Cruise Over

Ok, I'm bored with it too.

We left Grand Turk at dusk Friday (refer back to that beautiful photo of the ship) and were at sea until Sunday morning. Saturday night we went outside on the top deck and could see cruise ships lined up just far enough off shore to let people lose the last of their money gambling. That was a strange sight.

Next week look for a really exciting post because we are having our house tented for dry wood termites! Whoopee!

I think I'll go back to ArmyMomTimesThree because that's all I really care about right now anyway --- and my daughter's upcoming wedding.

Blah...

My Husband Tried To Kill Me

We left the Dominican Republic on Thursday evening, arriving at the Cacios and Grand Turk Islands; specifically Grand Turk Island in the morning. WOWOWOWOWOWOWOW! This place has the most beautiful water I have ever seen --- and I'm a native Floridian whose seen her share of the ocean.

Now, except for the over zealousness of my husband when he tried to kill me, this excursion would have been great. The photo (right) looks idyllic, doesn't it? Well, that's because it is a stock photo off a website. And what man let's a woman drive?

On with the story. . . after a short van ride to the "outfitters?," each couple was given a 12 ft. inflatable aquaboat to ride out to the snorkeling area. We started out just fine -- the water was absolutely gorgeous, we were together on our own little boat. Then "UGH" the testosterone kicked in and my husband became the Wild Man of the Sea. The water was a little choppy that day and he SAID he was trying to get on a "plane with the waves" so we'd have a smoother ride -- which for some reason required going really fast.

I do not like fast -- especially in unfamiliar territory. I'm screaming in his ear "SLOW DOWN, SLOW DOWN!!! WE'RE GOING TO FLIP OVER," and on and on and on. But he suddenly became deaf (could have been the roar of the engine being pushed to the max) and "doesn't hear me." He'd actually worn a ball cap on the boat ("No way it'll come off"). No sooner had he said that --- the hat flew off his head never to be seen again. A couple seconds later I went flying off the boat and he wished he'd never seen ME again.

I go CRASHING into open water, far from shore, who knows where Jaws was hanging out and if he was hungry. I frantically tried to climb back on this rubber boat without the ladder, failing miserably, crying, screaming, calling my husband every name I could think of and some I think I made up. Now I'm finished; this little trip is over. I was honestly so mad and so scared that I wanted a divorce RIGHT THEN!

Now, with me sobbing like a baby behind him on the boat, we go on to the snorkeling spot. But there's NO WAY I'm getting in the water? Why should I get in? I've already had it slammed up my nose, down my throat, out my eyes -- what could be better than that for $200? He goes snorkeling and when he couldn't see me I asked one of the guides to take me back to the beach. If he had refused I would have swam to shore --- PROMISE.

I get in the boat with the guide, we get about 30 feet from the others and the motor conks out. You've got to picture this now --- I'm sitting behind the guide, he turns around to pull on the starter rope over and over and over again, but it looks more like he is "_____"ing me. He's pulling and pulling while most of his body is between my legs. Got the picture? So I slide off the seat and cram myself between it and the side of the boat. I had only so much dignity left and I needed to preserve it.

He finally gets the motor going and takes me make back to shore --- my husband followed us even though I told him to GO AWAY! After we turned in the boat I took off down the beach and told him he could spend the next four hours trying to find me. He actually found me about an hour later and secretly watched my every move from a few lounge chairs away.

After "cooling off" for a few hours I let him take me to Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville . WOW -- what a pool, but I'm too mad to enjoy it. A drink will help, but, guess what? It's frickin' election day and there's no alcohol served until 7 p.m.! So I couldn't even have a frickin' margarita at Jimmy Buffet's Margueritaville on Grand Turk! HuH?

To finish up this long, not so good story, I stayed mad and miserable for HOURS while my husband went on to have a great time. Is there a moral to this story? Yes. Always find out when election day is before going on a trip OR marry someone who won't try to kill you with a rubber boat.

My daughter's engaged!!!!

This is my daughter, Kylee Marie. She's 23 and the light of my life. On Friday, May 18 she bought her first house and on Thursday, May 24 Mr. Wonderful proposed! They were at the Hello Goodbye concert and when the band performed "their song," Mr.W got down on one knee and asked Kylee to marry him. (He'd asked my husband for permission the day before -- how noble!)

MATCHMAKER ME introduced them two and 1/2 years ago. Go me! So I saw them when they first set eyes on each other and I'll always remember that day. The photo at left was taken shortly after they became "an item" -- her fiance was "surfer boy" back then.

We found her perfect dress yesterday and ordered it. She only tried one on and that was IT. As far as a date -- her two brothers (my sons) are both (out of the country, shall we say), so we'll have to wait until they get back.

Here's a much more mature photo of them at the Ninja Party they had for Austin before he left the US.

Kylee gave me a Guide for the Mother of the Bride book! Now I have something positive to focus on and be involved in. We're going to their house this afternoon to visit with Mr.W's parents and grandparents (I know is dad real well through work). The book says "an impromptu get together the weekend after he proposes is a good chance to become acquainted with his family." So here we go.

The Dominican Republic

Again, we did not choose wisely. A better choice would have been a sailing excursion or throwing ourselves on a bed of hot coals; I don't know, anything other than what we did. Since I'd never been to the DR before I wanted to experience some of the "local flavor." So off we went to "town" (don't remember which town).

The bus dropped off and picked up passengers at the "town square". Everyone gets a free tangerine and that's the end of the freebies. Whatever you do, do NOT talk to an "official looking" person in the Dominican Republic because if you do, you've hired yourself a tour guide. A man who looked to be with the Tourist Bureau (?) approached us and a couple of hours later he had some of our money.

Police with rifles (?) patrolled the streets, which was scary -- BUT, other police (or crossing guards) were everywhere and if pedestrians wanted to cross the street they stopped traffic instantly, anywhere.

We visited several local shops, not finding anything "unique" other than jewelry made from the local stone Larimar and lots of Amber. My hubby bought me a lovely Larimar bracelet -- small heart shaped stones backed and connected to each other with silver. All the stones are slightly different shades of blue with striations of white.

Here is the fixer upper we are thinking of buying for our retirement; cozy, huh? The color matches my eyes.

There really are beautiful places to visit in the Dominican Republic -- and we'd definitely go back. In fact, my brother and sister-in-law are going to a "Sandals-type" resort in the DR for a week in June.

I'm convinced that the first time you experience anything you find what you like and what you don't like and PLAN ahead the next time --- we'll stay at a resort and visit historic sites and beaches.

Are They Really Virgins?

Next stop, St. Thomas, US Virgins Islands.

I'd always dreamed of what the Virgin Islands would look like -- I was disappointed. All the ads show beautiful resorts w/ white sandy beaches and Cabana Boys. What we experienced was a lot like St. Augustine. Old buildings turned into tacky stores, not so good food, and, man was it HOT! -- in February! We hired an open air "bus" to take the 11 of us who were together up to the Top of the Mountain; more tacky stores but with a view this time.

Back in the park we found this sweet lady who was as "spunky" as she looks. We bought our souvenirs from her just before returning to the ship.

We also bought a digital camera in St. Thomas -- we'd planned to buy one so it wasn't an impulse purchase. I shake so much that the Panasonic w/ Image Stabilization was my only choice. It's been a good camera. Easier to use than our old (three years?) Nikon (which I gave to my daughter).

Here are two "parting" shots of St. Thomas -- it is beautiful. I think we just didn't choose wisely on what we wanted to do there. Bring on the Cabana Boy!

At left is an actual photo that my brother took of the Costa Magica at twilight. It looks very surreal. This was actually taken on the Grand Turks but it's such a great photo that I couldn't wait to post it. And while I'm writing about the Grand Turks --- that was THE BEST stop on the cruise (even though my husband tried to kill me -- I will elaborate after the next stop, the Dominican Republic; one scary place).

Until then . . .

IS EVERYBODY HAPPY?

Sounds like something a Cruise Director would say!!! Well, there he is (right): "Max Your Cruise Director aboard the Costa Magica" (read that with an Italian accent, please). That's me standing between Clark Gable and my sister-in-law. You thought Clark Gable died didn't you? He is, in fact, alive and well working as a bartender on the Costa Magica (again, with the Italian accent, pls). Actually, this is Frederico who is from Honduras --- he's a "dead ringer" for Clark Gable; right down to those EARS!

We (me, my husband Steve, my brother Steve and his wife Charlotte) went on a week long cruise in February -- my first Cruise ever. I'd go again in a heartbeat; just not on the Costa Magica (Italian accent, pls). Everything was GREAT except the food. The food was at times edible and at times absolutely awful. The wine and desserts were always yummy, so just consume those (in mass quantities).

We live near Tampa so we got up early and drove to Ft. Lauderdale (I'm NEVER riding in a car w/ my brother Steve driving again and he probably won't LET me be in a car with him again). The ship left at 6 pm Sunday night and arrived in Puerto Rico at 5 pm Tuesday afternoon -- almost 48 hours at sea. By the end of the cruise I realized that my favorite times were "at sea" -- I could do whatever I wanted to do, even if what I wanted to do was nothing.

We left on Super Bowl Sunday and if you watched the SB you will remember the STORM! My first look out our porthole (it was square w/ rounded edges actually and very large) made me want to scream "Man (woman) the lifeboats!" The waves were 15-20 feet and it felt exactly like being on a train or a subway -- but this was a HUGE ship. A couple of xanax later (stop thinking that -- I have a prescription!), the storm passed and it was smooth sailing by morning.

First stop, San Juan, Puerto Rico -- kayaked in the dark to experience the bioluminescence.

"Imagine the blackness of the sea on a moonless night. Now watch it sparkle with the darting lights of a million fireflies. The phosphorescence is actually bioluminescence generated by microscopic organisms in the water. It is believed to be part of a natural defense system triggered by the movement of predators.
Many scientists believe the tiny organisms light up so their predators can see more desirable prey – and thus leave them alone.

The phenomenon occurs sporadically in warm seas around the world, but Puerto Rico is one of the only places on the planet where you can depend on it every evening in two protected bays. This eerie light is nothing less than magical!"

This is MUST DO even though it was a very rough hour and a half bus ride from the port. The kayaks are doubles so, of course, I was in the front and didn't really have to exert much energy. Kayaking with an anal retentive husband (ARH) is a bittersweet experience. I found it best to "pretend" to be paddling "on the LEFT, the LEFT, LEFT, the RIGHT NOW; I SAID THE RIGHT, great -- now we're going to hit that . . . are you not listening?," "yes dear, how could I NOT hear you yelling?"

Best of all was dipping my hands in the water and watching the sparkles trickle off my finger tips over and over again, and watching the motion of the paddles creating amazing sparkling waves. It was truly magical even with the ARH in the back seat.

Next stop St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands (how do they KNOW they are virgins?)