We went on another cruise instead of me buying Christmas presents this year. It is very easy for me because I have nothing to wrap. My travel companions this time besides the kids and their spouses were Kay McGuire, Jill Forbes, Janet and Reno Leblanc, and of course Stan. We went on NCL's Star through the same countries that we visited the last time and had a wonderful time. Vacations are a time to relax, catch up with each other, and to do new things. For me personally, having been on a diet for several weeks it was going to be a total cheat week of gastronomical delight. The kids traveled separately from us and left later. Shane played a joke on me and texted me from Becky's phone saying that they were an hour and a half out. It was nearly time for the boat to leave. I was in a panic and went directly to the desk, got escorted back to the offices where I was introduced to an officer who listened to my tale through my tears. I told him that if my kids were not on this boat that I was getting off. "No, no, no Madam, how far out are they?" I would have greatly appreciated just how handsome he was if I hadn't been so upset. I couldn't reach Becky, Josh or Shane. Finally Shane calls and the phone is broken up but I hear him say 7th and Atrium. I realize that they are on the boat. The lovely desk lady and the handsome officer were happily smiling and I was still in tears. I go out to the Atrium and there they are. I was torn between wanting to rip their heads off or hugging them. Shane bought me a shot of tequila and all was right with my world. The best trip for me was in Cozumel at the Salsa-Salsa venue. We learned to cook 7 different kind of salsas and 2 different kinds of margaritas. I was pretty well plastered by the time we started to cook but the event was still a success. In Belize we all went on the snorkeling trip and really had a good time. The food was excellent. I was in heaven just eating the butter and the dinner rolls. I have learned that as I have gotten older that I cannot tolerate alcohol because it makes me swell. By the end of the first day my ankles looked like logs, of course the more alcohol that I drank the less I cared. I spent time in the casino giving money back to the cruise line and shopped in all the stores. I took over 2 hundred pictures with my new "best ever" camera, I read 3 books, and I ate all the butter that I wanted, and I was with the people that I love the most. What more could a vacation offer!!
