2009, our adventures continue . . .

Welcome, Welcome, Welcome back to Les and Joy’s Excellent Adventures …

Now I know it’s been a long time since we wrote anything…. Way, long before Christmas, before Thanksgiving, before Tiffany's baby shower, even before I took off for my holiday visit with my Pacific Northwest family and friends, leaving Les at home to suffer through the first snowfall of the season. He was sweet enough to send a picture taken from the front room window, so I wouldn’t miss out too much. Isn’t he the sweetest?
In Oregon I got to visit with my friends and my KP family, and participate in some of my favorite holidays traditions with my family – (the sister slumber party and sister/niece luncheon, etc.). As ever I had a great time and the three weeks, ended way too soon, but I needed to hurry back to Les and start preparing for our holiday festivities.
It seems to take twice as long anymore to decorate and undecorate for Christmas. Is it that I’m getting old, or am I just getting lazy? I think it took me three days to decorate for Christmas and even longer to undecorate! We celebrated with a family dinner at our house, with all Les’ children and their mom, on Christmas Day. It was just like old times, with wrapping paper flying, corks popping and the smell of roasting turkey! So after the un-decorating, preparing the Casita for departing, and the wedding of our next door neighbor’s daughter, who grew up next door to the Mosers (They sure know how to throw a party) we were up and out of town. . .
Headed over to eastern Kansas to visit my cousin Clyde and his lovely wife Jacquetta in Parsons, KS – stayed one night and caught up on things with them and then headed on down to Texas, via Hugo, OK and Livingston, TX and then bright and early on January 13th we arrived at our favorite beach, outside of Port Lavaca, TX. Ah-h-h the sound of the surf and the gentle blowing of the wind! Didn’t take me long to get out on the beach and start finding shells and sea glass. This year I am also into finding little bits of coral. Why? Because they are there. So, because I have only a week before we leave on our cruise, I frantically gather as many shells, rocks and glass that I can as I’m finding that it’s almost a manner of honor that I take as many of these treasures as I can, home with me.
Before we know it we are off again to meet up with our friends, Peggy and Gary, to go on the cruise to Cozumel and to Progresso, Mexico. We met Peggy (and her mother and sister) on the 2001 Scotland Bus tour and meet up with her (and her sister) at the Oklahoma Blue Grass Festival every year. We drove into Galveston on Friday so we wouldn’t have the stress of that trip on the same day that the cruise started. Had a great time at Galveston, even though it is still pretty roughed up since IKE hit. There are still big piles of lumber and pieces of buildings pushed off to the side of the road, houses with tarps nailed on the roofs to keep the rain out, and many of our favorite shops are still closed – some never to reopen. I was all set to go to a restaurant that we found, to have a Muffalotto sandwich, but that was one of the restaurants that were closed. We managed to have an outstanding lunch at Fisherman’s Wharf, so all was not lost.
Early afternoon the next day we were in line to get on board for our cruise through the Carnival Cruise Fun Ship, Ecstasy.
Now neither Les, nor I had been on a cruise before so we had little expectation, except that from all I’d ever heard the food was outstanding and plentiful – I’d say that is an understatement! The food was wonderful! The stateroom, large and airy, everything was so clean, and everyone out to have a great time.
So, the first night we come in, unpack, wander around the ship, get a few drinks, attend an orientation, and then go to a boat drill. Shades of Titanic! Of course, they assure us that there are plenty of life boats and rafts and life jackets. I’d say they do, but as we are standing out there in the cold wind, couldn’t they just be a little quicker in explaining things? Then we walk in to the main area where there is a big atrium, a glass elevator that runs up and down about five floors, to the top floor where the ceiling is glass… and I’m thinking, “Didn’t I see this in the Poseidon Adventure?” OK, so get over it!
We got dressed for dinner – Yah, “dressed” – Les is wearing his normal blue jeans and polo shirt, I’m wearing a blouse and blue jeans, and thank goodness the dress code was liberal for us simple folks. Dinner is awesome – can’t even think of what was on the menu that day, but we had prime rib, lobster, salmon, grouper, shrimp, lobster bisque, escargot, caviar . . . every evening is an adventure to say the least. Chrystal, china, linen napkins, and lots of silverware that Les is very possessive of, when the waiter looks like he is going to clear it away – with every course they’d rearrange the silver that was left, taking away the ones we wouldn’t need . . . it was almost too much for that small town boy! We could go to the Wind Star Dining room all three meals, but now and then we decided to go to the Lido Deck for more casual dining (there’s only so much class that Les can take!)
They had evening shows that have been very entertaining, and the Cruise Director was a hoot. We saw a “Newlywed Game” – the contestants consisted of a couple that had been married 5 days, one couple who had been married 14 years, and the final couple who had been married 51 years. It was awfully funny! The older couple won, the couple that had been married 14 years almost came to blows – of course the newlywed couple was just cute! We also went to trivia contests, a Hairy Chest Contest (where one of the contestants had shaved a happy face on to his chest), a passenger talent contest, and some comedy programs.
We stopped in two places, Cozumel, and Progresso. At Cozumel, Peggy had done her homework and found a “Submarine Ride” that went to 100 feet. So, yes, Diana and Tish, I have gone down in a Submarine, only 108 ft, but a submarine all the same. It was a great ride and after 45 minutes seeing the fish, coral, sponges, etc., they settle the sub on the bottom of the reef for a few minutes and then over the intercom, they play “2001: a Space Odyssey” as we slowly rise toward the surface! It was great, and then to the tune of the Beatles, “Yellow Submarine” the “Voyage” comes to an end.
Peggy and I did some shopping on Cozumel and Les found a gorgeous Amethyst bracelet for me! We had a nice meal and lots of Tequila and beer before we went back on board the ship. We were pretty tired so we took naps and then went to dinner. Somewhere along the way, the ship started rolling - Just short of eating all of my Norwegian Salmon I decided that some nice fresh air may do me some good. It did, and without disaster I found my way down to the infirmary to pick up some sea sick pills.
The next day we hit Progresso. Les was much more impressed with Progresso than I, but oh, well, we had a great time, so what’s bad about that? After Peggy and Gary met back up with us in Progresso we had a few drinks and lunch and then Peggy and I went for a massage. Hah! We bargained for an hour massage, and it was great, BUT, when they took our watches off our wrists while we were drowsy in the sun, they reset our watches, CHEATING us out of 15 minutes of our massage. How fair was that? Les thinks that it’s hysterical; I think it was pretty dirty! J Anyway, we got back on board, no worse for the wear and richer for the experience and the beautiful ring I bought.
What really surprised me was the emotions I had on the last night onboard. No more chocolate on our pillows and funny "towel" animals awaiting to say goodnight to us . . . sniff. Then when we were saying goodbye to our table mates, Linda, Tami, Ted, and Merrie, and our waiters, Gedes and Johnny . . . for crying out loud, it was like the last day at camp, where all of a sudden you don’t want to go and leave your new friends. Sniff. Hey, guys! We love ya!
The next day we were back in Galveston, saying goodbye to Peggy and Gary, which wasn’t so bad ‘cause we know we’ll see them for a long weekend in October at the Oklahoma Blue Grass Festival! Thanks, Peggy, for inviting us to go along with you and Gary on this cruise, we had such a wonderful time! For those of you who have not had a Carnival Cruise Fun Ship experience, we cannot recommend it more highly.
We decided to try to take the short road out of Galveston, back to Port Lavaca, which goes by Galveston State Park. Someone had told us that the road was closed, but we had plenty of time and we were interested in the shape of the little towns past the State Park. So, taking our lives in our own hands we headed out. We found that although there was plenty of damage on Galveston Island, once we were back on the mainland there seemed to be as much, if not more . . . we saw more tarps on roofs, pilings where once were houses and then we saw the sign, “Road Closed, No Through Traffic, Travel at your own risk”. Okay. Off we go. Parts of the road had fallen away and road crews had filled in with sand and gravel so most of it was passable. Some parts of the road were totally gone, some just crumbling away. Then we were directed to drive on the beach for some miles. But we got through.
Back to the beach for us. The first night it was sooooo cold, but we had each other to snuggle up to and plenty of covers, of course, I was up at the crack of dawn, beachcombing. I have a ways to go before I gather up as much stuff as I did last year. We’ve decided that we may just stay here instead of heading further South to “The Valley” – if the weather holds up.
We have been joined by Les’ brother Jim and his lovely wife, Georgia, and family friend, Jim and his mother Velma, who will stay a few days at least, longer than that at most! Again, I’m sure, depending on the weather. I’m having fun having someone to share my beachcombing with.
So, til next time, take care all, y’all!
Joy
& Les
Les’ Readers Digest Version

-After staying home for a couple months we are ready to head for warmer digs.
-We went to or neighbor girls wedding (Melissa and Toby) on Jan 10. They done it up right.
-Left Wichita on Jan 11, made it to the beach on Jan 14.
-Stayed on the beach till Jan 23, then we went to Galveston for a Cruise. We went on a cruise from Galveston to Cozumel Mexico, then over to Progresso Mexico and back to Galveston.
-We are back on the Beach. My brother and his wife visited us for a few days. It was a good visit.
So, the fishing is crap, the wind is blowing too much, it is warm, the sun is shining a lot, LIFE IS GOOD. I was a feeling soo goood that we even went to church this morning. Boy, those ol Baptist ministers can still whup a guilt trip on ya.