Farewell 2011....Hello 2012

Well, here it is, the end of another year.  No big plans for us tonight...after a bit of a fiasco last night when having friends over for dinner, we thought it best not to entertain again tonight.  What was the fiasco, you ask??  Well, it involved a cheesecake, a stove, and ALOT of smoke.  The cheesecake turned out great, though, cause it was cooked yesterday....note to self...always check the bottom of the stove for "residuals" before you turn it on again.  A second note to self...never turn your oven on to clean when company is there...the fumes REALLY burn the eyes!!  But hey...the dinner was good, the company great, and a fun time was had by all!  Let's do it again soon, Steve and Brenda...minus the smoke and fumes!!!

So, with no plans to entertain, tonight is going to be an evening of "guilty pleasures"...chicken, chocolate and chic flick....but not in that order...and not really a chick flick.  We're going to see Mission Impossible 4, then come home to deep fried (that's the guilty part) chicken wings, followed by a chocolate fest (that would be another guilty part).  We've got to eat every bit of chocolate in the house before midnight.  Why, you ask?  See tomorrow's blog about my New Year's Resolutions!!

WHAT I LEARNED TODAY:  Leftover cheesecake is every bit as good as fresh cheesecake...but then, you all knew that already didn't you????  Okay, how about this then...the Holiday Mega Pack of scratch tickets says "a guaranteed winner in every pack"...but I don't reaaaallly consider $3 as a winner...it's more like being one step up from a loser!!  Anyone who I know that has bought one of those, is like me, and only won $3....does anyone ever win more than that???

Why does that happen??????????? (Bon Voyage Susan & Kirby!)

I hate Call Waiting!  There, I've said it, and I'll say it again.... I really hate Call Waiting!  So why do I have it, you ask?  Yeah, I'm asking myself that too.  I originally got it because when I ordered my phone service with that-service-provider-who's-name-I-don't-wish-to-say, I was told that my service included 2 of 3 features.  Since I already have an answering machine, that meant I got Call Display and Call Waiting.  Not a biggie, I thought.  After all, we can go for hours, and sometimes days, without the phone even ringing...and then when it does, it's often a telephone solicitor. So how is it that whenever I'm on the phone, it is inevitable that another call comes in?  How can a phone go from never ringing, to only ringing when I'm on it?  It's one of those mysteries that just can't be explained.   I wouldn't have any trouble just ignoring the incoming call entirely, although when it happens there's this god awful noise in my ear and then I've missed what the person I'm currently speaking with has said.  Pain - in - the - butt!!  So cancel it you say??  What, and go back to NEVER getting any phone calls??  When for five minutes every few days I can FEEL popular because I've got 2 phone conversations going at once??  I've always been a multi-tasker...I guess this is how I'll exercise that skill!  So if you happen to call me some day and there's no answer, and no answering machine kicks in...you'll know I'm just having a bad multi-tasking day!!

WHAT I LEARNED TODAY:  I always suspected, but now it's confirmed...I'm a superstitious person.  What happened today to drive that point home, you ask?  It was the fortune cookie I had after my Chinese dinner.  No, it wasn't that it was bad, or scary, it just.....wasn't!  An empty fortune cookie.... oooooh, what does THAT mean???

Say that 5 times fast....

Anyone who says that there's not been any noticeable changes in the weather over the past few years hasn't been to Vegas at Christmas time!!  It was certainly cool there these past few days, but like we always say...it's always warm inside the casinos!  And we always have a great time...regardless.  My particular favourite part of the trip was when I put a $20 bill in a Wizard of Oz machine, and on my third 80 cent spin I hit the jackpot and cashed out $800.  Yeah, don't get too excited...I was waaaay down at the time...but thanks to that win I was able to come home with a good chunk of change in my pocket. 

The colder weather outside made foot travel on the Strip a bit easier.  It also made sightseeing a bit easier, too.  Now, before you get excited, when I say "sightseeing", I don't mean the Grand Canyon or Hoover Dam...you know we don't go there!!  What I mean is that it was easier to see the 5 Elvis's that were on the corner of Las Vegas Blvd and Flamingo Rd....and wait a minute...one of those Elvis's is a girl!!!  Can you say THAT 5 times fast!!!

WHAT I LEARNED IN VEGAS:  Not everyone thinks the way I do.  Yeah, I know, no surprise there.  But I really don't think that Vegas is the best family vacation destination... ESPECIALLY at Christmas!!  I'm sure there are millions who'd disagree with me... at least 50,000 of them were in Vegas last week.  This was one of the few trips to Vegas where I noticed strollers outnumbered power chairs.  (And before you ask... yes, I'm equally frustrated when I get stuck behind a stroller while walking on the Strip as I am when I'm stuck behind a power chair driven by an oblivious blue hair.)   But you know what??  For everyone that disagrees with me, I'll bet there are 2 that agree with me.  After all, have you ever seen a daycare center in a casino resort??  Coincidence??  I think NOT!!!

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night

We're heading off on that big silver bird this afternoon. Unlike previous trips, I'm not lugging my netbook to Vegas this time, so there will be no blogging while I'm away.  I'll have a single-minded focus on this trip...win, win, win.  I've told my financial planner to be waiting for me upon my return.  I'll be the one with the huge bag of quarters...just kidding, the machines don't pay out in change anymore...that was loooong ago.  No, I'm going to come home with a big win this trip.  A grand or two...maybe five.  It's all about positive thinking and affirmation.  So there, I'm going to win $5,000 in Vegas.  Make it so Number One! (only you Star Trek Next Generation fans will get that reference)

You won't be hearing from me again until after Santa has come and gone.  So, to all of you faithful readers, have a great Christmas.  Yes, I said Christmas...not Happy Holidays or Season's Greetings...I went for the big one...Merry Christmas.  Stick that in your pipe and smoke it!!

WHAT I LEARNED TODAY:  For all of you Corner Gas fans, Brent Butt is coming to the Imperial Theatre on March 17th.  We saw him years ago when we lived in Ottawa.  He put on a very entertaining show, so when I saw him coming to town, I immediately bought tickets.  And they are reasonably priced as well...only $38.  Here's hoping he is half as good as he was back in 2005!   Although I am a bit concerned....back then Corner Gas was on and doing great...kind of a Canadian "Seinfeld"...cause it, too, was a show about nothing...or close to it.  Now he's starting the second season of his new show "Hiccups" and I've only got one word to say on that subject....yech!!  It's ain't no Corner Gas!!!

It's that time again

And by "that time", I don't mean the time to eat too much turkey....although it is that time.  Nor the time to over indulge in Christmas cheer...even though, yes, it is that time too.  But what I'm talking about is the time to call Rogers....again.  It's a monthly thing...whenever I get a bill... it's time to call them and straighten it out.  Hopefully, this will be the last time.  And I tried something new when I called in...I used the ole "win more flies with honey than vinegar" approach.  Sure enough, it works.  I got everything corrected w/o being transferred off to someone else.  Well, I THINK I did...ask me again in 4 weeks!!

WHAT I LEARNED TODAY:  It's a great time of year for visiting.  We're just back from PEI where I got to visit an old friend.  No, she's not old, but our friendship goes waaaay back..15 years to be precise.  Well, now that I think of it, maybe she could be described as old...but she's younger than me...so what does that make me??  Even older...right Michele??  

Cake...not just for breakfast anymore!

After having a few friends over yesterday, we spent the day today...eating leftovers!  Shrimp for breakfast, nacho dip for lunch, meatballs for supper and a couple of pieces of cake sprinkled between meals...and I still have a fridge full of food.  Tomorrow...veggies and dip, chicken and cheese tacos, and punch.

Thanks to all who came and a special thanks to those who brought gifts.  They were greatly appreciated!

And for those of you that asked...I will post some of the recipes over the next few days.  You'll find them on the border to the right.  Enjoy!!

WHAT I LEARNED TODAY:  There is a limit to how much food a person can eat...and it's somewhere around 1/3 of a plate of nacho dip, 25 shrimp, 10 meatballs and 2 pieces of cake...but who's counting???

Rain, rain go away

It takes 21 days to create a habit.  That's what I learned on one of the many courses I took when I worked.  Since early in November, I've been getting the newspaper delivered...it's become a habit.  I get up and have my breakfast while I peruse the headlines, read the obits, and do the Jumble...in that order.  Except today.  It rained today.  And I don't mean a little shower.  I mean a torrential downpour.  Puddles everywhere...including where my paper was lying in the driveway.  Would it be so difficult to throw the paper on the front porch out of the elements?  Apparently so.  A couple of times we've been fortunate enough to have it placed up against the garage door, or else it was double bagged to keep it dry.  Not today...so my paper is laid out on the tile floor drying.  It'll be awhile before it's dry enough for the ink to work on the Jumble.  By the time it drys enough so I can hold it up to read it, it may be yesterday's news... but the upside is ...I won't have to wait a day to see if I got the Jumble right !!!

WHAT I LEARNED TODAY:  I love my e-reader.  I'm loving it more now that I've have to unpack several boxes of books that I've not gotten around to reading as yet.  And when I compare that to my little e-reader, which currently holds about 40 books and still weighs only a few ounces, I'm certain that it's one of our more valuable technological advancements.  When I buy e-books, I've always used promo codes that I find on-line and give me anywhere from 15 - 25 percent off.  It's great...and cheaper than buying hard copy books.  So it's economical AND environmentally friendly.  Apparently, though, there's not enough profit being made now off e-books...cause most of the books I look at purchasing now have a publisher restriction on the use of promo codes...and they now cost up to $14.99...I can buy a hard copy book at Costco for that price or less...  Guess it's time to put that new library card to use!!

Opinions Wanted

I think I've found my new career.  I know what I want to do with the rest of my life.  I want to become a Professional Focus Group Participant.  What a great way to make a living.  Going to meetings and sharing your opinion.  Can you think of a better way to make money?  I participated in my first tonight.  I "worked" for 90 minutes, sharing my opinion on a website and got paid $50 for my efforts.  Where else can you get paid for telling someone what you think??  If there's one thing I became proficient at in my 25 years on the Force, its attending meetings!  So that's the easy part.  And tonight I didn't have to know how to create a website, or how to do anything technical.  I just had to have an opinion...and you know what they say... opinions are like assholes...everyone's got one!!  And I like to share mine whenever asked...especially when I'm being paid!!   And yeaaaaa, sometimes even when I'm not ;)

WHAT I LEARNED TODAY:  Even a 50 year old body can benefit from physio...  I really thought that I would have seen my last physiotherapist last March when I had "shoulder issues".  Imagine my surprise when that same issue reared it's ugly head again a few weeks back.  How could I suffer any strain injuries when I'm not even working??  How can one hurt themselves doing NOTHING??  Oh well, after several visits, I didn't think I was going to respond at all  the treatment.  I didn't seem to be making an progress at all...and the only thing that's changed since March is...I'm another year older now.   I have very mixed feelings about the usefulness of this type of therapy anyway... and now that I have limited medical coverage, my tolerance for any long drawn out treatment plans is even less.  But, today I am pleased to say, I'm finally seeing results.  Another couple of appointments and I expect I'll be good as new...okay, okay, good as old...but good none the less!!

No, I haven't forgotten

I haven't forgotten what it's like to work a full 8 hour day, on your feet and serving the needs of the public.  I remember how things can get hectic and mistakes are made.  I know that you don't go out of your way to make mistakes, cause who wants to deal with the flack that mistakes cause.  But...when you work in a drive-thru window, I'm guessing that more often than not, the mistakes aren't discovered until the customer has managed to leave the drive-thru area and returned to their home, a substantial distance from where the mistake occurred.  I can be as understanding as the next person when the occasional mistake is made....yes, I can TOO!!  I just ask you to picture this.  I'm the ONLY car in the drive-thru at McDonalds.  I've got my coupon in hand for a free hot McCafe beverage.  I follow the instructions on the reverse and first advise the drive-thru attendant that I have a coupon.  I keep my order as simple as possible...a peppermint hot chocolate.  That's it, that's all.  Imagine my surprise when I finally get the little opening on the cover peeled back (using my teeth cause I'm driving and can't take my hand off the wheel!!), and get my first mouthful of the nice hot, sweet....waaaaaittt a minute...NOT PEPPERMINT hot chocolate.  How does one get such a simple order screwed up??  I'll never know.  Did I turn around and return to get the order corrected...nah...I was half way home by that time and couldn't be bothered to turn around.  Had it turned out to be a cup of coffee I surely would have...but since they got the order HALF RIGHT, it was hot chocolate, I just told myself to "suck it up princess" and carried on home.  Peppermint is highly overrated anyway!  ;)

WHAT I LEARNED TODAY:  I still hate Rogers, and wish I could cancel my service with them.  No, I can't get into details...otherwise I'm able to trigger that little OCD issue I have and then I'll have to spend the evening on the phone with them trying to correct yet another billing discrepancy...cause as the saying goes "he who fights and runs away lives to fight another day"...tomorrow's another day....maybe I'll feel like fighting then...

Decking the Halls

Yes, it's going to be a busy day.  I'm putting up my Christmas decoration today.  No, I didn't forget the "s"...I'm just putting up one.  Okay, okay, I'll put up a couple...maybe 3...but no more than that.  And one of them will NOT be a tree.  Nope, not even a little one...  You know my position on the whole 'Christmas decoration' thing...it's nothing more than a "make-work project"...you put them all up in December (yes, they shouldn't go up any sooner than that) just so that you can take them all down again in January (or sooner!!).  Who needs it.  Haven't you got enough other stuff to do??  I don't know....like the daily Sudoku puzzle in the paper??  Or the Jumble??  Anything really, as long as it doesn't include repeating an exercise in reverse that you just completed a month before.  Yeah, I know...sounds a bit "bah humbug"-ish, doesn't it??  I prefer to call it an extremely practical approach to an over commercialized time of year.  ;)

WHAT I LEARNED TODAY:  It's possible that I have a bit of OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder).  Just a touch though, and it only rears its ugly head at certain times...and those times are when I've lost something.  To say I become single-minded in my mission to find whatever is lost, is an understatement.  I lost my glasses last week and it ruined my whole evening.  Not because I couldn't see to read, or do the daily Jumble in the paper, but because I spent the entire evening retracing my steps...in my mind, of course.  The only thing that stood between me and driving all over town was a raging snow storm...which only made my evening worse, because there was nothing I could do to FIND my lost glasses.  Yes, I do have other pairs.  No, I don't need those specific ones to read.  And yes, I am a hopeless obsessive compulsive.  And no, Kier hasn't started to use this little "quirk" to drive me around the bend....not yet, anyway...

There's no such thing as too much culture

Now that things are getting settled around the house, I've started us on an old tradition from when we lived in Guelph, Ontario.  Once a month I drag Kier out to something that resembles "culture".  It started in October when we went to the Imperial Theatre to see Red Green's Wit and Wisdom Tour.  I know what you're thinking...on what planet would Red Green pass as "culture"??  But hey, I did say "resembles 'culture'...and he did perform at the Imperial... On Sunday evening we went to "A Celtic Christmas" and enjoyed some musician's straight from Ireland.  The storytelling and step dancing was excellent, although, I have to say, I did expect the music to be a bit more lively...but an enjoyable evening none the less.  In December our culture will be in the form of some new slot machines in Las Vegas.  Now, now, we all have different definitions of "culture"....you say po-ta-toe and I say po-tat-o...  We've also got tickets to a comedic play in January, and front row seats to the comedian John Pinette in February.  I also arranged a girl's night out in February to see the Vajayjay (as Oprah would call it) Monologues.  When I picked up the tickets at the box office, the employee said that some people come in all embarrassed and ask for tickets to "that Monologue show".  It promises to be a funny evening with, I'm guessing, very few males in the audience. 

With all my Christmas cards sent and my shopping done (gotcha...I don't have ANY to do this year!), I've just got to sit back and wait for that big silver plane to carry me off to Vegas on the 20th.  And you read that right...I have NO shopping to do!  The White side of the family opted to not exchange gifts this year, and Kier and I haven't exchanged gifts in years....since that first Christmas Kier and I spent in Vegas, to be precise....so, that leaves me with none to do!!  So don't be looking for me in the malls or stores until sometime in January...and if milk and eggs didn't spoil, you wouldn't see me in the grocery stores either...especially on the weekends.  But hey, don't let me stop you all...stop reading right now and get back out there in those crowds and finish that shopping!!!

WHAT I LEARNED TODAY:  Yes, my eyes are getting worse...and yes, I have bifocals...and yes, I'm soon going to have to wear those bifocals continuously, instead of just when I read as I've been doing lately.  When did I make this revelation?  Well, it's been a few weeks in the making, but I've been noticing that it's getting more and more difficult to see the skip at the end of the ice when I curl.  She's getting just a bit blurry.  It hasn't interfered with my game as yet...but it won't be long before it'll be ME behind those Foster Grants....oops, that's dating myself, now isn't it???

Do they KNOW what day it is???

Yes, I know Christmas is coming.  It's evident when you look at the calendar.  And it's also evident when you go into the shops and malls to hear Christmas music being played.  But it IS only half way through November...well, okay, two thirds of the way through.  Christmas is still over a month away.   I know that people tend to put their Christmas lights up outside when the weather is still warm...heck, some leave them up all year long.  Prevents what I'd call that "make work project" of putting them up just to take them down a few weeks later.  However, if you don't want to be the brunt of neighbourhood jokes by leaving those icicle lights hanging from your eves all summer long, then the weather's been warm enough these last couple of weeks to get out there and put those lights up.  But, hey, just cause the lights are UP doesn't mean they need to be turned ON!  When is it the right time to start ramping up for Christmas?  When should you start turning on those lights and putting up that tree?  I'm not sure what the right answer is to that...but I am sure of the WRONG answer.  And that would be November 19th!!  I was out last night and could not believe how many people had their Christmas lights on ALREADY!!  Not to mention the total waste of electricity, aren't they going to get tired of looking at all those lights long before Christmas?  And what about those people who live across the street from us and have their tree up and lights on already??  What's that about??  Oh well, gotta run.  I've got to get to the mailbox and get my Christmas cards mailed...it is almost December 1st!!  ;)

WHAT I LEARNED TODAY:  Never go to Costco on a Sunday this close to Christmas.  To say it's a zoo, is an understatement...but, oh, the deals!!

What is that about??

I'm confused...okay, more confused than normal.  Where did this new trend start?  The one where you tip the drive-thru employee at Tim Horton's (TH)??  I don't get that!  And it's got nothing to do with just getting back from Australia where tipping is verboten...well, not really forbidden, but definitely frowned upon!  I've noticed it's been going on for a while.  I first noticed it when I moved back to NB from Ottawa.  Now grant it, I'm not a coffee drinker, so the times I would have driven-thru a TH's in Ontario would be limited, but I'm fairly certain that this trend is localized here in the Maritimes.  I'm all for a tip when someone has waited on your table and provided expedient service, or at least something above and beyond the job that they are paid to do.  So that's where I get confused...the drive-thru employee at TH's is just doing just that..."the job that they are paid to do"....and quite often, it's not done very quickly!  Mind you, I realize it's not the employee's fault if some bonehead is in the drive-thru lane ordering soups and sandwiches for all their office colleagues, but only after asking which are the soups available on that day, followed by what are the sandwich options and a request for the ingredient list of each sandwich.  But more often than not, it's just slow service.  I know I'm coming off sounding a bit cheap...and I know that employees at TH work hard, cause I've worked there on a couple of occasions...and I was in uniform at the time, wearing 25+lbs of gear on my gun belt...so I KNOW they earn every cent.  I KNOW they are likely overworked and underpaid...but I don't see it as my duty to supplement their salary.   I figure it should be enough that I take my business there, which, in turn, ensures that the store stays open and they remain gainfully employed.  And who knows...if my job hunt doesn't pick up soon, you may soon see me on the service side of the TH drive-thru window...at which time I won't be expecting a tip from you as you receive your coffee and donut!!

WHAT I LEARNED TODAY:  It's a big day for us Corrie Street fans!  William Roache, aka Ken Barlow, is coming to Halifax in the spring.  I'm waiting patiently for the tickets to go on sale so I can get the VIP ones that ensure a photo op and autographed picture at the end of the show.  Oops, gotta run.  I'm hearing the introduction music to tonight's episode....

Finally found full time employment

Yes, I've finally found full time work.  What is it, you ask?  Well...it's applying for jobs.  It's just a shame that it doesn't pay!!  I've got so many "irons in the fire" right now that if half of them materialize, I'll have more work than I can perform in a 40 hour week.  I've applied for jobs that have been advertised, I've sent my resume to places that haven't advertised, I've applied for future work, and I've even had an idea for a business I can start up of my own.  I've got so many versions of my resume and covering letter that I can't keep them straight.   I can do up a resume and cover letter in less than 1/2 an hour now.  The first 2 jobs I applied for, I felt perfectly qualified for, yet never heard anything back.  So now, I'm throwing my name in for all kinds of jobs.  It's becoming more of a challenge now just to see if I get an interview...

WHAT I LEARNED TODAY:  I always worked best when I was on a deadline.  If I had 2 weeks to perform a task, it was always when things were down to the crunch that I performed at my peak.  And this extends to my personal life as well...I can really only get things done when it's down to the wire.  Yes, I know, that makes me a procrastinator...such an ugly word...and really not a good thing to be when you're retired...cause you can just keep putting things off until tomorrow...and tomorrow, and tomorrow again.  I may never get anything finished ever again!!!  OMG!!!  Give me a deadline...somebody... please!!!

***BTW...we need more votes to help us with our painting dilemma.  We've got a colour picked out for the front door.  It's going to be a burnt orange, or dark pumpkin, or whatever you'd like to call it...but, we still need help deciding on the garage door colours....so, if you haven't expressed your opinion in the poll...it's time to weigh in!***

And the tie goes to....

Okay, we've hit our first disagreement.  We've been pretty much in sinc throughout the entire building process.  Or, more accurately, the things that Kier felt strongly about, I didn't so much care about, and vice versa.  So, it was smooth sailing.  Until now.  We need you all to step up and vote on our dilemma.  I've put a survey on the right side...see it??  Ya gotta help us break the deadlock.  What is causing such a problem, you ask?  Well, it's the colour of the garage doors.  I won't tell you which of us is in favour of which...but just take a few minutes and help us decide.  Cause when it's one against one, how do you break the deadlock???

WHAT I LEARNED TODAY:  Blogging is more than just a hobby...it's a mediator, it's a problem solver...it's so many, many things beyond entertaining!!!

The more things change, the more ........ they're different! (you thought I was gonna say "stay the same", didn't you??)

I love my microwave.  I remember way back, when my parents got our first one.  Mom actually just got rid of it a few months ago.  It was so old that you could almost cook things quicker on the stove!  But I digress...  For years I've been hearing all the stories like you shouldn't put styrofoam in the microwave, you shouldn't look straight in the window while food is cooking, you should let all food cooked in the microwave cool before consuming.  The jury's still out on what long term effects all this microwaved food is going to have on a person.  Some would say it likely contributes to the high rate of cancer these days.  Who knows.  I just know that it's pretty hard to give up that convenience.  It used to be that some foods weren't good cooked in the microwave because they wouldn't brown.  Things like meat pies or anything with a pastry, wouldn't come out with the same crispy brown crust.  A trade off really....what is more important....speed or crispy, brown crust??  I'd generally opt for the speed...cause when I'm hungry, I want something NOW!  Yeah, that impatience thing rears it's ugly head yet again!!  Anyway, do you all remember one of the absolute first, and most important rules you learned way back when you got your first microwave?  Remember??  Never put anything metal in it.  It'll cause arcing.  But you tried it anyway, didn't you?  I know I did.  And sure enough, it arced.  So, can you explain this to me....why has my new microwave got a metal (wire) shelf inside??  How can that be??  I mean, it's great cause you can cook more dishes in it at one time, but how does that work??  Why doesn't the microwave arc all over the place??   The advancements of modern science!!  Oops, gotta run...I just heard the bell signalling that my Michelina's is done!!

WHAT I LEARNED TODAY:   Remember that Porter sale that I told you about yesterday?  Well, they've extended the deadline to Monday, November 7th.  Anyone up for a trip to Toronto???

Nothing beats a good movie

Finally getting back into a routine includes taking in movies, so last night I went to see the Ides of March.  I'd heard it was a political type movie, and I must say, it was nothing like what I'd expected.  It was pretty good, but it had what I'd call a "do it yourself" ending.  I hate when movies end like that.  You don't really know what happened.  It could have been a couple of different things...you have to decide for yourself...thus, a "do it yourself" ending.  When you pay good money for a movie, it's disappointing to walk out not really knowing for certain how it ended. 

And this is the time of year that Empire offers their big holiday special.  With the purchase of a $30 gift card, you receive $30 worth of coupons.  I purchase a couple for myself each year.  Why not!  It's a good deal, and I know I'll always use them.  I've noticed, though that the coupons have changed a bit.  It used to include a free movie coupon during the month of your birthday.  I see that coupon is gone, but there are other good deals, like discounts off of admission tickets and concessions.  The only catch...the coupons are only valid for specific periods, ie one is good in January, another in February, then one in March and the last one is good in April.  All in all, I think that if you're a movie buff....like myself....you'll certainly get your money's worth.  And the gift cards...they don't expire, so you've got lots of time to use them.   I always wonder, too....if someone buys a gift card as a Christmas gift....do they keep the coupons for themselves??  Or give them with the gift card??  Hmmmm....something to wonder...especially if you're the recipient of an Empire gift card this Christmas....don't throw out the envelope until you've shaken it for the coupons.  If there aren't any there...then you'll no doubt see the giver of your gift card at the movies some night!!

WHAT I LEARNED TODAY:  Porter has a big 5th anniversary sale on.  It's 50% off their flights from Moncton to Toronto and Ottawa.  You have until March 31st to fly, but unfortunately, you must book by end of day TODAY.  I've been checking the Toronto theatre scene to see what's coming up in the New Year...can you ever get too much culture???

Coming out of the fog

As the clutter starts to vanish from our house, so does the clutter that's been inhabiting the right side of my brain (the so-called "creative" side) for the past month.  Hopefully this will mean that I can get back to something called "normal".  Although, can it really be called normal when in reality it is the beginning of a new phase of life.  What we've been living from July till now hasn't really been retirement OR normal...who had time during the housebuilding and then 5 weeks in Australia to determine what life would be like?  So, retirement starts now. 

I'm trying to make subtle changes in the things I do which reflect my new "fixed income" status.  Today, for instance, at the grocery store...other than milk, everything we bought was on sale, or reduced in some fashion.  Of course, it did mean sacrificing squash in favour of the 30% off rutabaga.  So I don't like rutabaga...I'm sure I'll learn to like it...right mom!!

And that next trip to Vegas...well, it's booked.  We tried to use Aeroplan points, but you know how they just aren't conducive to last minute travel...so we compromised...we paid for a one way fare to Vegas and used Aeroplan points to come home.  It saved us a few hundred  bucks....or only cost us a few hundred bucks...depending on if you're a "glass half full" or "glass half empty" kind of person.  But our rooms...now there's a deal...6 nights for $35.  And no, not $35/night....that's $35 total.  I love my Total Rewards card!!

WHAT I LEARNED TODAY:  I've got a heck of a lot of reading to do!!  I've just been unpacking the endless number of boxes marked "books" (around 4 or 5 in total) and stocking my bookshelf.  I've slowly been making the transition to e-books, but still have MANY, MANY hard copy books that I've yet to read.   Now...if I could just find the time to sit down and read them....

Life goes on

We're officially in....as in moved in...not as in "trendy" in.  We're still looking through the last few boxes for specific items, but we've basically unpacked.  After several calls and visits to Rogers our tv/internet/telephone are all in working order...although it's been a battle.  We're waiting on one last visit from the electrician and the asphalt company that will pave our driveway.  

We've had our first overnight visitors on Friday when Kier's mother and David stayed over.  We went with them to Moncton on Saturday for some dinner and a short (??) visit at the casino...just long enough for me to win $200!  Well, I actually won $687...but when all was said and done, I went home with $200 more than I had spent.  The planning is in full swing for our next trip to Vegas...we've missed our second home ;)  and by the look of my e-mail in-box, they've missed me!!

WHAT I LEARNED TODAY:  If there is such a thing as reincarnation...then Kier will come back to earth as a Dyson vacuum cleaner.  I've never seen someone get such pleasure out of vacuuming.  In fact, if he's not careful, he may just wake up one day to find his right arm has morphed into a vacuum hose!! 

How do you spell relief??

Without a doubt, the last three days have been the WORSE since we began to build the house...and definitely since we got back from Australia.  Friday was a day of battles....the plumber who wouldn't install the kitchen sink to the Rogers installer who arrived w/o the necessary equipment.   It took three visits from the Rogers installer and 5 calls to the call center and things STILL aren't to my satisfaction.  I've resorted to an e-mail outlining my frustrations.  I just cannot deal with a 6th call to the call center.  If it weren't Sunday today, I would have called Rogers and inquired about the cost to break my contract with them... but who would I go with then???  So I'll suck it up and hope that me and Rogers can meet at some mutually agreeable ground.

As if Friday wasn't bad enough, Saturday was no improvement...I finally got around to opening my Visa bill that arrived the day before, and what did I find??  That "not so cheap-er meal" that I didn't eat at the Sheraton hotel in Toronto....the one that the front desk person said would be removed from my bill???  NOT!  It showed up on my bill anyway.  Why can't people just do what they say they're going to do??  What's wrong with being competent?  And then to add insult to injury I noticed that I was hit with a $265 interest charge on my credit card.  When I was in Australia I paid my Visa bill on-line, but unfortunately, I paid $100 to little...and the accrued interest was $265...that's 150% of the o/s amount.  Can you believe that!!!  That's almost as bad as a loan shark!!  But the good news is...one phone call to the Visa people and it was looked after...and believe it or not....I didn't even have to fight or argue...it was volunteered!!  I'll be a CIBC Visa customer for life now!!  I can't say the same about Rogers!!!

WHAT I LEARNED TODAY:   There are days that you just wish you could stay in bed.  I had 3 of those in a row!!!  The eternal optimist that I am believes that tomorrow will be a better day...

All good things must come to an end...

And that includes free wireless internet from your neighbour with the unsecured router.  All this served to do was prompt me to finally get my phone, cable and internet arranged.  I originally opted for Bell Aliant because I'm partial to satellite tv...I know, the little dish is ugly...I know, fibre optic is where it's at...but hey, I wanted a dish....so....I call them and jump through ALL the hoops, and there are several.  And what date do they give me for installation....November 8th!!!  That's 4 weeks away!!  Don't they know I can't live w/o tv and internet for that long!!!  I have Coronation Street to catch up on...and the Young and the Restless...I'm so far behind with that, I'll never catch up.  Not to mention that I've got important blogging to do!!!  I told them that I was going to have to call Rogers to see if I could get something earlier...thinking that would spur them to try a bit harder...but no dice.  The woman said she'd hold the appointment for me in case I didn't have any better luck.  And yes, I did detect a hint of sarcasm from her!  So, the next day I called Eastlink, who was my service provider in Antigonish....they don't even have service in my area!!  Who knew....I see advertisements for them everywhere!!  So, Rogers it is.  I got everything arranged....they sure had some good promotions on for people switching from another service provider...and they are coming on Oct. 21st.  Yaaaahoooo!  I then did the decent thing...I called back Aliant to cancel the previously set date....and what do they tell me...."If we get an earlier date for you will you stay with us....we can do the installation on Oct. 21st???"  I told them it's unfortunate that the person I dealt with yesterday didn't try a little harder cause then I never would have called Rogers.  I added that now, after speaking with Rogers I knew that Aliant could never match the deals I got (a free DVR no less!!) so.... I cancelled.  Bye, bye Aliant!

WHAT I LEARNED TODAY:  I don't like Aliant!

Don't take anything for "granite"

Yes, we did take something for "granite"...like the price of installation!!  We actually found a beautiful piece of granite from a local tombstone shop...yup, you read that right!  Really, they are more than just tombstones...they've branched out to include granite counter tops and marble flooring, etc. etc.  Anyway, we found a nice 14" wide shelf that was long enough to use as a counter top on the raised portion of our island.  We got it for a really good price and the owner said he'd only charge "a little bit" for cutting, polishing and installation.  We stopped in the other day with the final measurements and to arrange for installation.  Apparently our idea of "a little bit" and his idea were ooooh, about $150 apart.  Oh well, in for a penny, in for a pound, I always say....and what were we going to do??? Leave the raised part of the island with nothing on it????  We just bit the bullet and paid the price.

WHAT I LEARNED TODAY:  Don't take anything for granted....make sure you both agree on the definition of "a little bit"...

If I only had a kitchen!

It's been a week of hiccups and problems as far as getting the house completed goes.  It was as if the wheel's fell off when we had installation issues with our kitchen, followed closely by countertop problems.  We found out that all our countertops had been cut by Kents even though we never gave them the final measurement sizes....so, luckily Kents came good for it and reordered everything that couldn't be salvaged.  The installers of our cabinets turned out to be fabulous after I had a kitten over a little glitch with our vanity installation.  Thanks to Donna who came and saved the day by dropping everything and coming to our rescue!!  Just a few finishing touches and our cabinets will be complete.

WHAT I LEARNED TODAY:  Who knew....the price for a kitchen installation doesn't include countertops????  We were flabbergasted to say the least...lesson learned!!  We've negotiated a reasonable price to finish the job, so as soon as those newly ordered and cut countertops are in...we're good to go!!!

Back by Popular Demand

Okay, so that's a bit of a stretch.  It was really only my cousin Bonnie who said she missed the blog...but she's popular...and I think I heard some "demanding" undertones when she e-mailed...so there, not a stretch after all.

After one horrendous trip back from Sydney, we finally made it home.  It was kind of a good news/bad news thing on our trip.  It started in Sydney when we learned that the outfit we were booked on for airport transport had gone belly up sometime in the previous month (since we'd taken their shuttle from the airport way back in September).  The good news was that the concierge company that we booked with honoured our return fair and made arrangements with another company.  Our flights were fairly smooth back to Vancouver, but the bad news was that I couldn't get any sleep.  The good news was that we were only going as far as Toronto and staying at the Sheraton Gateway, right at the airport.  Upon arrival at the Sheraton, the good news was that they upgraded us to the "club level", ie the top floor of the hotel.  The bad news was that the usual "club lounge" where you normally can get food and drinks gratis was under renovation so not opened.  The good news was that we were close enough to get a cheap"er" (than eating at the hotel) bite to eat at the airport.  The bad news was that when we checked out of the hotel in the a.m., we had been charged for someone else's "not-so-cheap-er" meal.  The good news was that we were nice and early to the airport for our flight to Boston.  The bad news was that so were 50,000 other people...and we were ALL caught up in the security personnel's work to rule campaign.  The good news was that they held the flight for us, the bad news was that we missed our shuttle from Boston to Portland...the good news was that the next shuttle came along within 5 minutes after us getting to the p/u spot...the bad news was that because we were late arriving, we ended up in suppertime traffic...the good news was that we arrived back in Portland only 30 minutes after than we would have had we caught the earlier shuttle, the bad news was that by then we were so tired we couldn't visit with the friends we were staying with.  The good news was that we were up reaalllllly early (because of the jet lag and time change) and headed for Bangor...and more good news, we had enough time to stop at the casino, and even more good news, I won $200, and the rest of the good news, we made it back home by suppertime.  I guess the good news wins out in the end!!

WHAT I LEARNED TODAY:  Time, rest, and a few zoplicone's and there's no jet lag that can't be overcome!!

Bingo....Schmingo!! Give me Horseshoes anyday!!!

Had it been horseshoes or hand-grenades that I was playing today, I would no doubt have come out $8000 ahead....cause, as the old saying goes, those are the only games where "close counts". That’s been twice during the cruise that I have come "close" to a winner...oh well, I’m leaving Australia and hanging up my Bingo Dabber...no more Bingo for me!! I really don’t know what people see in it...well, I don’t know what the majority of people see in it...the ones like me... that never win!!

It’s been a busy day today of balancing accounts, tipping our service staff, and, of course, getting packed. We’re just getting ready for our last meal. We’ve seen all the shows and done all the gambling that we can do here on the ship, so tonight it’s off to see a final movie before bed and up early tomorrow for disembarkation.

It’s been a fabulous cruise, but our holiday is not entirely over yet. We have one final day and night in Sydney...and I got a pretty good price on a hotel room through Expedia. I opted to book a 4 star hotel blindly...although it wasn’t entirely blind...I had a strong feeling it was the same place we’d stayed when we arrived in Sydney...and it was...only it was somewhat cheaper this time...quite last minute, I guess.
After we get checked in and drop our bags, we’re heading for Manly, which is a suburb of Sydney and only a ferry ride away. It’s described by the Sydney locals that we met as a "must do". Apparently it has more beautiful beaches than Bondi Beach, which we visited the last time we were in Sydney.
So this will be my last blog before returning to Canada...and upon my return I’ll have to decide whether my blog will become a part of history...or will continue. It has really fulfilled it’s mandate of:

A) helping me ease into retirement; and
B) chronicle the planning and execution of this "trip of a lifetime".

So, whether you’ll hear from me again in this forum....time will tell!!

WHAT I LEARNED TODAY: As I sit here on the balcony of my room on the Dawn Princess, listening to the waves lap against the ship as we continue on our charted course towards Sydney, I’ve learned that things and people are not always as they seem. I’ve met many people during the cruise from all over the world. Some were guests and some were staff. Everybody had a different reason for being here. Our waiter "Chai" is trying to improve his families financial position back in Thailand, and with every contract he completes, he keeps asking his wife "just one more?" Our new friends Bob and Mary are retirees from Australia and just enjoy getting away. The "president" and his wife, who sit close to us at dinner and are perpetually late (I say it’s cause they like to be the centre of attention....or perhaps they want us all to sing the Aussie National Anthem when they come in....thereby earning them the nickname "the president and his wife"), present themselves as "all that and a bag of chips"...but we happened to be behind them last night and discovered that these "upper crusts" don’t have "the presidential suite"...but an inside room very close to ours. There is also an elderly woman who we had dinner with one night when she was sitting all alone. She feels she’s too old to travel now, and only completed the trip because Princess wouldn’t refund her $$ after booking. She never went ashore once in 28 days....not once! She stays on board and reads. But, she says, this will be her last trip. It’s really been an enjoyable 4.5 weeks, but I don’t dread getting back home and back to reality... because just as it was with my job, the same will be with my retirement....just when I think I’m getting bored, there will be something new and exciting around the corner...and I can’t wait!!!

Bye bye Tasmania....

We’ve just boarded the ship after 2 days in Hobart, Tasmania. The weather has been uncharacteristically sunny for this part of the country...a bit cool today, but the sun is nice and warm. We had our last excursion yesterday out on the edge of Hobart. It was a bit of theatrical history called Louisa’s Walk, about a woman convicted in London, England of stealing a loaf of bread, and how she ended up in a women’s prison in Hobart. It was a very interesting presentation and a bit of exercise too, as we walked and watched for 2 hours.

The 2 actors on Louisa's Walk

　
Last night we completed our "casino tour" of Australia by spending a bit of time at the Wrest Point Casino in town. It is easily my second favourite casino after Melbourne...it has earned that rating because I won $200 there...half what I won in Melbourne.

Tonight we set sail for our final "sea day" before we arrive back in Sydney. We’re hoping to find the passengers who we saw playing our favourite game the other day...Phase 10...hopefully they’ll be tougher than our usual competition ;) ....right Sim and Jue?? (That shot should ensure a visit from you soon so we can have a rematch!!)

WHAT I LEARNED TODAY: It’s been a busy couple of days...so I’ve actually learned 2 things. Firstly, Pepsi in Australia is crap...I wondered why Coke is everywhere and Pepsi is hard to find...so when I was ashore I found a store that had a sale on Pepsi...I know why it was on sale now....yech!

Secondly, we learned why the name "MacQuarie" is everywhere in Australia...even here in Tasmania (although it has one less ‘r’ than Kier’s). There was a governor named MacQuarie way back when and EVERYTHING is named after him...so when we get to Sydney Kier’s going to stop at the MacQuarie Bank...maybe he’ll discover he’s a distant relative to the owners, and entitled to some $$$....hopefully it won’t be something like the governor dropped the second ‘r’ from his name to distance himself from his criminal relatives who spelled their name with 2 r’s...in which case we may find ourselves escorted out of town...

Tasmanian Devil, where are you?

We’ve had a good two days in Melbourne (pronounced "Mel-bun", not "Mel-born") yesterday and Burnie, Tasmania today. Burnie has only been 13C, so a bit chilly, but the sun was nice. For such a small town, they really rolled out the red carpet for us.

These "paper people" were at the Maker's Workshop, Burnie
where they make paper from "roo poo" and "wombat poo"...
and you know I bought some!!

At the beach in Burnie
just after sticking our toes in the
Indian Ocean

We just pulled out of the harbour from Burnie and are enroute to Hobart where we will arrive tomorrow at noon. Our last excursion is tomorrow. It’s something really different. It’s called "Louisa’s Walk" and is a theatrical tour...more about that in my next blog entry. We overnight in Hobart before our last sea day and then returning to Sydney on Wednesday. It’s hard to believe we’re almost done. Has it really been 4 weeks so soon??

WHAT I LEARNED TODAY: I guess I’m a "hard core gambler". The Crown Casino in Melbourne was HUGE, and it was just as described...not pretty...just a casino. But, it was also the only casino that I really liked of all that I’ve seen in Australia. The fact that I won $400 has nothing to do with it!!

The sky’s are angry, my friend



We’ve had some great weather since arriving in Australia, with only one excursion hampered by rain (Brisbane)...and then came yesterday. It was quite rainy in Adelaide when we arrived, but nothing that an hour in the casino couldn’t cure. And, no, it’s not that I won a big pot of money so became oblivious to the weather...it actually cleared up and became nice and sunny. We toured through the Migration Museum and shopped a bit on Rundle Mall which is a very long, pedestrian-only shopping street.

At Rundle Mall, I made a friend...

while Kier played with some balls...
the "Malls Balls" that is!

                                            

And for those that care (Frank and Ferne), Kier was able to find a big box of Moods cigars. Hopefully some of them will even make the trip back to Canada with us!!! Unfortunately, the rain didn’t hold off for long, and the wind picked up last evening before we headed back out to sea. We spent last night and today bouncing off the walls as the swells are really playing rock and roll with the ship. Fortunatley not so bad that people were "revisiting" their meals!  Tomorrow we are back in familiar territory when we dock at Melbourne. Our plans are to visit the Victoria Market (advertised as the largest market in the southern hemisphere with over 600 stalls) and then, of course, the Crown Casino. The Crown is described as a casino for "hard core gamblers"....it’s not particularly pretty...ie architecturally pleasing...but then, hey, I don’t go there to look at the decor!! I go to win $$$....okay, that’s not really correct....I don’t really expect to win anything....I go for the entertainment value...okay, so I do spend some time looking around because I don’t want to stick any more $$ in the "pokies"...gee, I hope it’s pretty in there!! We’ve actually dubbed our trip the "Casino Tour of Australia" because there hasn’t been a casino so far that we haven’t at least stuck our heads in to have a peek. Only 3 more stops and 2 more casinos left till we’re back in Sydney!!

WHAT I LEARNED TODAY: It is far easier to smuggle a box of wine on board a cruise ship than it is a bottle. Now, this lesson is certainly NOT something I learned from first hand experience...we certainly would never blatantly break any rules (no, that’s not a wink...there’s something in my eye!!) That nice shiny faux tinfoil bladder slides quite anonymously through the x-ray machine undetected...and...for the environmentally friendly....it is refillable at the next port of call!! Not that we’d know, though! ;)

20 down and 8 to go...where has the time gone???

We’re 8 days to the end of the cruise and the second of 2 "at sea" days before we arrive in Adelaide. I have to say, the polish is wearing off of the "at sea" days as there’s little we haven’t done or tried after 20 days on board the ship. Yesterday was spent with me applying for a job. As we get closer to the end of our holiday, reality is starting to set in, and my mind has been inching towards what needs to be done back home. I’ve been keeping an eye on the on-line job banks and found one that I was interested in. It’s as a Divisional Training Officer with the Canadian Corps of Commissionaires...and surprisingly enough, it’s in Saint John...and more surprising, bilingualism isn’t mandatory!! I sent off my resume yesterday, so hopefully I’ll hear something back from them in the next little while.

Today Kier and I competed in "The Fantastic Race", which is the Princess’ answer to The Amazing Race. Unfortunately, we finished 4 out of 5 teams...I guess after 20 days our competitive edge has become a bit rounded...




Kier competing one of the challenges
in "The Fantastic Race"
sure, to you it looks like eating an ice cream...
to us, it was one step closer to VICTORY!!!


We’re looking forward to going ashore tomorrow and experiencing Adelaide and all it has to offer...the Migration Museum, the Rundle Mall...and of course, a casino, where I’m hoping to regain some of my Bingo losses!!

WHAT I LEARNED TODAY: Traveling with all these experienced cruisers has proven educational. A couple of people have told us this trick that we’ve put into practice. We went to the Purser’s Desk and asked that the automatic tipping be removed from our on-board account as we were going to do our own tipping. (For those of you unfamiliar with cruising, they charge your on board account $10/day/person for tips). In the past, we’ve just gone with the flow and left it to the end of the cruise, but what we learned from the experienced cruisers is that you will get even better service if you do your own tipping, and you start by paying and "advance" midway through the cruise. It makes sense too. If you wait to the end of the cruise to tip, then you don’t benefit from any little "extras" that may come your way from your room steward, or your waiters. We decided to give it a go...now, mind you, the only thing we’ve noticed so far is that we seem to get an extra ice bucket delivery in the evening. I guess we don’t notice any big service increase because we’re such "low maintenance" cruisers to begin with. Oh well, maybe it’s time to call for a little room service...

What doesn't kill you makes you stronger

We had a great 2 days in port with Saturday spent in Bunbury on our own and Sunday on an organized tour of Albany. If I was ever to live in Australia, Bunbury is where I’d choose to live. It’s a quaint little harbour town with a multiplex...what more do you need?? In Albany we had an action packed full day of sightseeing. We started at the Tree Top Walk outside of Denmark, Australia. It was an opportunity for Kier and I to overcome our fear of heights. We walked through a forest of tingle trees, which are native to this area of Australia. We walked through the trees at heights reaching 40 metres on a steel platform which swayed in the wind. As you can see from the photos, the trees went much higher than that!! It was quite scary, but we survived!!

Here we are at the Tree Top Walk "going native"
with our authentic Aussie hats

These walkways really swayed with the wind
and with the other walkers...SCARY!!!

This made me a bit nervous...
there were 20 in our group...
but loads of others at the attraction

We also visited a wind farm, which is nothing new to us in the Maritimes, and then some really fantastic shoreline scenery in Torndurrip National Park which was reminiscent of the Giants Causeway in Northern Ireland. We got to see kangaroos, emus and even a school of dolphins in the water. A great day for sure!!

WHAT I LEARNED TODAY: There were several things I learned today...some things really educational and developmental....other things just down right gossip from the ship’s rumour mill. First off, the important stuff....I learned that doing things that scare the bejeezers out of you can be quite fun. I’m not sure why...but as soon as I got off that swaying platform and the vision of the headline "International Tourists Dye as Platform at Local Attraction Fails" faded from my frontal lobe, I was keen to give it another go. Unfortunately, the cruise ship tour arrived by that time and there were too many people to make a second go. But now...I’m up for the Harbour Bridge Walk in Sydney!!! Secondly, I learned some interesting ship’s news...gossip, grist for the mill...whatever you’d like to call it.... I call it "the juicy stuff"! There have been 9 deaths thus far on the ship...with 2000 passengers and an average age of 73 (although our acquaintances say it’s probably closer to 77 or 80), and you’re away from home, and your own medical care for 28 days, it’s bound to happen!! The other night they actually made an announcement over dinner that they were in urgent need of a blood donor for O- or A+ blood. Any suitable donors were asked to report immediately to the medical centre...never heard such a thing before on a cruise ship!! The other tidbit that there were 4 people removed from the ship...2 over a laundromat fight for a dryer and the other 2 because they were doing "unmentionables" in the hot tub on deck (and no, I don't mean washing their unmentionables...although that was probably a "by-product" of their activities!!). The things you hear when you’ve got "strategically placed sources"!!!! Well, off we go...we’re just on our way down to do some laundry...and then....maybe a hot tub ;)

If the ship is a rockin’, don’t come a knockin’

Things have been pretty rocky over the past few days at sea. I think we’ll all be glad of arriving in port tomorrow in Fremantle. Today, for something different (no, I didn’t win at Bingo, although that, too, would be something different!), I went and took a Bridge lesson. For those of you that may not know, before I left Antigonish, I took several weeks of Bridge as I’d heard it was a good way to stave off Alzheimers in my old age. I’ve never found a regular group to play with, as, for the most part, Bridge players are a very serious lot, which would certainly leave me out in the cold. So my bridge has been limited to playing with my computerized competitors on a program called Bridge Baron. So a nice elderly lady I met at breakfast the other day convinced me to go with her to a bridge lesson. The instructor is a professional bridge player (how one makes a living playing bridge professionally is beyond me, but who am I to question???). Anyway, off I went this morning with a roomful of about 50 people. I quickly learn that the majority of the people at this lesson seem to be experienced bridge players (we’ll just refer to them from here on in as "know-it-alls"). How do I know, you ask?? Well, when the instructor is going through the lesson and explaining how specific hands should be played....they are the ones trying to impress him with how much bridge they know....you know the type, the "star pupils"....for every direction he provides, they are offering the "what if"s and "what about"s and "why not"s. I, on the other hand, only have one question...if you know so darn much about bridge....why are you here at the beginner’s lessons???

WHAT I LEARNED TODAY: The average age of the passengers on this cruise is 73. That’s average age...and we know there is at least one person who is 100...and I’ve seen 2 young girls of about 12...you do the math!! But suffice it to say, from a helicopter, this ship looks like a great big floating box of Q-tips!!

Boris Hears a Who!

Yesterday we spent the day in Bali and the Elephant Safari Park. It’s been extremely hot the past few days so we were glad that it was overcast and not too ridiculously hot. We saw many elephants (you would have loved it Denise!!), big and small, and we rode on the back of Boris, a 25 year old male. The young fellow that directed the elephant, I’ll call him Simon (cause when I asked him his name it was something really long and confusing, but sounded like it started with Simon), works 12 hour days, 6 days a week, and no doubt all for a very low wage.

Simon steers Boris while we enjoy the ride

1 of the 3 baby elephants at the park

Reported to be the park where Julia Roberts brought her family during the filming of "Eat Pray Love"

And speaking of low wages...we learned that the wait staff on the ship works for a salary of $50/month...yup, you read that right. They do get room and board, but even so, it seems a bit third world all the same.
We’re now on the first of 3 sea days and we’re finding the Indian Ocean to be much rougher than the Coral and the Timor Seas were. As we head down to Perth/Fremantle that Bingo jackpot just keeps going up and up...it now sits at almost $4000.
Tomorrow I’ve got a "date" for Bridge. It’s a woman from Australia who I met at breakfast one day last week. She’s at least 90 if she’s a day, but she has the same outlook about Bridge that I do...it’s just a game...so she’s convinced me to meet her tomorrow morning for the Bridge Lesson and we’ll see about playing in a game in the afternoon.

WHAT I LEARNED TODAY: Two things really

1) Driving in Bali is extremely dangerous. I was sitting well in the back of our 8 passenger van from the port to the Elephant Park and I’m so glad I wasn’t any closer to the front. It was absolutely scary!! And the scooters!! They are everywhere darting in and out of traffic. I’m sure there must be many, many traffic fatalities every year because of them. Thank heavens we were only there one day...I don’t think I will ever want/need to return to Bali.

2) Tomorrow is forecasted to be rougher than today...may be needing that Gravol with Ginger yet. I’ve been pleasantly surprised about how smooth the waters have been so far...I may have spoken too soon !!

That's not hot...that's stinkin' hot!! (Bon Voyage Steve and Brenda leaving today for England)

Sunset from our balcony in Darwin

We just sailed away from Darwin where we spent the day ashore in the hottest temperatures we’ve experienced so far...but as the old saying goes...it wasn’t the heat....it was the humidity!! The big news of the day is ... Kier found his Moods (cigars). Kier searching for these cigars is somewhat like a dog chasing a car...the fun is in the chase and, like the dog, he doesn’t always know what to do when he "catches" them. He buys 2 or 3 packs, they’re gone within a week, and he inevitably says "I should have bought more". And then we spend the next port of call looking for more cigars. Oh well, it keeps us from buying a bunch of stuff we don’t need !!
　
　
WHAT I LEARNED TODAY: I don’t really understand all of the cruise lines policies. Some of them are just plain foolish. For instance, yesterday I went to the pizza restaurant. The plan was to p/u a pizza and take it back to our cabin where Kier and I would share it. One of wait staff, an "uppity" little fellow, asked me if I wanted a table for one. I told him I was just looking to p/u a pizza to go back to my room. Well, you’d think I told him I wanted him to sever his right arm and box it up for me..."You can’t do that!!" he said rather sternly. "If you want pizza in your room you have to call by phone and order it". Here I thought I was saving someone the trouble of delivery. I wasn’t long figuring out what was going on. They charge $3 for pizza delivery to your room. And that leads me to another policy that doesn’t make sense...you can have unlimited room service at no charge...so what is it that’s so special about this pizza that you have to pay $3 for it to be delivered?? I guess that’s just a couple more things I can add to my list of things that make me go hmmmmm!!

"Have you ever been to sea, Billy?"

Here we are en route to Darwin after our port of call in Port Douglas yesterday. It will take 2 full days at sea before we reach the northern tip on the third morning. We’re spending our time taking full advantage of what the ship has to offer as well as conducting a study of human nature. There are every shape and size on this cruise, and many of these people are "cruise junkies"...they go from cruise to cruise to cruise...this explains their "pear" shapes!! Some of those we see regularly have earned some nicknames...for instance, there is a couple who sit near us at dinner. They are consistently "fashionably late" for dinner, arriving about 15 minutes after everyone else is seated. They seem a bit self absorbed. We noticed them one evening sitting in the back of the packed lounge for a show and they were condescendingly barking at all the elderly people who would wander in and block their view of the stage. I’ve nicknamed them "the President of Australia and his wife" or "Mr and Mrs President" for short. There is also a member of the wait staff who reminds us ALOT of our friend Steve G....only the waiter is from the Philippines...so him we’ve nicknamed "Philly Steve". It’s quite remarkable, really, how much they look alike. And this is only the first week...I’m sure as time goes by we’ll have a few new names for people....maybe not all of them flattering!!
I’m off to Bingo shortly...I’m feeling lucky!! Maybe today I’ll win the jackpot! Then I think it’s some shuffleboard. There’s some bridge played on board, but I’ve not gotten the nerve to join in as yet...I’m really just a learner and I know that many bridge players are far too serious!! But I’ve noticed Euchre on the schedule as well, so maybe I’ll take that in today as well.

WHAT I LEARNED TODAY: I'm thinking I've uncovered a "bingo conspiracy"...I just don't know what to do with my information!!  You have the option to play 1 card for $10, 3 cards for $20 and 6 cards for $30.  I've been playing 6 cards all along because I figured that would improve the odds of my winning....aha...not so!!  A quick analysis of all the winners in today's bingo reveals...only people who play the 3 card/$20 option were winners.  I'm gonna lick this conspiracy yet!!!  Tomorrow...I'm only playing 3 cards and stand back...I'm gonna be a winner!!!!  Stay tuned as I break open the Dawn Princess bingo conspiracy...I may just make it on CNN!!!

I’ve fallen off the wagon....but thankfully not off the ship

Yesterday we had a nice day at a place called Airlie Beach, which is the second of our 13 ports of call. This was the sunrise we woke up to this a.m.

 

Sunrise at Airlie Beach from our balcony

Airlie Beach is a small touristy area known for its proximity to the Great Barrier Reef. Unfortunately the tours to the reef were extremely expensive (around $250/person) so we passed on them and just toured around the small town. But trust me when I say it wasn’t just the cost that scared us off but more so the warnings of "stingers" or what we call jellyfish. Some are lethal and stinger season runs from May to November...being that we are smack in the middle of this dangerous time of year, we thought it best to just stay out of the water all together. I can’t seem to pick the right bingo cards to win the jackpot, but I bet I could find myself in just the right place to get a nasty and deadly sting from one of the local jellyfish. So we opted to wander around and do a bit of shopping at a local market. There were some nice stalls set up with local arts and crafts. (And Sue, I think I found just the right scarf for you...I’m thinkin’ you’re really gonna like it!)

WHAT I LEARNED TODAY: It is possible to eat too healthy. Today I woke up with a sore throat and the beginnings of a cold...and to say that I’ve been extremely careful to eat well since leaving Canada is an understatement. I haven’t had a coke or pepsi for at least a week, I’ve chosen all the healthy options in the dining room, I consume around 12 glasses of water a day (you can hear the swooshing in my stomach when I walk by) and I only have a few wine gums in my room to munch on when I need some junk food...and they’re really border line healthy!! Okay, maybe not healthy...but healthier! And you can’t really count that tiny chocolate that’s placed on my pillow every evening before going to bed!! So, when I woke up today feeling puny I decided I was long overdue for a fix...so for lunch it was coke and a cheeseburger and fries...I’m starting to feel better already!! And to look after that pesky sore throat, one of my mother’s and Kier’s famous home remedies...gargle with salt water...I cleaned the restaurant out of most of their salt packets....so now, I’m on the mend!!

Happy 50th Birthday to Me!! - Saturday, Sept. 10 - 11 pm

I’ve had a great birthday today starting with a champagne breakfast. It was originally supposed to be on the balcony, but inclement weather and high winds kind of inhibited the potential enjoyment of it, so we opted to squeeze into the corner of the room. Still made for a pleasant way to start the day. Being a "sea day" meant lots of opportunity to do things on board the ship, so we took full advantage. We attended a presentation on the next 2 ports of call coming up in the next few days (Airlie Beach and Port Douglas), took Texas Hold’Em lessons, walked a couple of miles around the Promenade Deck, had a pedicure, and played Bingo (yes, you read that right....hey, it’s a chance to win $$$...but no, I didn’t). It was formal night in the dining room (I’m convinced it was in honour of my birthday), and the waiters sang "Happy Birthday" to me...but had to ask me my name...oh well, it was the thought that counts. We really shot the wad and went to see a comedian perform at the early show followed by a musical and dancing late show...first night we’ve been up past 9:30 pm. I’m a year older now...I can stay up later!!

WHAT I LEARNED TODAY: I’ve always said that when I get to the point that I’m not mobile, you’ll not see me traveling anymore and today I learned that this is non-negotiable...a deal breaker. You’ll never see some poor cruise ship employees having to bust their humps pushing my wheelchair up the gangway on embarkation day. Yup, it’s "soap box" time again...here goes!! I don’t dislike old people. I know and like lots of them. And with today being my 50th birthday, some would say I’m on the road to becoming one myself. And I’m not saying that all old people should be barred from travel, or cruising...but what I am saying is that if you have mobility issues, why not go to the main dining room for your meals? If you can’t carry your own plate through the buffet line, why not choose the option where they wait on you?? I’ve been avoiding going to the buffet for several reasons...which include: 1) the temptation to overeat and 2) the difficulty in finding a table. And now I’ve added a third reason....old people who have mobility and indecision issues holding up the buffet line, and then having to get someone from the buffet staff to carry their plate to find a table while they inch along on their walker/wheelchair/cane all while trying to make someone younger and more mobile feel guilty enough to relinquish the table that has taken them 15 minutes to finally locate.... Anyway, we’ll not be electing the buffet again anytime soon, a person could age just waiting to pick out their pasta dish...
　

The highs and lows of the high seas

We’ve had a great few days so far on the Dawn Princess. There have been LOTS of on-board activities, which I guess is because of the large number of "at sea" days throughout the cruise. We haven’t been able to see a show as yet....it’s pretty hard to get to the theatre before the "blue hairs"...they don’t mind sitting and waiting for hours, if necessary, to ensure a good seat....whereby I can’t tolerate it. We try to go to the theatre a reasonable 15 minutes before show time, only to find the place packed with seniors. You can’t even stand in the aisles to watch because the plethora of walkers, wheelchairs and canes pretty much block every entry and exit point. If only I could stay awake past 9 pm for the late show ;)

Our first port of call was yesterday in Brisbane. It was a fabulous day for me at the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary...I got to cuddle a koala and feed a kangaroo. It’s gonna be hard to top that!! Apparently koalas sleep for 20 hours a day...Kier has suggested  that I must be related to them...as if...I don’t sleep a minute longer than 12 hours!!

Kier made friends with an emu...
but not too close...cause they SPIT!

 

And, yes, mother, I did wash my hands!

Unfortunately we had some torrential rain showers which made the return river cruise up (or was it down) the Brisbane River very cold and miserable. We didn’t have much time for shopping but Kier was able to find a couple of bottles of wine and some cigars (no, they weren’t "Moods"...we’re still shopping for those). Unfortunately the wine was confiscated at the gangway as we re-boarded the ship.

WHAT I LEARNED TODAY: When they say you can take 2 bottles of wine onto the ship with you....they don’t mean from every port of call. I just need to know this....if they only permit 2 bottles of wine to come on board with you at the commencement of the cruise...how long do they think a bottle of wine will last you????

An Opportunity Missed - Thursday, Sept. 8 - 5:15 a.m.

Check out time at our hotel was 11 a.m....so, with no place to "live", we headed down to the dock to await the noon hour check in to commence. Much to our surprise, we were allowed to drop our luggage immediately and head inside to check-in. "Yeah, this is going smoothly", we thought....JINX!! Oh well, 3 hours later we finally made it on board. Our room is great, we’re unpacked, we’ve had 2 meals consumed, Kier got his Jamieson on board w/o incident....all’s right with the world. But OMG!!! the demographic of this cruise is....how shall I put it delicately??....f#@*ing old!! I’m just upset that I didn’t plan a little better for this and stockpile a load of hearing aid batteries....I could have made a fortune black marketing them on the ship....that or Pepto Bismal.... There are more wheel chairs, walkers and canes than I’ve ever seen in one spot. There are a few of us "young-ens’ scattered here and there...but very few. There will be no trouble getting the last table in the dining area, cause we can race any of these folks!! And Bingo...I’m sure I’ll be able to identify and yell Bingo before they realize they’ve won....oh, maybe not...that’s one thing these old folks are pretty sharp at....Bingo!! They’ve had way more practice at it than I have... ;)

Sailaway under the famous Sydney Harbour Bridge
taken from our cabin balcony

WHAT I LEARNED TODAY: Never special order things on a cruise ship....as they are all in your cabin when you arrive. In an effort to add some nice touches to our cruise, I advance ordered a cheese and cracker tray and a plate of chocolate dipped strawberries to go along with our champagne balcony breakfast, or to have some other evening when we felt like something special. Needless to say I was surprised to find them ALL in my cabin upon arrival...the strawberries disappeared in a hurry, but we’ve now got this huge plate of cheese and crackers that is slowly going hard and rubbery as I write. Oh well,  it’s 5 a.m.....guess I could have some now....it has been a few hours since I’ve eaten!!

Thought I should take a picture of these....after we already ate 2 of them
They're stawberries dipped in little chocolate tuxedos!!