The cats are glad I'm home for a while

Muffin was very unhappy when I left home.



Lucy, spending time helping me recover the dining room chairs



Muffin, making certain I don't pack again any time soon!









I have been back in Georgia since Valentine's Day, but was home for only four days when I packed to go to Lake Lanier for the weekend. I had a great time with all the bridge ladies at Sheryl's lake house. Bridge is usually one of the only times during the month that I feel compelled to act like an adult, but our twice a year bridge weekends are a lot like a slumber party....eight gals, lots of chatter and lots of food and wine. A fabulous group!

Well I went hiking alone Tuesday morning. I now carry a picture of Everest and of the Taksang Monastery in Bhutan, just so I have a constant reminder of why I continue exercising, even when I really hate it. So....I drove to the Visitors Center at Kennesaw Battlefield and then hiked the wood trail up the mountain, a 657' elevation climb about a mile in distance. (Certainly nothing equaling what I'll be up against in Nepal!) I then climbed down the steeper back slope, caught the main road and walked the 1.5 miles back down. I met one young gal who made that hike twice a day, four times a week. Good grief! I should send her to Nepal instead of going myself. I was truly huffing and puffing all the way up that climb. I cannot begin to imagine what April 12th will be like for me. That's the day I make the steep climb from Monjo to Namche (various blogs say that hike takes anywhere from two to nine hours --- shoot me now and say a prayer for me on that date!

Yesterday Marcia and Sheryl took me to Mimi's Cafe for a birthday lunch - delish. Then we walked through Perimeter Mall, just like all the other "ladies who lunch." How "Real Housewives of Atlanta" can you get?

Today is tax prep day. I have to get it all done and sent in to the accountant tomorrow so that they can do their magic and I can get the whole thing done by the time I leave on March 23. I fly to LAX that day to spend three days there with Steve, then we begin the slog to Kathmandu....18 hours non-stop LAX-Bangkok, 3 hour layover, then another 5 hours to Kathmandu. (Sounds like a three ambien kind of day!) Steve flies back on April 11, I stay on in the mountains until April 22, have one day to regroup in LAX and then home to ATL on April 24. Consider me sleeping for the next week after that!

Again and again I say how lucky I am to be able to live like this. I am so appreciative of all the emotional support my friends and family give me. I feel I am indeed finally able to be regret-free happy again - and as you often hear me say, I think I have finally grown into the person Bob thought he had married! I'm pleased to have made such strides in my physical and emotional health. He took great care of me when he was alive, and took great care of me when he died. And now I have a full 17 days to spend with my one and only usually favorite son. I am so looking foward to spending that time with him, as we both push ourselves past our usual boundaries.

The 1099s are calling.

S

Just another day in paradise

We docked in St Lucia today. Holland America’s Noordam was here, along with the German vessel, Mein Schiff Valetta. So that meant there were only 7,000 additional folks in town today! I was up past 9pm last night, so I actually slept in this morning, didn’t get out of my cabin until 1130am and actually missed breakfast! I’m surprised they didn’t throw me off the ship for that infraction!

The entertainment tonight was terrific – Michel Bell, one of the guys from The 5th Dimension. He was nominated for a Tony for Showboat and brought down the house this evening with Ole Man River. I think that’s one of the things that separates Crystal from other cruise lines – we haven’t had magicians or ventriloquists, but real Broadway and London West End stars every evening...that and the food and the service and the pillows and the mahogany and everything else!

I’m so lucky to get to do this!

The arms dealer

You meet such interesting people on board a cruise ship. 80 members of the Sundance Film Festival boarded in Aruba yesterday. They will be screening new films in the ship’s movie theater all week. I’ve met several cardiologists, dentists and oral surgeons, horse farmers, psychologists, and my personal favorite, the arms dealer – yes, as in “I buy and sell weapons systems internationally”. Yikes!

Tonight was formal night and time for the escargot and frog legs (neither for me), and my favorite dessert, the Grand Marnier souffle. Needless to say, any plans for using these past few weeks to get in shape for Nepal stayed on shore the first time we hit Tortola 14 days ago! I’m certain I will need serious liposuction on all limbs (or a large wheelbarrow) by the time this cruise is over. Thank goodness Delta charges only for extra checked luggage and not for extra body weight!

Everyone does dress pretty spiffy on formal night. Most men actually wear their own personal tuxedo and the ladies wear lots of sparkles (on their dresses and on their throats, ears , fingers and wrists). Here are some pictures from dinner tonight.

(Oh, I got an invitation to join Captain Zander for cocktails in his cabin tomorrow evening, as well. I’m certain that same invitation went out to all 600 of his close personal friends on board.) He is German, and I visited with him in his very own language earlier this evening during a meet and greet for repeat Crystal cruisers. One lady who has 113 cruises was introduced and celebrated, and another lady who is currently on the sister ship, Serenity, is now on her 233rd Crystal cruise (these ladies must have more money that Bill Gates!). One woman on board our ship now is here for nine months. I suppose when I need to go to an assisted living home, this is where I want to come - room, board, entertainment, medical care, including drugs, constant personal attention – definitely not a bad deal!

I think I’m ready to come home. My tan is just about brown enough and I miss my furry felines. I’ve already begun to think about all the paperwork and get-into-shape work I have to do when I get home – but I’ll be home, in my own little bed, with my own little cats and my own fireplace and my own greek yogurt and cole slaw and baked chicken and no Grand Marnier soufflé, no peanut butter and chocolate milk shakes with warm oatmeal raisin cookies and no freshly baked croissants or scones with Austrian strawberry jam and fresh strawberries and whipped cream.

One of the 5th Dimension gets on tomorrow to do his show tomorrow evening. Tony nominated, his bio says. Ought to be good, but everything here is just that way anyway.

A contented cat (or cow)

Great contentment, like great art, I suppose, is difficult to describe. You just know it when you see it. Yesterday was one of those days - a pacific ocean worthy of its peaceful name, a line of dolphins jumping through our wake waves, just the slightest of breezes and a warm sunny sky. Nothing to do but to soak it all in.

The day before was all canal all day long. We had a speaker/historian on board who droned on from 7am until well past 6pm, usually informative, but not a very good public speaker. His cadence would have put pit bulls to sleep. I did learn a lot from him, however, especially about the widening that is in progress now. We saw lots of deforestation and lots of dredging taking place. And I counted over 20 ships waiting to enter the canal from the west. Lots of tankers and auto carriers this time, not quite so many container ships.

Entering the first lock.....

One lane over, the lock doors opening....

Lots of deforestation....sad.

I was very surprised how large Panama City has become - a gorgeous skyline!

I’m attempting to rearrange my daily schedule for the cruise back to Miami by taking part in the late seating for dinner. Those of you who know me well will understand why this is such a departure for me – second seating for dinner begins at 830pm and I usually begin yawning at 9pm, so this ought to prove interesting.