May 19 2017
We returned home from Florida in mid March to wintry, disagreeable weather. LBI doesn't really have a Spring. The cold ocean and brisk wind prevent much warming until well into May, if then.
Yesterday, however, summer arrived with very warm temperatures and bright sunshine. Today, we are enjoying more of the same. I actually was able to sit on our rooftop deck on our new lounge furniture yesterday. Unfortunately, my elation over finally having decent weather is marred by the ongoing passport saga.
In late April, we decided to celebrate our 55th anniversary (my God!) by taking the Queen Mary 2 to England. We leave on May 31st for our first transatlantic crossing. Our passports were in good order, due to expire in late September. Cunard informed us, however, that we had to have passports with at least 6 months left on them. We were advised to renew the passports. The last day of April, we sent off our old passports, checks and applications to Philadelphia. Within three days, the checks had been cashed, and exactly one week later, my passport arrived. We then started watching the mail for Joe's passport. After two weeks or so we called the information line and were told that the missing passport was in Charleston SC and was not ready yet. We were told that it takes 6 to 8 weeks to process a passport.
I, of course, told Joe that this was his fault, as he did not want to pay the rather large fee to expedite the passports, so they are not expedited. We were also told that once we were within t weeks of departure we could make an appointment in Phila. to get everything taken care of....at extra cost of course. I asked if we could just show up without an appointment and was told no.
So here we are, with an appointment on May 30th, the day before we leave, which is the earliest appointment we could get. I am beginning to wake up in the middle of the night, stewing over the situation. I had several nightmares regarding passport applications that kept disappearing and then were damaged and then no pens were to be found. Basically, I am having a nervous breakdown.
It does not help when everyone I know keeps wishing me "bon voyage". In my heart, I know the passport will never come and that we will probably spend our anniversary in the local pub.
May 31st 2017
We did it! The passport came and we are aboard the Queen Mary 2! We dropped off Buddy at Pampered Pets in Tom's River, caught a bus from NJ Transit to the NY Port Authority, and schlepping luggage, got a taxi to the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal. The check in line was very long, but finally, we were aboard! Our first impression was how huge the Queen Mary2 is. Just enormous.
Our stateroom has a balcony, although the view is obstructed by a lifeboat.
JUNE 2, 2017
Today, Joe and I celebrated our 55th wedding anniversary! Who would have thunk that those two teenagers who knew nothing, had no money and little sense, would be on a luxurious ship crossing the Atlantic Ocean 55 years later. Tonight was a formal night at dinner, so we got dressed up and enjoyed dinner and a bottle of wine to celebrate the occasion. The food is wonderful and the service very good. We are enjoying everything and are so glad we decided to do this!
JUNE 4 2017
We have fallen into a routine. Every morning we go to the buffet breakfast and then to the library. There are new puzzles put out at 9am each day. A crossword, a trivia questionnaire and a Sudoku. We enjoy sitting in the library, looking out the big windows while we work the puzzles. The mornings pass rather quickly because almost every day the clock is set forward one hour at noon. So the next day when you get up at 7 it is now 8 o'clock and at noon it becomes one pm. I think our next crossing will be in the other direction, where one hour is added each day!
We attended a wonderful lecture given by the grandson of the violinist who went down on the Titanic, playing with the band to the end. He has done a lot of research and his talk was quite interesting. One little tidbit: the owners of the ship calculated the exact minute the Titanic sunk and stopped pay for the ship's employees at that time!
Every day we receive a small newsletter and also a list of the days activities. There is something for everyone...bridge, fencing, trivia contests, watercolor classes, lectures, pianist recitals etc.
Today, Joe and I celebrated our 55th wedding anniversary! Who would have thunk that those two teenagers who knew nothing, had no money and little sense, would be on a luxurious ship crossing the Atlantic Ocean 55 years later. Tonight was a formal night at dinner, so we got dressed up and enjoyed dinner and a bottle of wine to celebrate the occasion. The food is wonderful and the service very good. We are enjoying everything and are so glad we decided to do this!
JUNE 4 2017
We have fallen into a routine. Every morning we go to the buffet breakfast and then to the library. There are new puzzles put out at 9am each day. A crossword, a trivia questionnaire and a Sudoku. We enjoy sitting in the library, looking out the big windows while we work the puzzles. The mornings pass rather quickly because almost every day the clock is set forward one hour at noon. So the next day when you get up at 7 it is now 8 o'clock and at noon it becomes one pm. I think our next crossing will be in the other direction, where one hour is added each day!
We attended a wonderful lecture given by the grandson of the violinist who went down on the Titanic, playing with the band to the end. He has done a lot of research and his talk was quite interesting. One little tidbit: the owners of the ship calculated the exact minute the Titanic sunk and stopped pay for the ship's employees at that time!
Every day we receive a small newsletter and also a list of the days activities. There is something for everyone...bridge, fencing, trivia contests, watercolor classes, lectures, pianist recitals etc.