Update before lfying to L.A.

Although I have cancelled almost all my activities this week, except for bridge on Wednesday morning, nevertheless, it has been a rather hectic time, trying to pack everything, defrost the freezer, use the food in the refrigerator, take care of the mail, and entertain friends and relatives. Today is the 13th January, and I leave on Friday, the 16th in mid morning.
I have been pleasantly surprised and quite pleased to have heard from various friends as well as from people that I met on the cruise last year, who will arrange to see me this year, when we are near their home port. The very idea of going half way round the world and meeting up with friends and acquaintances who live so far away is quite exciting and makes the various destinations more interesting.
November and December were bad months for me healthwise, and I really worried how I would be able to travel, but fortunately, everything has cleared up and I feel quite well again, and ready for "adventure". The world news disturbs me greatla, and it doesn't seem to matter which end of the globe one reads about. Sad that people cannot learn to "live and let live".
In any case, I fly to L.A. on Friday, go to Phoenix for two days to visit with firends, and return to the Beverly Hilton in L.A., where I also hope to meet friends before the Gala evening offered by Crystal on the night of the 20th, before we set sail on the 21st.
I hope to keep up this blog for the duration of the trip, and you can always reach me via my regular email address.