Return to New Orleans

Our final sea day was a bit rough, and the weather was definitely cooling off.  I tried one last time to get a sunrise photo...nope not happening!

If you look to the bottom left of the photo, in the distance you might be able to see a freighter off in the distance.  Not that it factors in the story, but I don't have N's photo to share; dummy that I am I deleted it. 

He was flying a Westjet flight from Montego Bay, and spotted two cruise ships below from 30,000 feet.  N zoomed in as best he could and got photos of the ships and their positions off Cuba.  Later we were able to determine that, in fact, it was a Norwegian ship and Carnival ship.  We were in fact following a Carnival ship, and we're pretty certain he captured a photo of the cruise ship I was on.  Makes the saying small world apt!

Since the weather was cool, the day was spent mostly indoors.  I do recall we watched a couple of games of Deal or No Deal (on the ship).  It's played much like the televised game, however there are cards, similar to Bingo cards that the audience can play as well.  Players who match 8 case numbers with the same amount as the board can win a free cruise. Two matches give the winner a pull-tab (basically a lottery ticket), three matches win a photo, and four get $50.  We saw a couple of $50 winners but nothing higher.  In fact, I'm pretty certain no one has ever won the free cruise.  But lots of people like to play and at $5 a card, I'm pretty sure the cruise line makes a bit of money on it too.

The individual selected to play the big board (selecting the cases) is chosen by random electronic draw from the number on the bottom of the card.  Then, just as they do on television, they start calling cases numbers to be opened.  The largest prize we saw was around $400 and the fellow also won $50 in his card (someone else played for him).  The lowest was $0.01!  The audience cheers the participants to deal or no deal, and I suspect some individuals went further than they might normally.


Final packing occurred as well, and my suitcase was packed and ready to be set out for pick-up by 8 p.m. that evening.  Since we were staying in New Orleans, I didn't have to pack everything away as I would have if I'd been flying out.  On the sink is my Aveeno daily moisturizing cream...it's just a little too large to be put in the carry-on for a flight.

We had a last dinner at the buffet, went for a last walk-about the ship, and then turned in early.  I watched some of an NFL game and read for awhile before I fell asleep.  

(By this point in the cruise, I was tired of watching the US news - we got Fox and MSNBC.  At first it was amusing to watch the two networks report divergent views of the same events.  But after awhile that became very tiresome.)  

We arrived in New Orleans just around 7 a.m.  I headed over to K and J's balcony not much later, to take some photos from their balcony.  I'd given up trying to get a sunrise shot. :(

And look who arrived ahead of us...the Carnival Dream!  I've never sailed with Carnival, but the fact they have an outdoor sitting area where one can dine looks good to me...especially in warmer weather.

Our first day in New Orleans brought cool weather, a high of 46F (7-8C) with a few raindrops.  We disembarked just after 9 a.m. and though we had warned the terminal would be chaotic, it really wasn't.  We'd gathered our bags and were in a cab in just minutes to our hotel in the French Quarter, Le Marais.  The cost was a mere $8 per person, which I thought was very reasonable.

Even better, we were able to check in early, as they had a "deluxe double" available.  It wasn't particularly deluxe but had two double beds and a large bathroom with a massive shower.  I didn't think to take any photos of the room, but it was clean, the hotel provided a free breakfast, and it was just a half block off Bourbon Street.  

There wasn't much of a view, but below us was the courtyard with a small plunge pool, some outdoor furniture, including a few tables and chairs.  It was never quite warm enough to have our breakfast outdoors, but I can see it would be a pleasant spot.


After a bit of unpacking, we walked around for awhile and made our to Preservation Hall for Creole Christmas.  K had purchased tickets for us on line before we left for the trip...good thing, as the show was sold out.  From the website "Join the Preservation Hall Jazz Band in celebrating “the most wonderful time of the year”—New Orleans-style! Enjoy a swingin’ evening as the band takes on holiday favorites and beloved standards in its inimitable style, with the joyful sounds of wailing trumpets and toe-tapping rhythms."  It was as advertised, only we saw the first of the afternoon shows at 1 p.m.  The band included drums, piano, trombone (with a warning to those in the front row), trumpet, tenor saxophone, bass, and a keyboard played by the gentleman who provided the vocals.  There was a cold wind blowing in the open doors, poor J just about froze, but still a very enjoyable show.  I was able to grab a cup of coffee and that helped me stay warm.  

After the show it was back to the hotel to warm up.  J and I left K to have a nap, as she wasn't feeling well.  We headed back to a nearby corner store, to pick up soft drinks and snacks.  As we were on our way back, we heard the sound of music. This was something we'd soon realize is the norm.  Where there are people in the French Quarter, there is music.  

In this case, the band was led by a policeman on a motorcycle and followed by a small crown and another motorcycle. What fun!


Later we went for dinner to Arnaud's Remoulade restaurant.  Arnaud's offers fine dining....think $$$, while Remoulade next door, is more along the lines of $$.  

I enjoyed a chicken po-boy and fries along with a beer.  J had a combination platter with file gumbo, crawfish pie, and jambalaya.  I can't recall what K ate, but we all had a taste of J's gumbo and oh my, was it tasty!  

After a short walk down Bourbon Street, we took a detour through the Royal Sonesta to view their Christmas decorations.  There were two hallways, both decorated to the max!  There were trees every few feet, and decorated beautifully.

It was difficult to find a view where people weren't in the photo, as we weren't the only ones enjoying the decor.

After a few more photos we headed back to the hotel.  It was chilly out and dark, and we were ready to relax in preparation for the busy day ahead.  (more to come tomorrow!)

Not so sunny days in Grand Cayman and Jamaica

The best laid plans of men and cruise ship itineraries often go awry.  This was the case in Grand Cayman.  I've no photos from December 12, the day we arrived at the port of Georgetown...though I'm not certain why.  It was sunny morning as we arrived around 11 a.m.  However, Grand Cayman is a tender port, that is we have to take small boats from the ship to island.  The ship anchored off-shore and attempted to send the first tender to shore.  This tender contained crew members whose contracts were complete and who would be returning home, as well as those manning the boat.  Unfortunately when they arrived at the port, there was a minor accident, one of the crew members fell and required hospital care to get stitches for his/her injuries.

The captain tried several times to stabilize the ship, but the winds and swells were high and because of our positioning it was not possible.  There was another ship also tendering but they were further in towards the island and were able to proceed.  This irritated many of our passengers, but I would rather have been safe on the ship than chance an injury or worse.  So in the second to last port we got a sea day as we headed out shortly after noon.  I don't recall what we did to amuse ourselves, but I don't remember being bored!  

******

Our last port was Ocho Rios, Jamaica.  The sky looked a little dicey and I was worried we were in for rain.  But there was a bit of sun peeking through the clouds...so fingers crossed!

As it turned out, it never did rain at the port area, though I believe it did so inland.  We had thought to walk or take a taxi to the Konoko Falls and Park, but decided against it as none of us felt we just had to go there. 

And then I saw it...the Carnival ship we'd been following the previous day was in port ahead of us.  They got the good spot!  Just like the Royal Caribbean ship the day before.

But Ocho Rios is not a tender port, and does have a dock that we could use.  Unfortunately it is the industrial port, not pretty at all!

This was the same port we docked at in February.  That time I had an excursion booked, this time K, J, and I decided to walk into Ocho Rios.  We'd heard it was about a 15-20 minute walk, I would say it took us less than 15 minutes.  

As an aside, I would note although we were warned about aggressive taxi drivers in Jamaica, we had no issues.  After saying no thanks to the first couple, no one else bothered us on our walk.  

At least they have a welcome to Jamaica sign

We made our way through the shopping area at the port where the Caribbean ship was docked and made our way to Margaritteville.  While there, we used the free wifi to check e-mail (over a 100 for me, time to unsubscribe from a number of sites), check Facebook (me), and play games (J).  We also decided to enjoy the full menu, as the ship's version has a limited menu.  My taco salad was delicious!

You'll note that I did not have my usual beer, but rather opted for the bottomless Coca-Cola.  Each of us had a soft drink and the glasses were washed and wrapped for the trip home. 

After a bit of shopping in the Margaritteville store, t-shirts for Eli and I, and J as well, it was time to head back to the ship.  Again, I've no notes to remind me of what we did.  

I captured this photo of a snowy egret from the table at the restaurant.  At the time I only knew it was an egret, going through the photos with my brother I was informed it was a snowy egret.  Now I know!

The cruise was nearing an end.  Just one more sea day and we'd be back in New Orleans.  That meant time to start packing, enjoy a final dinner with the solo group (we did that this night, rather than the following one), and attend the entertainment for the evening. I believe that was one of the nights we went to Howl at the Moon, three pianists playing the musical choices of the audience.  A very diverse and sometimes odd play list.  

Next post - final thoughts on the cruise and the first day in New Orleans!

Sunny days in Harvest Caye and Costa Maya

Our third port was Harvest Caye, Belize - one of Norwegian's privately owned island (they also own Great Stirrup Caye in the Bahamas).  The island has been developed to permit the cruise ship passengers to enjoy a day at the beach with a few extra attractions thrown in.

For the adventurous, there are several ziplines, for the less so, a large pool, a butterfly and aviary enclosure, and of course, a long stretch of beach to enjoy.

The lighthouse is the starting point for the zip lines.  Two of the ziplines took the riders over the ocean. 

I've never been on a zipline but was told that riding on one's tummy is more difficult that sitting.  I'll never find out...far too terrified of heights to attempt it.

Or one could ride solo across the jungle.  (Again, not me).

This line took the rider past the aviary and butterfly enclosures.  I didn't see where it ended but the lines were busy the entire time we were off ship.

The pool was huge and absolutely beautiful.  In fact, the entire complex was meticulously maintained.  There are no permanent inhabitants in the island and the shops and restaurants are only open when the ship(s) are in port.  There is, however, security on the island at all times.

 K and I took a walk along the beach while J stuck to the boardwalk.   The beach contains a lot of crushed shells, so I think he had the right idea!

We met up at the end of the public beach (and where security was located), and after a pit stop, we walked back along the golf cart path to reach the macaws (no photos) and the butterfly enclosure.

There was something about J's hat the attracted the butterflies.  While it would appear these are different types of butterflies, in fact they are one and the same.  

The blue morpho is among the largest butterflies in the world, with wings spanning from five to eight inches. ... The underside of the morpho's wings, on the other hand, is a dull brown color with many eyespots, providing camouflage against predators such as birds and insects when its wings are closed. - Rainforest Alliance

These butterflies weren't as large as the article would suggest but were so pretty.  They also wanted out of the enclosure!  There was a young man with a butterfly net at the exit to the enclosure to ensure that none escaped.  

On the way to the Landshark cafe we stopped to admire this intricately carved iguana.  Now that's a big one!  For those not in the know (that would be me) Landshark restaurant is associated with Jimmy Buffett, as well as Margaritaville.  J is a "parrothead" as avid fans of Jimmy Buffett are know.  As a side note, this is part of the reason K and J agreed to this cruise, as the ship has a Margaritaville, with accompanying Buffett music on board the ship.  The other reason was New Orleans, a bucket list destination for all of us.

I had planned to have a Landshark beer but the cafe was out of it.  Instead I had a Belikin, while K and J enjoyed a cold Coca-Cola.  It was a lovely afternoon, hot and breezy to enjoy a cold beverage and watch people.  We also did a bit of shopping before heading back to the ship.  

Look what I found in the Belize sign!

******

The following day we were in Costa Maya, Mexico.  We were in port with two other ships that day so the port area was incredibly busy!  We walked off later to avoid the initial rush but there was still a crowd.  We found our way through the port shops to the ticket office where we paid for our fare on a open-air shuttle to the nearest village, Mahahual.  

I'll be honest, this was my least favorite port on the cruise.  We walked along the path adjacent to the beach, and for every step there was a vendor, or two, or three offering us "massage on the beach, $10" or "come see my shop, everything made in Mexico".  After saying no thanks a dozen times, I was ready to scream, if I've said no to the last ten people I'm going to say no to you too!  J said absolutely nothing, while K continued to be the pleasant one of our trio.  I understand they are trying to make a living but if there had been anything I might have been interested in I would not have dared to go into a shop because of the fear of being mobbed by the next shop.  

We eventually made it to the end of the beach street, and grabbed a cab back to the port area.  Here the vendors were less aggressive, but there were no t-shirts that would fit Eli.  K had already picked up vanilla in Cozumel so no one made much money from us that day.

Instead we sat at one of the sea-side restaurants, where I enjoyed a Corona, and K and J had....wait for it...Coca-Cola.  :)

 We were early enough to miss the crowds returning from their excursions so it was relaxing.  There was a young couple sitting nearby with two small children.  The kids were digging in the sand and flipping it every which way.  They were entertaining and managed to miss tossing sand in our drinks.

We walked back to the ship (the one in the back) and headed for the balcony.  Just after we boarded, an ambulance pulled up to the ship.  We heard later there had been one that morning when we first pulled into the dock.  It's sad when someone gets ill on board, but the medical staff are good, and they ensure the passengers (and crew) are well taken care of.

Waves crashing on the shore - just beyond the restaurant.

Despite the over zealous vendors, it was still a lovely day in Costa Maya.  The sun was shining, it was lovely and hot, and we got in a good walk. I probably don't need to go there again but am glad I got the opportunity to do so once.

Next up, "almost Grand Cayman" and Jamaica, the final two ports of our cruise.

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas!  

We send our wishes for a wonderful day to all!

*comments off

Sunny days in Cozumel and Roatan

This was a port heavy itinerary with 6 ports back to back, one sea day at the beginning and two at the end of the cruise.  Normally I wouldn't have gotten off the ship in Cozumel, I've been there several times, but it was the first port.  In addition, K and J wanted to visit the San Gervaiso ruins, which I've been to before but felt was worth a second visit (and it was).  

Again, I was awake early and up on the deck to try to get photos of sunrise.  And as you can see, it was cloudy. This is the pier that we walked to get into the port area.  For those who don't want to walk, there are men with bikes that will drive you in for a small fee.  I don't know what it is, as we walked in.  At the port we found a cab driver that was willing to take us to the ruins for about $20 USD per person.  K tried to bargain him down to $15 but he was having nothing of it.  He told us he'd wait an hour and 15 minutes, I convinced him we'd need an hour and 30 minutes.  Which turned out to be about the right amount of time needed.

San Gervasio is an archaeological site of the pre-Columbian Maya civilization, located in the northern third of the island of Cozumel off the northeastern coast of the Yucatán Peninsula, in what is now the Mexican state of Quintana Roo. San Gervasio's pre-Hispanic name was Tantun Cuzamil, Mayan for Flat Rock in the place of the Swallows. The ruins were once a hub of worship of the goddess Ix Chel, an aged deity of childbirth, fertility, medicine, and weaving. Pre-Columbian Maya women would try to travel to San Gervasio and make offerings at least once in their lives.  - Wikipedia

As you can see, excavation work continues.  

The arch was reconstructed in the 1980's and is the main entrance from the north and west to San Gervasio’s District 1 Central Plaza Group. It is a simple arch about seven feet tall that straddles the main religious pathway (called a sacbe in Mayan, a word meaning "white road") running northeast from the plaza. - Wikipedia

It is my favorite spot in the ruins because I can stand there and imagine the pilgrims and locals making their way along the road nearly 800 years ago. 

I believe this building was a temple.  There is signage, but as I said yesterday, I neglected to take many notes.  The steps are incredibly steep, about the width of a foot, but the climb is worth the look into the building (no photo, sorry).  

The ruins are also a wildlife refuge. We saw several iguanas sunning themselves.  

When we returned from the ruins, we learned that it had rained most of the time we were away, and while we were only about 20 minutes away we had sunshine for the entire time.  Good choice!

After a bit of a wander in the port shops, K picked up some vanilla, J a Coca-Cola, while I abstained, it was back to the ship by mid-afternoon.  The sun was shining so if I recall, I spent some time on the deck reading and enjoying the heat.

The following day we were in Roatan, Honduras.  Roatán (Spanish pronunciation: [ro.a.ˈtan]) is an island in the Caribbean, about 65 kilometres (40 mi) off the northern coast of Honduras. It is located between the islands of Útila and Guanaja, and is the largest of the Bay Islands of Honduras. - Wikipedia

The day started out cloudy, and foggy but by the time we were at the port at 10 a.m., the sun was shining brightly and the temperature was perfect.  After checking in with at the port booth with the owner of the company, we met our guide and bus driver, just beyond the little blue building on the right of the photo and were off on our tour about 11.

I had found the tour in an internet search, Victor Bodden tours and we chose the Fun-n-Sun tour, with a drive through the countryside, a visit to the Monkey and Sloth farm (a highlight as you'll see below), and a visit to Bananarama Beach.  For $30 USD it was far less expensive than any of the ship's excursions.

After a drive up a long, winding and very narrow road up to a view point (with the obligatory shopping area), we had a short stop for a chance to look back at the ship.  The stop was longer than planned as one passenger decided to shop, and shop, and shop some more.  We, however, were anxious to get to our next stop...seeing the sloths.

But first, we had to visit the monkeys...

 and macaws.  I actually had one of these on my head (that's J's hat below).  





and finally....

 a sloth!  If I recall, her name was Annabelle. While the hair is coarse, it is very soft. She was quite happy to snuggle in.

Most of the sloths were sleeping, but a few were eating the plants nearby.  We made it just in time, as they tend to sleep much of the day.

From there it was off to Bananarama Beach, a small resort on the west end of the island.  The sea water was warm, almost like bath water.  While J relaxed in the shade, K and I went and floated about before taking a walk down the beach and back.

Funny story, we were chatting with our guide when we reached the beach, while J was off buying himself a Coke.  At some point, the guide referred to him as "extra-white".  We had a laugh over that, because it's true, he's a red head and doesn't like the sun. 

Perhaps I should have taken his advice as I did get a bit of sunburn but it wasn't bad.  Besides I wouldn't have wanted to miss the time on the beach.

We had two great port days in Cozumel and Roatan!  Next up (likely after Christmas) Harvest Caye, Belize and Costa Maya, Mexico.

On the Breakaway

That was a fun couple of weeks!  I can't even complain about the travel days, though while long, which went extremely well.  It seemed to me that each check-in with the airline and immigration was quick and easy, no long line ups or delays.  My flights home were both delayed an hour in New Orleans and an hour in Toronto.  The day started at 6:30 a.m. with breakfast and the last bit of packing, and ended when I tucked into my bed at home at 1 a.m.  Thankfully I got some sleep on the last flight; I was definitely tired by that point.

This vacation, I did a very poor job of keeping notes . But I do have pictures (of most of it) that will help tell the story.  I arrived in New Orleans on December 5 and met K and J at the hotel around 5:30 p.m.  It was already dark, so after I dropped my bags in the room we took the desk clerk's suggestion and went to a nearby restaurant for dinner.  Mulates bills itself as the Original Cajun Restaurant with authentic food and music.  I'm not an expert by any means, but I can tell you, both were great!  I ordered the red beans and rice with andouille sausage, it was delicious!  We sat for awhile after our dinner, listening to the band, and watching small children tear it up on the dance floor.  

City view from Deck 16

Thursday, December 6 was embarkation day for our Western Caribbean cruise.  It was a dark and dreary day, and quite cool - I think the high was around 46F (7C).  We took the hotel shuttle to the port, though it was close enough to walk, because dragging suitcases through the streets is not my idea of fun. We arrived shortly after 11 a.m. and after an extended period of time in line-up, check-in was actually quite simple and we were on board shortly after noon.  We had dropped our large bags at the pier, but still had our carry-ons.  Even these feel heavy after awhile. After a bit of a wander about the ship, we headed up the Garden cafe (buffet) for lunch.  Our cabins were ready by 1:30 or so.  K and J were curious about my solo cabin so came to check it out before they headed to their balcony cabin on the same floor.  

After muster drill, our sail away party was held on Deck 16 aft.  It was cool and blustery and not well attended. Those in attendance were generally bundled up but enthusiastic.  

Back to our cabins to clean up (and warm up), we headed to the solo lounge to meet the group and make arrangements for dinner.  Our solo cruise director Claudius, was a bit overwhelmed...we had a group of 49 that first evening!  He was able to find out space in the Manhattan dining room, and we were dispersed to 8 different tables.  There were five of us at our table, K, J and I, along with Debbie and a fellow whose I believe was Joe.  The latter was very quiet, while Debbie was friendly and a very interesting dinner companion.  She is a former flight attendant who loves to travel.  

To end the evening we went to the "Welcome Aboard show" in the theatre.  The show features various artists who would be performing throughout the cruise.  To be honest, it is the first time I'd attended one of these...I'm usually out wandering the ship or in my cabin unpacking.  Speaking of, we finished the night back in our cabins unpacking. 

The following day was a sea day. It was still cool and dreary. I was up at 6:30 (this would be a common occurrence) so headed up to Deck 16 to catch the sunrise.  Sadly, this would turn out to be the best sunrise photos I got on the trip - it was usually overcast in the morning, clearing up later in the day.

I met another passenger out with his camera too, and we both expressed our disappointment at the cloud cover.  We were joined by a couple from B.C. whose names I've forgotten.  It was her birthday and this was their very first cruise.  I never ran into them again on the ship, though often saw the first fellow with his wife.  They were often to be found playing ping pong at one of the tables.  
 
That too, was a favorite place for K and J.  They tend to sleep later (they've had more practice since they retired).  I would try to get a few photos, head to the buffet for breakfast, and then find a spot, either on a deck lounger if it was warm enough, or on the promenade deck in a cozy chair to read and relax. 

If we were in port, we'd usually be off the ship by 10 (more on that later).  The two sea days were more relaxed, I generally met K and J for lunch before we all headed off, they to play ping pong or in J's case to sit on their balcony and read.  After the first couple of dinners with the solo group, they decided to go on their own - usually to the buffet, but did join us again the last night. Our group waned from the high of 49 to about 20 or so in the latter part of the cruise.  It was a good group, but not as cohesive as my last two cruises on Norwegian.  Mind you, I might think that because I had other friends on the cruise and spent a fair amount of time with them.

Next post - Cozumel and Rohatan



   

Weekend Wrap up

Saturday started late, hooray, it was nearly 8:15 a.m. when the cats and I finally made our way out of the bedroom. I'm not sure why they let me sleep that late but I was certainly grateful.  After they were fed and I'd made a pot of coffee, I puttered around the house picking things up and putting some of them away.  Do you have things in your home that don't have a place?  I do, lately most of them are items I brought home from work, but there are things that belong to my daughter (mail and odds and ends I picked up for her), and other items that stymie me. 

One is my camera bag which normally would be in my closet, but I wanted it handy as Eli and his mom came for a three night visit on Saturday.  It was sitting on the table, but I cleared the table to start the decorating (it's a slow process!)  I've covered the pictures that were hanging there with wrapping paper (will add ribbon later), and hung the new advent calendar I found at Michaels for 50% off last week.  I like this one....no candies or little toys, it's merely a calendar.  I suspect it will sit on December 4 until I return from my trip; it's likely C won't change it.  I do have a Merry Christmas banner that I may put up as well.  At some point, I'll change out the tablecloth for a more Christmas'y one.

So the camera bag will stay on the island where it was moved, until I finish packing on Tuesday.  The flowers that are in the photo were also moved to the island because someone little likes to climb.  Guess who?  Two hints, it is not Saku or Sasha.  Also on the island are a beach scene (complete with sand), a book for D, a bag of little people for Eli, nail polish to match the color I had put on Friday (in case i break a nail on vacation) and....well, you get the picture.  I never seem to be able to put everything away, there is always a bit of clutter.

D and Eli arrived just around lunchtime.  I had already eaten, Eli had a small bowl of chili, and my daughter made a taco wrap.  When lunch was done it was off to the stores for a bit of shopping. First up was Walmart for milk, a Christmas outfit for Eli...he'll be meeting Santa on Monday), and a few other odds and ends.  From there we stopped at Co-op for the gift card I'd forgotten the day before, and then we headed over to Save-on Foods for a few more groceries.  By this point, Eli was done with shopping so back to G'ma's house we went.  

Eli had a nap in the car on the way to Regina, so spent the rest of the afternoon running up and down the stairs to visit Uncle C, occasionally stopping to watch hockey on the television, and distributing his toys throughout the house.  Since he had no nap, dinner was an early and simple meal of pancakes and breakfast sausage.  Not long after the dishes were cleared up, it was time for his bath.

This kid is a little water baby!  He loves the bath and his mom says he really enjoyed swimming when they went to the pool a week or so ago.  Once the bath was over, his mom lathered him with lotion (the poor kid suffers from eczema in the winter), and got him ready for bed.  She had been up at 4 a.m. so the two of them were tucked in bed, watching Paw Patrol, by 6:30 p.m. Thankfully, Eli has gotten much better at sleeping, and I only heard him once in the night. D said he had turned sideways and she tried moving him...he was having none of it.

I slept on the couch in the living room; it's quite comfortable however Saku decided about 4 a.m. that it was time to play.  I listened to him run and scratch at the base of the couch for nearly an hour.  I kept trying to convince him to jump up but a cuddle was not what he wanted.  We were all up by shortly after 6 a.m.  Well, except for my son C who can sleep through anything.  

Sunday morning was spent mostly relaxing and enjoying watching Eli zip around the house.  He may not have a lot of words, but he certainly can convey his wants and needs to his mom.  He has mastered up (which can mean up or down), peash (for please), and all done.  He loves to climb, onto my bed, the couch, or the cat tree.  Paw Patrol is still his favorite television program...I've been PVR'ing them and have 70 episodes...we're covered.  For the uninitiated, it is the story of several pups who are called into action by their human friend Ryder in every episode to save someone or something.  Chase (the police officer) and Marshall (firefighter) are two of Eli's faves.  I even enjoy watching an episode or two and the music isn't annoying either!

I made up a pot of soup for he and I to enjoy, a macaroni/hamburger with diced tomato and mixed vegetables.  Because I put so much into it, the soup is more of a stew and he can manage it on his own.  Best of all, he loves it (as do I).  Dinner was also a simple affair, with grilled chicken breast, mashed potatoes, peas, and homemade buns. No bath for Eli last night due to his eczema, but I did get a few photos of him getting ready for bed. 

This was the last one and I think he'd had enough of the flashy box (sounds familiar doesn't it).  He asked nicely for the camera, peash, so I let him play with it for a bit.  He quickly figured out how to make the flash go off and that became a bit of a game. To get it away from him, I handed him something else and he didn't fuss.  He can, however, through a bit of a fit when he wants something and we don't understand what it is.  I'm afraid the typical two year old is well on his way.  

Monday (today) is another busy day.  D has two doctor's appointments, so Eli will be hanging out with G'ma. I don't expect I'll get much done, but I'm sure we'll get some cuddles in and a few more episodes of Paw Patrol. 

I did wake up to an annoyance.  When I opened the dishwasher to grab the cat dishes, I discovered the floor of the machine was full of water...it hadn't drained properly.  After it was emptied, I tried running another short cycle, thinking it might clear itself.  Nope. I even tried Google...only to discover that I was only willing to try one of the three options for clearing a blockage.  One is to check the filter, two and three have one removing the toe kick plate, pulling off a hose and blowing through it, and testing a valve bracket (assuming there is one of the latter).  I'll leave that to the experts.  We bailed most of the water out, used paper towel to soak up the rest, then I took out the filter ...ewwww gross....and took out a screw holding a little plastic piece above the drainage hole (I'm sure that's not the technical term).  More water was then cleared from there.  My goal was merely to get rid of as much water as possible as I won't be able to get a plumber in until I return from my trip.  I cleaned up the parts I'd removed and put everything back in the machine for the time being.  Sigh...there is always something.

Later today we'll be celebrating my daughter's 37th birthday.  That means no more cooking, hooray for Skip the Dishes!  We'll be ordering in from a local restaurant.  Eli gave mommy a picture frame for her birthday, with the words "I love mom" on it.  I'm sure D has a photo she can add to it, and if not, I'm sure Christmas will provide lots of opportunity to get a good photo.  Speaking of which, we are taking Eli to visit Santa and/or the Grinch this afternoon at a nearby mall.  I'm told the Grinch is especially good with small children so if he happens to be there, we'll get to test that theory.

Tomorrow, I'll finish packing and wash the kitchen and living floors after D and Eli leave for Melville.  A 21 month old child is a walking, talking, disaster in action.  It doesn't help that G'ma doesn't own a highchair or booster seat and his mother didn't bring his along. In any event, I've got my work cut out for me tomorrow.  AND then with an early night, I'm off to New Orleans!  I'm soooo excited.  As a result, I won't be posting for a couple of weeks but you can be assured that I'll be sharing photos and experiences when I return.  

Have a wonderful couple of weeks!