SUNNY DAYS AT SEA—SAD GOODBYES

At Sea

Friday, January 29 and Saturday, January 30, 2016

80s F, sunny

Written to the classical sounds of Polonia String Quartet

We have really had some relaxing days we wish we could share with our family and friends back home.  We spent yesterday (Thursday) by the pool (in the shade) finishing Therapy by Jonathan Kellerman.  TK wandered around and sometimes sat with me. There is a singles group of about 200 people on the ship this week. The men and women seem to range from about 40 to 65.  Interesting dynamics. They were doing a scavenger hunt and one of the requirements was a video of a conga line. They asked me to help as the group sitting near me needed more people. Sure, why not!?

Thursday was the 2^nd formal night at dinner—requirement for men was long sleeved shirt or any shirt with tie, and/or jacket. One of our group did not qualify, so he was sent “home.” We were not sure he would return to dinner. Gwenda told me a joke he had told her earlier—

“A man was going to a fancy restaurant and was refused admittance without a jacket. He went back to his car and rumbled around and found his crumpled jacket. He went back to the restaurant and the manager refused him again, telling the man he needed a tie. He returned to the car and searched and searched but could not find a tie. Finally he opened the hood of the car, removed the battery cables, and tied them the best he could around his neck. He went back to the restaurant and they agreed to let him in. ‘But,’ the restaurant manager said, ‘don’t start anything.’”

What was really funny as our dear friend who was sent “home” was the same one who told this joke earlier. Anyway, all twelve of us enjoyed dinner—and many of us had lobster and prawns again. I have to say the lobster was exquisite and the prawns were almost as large as the lobster tail.

After dinner four of the ladies including me went back to our cabins, put our swimsuits and bathrobes on, and then went to the Deck 17 for the hot tub. What a great way to relax under the stars. We joked that now we are “those people who wander around the ship in the ship’s large white robes.”  New friend Denise (who fixed my computer) is into genealogy and I love that we share that. Nancy is so very sweet (one of her hobbies is making quilts) and shares California experiences with us. Donna is my Wisconsin twin—we find so many ways we are alike. [Note to MJ—Donna loves stollen bread too!] I’m proud of her recent achievement attaining certification to manage a Walgreen’s, which required deep knowledge of running a pharmacy). Gwenda and Bobbi did not join us at the hot tub, but I am so glad we have been able to spend so much time with her and Colin. Bobbi loves dogs and is now helping rescue dogs in their area in California. She was the first to notice stray dogs wherever we went.  Brian K did come by, but he kindly and thoughtfully brought us drinks with no camera in sight!

We stayed in the hot tub for at least an hour all by ourselves on this deck. But! At that point more and more people started trickling onto our private deck—turned out there was an astronomy talk. We reluctantly left our private tub to put our robes back on. That is when Donna discovered her room card was missing. I graciously told her I would go with her to Guest Services. That meant that Donna, who looked like a model at the time, and I, who looked like a drowned rat, had to traipse down 12 decks on formal night in swimsuits and robes so she could get a new card. We did get strange looks from tuxedos and long gowns, but who would expect something different!

View of the Atrium -- Polonia String Quartet in center

Today is Saturday, our last night on the Regal Princess. We are packed and ready for tomorrow. I ran into Brian K and he let me copy all his Nikon photos onto my computer. I will try to insert photos today. I still have extra minutes and we shall see how that goes.

In just an hour we will meet for dinner. Our head waiter, Jeff,  has been doing “parlor tricks” each night. Last night he sprinkled pepper on a saucer of water and told Rick to take a toothpick and move all the pepper to a circle in the outer edge. Rick could not do it, but of course Jeff could.  He then told us he put a little soap on the end of his toothpick. We will have to try this at home with B1 and B2!

It will be sad to leave our friends, six of whom we have known for 7 years.  Our new friends are fun too! Until we meet again!

Our gang:

Seated from left, going clockwise starting with Bobbi in the blue jacket:

Bobbi and Mark R, Lawrence and Donna B, Nancy K, Colin and Gwenda W, Janie and TK, Denise and Mike G.

Standing:

Waiters Armil and Jeffrey, and Brian K.

TK's Take: He is so pleased that we are finishing the cruise with $.79 credit for the two of us. Because of all the bonuses he got-military, other on board credit, we are ending up with more than we started with, .79 more!  That even includes the purchase of two coke cards,  $20 slot pull, $45 for photos, a coffee card, dinner at the Crowne Grille, and $12.95 per day per person for gratuities!