackels just love to lie all stretched out in front of it.

I had Anneliese to the Vet yesterday and she has some bacterial skin infection on the lower part of her belly. She is now on medications and I have to bathe her every other day. Surprisingly, she is a lot better today!

I wanted to share this with you all. A week before Christmas I went down to see Mandy and while I was there I was showing Savannah Dackel Princess. Well, she saw her pictures in the side bar and kept pointing and getting all excited.

In the last month I just feel that Savannah really not only understands what you say, but works very hard at communicating back with you! Now that is exciting for me! She is just growing up so fast!