As the song says "the party's over" and that certainly applies to me as I write this message to you, because when that ship docked Saturday morning and I walked down the gangplank to the car I knew that it was back to the real world. My "real world" is what I was ready for. As wonderful as the cruise was it just can't compare to the life that I have every day. The excursion trips to Nassau, St. Thomas and St. Maarten were very interesting experiences. All my life I have heard of those places but I never knew what they held - the bluest water, the history, the little shops that are run by the natives for their special items, driving on the wrong side of the little narrow streets, and many other things that I could mention. The big item on all three islands turned out to be diamonds of all kinds - blue ones, white ones, brown and pink ones, etc. The prices were very high but people were buying them. I enjoyed the shop on St. Thomas called "Mr. Tablecloth". The linens there were beautiful and so very unique. The ship that I was on, Carnival Glory, was fabulous. The many activities provided were endless and if I had been forty years younger I would have enjoyed everything - the discos, the midnight buffets, the karaoke lounge, the dancing and partying until daylight - but alas I know my limitations and those things were not for me. However, I was privy to fabulous, gormet dining each night in a very beautiful dining room. The friends at my table enjoyed eating, talking, laughing and sharing memories of days of long ago at our East High School. When we revealed to people on the ship that we were a group of high school alumni they were amazed. It appears that there are not many people who had what we had in high school and could care less to remember those days.
The many remembrances that passed through the e-mails on the date of February 18th were very dear to me. I read them all. My mind was focused on Billy that day also. He was a very special person to many people, not just family but also to friends. It was ironic that the night of the 18th the production in the theater on the ship was something that he would have loved. I could almost hear him whistling and clapping as those scantily dressed women with long legs and beautiful bodies danced and sang songs from the 50's.
Well, the lovely vacation came and the lovely vacation went and now that I am home I will do as the song, That's Life, says - "I will pick myself up and get back in the race" and also I will rejoice in each day and be glad in it.
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Some things are hard to undertand
Things just keep getting harder for me to understand. I opened my e-mail site last night and find that EVERYTHING is different. I have something there called "Smart"something or other and I had no idea what to do with it. I could not open an e-mail nor send one or anything else. I closed it up, went to bed and said to myself "tomorrow I will tackle that problem". I did just that. I called 1-800-Comcast and some guy that I almost understood talked me through it. I also don't understand how a single woman, with no job, no money, no husband, has six children, gives birth to eight babies and gets on TV looking slim, trim and healthy and tells how she "loves children" and plans to "love them, love them, just love them". That is like saying "we are going to live on love" when you marry and then you find out that love is great but eating and having money to pay the rent is better. I also don't understand where my stamina has gone. Sure I had a bad fall. Sure I had surgery. Sure I am much better using my arm. Why do I get so tired so fast? Mornings I get up feeling like "taking on the day". By 2:00PM I am ready for the couch or the bed or for that matter anywhere that I can nap for a while and then by 9:00PM I am really ready for my good old bed. I think this is what my mother used to mean when she would say "I am "bone" tired and don't know why". Maybe in a few more weeks or months I will start picking up some strength - who knows. Maybe I am impatient (no maybe about it I am). Anyway, on Saturday the 14th of this month I will board a huge ship called Glory and sail to the Bahamas, St. Thomas, and St. Marteen. My clothes are all in order thanks to the help of every child of mine, my fridge has been emptied, my house is in order, Sara has been alerted to the needs of Mr. Cleo, and I will be on my way. I know that it will be a glorious adventure and one that I will never forget. I plan to relax, read, enjoy the island excursions, taste the delightful cuisine in the various venues on the ship, sit in the sun and let my shoulder absorb all that vitamin D coming from the rays, and make lots of pictures with my "throw away" camera. I am not the photographer that my daughters are with their fancy cameras but I will have pictures for remembrance anyway. Before I go I will have one wonderful event - I will have lunch with Anni Routh at her school so that I can wish her a Happy Sixth Birthday in person. She and I will talk, giggle and hug and she will never know just how much I treasure the thirty minutes that I will have with her. After that I will be ready to go on the trip with much anticipation and excitement. When I return I will have lots to tell you about because I will keep a journal.
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Super Bowl and other things
This is what is known as "Super Bowl Week-end" and it has been Super. Today I went to Sunday School (started a new study of Acts) and then to church and then to lunch with Sara and her friend Kimberly Boyd. All of that was just great but the greatest thing was that beautiful sunshine and soft breeze that I enjoyed. I declined an invitation to a "play cards, watch Super Bowl, eat barbecue party" and spent a quiet, relaxing afternoon here at my house. I napped and did a few chores and then watched the TV. I am now the proud owner of a box on my TV that gives me Hallmark and Movies and lots of music and if I can just not push the wrong button on my remote control it is perfect. I did push a wrong button yesterday and I called Comcast and the girl fixed it over the phone. No, I did not call Kim - I called Comcast and talked to a girl names Dottie who was delightful and didn't make fun of me.
I really thought that I would enjoy the half-time of the football game. I got my spiced tea and cookies and got all ready. I had heard that it would be so great. Forgive me, my young daughters and friends, but that man obviously was not speaking or rather singing in English or my hearing has gone because I didn't understand anything he said. I told Kim that I did understand at the end that he said "I'm going to Dixie" and she informed me, gleefully I might add, "Mother, he said I'm going to Disney". I don't care where he went I'm just glad he went. I think that my advancing years makes me appreciate the Golden Oldies more all the time. However, I can appreciate and understand why all of those young women were waving and cheering Bruce Springsteen. When I was about 15 years old I went to town one Saturday.
My friend, Ann, and I went to town most Saturdays when there was money. We would go to the movie, to the Krystal and then to Harvey's Dept. Store where you could go into a soundproof booth and play records. The object, of course, was to buy one. This particular Saturday I had the money to buy a record and I chose "Mule Train" by Frankie Laine. I came home, put the record on my player and when he belted out "Mule Train He Haw" my mother almost went into cardiac arrest. She told me that as little money as we had why would I spend it on something so crazy. She said a lot more about it but I won't go into all of that. I never knew exactly what happened but that record disappeared and nobody seemed to know where it went. Believe me I spent the money that she gave me more wisely after that. I thought about that at half-time tonight and wondered what she would say about that performance. I suspect that she would have a lot to say about a lot of things that are going on in the world these days. I think God does a good thing when he takes us at certain times because He knows that there are just some things that are not right for us.
This is the first day of February and on the 13th I am leaving to go on a 7 day cruise to the Eastern Caribbean. I have filled out all of the many forms sent to me by the travel agent, I have looked at the excursion trips that they offer and made my choices, and I have made an appointment for my nails, pedicure and hair. Do you think I have any idea what clothes I will take? That is something that has got to be attended to and soon. With my work schedule, my
therapy schedule and my other things I am about to get overcome with all my "to-dos". It will all get done, I will go on the trip, I will have a good time and the best part of all of it will be coming home. That, my friends, is the epitome of OLD AGE.
I really thought that I would enjoy the half-time of the football game. I got my spiced tea and cookies and got all ready. I had heard that it would be so great. Forgive me, my young daughters and friends, but that man obviously was not speaking or rather singing in English or my hearing has gone because I didn't understand anything he said. I told Kim that I did understand at the end that he said "I'm going to Dixie" and she informed me, gleefully I might add, "Mother, he said I'm going to Disney". I don't care where he went I'm just glad he went. I think that my advancing years makes me appreciate the Golden Oldies more all the time. However, I can appreciate and understand why all of those young women were waving and cheering Bruce Springsteen. When I was about 15 years old I went to town one Saturday.
My friend, Ann, and I went to town most Saturdays when there was money. We would go to the movie, to the Krystal and then to Harvey's Dept. Store where you could go into a soundproof booth and play records. The object, of course, was to buy one. This particular Saturday I had the money to buy a record and I chose "Mule Train" by Frankie Laine. I came home, put the record on my player and when he belted out "Mule Train He Haw" my mother almost went into cardiac arrest. She told me that as little money as we had why would I spend it on something so crazy. She said a lot more about it but I won't go into all of that. I never knew exactly what happened but that record disappeared and nobody seemed to know where it went. Believe me I spent the money that she gave me more wisely after that. I thought about that at half-time tonight and wondered what she would say about that performance. I suspect that she would have a lot to say about a lot of things that are going on in the world these days. I think God does a good thing when he takes us at certain times because He knows that there are just some things that are not right for us.
This is the first day of February and on the 13th I am leaving to go on a 7 day cruise to the Eastern Caribbean. I have filled out all of the many forms sent to me by the travel agent, I have looked at the excursion trips that they offer and made my choices, and I have made an appointment for my nails, pedicure and hair. Do you think I have any idea what clothes I will take? That is something that has got to be attended to and soon. With my work schedule, my
therapy schedule and my other things I am about to get overcome with all my "to-dos". It will all get done, I will go on the trip, I will have a good time and the best part of all of it will be coming home. That, my friends, is the epitome of OLD AGE.
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