Day 2 of Our Transatlantic Cruise

April 28th, 2014 Day Two

Because of the direction we are going, we will have to set our clocks ahead by 4 hours by the time we get to our first stop in the Azores in 6 days. So today was the first of those time changes. We had to set our clocks one hour ahead and I don’t know if it is that or because my body is so tired from cleaning the house for the Open House, but I am exhausted. Chuck woke up early today but let me sleep until 9, which was really 8. We had breakfast and met a very interesting man named Neil who is on the ship with his wife. This is the largest ship they have ever been on. This guy is a retired high school Math teacher and lives in Colorado. I don’t know how he and his wife have the money to travel like they do. But he told us of a recent trip to Tahiti where they stayed on my favorite French Polynesian Island, Moorea for a week. Also about a cruise they took down the Amazon River, and another one down around Cape Horn. They have cruised to Alaska, and many other places. When they get back from this trip they are going fishing in Canada for one week, and then to the continent of Asia. I often think I should write a book about cruise passengers and their adventures and lives. On the last cruise we took, I was thrilled to meet a woman who travels around the world in her RV with her husband and am now getting travel letters from her about her adventures.

After breakfast we found a cozy spot to read to give the steward time to make up our room. I just started to read a book called, “The Well Fed Writer” which is about how to have a writing career. Can't wait to read it and glean information from it. The library on this ship is not very good so Chuck didn't find anything he was interested in reading.Here's the ship's small library.

So, after reading for a bit, believe it or not, we went to eat lunch at 12:15 so we could make it in time to the first art auction on board. We met a really nice girl that works in the on board art gallery last night and she gave us advance tickets to the art auction. You get free champagne during each Princess art auction so we have gone a few times. Today they were touting the talent of an artist whose art I didn’t like at all. His work was the main attraction for today’s auction but people could go around the room prior to the auction starting and tag paintings or prints they were interested in. They had some Thomas Kincaid, Goya, Peter Max, a Renoir Lithograph and a lot of others. People were paying from between $500 to $17,000 for the pieces that went up for auction. I think I may go again because periodically they held raffles and you could win prints just for being there.

We came back to the room and I took a 2 hour nap while Chuck dozed for a bit and also worked on his computer as he had a report to review. We get 250 free minutes each on the internet because we are Platinum members on Princess. Chuck says he is worried about me sleeping so much but I think my body is just trying to catch up from all the work we have been doing on the house to get it ready to put on the market, which we did the day before we left for the cruise. When I woke up, I didn’t feel like walking as I am still quite groggy but I couldn’t wait to write. It’s just something inside me that needs to be able to be expressed or I feel something nagging at me. I am sitting on the bed and have the doors open to the balcony. I can see the deep dark blue of the water, feel the breeze and hear the water crashing against the sides of the boat. It sounds like waves hitting the shore. It is a beautiful and very peaceful sound and I am so very happy to be on this cruise.

After Chuck worked out we got ready to go to dinner. On the way to dinner, Chuck suggested we have a glass of wine in the Piazza, a beautiful atrium in the center of the ship that is mostly glass, brass and marble. There was a band playing called, “The Rick Clover Band” and they played ballroom Dance music. We watched about 6 couples dance beautifully together. One we surmised as a competitor couple because their moves were so fancy. The second best couple kept trying to get Chuck out on the dance floor. I was silently cheering him on because I have been trying to get Chuck to take ballroom dance lessons on every cruise we go on, but he always says an emphatic, “No.” The guy, Reggie says he was the same way and his wife signed them up for dance lessons and now they go dancing 3 to 4 nights a week. He says he is 70 and it keeps him young. His wife talked to us afterward and they tried to convince Chuck to dance, but he was having no part of that! Here's a picture of the atrium where there is a space at the bottom where people can dance.

After watching the dancers we went to dinner at the Symphony restaurant, one of 2 of the “anytime dining” restaurants on board the Royal Princess. This means we can walk in as at any restaurant back home and we can eat at any time without waiting till the traditional seating of 6:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. on cruise ships a decade ago. We did not have a good experience at this dining room. They were very busy and we had the slowest service we have ever had in a cruise ship restaurant. To top it off, Chuck had lamb shank which he thought was awful, very tough and he only ate half of it. My meal of filet of beef was very good. So between the service and Chuck’s meal we would give this restaurant a big thumbs down. Tomorrow night we will try the Concerto Restaurant, the sister restaurant to this one but one floor up. After dinner we decided to skip the show which was entertainment by singer Jennifer Fair, and opted to go back top the room and finish the movie 9 to 5. After that we watched a Nicholas Sparks movie which I had seen advertised, called, “Safe Haven.” It was a love story with a few surprise twists and we both enjoyed it…me more than Chuck I am sure. Lights out after the movie to rest up for another busy but relaxing day tomorrow!

Day 1 of Our Transatlantic Northern European Cruise April/May, 2014

4/27/14   Day One

Today was our first day of the cruise on the Royal Princess. This ship was christened in June, 2013 by The Duchess of Cambridge, Catherine, of Prince William fame. We have been excited about going on this cruise for approximately 7 months.

The check in went pretty quickly as we waited in a preferred cruiser line. They got us through within about 30 minutes and there we were, standing in front of the photographer for the expected start of the cruise photo. And then we were embarking on our very favorite part of every cruise, which is walking up the gangplank which leads up to the cruise ship, and setting foot on our home away from home for the very first time. 

Walking on was exciting until we tried to get to the elevators which had lines

packed about 5 people deep. We eventually got up to our floor, number 15 and found our room. We were able to go right in which is good because often cruisers have to wait till the rooms are ready. We dropped our carry on bags off at the room and marveled at what a wonderful room it is. As soon as I saw it, I turned around and kissed Chuck with a happy heart. The room is beautiful, similar to other Princess ships we have been on but improved. The color scheme is gold with blue and gold pillows. There are two sections to the room which is separated by a curtain. The bedroom area is first when you walk into the room, and beyond it is the sitting area. The couch is longer and wider than in most of the ships we have been on. Chuck is looking forward to taking some nice long naps on it. There is a desk across the room from it and it is much longer than in previous rooms we have cruised in. I can’t wait to sit at it and write all about our cruise on my computer! Another wonderful thing about this room is the fact that the two TVs in here are huge wide screen TVs. One is in front of the bed, and the other is in the sitting area in front of the couch. They have about 100 free movies on the ship, some of which are pretty good so we can’t wait to watch them. Most are new, but there are some pretty funny classics on here such as right now as I type this we are watching 9 to 5. That was definitely Chuck’s choice as I have seen it many times before but it is funny to watch again when everyone looks so much younger! The only complaint Chuck had is that the balcony is small. We had read this online, but it’s even smaller than we expected. I don’t care but Chuck is disappointed.

After seeing our amazing room, we met our room steward Enrique who is from Mexico and he brought us our complimentary glass of champagne which the cruise line provides. We then went to the required safety drill which was at the Princess Theater. This theater looks like something from Star Trek. It’s quite modern and very silver. After the safety drill we went to the sail away party. This was the most boring sail away party we have ever been to, hardly anyone was there, but we still had a good time waving goodbye to all the people on the shore, some from their homes and some on the beach. We toasted to a great cruise with Heinekens and found 2 chaise lounges and watched the water go by as we saw the Fort Lauderdale shoreline disappear into the horizon.

After a nap and Chuck worked out, we decided to go to dinner at the Horizon Court buffet. We love the new Horizon Court on this ship because at lunch you have a choice of the Horizon Court Bistro, which is sandwiches, soups and salads, or the full buffet area. And in the middle of both is a dessert aisle. We were quite happy with our decision to go there for dinner because it was not crowded at all and we had our choice of delicious food. The cream of mushroom soup, Louisiana crab cakes and mashed potatoes were my favorites. For dessert I had a delicious flourless chocolate cake with some kind of cream on top. I really need to learn how to make flourless chocolate cake because every time we have it on a cruise, it is absolutely delicious.

After dinner we walked around the ship for a bit, caught the last 30 minutes of the movie under the stars which was “Last Vegas” and then went to a variety show which showcased the Royal Princess dancers and an illusionist.

When we arrived back at the room, our Princess Patter, the daily cruise newsletter,

was waiting for us with all the details of tomorrow’s entertainment and activities aboard ship. It looks like it’s going to be a great cruise!

Missing My Husband!

Chuck has been away on a project for 8 days now. By the time he comes back, it will be 9 days and 9 nights that he has been gone. I have decided that enough is enough. I don't like him being away this long one bit. Since we have actually been living under the same roof together, this is the longest we have been apart. The first few days were over the weekend and I was busy so it wasn't quite as hard not to be with him. But as each day goes by, I feel more and more isolated. Thank goodness I have the dog for company. But then again, last night I started talking to her out loud. And not about dog topics either! I just started having a conversation with her, about work, as though she were a person. I am really going a bit crazy without Chuck here. And I miss his hugs. And I even miss our every day routines. He is due home tomorrow night, and it can't come quick enough for me. I miss my honey...hurry home Chuck! Reeses and I miss you!

The Christmas Season, 2013

I have to say I am really enjoying the Christmas season this year. As I sit here right now, at 1:00 p.m. on Tuesday, December 17th, I feel very blessed. I am home today because the substitute teaching job I was supposed to have today got cancelled due to no school because of a snow storm. I am sitting here, across from Chuck at the dining room table which is covered with a seasonably red tablecloth. Both of us are working on our computers. Behind us, the Christmas tree is lit, and the living room is brightly decorated with red and green and gold decorations. The television is on the seasonal music station and we are enjoying Christmas music while we do our work. The dog is nestled all snug in her bed in her bed, just like in the famous poem by Clement Moore. I sip hot chocolate, and every once in awhile, I glance outside to see the snow lightly falling, and inside, I feel warm and fuzzy and happy...happy to be here in this home with the love of my life, enjoying a warm and cozy atmosphere, and celebrating the season of joy because our God chose to send us the ultimate Christmas gift...the gift of His very own son. I have all I could ever want or need at this time in my life. I wish you all the same, and as much happiness as your hearts can hold this Christmas season. Here are some pictures of our home this Christmas:

I am Blessed by My Second Marriage

Chuck and I are in Florida in a hotel in Cocoa Beach which is near Cape Canaveral. Chuck is teaching today and the next two days. I want to share how blessed I feel. I am the happiest I have ever been in my whole life. As I stepped onto the beach after taking the sandy path from the hotel, I breathed in the fresh salt air that had not yet been tinged by the Florida humidity. As I was walking and looking at the ocean at 7:45 a.m. which, if you know me well, is totally unheard of for me to even be up at that time if I don't have to be, never mind walking the beach...I nodded at a few people who were also out early, walking. There I was with the gulls, pelicans and sand pipers, enjoying the morning. I am not a morning person, but today, looking at the beauty before me, I couldn't help but be. I gazed around me in awe, at the clouds in the sky, the sun peeking through with its rays shining on the water, and birds around me, and tears sprang to my eyes. At that moment, I felt SO grateful and blessed. A thought occurred to me and I realized that at that moment, and at this time in my life, I am truly the happiest I have ever been. My goals in life for as long as I can remember were to be happily in love with the man I was married to, and to be a mom. I am a mom of three grown children, so I have had and am still having that "mom" experience which has been very fulfilling to me. And now that I have met Chuck I am finally happily married! I wish Chuck had not been on his way to teach at that moment, but instead had been with me because it was the perfect time to share this new discovery with him. He is a very big part of the reason I am so happy. I took pictures of the clouds hovering over the water in different shades of white and gray. I listened to the sound of the waves as they rolled in over the beach. I slowly breathed in the salty air. I realized that being with Chuck and having made the choices I have made over the course of my lifetime, has brought me to a point where I am the happiest I have ever been. Chuck treats me like a queen. For all of my life, I have wanted to be loved by a man the way Chuck loves me. And I have wanted to be able to love a man with my whole heart. And that is the way that Chuck allows me to love him. It is very freeing not to have to change who I am in order to be with him. I am very grateful to both God and Chuck, and feel extremely blessed to be this loved by both of them, and living this life! I just had to share these feelings of joy because my "cup overfloweth". I am having an amazing life! Here are some pictures from our stay in Cocoa Beach, including the view from our hotel room window, the beach where I walked every morning with a free cup of coffee from the hotel, and the beach at sunrise one morning:

Second Marriage: Bringing Others Hope!

A long time ago, when Chuck and I first fell in love, I wanted to shout about it from the rooftops! And with this blog, I am able to do that. I recently ran into someone who found this blog online and told me it's nice to see someone so in love in their second marriage. And that it gives them hope for an upcoming second marriage in their own life. That made me feel so good. I have always told Chuck that I wanted our marriage to make a difference in the lives of others. I didn't know how that would come to be. But I have heard from a few different people who told me that this blog is encouraging to them in their own lives and that they enjoy reading it. So, maybe our marriage won't be one for the history books, or we won't have a "made for TV movie" about our love. But, if we can inspire people in our day to day lives, or if people can be inspired about love and marriage the second time around through this blog, then that's just as good, and I will have made the dream o0f our inspiring people to come true. Well, I need to run now. Chuck is coming home from a business trip and I wanted to clean the house as a surprise for him. oops...if he reads this at the airport before he actually gets here, I guess it won't be a surprise for him...LOL! Oh well. The important thing is that it gets done. Happy Sunday afternoon everyone!

Motel 6 and "We''ll Leave the Light on For You"

Back in the day, actually, about 20 years ago, when Tom Bodett of Motel 6 fame promised to leave the light on for all of us, I remember what a homey feeling his voice had and the thought of someone leaving the light on for me made me feel warm and fuzzy inside. The Motel 6 adman did a wonderful job of making me, and I am sure plenty of others, feel as though Tom Bodett and the people at Motel 6 really cared about me. I haven't thought of that campaign or Tom Bodett for many years, until the other night Chuck was due home after dark, and I decided to leave the light on for him. At one end of our circular driveway there is a lamp post. During winter months when I would arrive home from substitute teaching and running errands, I could almost count on the light being left on for me. It made me feel the same way those ads for Motel 6 did...warm and fuzzy inside, and as though someone cared about me. Only this time, it's Chuck that cares about me, not Motel 6. Wanting to share those same feelings of caring, I left the light on for him. And I started to think about my life before Chuck. In my first marriage, I don't think I was as conscious about doing those little things. I may have been before kids, but not to the extent I do those little things now. That's one of the things a second marriage does for me. It gives me a second chance to think about the things that really matter in a marriage, and to make sure I do them right THIS time. I try not to spend too much time dwelling on what went wrong in my first marriage. I have been there, and done that and I think I have it figured out enough to learn from my mistakes, but not dwell on it. But I do realize that life is short and I do not have eons to get this marriage thing right. I only have whatever time God gives me with Chuck so I need to make each day count. That means doing those little things that add up to a loving and caring marriage. It means making sure when I replace the toilet paper roll that I put it on the way Chuck likes it. ( It doesn't matter to ME mind you, but since it does matter to Chuck, I try to pay attention...if you have read this far, please leave a comment below just for fun about whether or not you like your toilet paper to come down from over the top of the roll, or from underneath)! Here's what I mean: Do you like your TP to dispense from over the roll (left) or under the roll (right)? Or does it matter?

And there are other things too that matter, and I try to remember. Like after I get water out of the refrigerator door, I try to remember to put the lever back on ice so when Chuck goes to get ice, he won't end up with a glass full of water. And to make sure I keep the door to the guest bathroom closed when not in use. Now in case you think it's all one sided, Chuck does the same for me. I don't like it when cupboard doors are left open so he tries to close them now where once he didn't pay attention and would shut them only when he noticed. And I don't like kissing him after he eats onions so he tries not to eat them when we will be spending an evening together. I think in marriage, whether first, second, or sixth...keeping track of those little things and trying to keep an eye on them to please a mate is a very considerate thing. And consideration means caring. I am doing much better at making a point of being considerate in my second marriage and not take my husband for granted. My second marriage is giving me a second chance to get it right! And for that I am grateful.