CHRISTMAS CRUISE - Part 6

Playing intense game in Teen HAL

Jonathan was always off with the teens at HAL Teen Hall –

He would sometimes be gone all day.

He’s having so much fun -

pancakes, water balloons, swimming, games, challenges.

He even had a girl come looking for him

And we ran into her at every port.

Driving home, I asked Jonathan

about his little girlfriend

who called him every 5 minutes

and followed him everywhere.

Jonathan & friend in Cabo San Lucas

“She was exhausting,” he said succinctly.

Speaking of exhaustion, one evening at dinner in the formal dining room,

Jonathan fell asleep right in the middle of a mouthful;

Orange sherbet dribbling down his tie, shirt and suit pants.

Two different times, Ed went up to Deck 3 by himself

to watch the tenders and castoff.

When he wants to do something bad enough

He is suddenly very capable.

We baby him too much.

Jonathan thinks he needs to choose his own food in the cafeteria Lido also.

As we joined Ed, hoping to watch them lift the tenders back up,

We watched them carry someone off the ship on a stretcher, suitcase and all.

After the delay, we watched them raise our last tender back onto the ship;

then we watched two sunsets – one over the rocks and one over the ocean.

DeRay said we saw more action than he did in the spy movie Salt.

I’ve had my camera for over a year

And never knew how to use it except on “automatic”.

Techspert Anthony said my camera was set all wrong.

Poor quality pictures.

After the class, I got great photos

of Ed and the sunset.

See what I mean about expanding my world?

Ed & I went to the gym for an hour.  Then we rested.

Then we watched the sunset.

Ed says he doesn’t lounge but I’ve got a picture of him lounging.

One mile walk around the deck after shower at 7 AM.

Three times around is a mile.

Jonathan and I walked it together some and we each walked it alone.

One morning, we had a fun game of ping pong.

 DeRay’s home base was the Crow’s Nest.

That’s where the Internet Café was.

He paid for so many hours of Internet

so he could “work”

A few hours each night.

I don't dare tell you how much he lost;

no more than he had already gained.

The Crow’s Nest on the

10^th Floor had a panoramic view

And he loved to read his Kindle and nap the afternoon away.

Ed & I chose to sit outside.

Ed in the shade and me in the sun.

Ahhhh – healing – redemption – forgiveness.

For what, I don’t know.

It’s just words the sun oozes out.

Ed forfeited the movie to watch the cast off,

then the sunset.

 The last afternoon I got on the elevator with the Cruise Director John Mann.

He mentioned in the program that he was going home with us.

So I asked him where “home” was.

“I grew up in Raytown, Missouri.  I live in Independence now.”

Small world.

He’s been out for four months.

How do they do it?

Off the ship and back on the freeway heading home by 11 AM.

We’re all tired and grouchy.

I rather like traveling with three guys –

no competition for the bathroom.

Now I know a little Tai Chi,

I’ve got another way to look stupid at rest stops.

When we got off the Colorado River Expedition,

we feel exhilarated, like conquerors.

When we got off the cruise ship,

I felt logy, fat, lethargic, pampered, and spoiled.

We got home at 1 AM with stops (all for natural gas except Spanish Fork)

in Victorville, Vegas where we had an In ‘n Out Burger with Clare.

Well, Ed and Jonathan had two.

We hadn’t eaten since breakfast and Ed doesn’t piece.

DeRay sat the burger in front of him and he said “Not enough”

so DeRay immediately ordered another one for him and Jonathan;

St. George;

Cedar City;

Fillmore,

Spanish Fork (to pick up the Pugh History books),

Murray and

home.

After 1,600 miles of dry road

It started to snow/rain on us as we entered Fruit Heights.

And that concludes our Christmas Cruise.

I forgot to mention that during the week

they decorated the ship to the hilt with Christmas trees,

garlands, elves, wreaths, and every manner of festive ornamentation.

 

Oh, yes, and the Red Hatters!  They had so much fun.  This lady lives in St. George.