almost there...

luggage

It's Wednesday already. I've been packing for our Alaskan Cruise. We leave at the end of the week. Well... I leave. Norman and the boys will be here to take care of the house and the cats. Organizing what one needs for almost 2 weeks is hard... didn't used to be.  Must be an age thing. Then trying to remember and follow all the new flying regulations... what you can and can't take, what you must have 'up front' in plastic bags, etc. as well as making sure you don't have too much luggage or that it weighs over such and such... And packing light when you need heavy warm clothes doesn't help...

Oh well, basically it's done. I wanted to get it all taken care of 'early on' so I had a day to relax and think about how much we're going to enjoy this little adventure.  Everyone I've spoken to that has taken the Alaskan Cruise has loved it. The scenery is supposed to be spectacular. I'm excited about seeing Vancouver and some of the Alaskan stops; Juneau, Skagway, Ketchikan..... and possibly 'whales'.  I just hope the seas are calm and the  weather is not too cold. But none-the-less, it WILL be wonderful.

I'm taking a journal, a mystery book,  and my Nikon with me.   Wanted to take some yarn, but doubt that there will be time for crocheting.  My friend has signed us up for some 'excursions'.  I don't know what they are, but they should be fun. I have heard that the train excursion in Skagway is fantastic.

That's about all the news from here. Tux will miss our daily nap together. If it gets close to time and I haven't sat down with a book... he starts to follow me around howling.

Jack on left and Tux on right

Molly's handi-work 

After reading some blogs tonight I decided to do a post similar to Perpetua's... only it isn't my birthday until July.  BTW, Happy Birthday Perpetua! And many many many more! I liked the before 60's and after 60's pictures.  Here's mine.  But since I didn't have any recent ones, I had to try to do a 'self' photo.  It didn't come out too good, but after a few attempts, I decided this one would have to do (can you see the camera in my hand in the bottom right corner? I was looking in the mirror and holding the camera down to my side so the flash wouldn't obliterate my face...  kind of looks like a deer caught in the headlights)

me at 10

me at 67

Something I haven't mentioned, but is preying on my mind a bit is that this weekend is my 50th High School Reunion in New Orleans (which I will miss). I graduated from St. Mary's Dominican High in 1963 and had plans to go to the Reunion until realizing that it was on the same weekend as the Alaskan Cruise. Since we haven't lived in New Orleans in 45 years, we don't see many class-mates.  But I keep in touch with a few (one in New Orleans and one here in Texas). They promised to take pictures and gather info for me.

Tomorrow is my last day to get my ducks in a row for the trip so I doubt that I will have time to post again for the next 2 weeks. And I don't have a laptop... did at one time -  however, it went the way of the kids and grand kids. But I will catch up when I get back (both on my reading and comments as well as posting). And hopefully I will have lots of pictures to share!  Until then, Happy Blogging!

Just a short note to add that today (Thursday) when I went to pack my Nikon, it wasn't working... worked fine yesterday. Trip is tomorrow.  Figures... yes?











  

Alaskan Cruise... and teddy bears

Squiggles, Grand daughter's squirrel

I'm beginning to think about this Alaskan Cruise coming up in April. If any of you have experience with this particular type of vacation, I would definitely appreciate any input... as to what to bring, things to consider, etc.

DH and the boys will be home to take care of the cats.  My friend and I will fly to Seattle, take a train to Vancouver - where we will have one day to visit before the Carnival Cruise Ship sails.  Yes, it is Carnival Cruise Lines.  Does that make me nervous... a little?

Things I'm concerned about:

1. The cold.
2. Seasickness
3. Incident at sea

Things I'm excited about:

1. Seeing Vancouver
2. Sharing my friend's 'dream trip'.

Teddy bear (for Dee to see)

Recently Dee at One Foot Out of the Box posted a blog about having a teddy bear.  I commented that I had one too. DH gave it to me when we were dating in college at LSU Baton Rouge.... and it's sat in our bedroom for 45 years now. Does Teddy look that old?  (He doesn't, but we do... oh well)  He is great for cuddling, but I find that the cats have taken over in the comforting department. They are great for that... and seem to have a sixth sense when it comes to knowing when comfort is needed.

Have to put this *teatime* picture up here.  I found it on another website just recently and hope she won't mind my sharing it.  It was just too cute...

found at Deb's blog

the cutest thing...

the cutest thing...

Isn't she the cutest thing?  I'm sorry, but she really is (IMO of course).  I know all grandparents feel this way.  It happens the minute you set eyes on that tiny new life... or hold her or him in your arms.  It's an amazing feeling.  She has lost most of the red hair she was born with and looks like a little Q-ball these days.  And don't you just love that tiny foot...

It's Sunday morning and we have been up since about 7:30, had coffee and biscuits, read the paper, played games on grandson's Meep, watched some soccer and football (at least the boys did), made peanut butter chocolate chip cookies, and prepared a brisket for marinading.  I've not had much experience with cooking brisket.... so this is an experiment. I found a recipe in a magazine that looked fairly easy and delicious, so I thought I'd try.  I will marinade it today (in BBQ rub, onions, onion soup mix,   Lea and Perrins, and Soy Sauce) and cook it tomorrow in the low oven (250) of my Aga for about 10 hours.  We'll see...

I'm going to bring up something here that has come up only recently and I've got to make a decision about it in the next week or so.  A good friend is going on a cruise to Alaska and wants me to go with her. Neither her husband or mine is interested in going. I originally told her that I really couldn't afford it at this time. But her argument is that we can't afford to wait - which I agree to some extent (She's 70 and I'm 67). It is a special fare cruise where IF you book now for the end of April, you get the 2 for 1 fare.  The whole trip from what she says on the discounted rate (her son & daughter have checked it out) shouldn't cost me more than $1000.00.  That's hard to believe, I know.  Anyway, she's already booked and really really wants me to go with her.  I would like to go and probably won't get another chance, but I keep thinking that I would need clothes for the trip which would cost $, and I tend to get seasick (don't want to ruin her trip), etc. But she is a very dear friend, so I said that I would 'think about it'.  I probably should mention that she and I have taken great trips in the past to England, Paris, Ireland... and still take local road trips now.  We get along great and the trips have given us wonderful memories.  I think its just that with retirement, we have to be so careful that I feel guilty even thinking about it.

On another note, I noticed on someone's blog that they had a "live feed" which told them that 'someone from where-ever' was visiting their blog.  I thought that was a neat fixture.  How do you get that on a blog?

And one other question, is my font big enough?  I use the normal default font, but it looks a little small to me.