Our First Caribbean Cruise

     We always looked forward to family vacations, but as our kids got older we would occasionally take an adult vacation.  Many people take cruises but we had never been on one so we decided it was time for a Caribbean cruise.  Some people only take cruises vacations because they are pampered and say it's hassle free.  Sounds great, hassle free what more could we want.  So with this information we started looking into some cruises.

     On this trip Tom & Ann (Mimi's sister) were our traveling companions.  We all settled on a cruise with Norwegian Cruise lines.  We flew to Florida and boarded the ship in Miami.  This was Maiden Voyage but this gave us no worries because after all this was Norwegian Cruise lines and they were experienced at giving their customers a great cruise experience.  This 4 day cruise was schedule to stop at Cozemel, a private island and Key West.  There would be an endless amount of entertainment and food on board to keep us from boredom between our stops.

     We boarded the ship late because the current passengers were slow to get off the ship and there were a few passengers that were on back-to-back trips that were required to leave the ship even though they were getting back on for the next cruise and staying in the same room.  That seems a little inefficient but what do I know this was my first cruise.  When we finally boarded the ship and settled in our room we were told to go to the deck for life jacket safety training, which is a requirement on all ships.  By the time we arrived on deck for the safety training it was almost complete, but no worries we were boaters so we new how to put on life jackets.  Just put your head thru the hole and tie the straps around your waist, we got this.

     After the safety training we strolled around the ship getting familiar with the surroundings, wondering why we had not left the dock yet.  This is when we found out that the crew loading the luggage had accidentally threw some passengers bags into the water, thankfully not ours.  You could tell who the unfortunate people were because they were all wearing souvenir cruise clothing.  Woops!

    The food and wine was good as well as the entertainment but if you needed some extra towels or something for your room, the response from the cabin stewards (maids) was simply "Maybe later", which we found out means, Never.  That in fact were the only English words they knew.  I actually spoke more Spanish but not enough to properly ask for towels.  The wait staff was less attentive than we expected partly because some of the equipment (cappuccino machine, etc.) were not in proper working order.  At the end of the cruise passengers are handed envelopes, where you are expected to tip the crewmembers with a recommendation on the amount.  We thought about putting notes in the envelopes saying “Maybe Later” but we didn’t.  We tipped but not according to their recommendation.

     Despite the problems we had a good time on the cruise but it did not turnout to be hassle free.  I would not recommend cruising on a Maiden voyage because they don't have all the bugs worked out which can be a little frustrating.  Mimi wrote a letter complaining about the problems we had on the trip and with a little persistence all four of us were given a free cruise and airline fare as well.  So, in the end Norwegian Cruise Line came through providing good customer service.

Be All that You Can Be (The Best You Can Be)

     I first heard this quote in an ad to promote joining the Army.  I'm not sure who first said it but I love this quote.  It seems many people want the life of their favorite celebrity but that's not who you are.  How can we be better than being the best of our self, we can't?  No one can be a better you than yourself.  It speaks to self worth, being proud of yourself in every way, physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually.  Life will be good if you can be yourself.

     Being proud of yourself will make you strong and independent.  If you are proud of yourself there will be no need for excuses.  We can't all be the brightest, best looking, smartest or talented but that doesn't mean we are less deserving or less valuable.  If fact we all have talents and abilities that may be suppressed or undiscovered but we may never find these if we are distracted by another's life or dreams.  

     Many people yearn for riches and fame, its not about fame and fortune, it's about self-satisfaction and being relevant.  There's nothing wrong with dreaming but make it your dream not someone else's.  Use other people's success to inspire you, not to mimic their life.  Being appreciative of your abilities and successes will help you be the best you can be.

     Be real and true to yourself not a fake replica of some celebrity that appears to have it all.  Who am I to say these things?  Have I achieved my dreams, well not in every way but my life is good and I'm not yet finished so I will never give up.  "Just Saying...."

Our Kids First Ski Trip

      If you read some of my previous post you know that I enjoy snow skiing, I find it exhilarating and because of this I wanted my family to enjoy it as well.  Mimi (my wife) tolerates it but does not have the same enthusiasm that I have for the sport. 

     My kids were young and had not formed an opinion about the sport because they had not yet been exposed to it.  So I thought this was the perfect opportunity to take them on their first real ski trip out West to Colorado.  We have a small ski hill in Eureka, Missouri called Hidden Valley but it is no comparison the resorts in Colorado.  So I setup a family ski vacation to Copper Mountain in Colorado.  This resort is right off of Highway 70 and has everything you need without leaving the resort. 

     I decided that we would sign them up for Ski Wee school because it was the best way for them to learn.  Maureen was 5 ½ years old (½ years are important to little kids) and Patrick was 3 at the time, which was a perfect age to start learning to schuss down the mountain.  The Ski Wee school would teach them the basics of putting on the skis, falling, using the rope toe, and of course skiing. All this would be taught on the beginner hill with experienced instructors.   When I first learned to ski, I was taught the snowplough (snowplow) which is easy to learn but very tiring on your legs.  Mimi learned the same technique and although we both advanced beyond that it was always comforting to know you could use the snowplough to slow you down when you got in trouble.  

     We dropped the kids off for the first day of lessons at Ski Wee school and we headed over to do some skiing of our own without the kids.  They were in the morning session of the school so we went by to pick them up before we went to lunch and Maureen was sitting on a bench but Patrick was sprawled out sound asleep on a picnic table, totally exhausted.  We spent the rest of the day checking out the town after we ate lunch.  It was a fun afternoon and that evening (we brought our swimming suits) we decided to use the Jacuzzi at the condo, which we thought would be fun and relaxing.  

     The kids were excited as we headed to the Jacuzzi.  The water was nice and warm, not too hot as we jumped in but when I turned on the jets, Maureen freaked out and started screaming.  I quickly pulled her out of the water and turned off the jets but she kept saying she didn't like the Zucchini.  We tried not to laugh but it was a little funny.  I don't know if it was the sound of the jets or the rushing water that scared her but she was done with the Zucchini (Jacuzzi) for the night.  We couldn't get her to put her toes in the water even with the jets off; well we can try another day.

     The next day we took them back to ski school for their final lesson and again picked them up before lunch.  We spent the afternoon doing things the kids wanted to do, pizza, games and a movie.  That night we tried the Jacuzzi again, Maureen got a little more comfortable but we did not turn on the jets. 

     The last two days we skied with the kids which lots fun but hard on my legs.  I took Pat and he was too little to go down by himself so he skied between my legs while I snowplowed.  My calves and thighs were screaming from the pain.  Sometimes I would turn around and snowplough backwards in front of Pat but that was even more difficult.  It was a fun experience watching the kids learned to ski and we have been on many ski trips since then. So I guess you could say I was successful in introducing them to skiing plus learning the Jacuzzi was scary for a 5 ½ year old and 3 year can sleep anywhere.

Real People with Interesting Lives

     I have met some very interesting people over the last few years. They are not celebrities by today’s standards; they're much more. They live their lives through their passions and dedication to their families.  They don't seek fame or fortune but their achievements are amazing.  Sometimes they are forced into difficult situations that bring about hard decisions but they persever.  You won't find their achievements or escapades on a Facebook post because they don't boast about them; many don't even know or care about social media.

     It's unlikely that you would ever recognize them or even realize that their life has been special.  You could be standing next to them in the checkout line at the grocery store and not know of their interesting life.  These are private hard working people that have strong beliefs.  Most of them are from a generation that will soon be just a memory but they will share stories of their life if you ask. 

     Some of the stories they tell or sad, some happy but all are interesting tales from the past that will be lost if left unheard.  I have spoken with WWII veterans telling combat stories, interesting stories about meeting famous entertainers, playing ball as a kid with Yogi Berra and Joe Garagiola, hopping a freight train to California for the summer, building a street race car, attending all 27 Cardinal home games or a detailed description of a family tragedy.

     It’s fun to see them laugh as they are telling a story and hard when they tell a tragic story of their life but in either case these are stories about real people that are important to know.  Sometimes close relatives don’t know some of these stories, which is unfortunate because this history is part of their life as well. 

     Once someone passes without telling his or her stories that history is lost forever.  Life stories are important and I believe telling these stories extends a persons life in some way at least to the relatives.  Stories celebrate your life but only if they’re told.  Next time you’re with Grandpa or Grandma ask them to tell you a story about their life. 

My Night of Darkness

     This title is a little deceiving because it sounds intriguing like a mystery novel but unfortunately that's not the case.   It is just about a night when the power went out last week.  I was getting ready to cook salmon on the George Forman electric grill when for no reason the house went dark.  Power outage but there was no storm or high winds so it was odd.  I thought maybe there was an accident that knocked a power pole down.  The whole neighborhood was dark.

     I had just opened a bottle of red wine to enjoy with my salmon, Mimi had already nuked a turkey burger so she was finished eating. We planned a relaxing evening watching a few of our favorite shows, but that was interrupted by darkness.  We lit a few candles to give us a little light so it we weren't in total darkness.  My sister-in-law (Ann) called about a wine sale at Schnucks so we took the opportunity to check it out fully expecting the power to be back on when we returned, but no joy.  No luck with the wine sale either.

     The house was still dark so we relit the candles I then decided to grill the salmon on the pit.  Mimi was resting on the couch, starting to dose while I sat eating my grilled salmon and sipping red wine.  A power outage is a drag because it's like living off the grid except for there cell phone there were no electronics.  Like most people we use the computer and iPad constantly even when we are watching TV, but oddly I found it very relaxing sitting in a candle lit room listening to the quiet and observing the shadows cast by the candle flame.

     It made me think how all these electronic devices interrupt our random thoughts.  I mean I already knew that but I still use them and rely on them daily.  Sitting in the darkness with out these devices made me realize I was thinking more freely, pure thought, which was not directed or influenced by TV or social media.  It was refreshing and relaxing to sit in the flickering candlelight.

     I'm 67 so I was introduced to Goggle late in life which makes it easier to separate from the Internet than younger folks but due to this power outage I discovered the idea of fasting from electronics periodically to be a good idea for me.  I will treat it like a time to recharge my batteries and be with myself.  There are many things you can do to relax and recharge your batteries like watching the waves roll on to a deserted beach, listening to a gentle rain, seeing a new snowfall blanket the ground or watching the flames flicker in a burning campfire.  There is one thing they have in common; they don’t need a plug.  "Just Saying...."

15 Minutes of Fame

     It's just my observation but it appears many of us are seeking our 15 minutes of fame without caring whether the fame is positive or negative.  I guess the goal is national or worldwide fame but any fame will do even if it is only among your circle of friends.  It reminds me of raising small children vying for your attention.  Any attention (positive or negative) is better than no attention, which seems odd to most adults, but young children are learning so they are constantly experimenting.

     That doesn't explain why adults still have this desire for attention maybe they never received the attention as a young child, I'm not really sure.  What I believe is that we as a society promote this awkward desire for fame by publicizing every little incident on the news and Internet.

     Recently, at the University of Missouri someone posted a note on a bulletin with some racial slur, which ended up on the 5 o'clock news.  I think we all agree that racial slurs are unacceptable but is a note on a bulletin board a worthy news story on the nightly news. By reporting this on the news we have given this person their 15 minutes of fame if only with their small group of friends and fueled others to do the same.  Another approach would have been for the school authorities remove the note shredding it and ending the issue without giving any recognition to the person who wrote it.

     Sometimes it's important to recognize a real problem from a random immature act.  Many college students are on their own the first time in their lives and despite their age some are still immature which is obvious by their behavior.  Hopefully, these students will grow out of their immaturity in time but some may not just look at the politicians and celebrities.  They are already famous but still seeking more attention.  We could try ignoring them, they won't go away but if no one pays attention maybe they'll try a different approach.

     Let's not give people their 15 minutes of fame for immature behavior; it needs to be dealt with but not on television.  This only promotes more immature behavior; reality shows are a good example in promoting famously bad behavior but it gets them lots of attention.  "Just Saying...."

Touring Our Future Home at the Home and Garden Show

This is kinda like the Star Wars series where the second story       

released is the first story in the series.  In my last

              post I told you about Our Envelope Home,

 now you get to hear how we found it,

                       bought it and learned about it’s

unusual beginnings. Too bad

 I can’t make these words

                                scroll like Star Wars…

I need a

 Bigger

          Budget.

     Before HGTV we got our ideas on home renovation from attending the Home and Garden show held every year at the convention center.  We always looked forward to the Home show.  It was fun looking at all the innovative products and designs to see how we could make a few changes around our house.  There were some elaborate displays and for a number of years they would actually build an entire house in the convention center (without a basement), pretty amazing.

     A complete house built at the convention center was a big draw because it was an amazing feat that took place in about 7 days, seems almost impossible.  I happily stood in line to view the house whenever they built one there and they were always worthwhile.  I remember commenting on how attractive some of these houses were, especially one in particular. 

     Fast-forward a few years when we decided to move to St. Charles, Missouri.  A real estate agent told us about a house at the south end of Hwy 94 that was on the market, so we decided to take a look at it.  We were not really prepared to buy anything; we normally don't make quick decisions on a major purchase like a house.  So we drove out to the house in Cedar Glen Subdivision off Hwy 94 to take a look.   We immediately liked it but we had few concerns.  We were told it was a high efficient envelope home but it had a wood (treated lumber) foundation, which was unusual in Missouri.  There was a guarantee on the foundation but guarantees are only as good as the company backing them.  The builder still owned the property but renters were living in it at the time.  This was the first envelope home built in St. Charles County.  

     We didn't make an offer because we wanted to investigate this wood foundation.  A short time later after we felt more comfortable about the wood foundation we made another visit to the house still not seriously looking, just curious.  The real estate agent encouraged us to make an offer saying the builder was anxious to sell.  Mimi and I talked it over (we really liked the house) and decided to make a lowball offer because the wood foundation would scare most people away.  We did not bring the checkbook because we had no intention of making an offer at this time but we figured what could we lose so we made a low offer excepting it would be rejected.  Everyone knows when you make an offer on the house you put earnest money down to secure the offer but I only had $10 to put down.  Surprisingly the agent accepted the earnest money and submitted the offer.  Try that in today’s market and see where it gets you.

     The negotiations went quickly and we got a great price for our high efficient envelope home in St. Charles.  End of story right, no not even close.  At some point in the negotiations the builder told us this home was originally built in the convention center for the Home and Garden show, then disassembled and brought out to this lot and reassembled on the foundation.  No way, I knew there was something familiar about this place, I had been through this house at the convention center and really liked it.  The builder said it took over 300 carpenters to build this house at the convention center in 7 days and he had colored slides showing the build.  He loaned me the slides and I watched our home being built at the convention center from bottom to top, it was awesome.  There were so many carpenters running around working on the house, it looked like there were ants running all over the house, carpenter ants I'm sure, Yuk Yuk.

     How did they disassemble and reassemble this house, you might ask?  These were my exact words.  I’m told they numbered then cut the walls at the intersections then loaded everything on a tractor-trailer hauled it out to St. Charles and reassembled it (on the wood foundation) by adding additional 2x4’s or 2x6’s on the corners to reattach the walls.  I’m not sure about the electrical since the drywall wasn’t removed but somehow everything seemed to work except the air conditioner.  Actually, the air conditioner worked but it was wired incorrectly to the furnace so that first summer the furnace ran whenever the air conditioner was on.  They kept saying that the heat pump didn’t put out cold air like a regular air conditioner, which maybe true but it shouldn’t be warm air.   Heat pump Smeat pump.  We finally convinced them something was wrong which is when they found that it was wired wrong.

     Thankfully, everything went smoothly after that and we enjoyed living there for about 14 years.  Our home had a big yard (corner lot) in a great neighborhood with many good memories.