Monday, April 11, 2016

Dreaming............Carnival Cruise Dreaming

Hello Y'all!!!!!    I do hope and pray that Feb., March and April has been and is playing well with everyone.      It's wet one day here and windy the next in my neck of the woods, but I'll take that over tornadic weather any day, yes I surely will.   We just now got all the debris cleaned up around our driveway and back yard from the last snow we had (in my last post).    It's such a shame to walk out and look up the sides of those big beautiful pine trees and see how badly damaged they are.    I feel like someone will eventually cut them down.      The property that the trees are on is up for sale now and has been for quite a while, and the trees may be something that is hindering the sale.    I know I wouldn't purchase something with huge trees that could be liabilities under the right circumstances.     We have got to where we dread the snow and ice and also the windy times.     I fear the wind toppling one over on our house or garage and that is a very real possibility.   But, so far, we are and continue to be blessed that it's just branches and limbs that we have to deal with.     Anyway, I just hope and pray that where ever y'all are, it is beautiful and the "SON" is shining in your soul!!!!!

Ok y'all, look at the title of my post today.    That was a hint and I wonder if anyone caught it.      I have a friend that has been on several cruises and my mom went last year with her and some others on a cruise and I had been wanting to go on a cruise for a while, but didn't figure I would ever get to go.     My hubby, as wonderful to me as he is, he always said, "this country feller ain't goin' on a cruise".     hahaha     I get it, really I do.     There's things that I will not ever be interested in doing.     But........he never said I couldn't go on one.     hahahaha        And so he gifted me with a cruise!!!!!!!!   Yay, I got to go on a cruise with my Mom!!!!!!     Yes, I sure did!!!!!      She and I started saving our pennies, and pinched Abe Lincoln till he cried "uncle" and we scraped up enough change to go!!!!!   Whoopee, yay, hot dog!!!!!    

So I will put pictures on this post and try to explain as well as I can about each one, or each group of pics and please excuse any misspelling and anything else you may notice.   I've been working on this for so long and it's just time to get it posted, mistakes and all.    hahahaha

We took the 7 day Western Caribbean cruise on the Carnival Dream out of New Orleans on January 31st and back to port on February 7th.     Our ports of call were Mahogany Bay on Roatan, Belize and Cozumel Mexico.    The cruise itself was such an awesome adventure for my mom and I to do together!!!!!     All I can say is that we had a ball!!!!!!      We never laughed as much in our lives as we did on the cruise.      We had rough seas, or so they say anyway.      I do know there was some bad weather to come ashore from the rolling seas we had.      But all in all the weather was pretty good for us.     There was one day that it misted on us, and that was our last post of call, at Cozumel, Mexico.

We spent a couple of nights in Slidell, Louisiana before we headed to the Carnival Dream in New Orleans on Sunday morning.      The motel we stayed at was right next to a Waffle House.       So mom and I would get up and head over there for breakfast or whatever meal we happened to be there for.        I haven't been a really huge fan of WH for many years.       They do have good food and good coffee, but just not appealing to me in some way.      Anyway, we had a window seat and was sipping on our coffee and waiting for our meal and I was just watching out the window, looking at the traffic go by and taking in some of the scenery and sort of got lost in that for a few seconds.   Mom didn't see this, I don't think, but I was sitting there staring out the window and it seemed like there was a shadow that came over the place from the outside.      You know what I'm talking about, like when an airplane flies between the earth and the sun, it creates a shadow for a split second.       Well, that's what happened and I looked outside up in the air, and I will tell you I almost fainted for a second.      It looked just like a pterodactyl, you know, from the movies, and I kept looking and looking and all of a sudden it came into closer view.         Hehehe, it was just a brown pelican!!!!!!!     Yes it was!!!!  It just about scared the life out of me though!!!!!        hahaha   I was ready to pack my bags and head back to good ole TN, land that I love,,,,(we don't have pterodactyl pelicans there) but, alas......it was just a pelican!!!!        Some of the people we were with got a good laugh over that one.  I can laugh now, but at the time, I was kinda freaked out.        I was remembering Tippie Hedron in the movie "The Birds" and that wasn't fun at all!!!!!

On the ship, after we got settled in and decided to brave it, mom and I started going to shows and comedy acts, puppet shows and karaoke and just doing what ever we could find to do, and that was a lot of fun.       We really had to coordinate our time and make some tough decisions about what we really wanted to see and maybe miss something else that we wanted to see.      It could be tough at times to make the decision.
A good pic of the Carnival Dream Cruise ship (when we was at Mahogany Bay, Roatan Honduras)
Leaving New Orleans.
Mom and me outside on the deck of our stateroom before leaving N. O. LA
Mom looking out over the waters after we had set sail.
We took in an art show one day and had plans to go back to it later on, but there was something else we wanted to do too, so we opted to do the other thing and I can't remember what it was.      I wish I could though.       We really enjoyed the art show.       I wish I had taken pics and notes because I don't remember who the artists were.       And I really don't know if picture taking would have been allowed anyway.       One of them was into mixed media art and what he done was so awesome!!!!!!! There was a butterfly that was painted in metallic colors and that thing looked just like it would fly off the canvas.      It was soooooo beautiful!!!!!         Both of the artists was from the southwest United States so their work reflected the landscape and the beautiful rich colors associated with the southwest.       We both really enjoyed that and wished we had taken in more of the art show.       We just knew when it came time for the auction, we couldn't afford what we had seen.       Plus, we was afraid we might reach up to rub our nose and make a bid on a $20,000 piece of art and hear someone say "SOLD"!!!!      Hubby would not have liked that at all!!!     hahahaha

Floor 3 Atrium 
Atrium from floor 5 overlooking the stage where a musician/singer was most of the time.
A comedian on stage in the Encor Lounge.
The cruise ship entertainment director.
I had mentioned too that we loved to take in karaoke.       Now, we didn't sing, we just listened.       But we both soon learned that it doesn't take a lot of skill to do karaoke, just lots of "GUTS"!!!!!!     hahahaha       You talk about fun, we had fun with a capital "F-U-N"!!!!!!       It was just too fun.   Especially when you are inadvertently made a part of the stage show!!!!        We had just gotten out of a comedy show and was looking for something else to do.       It was about 10 pm and entirely too early to go back to our room.        We walked out of the Burgundy Lounge which is where the comedy show was, and to the left of that exit was "The Song" room and to the right was "Sam's Piano Bar".       We looked at each door and decided on the "The Song" because there was familiar sounds coming from that small room.      It was just about full and the only place we seen was seats right on the front row, just about 2 feet from the small stage.       So we sat down and started enjoying the singing.       There was a man singing George Straight songs, another one singing Frank Sinatra, a woman singing Loretta Lynn, another woman singing Crystal Gayle, another man was an Elvis impersonator and just so many more.       These that I mentioned could actually sing pretty great.       One guy sang a James Brown song, "I Feel Good".        We had heard him several times and that was one of his go to songs.      This night, someone was singing when we came in and sat down.     We got nestled into our seats and was getting into the music.      This persons song was over and the emcee called another one to the stage and it was the David,  "I Feel Good" singer.       He had on sunglasses, ball cap, t shirt, shorts and tennis shoes.      He was a funny guy and we loved him already.        We was so close to the stage and as he grabbed the mic, the music started and he jumped about 3 feet off the stage and hit the stage and about the time his feet landed he screamed in the mic "I feel good" and mom squealed to the top of her lungs!!!     I thought something had happened to her and I started reaching for her and asking what's wrong, she finally lowered her hands from her face and said "he scared me"!!!     I just screamed out laughing when I found out she was alright and he kept on singing and we sat there and laughed all during his song, we could not help it.      Everyone behind us noticed and heard us.       How could they not!!!!!!    He finished his song and left the stage and we was still sitting there cracking up at what had just happened.       Then the Frank Sinatra wannabe went to the stage and before his music started, he told the guy that had just gotten off the stage that he just about scared these two ladies sitting at the stage half to death and we kept cracking up and everyone in there was laughing.        After Frank got done with his song, that David was called back to the stage and on his way up, he stopped by us and reached his hands out to both of us and shook our hands and apologized for startling us.     We just laughed and said it was just too funny and that he didn't owe us an apology.       Of course, our giggle boxes was on and in high gear and we laughed the rest of the evening.        hahaha        So, be careful where you sit, you may get startled and then be a part of the act.

There was a lot of great singing, but for all the great singing, there was a lot that wasn't so great.   But, that is part of the fun of karaoke and one reason you will NEVER hear me singing like that.   hahaha        We really enjoyed it and it would certainly be on my go to list of things to take in if I ever get to go on another cruise.

When there was time between our planned out list of things to do, we would go to the 4th floor and sit down around the area overlooking the Atrium that was on the 3rd floor and there was a small stage about one and a half levels up, between 4th and 5th floors, that had a glassed in stair case up to it and then the stair case went on up to the the 5th floor.        On the stage, there was room for a singer and a musician and there was usually someone singing and playing a guitar or a keyboard and then sometimes they would also have a drummer with them.     These were employees of Carnival and they were great singers.      We would sit and listen to them sing and watch people as they got up and danced.       There was several older couples that could really do some good ball room dancing.

When there wasn't dancing going on in that area, they was playing corn hole.       We really loved to watch that.       I have never played corn hole before, but Mom loves it.       One of my brothers made her some corn hole boards for the Village where she lives and they play every chance they get.      So, I know she was wanting to go down and get in on the corn hole games, and I told her we could go and she could play but we didn't.        If I had it to do over again, I would have played.       But it was fun watching it every chance we got.

4th floor view of atrium and cornhole players.
There was an area on level 5 that was called the Fun Shops.       We spent a lot of time and money up on 5.         Every day, they would run special sales on all kinds of good stuff.      We got purses, hats, scarves, necklace and earring sets and t shirts, just all kinds of stuff.      I got a gray wrap that I really love.      We wore our hats and purses when ever we got off the ship and we wore our purse when was on the ship too, it was the perfect size for a camera and a water bottle.

Mom and I and our sassy selves!!!    See that bag I'm wearing, I got us those at the Carnival Fun Shops and we rally loved them.   Just the perfect size.
This was at the very back of the ship and that is where the pic above was made also.    So happy no one pushed us overboard.   hahahaha
One day between running here and there to catch this show or see this comedian or what ever, there was a line dancing class on the itinerary.        We went to that and had a ball, you guessed it, just watching, but it was soooooooo much fun to just watch that.      Just like singing is not everyone's gifting, guess what, neither is dancing!!!!     hahahaha     But big kudos to the ones that gave it their best effort.      Needless to say, they weren't handing out trophies, but it was still fun!!!!  

An upward view of the glass elevators from the Atrium.
Mom and me up to some meanness!!!   hahahaha
Mom and me up to some more meanness!!!    hahahaha    There was no alcohol in those drinks, I promobleised, uh, I promise.   hahahaha
A shot from our balcony.   Can you see the cross in the circle in the cloud?    I just now noticed that.    Wow!!!
One of the best things was meeting all the people.       We met some great folks from all over the United States and the world.       The waiters was some really outstanding people and they were from all over the world.       Every night we ate in the formal dining room that our group was assigned to and the staff made it so pleasurable and enjoyable!!!!!!        Mom and I wanted to bring them home with us just because they were so fun and made dining a great experience.

Allan, one of the server team and my Mom!!!   We loved him!
Servers putting on  a show during our dinner.  
More dancing.
More dancing.
J. J. waving at the camera.   We loved him too!!!
Beautiful Ni Ny, she was an amazing young lady, we wanted to bring her home with us!
The server crew was getting ready to sing to us.
Allan and Ni Ny singing "happy birthday" to Mom on Saturday night.
Some of the servers dancing with the children.
One thing I will have to say, the food is not what I expected it to be.        Some of it was great!!!!!     On the other hand, some of if I wouldn't feed to the hogs y'all!!!!!!        Yeah, I know, some of it is because of my southern roots and the cooking that comes with that.        You know, there are some dishes, traditional dishes, that you just don't monkey with!!!!!!       hehehe     You just can't!!!!!!        When something is as good as it gets, leave it alone!!!!!!!         You can't improve on perfection, really, you can't.        Say for instance, there is no humanly way to improve upon southern fried frog legs!!!!!!       Sorry for that, but you just can't.       Ok, you know where I'm going with this by now, don't you.       "Frog legs" was on the menu one night in the appetizer section of the menu.       I thought, OH BOY, this is gonna be so goooood.        I had that thought way too soon.        Don't ever think something is gonna be good till after you at least see it.      hahahaha         Did you notice I did not say "southern fried frog legs"?   For good reason, they were just sauteed in a little bit of oil of some kind and put in a little oval dish.     Let me tell you, this little southern gal was just totally heart broken.      I believe in eating what God put on earth for us to eat, that includes southern fried frog legs, but I am beginning to think that God should have put some guide lines in the Bible, like some foods should always be breaded and deep fried!!!!       With frog legs being at the top of the list.   hahahaha

Another dreaded appetizer, was another deep fried southern delicacy.       Fried green tomatoes.      I love fried green tomatoes and fried frog legs so much in fact, that every time I go to mom's for a couple of days, we go to Slappyz in Russellville and that's what I get!!!      Well, I got fried green tomatoes for an appetizer and when they brought it out, it had some kind of pico or something on it that just made me sick to look it.      Not because it was so displeasing, but because if you go to the trouble of deep frying something, you don't want to sog up the good crust it has on it.     Boohoohoo!!!!!        I told mom she needs to see about getting a job as the "master" southern chef on one of the cruise lines.       Lordy knows they could use her 65-70 years of southern cuisine expertise on the cruise we were on.        hahahaha

These were the little baby towel animals.   They were so cute!!!
This was some of the larger towel animals.  They were fun to see.
Now, for the good stuff, really good stuff.       Warm Chocolate Melting Cake!!!!!!!!!!!       Baked and served in a small souffle dish.       Oh my goshie, was that "thang" ever delicious!!!!!!!!         That deserves 3 thumbs up and before I had surgery I could have given it 3 thumbs up!!!!!        Just kidding, throwing in a little weird humor here.        I still have all 3 thumbs!!!!!!       hahahaha       Done it again, sorry.     Just 2 thumbs, but if I could, I would certainly give 3 thumbs for this delicacy!!!      It was warm and chocolaty and when you stuck your spoon in the top of it, it was so ooie gooie runny inside and it was fab!!!!!!       You got one little scoop of vanilla ice cream with it and I always just put it on top of the cake and stirred it in.     It was sooo luscious and creamy and yummy!!!!        Oh my goodness, I wish I had one right now, make that two!!!!        hehehe         I also got a really good lobster mac and cheese.       I enjoyed that.        They had a bbq area set up on the back side of the ship and they were grilling hamburgers, wieners, sausages, pulled pork, mixed veggies, baked beans and that kind of stuff and we had that for a couple of lunches.      Sometimes it was so windy that you had a hard time packing your plates and going inside to eat, but it was good.

One of things that we got to where we would do is get some of the drinks minus the liquor.       Since mom and I neither one drink, we still wanted to enjoy the drinks.        So, when we went to a show or what ever we was doing, we would order us a drink minus the liquor and get to enjoy all the frozen fruit juices, yummy for the tummy is all I can say for some of them.       The one I enjoyed most was one with lots of frozen mango and peach juices and then it had a generous streak of grenadine for color.     Beautiful and delicious!!!!!!        In total, I think we got 5 or 6 different ones to try.    I can't remember all the ones we tried, but it was fun trying them.        When we got off at Cozumel, we went to Fat Tuesdays and got a frozen strawberry daiquiri without liquor and we enjoyed that a lot.

One of the funniest things, every morning to start the day, one of the guys on the ship would come over the intercom system and no matter where you were, you could hear him.       He would tell about the upcoming events of the day and what ever needed to be told.       Something he always said was, "bye, I said bye" and then that was it.         Everywhere you went you heard people saying "bye, I said bye".       We was on the elevator one night coming back to our room after a great evening and there was several of us on the elevator.     When the elevator stopped at our floor, most everyone got off and we all talking as we got off.       We took several steps and my mom stopped and looked back at the people that was still talking and she said "bye, I said bye" and I thought they was gonna get down and roll.       There was a younger girl in the crowd and she said, "I was really hoping someone would say that before the night was over!"       Leave it to my mom!!!!        She's a comedian in her own right!!!!!

We got off at Mahogany Bay on the Isle of Roatan, Honduras.        I believe that is the one that is owned privately by Carnival.      The day before, we had gotten the itinerary for the stop at Mahogany Bay and it gave all the excursions you could go on.        Since we don't swim, we figured snorkeling was out.      Not much on dirt biking or canoeing or any of the other 75 different things to do, but low and behold, the angels were singing and the harpists were playing their harps when my eyes rested upon this one excursion!!!!!!!!        Not only was it something that we both could do, but we both wanted to do it, and it was in our price range, almost free!!!!!!        hehehehe         It was called "Magical Chairs", and it was a ski lift that took you over the main part of the island that was open for us to see!!!!!!!       Now, that's right up my ally and mom's too!!!!        We rode it down to the area of the beach and gift shops and walked around for a bit and looked and seen what we wanted to see and then we got back on the ski lift and went back to the starting place and asked if we had to get off.     hehehe     We didn't!!!!       That guy said we could ride it all day if we chose too.      We didn't ride it all day, but we did ride it another round or two and it was so much fun!!!!!       I could ride that again and really enjoy every second of it.

Mahogany Bay from our balcony window.   You can also see one of the jacuzzi's on the ship. 
Mom and I at the official Mahogany Bay welcome sign.
Beautiful flowers at the sign.
One of the views from Mahogany Bay.    Our ship in the background.
Mom and I gracefully getting on the Magical Chairs.    hahahaha     Our one wild excursion.   hahaha
Our ride to the beach and shopping area.   It was such fun.
Overlooking the shopping area.
The sign to Mahogany Beach.
View of Mahogany Bay and Beach from our balcony.    You can also see the giant chess board down on deck 5.  We was on level 9.
This is our sassy selves sporting our little hats that we got at the Fun Shops up on level 5.  We love our hats. 
Mahogany Bay.   The water goes all the way around this little island.  You can see the roped off beach area and there is also a small private beach that you could pay a wazoo amount to spend a few hours in and they had fancy chaise lounges and all kinds of perks.
Every day the people looking after our rooms and taking care of us would leave towel animals.      We couldn't wait from one day till the next to see what we was gonna get.      It was always such a fun treat.       Up by the main pool area was a desk outside where you could get extra towels and stuff like that and they always had some of the towel animals on display.      One morning we went through for breakfast, and on that desk was three little baby chicks made from wash clothes with a sign that said "Just Hatched".        They were the cutest things I ever seen!!!!!!      They even had a day where the employees would make the animals and put them on display in the foyer just off the elevators on level 10 for the guests to vote on.        The worst thing was that they just had them on display for a very short amount of time.      When we came back through from breakfast, they were all gone and I didn't get any pictures of them and I was so grieved over that.

Tender boat coming to our ship to take guests to Belize.   We didn't go. We didn't want to ride that thing 45 minutes to Belize. They were hop skip and jumping across the waves, just bouncing on every 5th wave, not for me at all.  hahaha
Another tender boat coming back to a ship.   There was 4 or 5 ships anchored out in the ocean while the tender boats took people to and fro all day;
One of the comedians talked about when he was a kid and all of his jokes were clean, by the way, but mom and I sat there and listened to him and we just about got down in the floor and rolled.       Mom said "multiply that by 5, and that's what it was like in my house with five boys"!!!!!        Neither one of us could remember a one of his jokes if our lives was dependent on it, but he was just plain funny.     We laughed and laughed and laughed till our sides were sore and I finally decided that is what we were meant to do, just laugh till we couldn't laugh any more and then laugh some more.       It wasn't meant to be remembered as much for his jokes as it was for mom and I laughing so much that our sides were sore and us wanting to laugh even more and we did.       Most nights we just fall into our room laughing and wake up in the middle of the night laughing and get up in the morning laughing.

Looking out at Cozumel Mexico. It was misting and the wind was bad you could hardly stand up straight.
Walking the "plank" to the customs building at Mexico.   The wind almost blew us off this thing!!!

Main street in the shopping area just passed customs.  That's where they suggested we stay and Mom and I did.
Man and woman singing and playing musical instruments on the area close to the sandy area.  Just behind them are some of the ships that was docked.
Mom and her pet burro.   hehehe
Just taking a break at Fat Tuesday's before we headed back to the ship.   We had alcohol free strawberry daiquiri.  It was delicious.   Wish I had one right now.  The mist and wind really done a number on our hair!
Proof that we was at Fat Tuesday.   hahaha    My brothers just don't have any idea what all fun we had, and it's better off that way!!!!  hahahahaha   
Some of the little shopping huts down the streets.   I bought some little bottles of shells and sand and I will mix that sand with the sand that I scooped off the beach in Mahogany Bay and make some craft projects with them.
There was a time or two that we just looked at each other and said "what happens on the ship, stays on the ship" and then crack up laughing even more!!!!!         The ship furnishes these really plush white robes.       Some people used them at the pool, other just used them at night  sitting on the balcony and other people wore them around on the outside decks at night if they were out strolling. We was getting ready for bed one night real late, or maybe it was early morning, I don't remember.   I had already gotten into my bed clothes and mom was in the bathroom.        I was looking at my cell phone or something and she came out of the bathroom and I glanced at her and thought to myself that she looked like a little sumo wrestler.       She walked by me and stopped, jumped and took on a karate stance and done a little yell and I screamed and fell back on my bed and laughed till I thought I was gonna pass out!!!!!!!     She did too!!!!!!        She said, "I just don't know where that came from!" I thought to myself, "I don't either, and I hope she goes back to where she came from and leaves my momma alone!"        hahahahaha         We have laughed over that till I just crack up all over again!!!! Some time after we got home, the sun was shining and she was feeling pretty good and she sent me a text saying she felt like she wanted to give someone a karate chop.       I told her to be careful, because I wasn't in the mood to visit her in the slammer for letting her "cruise alter ego" get her in trouble.       For some reason, I just don't think the judge would find it as funny as we did!!!!        Again, we laughed till our sides hurt!!!!!
There's a lot more I would love to share with y'all and many more pictures than time and space will allow, but I am so thankful and grateful that Mom and I got to share this adventure together!!!!!!      I wouldn't take nothing for this time well spent with her.      I am so happy that my husband and love him all the more that he made it happen for me.    It is truly an experience that I'll never forget as long as God allows me to remember it.      I hope and pray that these are memories that I will have as long as I live.

Just as a cautionary note, if you are gonna go somewhere with other people, make sure you know who you will be going with and ask questions.     You have the right to know if someone smokes, or drinks or does drugs or whatever else you can fill the blank with, and then you can make decisions based on your own health and well being.     After Mom and I already had our trip payed for, someone else decided she wanted to go and neither one of us knew her.      I had no idea I should have asked questions, so I didn't.     I blame no one but myself on this matter.        Having said that, I used to be a smoker.     I know how harmful it is to self and everyone around you.      It's really hard to quit, been there done that, so I don't want to be harsh on smokers.   It has been a long time since I have smoked and been around smokers.       Had it not been for God, I might even still be a smoker.     If I didn't have a reaction to it like I do now, I would NOT care at all.      But, over the years I have developed many many allergies, and lost a lot of my hearing due to sinus infections and bronchitis and infected Eustachian tubes, and one of my big allergies is smoke, smoking and second hand smoke and I now wear hearing aids due to my loss of hearing and deal with debilitating vertigo from time to time.       Smoke cuts my throat like breathing razor blades.       For example, I can walk thru the WalMart parking lot and walk thru someones second hand smoke and have a scratchy throat by the time I get inside and then if walk thru more when I leave, I can and will get bronchitis from that.     Were it not for that, I wouldn't care what anyone does, because I can't make anyone care about other people.

With that said, the other person was a smoker.     She didn't smoke in the vehicle, but she had to have the window cracked (blowing on us in the back) and air conditioning full blast (blowing on us in the back, not even on her,) because she is claustrophobic.      Anyway, an 8 hour trip was 13.5 hours due to smoke breaks.       She said it was due to her back, I really don't know!      I just know she always had to have a cigarette or two at every stop and then we got to smell and breathe her ashtry breath.     Before we got out of the state of TN I had a sore scratchy throat and it got worse by the minute.       I finally just said that if mom and I would have had all the info we should have had, we wouldn't have been on this trip and that I will have pneumonia by the time we get home.     I know what happens to my body when I am exposed to that much smoke and it did happen. I have just now gotten over the pneumonia, bronchitis and sinus infection due to not having all the info to make a healthy decision.     I have been about as sick as I have ever been in my life with this. My throat is still very scratchy and I still have a terrible cough and days that I don't feel good at all, but I am getting over it and hope to make a full recovery in the near future.      I just praise God every day that my mother did not get sick from this!!!!!!      That was my prayer when I realized what we was in for.   Hubby said for mom and me to get a motel room somewhere and he would come get us and had it not been for the loss of her money and mine, we would have done that.       There is more I could say on the matter, but no use beating a dead horse.      With this experience, I just know now that I DO have the right to ask questions and should ask questions and tell you that you too, have the right to ask questions to help you make healthy choices.     I know I will be exercising that right from now on and so should you.

I already want to go on another cruise.    That is just wishful thinking, but I can say this, I will know more about who I will go with than I did this time.        I will ask questions so I can make a healthy informed decision based on all the facts.      Now, with all that said, I would not take all the money in the world for the time that my mother and I was blessed to share!!!!!      That was and is truly priceless!!!!!!!       I am so blessed that I got to do this with my mother.       My hearts desire is that we get to go on another cruise together!!!!!!        Who knows, it just might happen again, until then, I will keep laughing and remembering this Carnival Dream cruise, because it was a dream come true (minus pneumonia)!!!!!

Scripture says: Delight yourself in the LORD; and He will give you the desires of your heart.  Psalm37:4

I just have to say Amen and Amen to this scripture!!!   Isn't is awesome and exciting to see how God wants to bless us when we are joyfully in a right relationship with Him and seek to spend time with our Creator.    It was awesome to look out over the ocean and to think that God had this time marked on His calendar for Mom and I to enjoy together.   He truly gave me the desire of my heart and I will forever be thankful to Him for that.

Hope and pray y'all enjoyed just a glimpse into our cruise.   I would loved to have shared all of with y'all, but as I said earlier, space and time won't allow.    Hope y'all come back soon.    Remember that God is waiting to give you the desires of you heart, just delight yourself in Him.

Till next time, God loves y'all and so do I!!    hugs, Patty

Friday, January 22, 2016

Wanna Build a Snowman?

I don't know what y'alls answer for that question is, but I don't want to!!!!   I could if I wanted to, but I don't want to.    You know how when you hear the weather news and you're thinking, "naw, that ain't gonna happen here", well, it happened here!!!!   hahaha    Yes, it did!     It just came a blizzard and it's still coming down as of 6:57 pm.     My youngest brother texted me a while ago and said, "Years from now people will be asking you if you remember the blizzard of 2016".     I texted him back and said, "I haven't survived it yet; people may be saying "the blizzard of 2016 took her out, remember that?"   hahahaha  

I did get out and walk around and took a few pictures this morning before noon.     It's always fun to do that.     Last year when we had one of our snowfalls, my winter boots had blow outs and I had to order a new pair and they got tied up in a snow bank somewhere before they finally made it to me.     I can report to y'all, they work really well!!!     I had fun in them today and took a few pictures. and wanted to share them with y'all.    Enjoy!
The snow on this rail is another 2-3 inches higher than it is there.   uggghhhh
This is in front of the garage door.   I was still on the deck and didn't know how bad it was.
 I was still on the deck here looking back between the garage and the house just to see the weight on the pine trees.
This is the partial fence that we have at the back of the house for just a bit of privacy.   It always makes for some fun pictures.
This is almost out to the road.    I didn't go all the way out.    It was really hard trudging thru the snow and I forgot my glasses too, so I was in a hurry to get back closer to the house.
This is looking down our driveway.   You can see all the pine branches broken off the neighbors pine trees.    It will take quite a bit of time for hubby to get all this cleaned up.    Thank you snow.   hahaha
This was just a little bit of a branch that had broken off and was about to be covered by snow.    I took a pic before it was completely covered.
This was another branch about to be hidden by the snow.
This is behind the garage looking at the fence area.   You can see the branches down  and more will be down before morning.
 This is really such a shame.    The last three years has really taken its toll on the neighbors pine trees.
This is another branch that has broken off.   There was 3 or 4 big ones that broke off so far, as well as as many smaller ones.
This is one of the holly trees on either end of the front of our house, taken from the back side of the tree.
This was just an iced over twig of a lilac bush.    I took a bunch of pictures close up, but it was with a new camera, and I'm not good with it yet, but this was one of the better ones.
This is some ice "tickles" hanging on the partial fence at the side of the house.    I call them "tickles" because they tickle me.   I love seeing them.   I don't enjoy the large ones that can be dangerous, but I do enjoy the smaller ones.    That's why I call them ice "tickles".   hahaha
 Just a few more ice "tickles"'
Another shot of the ice and snow covered lilac bush twigs.

Well, this is all the news that is the news from my neck of the woods.     I hope and pray that where ever y'all are tonight that you are warm and safe.    I am always reminded that while I may be safe and tucked away in the warmth of my home, that there are others that are not so fortunate.

Thinking about all the snow today got me to reminiscing about the days of yore!    hahaha      Makes me sound ancient, doesn't it.    It actually was quite a few years ago.    Where did the time go?   Oh well, the year I was the sophomore and my brother was a senior, it snowed a blizzard just before we was to go back to school from the Christmas break.     It was the perfect storm, so to speak, for snow. It was a snow that packed really well.    It was wet and heavy.   I got out and built a snowman that was as tall as I am.    It was really heavy for me to get it stacked, but I managed to do it all by myself.  I was so proud of my snowman!!!!!    He had everything that made him special.   A hat, a scarf, stick arms, a coal face and a carrot nose and coal for buttons down his belly.    He was quite the snowman.   I admired my snowman and watched him every day, for sooooo long!!!!     School was actually out for quite a bit of time.     But, the weather got better and we got back to school.     Every day the sun would shine and my snowman would refreeze at night.    No significant melting took place for weeks and weeks.    It finally turned into an ice cube snowman.    January ended, February came and went, March came and went and my snowman was still standing tall and strong.    April came and he started melting bit by bit.    He started getting skinny, but he was still holding his own.     One day my brother and I got off the school bus and he tossed his books to the ground and went running toward my snowman and done a kung-fu kick in the air and destroyed my snowman!!!!!    Boy was I mad!!!!!     I was so hot under the collar, I just couldn't believe he had done such a thing!!!     How could he!!!!!      I wanted to see just how long he would last, but nooooo, he had to destroy my snowman!!!!     Sounds kinda like I still hold a little grudge doesn't it.    hahaha    Well, I do, just a little.    hahaha     Not really.     I just thought about that after he texted today and I laughed about it.   So I thought I would share it with y'all.

I hope and pray that every one has a blessed, warm and safe night.    I know they are calling for really bad weather along eastern and north eastern area of the US.    Parts of the area are already without electricity.    I pray for safety for all of those people and for the people that will be out in this weather trying to fix what the ice and snow has torn down.    Take care every one.    

Stay safe Ladybug!!!    Sweetpea loves you and is sending warm thoughts your way and still counting the days!     Yay!!!!

Thanks for stopping in this evening y'all.    Just remember, God loves y'all and so do I!   hugs, Patty

Tuesday, January 19, 2016

Christmas and New Years is over, Now What?

WooHoo!!!!     Good morning, in the middle of January 2016!     I do hope that everyone had an awesome Christmas and that you kept the true meaning of Christmas in the forefront of all of your festivities.     I will tell y'all that I really tried to be ever mindful of the birthday of Christ.    I have got to where I try hard to not get wrapped up in all the secular hub bub and running and going and doing.    That has helped me a lot!!!!!     Don't get me wrong, I do things and try to stay connected with friends and family, but I don't have to be everywhere and do everything.    I try to choose the special things and the things that I know will help me stay focused on Christ.    I missed the Vesper Service at church on Christmas Eve and for that, I am really sad.    That is always such an awesome night, but I was unable to attend this year.    But I am still blown away by the Christmas Cantata that my little church sang.   The choir is less than 20 people strong, but you would think you was listening to a 100 strong choir.   They sing as if singing before the Lord, which in fact, is what they done!

My family got together at my Mom's Christmas and it was an awesome day!     One of my brothers did not make it, he was having Christmas with his family and that is certainly ok, but he and his wife were truly missed.   Had they been there, they certainly would have added to the joy and laughter.   There is always something going on, someone telling a story, or someone trying to reenact a particular event, and I'm telling ya, sometimes it gets down right hilarious!!!!    That is the joy of having come from a big family.     There is always new stories to tell each time we are together, and some of them are great story tellers and know how to get you involved so it makes you feel like you are right there in it.    And food!!!!!    Can we talk about the food for just a second?    Well, some of the best food in the world is always found at our family get togethers!    And none of us are what you would call "skin and bones" either.    Sometimes, I really wish the food wasn't as good as it is!   Seriously, I do.     On the other hand, I am thankful that we can all cook and know how to make food appealing to look at and taste good.  

My mom is the pie baker.     My hubby and I was talking on our drive home Christmas evening about my mom's pies.    He loves chocolate pie!!!!    That is his all time favorite pie.    He said that my mom's pies are the only pies he has ever eaten that had the same taste as the pies that his mom used to make.    Everyone that has ever eaten my mom's pies always rave about them.    My aunt and uncle still love my mom's chocolate pies.     So, back to the chocolate pies.     She didn't make any chocolate pies this Christmas!!!!     Oh NO she didn't!!!     Hubby went to the dessert table and was searching high and low, only to NOT find chocolate pie.    He did find coconut pie though!!!    That's what she made this year.    He said it was really good, considering it wasn't chocolate.    hahaha     Y'all know how I am about purple, right?     Well, that's how hubby is about chocolate pie!!!!     Yeah, right!    I know, it's a bit scary, isn't it?    hahaha    Oh well, he enjoyed the coconut pie and came home with a couple of pieces.    hahaha

We didn't do much on New Years, just stayed close to home and then went up to visit with my Mom for a little bit and enjoyed the day together.    We're not much on getting out and being a part of the crowd.   I'd rather be at home with hubby and just enjoy that time together.    

Look back at the title of today's post.     That is what I wanted to look at today.     What did we learned during this past Christmas season that we can remember all year long?   Lets look at Matthew 2: 1-10 for a minute.

Matthew 2:1  Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, Wise-men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying,   2 Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we saw his star in the east, and are come to worship him.   3 And when Herod the king heard it, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.    4 And gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ should be born.    5 And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written through the prophet,   6 And thou Bethlehem, land of Judah, Art in no wise least among the princes of Judah: For out of thee shall come forth a governor, Who shall be shepherd of my people Israel.   7 Then Herod privily called the Wise-men, and learned of them exactly what time the star appeared.   8 And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search out exactly concerning the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word, that I also may come and worship him.   9 And they, having heard the king, went their way; and lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.   10 And when they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.

As we look at this scripture, we see that it was a star that led the wise men to Jesus.    This star appeared in the night sky.    They had studied scripture and had long awaited the appearance of this star.    This star led them to Christ, the long awaited King.    The only purpose of the star was to point people to Jesus.    When the wise men followed the star that stopped right over where Jesus was, they went in and worshiped the King, that was birthed in a tiny baby's body.    As I pointed out, these men had studied scripture of old and believed what they had read and then believed what God had allowed them to see!    We know the story of Herod, how he wanted to worship the babe, but in reality, he was a jealous, power hungry beast that only wanted to kill baby Jesus.    That is not necessarily what I want to focus on, but needed us to be aware of that part of the story at hand.    God's plan was carried out as He had planned.    The wise men seen Jesus and worshiped Him, believing what they had seen. We have two accounts that scripture backs up of shepherds and wise men encountering angels and a star to lead them to the Christ Child.     The Savior of the world was born, and people have been drawn to Him and have had their lives changed ever since that day.

What was the purpose of the star that the wise men seen?    Have you ever thought of that?     If you are fortunate enough to live in a part of the country where you can still see the night sky, you are very blessed.     In most of the areas around cities, there is enough city lights that light up the night, that the stars are not as bright as they are out under a night sky far far away from the city.    I remember nights sitting out under the blanket of stars on the hill where my grand parents lived when I was a younger.     It was as if you could reach and pluck a star from the sky.    Just as stars have a purpose, so do we.   

The star that led the wise men to Jesus done what God had created it to do.    Just like the star that guided those men to Jesus, like wise, you and I are to do the same.    We are to shine for Jesus in the darkness that is around us.    Darkness makes a star shine brighter.    No star ever shines for itself.    It shines for others to be able to see in the darkness.    Just like that particular star, during the time of Jesus' birth, we are to be shining to point others to Him also.    If you or I are shining, only to bring others to us, then our star will dim and quit shining.     But, if we are shining with the sole purpose of directing others to Jesus, then you will shine just like the stars in heaven.    That is what we have to decide.   Do we shine for self for a short period of time and then burn out, or do we shine brightly pointing others to Christ with every breath we take, putting Him in the forefront?    Let me say that again, if you are a born again believer in Christ Jesus, then you are a star, pointing others to Him!!!     Matthew 5:16  Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

Now what?    Point others to Christ!!!   Nothing more, nothing less, nothing else!!!!!    Over the next few short months, we will start looking toward the Cross.     The birth of Christ is what made the Cross experience possible, which in turn, makes it possible for us to be in right relationship with God, thru the shed blood of Christ.    Talk about a GIFT!!!!!     Let your light shine, be a shining star for someone to see Jesus, pass that GIFT on!!!!

As we progress thru the beginning of a new year, let us do so with joy and exuberance and the dedication of pointing others to Christ.    As we remember the days of 2015, let us do so with joy also.   I know it can be painful to do for some.     Every one of us have been toughed by sadness and grief this past year.    When we experience the loss of loved ones, whether it's family or friends, it can be hard getting thru the grief.     My church experienced significant loss thru the deaths of several members in 2015.  We are still grieving and will for a long time to come, I'm sure.     One of my precious friends just lost her mom during December.     I pray for her and her family as they go thru this transition period without their mother.    So, it was a tough time for her and her family in one sense, but also joyous in another sense.     

I too, am so sad to say, one of the best friends I ever had, went home to be with Jesus on Dec. 11th.     She was 53 years young, much too young for this to have happened.    We were what we called "soul" sisters.     She was Pearl Love and I am Pearl Joy.    We weren't afraid to say the hard things to each other.    I love to be around people that make me feel better about myself by pointing out who I am in Christ.    That's what we did for each other.    When we would be struggling with something, God would give us fresh insight on a scripture to share with each other.   Our relationship was based on who Jesus Christ is and how He alone, has changed us from the inside out.    We both wanted more of Christ and tried to be a star pointing each other and others to Him.    She would call me out on an unbecoming attitude and I in turn would do the same thing and felt nothing but love for each other for doing so, because I knew her heart and she knew mine.     We had prayed for a miracle for her and believed with all our hearts she would get it, and she did!!!!!     She got to spend this Christmas with our Lord and Savior!!!!!     Pearl Love, I am so thrilled you are not in pain any more!!!!!!     I was reading some of our conversations in texting and cracked up at all the "basil" jokes that you come up with for me one time.     I am so thankful to God for the time He blessed us with to be friends and sisters in Christ.    I know there are many other ladies that can say the same thing.    There are numerous lives, around the world, that you touched and changed through your relationship with Christ.   You are missed and forever will be.    I can see you dancing around the streets of gold now with your pink tutu.  That was the first image that I had in my head when I found out of your home going.     I said, "Thank you God that she is now at peace and pain free!"     Till we meet again, my dear friend!!!!!!

If you have someone in your life that you love and they are experiencing changes that just don't seem quite right.     They may just not feel up to par.    They may have different complaints of something just not feeling quite right, please INSIST on them going to the dr.    Take them, if necessary.     Go with them, if necessary!!!    Just don't take no for an answer!!!!     Their life may be in the balance.   Same goes for yourself.    If something doesn't feel quite right; if you notice changes in your body of any kind; if you just don't feel like yourself, go to the dr and find out what's going on.    Go to the second and third dr till you get to the bottom of it.   Find out what it is and deal with it.   Do not put your health off, please!    Put yourself on your "to do" list, as a gift of you, for the people you love and those who love you.

I hope and pray that each end every one of y'all have a Happy New Year and that you ring it in with Christ in your heart and that your resolution for the New Year will be to be a "star" of revival that points others to Christ!    Make plans to spend 2016 with Jesus Christ at forefront of all you do!!!!    Get revived!!!!    Grow deeper in your relationship with Christ!!!!     Revival starts within ones self, and then it can spread like wild fire.    Make 2016 the year of Revival!!!

I have a few craft projects that I want to share with y'all very soon, but I felt the need to get this blog post out, so that's why it's without a project.    God bless y'all as you go thru the days ahead.    I think winter has finally hit my area on the map and I must say that I'm not loving it!!!    Not at all!!!    But I am truly thankful to God for heat and I bet y'all are too.    So, we make the best of it and have lots of hot soup on cold days.    It may be cold outside but the Son keeps us warm on the inside!!!!    Take care of yourselves and check on anyone whom you know that may have needs during this cold spell; you could be the difference between life and death.

Ladybug, I'm counting down the days and I know you are too!!!   Love you and see you soon!   Sweetpea

Hope y'all have a wonderful day and remember that God loves you and so do I!!!    hugs, Patty