Oil Drilling? What oil drilling?

Long gone are the crabmeat eggs Benedict for breakfast and a concierge to make our reservations!! We grabbed a hard boiled egg from the breakfast bar at the hotel and the two pieces of cold pizza left from our late dinner and hit the road. It is a beautiful drive from Washington to Michigan and we don't really mind it. We are anxious to get home because it feels like a long time since we've been on Marquette soil!! We drove all day only stopping at Pompeii's Piller Park on the Yellowstone River to stretch our legs. After 13 hours of driving, we stopped in Dickinson ND to get a hotel . . . we thought! After being turned away from 3 of them - what happened to No Vacancy signs? They now make you crawl out of your vehicle which is no easy feat for a short girl in a U-Haul to hear that "there's no room at the Inn". I asked if there was a convention on a Tuesday night and was told matter of factly that every hotel within 100 miles was full of oil drillers. What???? (I googled it - they found more oil than they have in Texas but need to use some controversial methods to retrieve it). Sooooo we drove another 100 miles to get the same news then to the next town and the next. FINALLY after 18 hours on the road, we found a huge suite (the only room left) at 4:00 am in Fargo, ND. I wish we weren't in a hurry cause we even have our own hot tub! We are finishing up a cup of coffee and hitting the blacktop again. The dog didn't even want to wake up today ha.
See ya in da UP, eh?

Homeward Bound

We left Seattle this morning with a packed U-Haul and our grand dog, Rubin. As usual on this route, the views are beautiful!! We truly live in a beautiful country. I took pics on my iPhone but can't figure out how to post the damn things from my iPhone - any suggestions??? I was going to catch up on all of my correspondence but it wasn't meant to be. Our one 12 volt power outlet in the U-Haul is defective soooooo not only did our GPS run out of power and can't be charged (OMG we have to use a MAP!)and when I actually could get cell service in the mountains which is very spotty, I had to reserve my power for emergencies since I couldnt recharge it - so much for playing solitare too, ha. We are bunked in Missoula, Montana for the night and our pizza just arrived so I gotta go :-)

We're Baaaaaack!!

Victoria was AWESOME!! We all loved the wharf the best with all of the cute little houseboats. We walked all the way into the city and back enjoying the horse and carriages and all the quaint sites. I will post pictures when I get back to my laptop. I'm not too good on my iPhone.

Today we woke up in Seattle - I had trouble sleeping so finally got out of bed at 5 am and walked the ship visiting all of my favorite places, feeling sad to leave :-( Joe and I had our last gourmet breakfast - he had steak and eggs and I had lobster, scallops and eggs; I hugged the staff we got close to, woke the girls and we were on our way. It was a fantastic adventure and I am anxious to tell you all about it. Allison, thank you - it was the best Christmas gift ever!!

We are sleeping in Seattle tonight and will be driving a U-Haul back to Michigan in the morning. I will blog on the way home but won't be posting pics 'til we get home.

Take care!

September 17, 2011 – Last Day on the Ship – Victoria, British Columbia Bound!

I'm doing two posts today because I’m down to a few minutes of Internet and, after purchasing two pricey plans, I can’t make myself purchase another one so you’ll have to find out about Victoria when I get back to free wireless in Seattle.  We’re spending this last day visiting parts of the ship we haven’t been to (which is only a couple), eating a few things we missed (once again, which is only a couple, ha), packing and getting ready to go back to reality. No more priority boarding, special visits with the Captain, cocktail hours in parts of the ship normally off-limits to passengers, butlers who bring us through secret passages to avoid crowds, maintenance staff who clean and make our beds AND turn our covers down at night and no more concierge to reserve dining tables, send invites to special events and try to convince us to take advantage of things on board, e.g. today I could have learned how to make animals out of bath towels – it was very tempting as we love coming in at night to see what animal is waiting for us and where it is hidden (we find it in a different spot in our stateroom each evening) but I didn’t really think I will need this skill in Skanee (hmmm a dock full of towel animals would be cute though).  No more showers with a beautiful view of the Pacific Ocean and that wash your head, boobs, butt and feet at the same time (I suppose that would depend on your height but that’s where the many massaging water jets hit me).

We have to wake up tomorrow and realize we’re not rich bitches (some lady actually called me that when I put in my keycard and hit floor 14 in the elevator).  Joe is already thinking ahead and since he is getting low on clean underwear, offered to wear some dirty ones into the hot tub to clean them rather than pay laundry fees, ha, he was just kidding . . . I think!

Tonight we visit Victoria from 6:00 p.m. to midnight then pull into Seattle tomorrow morning (Mom, I’ll call you when we’re off ship – which will be later afternoon, your time).  Brother, John, HAPPY 60^th BIRTHDAY!!!!!  Love you!

Things I learned this week:

-       You don’t have to scoot all the water in the shower up into the drain with your foot – if you wait a second, the ship will rock and do that for you!

-       Flan is pronounced like pawn NOT plan

-       Both of our girls are pretty good on a Black Jack table

-       Drunk or sober everyone walks the same on board ship soooooooo you might as well be drunk J

-       I can’t pour a full beer down Joe’s throat while he’s kneeling in front of me with his head tilted back without spilling it all over him.

-       Too much espresso really gives me a stomachache

-       Nature really can be breathtaking

-       I can survive without a cell phone (as long as I have Internet)

-       Family vacations are still the best

Until Seattle, Adios!!  Miss you all!! xo xo xo xo

September 16, 2011 – Ketchikan . . . last day in Alaska!

September 16, 2011 – Ketchikan . . . last day in Alaska!

We woke up in Ketchikan, Alaska – we left the ship by 8 a.m. since we were only scheduled to be in port until shortly after 1:00.  We decided to forego any excursions today to explore on our own.  Ketchikan is a very nice city and is quite spread out so we had a nice walk.  Our highlights were a crab shack where we shared Dungeness crabs and smoked salmon chowder and an old brothel district that now houses a variety of shops.  One of the shops belongs to the artist who sketches the logos for Raven’s Brew coffee, which is brewed in Ketchikan and is my favorite brew that I regularly order to enjoy at home.  Joe took pictures of healthy salmon, dying salmon (they’re spawning) and dead salmon (they spawned) but never got to catch salmon.  He did enjoy listening to the very successful fishing adventures of one of our fellow cruisers – next trip he’ll be the successful fisherman! After trekking and shopping for a few hours, we returned to the ship and relaxed with some exotic drinks in one of the lounges – when I say that you can relax in lounges here, I mean it, since a few of them actually have beds in the bar!!  We enjoyed our drinks as we watched Alaska grow smaller in the distance.  Good-bye Alaska – it was fun!!

Joe and the girls went to the casino where they collectively came out ahead while I took in a passenger talent show.  The show was very entertaining and funny J We all did our own things for a while – I attended the Chocoholic Buffet.  Our floor had priority viewing before the rest of the ship could attend but I didn’t get the memo that they changed the time so almost missed the early preview.  I was running down a hallway trying to avoid the masses when our butler, Maurice, spotted me and guided me through hallways and doorways to get me in there in time to take pictures of the yards and yards of chocolate creations.  I fixed a plate for the family and tried to make my way out – when I opened the door of the café to exit, about a hundred people were lined up to come in.  I didn’t want to walk by them with a plate of chocolate so tried to escape through the secret route Maurice took me on.  Anyone who knows me realizes that I surely got lost and wandered aimlessly for quite a while with my plate of chocolate – and that’s about the extent of the stress I have felt this week!  We took in another adult showing of The Second City Comedy Troupe and watched an adult scavenger hunt in one of the lounges.  We were asked to join a team by some of our fellow pub-crawlers but are so glad we declined.  If we wouldn’t have, Joe would have ended up on the dance floor in his underwear, wearing a bra, high heels and a purse (though I personally think he would have forfeited the game before joining the rest of the guys who actually did that!)  Joe & I retired to our room to watch a movie and didn’t see the girls again until they crawled in at 4 a.m. with another pizza (we did lose an hour on the clock tonight so they only stayed out until 3 a.m. on the old time, ha).  Needless to say, it was another adventurous evening!!

September 15, 2011 – Glacier Bay National Park . . . Alaska in all its’ beauty!!!!

This has been my favorite day so far (Joe says that I say this every day).  In spite of our limited sleep and the effects of the pub-crawl, Joe & I got up early (the girls wouldn’t budge) to join an 8 a.m. deck party as we entered Glacier Bay National Park.  We had a couple of exotic drinks - I had Irish Coffee, Joe a Grizzly Bear  (a little hair of the dog) so we could keep the stainless steel signature coffee mugs - hell ya, we’re tourists.  We dragged our girls out of bed because today the beauty of our surroundings are much more important than their beauty rest.  We spent the entire morning taking pictures!!!!  The pictures just can’t do it justice – I wish everyone could see what we are seeing – now THIS is Alaska!!!!  The only time I wasn’t watching and snapping from our deck was when I was in the bathtub, taking a bath in front of the picture window so I wouldn’t miss a thing.  We went to a specialty restaurant for lunch today – all the Sushi we could eat, a family favorite.  Joe and I took advantage of an invitation to join the Captain on the Bridge to learn all about the ship and how it navigates which was very informative and interesting.  Joe and I took advantage of prime rib night at one of the restaurants while our vegetarian daughters opted for something more in tune with their diets in the cafeteria.  We joined up later for a show by The Second City Comedy Troupe that was hilarious!!  It was a good day!

September 14, 2011 – Skagway by Train

We woke up in Skagway so had a quick breakfast and went exploring in port.  We LOVE the little city and enjoyed visiting a few shops before embarking on a three-hour railway tour of the White Pass and Yukon Valley.  Once again, we witnessed breathtaking mountains, valleys, waterfalls and rapids.  We bellied up to the bar in a local tavern to indulge in some Alaskan brews and appetizers.  Once aboard ship, we had dinner then Joe and Allison enjoyed the view from our stateroom while Angie and I lost at trivia then took in a cabaret show.  We picked up Joe & Allison in time for a Pub Crawl we signed up for . . . there we joined a rowdy bunch for a tour of five bars with a unique shot in each one.  We started with a shot called brain damage and ended up with a jello shot.  It was sooooooo much fun . . . we had to play an adult game in each bar which really got quite obnoxious.  Our girls were both active participants J We ended up on the dance floor where, after proving we didn’t belong there, Joe & I left the girls to party without us.  They crawled in about 3 a.m. and were very happy!  I think Angie mugged a pizza delivery guy on the way in because she came in with a pizza and the insulated carrier they deliver it in, ha!

September 13, 2011 – Juneau – Whales and Glaciers and Bears, Oh My!

September 13, 2011 – Juneau – Whales and Glaciers and Bears, Oh My!

We changed time zones again last night – it’s hard for this old body to keep adjusting!  Now we’re 4 hours behind Marquette.  I got up around 6:30 and, after a cup of espresso, dragged my butt to the treadmill.  When I got back, Joe also couldn’t sleep so we had a coffee clutch together then took a steambath, Jacuzzi, and a swim.  We went to our upper deck in our swimsuits to simulate the jump in the lake after a sauna – it felt so nice and brisk!  We took in the sites of six whales off of our deck – they weren’t close enough for pictures but my wise husband packed binoculars so we had a nice view.  We had lunch with the girls and then disembarked to Juneau.

Juneau is a bustling little city with lots of shopping.  It, obviously, caters to tourists and reminded us of Mackinac Island.  We decided to escape the crowds and hopped a bus to some hiking trails . . . there we enjoyed Alaskan nature, including a glacier, a waterfall and a bear!  It was so fun!  We went back into town and to a pub for some true Alaskan cuisine before getting back onboard ship.  I took a picture of our ship – our room is the one on top, left of the NCL emblem, next to the deck with the light on. 

Until tomorrow . . .

September 12, 2011 – Day 1 at Sea

Everyone woke up and started moving at his or her own pace today.  I hit the treadmill in the workout room while Joe rested his knee poolside.  He put off his knee replacement so it wouldn’t interfere with the trip and all of the exploring we did yesterday took its toll.  After enjoying scallops and eggs for breakfast, steak and eggs for Joe, we visited the casino for a bit.  The girls found us there unsuccessfully trying to pay for our cruise, ha, and joined us for Bloody Marys.  We opted for appetizers instead of lunch today and enjoyed the scenery and a lot of laughs as we entered the Inside Passage.  

The girls went off to play bingo while Joe & I went to a domestic beer tasting event.  We then accepted an invitation for cocktails with our captain.  Being a Norwegian vessel, I assumed we had a Norwegian Captain.  When I told him I was half Norwegian, he said, “In that case, I feel sorry for you!”  Turns out he’s Swedish, ha.  I redeemed myself by also telling him I’m also ¼ Swede at which time he said, “At least you’ve got some good genes.”  J We tried another restaurant for another great dinner (I really don’t want to dwell on the food but it’s unbelievable!)  We enjoyed some whale watching – yup, whale watching off of our deck then the girls and I went to a show . . . “Oh What A Night” featuring the songs of Frankie Vallie and The Four Seasons.   It was great!  When we returned, Maurice had turned down our bed and placed the cutest little puppy made out of towels on our bed!  Nighty Night!

September 11, 2011 – Bon Voyage!!

We said good-bye to Les and Chaz and met our girls at Pier 66 at 11 a.m. to board our ship.  With the upgrade offer that we took advantage of, we knew we were on priority status but didn’t really know what it entailed . . . it sure has been fun finding out!!! First, we stood in line with the other passengers to board the ship – when it was our turn to board, the cruise member checking us in apologized profusely that we stood in line – he said that should have never happened and whisked us into the VIP lounge where we were treated to a variety of coffees and, the first of many, gourmet treats.  We were then guided to our priority stateroom.  The elevator only goes to the 12^th floor, UNLESS you are priority status like us, ha – then you insert your room key to travel to floor 14.  There, eight staterooms share a private courtyard with a pool, Jacuzzi, steam room, workout room, sun deck, and poolside dining.  We have our own butler, Maurice, and concierge, Monica.  Our stateroom consists of TWO bedrooms, TWO bathrooms (with a shower stall with ceiling to floor window overlooking the ocean and a separate bathtub with a picture window and a TV), a living room, a sun deck with room for 2 chairs and a table, and a dining room, complete with an espresso/cappuccino machine and bar!!!  We have access to some restaurants that other passengers don’t and have priority seating at the shows.

We spent our first day exploring the ship and getting familiar with all of the entertainment options.  We participated in the mandatory safety drill and were moved by the tribute to the 911 victims and the moment of silence that followed.

We enjoyed our first evening meal together; Joe & I indulging in lobster while Angie selected a Moroccan dish and Allison, seafood cannelloni.  We were all pretty tired from our weekend activities before cruising so made it an early evening. 

Sleepless in Seattle

Whew! We had a busy Saturday in Seattle!!! We met up with our good Marquette friends, Les and Chaz Crowley Connon who are in the city visiting their niece. Angie guided us to a wonderful restaurant for breakfast then we walked the city taking in the sites. Allison joined the five of us for Bloody Marys at one of her favorite watering holes then the girls took off and let us old farts make our way down to Pike Place Market. After putting on ALOT of miles on our soles, Chaz and Les brought us to a little gem of a deck overlooking The Puget Sound where we imbibed on ice cold "Kilt Lifters", a local brew. It was a perfect afternoon in Seattle with temps nearing 80 degrees. We moved on to another rooftop at Les and Chaz's hotel for more local brews and a breathtaking view of the city. Allison had a wedding to attend so Angie joined us for a late dinner, a lot of laughs, and a fun walk home. It was a great day!!

North to Alaska

We're on the road again!! Though this past official first year of retirement has taken us on MANY adventures such as attending concerts of some of our favorite musicians . . . Bob Seger, Bruce Springsteen, The Doobie Brothers and, our personal favorites, The Olson Brothers Reunion Band at the Skanee pigroast, in addition to watching our Green Bay Packers WIN the Super Bowl IN Green Bay (an unforgettable moment), these adventures were quick and fantastic but more Facebook worthy than blog worthy. This next adventure, a gracious Christmas gift from Allison, consists of a cruise to Alaska for the two of us AND our beautiful daughters, Allison and Angie!!!

The adventure started with a phone call from our Norwegian Cruise Line offering us an upgrade - granted we have to pay a chunk of change for it but we have been bumped up to priority status with a two bedroom suite and, get this, we're getting robes (my travel partners know that this is the height of luxury for me)! Woo hoo, I can't wait!!

We had a great flight to Seattle and Angie picked us up at the airport (Allison is tied up with a wedding). After a visit to Tap House for fish tacos and one of their 160 beers, we called it a night - its been a long day!

I don't know how well the Internet service is on ship and I left my laptop home but I'll see w
if I can find a way to keep up a blog.