Cruise day 6

A sunny start to the day. I wish I had enough patience to get the sun and the light fixture lined up.

It was very windy up on deck 10. Only got 8,000 steps today.

Another very lazy day. We arrived in Nassau around noon. The young people head off on an adventure. The old people rested, showered while the boat was securely tied to the dock. We had cocktails. Dinner and people watched. The young people returned to the ship and we are heading to a water park tomorrow.
Nassau is like Skagway in that they really pack the ships in. There were at least 6 including a 7,000+ passenger behemoth.

Nassau

Cruise day 5

Bright and shiny sea day today.

Absolutely ZERO to do on a sea day. Well except give your money to Royal Caribbean. My credit card is safely locked up. And my 3 travel companions have SuperDiamondStatus which the are happy to share their complementary drinks with me.

My primary activity today has been supervising the construction of Kai Opua or calm ocean clouds.
The Vision of the Seas is a rather small, old ship. She could use a little spiffing up. But I could use spiffing up as well.
On sunny days the top decks are packed with folk working on their sun burns.
However, there is always a comfy chair down on deck five. A great place to read and supervise the clouds.

Cruise day 4

Nice sunny morning in Bermuda.
I decide to take another walkabout the docks.
By 2pm we are leaving for Nassau. Is this my last visit to Bermuda? Nobody is promised tomorrow. That is why I got off the ship again this morning.
Naptime! With my Terry Turtle.

An altogether fine day, walking visiting eating drinking napping resting reading.

And another day ends.

Cruise Day 3

1100am. Sun is shining and Bermuda is in sight.
Here comes the pilot.
Off the ship for a little walkabout
Old phone booths made for great family photos.

I was exhausted after an hour of sun and walking. Back on the ship in time for cocktails with Christie. The ship is overnighting in Bermuda.

The young people went on an adventure today. The old people did nothing. The old people enjoyed themselves very much. We haven’t heard from the young people. And it’s almost 9:30 PM. Hopefully they are having much fun as well.

Cruise Day 2

Yesterday.
Yesterday. The former Key Bridge

Very lazy day. No sun. Some rain. Lots of napping going on.

Retired to under cover deck chairs.

I checked out some really horrible art. And looked in the so called art auction. And. I checked out the casino. The casino was doing a booming business.

Nothing but ocean. All good. Should be in Bermuda tomorrow afternoon.

 

Cruise day 1

First. Get everything into the 27 liter pack. Weighs out at 12 pounds.

 

next get to Baltimore and find the ship.
On board. Find deck chairs.
Inspect ocean. Yep, it’s there.

I got my StarLink working. I hate sending Elon money. Sorta like ordering from Amazon.

Okay. It’s time for singularity.

Carlton and Peg in Rangiroa back in the early ’80s

I am tired. I am embarrassed to be a citizen of the US. I am old. And  I am ready to turn over control to AGI. We humans seem to be messing things up big time. Maybe we humans can wipe ourselves out before the singularity and take the power grid with us. Leaving the planet to cockroaches and mosquitoes. And maybe octopuses.  

Full disclosure: I get singularity and AGI mixed up in my old brain. 

Got my stuff stuffed into my 27-liter backpack for the cruise. The computer stays home. I need to unplug from reality. I need to read books (on the Kindle)  and watch clouds. And look for dolphins.  

The blog can be updated from the phone/iPad. 

Tuesday

After yoga today, I went on a little Magnolia Hunt.

There was no reason to go hunting for magnolias. I have taken some very good pictures of magnolias. I don’t need more magnolia photos. But, what the hell, I went looking for magnolias. Because they might be finished by the next time I go to the hospital for yoga. And because “nobody is promised tomorrow”. Stop and smell the magnolias.

I bused and walked to yoga today. No Uber. Waiting to transfer, I watched a dog walker.

Dog walker making a pit stop. (he cleaned up after them)
And they are off.

And that’s a magnolia tree in the background.

It’s great when you are easily amused.

Tomorrow. Pack and get ready for the cruise. And decide if I am going to take my computer.

Monday – Time to spring into action

0529am. Too many clouds to catch the southern appearance of the Northern Lights last night. But the sun was busy lighting up the morning sky.

My “get ready to go away 2Do List” was ready and waiting for me this morning.

Mostly, I got the Old Bat Cave ready for guests who will be staying while I am away. And some things just needed doing anyhow. Stuff like washing the blankets. 

The Origami Dojo is Closed.

The Asylum’s high command is taking a public stand against 47’s immigration policies. Public as in Politico and NY Times. I hope this doesn’t end up with us losing our not-for-profit status or bring ICE down on our home. 

The question of the morning was: Will The Asylum fly the pride flag this month? Answer – Yes.

The Episcopal Church isn’t doing anything to appease 47. Good. 

And how about the Ukrainian Air Force? It’s a little like Pearl Harbor when the Japanese took out our battleships. Not that I think it’s the beginning of WW3. It means the reign of the strategic bomber is well and truly over. 

Interesting times. I could do with a little boredom and the same old, same old.

Birthday Party tonight. Peach Pie and Ice Cream. Wine. Coffee. Snarky Cards. All Good.

No Work ‘Til Monday…Day 2

Well, I decided what earrings to take on the upcoming cruise! That was today’s accomplishment.

Did some laundry. Folded some paper. Walked very little. Watered the orchids. Read some. Major lazy day.

And it’s June already. And only 1328 more days of 47. Decided that I am too old to make it to Dead & Co in SF in August. Micky Hart isn’t too old to play, but I’m too old to watch. The reality of old age sucks. 

No Work ‘Til Monday…

Just killing time with the clematis. Still.

I couldn’t even trouble myself enough to take a new photo. The day started out fine. Then a rain squall. Now, it seems to be working its way back to fine again. Bizarre May weather.

Today’s accomplishment: took a backpack full of stuff to the thrift shop. AND. Bigger accomplishment: I didn’t buy anything. The backpack came home empty.

A 30-liter backpack load of stuff doesn’t sound like much. But every little bit helps. The Old Bat’s Cave is small, and the Old Bat is old. Döstädning is very real.

When you live in The Asylum, you know what happens to your stuff when you are gone. Decades ago, I read that you should only leave four neatly labeled boxes behind. Not aiming for that, but it’s a good reminder.

Since the backpack was out, I started thinking about the cruise. Complicated by an 18-year-old travel companion. Don’t want to embarrass her. I have ZERO formal clothes, no white for “White Night” (not even undies!), and my “tropical” is a raggedy jeans skirt and an old t-shirt. Solution: one black dress. It’s doing it all – formal, white, tropical, and everything else. Nine nights. One dress. 

It’s Aloha Friday. No work ’til Monday.

0614am. And the good news is: DC vanished overnight.

The bad news is: DC is still there, along with the regular cast of clowns.

Today’s accomplishment. I broke the 17-minute mile. Completed one mile around the outside of the building in 16 minutes and 45 seconds. When I started this new “Be Fit Enough to Protest in DC” campaign on April 2, I was at about a 20-minute mile.

It’s actually a bit frustrating. I have improved my cardio fitness to the extent that I have to walk faster and up more hills to get my heart rate up. On the other hand, this is a pretty good old woman problem.

It’s Aloha Friday. No work ’til Monday. Monday, I have to get ready to go on this cruise. 

My plan is to spend time in a comfy deck chair in the shade reading a book. The time in Bermuda is Saturday and Sunday. The ferry schedule is reduced. And many shops are closed on Sunday. But, what do I want/need to buy in Bermuda? Nassau. Been there. Done that. No need to get off the boat. And CoCoCay is a huge waterpark. When we went to Canada (NOT) last fall, I got off and inspected CoCoCay.

Royal Caribbean has such a deal for me. That’s twice what I paid for the entire trip, including a whopping single supplement. 

That’s the deal with these American cruise lines. The ticket to ride and 3 meals a day is reasonable enough. They make their money by selling other stuff. I treated myself to one extra on this trip – WiFi.  $152.91  Works out to about $20 a day.  Oh, and I will pay extra to eat at the sushi restaurant on board. 

It will be fun. Going with one of the Asylum family, her daughter, and her granddaughter. We will not be hanging out together 24/7.