Nice...except for the rotten allergies. And yesterday I knew I was in trouble. I figured whatever it was I was reacting to was something pretty awful because I downed some allergy pills and did nothing for the symptoms but did manage to make me dizzy (alright...dizzier) and somewhat incoherent (OK, OK)...more incoherent than usuall. Happy now? Smart alec readers.....
Not to be graphic, but usually a runny nose does not actually run. I gave up trying to dab at it with tissues and just stuffed some tissues up my nose and started mouth-breathing. The kids thought it was hilarious but the Boss was less than impressed with my homeade remedy. At least my nose doesn't feel like it has been dragged over asphault from constantly wiping with tissues. Remind me to be a little more patient next time Squizz needs his face washed and he's not cooperative...
I still feel pretty crappy. My sinuses have packed up and left their posts, my throat feels like I swallowed battery acid and my face feels like a half inflated helium ballon, but I will soldier on in the name of the blog.
Time for more happy vacation memories!!! I can almost taste the non-alcoholic fruity umbrella drinks. Mmmmm....
Day three was a sea day. We woke up at our accustomed time but waking up at six thirty Mountain time is eight thirty Eastern time, so it felt like we slept in (sort of).
When we had gone to bed, the water depth was about 600 feet and when we woke up, the bottom had fallen out of the ocean. 11,000 feet. That is a LOT of water. The map showed us passing some little islands, but we never did catch sight of them.
We went up for breakfast at the lido deck buffet. I had hashbrowns, bacon, ham, and a Bagel with OJ to drink. The Boss had French toast, eggs, ham, bacon and OJ. It was typical buffet food, tasty, but nothing I'd call gourmet. After breakfast, we went out and wandered around the deck. The temperature had shot up at least ten degrees overnight and though it was warm, the skies were overcast and the wind was ABLOWIN'! We went out to the nose of the ship and shot some pictures.
As we got toward the front, I was got a picture of the wheelhouse, though the "action" seemed to be on the other side, where the curtains were drawn.
The wind was blowing between 25 and 35 mph all day long so not many people were hitting the pool, though the hot tubs were usually full. We just walked around snapping pictures and noticing the change in the water color from Galeveston. When we left the water was the color of clay, but here in the middle of the Gulf it was a very dark blue that seemed to sparkle or even glow turquoise when it was rolled up in the ship's wake. We went out to the little deck that looked like a snubbed off wing and found a gyroscope and a compass, as well as a very nice view along the side of the boat. It seemed like we were just above the water surface from this spot, but when you look at the pictures I took from off the boat in port, you can see that it is really about five or six stories up.
After a nice long walk and half an hour in the deck chairs with a smoothie or two, we decided it was too windy to stay out on deck trying to read. We had lunch in our room because if room service is free, you use it. I had a steak and brie sandwich on a french roll and it was not nearly as good as it sounds. The boss had a portabello sandwich with mozzarrella that she said was pretty good. Choclate cake was dessert, and it was far and away the very best part of the meal.
I had wanted to surprise the Boss with a little something from the spa, but the only appointment she could get for her pedicure was at three o'clock, right in the middle of the Coke sponsored slot turnament. So after lunch she went to get her feet rubbed and I went to the casino to sign up. When I got there I found out that they had a hundred and fifty people there to play and only five machines so they were making appointments to come back and play at a later time. I talked to the travel agent who was running the show and asked if I could sign up for myself and the Boss to come back together. Not knowing how long a pedicure takes, I signed us up for the last time available before the finals at six.
This turned out to be a bad idea. I went back to the room and read until the Boss got done. We went up to the Casino and found that the tournament was already closed. They had gotten to the last people in line and not thought to check the later sign up times and forgot we were coming at six. I was disappointed but the gal in charge felt really bad about it and promised that she'd find us something to make up for it. She was more than slightly toasted though and completely forgot about it.
I cried and cried and cried. Here I was stuck on this giant boat with nothing but free fruity umbrella drinks and free food whenever you wanted it and nothing to do but go to dance clubs (OK, not really my cup of tea) and bingo games and a casino and shows and pools...and I couldn't play in a slots tournament. I was SO upset. It completely ruined my trip.
I've gone blind, my brother got killed, I'm broke as a two bit watch, and my college degree is as useless as a two legged hunting dog. But the worst thing that has ever happened to me was missing that slot tournament.
I may never recover.
The Boss helped me start the process by taking me over to a penny machine and throwing in twenty bucks. I took a picture of the machine because as soon as I saw it, I thought of my cousin Traci, who is another "Great Scot". So this one is for her.
It had sheep and floppy hats and golf clubs and bagpipes that would shoot sheep out of them if they lined up as a winner. If you got three Loch Ness monsters on a pay line, you got to go to the bonus where you could choose which monsters to take pictures of. Depending on the monster and the number of pictures you won, you got paid big bucks.
****Editor's Note
Keep in mind, it's a penny machine. You hit a really big bonus and you win ten dollars. I like to play but I'm not much of a gambler. I don't have the money. But there is something to be said for jumping up and down and hollering like your ship came in at a casino. People think you just won hundreds or thousands, and all you really got was ten bucks. You cheer and holler and carry on, and even if you lose, you can play on a penny machine for practically ever on twenty bucks. That's not much more than you'd pay to see a movie. Think of it like this...if you went to a grocery store you expect to hand them money and so you aren't sad if you do. But if someone said "You just chose the right aisle to walk down, here's ten bucks!" would you walk away sad? Didn't think so. Ten bucks is worth cheering about.
****
I have to admit that my heritage and cultural pride was stung a little. I saw that there was a Great Scot Machine and a Leprechaun Luck machine. This was OK by me. Celebrate the stereotypes that are me; says I.
But the fact that between the two was a "filthy rich little piggies" machine made me wonder.
Irish, Scots, and Filthy Piggies? Just what, exactly were they trying to say here?
I was really offended until the Boss lined up Nessie and we walked away up fifty five bucks. Not bad for an hours work. Fifty bucks an hour is more than I've ever made. As long as they kept doubling my money, they could make whatever disparaging remarks about my heritage that they wanted. I was the one laughing.
Well, as much as I'd like to finish today, I've got to go get ready for class, so the formal dinner will have to wait till later.
Thanks for the photo, although I am pretty sure the Scots would not claim this Alaskan as one of their own. It explains alot as to why I am single when the men look like the guy on the machine :)
ReplyDeleteGreat photos.