Missing the Boat

by

Before it was cancelled, our Disney Wonder Cruise was due to leave San Diego on Sunday afternoon.  The kids had been counting down the hours and minutes until our departure.  They had ordered their preferred shore excursions—the ones that hadn’t been sold out.  And then, sitting on the sidelines, we watched as one cruise ship after another turned into a Covid19 disaster with people quarantined in their rooms on ships.  So when our trip was cancelled, the adults were relieved.   The grand-kids?  Not so much!

So our daughters put their heads together and came up with a brilliant idea.  We’re doing a virtual cruise.  Because this is a scrapbook, some of the photos are too big and some are too small.  And because it’s a magic cruise, several years and inches have been shaved off the grand-kids in a few of the photos and off us, too.

 

We all managed to make our complex travel arrangements in time for our 4:15 Sunday afternoon departure. Bill and I traveled in a way that allowed me to do a scheduled (but cancelled) speaking engagement.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The kids “flew” down to San Diego a day early so they could spend the day at the San Diego (Closed) Zoo. The weather was great!

And everybody loved the Koalas   

From their hotel room across from the pier, the girls were able to locate our rooms on the Concierge Level.

Because the kids were able to board early, there was no line at the pool slide

 

Here are some of the lanyards we bought to hold our room keys.

 

On our first at-sea day, the kids got to visit the teen zone and enjoy some smoothies while the adults were able to try out some adult beverages:

Yesterday Colt got to swim with the dolphins—a previously sold-out shore excursion.

And here’s where his mom sat while he was doing that.

 

Grandma is getting her steps but NOT taking photos!

 

Our daughter and grandson are taking sunrise and sunset photos while getting steps out on the deck

Yesterday while the Berry Family went on a shopping lunch excursion to Cabo, Grandpa and I sat on our deck. We both had iPads in hand. I was reading and he was sketching. They saw the mission while Bill sketched the view from our deck and the tenders.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We’ve all been wearing sunscreen and having fun.  On Friday we’ll be celebrating Bill’s 80th birthday at the adults-only dining room, Palo.  On Sunday we’ll all fly home together.  Grandma chartered a jet.

 

 

 

 

I’ve spent all morning putting this blog together.

For someone living in Socially-Distanced Seattle, it’s been good for what ails me.  I’m thinking of that old song right now:  Perry Como maybe?

Pretend you’re happy when you’re blue.

It isn’t very hard to do.

The world is mine it can be yours, my friend,

If only you pretend.

Bon Voyage.  I hope you’ve enjoyed our faux cruise.  I know I have.

 

 

25 thoughts on “Missing the Boat”

  3. Now is a good time to scan the hundreds of slides into digital form and to organize the thousands of pictures that are the accumulation of 70+ years. Amazing how many get thrown out because we can’t remember the name of the people in them, or they were bad pictures to begin with. Did we think that 40 years of storage in cardboard boxes would magically cause them to sharpen focus, or darken when overexposed? Stay safe and keep on writing!

  4. Thank you for the pleasant tour. Stay safe and healthy. Hopefully we all will be able to travel sooner than later. Time will tell.

  5. This was a brilliant idea of your daughters and thank you for sharing with us! You csn’t help but smile when you see this fun! Just what we all need to see now!

  7. The blog didn’t come through exactly as I intended. My IT gal is working on it. Check back later to see if the captions are included.

  8. Your daughters had a great idea. Beautiful pictures and so many memories. Enjoy your family and remind the grandchildren there will be more family trips in the future. You again brightened my Friday.

  9. Love it. Thank you for taking
    us on your journey. The only thing missing was the sea sickness, tight room, and towel shapes.

  10. Our trip to Europe and a Viking River Cruise for late May was just confirmed cancelled. But we got a great deal to rebook rather than get a refund. So hard to know when deposits are required so many months in advance. Hope it works out.
    I have albums of printed pictures and dozens of files of digital pictures. I love to post on TBT (throw back Thursday) on Facebook and then have that picture show up several years later to remind me of a special person and time in my life.

  11. Thank you for the vitual tour. According to my calendar it is Bill’s birthday. HAPPY BIRTHDAY BILL. Love and Hugs!! ?

  19. The cruise can always be rescheduled. There is a website, I can’t find it right now, it has virtual Disneyland rides the kids can do from their own computer or cell phone and it’s free. My grandkids have tried it. Just a suggestion, maybe something to chase away the boredom of being quarantined. Happy birthday to Bill.

  20. Love it. I never go anywhere so enjoyed it. Missed the Birthday Party, I though yesterday was Thursday and didn’t check the blog in time. Happy Birthday, Bill. An especially memorable one, given how ill you were not that long ago. Pretend by Mr. Nat King Cole is the version I remember, though Perry may have done it. Hope it is OK to link to the song.

  23. Just want you to know that I am now re-reading your books since our library is closed. Books I read 10 years ago are like reading a new one and they are my favorites so keep them coming.

  24. It sucks our libraries are closed. Thankfully we can check out the eBooks from the library. I read the entire JP Beaumont series from there. Looking at your other series as well.

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