On Board, Day 3

Our boarding time was supposed to be after 2:15 today but we checked out of the hotel at 11-ish . . .

and when the taxi dropped us at the terminal before noon, we just kept following the signs, through check-in … and Customs … and security … almost onto the ship without stopping.

Aft view of Canada Place, aka the dock

The gangway opened at 12:30 and we were in the first group to board. We had checked out our (very nice!) cabin and were in the Lido having lunch by 12:48. Sweet!

Forward view from the balcony

The ship got underway about 5, just as we were getting ready for our 5:30 dinner reservation. (Have you noticed cruising is all about the food??)

Tomorrow is an at-sea day. Can’t wait to explore the ship and relax. And eat. 

See you again in 11 days, Vancouver!

Vancouver, Day 2

 Today was spent wandering the streets by the waterfront,

 Carolyn, Vickie, Richard

in the perfect weather,

waiting for our ship to arrive tomorrow.

The whole gang

Back of our hotel, seen on our after dinner walk

Alaska Trip, Day 1 - Vancouver

Today was travel day - we left the house at 0200, got to LAX at 0300, waited for ticketing to open . . .and security to open . .  for a 0600 flight. So early! But we were 3rd in line for security and sailed through TSA.

Dark and deserted at 3 am

Views from the plane: Mt Shasta, Crater Lake, Mt St Helen’s and a thunderstorm over Washington state. 

Vancouver airport was the same - almost no one around when we landed at 9 am so we flew through customs and passport checks. 

Breakfast on the plane

Our hotel is in downtown Vancouver, about 3 blocks from where the cruise ships dock. 

We took a walk in the light rain while waiting for our room to be ready, admiring the skyline, docks and the ENORMOUS Princess cruise ship. No desire at all to sail on something that big and that crowded. 

Tomorrow we’ll (hopefully) meet up with the Bill & Carolyn and Vickie & Rich for some sightseeing, then Thursday we sail for Alaska!

Can’t wait!

Yards of Fun

 Pop has almost finished the backyard upgrade -

dirt pit for the littles and brick patio for me. 

I especially like the decorative touch of orange. It goes so well with silly Donovans.

We’d been talking about what kind of shade cover to get when I remembered the beach tent I bought several years ago and have almost never used. 

Portable, collapsible and small people approved. Perfect for both front and back yards.

That Other Mouse

I honestly forgot that I bribed Jac with a trip to Chuck E. Cheese if she let me cut her hair yesterday.

The shock of her saying “ok” knocked it clean out of my brain. 😂

Guess who didn’t forget? 

And who started asking “is it time yet??” as soon as she walked in the door this morning?

Leo is so good at this claw game, she was giving balls away to random kids who asked.

A deal’s a deal, so we spent the afternoon with all four grands at that other mouse house.

Jac’s down and dirty, grandma-did-it haircut ended up costing twice as much as when I get my hair professionally cut. 😜

Worth every penny though,

especially when it made all four of them so happy. 

Hair, Heat and Quilting

I’ve tried, off and on, to talk Jac into cutting her hair for over a year. It’s pretty fine, snarls easily, and was too long for her to manage herself. 

When we were done washing it today, as I started trying to get the tangles out, I asked her again if she wanted it shorter. And she said “yes”! (Are you sure? Really sure? Positively sure?? Yes, yes and yes!) It’s ridiculously cute and she loves it. Still haven’t heard what her mom thinks of it . . .

The boys and Mary went to a food festival in Thousand Oaks on Saturday. I’d taken a look at the predicted temperature (93°!) and said no, thank you. They lasted less than an hour before the heat got to them but at least they got a cute pic! (And $16 lemonade . . .)

Now that the genealogy book is done, and my shoulder is as good as it’s going to get for awhile, I broke out the finished flower blocks-of-the-month and printed the paper pieces for the next two I want to do. May not get any actual sewing done before we leave for Alaska (7 days!!) but I’ll be ready to go when we get back. 

Wildlife Cruise

On Monday Breanne drove up from Culver City and we took her and the little girls on a wildlife cruise from Oxnard harbor out to the Channel Islands.

It was Jac’s first time on the ocean, so we weren’t sure how she’d do seasick-wise. She was ok for the first half hour or so, then she curled into a ball and went to sleep. 

Poor tiny girl. She missed the “nursery pod” of Common Dolphins - so many tiny babies!! - 

and slept until we were cruising along the islands, where the water was calmer. 

But once she woke up she was fine! She bounced around on deck with Pop for awhile, then came back inside with me and (seasick) Breanne for the rest of the journey. Leanne spent the entire trip on the upper deck, having a great time and a great view.

Even though she was sick the whole time, Breanne says she wants to go again, and probably bring her oldest, Travis, with her. Happy birthday, Breanne!

Catching Up

The genealogy book is done - for real this time. I said it was finished on Sunday too, but then I added 2 more pages today. Final page count is 62 - just a few more than I thought there’d be. Hope the printing goes well tomorrow.

Bought Jac and Donovan matching shirts. ($2 each on sale at Old Navy Outlet.) 

So dang cute.  

One of my sisters had a heart attack on Friday and passed away Sunday in Oregon. She was 65. The only positive is that all her kids and grandkids had an opportunity to say goodbye before she passed. I’m so grateful for that. 

Donovan came over last night to bring me flowers and my favorite cake because he knew I was sad. And then asked if he could spend the night cause he loved me. 

He’s just about the sweetest kid ever. And his parents are pretty nice too. 

Daily Jackie

 Took Jac with me when I went to buy shoes*. 

“Grandma, take a picture of those shoes. I’m going to make them when we get home.” That’s my girl! (These aren’t the one I bought . . .)

* New shoes and new purse - it must be (almost) vacation time! Counting down T-18 . . . 

Shark Tales

 Today’s summer fun . . .

“Look Grandma, I caught a shark!”

Sneaking up on a lizard. (Spoiler - the lizard heard them coming.)

The new tiny chairs for tiny people are a huge hit. 

Best Pop

Pop made a dirt pit in the backyard for Jac and Donovan and Jac is beside herself with excitement. (Still needs a bit more fill . . .)

He also bricked (re-bricked) where the too-tall tree used to be so I’ll have a nice area to sit and watch them play. And watch the lizards try to run them off. Can’t wait to see that contest! 

And he took the girls to the beach, just because they wanted to go. And didn’t make me go (I’m not a beach fan.) Definitely a top contender for Best Pop Ever.