Loved that Cruise

Oh how I love a good cruise”
Alas we have returned from our cruise. I wandered if a seven day cruise would be too long… No Way! I think I need to try a 10 day next. I was just getting my sea legs when this one came sadly to an end. We flew to Fort Lauderdale on Fri night.. After a long delay at the airport we had a good flight I was not the one to get sick while in the air it was poor little Nessa this time I really think it is the person who sits beside Jennifer that has the trouble. Jennifer says we all have to stay away from McDonalds at the airport. We found out the long delay was because of the Space Shuttle launch thankfully we were in the new airport and it was not too bad. I would not recommend AirTram as a comfortable airline to fly but they had the non stop flight and no problems other than cramped seating. We stayed in Fort Lauderdale that night and left for the boat via limo the next morning... Don’t expect limo’s to have a lot of luggage space, they don’t. Other than no space for luggage the trip to Miami Port was great. We arrived at the dock and the Porters were right there to assist us with luggage and off to the processing center we went... Wearing yellow shirts saying I’m on Vacation, we met several of our friends we had made on the Cruise Critic. The process was very quick and smooth. We were on board very quickly. By 1:30 our suitcases were in the room and we were ready for Sail.

Life Boat drill was a little rocky for us. Otila could not stand that long and we had to get her help and she finished life boat drill sitting in the dining room.

We had a day at sea then arrived in San Juan at 4pm we were off the boat by 5 and met Steve Spears at the dock he showed us the high lights of Old San Juan and told us much of the history of the places we were seeing. Then took us to the most amazing place to eat... It was called the Parrott Club. It looked like a little bar but with out a doubt the best Steak I have ever eaten and everyone in our party enjoyed the food and drink they ordered. Too bad we had to be back to the ship so soon as I would have liked to explore Old San Juan.

The next day we landed in St Thomas where we took a tour bus and saw all the sights shopping and went swimming before heading back to the boat for dinner.
St Marten was our port for the next day. Another tour and beach time… This time a nude beach was right next to where we were sitting and the whole area was tops optional. This tour operator had rum punch on the bus so did not care if the other people had clothes on or not. Just glad I kept mine on.

The rest of the trip was on board Ship several glorious days at sea Water was a little rough one day and everyone ran into each other often but it was great. We ate every evening but one in the dinning room. Had a very bad waiter the first two nights so got that changed and had wonderful service the rest of the trip. They fixed me a special Gluten Free Meal each night, complete with desert. That was a treat as I don’t normally get to enjoy desert.

We all enjoyed the Spa on board, Otila had Acupuncture treatments and got relief from her back pain... I had a facial and massage and the others enjoyed various treatments. I spent time in the steam room and sauna, wish I had them here to enjoy daily. The Hot Tubs were popular places but we found the pools a little cool.

The only disappointment was Miami the hotel would not let us check in early not fun sitting in a lobby and secondly they would not let us use the pool or walk on their private beach. Then the weather was cold and windy. So Miami Beach will not be a highlight of this trip.
Early the next morning we took a limo to the Fort Lauderdale airport and returned to reality... Cold weather and no People… Nessa had People that looked after her and brought her room service and cleaned her room and left her candy on her pillow. Sure wish I had some of those people here.

The Grand Tour

Sunday we took a tour of the New Airport in Indianapolis. It’s large and impressive. The baggage area already had lost luggage aimlessly going round and around the carousel. Some of the new security measures looked and sounded good. And it looks like it will be user friendly.
Nessa was impressed with the BIG Trucks that were being shown off on the Tarmac. Reminded me of the snow plows in “Airport” the movie with all the trucks lined up and their snow blades ready to clean the runways. Thought I heard some one say runway one niner it’s a go.
Too bad the concessions were not open, from the signs some of them sound interesting. A few of the vendors had tables set in the hall one popcorn place sounded really good and of course the South Bend Chocolate Factory is always a winner. They were giving out chocolate covered raisins. Just one, now who can eat just one raisin and not want more. See if they had been open there would have been a sale.
The airport itself looks easy to get to you will come in off I-70 and right into the complex the parking garage looked to be twice the size of the old and not nearly as confusing. You can again go into the building and see planes land and take off and will be at a good place to greet passengers. Lots of seating and people movers for the long hallways.
We will be flying out just 4 days after they open hope they have all the bugs out before we get there. That was why we went on the tour so we would know what to expect the day we leave, and what to expect when we return.
This is our year for grand tours we took a tour of Lucas Oil Stadium and now the airport and when we get to San Juan we will tour Old San Juan. Oh what fun, I’ll let you all know about San Juan later.

Changes

Year of Changes
This year although not over yet has brought many changes. Some events affected only me personally but others to everyone around town.
With my 63 birthday I became one of the people drawing Social Security. That was something I thought I would never see. .I was not going to get that old... What I thought I was going to do I do not know but getting old was not one of the options.
In April I lost my mother she was 96 years old I really never believed I would outlive her. She was always so strong and determined.
The whole family is dealing with the hole she has left in our lives.
Today they deflated the Hoosier Dome... RCA Dome to some but to me it will always be the Hoosier Dome… My playground in Adult life there I had many friends, and a good part time job. Working Security for events that I would have never been able to see otherwise. All the Colts football games I saw from the field. I was on hand for the Rolling Stones Final tour. Farm Aid, Black Expo, High School and College Basketball Games, Band Contest and many more things that were held in the Dome, I met my third husband working there so everything was not good about that job. The Skyline will change and people will have new memories of a new Stadium and I wish them well.
I have a new part time job doing inventories in small retail stores making new friends and learning new things. The landscapes change and we move on.

My Back Yard

The bunnies are at it again. So far my garden has produced one tomato. There was another almost ready but as dawn shown upon the garden this morning that was gone. It had teeth marks on it and lay half eaten upon the ground. The limb of the tomato plant is also broken as this little tomato was near the top. Must have been a short bunny.
I have a red clematis that the bunnies really love every time it gets about 3 inches tall they cut it off. It all summer has not made it to the first run of the trellis I envisioned it growing on. In fact I was afraid the pretty trellis would be covered up by the vine. I had the prettiest little petunias in one pot that were hanging down almost to the ground. No more it’s been trimmed. The thing about these little bunnies is there is a big bunny with them. It looks like she would have more control over her little ones. But no she just lets them run wild and eat anything they want.

And then the rains came down.

When daylight peaked though the clouds this morning June 7, 2008, I was greeted with quite a surprise. The nice neat garden that was doing so well was now under water. The fence post I was using to mark the garden’s side was on the other side of the yard trying to enter the storm drain. The three little ladybug stepping stones were now floating across the way. Thankfully I could still hear the sump pump working so the basement is ok.

I had just finished putting new mulch around all the flowers and had put in new flowers and new solar lights. They all looked so neat.
In my garden I have a row of radishes and a row of purple onions the article I read says lots of water is the secret to sweet onions. I wonder if this is too much?

SPRING FLOOD

Flood
There’s a flood in my back yard. The critters that live there are none too happy about it.
The big Pleated Woodpecker. (That’s the one that looks like Woody) has been on the deck most of the day. He thinks we should be out there filling up his food stations and getting things done. The little chipmunks I have also noticed on top of the deck to get out of the water. Saw the Squirrels splashing through the water they looked like they were having fun.
I did go out and wade through the small stream going thought the yard to get to my garden was a little hesitant to do that as just days ago a little snake was killed by a flower pot falling over on him. Now did he have friends and do they like or dislike water? What other things are in that water. But I had to rescue my radishes they were all covered over with run off stuff from the back of the garden . Poor little radishes would never grow if I left them like that. My onions had also lost most of the dirt from around them and if you leave them uncovered they get real hot and I wanted sweet onions I think I was just complaining about having to water. Well this week made up for all the water we did not get last time. Be wary of what you ask for. I forget to take that little bit of advice.

AH SPRING

Ah Spring!

Spring finally arrived in Indiana and we have some decent weather.
We have gone swimming twice sure wish the pool would absorb some of the heat from the sun. It has been cold.
My garden and flower beds are doing well they don’t seem to have any critters raiding them this year. I did set a flower pot up awhile ago and under the edge was a little snake just as dead as can be. I guess the storm must have blown the pot over just as the snake was slithering by. By this time next week I should have radishes ready to eat, and the parsley and chives I can use anytime I need. I have two tomato plants doing well and an egg plant. Then I have two pots with Cucumbers. The rest are flowers and some of them are doing quite well. One thing about missing the bad weather last week-end is I have had to water my plants. Just a little north of here they got bad storms but they missed us.