Another Ship Canyon - Costa Maya, Mexico

Good morning,

This ship canyon was created in Costa Maya, Mexico, with our ship, Liberty of the Seas and MSC Seaside.

The sun and the ships were positioned so that we got some beautiful reflections on the dockside and on each ship from the other. 

We enjoyed being on board during port days.

Ah, yes, cruising is fun....

 Lois

Bunkering Fuel in Galveston

Good morning,

I took pictures with two different cameras during our recent road trip to Galveston and cruise aboard Liberty of the Seas.

Today's image is of the bunker barge refueling the ship in Galveston at the beginning of our cruise.  The ship is refueled each week, but has enough fuel on board for two cruises in case of bad weather.  Bad weather could require the ship to divert from its itinerary to avoid a storm.

Ah, yes, this was a good cruise.

All the best,
Lois

More Flowers This Week

Good morning,

Each morning I go outside to walk through the garden I find more beautiful blooms to greet me.

I love this time of the year!

These are the blossoms that erupted from the buds in an image in a post a few days ago.

 I managed to get these pictures before the rain came and knocked them down.

 And, finally for today, here's a new rose bud just after the rain.

Lovely.

Enjoy,
Lois

Memorial day - United States of America

Memorial Day

United States of America

Freedom is Not Free

Red Roses

Good morning,

I love taking pictures of flowers because we can keep them forever (digitally) even after they have wilted in real life.

These were the lovely roses from My Honey for Mothers Day.

I also received a beautiful spring bouquet from son, Don, and realize now that they didn't get into my camera during all the excitement with all of the people being here.  :(

Thanks, again, to everyone, for a lovely Mothers Day.

Lois

This Week in the Garden

Good morning,

I love this time of the year. 

Every morning when I go outside there are more beautiful flowers there to greet me.

Since I've started having problems with my back I haven't spent as much time in the garden as I used to. 

Still, my very loyal flowers return to grace the garden year after year.

Stay tuned! Peonies are next!

What is blooming in your garden this week?

All the best,
 Lois

Packed and Ready to Go

Good morning,

The day comes during every cruise when it is time to pack and leave the ship.

We had had a marvelous week aboard Liberty with our friends, Martha and Russell, and seeing so many people with whom My Honey had worked for 31 years at Royal Caribbean.

We were so glad we were able to cruise when Martha and Russell were also able to cruise.  We hadn't seen each other since the Retirement Cruise (they were with us for the last three weeks before retirement aboard Freedom of the Seas) back in November, 2016.  Although we stay in touch regularly, we were delighted to see them again this week at sea.  True friends are precious.

Thanks, too, to the Liberty of the Seas family for your hospitality and kindness.  All week another cabin attendant, restaurant personnel, cleaner, entertainer, or officer would suddenly get that instant look of recognition on his/her face, smile, and say "Hi Chief!" when he or she saw My Honey and me aboard Liberty.  It was fun being guests in civilian clothes relaxing aboard Liberty of the Seas with our friends Martha and Russell.

We will have to do it again....

;),
Lois

Sunset - Returning to Galveston

Good morning,

I will never tire of sunsets and sunrises at sea and this one certainly didn't disappoint!

I took this image while we were sailing back to Galveston, Texas, aboard Liberty of the Seas.

Spectacular!

Lois

Ship Canyon

Good morning,

When you pull two huge ships into port on the same dock you create a huge "ship canyon" that takes on a life of its own with wind, sun, shade, and echoes.

Here we were tied up alongside another Royal Caribbean ship, Allure of the Seas, in Cozumel, Mexico. 

Gorgeous!

:),

Lois

Beautiful Weather for Breakfast on the Balcony

Good morning,

The weather couldn't have been more perfect for our April cruise aboard Liberty of the Seas.

I was still barely a week post-op from my appendectomy so rest was an important part of this week.  The weather was cool and comfortable as we approached Costa Maya, Mexico, and enjoyed our breakfast.

Life is good!

:),
Lois

Departing Roatan, Honduras, and Damaged Dock

Good morning,

After a beautiful day in Roatan, Honduras, Liberty of the Seas prepared for departure.  The guests were all back on board and the drummers on the dockside had gone home after a very hot day in the sun.

In the image above you can see the water swirling from Liberty's bow thruster pushing us away from the dock.  Even more interesting is the damage to the dock that was done by another cruise ship (from another company) just a few weeks earlier.  The other ship hit the dock and damaged a huge section of it.  We were still able to tie up with Liberty, though, so didn't have to miss this port.  We don't know how long it will take before this dock is repaired.

So, we were off to the next port!

All the best,
Lois

Linking to

Through My Lens

Wood Worker at Work - Custom Order in the Making

Good morning,

I took a few candid shots of My Honey working on a custom order for a customer of our shop.  He's designing and making a box similar to the one he made for me for Mother's Day.  See the post of that finished box here.

My Honey designs the artwork for the box on his computer to be made with his CNC machine.  He estimated the box he made for me took 50 hours to complete just for the machine time, which is, of course, in addition to all design, assembly, and finishing time..

The pieces are beginning to come together.  After all of the designs are engraved on each piece, there is still a great deal to do with assembly, flocking the interior, and finishing the wood.  The results are extraordinary!

Artist at work!

Lois

On Board Maintenance

Good morning,

To find a little peace from the drummers (see yesterday's post) while Liberty of the Seas was in Roatan, Honduras, we went to the Cafe Promenade on board to enjoy coffee and watch the world go by.

The crew's technical lighting department was in the process of replacing equipment high in the promenade. 

It was fun to watch how quickly and efficiently they got the job done.

It pays to stay on board while the ship is in port.  There are very few people and plenty of interesting things happening.

:),
Lois

Dockside Drummers - Roatan, Honduras

Good morning,

I'm back to some images from our recent cruise aboard Liberty of the Seas. 

I so remember being in this port aboard Freedom of the Seas, too.  How could we forget?

On the dockside, once again directly below our stateroom, were the dockside drummers.  These folks are here to entertain and earn a few bucks so we can't blame them for that, but there were some people on board who would have paid them to stop drumming all day.  When My Honey worked on board he could never get his after lunch nap in this port.  Rest periods were required for him between periods of work.  It just wasn't happening here!

While we were here this past cruise the constant and loud drumming was the same as it always has been.  No lunch time nap again, but at least My Honey didn't have to go back to work at 2 PM. 

;),
Lois

When is Lunch?

Good morning,

Miss Wendy is at the table and ready for lunch.

It's hard to imagine she will be four years old this month.  Our baby has grown up.

Love you, Wendy!

:),
Mom

Wall Lizard Looking for Lunch

Good morning,

I took this image of the lizard on the wall around the edge of our goldfish pond. 

These little characters like to eat bugs and there are plenty of them at this time of the year. 

The lizards are definitely our friends!

:),
Lois

A Most Beautiful Mother's Day Gift

Good morning,

My Honey spent many, many hours in his wood workshop designing and making this beautiful box for me for Mother's Day.

The carvings are on the top, front, back, and both sides.

The inside of the box features a sliding drawer section and blue flocking.

Most beautiful of all is the message My Honey wrote inside the box.  I just melted with gratitude when I read this.  He's a wonderful man and I'm so glad that we met.  I'm one lucky lady.

 I hope your Mother's Day was a memorable.

Lois

Iris - The Gift That Keeps On Giving

Good morning,

These pretty white iris were a gift from my friend, Barb Manes, more than 30 years ago.

Each year they reappear and continue to be the gift that keeps on giving.

How pretty!  Thank you, again, Barb.

Lois

Happy Mothers Day and Pilot Boat and Arrival to Roatan, Honduras

Good morning,

Happy Mothers Day to all the great Moms out there!  I miss my sweet Mom and wish she could be here to enjoy all of the wonderful things to see and do. She loved the grandchildren, travel, gardening, cooking....  I learned so much from her.   I wish I could put my arms around her and tell her how much I love her.

I still have more pictures from our recent vacation to share.  After two days at sea, we arrived in Roatan, Honduras, aboard Liberty of the Seas.  Above is the pilot boat arriving to guide us into the dock.

We had fabulous weather the entire cruise.

Our bow thrusters churned up the water as we moved closer to the dock.

Men were waiting to take the lines and help us tie up.

Without the zoom, you can see the two men at the bottom of this image and get the size perspective.

More to come!

Lois

Cupcakes and Ice Cream

Good morning,

Today's images were taken during our recent cruise aboard Liberty of the Seas.  My Honey and I enjoyed sitting on the Promenade deck at the cafe drinking coffee and watching the world go by.  Across from the Cafe is the Cupcake Cupboard where you can sign up for a class to learn how to decorate cupcakes.  We watched the entire event from set up, to the actual class, to tear down and it was amazingly well coordinated! 

Watching the children and adults follow the instructions from the chef was as much fun for us as it was for them.  When finished each participant left with four beautifully decorated cupcakes.

Of course, right next door to the Cupcake Cupboard is the Ice Cream shop.  :) 

Such fun!

Lois

Yes, I am a Yarnoholic.

Good morning,

Since our vacation and my surprise hospital visit last month, I'm finally starting to feel like myself again.  So, of course, it was off to my craft room to play with yarn.  ;)  Today's images are of yarns I recently purchased, but haven't started to use yet. 

The yarn in the image above will make beautiful shawls and perhaps sweaters.  I will play with different stitches to determine what it will become.

This gorgeous yarn will make so many pretty things!  I'm sure it'll be a gorgeous sweater, hat, and other items.  I've used the same yarn in different colors so know how it will "behave" when I work with it.


When I see yarn I like, I buy it, then figure out what I'll make with it.  Most authorities on this behavior will categorize me as a yarnoholic.  ;) 

I've always said my yarn obsession is much cheaper than a shrink and definitely more healthy than alcohol or drugs! 

What's your obsession?

:),
Lois