Catching up ;January 16 to 22nd, 2009

Hi, Everybody!
Nothing is simple in this life, and although I was just about ready to leave home at 11 a.m. on the 16th, when the limo to the airport should have arrived, no one came! That precipitated lots of stress, and ended with my travel agent calling a local taxi. Fortunately, there was little traffic, and I got to the airport just a little late, but not too late. Got to L.A., and hotel, and met Roy to exchange my computer for his overnight bag, which I could take to Phoenix in place of my huge suitcase. Put my larger suitcase in hotel storage to go directly to the ship, and left the next morning to meet Mabel and her daughter Eve (mother and sister of Carol Shamieh from my Singles Cooking Group). I was pretty much jet lagged with all the time differences and mostly just relaxed in the sun (and fell asleep!).We ate out for lunch, dinner, and breakfast the next day! T.V. in the U.S. quite disappointing; could only get election coverage and no foreign news, anywhere. Saturday was the big ball game which excited all the locals, esp. when the Phoenix Cardinals won. In the meantime, Eve gave me a pedicure; she is awaiting her license and will get a job as soon as it comes. Next day, they took me to the airport, and for the first time, I experienced a Security Alert at the airport! Everything just stopped for about 20 minutes, with no one allowed to even move. When I was finally on the plane, it couldn't leave due to a "mechanical problem" that needed checking. Made up the time, and got to hotel, to find out that by way of apologizng for the limo that didn't show up in Zürich, Crystal invited me to be their guest for dinner that night in the hotel (The Beverly Hilton on Wiltshire Blvd). Made a date with Roy for lunch on Tuesday, and watched the Inauguration Ceremony in my hotel room. Napped after lunch, and met some of the cruisers from last year in the lobby. It was like "old home week!" The Gala was O.K., but the food on the ship is better than in the hotel. Three of the people at the table were acquaintances from last year.
Left the hotel at 11:15, but worried about the suitcase they had stored on Friday, and rightly so because it was NOT delivered to the ship with the rest of my baggage! The ship was due to sail at 17:00h and my case was finally discovered at the hotel, at 16:20 and sent in a cab! It arrived at 16:50! (I'm too old for all this stress!). Went to dinner, only to discover that I was not being seated at a table for 6, as I had requested, and didn't even go all the way to the table, but rather back to the Maitre D, who immediately looked up where I should have been, and ended up as the only woman seated with 4 men! One seat was empty, and two other ladies have been trying to get that seat for today. The discussion was most interesting and quite political as one man is here this week to give lectures on Intelligence Counter Intelligence, etc. and is a live wire! (Nigel West, from London); one man was a jockey in France and is now here with Berlitz to give French lessons on board. The other two are Ambassador Hosts, hired to dance with the ladies. I really look forward to dinner this evening with them. Last evening was most interesting!
Today, I signed up for the full Computer Course at Sea (includes college credit! and takes place on every "sea day". Also played bridge in the afternoon, after a lesson in the morning. When I finish this, I have to change for the Captain's Welcome Cocktail (tonight is "formal") and a photographer will take pictures for the photo album (too bad, I need a haircut!) After dinner, there is a Hollywood Spectacular (if i can stay awake that long) and at 11 p.m. there is Karaoke, but that will have to be for another time. Enough is enough!
Tomorrow afternoon, we are in Cabo, and I will take a bus tour.
Are you exhausted from just reading? I haven't even mentioned some of the people who are glad to see me again, (and reminisce about some of the others who didn't return this year) and the huge flowers and bottle of wine that was given to me by way of apology for the "inconvenience" with Limo and baggage!
Everything is shaping up just great! It's a pleasure to have warm weather and sunshine, also.
Do keep in touch; you can email me on my regular email address.
Love to all, Ann