A day at home, a dinner with Vicki

 

Last night, I was playing around with ChatGPT and asked it to generate a picture of me (face previously altered to look more feminine) standing in San Francisco on a nice summer's day.  I wish I could have been that woman in the picture in real life.  The AI version of me exudes happiness in her smile, and she projects a form of confidence that can't be ignored.

- - - - - -

This morning, I got up at my usual time and decided to cook breakfast - eggs and corned beef hash.    It's one of my quick go-to meals, as all I do is open up a can of hash, heat it up, then scramble in a couple of eggs.  It's a one skillet meal that I can make with a minimum of fuss.

After breakfast, I decided to relax, as I was not in the mood to do any type of decluttering.  Instead, I waited for an Amazon delivery that put 2 packages by my door.  The first package contained a set of mouse pads - the thing I needed most for using my mouse while sitting on my sofa.  The other package contained a watch "repair" kit, with spring pins that could be used to connect a watch strap to the base of the watch.  (The kit didn't contain all I needed to make fixing the watch band I had an easy job.  But it had just enough stuff for me to reattach one end of the watch band to the other.)  At least I learned a little something new by doing this task myself.

Around 5 pm, I left for dinner at the local Japanese restaurant.  Vicki was there on time - I was 10 minutes late.  Today's conversation was not as intense as it could have been.  Instead, it was relaxed, in part because Vicki had just had a facial and was already relaxed.  We talked about my latest cruise, and her husband's truck.  But very little talk of a serious nature.  And that was a big relief.  Yet, the issue of how I dressed on the cruise came up.  I mentioned that I dressed as Mario, as I didn't want any possible contact with Federal Government employees while presenting as Marian, as I don't want to be hassled by the Orange Snowflake's Gestapo.

Once done with dinner, I found out that Game Night was cancelled.  So I drove to Walmart to pick up a few items, and then to the supermarket to pick up ingredients for another batch of onion soup.  By the time I got home, I wouldn't wait to take off my bra and falsies, my wig, and most of my clothes to get into something comfortable.  

Tomorrow, RQS comes here again, and I start work on another batch of onion soup....

Florida/Bahamas Cruise 2025 - Disembarkation Day (01/12/26)

 

This would be our last morning on the ship.  Not having a balcony cabin, we weren't tempted to go outside and get pictures of the Verrazzano Narrows Bridge and the Statue of Liberty as we cruised upriver to pier 88. The ship was a little late clearing customs, we were a little early clearing out our room, and we were finishing breakfast by 7:30 am.

Most people on the ship for a last breakfast gravitate to the buffet.  We gravitate to the main dining rooms, where fewer people go and where we're allowed to linger after breakfast is finished. Our scheduled exit time was 8:30 am, so we killed an hour on the ship before walking to the exit for our last card scan, And then, we were finally off the ship.

Our next step was to pick up our luggage at the pier.  This part of the trip is slightly less chaotic than on embarkation day, as our luggage is placed in areas on the pier based on luggage tag color.  We were able to find our bags relatively quickly, and then were able to walk outside.  In the past, this would require a stop where a customs official would check the cruiser's paperwork before the cruiser was allowed to leave the pier.  Now, with facial recognition, one walks to a scanner where one's image is matched to one on file, and upon a match, one is free to leave.

Now that both of us had cleared customs, it was time to catch a cab.  One hustler tried to get us to take his car for $65 - a ripoff, when the metered fare would be between $20 and $25 plus tip.  Of course, as native New Yorkers, we went to the official cab stand and got a nice driver who shared serious talk and jokes on the way to Grand Central.  

Roughly 90 minutes after our arrival at Grand Central, we were back in Croton, and finally able to rest.

Florida/Bahamas Cruise 2025 - Sea Day #4 (01/11/26)

 

The day started off with us going to our last, non-rushed breakfast at the ship's main dining room.  Nothing special for me, as I ordered the usual: OJ, Eggs Benedict, a Fruit Cup, and Coffee.  (I'd order Scrambled Eggs off the ship, but I've been burnt before with powdered eggs - and I hate them, no matter where they are served.) 

On the way back from breakfast, we saw that the ship's atrium was packed with people enjoying a dumb entertainment - Twenty Questions, where someone from the ship is trying to figure out what is on screen in back of her.  I'm not knocking this, as much as the two of us have experienced better onboard activities on other lines, such as Princess and Cunard.  So, we headed back to the cabin to relax and watch the vidiot box (TV).

Yesterday, I sent out most of my dirty laundry to get cleaned.  Although it should be delivered by 6 pm, I was looking for it well before then, so that I could get a head start on packing - as RQS did before me.  While she was doing that, I kept working on my travel blog, editing pictures and moving them to my laptop for posting with the current entry.   

- - - - - -

We returned from our last lunch on the ship, and guess what?  Laundry had been delivered, and my trousers and shirts had been hung up in the closet.  I haven't yet seen any charges to my account, so I wonder - did the second bag cost me anything?  Well, several hours later, just before going to dinner, I checked again - and there was no charge!  Maybe I got lucky. 

On our way to dinner, we stopped by the Inch of Gold stand and had a nice char with a lady called KD (from Jamaica). We talked of our cruises, and how she gets to spend port days.  I noted that she must love it when the ship makes port in Bermuda, and then she noted how a stop in Quebec City is just as good for her.  And then, we went to the main dining room - and were surprised by a decent meal!  (Remember, when we ate here last, we were upset by everything.)  Although the meal was not as good as that in the specialty restaurants, we enjoyed it much more - and were glad to have eaten there.

Finally, it was time to go back to the room and finish potting out our bags for pickup tomorrow at the pier. This was the greatest reminder that we'll be back in the real world tomorrow morning. 

Florida/Bahamas Cruise 2025 - Great Stirrup Cay, Bahamas (01/08/26)

 

Great Stirrup Cay - NCL's private island.  The last time I was here, I declined to set foot on the island because it was a tender port.  And I did the right thing, as choppy weather was getting in the way of tenders returning people to the ship.

- - - - - -

We arrived at the island early in the morning.  The ship emptied out while we went to breakfast on the ship. That meant the ship was quiet and peaceful for a change, and we enjoyed it.  Breakfast was pleasant, as we didn't have to wait to be seated, nor did we have to be worried about overworked wait staff giving shoddy breakfast service.  Normally, we might not have roused ourselves out of bed until noon.  But we were hungry, and the mechanical staff had to visit our room again for a third time to fix the problem with our toilet not flushing correctly.  So, after breakfast, we killed time in the main atrium and gave staff a chance to make up our cabin, and fix the problem with the toilet without us getting in the way.

We came back to a room with a working toilet (Thank God!) and relaxed for a while before going to the buffet for a late lunch.  Again, we killed a little time, as we had an early dinner at the Hibachi restaurant. There's not much to say about this place, save that the food was tasty and plentiful.  I've seen the Hibachi show way too many times to be impressed by it, and I'm glad that we didn't get stuck eating 3 specialty meals in this place.

After dinner, it was off to the ship's theater to see a show we saw on one of our trips on this ship - the Broadway Cabaret.  Unlike the last show we saw in this theater, we enjoyed it - even though we had seen it before.   The ship's singers and musicians were at the top of their game, and we stayed to the closing number.  (We left during the number, as we both needed bio-breaks.)  And then we were done for the night. 

 

Florida/Bahamas Cruise 2025 - Sea Day #2 (01/06/26)

 

Up again at 8:00 am could become a short term habit for us.  Unfortunately, this hasn't made it possible for us to be served quickly in the main dining room.

- - - - - -

We made it to the dining room at 9:15 am, knowing that we'd have to wait a little.  After standing on line to reach the restaurant's reception desk, we took a pager and walked to a nearby sitting area to await the buzzer.  About 20 minutes later, we walked back to the restaurant, and we were seated without waiting.  However, the restaurant is supposed to close itself off to new diners at 9:30 am, so everyone seated afterward might be affected by the pre-lunch preparations that start at the end of breakfast service.

Well, it took over 15 minutes for us to even be noticed by wait staff, and that was only because I had to flag someone down.  This server noted that things were busy today, and that they were having trouble handling the volume of cruisers wanting a served breakfast.  (I feel that NCL is skimping on staff at all levels, but that's a topic I'll cover elsewhere.)  Our order was eventually taken, and we were waiting until after 10:00 am for our food to come.  (We were thinking of skipping out and going to the buffet, as service was that slow.)  When it came, my Eggs Benedict were missing.  It took another 10 minutes (or more) for them to come.  By the time they came, staff had already started to clear the tables and cleared off the coffee creamers before we were finished with our coffee, and then they cleared the butter pats off the table before I had finished buttering my toast.  This was not a good omen for future visits.

- - - - - -

Lunch was at the ship's "American Diner" venue, and I made a big mistake before going here - I forgot to bring my sweater.  If the place had a good windbreak, I'd have enjoyed dining here.  RQS had a freshly grilled burger here, while I had the fish sandwich.  Both were done well, and were very tasty.  Would I eat here again?  Only on a warm and calm sunny day, as this venue is open to gusty winds that can bring in unpleasant weather.

- - - - - -

Around 7:00 pm, we headed to the ship's theater to see a musical revue.  The ship's musicians and dancers performed a show centered around British Pop Music which became popular in the US, with songs from groups like the Beatles, the Who, David Bowie, Elton John, and the Spice Girls.  There was a little something for everyone in the music, but the dancing left a bit to be desired.

Sadly, we left the theater early, as we had 8:00 dinner reservations at the ship's Mediterranean restaurant.  (Think of Greek Seafood.)  Both of us loved our meals, but I wish portion size was larger - the octopus appetizer was the best I've ever had, as it was flavorful, tender, but not chewy! (Too bad I couldn't get a dinner sized portion of the dish.)

All too soon, reality hit us and we went back to our cabin after missing half of the comedy show.  We were in for the night, and will need to see if we can make reservations for the Noodle Bar tomorrow. 

 

Still recovering from my cruise

 

As I write this entry, I've been on land for 3 days now.  And reality is catching up with me.  I've had to write out a fistful of checks (actually, they are ACH Payments for the most part) , and my bank account is the lowest it's ever been for a while.  By tomorrow, my monthly Social Security payment will be credited to my account, and I will be mostly whole again.  

Catching up with this is always a pain in the butt.  Last night, I laundered 2 baskets of dirty clothes, with another basket ready to go today.  Today, I paid bills.  And tomorrow, I'll likely do some apartment cleanup before going out for lunch with a friend and going to game night for the first time in a couple of months.

- - - - - -

Today, I went to the radiology center in town to get a liver scan.  Now, I have some understanding of how a woman feels as her belly gets slicked up for the ultrasound scan, and for the device to be rubbed over the skin.  (No, there's no sensory comparison.  But there is a procedural comparison, and only that, here.)  In a week and a half, I expect that my doctor will be giving me some bad news as the results of this scan comes in.

Once done with the liver scan, it was off to the bagel shop to get breakfast.  Being without food or water for 10 hours made me hungry and thirsty.  And I dealt with that need before going home.  Then, I relaxed for the rest of the day. 

Eastern Caribbean Cruise 2025 - Barbados Day 1 (12/02/25)

 

This was a day we were dreading.  No, it's not because anything bad was about to happen.  Instead, it was because we had to wake up by 6 am to make a tour scheduled for 10 am.  If we had known better, we could have woken up at least an hour later.  But we were playing things safe, as our shore excursion instructions mentioned a 15 minute walk to the cruise terminal (or using a shuttle that ran every 15 minutes that can get overcrowded).  Since neither of us wanted to walk 15 minutes, we decided to take the first shuttle of the day.

But first....

We showered and dressed and were at the buffet before 7 am.  One problem - the main area of the buffet wasn't yet open, and we had to find our food at the other end of the buffet area.  Rushing to finish our meals, we were back in our cabin before 7:30, with a few minutes to get ready before leaving the ship to find the shuttle bus.

The pier in Bridgetown, Barbados is long.  I wouldn't recommend walking it, as it is narrow and allows for only one lane of vehicular traffic.  This means that a pedestrian lane has been squeezed out of the area where one would have buses and other vehicles pass each other in opposing directions.  We were at the far end of the pier, and I estimated that we'd walk 1/2 mile before reaching the terminal.  Use of the shuttle would be our only realistic option today.

At 8 am, we walked to the gangway and found the shuttle loading nearby.  By 8:10, we were in the terminal, ready to kill time before going outside to find our tour bus.  A little before 9 am, we went to the designated waiting area, and our tour guide arrived a few minutes late.  (Heck, it's "Island Time", nothing is on time by NYC terms when in the Caribbean.)  Narren, our guide, was dressed up like Santa, and was ready to show us the best of Barbados.

Now, I'm not going to fault Narren, but there wasn't that much to see on this tour.  Yes, we went past the home of the rich and famous. But after that, it was a long drive on twisty and bumpy roads to reach scenic vistas and an old church.  One member of our group commented that she had seen much better old churches in Europe - and I wouldn't doubt her.  Barbados has only a short history of being settled by European people.  So, shoring a 300 year old church is not enough to impress everyone. Both my partner and I agreed that we might not have taken this tour had we known how little there would be to see.  Again, I won't fault our tour guide.  It was not what we were looking for in a scenic tour. 

We were glad to get back to the ship for lunch and a nap....

- - - - - -

Around 6:30 pm, we went downstairs for dinner. My only complaint was that there were not enough Anjou Pear slices with this appetizer.  My partner noted that Cunard's version of an appetizer is not a mini-main.  Instead, it's a bite or two of tasty food.  And, as usual, I enjoyed two appetizers and a Caesar Salad. The rib eye steak was done to perfection, and the desserts were on the mark as well.  Not that much to say about dinner, save that this was the first time that RQS noticed a mistake in the restaurant's service.  Yet, we still keep getting impressed by service (in general) on this ship. 

 

mmmmm 

 

Eastern Caribbean Cruise 2025 - Sea Day #3 (11/29/25)

 

 (Queen Mary 2 Library)

It started out as a sunny day, and that could only mean one thing: We're now in the Caribbean, and it's warm outside.  I'm comfortable with this for now, but I'd rather be inside in air-conditioned comfort, than to be outside in the warmth.  At times like these, I'm glad that my mom's side of the family emigrated from "the islands" to come to America - the weather is better up here for people like me.

- - - - - - -

We went to Breakfast in the dining room and met 5 other people at a shared table.  All of us were from North America, and we had a few common things to talk about.  This is the type of table at which I enjoy eating at the most, as there is always a chance for a great chat.  All too soon, breakfast had to end, and it was time to go back to our cabin for a while.  Once in the cabin, RQS worked on her painting,  while I worked on my blogs for a while.  And then, I ended up taking a rest. 

As we sail further South, it seems as if it's becoming much more humid outside.  (RQS says it is doing so, as she sits on the balcony working with her watercolors.) For me, this will be a bit of a curse, as I've noticed that I've become much more sensitive to heat and humidity.  So, I expect that our shore excursions may be a little hellish for me on this trip.

RQS wanted to get out of the room, and we decided to find the ship's library after a late lunch in the buffet.  We went upstairs and walked to the front of the ship, where we found the largest library I've ever seen at sea.  It is a great place to relax and get away from crowds, and one of the "little" nooks on this ship that make it cozy.

- - - - - - 

At 6:00, we went to dinner, and were seated without much of a wait.  However, today's service seemed to be slightly slower than usual, and the formalities of flatware placement before serving any of the meal's dishes wasn't observed.  Instead, they were replacing flatware after each course, as if there was a backlog of clean flatware coming from the dishwashers.  The meal was good, albeit with a couple of misses in appetizers and desserts.

After a short stop in our cabin to refresh ourselves, we went to the ship's theater to see a pair of aerial acrobats (Duo Quintessence) perform a Cirque du Soleil like show.  This couple did a fantastic show, showing off their talents and skills at their best. Would I see them again?  Yes.  Yet, I wouldn't go out of my way to do so, as there is only so much variety one can insert into this type of performance. 

 

The end of a weekend with RQS (a short post)

 

Monday came, and it was time for me to leave RQS's place.  Both of us woke up early, as we had a task to take care of before I left for the day.  Instead of cooking something traditional for breakfast, RQS warmed up pizza left over from Friday night.  It was a filling breakfast, albeit something we wouldn't have normally considered.

Once done with breakfast, we took care of the most important task we had before us: Making a deposit on next year's British Isles cruise. So, we called our travel agent around 10:30, and made him a happy camper.  However, our delay may have caused us to lose a freebie: a cruise credit given to people who book a new cruise within 30 (?) days of completing a cruise booked through the travel agency.  We'll find out after we make our final payments next year, as we have 8 months to make our payments.

While I'm on the topic of cruise payments, I scheduled an email to be sent to Princess Cruises' "Move Over" area saying thanks for the cabin upgrade on the moved over cruise. In that email, I also asked when we would be receiving checks for our refundable onboard credits (the free cruise refund).  At noon, I received a reply.  Our checks would be coming in 6-8 weeks, and that's fine with me.

Around 2:30, I left for home.  Big mistake in timing - I forgot that school was letting out, and it took me 10 minutes to get get through an intersection due to problems from traffic light timing, children crossing the street, and commercial traffic on the street I was turning on to, all combined to screw up traffic flow. Once through the intersection, it was relatively clear sailing until I reached the "Lobster Truck" for lunch. $35 later, I was on the road again, and heading for home.  

Given that my refrigerator was empty of stuff for dinner, I decided to detour to Trader Joe's to pick up food stuffs.  If anyone believes the Orange Snowflake's claim that we don't have food inflation, I have a bridge in Brooklyn to sell.  I ended up getting home at 5:30, which I consider a good time for this time of day.

Now to wash my wig and (maybe) do some laundry....

Canada/New England Cruise 2025 - Halifax, NS (09/10/25)

 

I knew that I was going to hate waking up today, as I knew that I wouldn't get enough sleep before our scheduled shore excursion.

But first....

RQS and I had to get up at 6, so that we'd be ready for our shore excursion to Lunenburg by 7:30.  With neither of us having enough sleep the night before, I knew that we'd both be exhausted by the time we got back to the ship.  I was up early enough to get some shots of Port Halifax before we docked at Pier 20.  (All my previous cruises to this port docked at pier 21.)  

The first thing we did after showering and dressing was to go to the buffet. Being up at 7 made it so easy for us to both find a vacant table and find something to eat.  Too bad we're not early birds.  Around 7:30, we made it to one of the staging stations (a ship restaurant) to await our group number to be called.  After a short walk to an awaiting bus, we were on our way to Lunenburg.

 

 

 

Our first stop along the way was to Amos Pewter in Mahone Bay.  We saw the "Soup to Nuts" presentation on how pewter is made, and participated in using the skills needed to make a pewter ornament.  It was a nice demonstration, and made us appreciate the work the artisans do at this studio.

From Mahone Bay, it was off to nearby Lunenburg.  Old town Lunenburg was a planned colonial settlement, and a Nova Scotia treasure.  All of the buildings in this district reek of history, even if they are post colonial in style.  It was here where we decided to have lunch and enjoy our day away from the ship.  
 

After lunch, we explored the old town a little, but didn't have that much time or energy to do this place justice.  Hopefully, we may be able to find the time and money to visit this part of Canada by land and explore it as my parents once did 55 years ago, when I was a child.

All too soon, we were on our way back to the ship.  After a stop at a Maple Syrup store (a stop geared to generate money for both the store and the tour company), we were on our way back to the ship.  Sadly, we had no time to find a place selling needle and thread (I wanted to secure a button to a jacket), so this task will be put off to our next port stop.  And then, it was time for both of us to take a much needed nap before dinner.

Dinnertime came, and we went to the main dining room for dinner.  We were seated at a shared table with 5 other people, and had a nice time.  However, we noticed one thing: Service was so slow for a 7 pm seating, that we could not make it to the theater in time for the nightly entertainment. 

 

 

Today was a nothing burger of a day. (a short post)

 

It's rare that I wake up early and cook breakfast.  And it's even rarer that I go back to bed and fall asleep again.  But that was the main focus of the day - my total lack of energy until afternoon came, and when I found the energy to stay out of bed.

- - - - - -

Around 7 am, I got up and cooked some breakfast.  I rarely find myself having a short burst of energy, then depleting it quickly.  But that was my morning in a nutshell.  Right after breakfast, I felt a need to go back to bed, and I couldn't find the energy to leave it until the afternoon.  This meant that my plans to go into the city and see a Broadway play would have to be changed.

By the time I was ready to go outside, it was way too late for me to do anything that required a trip to the city.  So I got showered and dressed, wearing my new dress from Universal Standard.  It fit me well, but I'm unhappy with how the flutter sleeves look on me. Then I took a drive to the store to pick up some face powder.  My first stop had me picking up setting powder a little darker than my usual shade.  Once I realized this, I decided to drive to Target to get another container of powder.  

Once I was done with my shopping, it was back home to spend the evening.  Not much to say about today, and just as well.  RQS and I will be doing a Zoom meeting with our Texas friends in a couple of days, and we will be booking our next European cruise over the weekend as well.  (We may delay this until we get back from our next cruise, due to constraints on RQS's finances.)

Alaska Cruise 2025 - Glacier Bay - Scenic Cruising Day (08/16/25)

 

Glacier Bay.  It's a national park where only two cruise ships are allowed to enter it on any one day, and we are on one of those ships.  It's a place where nature has been allowed to run wild, and I am grateful that I have the chance to see it before global warming ruins it.

- - - - - -

One thing I've noticed where RQS and I differ greatly is in our sleeping habits.  If I wake up, I tend to stay awake.  If she wakes up, it's easy for her to stay asleep.  This is not usually a big problem, as I will often go into another room and do my thing.  But when it's in a cabin, it's something else.  I have to find ways of doing my thing without disturbing her. And that can be tricky when we have an inside cabin.  Luckily, we have a balcony cabin for this cruise, and we'll be able to see glaciers without leaving the cabin if we want to do that.

Around 9:15, we went to the buffet for breakfast.  Not much to say about that, save we were on the opposite end of the ship from where the Park Ranger was scheduled to give a talk about Glacier bay.  By the time we reached the theater, there were almost no seats left, and we had to walk to the front row to find seats.  Of the 2 presentations we have seen this cruise, the park ranger's presentation was the best. After the presentation, we walked back to our cabin and watched Alaska glide by from the comfort of our balcony for a while. 

 
After lunch, we moseyed up to the lounge where the park ranger was talking.  She noted several things about Glacier Bay park that made the cruise a little bit more interesting: Why the color of the water can be a shade of aqua, how fine glacial silt can be, what causes icebergs to calve from glaciers, etc. Even though what she said was interesting, I found it relaxing to see Mother Nature in her majesty.  All too soon, the park rangers were dropped off at the entrance to the park, and our ship started on its way to Juneau.

- - - - - -

Dinnertime came, and we sat at our usual table with some people we ate with before. Although it was noisy, we were able to enjoy a good meal and good conversation.  Unfortunately, I took a chance with another Indian chicken dish and struck out.  Such is the life of someone who gambles with food.  At least, the creme brulee was good. 

Later on was the stage show.  It was a 30-minute song and dance extravaganza, where the performers sang (and danced to) music from around the world.  One problem: more than half the numbers stunk. One of the decent tunes was an abbreviated version of Iz's "Somewhere over the Rainbow" / "It's a Wonderful World" medley. The men performing "Nessun dorma" and the woman doing Alicia Keys' "New York" did a great job on their tunes.  However, the show was ruined for me because the cast ruined "The Girl from Ipanema" and "Mas Que Nada", both tunes I've loved from childhood.

With that being said, it was another good day in the great white north.

 

Alaska Cruise 2025 - Sea Day #1 (08/12/25)

 

Our day started late, as we were catching up on some long needed sleep.  My back was causing me grief, making it hard for me to get my back into an erect position without pain.  Luckily, a hot shower helped my muscles relax, and I was able to get showered and dressed without incident.  Once I was up and moving, I was able to take a nice picture of the fog that enveloped our ship.  At this point of our journey, having a balcony cabin doesn't mean that much.  But it will mean a lot once we get into Alaska's inside passage.

After we were dressed, we got a call from room service asking us when we would like our deluxe balcony breakfast for two.  It was a little early for us to think of it, but we said we wanted it tomorrow, as we would still be at sea, on our way to Alaska. We made it to the buffet for a late breakfast, and we both enjoyed sitting by the window and letting the waves roll by.  About 30 minutes later,  RQS went to a presentation while I went back into the cabin to edit my blogs. Around lunch time, we went back to the buffet for another bite to eat and to kill some time. 

- - - - - - 

On select cruises, Princess  Cruises has a naturalist giving enrichment talks about places that the ship will visit on the cruise.  This is the case with its Alaska cruises, and it's something all cruise lines doing Alaska itineraries should do.  Shortly after lunch, we went to one of these presentations on Glaciers, and enjoyed the presentation. 

Returning to the room after the presentation, we spotted some pineapples on a couple of doors on the way to our cabin.  It's nice to know that there are still some people who have a certain spark of youth in them (whether or not they need a blue pill to ignite that spark.)  With that being said, this was the first time I have seen pineapples affixed to cabin doors on a Princess Cruise.  

- - - - - - 

Around 7:00 pm, we went to Sabbatini's (an Italian specialty restaurant on the ship) for dinner.  Without specialty dinner packages, this meal would cost us each $55.  Since we paid the Princess Premier fare, we got 2 specialty meals as part of our fare. Although I knew I couldn't finish everything, I had soup, an appetizer (fried shrimp and calamari), a pasta course (spaghetti and a tasty meatball), a main course (veal osso bucco), and a dessert (zabaglione).   Yum!  At the table next to us was a nice couple from Texas with whom we started a conversation and closed down the place.  At first, we were talking of our cruise history, and then it got to more serious topics while keeping things both civil and pleasant.  We were all dancing around cultural/political identity, and made sure to talk about issues and not parties.  In the end, it was a great conversation worth staying for, even though we missed out on the evening entertainment we planned to enjoy.

Who says you can't get serious and be pleasant? 

 

Bermuda Cruise 2025 - Disembarkation Day / Arriving in New York (05/03/25)

Disembarkation Day - It's always the worst day of the cruise for me.  First, I have to say farewell to any friends I might have made on the cruise.  But more, it's the return to the real world and its problems that is the biggest shock.

- - - - - -

Neither RQS nor I slept well the night before, and our alarms woke us up shortly before 6:00 am.  This would give us enough time to get showered and dressed, then enough time to finish our final packing chores before going to breakfast one last time.  Once we got ready to leave the room, we did a final scan to make sure we left nothing behind, then went to breakfast.

Breakfast on the last day of the cruise can seem a little rushed.  One has to be ready at all times to disembark.  Yet, one wants the time to enjoy a good breakfast and relax until one's departure group is called.  On our way to the dining room, we passed by the long line of people of "Self-Assist" passengers, people who would be leaving the ship early with all of their luggage - none would be picking up any luggage at the pier.  We sat down to breakfast and had a nice conversation with the people next to us before finding a place to wait until our disembarkation group was called.

There are several disembarkation groups.  First are the Self-Assist passengers.  Then come the passengers who have transfers and tours arranged by the cruise line.  And finally, it's time for the remaining disembarkation groups to be called.  The last time we were on this ship (and in the same room), we were assigned to one of the latest group numbers.  This time, we were assigned one of the earliest group numbers.  Instead of leaving the ship around 9:00 am, we left around 8:00 am.  This made it possible for us to pick up our luggage, clear customs, and make it to the ferry stop by 8:30 am - just in time to catch the second ferry of the day from Red Hook.  

Taking the ferry from Red Hook allows us to avoid traffic jams around the cruise terminal.  Normally, we'd take the ferry one stop, get off at Atlantic Avenue and summon an Uber from there.  Since this was the second ferry of the day on the South Brooklyn route, it skips all stops before Pier 11 (Wall Street) on its way to Corlears Hook.  This caused us to transfer to the East River route at Pier 11, and get off at the South Williamsburg stop.  Since this was the first stop of the day in South Williamsburg, ship staff has to unlock the gate for people to get on and off the dock.  Well, they forgot to do so and had to return to the pier to open the gate.

Once on dry land, we had to summon an Uber.  We found it much easier to do at this stop than at Atlantic Avenue, as we could validate the address that the driver received would be the same address we could see from where we were. (Think of building address and street signage here.)  While waiting for the Uber, we did some people watching. It was interesting to see the intersection of modern culture with the old: Hasidic Jews (the Old) and Hipsters (the New) in the same Brooklyn neighborhood. Once the Uber came, we zoomed through city streets and onto the BQE beyond the traffic jam zone.

We got home by 10:00 am and then crashed.  It was a long morning, and we needed to rest.  And that would be the theme for the rest of the day....

Bermuda Cruise 2025 - Sea Day #2 (05/02/25)

This would be our last full day on the ship, and we had errands to take care of - namely deciding what we pack in our big suitcases, and what we pack in our carry-ons.  In my case, the bulk of the dirty laundry goes in the big suitcases with my dress shoes, ties, and other stuff I won't need.  And the stuff I will need (or will have with me) has to go in the carry-on or backpack.  Either way, this is a pain in the neck, and something I hate doing at the end of every cruise.

- - - - - -

The day started out with us getting up early enough to have one last leisurely breakfast on the ship.  After breakfast, we retired to the stern of the ship to relax while the steward had a chance to make up our bed and drop off disembarkation information (with luggage tags).  Around noon, we had our last lunch on the ship, and this time, things went perfectly with wait staff service.  On my way back to the cabin, the lady from the table next to us asked me whether I was a teacher, and we got into a conversation for a few minutes.  Finally back in the cabin, I found that the room steward had made up the room and placed disembarkation information (with luggage tags) on our bed.

We packed our large suitcases, and got them ready to go out later in the evening.  And then, we went to our last dinner on the ship.  The wait staff made to ensure it was a final celebration of this cruise, and left all in the room wishing this wouldn't end.  Sadly, our stomachs were full, our hunger and thirst were sated, and the restaurant staff had to make the room ready for the late seating.  So, it was off to our cabin to rest for a while, then seeing the comedian for one last set before leaving the ship in the morning.

Getting together with my brother to work on the family homestead

 

This is NOT my family homestead.  It is a house that a friend once lived in, and one that was rented out for a while before being sold.  And this will eventually be the fate of my family homestead when the time comes to sell it.  Right now, we're preparing it for our next tenant (whoever that may be).

- - - - - -

My brother expected me to be leaving RQS's house around 11.  I was already in his neighborhood by that time.  This would be important later on, as we'd be working all day on the house.

But first....

I met my brother around 11:15, and we were off to get breakfast.  After downing bagel sandwiches, we were off to Home Depot to get paint and other supplies we would need.  $400 later, we were out of the store and on our way back to the homestead to work in the basement.

Today's work would be messy.  My brother would be power washing the basement/foundation walls, and I'd be vacuuming up the mess with a wet/dry shop vac. For the next 6 hours, we worked non-stop on our tasks.  He'd spray the wall, chipping away at areas which would need patching and resealing, and I'd suck up all the liquid, getting up to empty the shop vac every few minutes.  Both of us were tired by the time 7 pm hit.  I had ruined my trousers beyond repair, but had a change of clothes available for the trip home.  So, I changed into clean clothes, and we went to the diner to chat and eat after a long day together.

My brother had been very thankful that I was there today, as he would never have been able to  have done this work by himself.  I was glad to be there, as it was the rare time I could make a contribution to work needed on the property.  And then, we started to chat about his life, his wife's problems, and his grown-up children.  This was an important chance for him to vent and to see that I'll be there for him as brothers should be.  (He doesn't know I'm TG yet.)

Soon, the day came to and an end, and I drove home after a long day out.....

Eastern Caribbean Cruise - Debarkation Day (02/02/25)

 

Our ship was situated outside New York harbor until roughly 5 am, when the ship started to make port in Brooklyn and end our cruise. The above picture was taken from the ship's port side camera's TV feed.  It's far from the same view when taken from a balcony cabin.

- - - - - -

Neither RQS nor I got enough sleep overnight, and I was awake from 3 am onwards.  Around 7 am, we went to the main dining room for one last time for breakfast.  A lady at the table next to us was on the same cruise I was on for my first MSC cruise, and had similar opinions as I did regarding that cruise. Luckily for us, this cruise was much better all around - the food was better and the entertainment was better.  Yet, service was still hit or miss. Our conversation turned to the day's politics, and people at the table next to her joined in - none of us liked what the Orange Snowflake was doing in DC.

Once breakfast was over, we killed time waiting for our disembarkation group to be called.  Our number was called shortly before 9:30 am, and we proceeded to pick up our luggage and kill time inside the terminal, avoiding having to spend excess time in the cold waiting for a ferry that would take us to Atlantic avenue where we'd summon an Uber.  I noticed that staff was allowing handicapped people to take a shortcut and bypass the snaking line leading to the Customs/Immigration stations on our way out of the building.  So I told RQS to take out her cane, and we saved 15 minutes which we'd spend waiting for the ferry. The ferry came at 10:35, and we were at Atlantic avenue by 11 am, and the Uber got us back to RQS's place by 11:30 am.  However, I would still have to wait before I could go home - my brother couldn't pick me up until 4 pm.  So, I rested a while, and my brother arrived when expected.  

We were at the family homestead 30 minutes later, and we discussed what was needed to bring the house up to snuff for rental.  In addition to absolutely needed repairs, we may end up adding a half bath in the basement to increase the rent we can charge. Then, finally, I loaded my bags into my car and drove home.  With a stop for dinner and some food shopping factored in, it didn't take me long to get home.  Finally, I can sleep in my own bed again!

Eastern Caribbean Cruise - Sea Day (01/31/25)

 

We finally got moving time to go to the main dining room for breakfast.  This is often a miracle, given how RQS likes to sleep late (and I have little reason to interrupt this).  However, we will need to get up very early for us when Sunday comes, as we will need to be out of the cabin before 7:30 am.

But first....

Sea days on a cruise can be very relaxing.  However, on this ship, there are absolutely no places where one can relax in a place designed to be quiet at all times outside of one's cabin.  The design of this ship almost forces one to spend money, as there is no library or card room in which to escape the racket in the common areas.  For example, we got out of a show around 10:15 pm, and the ship was holding a loud dance party in the atrium/galleria - a place in which we'd need to walk through on our way back to our cabin.   

Today, we got up early enough to get breakfast in the main dining room.  Unfortunately, so did so many other people.  To make it worse, the 8 am crowd didn't make it on line until 9 am, as many forgot to set their clocks backward the night before.  So, we ended up being part of an overflow crowd which was treated to far from spectacular service for breakfast.  RQS complained (not at me, but venting with me) that they didn't pay much attention to her multiple requests for water until I raised the issue.  In short, it was another one of those "Ignore the woman, Pay attention to the man" moments that most women find bothersome.  At least, we were able to avoid the buffet for another day.

- - - - - -

Dinner tonight would be another chance to get dressed up for dinner.  I will make sure that RQS and I get to a couple of photo stations before entering the dining room.  This way, we would be able to get at least one nice picture of the two of us to frame. And this we did, getting several sets of pictures from different photographers.  To make things better, we met our friends from the first 2 nights; dinners, and exchanged phone numbers.  So we'll be able to meet up with them the next time we're near DC.

Eastern Caribbean Cruise - Port Day (01/29/25 - St. Maarten)

 

Today's post will be a short one.  Not much of note happened.  But I have resolved to find ways of taking more cruises as Marian, based on little things of note - such as only needing to show a cruise card in San Juan and St. Maarten.  Over time, I will likely find more ports that I can visit as Marian without headaches from the local governments.

But first....

We finally made it to breakfast in the main dining room.  And this time, we had better service than we had at brunch several days ago.  This was an auspicious start to our day in St. Maarten.  

Around 2 pm, we decided to take a walk off the ship.  Although the temperature was in the 80's, if felt over 10 degrees warmer due to the humidity and the lack of shade.  We found nothing of interest in the few gift shops we visited, and decided to go back to the ship in less than an hour.

Once back on the ship, we got some gelato to cool off, then sat down to rest and eat our gelato.  I got into a chat with another cruiser, a lady who was very happy with MSC as a cruise line.  We then got into "apartment life", talking about NYC rent stabilization and co-op apartments.  It was a pleasant chat, but not one worth hanging out for more than 30 minutes. 

About an hour later, we were again seated in the main dining room.  The meal was enjoyable, but the Shrimp fra Diavolo lacked a certain punch.  It was pleasant, but had no heat to talk about.  At least, the cheesecake was pleasant and predictable.

Eastern Caribbean Cruise - Port Day (01/28/25 - Charlotte Amalie, USVI)

 

Unlike the other days so far on this ship, we finally made it to the buffet for breakfast.  It wasn't what either of us would have wanted, but it was something to ease any hunger pains we had.

- - - - - -

Breakfast at the buffet is always a hunt for something interesting to eat, something which doesn't seem to industrial for one's taste.  Today, I found some scrambled eggs (yecch), bacon, and some chocolate cheese blintzes which weren't that objectionable.  So, around 1 pm, we finally made it to land to walk around a bit, and get some lunch.

RQS bought some costume jewelry, while I sat outside in the shade. And then, we decided to get a bite to eat off the ship, at a restaurant called the Smoking Rooster.  We ordered a sampler plate, a dish which had more than enough meat for the two of us.  Once done, it was back to the ship - it was way too warm to walk around, then be fresh enough for dinner at 5:30 pm.

Sadly, our friends are no longer going to dinner, so we took their seats in the restaurant.  (We believe they might be going to the buffet, where one of them can more easily find vegan grub.)  It seems like the service is getting much more attentive in the dining room the longer we are there.  I guess they really want us to give them a good review after we leave the ship.

After dinner, it was time to go to the buffet to pick up some fresh fruit for the morning.  I asked a uniformed staff member where we could get some uncut apples, and an assistant brought us 3.  What more could you ask of these people?  I'll be sure to give them a good write up as well.  And, finally, it was back to our cabin for the night.  We'll sleep well....