BIG NEWS!

As you can see by the ticker counter at the top of this blog, something wonderful has happened.

We have booked ourselves a Mexican cruise!

I'm so excited I can hardly stand it! I've been bouncing around with invisible Maracas ever since. We- being me, sweet hubby, daughter Ruth, brother-in-law Dan, his wife Sue, and nephew Nathan- are taking an 8 night cruise on Norwegian Cruise Line's Norwegian Star from Los Angeles, CA to Acapulco during the week of New Years eve. That's right. A New Years Eve party on a ship! If that isn't a fantasy come true for me! We'll be stopping in Cabo San Lucas, Ixtapa, and Puerto Vallarta, as well as Acapulco. A tropical break from the oppression of winter. I like that! Lets just hope there aren't any rogue waves. I don't want a repeat of the Poseidon adventure. Heh heh.....

We went on a Caribbean cruise two years ago, our first. In fact, it was literally 2 days after I closed the doors of my store forever. What a trip that was! Just the cure for the Shop Closing Blues-and believe me I had them. Closing that shop was giving up a lifetime dream for me. Sue came up with the cruise idea. We went without kids that time, just the four of us. When we were standing on the deck of the ship, waiting to get underway, waving at all the people down on the dock, and I realized where I was I started to cry. Growing up as poor as we were when I was a kid, the idea of ever going on a Caribbean cruise was preposterous. Yet, there I was, on a real ship. It was actually overwhelming for me emotionally at the time.

It was pure bliss. I didn't have to cook, and yet there was always food available. And I mean ALWAYS! You wanted pizza at 3 am? You could get pizza at 3am. And it was good food too. Some one else cleaned the cabin and made the bed. In fact, it was pretty much wait on us hand and foot. There was always something fun happening on the ship that you could do, so there was no excuse for boredom. Or you could just laze by the pool, or simmer in a hot tub. All we had to do was enjoy enjoy enjoy. Believe me, I enjoyed!

We stopped in Grand Cayman, where we swam with Sting Rays and snorkeled a coral reef. We stopped in Cozumel, Mexico where we went and saw some awesome Mayan Ruins. We stopped in Belize where we hiked in a jungle and floated an underground river (and I saw wild Toucans-that was a thrill!). We stopped in Costa Maya, Mexico and visited more Mayan Ruins, as well as spent a few hours in a small Mexican village drinking Margaritas and lazing on probably the most beautiful beach I've ever seen in my life. One of those white beaches, with the palm trees, and the aqua blue waters like you see in the commercials. It was quite a trip.

Another cruise. I can hardly believe it!

We did not walk yesterday. Cindy was sick with a bug of some sort, Jean is out of town, and it was just plain too hot to venture outside. Instead, I surfed around in blog land again and found the prettiest lace sock pattern, and it's free. You can find it here:
Saucy Socks by Cider Moon

They also have a pattern for a Beer Bottle. I think that is so cute! I have to make some for my brothers-in-law for Christmas. You can see that pattern here:
Knit Your Own Brew by Cider Moon

If you like making toys, like I do, there is an adorable vintage pattern for a tiger and a lion that is free. You'll find it here:
Lion and Tiger Toys courtesy of The V & A Museum

Today is bead group. I'm making a Dutch spiral necklace to go with the black and gold bracelet I made over the weekend. The necklace is, of course, black and gold. After making 4 dutch spirals so far this year, you would think I could remember how to start one. HA!!! Mind was a total blank. It took me an hour to find my book on the subject (Innovative Beaded Jewelry Techniques by Gineke Root). I ransacked all my 'spots' where that sort of stuff ends up. Not there. It never occurred to me that I might have put it on the book shelf where it belongs when I was done with it last time. Is there anyone else out there who does stupid stuff like this? Eventually, as a last resort, I checked the shelf and found it.

Have a great day.