Cruise Pictures

Most of the pictures were placed in the previous posts. These didn't seem to fit anywhere so here they are:
Our ship docked at the port in Key West.

Jessica and Rebekah enjoying the sunshine on the ship.

Mom standing in front of the window in our cabin all ready for formal night.

Karin checking out the elephant our room steward left.

Ruth and Fede enjoying a special dinner. They are quickly joined by first one daughter and then another. Notice how Ruth quick changes her clothes between pictures, one would think she was a movie star or something.



Actually the above pictures were taken on different nights.
Mom all ready for the show, then when she found out what it was she went back to the cabin to read a good book.

The girls getting ready for the family friendly comedian.

The kids all played who wants to be a millionaire, below is Rhoda as a finalist.

And she WINS!

And we must post pictures of the boat, the Carnival Fascination:






Scroll down for the cruise posts to see the other pictures of our family friendly fun ship vacation.

Working Time

After our nice short vacation it is time to start working in this new harsh cold world. I have pictures from the cruise on the camera and didn't take the time yesterday to down load them, it was just so much work and I am just so lazy. After spending a week without so much as lifting a finger, one would think we would be all refreshed and anxious to get back into things. Not so! If I had my way this morning, Mark would bring me coffee in bed, then suggest to me that I should probably stay in bed as its cold outside. Yeah right, get into the real world Judy! Yesterday afternoon right after church a nice couple showed up at the farm from 3 hours away. They were horse owners and horse lovers, making a fuss with each of ours and loving how much the horses loved being fussed over. As Indy was being shown and led around one of the jobs I usually do but no one did while I was gone came to light. No one cleaned up the presents the dogs left. Mastiffs leave huge piles and they don't go into the woods, they use the front yard. At least these were not small hard to see little bumps and could be avoided easily if one was just looking down. Unfortunately Mark forgot to look down. His shoes have been left outside. This very important job won't be done until the afternoon. Rhoda's mini cooper has an 8:00am appointment for an oil change in Peoria, I'll need to leave here by 7:20am. Then as long as I'm in Peoria, I'll work on processing last weeks Bible studies.
As the couple were talking about Indy the wife looked over at Emma who was chewing on the last of the deer carcass, rib bones that were attached to the back bone. These bones almost looked like she was chewing on a human skeleton. The wife kind of jumps, then asks, "what is THAT!" She was told, "that's what our dogs do with people that just come to look at our horses and don't buy one of them." For some reason I didn't make the sale, it wasn't that long before they loaded up and took off screeching down the hill.
OK, not really, I promised them it was a deer and not human ribs.

Safely Home!

Mom and I arrived home at 12:15am but we were use to Eastern time and it felt like 1:15am. We are thankful to be safely home. We had long lay-overs in both Jacksonville and Atlanta but this gave us plenty of time to find our gates and relax, both of us finishing our books just as we landed in Bloomington. Laundry has been started and breakfast cooked. What happened to room service? Each Evening we would fill our out room service sheet asking for coffee for 4 and 3 danishes to nibble on as we sipped the very rich strong coffee. Last night I couldn't even find that important piece of paper, Mark probably hid it. Honestly I wanted to bring home a bunch of those, hang it on our bedroom door and see if that magic worked here at the farm. The cruise was a very relaxing vacation but I was SO glad to get home, home to the husband, home to the dogs, and home to the horses in that order.
We have a couple driving here from Oregon, IL to look at Indy today, they will be here when we get back from church. They saw her at the Northern IL Horse fest when she was just a few weeks old, they will be surprised at how beautiful she is now.

Cruise News

On Thursday we reached Nassau around noon. We had a wonderful time in Nassau. The aquarium in the Atlantis hotel is not to be missed. It is pricey unless one shows up after 5:30pm then it is FREE! We found this out by the driver of the shuttle taking us from the boat to the beach. The shuttle was $4.00 each but by taking that it saved us $39.00 each. The beach next to the Atlantis hotel was not good for snorkeling, the waves were huge, crashing big rollers down on any one brave enough to get into the water. The ocean is the most gorgeous blue green color.
The girls thought there was a big manta ray swimming toward them, they started running for shore and were just a bit embarrassed to find it was a garbage bag.


Next we hiked to the hotel Atlantis

the pictures below are sights we saw just walking through this magnificent hotel.






When the attendants left guarding the aquarium we were quick to start our free tour.



The seahorse below is a heavily pregnant male, the male carries the babies and works hard to deliver them. We think this one was in the process of giving birth, if you look close toward the bottom of the picture there are bunches of tiny little seahorses.

The aquariam is just fantastic, if you are ever in Nassau don't miss it.
Once we were ready to leave the Atlantis, a stretch limo picked us up fitting all 11 of us and taking us back to the ship.

We made it back much to late for our usual elegant dinners in the ship dining room and for the first time on board I had to visit the buffet.
Friday was our fun day at sea. The weather was bright sunshine and hot unless one was in the shade. Mom got irritated with the crazy rich drunk people screaming in the hot tub. They must be rich if they were buying drinks on board, those things are expensive! Mom decided no more cruises for her unless we would go on a Christian cruise and those are so expensive. This morning we all received our bills and unbelievably we all got money back, mom,Karin, and I each have a refund of 86 cents. Rhoda was issued a check of $1.72 it must be because of her karaoke talent. The fog was so thick this morning the ship couldn't make it into port until 10:30am and we weren't allowed off until after 11:30am.
Below are the girls patiently waiting for our release.

We were very relieved we did not book the early flights. Right now we are waiting for our plane, it is suppose to take off at 3:06pm for Atlanta.

Internet

We had a great day yesterday as long as we were in the sun and out of the wind. It was cold but who would complain with such a nice place to freeze. We sat in the hot tub until we started shaking with the cold. The hot tub was more like a lukewarm tub, getting from there to ones room was torture. There is no thermostat in the cabins the only way to warm up is a hot shower, luckily there is abundant hot water. The day was spent reading by just about every one in our party. We still managed to get some sun.

Last night was formal night, we thought they did that as it was Rhoda's birthday and they wanted everyone dressed up to celebrate that. Almost everyone at our table ordered lobster, delicious! The waiters sang happy birthday to Rhoda then she was given her gifts. The boat was rocking enough that she was feeling a bit nauseated but not enough to ruin her party.


We enjoyed a wonderful dinner with many different appetizers.








Today we docked at Key West, we all got off the boat, most of the group headed to a beach while I headed into town to find an Internet cafe. Once online I'm shocked to find the iPad that has been (what I thought) turned off has been collecting international charges of $50.00 a day. Thankfully Mark was notified and he was able to disconnect it. What was weird about this whole situation was I not only did I think it was turned off. I locked it in the safe so no one else could accidentally turn it on. Live and learn, next cruise it will be left home.
The rest of the group headed to a beach on Key West, as you can see they found interesting things.


Cell service is now working and the first message is they want to bring the 525 bales of hay on Tuesday. That won't work at all for us, Tuesday I have to work and everybody else is either back in school or working. Hope we can convince them to wait. We heard it is suppose to warm up, tomorrow is a day at sea, sure hope that is true.
There will be no updates tomorrow we are again at sea.

Were IN

We are in our cabins resting. Both Karin and mom are snoozing, while I'm catching up on the news from home. As soon as we set sail, there will be no cell service and no Internet. Mark let me know the 42 big round bales were delivered today. It is all now stacked with the other 60 in the barn, we still need to make room for the 525 square bales.
It is cool out on the ship but most of us managed to end up in the hot tub. Rhoda brought along some books and let me read one while we were waiting to get into our cabins. It is called Hunger Games and is a very entertaining read. I finished it and passed it to Ruth who will pass it to Rebekah next. Rhoda brought 3 books, mom brought a couple and Ruth brought a few, between the family I think there should be enough to read on this trip. We have a muster at 3:30 pm then dinner at 6:00pm what a life, what a life!

Hard Freeze Warning, Rough Seas

What a start to our so looked forward vacation. Mom's bed was an old roll away cot, lumpy with springs sticking out poking her old fragile body, the matress is about 2 inches thick innerspring with no padding on it. Rhoda felt something crawling during the night and pulled a bug off of her back, this morning she has 2 big bug bites that left welts. She wants to leave this revue, "don't stay here, a leaky tent set on the ground would be more comfortable." Karin made the small pot of coffee at 5:00am wondering how we could ever have enough to share without coming to blows until the coffee was tasted, it is the worst coffee we have ever tasted, Karin believes it is 50 years old. We're just going to have to wait, this stuff is undrinkable. Mom turned on the weather channel while we were waiting for the pot to quit brewing and wouldn't you know Jacksonville has a hard freeze warning for today, with wind chills in the teens. That along with a warning for rough seas, waves 6-8feet, how quickly can the boat travel south? Actually we are not moaning the blues, we were laughing just a little too loud when a voice pipes up from the next room, "could you keep it down in there!"

Traveling With Mom

Trying to get mom checked in is not as easy as it sounds. She tried to smuggle a small bottle of water onto the plane in her carry on bag. She says she forgot it was there. Then when the guard tells her there is liquid, mom starts to get into the bag and is told, "mam, keep your hands out of the bag." Once the offending water bottle was apprehended, mom was allowed to pass. She quickly filled her second bottle from a water fountain. As they called zone 4 for boarding, (we were zone 5)she decides to use the restroom, by the time she made it back they were loading zone 8 the last of the zones. At least we made it onto the plane. Before the plane takes off she pulls out her water bottle,, drops it in front of her so far under the seat in front of her there was no easy way to get it,but she was determined and finally accomplished it with different contortions and tools. The flight went smooth but when we landed she accidentally dropped her pen and it rolled down the plane under seat after seat. A nice lady picks that up and passes it back to our seat, then the man in the seat behind us passes up the pretzels she had dropped. But we are here in Atlanta safely waiting 4hours for our connecting flight. I can hardly wait for the excitement of the next flight. We won't arrive in Jacksonville until 7:40pm.
8:00pm we have arrived at the hotel,it is a dump. Our trip was tiring and we are trying to overlook the dirt. On the second flight, mom wouldn't give up her cup of ice when the stewardess came around with the garbage bag. The sterwardess kept telling mom to throw the cup away and mom kept saying, "I'll just carry it out." finally she was told this was not allowed and she must throw it away. What is it with mom and water?
Mark, I sent you an email about the fire. At home we were having high winds and our chimney blew off as Mark had a hot fire going in the wood burner. He had to use our wall decoration (the fire extinguisher) and put out the fire. So thankful that happened during his watch and not when I was home alone. Poor Darcy, she will have no fire to warm up next to until Mark gets the pipe fixed.

Happy New Year 2012

Last night Diane held her first new years eve party. It was such a success we told her she can do this again every year.
People attending brought many many treats to eat. Below is mom and Spark cutting the 17 pound prime rib cooked to perfection. This picture is for Karin, she didn't get any!

The garage was used to serve the food, she had tables and chairs set up but most of the kids ate standing, too much fun to visit with each other.

Rebekah organized the games, in the one below the person in the middle of the circle had to state something he or she has never done. Then everyone that had done that must get up and find a new chair, the person left without a chair must take his or her place in the middle. One person stated, I've never assisted in the birth of a horse. Immediately 10-15 people got up to quickly find a chair, one of the visitors from another state, makes the comment, "that can't be true!" He was quickly told, "this IS a horse farm!"

Amy Koch from Tremont brought her mom who came to visit all the way from Florida. Clarky was the one that was so terribly sick in November.

Below left to right Rebekah, Bethany (who flew in from Haiti just for this party)Anni and Jessica.

Down stairs Diane had video games going, these 2 guys are river rafting.

In the picture below they are playing a really fun game. Each person in the room was given a balloon, the balloon must be kept in the air with one's head.

The last 2 with their balloons still in the air were given a jump rope and a jump off was held. Bethany was the winner.

She was able to pick from the prizes below.

Below Anni, Jessica and Bethany were working on a routine.


Just before midnight Diane handed out noise makers to the 30 or so people.

We all tromped out onto her deck and at the stroke of midnight, the noise (especially when there are teenage boys in the group) was shocking. I think they were trying to wake up the neighbors, oh wait, all the neighbors were at the party.
We left shortly after that to hit the sack.
This morning we were awakened by a strange noise. It took a few minutes to recognize this noise, our furnace kicked on! We were too busy yesterday to build a fire and too tired when we arrived home. The wind is howling outside, the windmill is generating electricity and we are ready to face the new year.

Fire

Mark was clearing out some of the old wood from the farm house and decided it was a great morning to burn.

I thought it was interesting how the flames shot into the sky.
Nineteen bales of hay were delivered today. Twelve by the farmer from Washington, IL and 7 by the Hanna City farmer. What was unusual is they both showed up exactly at the same time. The farmer with the 12 hay hauler unloaded first as the 7 hay hauler doesn't need to be unloaded, it just dumps the hay. Mark was kind enough to stack them in the barn. We are suppose to have 42 more bales delivered next week but Mark wants me to put him off until we get home.
The laundry is done, the bags are packed and I am ready to GO! I stopped at the library yesterday and picked up 8 books to take along, then last night picked one up and finished it so am down to 7. That's scary, hopefully someone else going on this trip will also bring books to share.
We are having such a nice warm sunny day for our last day of 2011. Praying 2012 will be a better year for our country.

Riding Lesson

After the seriousness of the last few posts, I thought it was time for some levity!

I've found hay, thanks for everyone that has been texting and emailing. We ended up buying a semi trailer load of 4th cutting alfalfa square bales. Those along with the round we have in the barn and the ones still to come we should make it through the winter.
Today is cleaning & packing day, mom and I are leaving tomorrow morning along with my 2 daughters, Karin, all of Ruth's family and all of Rachel's family. The lap top will not be along so probably not much updating or answering of emails for the week of Jan 1st, through the 7th.