FOOTBALL SUNDAY AT SEA

At Sea

Sunday, October 26, 2014

Sunny, 80s

 

We got up early to get padded lounge chairs poolside Deck 15 midship/the movie screen area ---that’s the trick and at least we sit in ours. Grabbed a quick pastry and coffee to go and I was all set for hours. Finished Bad Love, on to A Painted House by John Grisham—set in cotton field country in Arkansas so far. I can read no matter what the distraction. This morning was loud loud rooting for football games in England as well as a very large group of talkative women waiting in line for the buffet. We have never seen such lines, but I think it because this group has seminars throughout the day with limited time to eat. 

 

By 1 p.m. the sun was almost fully on me and the Bears/Patriots game was starting so I got some pizza and returned to our room to pack.  For some reason, this task was not so difficult—maybe because Tim was not there????

 

Now I’m back in the Piazza on Deck 5 next to a window watching the ocean wave frothingly by and listening to guitar melodies by Toby Reilly. He has a sort of Bob Dylan sound.

 

I know football is the prime focus on West 27^th Street, along with good food. Not sure what’s happening in Kiantone—perhaps nature walks and football too. We miss our family and by Thursday I hope to see them all! The purpose of this October trip was perfect eyes and we accomplished that with lots of fun thrown in. We have had a good time, but we are ready for home. 

 

Tomorrow we are scheduled to disembark about 8:30 a.m. We will drive back to Fort Myers to stay with Tom and Carol one last night. I have an appointment with Dr. Pascucci on Tuesday morning for one last check up. Immediately after that we begin our trek home.

GRAND TURK DELIVERS SUNSHINE

Grand Turk Island, /Turks and Caicos

Saturday, October 25, 2014

Sunny, 86 F

 

Grand Turk is one of my favorite islands. We can walk off the ship right onto the inviting white sandy beach and palm tree area that borders the Caribbean. Just beyond the beaches, in sight of the Caribbean, is Margaritaville with swim up bars, large pool areas, plenty of palms, the restaurant area outside or in. I even know our favorite lounge chair location, shaded under a palm and an umbrella, just two can sit between the foliage, and Tim can step right into the water and sit on a ledge. Our private paradise. I could sit in this location for hours and hours, reading and observing. A disk jockey organizes games and Jimmy Buffet music floats through the air.   

 

We did interrupt our scene for cheeseburgers in paradise. The hostess was guiding us up two flights of stairs—I was thinking, ‘I don’t see any fans up there.’ When I asked, the hostess just smiled and led us to a private area overlooking the sandy beaches and palms, the ship in the background, with an oh so pleasant breeze. She knew what she was doing.

 

After many hours we returned to the ship for dinner for two in our dining room with Ariam from Mexico, our waitress almost every night.

 

Right now I am writing at a table in the International Café in the Piazza listening to live music (Team Rootberry), a variety. Very pleasant. Tim is wandering around.

 

TK’s Take: We did take a break from our paradise to look for beach glass, and found plenty of luscious green. Tim pointed out that he found most of it, despite my perfect eyes. J

 

RAINY DAY IN THE CAYS

Princess Cays, Eleuthra Islands, Bahamas

October 24, 2014

Rainy, 80s

 

Four days in a row of rain!! This is a first for us on a cruise!! There was no point disembarking onto Princess Cays—

 

We went to the dining room for breakfast—pool deck for lunch (cheeseburgers—no need to do that again). Spent the rest of the day reading (finished Liberty [lots of military/global/lost nuclear warheads/drama—rate it a 10] ----started Bad Love by Jonathan Kellerman, a psychological “thriller”)

 

I made the mistake of going to the port talk, why would I do that?? Only one port this cruise and I could do the port talks myself. It lasted 1 hour and 20 minutes breaking into our dinner time so we ended up eating in the buffet (we like tables for 2 –no politics—and it was too late to get one in the dining room. Well, the line was very long in the buffet and Tim was not happy about that either. 

 

On the happy side we made it to see the comedian, Troy Thirdgill—from Oregon. He said people on a cruise are always approaching him to ask questions about the ship, the cruise, and other matters. He said, “Folks, I’m the comedian, don’t ask me. I don’t know.”

Then he provided this scenario. “Let’s say some F-14s flew real low over the ship. People would come and ask him what was going on. Do you really think the captain of the ship sees F-14 fighter jets flying low over the ship and he says to his Chief Mate, ‘Go get the comedian, I need to ask him what we should do.’” That kind of humor is my favorite.

 

LAZY SEA DAY AND THEN HAZY FORT LAUDERDALE

LAZY AND HAZY

At Sea and then Port of Fort Lauderdale

Wednesday, October 22 and Thursday, October 23, 2014

Scattered showers, hazy, 80s F

 

WEDNESDAY was a very lazy day---I finished Cold Fire and started Liberty by Stephen Coonts (good old intrigue with a few nuclear warheads thrown in, a Rear Admiral Jake Grafton novel). No beach for us. I enjoy sitting in a well-lit, comfortable lounge overlooking the sea while reading. Sometimes I hear interesting conversations too.

 

We had this interesting information from the Galley:

There are two main galleys on this ship, as well as three dining rooms, an Italian restaurant (Sabatini’s), a steak restaurant (Crown Grill), an International Café (for complimentary coffee, pastries, sandwiches, and other desserts), two buffet courts, a burger/hot dog/sausage grill (poolside), a pizzeria (poolside), and even an ice cream bar. There are 7 bars/lounges on this ship. 

 

Shopping List:

Food purchased from all over the world—

Fish: average 17,000 fish per day (fresh catch)—3 butchers aboard for this

Meat/daily average: 1400 pounds poultry; 1700 lbs. beef; 1400 lbs. pork/pork products; 300 lbs. veal; 200 lbs. lamb-----five butchers, 3 assistants.

Garde Manger (cold kitchen): average amount served daily:  salads—1600 lbs; shrimps---400 lbs.; mayonnaise---1300 gallons; sandwiches made---1500 each kind.

Eleven crew members work in this area.

Soups, Pastas, Vegetables/Daily: pasta---500 lbs; potatoes cooked---2700 pounds; vegetables cooked—2500 lbs; soups---550 gallons. 

Thirteen members of the galley crew work in this area.

Pastry Shop/Bakery/made from scratch daily: sweet rolls, croissants, bread rolls, puff pastry, bread sticks, biscuits, pizza.  1500 pounds of flour used daily!!

Thirteen bakers work during the day, and four at night to prepare the sweets and pastries.

Average amount of pastries prepared daily: 6000; average amount of cakes and pies served daily: 300.

Fruit and Cheese pantry: average amount of butter used daily: 400 lbs; average amount of fresh fruits served daily: 6000 lbs.

Six members of the galley crew wash, slice, prepare, and arrange the fruit and cheese daily.

Coffee pantry: average amount of coffee consumed daily—470 gallons; average amount of coffee cream used daily---62 gallons; average amount of sugar used daily---400 lbs.

A team of three keeps the coffee and espresso machines working.

Dishwashing:  A total of fifty-seen people work continuously prewashing, sorting, and feeding the items in a constant stream into the dishwashing machines. Silverware is cleaned and polished throughout the night for a fine finish for the next day.

Average daily dishes washed: 70,000

Average daily glasses washed: 21,500

 

All of that information does not include the work that is done to feed the crew!! Around 1200 more people!!!

 

Those are amazing facts from material provided by the ship personnel.

 

CARIBBEAN PRINCESS FACTS:

Captain Giorgio Pomata

Cruise Director: Lee Childers

Length: 950 ft.

Beam: 118 ft.

Ship Delivered: 2004

Max Pax: 3740

Max Crew: 1160

Registry: Bermuda

Gross Tonnage: 112,894 tons

 

After turkey dinner and Baked Alaska on Wednesday, Tim and I went to the Movies Under the Stars—Tom Cruise in Edge of Tomorrow. Despite the rain, we were cozy and dry and warm under an overhang. Princess provides warm blankets and popcorn for watching the movies. The movie was a startling concept with spider-like aliens and one master alien. Science fiction is good, but this would not be my favorite.

 

Thursday--

We had breakfast in the buffet and then proceeded to the dining room at 10 a.m. for the quickest “passenger in transit” turnaround yet. All we had to do was walk off the ship, sit for about 15 minutes, and then walk back on the ship.

 

Tim is noticing a huge difference between the calm older passengers on the five day cruise and the somewhat younger “wilder” bunch walking onto the ship now. Oh boy….

Tim made a reservation for dinner at the Crown Grill steakhouse---as an anniversary treat—30 years in August 2014.  The first course was black prawns on a bed of chopped shrimp salad with an aioli/mayonnaise sauce—Excellent! For second course Tim had French onion soup and I enjoyed cauliflower soup. Our main course was ribeye steak with special salts, Himalayan (pink) and Hawaiian (black). I liked the pink the best, although the black salt had a delicate smoky flavor.  The steak was served with a baked potato. Tim also had asparagus, too.  To help us celebrate the staff served us a chocolate mousse which I tasted, but I really had a lemon meringue cheesecake almost as good as the Cheesecake Factory. Tim had a chocolate volcano cake.

 Ordinarily we do not go to the specialty restaurants because there is a cost and there is no need to do that, but Tim has all this onboard credit so he was looking for ways to spend it. Another Tommy Bahama silk shirt was also on his agenda.

We really did not do anything special this evening—just walked around for people watching.

 

 

RAINY COZUMEL

Cozumel, Mexico

Tuesday, October 21, 2014

Rainy, 84 F

 

Even though it was sunny when we arrived at the island of Cozumel, it soon turned into lots and lots of rain with brief periods of scattered showers.  We caught a taxi ($10 for two including tip) to the downtown area’s farthest point. Uncharacteristically, Tim left his umbrella in his truck in Fort Lauderdale. I won’t write that this makes him a bit sullen because of the rain. I let him use mine. I don’t melt because I am not as sweet as he is. 

 

Anyway, I had planned purchases to make for daughters-in-law and friends at Los Cinco Soles. No t-shirts and towels here. The walk to back up the main street is interesting because shop vendors plead with people to enter their shops for a free item like earrings or a pendant. We have always been courteous and smiled “no thank you,” but they are persistent with a capital P.

 

Tonight: Showtime/Princess singers and dancers—Born to Be Wild!!

Born to Be Wild is new show for the Caribbean Princess and I really enjoyed it. A real pink Cadillac emerged from beneath the stage. Roads, city scape, and land scape scenes were projected onto a huge screen behind the Cadillac which really made it seem as if the car was moving. Two couples in the car sang and jumped out of the car occasionally to dance with other dancers. Amazing special effects!!

 

Note to R &B: it is really hard to make this story exciting when we lead fairly ordinary lives. J I’m sure you are wondering if our lives are so ordinary, why are the stories so long?????  Tee hee

Note to D, C, MRP, & HK, and EK: Even though my credit card was denied (see below) I got you something!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

 

TK’s Take: When the longshoremen were tethering the ship he remembered that they always had a pool on his Navy cruiser guessing which minute in the hour the first line would be thrown or the first anchor set.

 

MJ’s Take: At Los Cinco Soles my credit card was denied. I was unhappy (to put it mildly) because I had called Visa in September and told them when and where I would be traveling. TK had to pay for my purchases. When we got to Diamonds International I told them my story and they allowed me to call Visa—we could not find a call center to make a call and this is a good reason to really check about using our phones abroad. Anyway, Visa apologized and admitted that I had called them as I should have. They fixed the situation.  I have spent enough money at DI and I am glad that they were so accommodating despite the fact that I was not making any purchases today.

Note to self: Remember to carry more than one credit card off the ship, take more cash, have dollar bills (I like to tip the restroom ladies for clean bathrooms), and go to our Verizon store soon!!!

GUY HARVEY AND GRAND CAYMAN

Georgetown, Grand Cayman

Monday, October 20, 2014

Sunny, very humid, 86 F

 

We arrived in Georgetown this morning and used a tender to get ashore. The sea is calm and there is a little breeze, but it is very humid here. This circumstance definitely slows us down. Years ago in Grand Cayman we swam with the sting rays the size of card table tops on Stingray Bar. We really should do that again soon, but today we opted to amble along the shore in the town area. The population is about 55,000 people, with zero unemployment. According to Princess literature, the Cayman Islands are the most-hit region on earth for tropical storms, with the islands getting hit or brushed by a major event every 1.6 years. Average storm winds (not gusts) are 109 mph. In 2004 Hurricane Ivan had gusts of nearly 170 mph, damaging 95% of all buildings and causing nearly $2 billion in damage.

 

The bulk of our shopping here was at Guy Harvey’s along Harbour Drive. He is a noted scientist and artist and we love his shirts, hats, basically anything with his design.  We also had lunch on a balcony overlooking the harbor at Guy Harvey’s restaurant, cheeseburgers and fries, one of our favorite cruise pastimes!!

We are ready for dinner now---show. More later!

After dinner we went to the main production show, Caribbean Caliente, starring the Princess singers and dancers. The vibrant Mexican/Spanish songs provided some lively dancing.  Afterward Tim wanted to check on the Steelers game. As soon as I saw the score, something like 13-3 with the Steelers losing, I went back to the room to read. When Tim returned, he said I should have had a little more patience because the Steelers scored 3 touchdowns in two minutes (an exaggeration?) just after I left. I’m glad, but we don’t know if they won or not.

TK’s Take: Steelers scored 3 touchdowns in 2 minutes

MJ’s Take: Eating a cheeseburger on a balcony while gazing on the Caribbean is a wonderful way to spend lunch!

 

CARIBBEAN PRINCESS—ALL ABOARD!!

October 19, 2014

At Sea—Aboard Caribbean Princess

Sunny, 86 F

 

After two more days with Tim’s brother, we drove to Fort Lauderdale to meet the Caribbean Princess. On Thursday night before we left, we had a great dinner with DDIL Denise’s mother Cheryl and Dave at the beautiful Watermark in Naples. It is one of Cheryl’s favorite restaurants. Tim had pork chops and I enjoyed fried shrimp. Our conversation covered a lot of topics, especially Florida living. I admire their ability to recognize great properties. Their home in Estero is fabulous. 

 

On Friday we had lunch at Mel’s Diner with Mike and Maria B., dear “old” friends from Erie who spend October to April or so in Bonita Springs.   I loved hearing Tim reminisce with Mike about neighborhood escapades from his childhood. Maria was an ESD teacher and we have a lot in common!

 

Another Friday highlight was a trip to Cape Coral for the Oktoberfest with Jeff, Carmel, Carol, and Tim. The festival was much larger than ours in Erie, with multiple bands and many more food vendors.  We had weinerschnitzel, noodles, and red cabbage—my favorite. Friends Kevin (EFD) and Jan S.  joined us.

(Note: I am very glad we have a German festival in Erie—but this year it was very rainy and we couldn’t go. We did enjoy the Greek and Polish festivals in Erie though).

 

October 19, Saturday morning, we left Tom and Carol’s generous hospitality for Fort Lauderdale. The Caribbean Princess was waiting for us. Every time we board a ship we have to fill out a form stating we are not sick with certain symptoms, but this time the form added wording asking if passengers had recently traveled to Sierra Leone and two other African countries in the last 21 days and if passengers were exhibiting certain symptoms. Of course this is a reaction to the situation recently with the Carnival Magic out of Galveston, Texas.

 

We were able to talk to sons Randy and Brian before we left port and told them about the web cams we would pass by. We stood on the deck and waved like crazy but it is doubtful they saw us because they were all having fun at Randy and Coleen’s Halloween Party. J

 

Unusual for us, we sat with 6 other couples for dinner. I told Tim if the conversation turned to politics I would leave immediately, but it didn’t!!! The couples were from Montreal, Buffalo area, Kansas, and Florida. We talked about fishing, the Air Force (the young married couple was on leave), snow, and cruising. Prime rib tonight!

 

Saturday night’s show included comedian Darrell Joyce, who was very funny. He said NO man looks good in Speedos—always good for a laugh and so true. He also said if a lady cannot see all of herself in the mirror, then she probably does not qualify to wear a two piece. In fact, a three piece might not even be appropriate.

 

Sunday was a reading day by the pool. Cold Fire by Dean Koontz.  Tim said the water was cold.

We dressed for formal night and dined at a table for two. The Surf and Turf was filet mignon and shrimp-no lobster—so I opted for German pot roast.

 

We immediately changed clothes after dinner and went to the movie under the stars—Maleficent. I really wanted to see it with B1 (not sure B2 could), but since it was playing here, we watched. Tim and I both thought it was very well done. I loved the story line except for Aurora’s father.

 

After the movie, at 10:15, believe it or not, we went to the Princess Theater to see Comedian Darrell Joyce again. I think he is funny and he focused on husband / wife relationships tonight.

 

Football was on all day and I think the Broncos won.

FROM FOOTBALL TO CRUISING

Bonita Springs, Florida

October 11-16, 2014

90s, Sunny every day!

 

I am very grateful for family! We are very comfortable at Tom and Carol’s---our bedroom and bath are off the enclosed courtyard, separate from the main residence. The weather has been perfect, sunny and warm, with some humidity.

 

On Sunday we did Face time with our beautiful girls in Erie, all four. B2 and Coleen visited the Brian and Denise and B1 over Columbus Day weekend.    After that we went to Jeff and Carmel’s for football—both Pittsburgh and Buffalo lost. Tim’s nephew and his wife Pat and Brenda were at the Bills game. More importantly, Carmel fixed spaghetti and meatballs that were delicious!!! I know Denise was cooking up a storm too!

 

This week Tim went to Dr. Pascucci for a checkup and otherwise we spent time looking at various developments.  

 

Carol and Tom are great cooks and we had roast pork one day and roast beef another. I wish my cooking tasted that good! 

 

We are preparing for our cruise on the Caribbean Princess on Saturday.

 

Itinerary:

October 18, 2014:       Board the Caribbean Princess in Fort Lauderdale

October 19, 2014:       At Sea

October 20, 2014:       Georgetown, Grand Cayman

October 21, 2014:       Cozumel, Mexico

October 22, 2014:       At Sea

October 23, 2014:       Fort Lauderdale (back to back cruises)

October 24, 2014:       Princess Cays, Bahamas

October 25, 2014:       Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos

October 26, 2014:       At Sea

October 27, 2014:       Fort Lauderdale to Bonita Springs

October 28, 2014:       Final Check up with Dr. Pascucci/ 8:30 a.m. then off to ERIE, PA!

October 29, 2014:

October 30, 2014:       Hope to be home!!

 

 

 

A WONDERFUL WEEK FOR THE EYES!!

Bonita Springs, Florida

October 5-11, 2014

90s, Sunny every day!

 

On Saturday, the 4^th, we ended up at the Cheesecake Factory because Uno’s is closed in this area. But, we discovered the heavenly, heavenly lemon meringue cheesecake ---- unbelievably wonderfully great!!

 

Football at Jeff’s was fun, especially because the Buffalo Bills won their game at the last movements. Carmel fixed eggplant lasagna, pulled pork, tossed salad, potato pancakes, and much more. There was a houseful, with Tom, Carol, Carmel, Jeff, Tim’s nieces Alyssa and Christine, and Christine’s friend Stephen.

 

Monday, the 6^th, was the surgery on my left eye. I was nervous, but Dr. Pascucci and his nurses (R.N.s) at the surgery center were great and all went smoothly. By Tuesday, my left eye was 20/20! Wednesday’s surgery on my right eye went just as smoothly and by Thursday I could read without reading glasses!!! I feel blessed and certainly amazed!

 

Tom’s hip surgery went well too on Monday, and he is home now, feeling so much better.

 

Friday Tim and I took a ride around the area. We stopped at Indian Creek/Siesta Bay RV and Manufactured Home Communities in Fort Myers Beach to look around. We looked at three brand new homes, each two bedrooms/2 baths, fully furnished (with washer, dryer, all other appliances, too).  The kitchens were very attractive and the master baths were nice. The usual amenities are available, pools, tennis, pickle ball, bocce, and entertainment, etc.

The largest (Nautilus—20’ x 48’) was $75,000. One does not own the property so there is a fee, e.g. $607 to $881/month (each home we looked at had the same site fee).

 

The Dolphin was $71,900, sized 24’ x 36 and the Crown Conch was $72,900, sized 24’ x 36’.

 

Basically, all of the homes are small. The advantage here is that homeowners can rent their homes to vacationers, something most communities do not allow. Our salesman said that people get $3600/per month for their homes (allegedly)—after all this is Fort Myers Beach, a highly desirable area.

 

After we left the area, we really weighed the pros and cons. Truthfully, we like what we are doing, traveling all over!!

 

Today we are going to Tim’s grandniece Kennedy’s birthday party—her 6^th!

FORT MYERS, FLORIDA--

Bonita Springs, Florida
October 1-4, 2014
We arrived at Tim’s brother Tom’s home in the afternoon from Titusville. We will be staying here until October 18 while I have eye surgery. We have a separate area with a bedroom and bath, which leads to the courtyard pool area. It is so nice of Tom and Carol to offer us this residence.
On Thursday I met Dr. Stephen Pascucci and I have every confidence in him. Dr. Pascucci wrote the book on eye surgeries (actually, he co-authored the definitive text on Conductive Keratoplasty—the correction of astigmatism and the restoration of near vision following LASIK and intraocular lens surgeries).  www.bonitaeye.com
My surgeries are scheduled for next Monday and Wednesday. (October 6, 8). Our niece is the office manager for Dr. Pascucci and she is totally supportive of his work.
The weather is very warm—90s, and sunny. On Friday we drove to Fleamasters Flea Market, one of our favorite places to shop.
Today we will drive around the Naples, Florida area and stop for dinner at Uno Pizzeria and Grill!!
I’m going to enjoy the time I have to work on my grand uncle Archie Harvey’s story (World War I) and read the book friend H gave me, Seal of Honor: Operation Red Wings and the Life of Lt. Michael P. Murphy by Gary Williams.
I am very disappointed that I cannot upload photos to this blog.