Returning home

Sorry for not posting on Saturday; it didn't dawn on me until late in the day. I'll admit I've almost lost track of the days of the week.

I had a good and mostly relaxing time with my son and his g/f, Sage and the cats. I did get out to dinner with friends on Friday evening. And I had a haircut on Saturday morning before starting the packing process. We have only one salon here in town and they are booked up months ahead. I left the city about 10:30 a.m. Sunday and was home shortly after noon. A 90 minute drive seemed very short after the lengthy travel days from Yuma.

Monday was mostly about settling in. (Saku seemed to be quite happy to see me). D took a nap so I was on school pickup duty in the afternoon. On Tuesday I dropped by the thrift store and completed a form to volunteer. I had spoken to someone last fall and learned they need more volunteer, especially in the summer. As of this writing, I've not heard back but expect I'll hear something in the next week or so.

Wednesday, I spent the morning opening up mail that had arrived during my absence. There was much reviewing of banking information, and updating of spreadsheets but I finished it before Eli returned from school for his lunch.  In the evening I returned to Knit and Natter at the library. There were four other attendees, none of whom I had met previously. I learned that the event alternates each week between afternoon and evening. Apparently it has been quite popular with most meetings having at least 5 people in attendance. It was nice to hear it has been well received.

I took the day off on Thursday, doing little more than playing games on my phone and tablet, and binge watching FBI on a streaming service. I'm caught up now! I did get dressed mid-morning so I could go to the Dollar store with my daughter. She made dinner that evening too, penne pasta in a garlic and parmesan sauce with grilled chicken. Delicious! It was a totally lazy day.

Friday, I was back on the computer, starting the planning for our proposed trip to Newfoundland, which we hope will be possible in June 2027. Due to the uncertainty around the costs of flights, car and hotel rental rates, I'll use this year's as an estimate. I'm using the spreadsheet I created for our trip to Nova Scotia last year, as it is formatted and I can simply add in the information and keep track of anticipated costs. I've been receiving regular e-mails from Newfoundland and Labrador tourism, and we've gotten ideas from a friend who visited there last summer. However I will certainly take any advice from my readers who have lived or visited there (thinking of you Marie!).

The Men's World Curling championship first draw was held on Friday afternoon. Other than one Grand Slam, this is the last curling event for the season. Of course, I was, and will be, glued to my television for the rest of the week.

That and one of three knitting projects will keep me busy today. I do need to run out between draws to get a few groceries but otherwise plan to relax. 

Have a great week ahead everyone!

Back in town

The painting in the basement is complete...at least for now. As I mentioned in my last post, I've decided to hold off painting my bedroom until later this spring or maybe in the fall. I'm glad I did the bathroom first, because it was a small project and, I suspect had I not, that job would have been held over. The foyer, stairwell, and the rec room including the alcove were a lot of work. There were lots of holes in the walls, several cracks, etc. that needed to be filled and sanded before I could even start thinking about painting. It is clear, that the walls were not floated when they did this reno and a lot of it was DIY. If my son ever wins the lottery, I'd recommend he tear it all out and start fresh. But for now, the area looks lighter and cleaner. I've done what I can.

On a vastly different note, we had more snow on Sunday into Monday, about 6-8 cms/2-3 in. I DON'T want to shovel snow again. Yes, I know I got away with not shovelling for two months. Still, it's time for spring...though we're more likely to see fool's spring and second winter before the real thing arrives. I'm envious of all of you, who are seeing snow drops and daffodils beginning to pop up in your gardens and neighbourhoods. Wednesday's photo showed the aftermath.

Monday, I finished the touch-ups and cleaned up the paint supplies, and vacuumed the basement. I did have another oops...this time I accidently hit the switch and turned off the furnace when I replaced the switch cover. It got pretty chilly, though my son didn't notice upstairs. He wasn't happy with me when I told him I thought there might be something wrong with the furnace and we discovered it was just my boo-boo. Oh well, it warmed up quickly and he'll know to check the switch should it ever happen again.

Laundry and running errands was the agenda for Tuesday. I dropped off some donations at the thrift store and got 5 balls of yarn for less than $6. These will be used to make more mittens for Eli's school this fall. I was happy to see my favorite cashier back in the store. She's been off work for several months due to a cancer diagnosis. I wasn't able to chat with her as she was busy with other customers, but I overheard her say, she's worked at the store for 20 years! She's definitely a good ambassador for the store.

Wednesday was mammogram day. I got lucky that there were a couple of cancellations and I was able to get an appointment in just a couple of weeks. Way back, over a year ago, I'd booked an appointment in the city for December. This was pre-purchase of the house in town, and I totally forgot about it. When they called to remind me, I tried to reschedule for March, and they had nothing available until August! I try to attend every year, as we have a family history of breast cancer. I've offered to have them remove the damn things since I don't use them anyway, but the medical professionals won't take me up on this.

I had a bit of a wait at the Breast Screening clinic, but the test took no time at all, and the x-ray operator was as gentle as possible as well as efficient. From there, I was able to visit with my friends L and K. We try to get together every few months to catch up. K introduced me to L, many years ago, as she is a travel agent and has been a friend as well. We talked about our various travels this winter, and upcoming trips. K and her partner J are the ones who drove me from Phoenix to Yuma, and will be off on a trip to Nova Scotia and Newfoundland mid-May for about five weeks or so. In fact, they'll likely be back in Halifax when D, Eli, and I are there in June! L has a trip planned in June, too. She'll be off to Spain for a week or 10 days at the invitation of Spain's tourism board. She and her family spent a week or so in Alberta in February in the Banff and Lake Louise area too. It's likely their last family trip, as their daughter is now 18 and will be starting university (nursing program) in the fall. Thinking back, I met L when her daughter was still around kindergarten age. 

Throughout the week, I had an opportunity to watch some of the women's worlds curling. I did not watch those games that were aired in the middle of the night. Sadly, TSN did not replay those games Curling Canada only provided the highlights on You-tube. However, I was also able to watch mixed doubles curling (also You-tube) which is underway in PEI. (I hope you've enjoyed watching some in person, Marie!)

While watching, I got some addition cross-stitching done. At this rate, I may finish this piece in time for Christmas!

This is from a kit I picked up at the thrift store. Cross-stitch kits are pricey. This would have been at least $40 when originally purchased. I picked it up for $3.99 plus taxes.

This is the front of the package. The kit came with all the materials needed to complete the project, including the felt for the backing. I'll have to pull out the sewing machine, once the stitching is complete to finish it. That will be the hardest part for me. 

If you recall I had an eye appointment a couple of weeks ago. The lens finally arrived on Friday at the north store but missed the pickup for the lab. The dispensary asked if I would mind delivering them myself, and they would put a rush replacing my old lenses in my glasses. I agreed as I wanted the new corrective lenses.

There was freezing rain in the forecast for Saturday morning, and I decided I'd like to get to my daughter's on Friday. I packed up the vehicle with my bags and things I'd picked up for D and Eli, picked up the lenses and delivered them to the lab at the east store. I spent the next couple of hours walking; first to Tim's for lunch, back to mall, around the mall, to the car, back to the mall, to the Dollar store, to the car, back to the mall. (I had parked a good distance from the mall on purpose, wanting to get some steps in.) I arrived back in the mall about 10 minutes ahead of schedule and took a break on a bench while I waited. 

I was back in the car and on my way by 2:20 p.m. and arrived at home just around 4 p.m. D, Eli, and I unpacked the car and put everything I'd brought away. At that point I was done, so sat while D made dinner. She and I watched Blue Jays pre-season baseball, before she took Eli up to bed about 7:30 p.m. I stayed up watching the Women's World Curling qualifier between Canada and Scotland. The Canadian team (Homan) prevailed and went on to win the semi-final overnight. They will be in the final (at 3 a.m. ET) in a repeat of last year's final against Switzerland. The Homan team won the title last year, and I'm hopeful they'll do the same this year.

We've got a couple of things to do here today, mostly tidying and cleaning up living areas. D has an errand she needs to run this afternoon too. But otherwise I plan to continue doing as little as possible. 

Have a great week ahead everyone!

I'm back!

Home again, home again, jiggity jig.

This is, based on a Google search, a portion of a children's song: To Market, To Market. My Dad used to say it to us when we were headed home after a Saturday afternoon in town. Another favorite was, Home James and don't spare the horses. Funny how such simple memories are retained.

Again, I am reminded how much I dislike travel days. Getting to Seattle was a relatively simple process, no delays BUT the airport is a mess. More on that later. Getting home however took several hours longer than anticipated due toflight delays. If only I lived closer to a port city, but that isn't happening. I can't be too irritated though, especially watching what has happened the southeastern States with the devestating tornadoes and hurricanes. The house was still standing when I got home, the kitchen was tidy, and the furnace kicked in when it went below freezing. 

This is just a quick check-in. I've unpacked this morning, had a lovely long chat with my brother, and will head out shortly to pick up some groceries. There's nary a vegetable (other than frozen) in the house, nor any real leftovers in the fridge to nibble from this morning. You can bet I'm missing the Marketplace Buffet. No one brought me my tea either. :p

Meanwhile, I'll share a couple of photos, one taken the last night of the cruise, about midnight. The second one I borrowed from my brother of last night's Aurora Borealis. I went straight to bed upon arriving home, and he has less light pollution at the farm.

BTW, the earlier photos were of Seattle (Connie noted this one), sunrise in Victoria, British Columbia, a view of the city of San Fransisco from the Golden Gate Bridge, the marine fog as we pulled into port in Los Angeles, and a sleeping snow leopard at the San Diego zoo. As you can imagine, I've many more photos to share. :)

I likely won't post tomorrow - have a good weekend everyone!

May 23 - Fort Lauderdale and finally home

This post is brought to you by my memory, which isn't the best, because I neglected to make any notes. As you'll find out, the day was pretty darn memorable and not necessarily for entirely good reasons.

I don't recall exactly when I left the ship, but it was around 8:30 or 9 a.m. First up was finding my suitcase among the multitude of bags. My bag is a bright teal blue, and my ticket was red. Hmmm....no red signs that I could see. I finally asked a worker and was pointed toward a sign that looked pink in my estimation where I quickly found my luggage. A cursory review at the US customs desk and I was heading for my bus for my morning tour in the waterways. 

My flight wasn't scheduled until 4:15 p.m., so it made sense to book the excursion as my luggage would remain in storage on the bus until drop-off at the airport at 12:30 p.m. It was
a wet, cool day, but I quite enjoyed the excursion. We were delayed along the way as the Vice-President was visiting the city, and several blocks were blocked off by the police. Our destination was the Carrie B, a paddlewheeler. 

The boat is well equipped with restrooms and a small concession stand providing drinks and snacks. On the enclosed lower level are several tables for passengers to gather. The upper level is partially covered, but I did spend much of my time out on the deck taking photos. It rained off and on, and I had to keep ducking in under cover to stay only moderately wet. Here are some of my favorites:

I had done a similar tour on the Jungle Queen, another paddleboat, several years ago, which took us past some of these houses on our way to a nature preserve. I remember this one, because the tower is supposed gilded with gold.

At this point, we were turning around to return. The clouds were low, but we were out of the rain for the moment.

While it appears these people were getting wet, they are actually statues!

On our way back to the wharf we passed the Ruby Princess. 

At that point, the majority of the passengers would have disembarked and the eager guests for the afternoon sailing were likely queuing up in the terminal.

We also passed this play structure. Wouldn't Eli (or any other youngster) have fun in/on that? I don't even want to hazard a guess at the cost. 

Shortly after docking, we were back on the bus and off to the airport. This is when things went a little sideways.

After waiting to drop my bags, I learned my flight out of Fort Lauderdale was delayed until 6:30 p.m., meaning I would likely miss my connecting flight in Toronto for home. After a conversation with the rep, Air Canada provided a voucher for a cab to send me to the Miami airport (about 35-45 minutes away) as they had an earlier flight to Toronto scheduled. Ha! 

When I arrived at the Miami airport just after 2 p.m., I wasn't able to print my luggage tags at the kiosks as the printers were down. That meant standing in a long line to reach the counter.

By the time I got through that line-up it was about 2:45, and the line for security was even longer. This photo was taken after I'd stood in the line for nearly 20-30 minutes. I was starting to think I wouldn't make it to my gate in time to board! The sign indicates another 20-24 minutes to security.

Eventually, I made it through security and made a run for my gate, as the plane ought to have loading by this time. Ha again! The board indicated the flight was delayed until 5:05 p.m. This gave me some time to grab a (not so) quick bite to eat, though the two restaurants nearby declined to accept the meal voucher the Air Canada rep had given me. I wasn't too fussed about it, as I had intended to eat at the airport anyway.

The flight was further delayed until shortly after 6 p.m. I guess I ought to have stayed at Fort Lauderdale! I was concerned about my connection as my flight to Regina was scheduled to board at 9:15 p.m. For those not familiar with the Toronto Airport, the international gates are, what seems to me, miles away from the domestic gates and I had to get through customs first.

Finally onboard, I settled down for a nap. If I don't have to drive, I can sleep and I did for much of the flight. After arrival in Toronto, I was quickly through customs, hooray, and started the dash to the domestic side. On the way, there were two Air Canada reps standing inside the area with new boarding passes for anyone who might have missed their connection. I stopped briefly and learned that my flight was delayed. Phew, no more attempts at running!

I don't recall the exact time, but I know I was in the gate area for at least 30-45 minutes. I finally got up and went to the restroom, where I finally heard the pre-boarding announcement. Again, once on board, I napped for a good portion of the flight. Two flights arrived into Regina at about the same time, which for a small regional airport generally means chaos at the carousel and that night was no exception. I was thrilled when I finally picked up my luggage and got in a taxi for home. In the door at about 1:30 a.m., I dropped off my bags just inside the door, and headed down to my bedroom. It was a very long day.

I've said this before, air travel is not for the faint of heart these days. One of the couples I'd met in line in Miami, had been scheduled to fly out the afternoon prior, and had waited until 2:30 a.m. before they were informed the flight to Toronto had been cancelled. They weren't hopeful we'd get out that evening either, but of course, we did. She was quite upset because she had planned her sister's 30th birthday party that evening and knew she wouldn't be able to attend. 

While I have no more cruises booked, I have decided that it makes more sense to overnight and take the earliest flight home. Those flights generally originate from the departure city and are less likely to be delayed, except of course, due to weather or mechanical issues. It's worth the cost to ease the stress, I think.

Final thoughts, overall, it was a wonderful cruise, and I had some great excursions and met some awesome people. My favorite port on this adventure was Aruba, with Bonaire a close second. My friends, S and P, actually have a time share on Aruba and have been extending an invitation for me to visit with them over the past several years. I've been in touch with S and told her I'll be taking them up on their offer sometime in the future. 

Thanks for following along with my sporadic posts. It's been fun reliving of my memories of the cruise, or at least most of them. 

Heading home hiccups

I'd like to say that the end of the trip went as well as the beginning but there were a few bumps along the way. We docked in Vancouver around 6:30 or 7 a.m. which would normally mean we'd start disembarkation around 8 or shortly thereafter. I had a flight booked for noon, the airport is about a 45 minute train ride away, and I needed to be there around 10 a.m. I had selected walk-off, which means I did not check my luggage the night before. I was actually out of my cabin by about 6:30 or so as I wanted to ensure I was near the front of the line. 

Ha! Normally, the walk-offs are well on their way before the next groups start lining up. Not this cruise. First off, although we were docked at a reasonable time, the clearing of the ship by Customs was delayed well past 8:30 a.m.  That meant no one was leaving the ship early. Second, and probably most frustrating for many passengers was a change that was announced mid-cruise. Until that point, the US travellers who were flying into the States on disembarkation day would have been able to get a Covid-19 test managed by Princess at the port. For some reason, this had changed and Princess was unable to provide this service. This meant that hundreds of passengers had booked tests (mostly) at the airport and everyone was in a rush to get their tests completed so they could fly that day. As a result it was chaos at the off-ramp. 

I did manage to get off the ship shortly after 9, cleared customs, and caught the train with minutes to spare. Otherwise I would have been waiting for another half-hour for the next one. The Vancouver airport is in the midst of summer construction - or at least that's what it looked like to me but I reached the line-up for the WestJet check-in fairly quickly. There I stood in-line until an employee came by and asked if I was just dropping off luggage. I had my baggage tags and boarding passes so I said yes. She checked me in, and then informed me that I had to put my luggage on the moving belt. (Be prepared to laugh - I did, eventually).

I grabbed my suitcase and went to swing it up and on the belt. Unfortunately, my right foot got caught and ended up under the bag on the belt. I didn't quite end up doing the splits but it was close. I managed to pull my foot out and get it off the belt, but my shoe went with my bag.  The employee simply laughed and informed me there was no way to get my shoe back. Uh, thanks. For some reason, I hadn't tucked my flip-flops or sandals in my carry-on...I won't ever forget those again. The next passenger in line offered me a pair of shoes from her luggage but I said I'd buy a pair of flip-flops once I got through security.  (This after asking the employee if I would be able to clear security with only one shoe.)

Of course, as I went through security, my bag was selected for secondary screening. She noticed I was missing a shoe, as did the next officer. Yeah, yeah, I'm fully aware. At least they were polite enough not to laugh - at least until I was out of earshot. 

It's a rare airport that doesn't have a Flip-flop shop. YVR is one of them. I ended up in a fancy-schmancy shop were I could buy a pair of embellished flip-flops for just over $40 CDN. I told my tale of woe and the clerk was kind enough to give me a 10% discount. I finally had a pair of something to wear on my feet and made my way to my gate. I always like to know where it is before I do anything else. 

After sitting for 20 minutes or so to unwind/calm down, I headed back towards security to grab a bite to eat and a treat, some licorice. Nothing like eating your feelings, right?  I was in line-up in the candy store when a young man bumped into me but I thought nothing of it. I grabbed a burger and a drink and went to the gate to eat my lunch and read. 

When the gate attendant announced that boarding would begin in about 20 minutes, I checked my bag for my boarding pass and passport. OH NO! My passport wasn't in the pocket. I immediately went to see the gate attendant and explained that my passport had gone missing - I knew I had it when I went the security and now I did not. He explained he couldn't help me with that, and when I provided my driver's license as proof of identity he said I should see him when boarding and it would be okay.  The issue I have is I use my second name most often. My driver's license and most of my identification reads second name first name, while my passport and health card are first name second name. My flights were booked with my passport and thus were different than the DL. I was relieved when he told not to worry.

Boarding call was made and I went to his desk, even though the line-up was being managed by his peer. She wasn't very happy when he told her he'd handle my check-in. Phew, I was on the plane and in my seat shortly after. Surely that would be the end of my comedy of errors. But no.

We were delayed taking off and arrived in Calgary just a half-hour before my flight to Regina - about the time the flight would be boarding. Of course, I'm in concourse B on landing and need to be at D for departure. Another woman and I made the mad dash across the terminal, only to learn that our flight was delayed for at least an hour. I went straight to the gate to talk to the attendant about my predicament. She was not nearly as accommodating as the fellow in Vancouver. She discounted my driver's license with photo and insisted she needed another piece of identification with first name, second name. I had a copy of my passport, but she wouldn't accept that, I had forgotten my health card at home, but did have a copy of my vaccination records which listed my health record details. She took that from me, as well as my DL and my boarding pass, sent me to sit and wait and got on the phone. It was anxious fifteen minutes or so. I was trying to decide how I would get home if she refused to accept the identification I had. There are no buses or trains between Calgary and Regina and it is a long walk. I finally went up to the desk and she told me that she'd talked to someone and their records indicated I'd booked tickets before under my regular name so she changed my boarding pass so it was correct. I thanked her and took my items, but I laughed when I checked the boarding pass - she had listed me as Mrs. Hmmm...not correct as I've never been Mrs. anything but I wasn't about to ask her to change it. 

The delay stretched out for nearly an hour longer, as we had to wait for a crew to transfer from another flight that came in. But finally we were on the plane and I was on my way home. Thankfully there were no more mishaps along the ways...there had been quite enough.

The following day, I contacted the airport lost and found and made a report about my passport. A week or so later, I had a call they had located the passport, and I was able to arrange for a courier to pick it up and deliver it to me. I'll never know if the young man who bumped into me took it from my bag, or if I simply dropped it somehow. In any event I'm thrilled not to have to replace it - even the cost of the courier was significantly less than the cost of a replacement.

Some final thoughts on the cruise itself. I now know why so many people cruise to Alaska numerous times. One couple I spoke with were on their eighth cruise, another couple nearly twenty times! The scenery is phenomenal and there is so much to see and do, as one chooses. I've been talking with L, my travel agent, already and mentioned I'd like to do the cruise in September (not this year - maybe in a year or two) when the fall colors are at their best. 

The ship was big and beautiful and had some wonderful spaces including the Hollywood Conservatory and pool and, of course, the Wakeview Bar. But I'll be honest, I prefer the smaller ships - most have an aft area with a bar and in some cases that are also has a small pool. The venues may not be as big, but it's often easier to meet other passengers.  Also I anticipate that as the supply chain disruptions ease, the dining options and food quality will improve. I can't say I ever went hungry, and I did find a new favorite specialty restaurant. 

The staff and the crew work just as diligently to ensure that guests have a great experience. Some things are out of their control, and while communication can always be improved, I always remember I'm so fortunate to be able to travel. It was so very wonderful to be back onboard a ship at sea, and travel to destinations that were merely words in a magazine or pictures on television before. Cheryl mentioned in a comment how wonderful it is to have the memories I'll keep from this trip. She's absolutely right.

I was glad to get home safely, and now I get to look forward to the next time. When will that be? I'll be sure to let you know. :)

Vegas, Part 3

We slept in even later on Thursday, in fact I even got over 8 hours of sleep, and I didn't wake until 7:30!  S was a sleepy head and didn't rouse until after 8.  That was okay as we didn't have much planned for the morning.   Shortly after 9 we wandered over to the Strat for breakfast, and then stopped in at the World's largest Gift Shop (according to the marquee) to browse.  I found t-shirts for both my adult children and a set of coasters.  The latter are to replace a set I bought on my last visit to Vegas...I think about 12 years ago.  The old ones are pretty much worn out so it was time.  

S found a jean shirt for herself for $5.99 and a couple of other items too.  We headed back to the hotel to drop off our shopping bags, and then it was off on the monorail back to Ross Dress for Less.  I thought I had remembered seeing a pair of the brand of shoes that Eli's fat little feet will fit into on our last visit so we'd decided to go back and check.

My cousin P had contacted me the day before to say she and cousin B were arriving in Vegas on Thursday so we'd made plans to meet for a drink after they reached their hotel, the Park MGM.  We had a bit of time before we were to meet, so spent most of it at Ross.  I did not find the shoes, but both of us found two piece outfits (jacket and sweat pants) for our grandsons at very reaonable prices.  I purchased two, one for $6.99 and a Puma set for $12.99.  Eli is definitely going to be well out-fitted for the next year!  

We walked across the street to the Park MGM, as the pedway is still under construction there.  After wandering through the restaurant at the main entrance and into the casino, we found a quiet spot at the MoneyLiner bar to have a cold drink and wait.  Unfortunately, P's phone connection wasn't working and we weren't able to connect.  After an hour we decided it was time to head back to the Sahara to get ready for our evening.

We had planned ahead of time to dress up for dinner one evening and this was it.  After showering and putting on our finery we took a taxi over to the D Hotel for the show.  We'd been told to arrive at least a half before the show, and stood in line-up for that time before we were escorted into the venue.  We'd bought VIP tickets so were seated near the stage.  There really was no point to that, as the entertainment took place mostly off stage, but we were treated to a free drink and a free t-shirt for the extra cost.  

I only have a couple of photos from that evening as I was too busy watching and laughing through most of the show.  This was taken by one of the performers, as each couple was asked for one to choke the other...that's me on the right.  Not the most flattering of photos but we had fun!*

The meal started off with a nice salad as you can tell.  Our entrees were a choice of beef, pork, or a vegetarian cheese tortellini primavera with pomodoro sauce.  I obviously had the latter, while S enjoyed her beef. 

The meal was served while the performance went on, and I didn't feel I had enough time to eat my entree.  Otherwise it was all very good.  Dessert, no photo, was a red velvet cake trifle with a raspberry syrup drizzled on top.  Yummy but I couldn't eat it all.  I guess it didn't matter I hadn't time to eat all my entree either.

I wasn't able to solve the mystery either; while three people were "murdered" during the performance the killer and her motive weren't apparent until the very end.  "Marriage Can Be Murder" recently celebrated it's 20th year; written and performed by a husband and wife duo, with a few other actors and audience participation, it really is a fun evening.  We had a chance to chat briefly with Eric and Jane at the end of the evening.  While the story line remains throughout, the show is never the same due to the audience.  I would tell you, the cast has as much fun as does their audience.  I don't think I've laughed as hard as I did that night for a very long time.

It was back to the hotel after the show, where we used some free play they provided, and an additional $10 to play the slots for a bit.  We played for about 30 minutes but neither of us was lucky enough to take any money out of the machines.  Back in our room, we had a drink and did most of our packing.  Just the last minute items were left to be tossed in our bags in the morning.

I'm glad I didn't take my camera (thank you to those who told me I wouldn't need it) as it meant I had lots of room for my shopping.  I had taken a small roller bag along with my duffle.  I used the latter as my carry-on and it held all of my dirty clothes, while the shopping and anything that wasn't or was lightly worn (dress clothes), along with shoes and larger toiletries went in the checked bag.  S's large suitcase was full to the brim and she just squeaked in over the weight limit but was waved on at the airport check-in the following day.

Our shuttle was scheduled for 9:15 a.m., but we were ready to go a bit early, so they sent the driver to us when we called.  Good thing, as it took longer to get to the airport than our ride in, and the line-up at security was lengthy.  Our flight was slightly delayed but we were in Edmonton on our direct flight by 5 p.m.  S took the shuttle over to where her van was parked, to exchange the items in her suitcase for more cooler weather clothing, after which she headed back to the airport to catch a flight to Saskatoon.

When we had originally planned our trip, I had booked a flight home on Saturday but S's plans changed, and since the cost of making a flight change was greater than a hotel room for the night I chose to stay near the airport for the night.  My flight wasn't until 3:30 Saturday afternoon I spent the morning, reading, watching the Canadian news channels, and drinking coffee.  The hotel had a complimentary breakfast that I enjoyed as well. I checked out, and took the shuttle back to the airport around noon. I arrived back in Regina shortly after 5, and arrived at the house by 6.  I love to travel, but travel days always seem long, and good to be home. 

Oh, I know what else I forgot to mention earlier.  The house listing expired Wednesday, but on Thursday I had a text from my agent telling me that the people who had seen the house the previous weekend wanted to come back for a second look on Friday.  I contacted my son C, he was okay with it, so I agreed.  I let my agent know that C would be at work and the cats would be in the house, but they could go ahead.  I then sent C a text with some instructions - make sure the cat litter is clean, put dirty dishes (if any) in the dishwasher, wipe down the counters, and ensure the air freshners were full.  Shortly thereafter, I had another text from the agent, that another group had been watching the listing and saw it had come down, so they wondered if they could get in.  After letting C know, I said okay.  I told my agent, if he could get me two competing offers this past 6 months would be worth it.  

As of this writing, I've yet to receive an offer.  However, the first couple told their agent they wanted to do some price-checking on work they'd want to do on the house before they decide on an offer.  So I have my fingers, toes, and any other bodily part I can, crossed that something comes of this.  However, in the meantime I'm not holding my breath either.  What will be will be.

The time away was good for me.  I'm feeling quite rested and relaxed, despite getting back into my routine, doing three loads of laundry, cooking and cleaning, etc.  

One final look at Vegas as we flew away.  I'm sure I'll be back!

*Perhaps I should caption the photo of S choking me, "S's reaction to my question of whether she'd be willing to travel with me again."  She enjoyed herself too, but did inform me that her feet will never be the same.  

Fun in Fort Lauderdale

Warning - another photo heavy post!

I've been to Fort Lauderdale many times, always the day prior to boarding a cruise ship.  I've generally stayed in one particular hotel that has both an airport and cruiseport shuttle.  Nearby is a shopping mall and a Moonlight diner (which I enjoy immensely).  However, I've always left on the disembarkation day so really haven't any time.  My bucket list item for this trip was to be on the beach to wave goodbye to the cruise ships as they sailed out.  Hotels on or near the beach tend to be expensive but I used my Airmiles points to book two nights at the Best Western Plus Oceanside and it cost me only $84 Canadian.  Hooray for points!

As the name implies the hotel is near the beach but not ocean view.  My room was actually on the ground floor and overlooked the pool.  The beach was less than a five minute walk away.  I was pleased with the room and hotel amenities.  They offered a free breakfast, with a wide variety of items to choose from, and also had a lunch and dinner menu.

I had to wait a couple of hours to check-in, but then I was there at 10:30 a.m.  I spent my time by the pool, reading and just enjoying the weather.  Shopping and restaurants were about a 20 minute walk away.  After I settled at the hotel I took a walk on the beach promenade to see what I could find as an option for lunch.  After a bit of back and forth, I chose the restaurant Ocean Bleau for a burger and fries.    

Both were delicious and I couldn't finish it all as the burger was huge!  While I ate indoors, this was the view from my seat in the restaurant.  Lovely!

After lunch it was back to the hotel to relax by the pool before heading back out to the beach for my walk down to the end where the cruise ships sail.  Unfortunately by 4 p.m. the nice weather didn't hold and according to the weather channel a "rare Nor'Easter" was blowing in.  It was a tough walk with the wind blowing towards me, and the sand swirling around  As a result I didn't get as far down the beach as I had wanted...but it still worked out okay.

These are the Point of America's apartments at the side of the channel.  This is what casts a large shadow on the beach (when the sun is shining).

I think you can see how windy it was by the trees and the haze in the air is the sand.

I waited for about 20 minutes, all while being sandblasted, and then there she was!  It is the Crown Princess appearing from behind the apartment block.  

It was such a different perspective and despite the weather I was so excited to be there. 

This photo makes me think the ship is parked on the beach.  You can see I wasn't the only one out to watch her sail-away.  Hardy souls all of us. 

It was bittersweet to watch her sail away.  I had such a marvelous cruise, and hope that those who are on her for the next ten days (they'll have disembarked today I believe) did too.  Though I suspect the waters were a bit rougher at least at the beginning.

I turned around after the ship was further out to see and headed back to the hotel.

My hotel was back of the buildings in the gap between the ones in the foreground and the ones further back.  It was a lot further down the beach than I expected, but walking back was easier then the walk out because the wind blew me that way! There were still people on the beach but it was mostly hotel staff picking up the chairs, beach towels and any other debris.

I spent the rest of the evening relaxing and reading in my room.


The following morning after a great breakfast, I headed back out towards the shopping area.  It was raining off and on, though still warm, but the promenade was closed.  I was disappointed as I would have liked to have walked along the beach.  However, that disappointed turned to surprise when I came across this:
Who knew there were river boats in Fort Lauderdale?  Not me!  I walked for about 45 minutes before I turned back (with a stop at a CVS for a bottle of water and snacks for the plane).  As I came up to the pier, I noticed there were people getting on board so I stopped at the ticket office to find out about the cruise.  The ticket taker told me this was a river cruise, the cost was $25, but they had a later cruise at 1:30 that was 3 hours in length and would visit their private island with a wildlife sanctuary with a cost of $33US.  She mentioned there were options to buy lunch on the island as well.  I was sold!

I went back to the hotel, dropped off my bag and read by the pool for a bit.  I would note, I chose to do so because there was a sign reading "No outside food or drink allowed".  That turned out not to be true but what did I know?  As I was walking back to the pier, I was drenched in a brief downpour.  I was glad to have my rain jacket but even it was soggy.  It was okay though because after purchasing my ticket and while standing in line the sun came out again and I was dry by the time we boarded.  

Along the way one of the crew kept us informed as to the history of the houses we were seeing.  I can't recall what we were told about any of them.  In any event, it was interesting, and the stories were often funny.

I'll let the photos tell most of my story.

I thought this might be a fun way to do a river cruise.  Maybe next time.














There were several bridges that opened as we sailed through.


Check out the fruit on this tree.  I should mention every house we passed had a least one boat in front of it.



We arrived at the island after about an hour of cruising down the river.  The feature exhibit was the alligators. There were three of them chilling out in the pit. 

(The third one is behind the one that is peeping out of the water).  

The handler climbed into the pit, dragged the one that was laying in the sun over and began his show.  I lost interest at that point. I'll be honest I don't like seeing any animals man-handled.  I just don't understand how that can be entertaining.

Besides there were enough other creatures and beautiful flowers to keep me moving.

 The sign reads "Caution, I bite!"

Later the alligator handler came out of the pit to show off this baby alligator.  One could, if so inclined, have a photo taken with it for $5.  the proceeds go to the sanctuary.

I chose not to do so, instead I purchased my lunch, a simple hot dog and drink and sat watching people feed the peacocks.  Unfortunately they were givings bits of their hamburger or hotdog buns - not likely an appropriate food.

As you likely tell, the weather was sunny while we were on the island.  That held true for most of the return cruise. 

I particularly liked the look of this property.  What a lovely spot to sit and watch the marine traffic!

We were told this tower has 24 carat gold on it...I would doubt that as I suspect someone would find a way to steal it.  

It was owned (or perhaps is) by an extremely wealthy long time resident of Fort Lauderdale whose name escapes me.  If memory serves, it was part of a large compound containing two large guest houses, a huge shed that purportedly held the lawn mower, and the main house...which was humongous!

Just as we reached the channel where we would turn towards the pier, it began to rain again.  The bridge you see in this photo, I believe is the one at I had pictured in the shots from the cruise ship...just the opposite side.

When we reached the pier it was pouring rain, so I got drenched once again as I walked back to the hotel.  After changing clothes, I hung the wet items to dry in front of the a/c unit.  It was still raining so I read for a hour or so before I went to dinner in the hotel.  I didn't want to walk the 20 minutes in the weather again.

As I was waiting for my dinner, a couple were looking for a table, and as I was at a four top, I offered to share.  We had a wonderful chat (though I've forgotten their names already) as they were sailing the following day.  They had driven from Galveston, Texas, a few days prior and had spent some time with family in another part of Florida before making their way to Fort Lauderdale for their cruise.  

The rest of the evening I spent repacking the suitcase and carry-on.  I needed an early night because I had to head to the airport by 4:30 in the morning for my 7 a.m. flight to Toronto.  After a 3 1/2 layover in TO, I was on my home to Regina arriving at 3:30 p.m. local time.  It felt good to be home, and best of all there was very little snow left!

So ends my final journey for this year (at least at this point I have nothing else planned).  It was another wonderful trip, filled with fun experiences and great people. 

Hope you've enjoyed the photos and stories.  I'll be back soon with an update on the preparations underway to get the house ready for sale...and all the other boring stuff that happens in my average life.  Have a great day everyone!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving to all readers in Canada!  

It's a busy morning, but I have taken a few breaks between cooking and cleaning spurts to reflect on all I have to be thankful for this year.  In no particular order:

My little family - my daughter D, my son C, and of course, my over the top adorable grandson Eli.  While we have (frequent) differences of opinion, I'm proud of the mom my daughter has become. She's learned a lot this year and I can see her putting it into practice in her own home already.

Yesterday, C and I went out to Melville to spend Thanksgiving with Eli and D, and while there he took care of several tasks to make her life easier.  He put up a smoke detector, hung the baby gate at the top of the stairs, moved a few bookcases, and took various boxes out to the garage.  At one point, I spotted C with Eli on his lap, reading a book.  They, too, have a bond that is wonderful to see.

Eli - what can I say?  He is truly the gift I never knew I wanted.  He makes me laugh, his giggles are infectious, and he's just a loving, happy child.  To watch him scamper up and down the stairs (his playroom is at the top of the stairs) is a joy.  Last night, he tasted pumpkin pie for the first time, and loved it.  I was happy to share!  

My extended family - especially my brother R.  We keep in touch almost everyday, sharing the mundane, and laughing at jokes only we would find funny.  My older M and I keep in touch via Facebook much less frequently, but I have several cousins who I've become close too again through social media.  B and her husband G, have been wonderful to me when I've visited Parksville as they live nearby.

My home - it may not be perfectly clean (especially now), and while there are some things I'd love to change about it, it's been home for over eight years and I'm comfortable here.  Yet, I'm looking forward to the day I put it up on the market.  

My cats - Sasha is 18.5 years old now, Saku over 10.  In the middle of the night I heard Saku playing with a toy in the hallway, bouncing it off the walls and chasing it down into the living room.  While one might think Sasha's days of playing might be over, not so.  This morning (at a much more reasonable hour) was playing with the toy Saku had left in the living room.  I love their purrs and cuddles.  I'll miss Sheldon, as we took him to Eli and D yesterday.  I'm happy to report he's settling in well, has found several hiding spots from the little guy, and D's bedroom faces south so he'll have sunny spots to nap in.

My work - although it too has its faults, I'm grateful for the 21 year career I've had with the organization.  I'm blessed that it has provided a good living that allowed me to provide for my children (even into adulthood), maintain my home, and spoil myself with opportunities to travel.  Just last week, my notice of retirement was formally accepted, and I'm in the process of completing the paperwork to obtain my pension.  

My friends - what would I do without the people who support me?  The Friday night crew have become much like family, we have our differences of opinion but we share more laughter than anything else.  My friends here in the blogging world, who have followed me to this new blog when my world blew up in my face two years ago.  I am truly blessed.

My future - while there is still much to be determined, I do know I'm going to enjoy my adventures on the planned cruises, and there is a move in my future.  The timing of the move depends on the sale of this house, and the logistics that go with any move.  To be honest, while it makes me a bit nervous to think about, I'm more excited than anything else.  

My health - while there are more aches and pains than before I'm still able to manage the housework and yard work on my own.  I'm pretty certain my foot issues of the other day were due to dehydration, though I suffered a bit yesterday as well.  I'll just have to ensure I keep drinking more water than coffee, and if it continues I'll visit the doctor.  In any event, the housework is calling my name again so I'll end this post by asking:

What are you thankful for?  Have a wonderful day everyone!

Keeping busy

Phew, having a baby in the house is reminding me that I'm grateful I had my children when I was young.  Eli is one busy boy!  Add in a rambunctious kitten and my home is moving and shaking for a good portion of the day.

D is doing better, this time, and seems resigned to the fact that she and J are not able to live together.  J has taken Eli for a couple of overnights since she returned and she's expressed her frustration that Eli's schedule is off when he comes back here since J is a night owl.  Plus he doesn't bathe the baby or change Eli's clothing (diapers, yes) so the little guy comes back a tad bit messy and smelly.  

I try not to interfere...oh but it's hard sometime. One of the lessons I've tried sharing is to get chores done while baby sleeps, leaving enough time for a short nap.  Most of the time she plays with her I-Pad or I-phone (no wonder they're called "I") though she's started doing some crafting.  My kitchen table is currently covered with various projects including a scrapbook for Eli, flash cards that she's printed out and needs to laminate, and several bibs she's sewn.  I showed her how to set up the sewing machine yesterday and she's partially finished four bibs.  I've given up trying to get her to clear the table...some day all of these projects will be finished, right?

As I said Eli has been very busy.  He's learned to play patty cake - I've been playing it with him for a couple of weeks.  Now he'll do it on his own!

He's pretty proud of himself and will clap and clap for several minutes.  I get such a chuckle out of watching him.

Eli has been drooling and chewing on just about everything and it was pretty clear his teeth were coming in.

On Halloween day, D checked and sure enough his bottom two teeth had come through.  Now he's working on the top two.  Still no photos though.  A friend of D's who is a professional photographer told her the best way to get a shot of the teeth is to make the baby cry.  Mean!

 Speaking of Halloween, check out my little dinosaur!
I picked up the outfit at Costco. The sizing said 6-12 months, thank goodness it still fit.  This kid is getting so big!

He is moving more so I expect his weight gain will slow down.  He can army crawl and scoots around on his butt.  Eli can sit unaided for long periods, but still hasn't figured how to pull himself up into a sitting position.  Soon, I'm sure!

His mom took him to her workplaces and he had a visit with his dad as well.  Apparently J was a bit upset that he wasn't consulted about the costume.  Sheesh, he could have bought one if he was so concerned!

Eli was quite happy to get out of his costume and into his pumpkin pj's.  After a cuddle with mom, he was ready for bed...he had a busy day!

********
This morning we woke to at least four inches of fresh snow.  I went out and used my electric shovel to move most of it off the driveway and then cleared up the rest with my regular shovel.  The long range forecast is calling for more snow and colder temps this winter.  I'm not looking forward to it at all.

It is, however a good time to work on my own projects.  I have a shawl I started, meaning to take it on my cruise that isn't yet finished.  I also have a knitted cap on my needles for Eli.  This is attempt #2, as I didn't trust the pattern the first go around and ended up with a effort that was less than stellar.  This time, I'm using the pattern and making it up for the 2-3 year old size, as Eli apparently has a big head.  I have enough yarn to make him a pair of mitts as well.  Then there is all that sock wool I bought last year intending to make socks for my kids for Christmas...ain't gonna happen but maybe I'll get a start on those as well in the next few weeks. 

Yep, we're definitely keeping busy around here...it's a kind of busy, where I go to bed at night feeling I've accomplished something, no matter how small it is.  

Have a wonderful weekend!