Island to Alaska with Pictures (part 2)

[Sea Fan]

Carl, not ignoring you have some computer problems that should be fixed tomorrow. Will think about your book name and yes saw the Batcave.

 

Dianne

[mich2]

How about "Carl's Excellent Alaskan Adventure"?

[cworld]

When we got over to the cart, the girls ordered a hot coco. Me and Mr. New Jersey asked the nice lady pushing the drink cart if she had Coke or anything cold. “NO, nothin’ cold. jjst hot tings, and drinks.” “If I just have too, I guess I’ll get a hot coco too”, I said. The nice lady pushing the drink cart started mixing up the hot chocolate.

 

I think we all thought that Princess would have some magical formula and come up with some great hot chocolate. BUT... the nice lady pushing the drink cart pulled out a couple of envelopes of the ready mix hot chocolate. You know the one, the red looking envelope thing. She poured the contents of the envelope into a paper cup, then she poured hot water over it.

 

It’s not the end of the world, or even close. I kinda like the hot chocolate out of the red envelope, and so does Mrs. C. But, I was a little taken aback whenever the nice lady pushing the drink cart told us the price. “Sis dollars” she said. OK that’s not too bad. So I handed her $6.00 and started to leave. “No” the nice lady pushing the drink cart said, “sis dollar each.” $6.00 each. What a ripoff. For store bought envelopes of hot chocolate. Those things cost what, 30 cents each? I was just a little miffed. But deep cleansing breath... Ahhh... Go to my happy place... You can’t take it with you... It’s only money...

 

The coco was a little hot so we started blowing on it, and sipping it. Right after Mrs. New Jersey took her first sip, it happened. “This is terrible”, she said. “I can’t believe they charge $6.00 for this. There’s hardly any chocolate in it.” Mrs. New Jersey said.

 

In my mind I’m saying “She’s gonna blow” but I don’t say anything out loud.

 

Mrs. New Jersey could still see the nice lady pushing the drink cart, so... She went up to the nice lady pushing the drink cart and told her that the hot chocolate wasn’t chocolaty enough. To make a long story short, after dangling the nice lady pushing the drink cart, over the side for 10 minutes or so, Mrs. New Jersey got some more chocolate in her drink. (Well, maybe she didn’t dangle the nice lady pushing the drink cart over the side, but she was pretty insistent.)

 

It really wasn’t very strong coco for siX BUCKS.

 

I posted the picture of Mrs. C in her blanket HERE.

The blog post for this one is HERE.

[Mrs. cworld]

My DH, if my memory serves me correctly (and it has been over 14 months since our trip), we saw the sign for $6 hot chocolate with the souvenior mug. Because I would have the souvenir mugs and I don't. AND I think we decided to go to the Horizons Court Buffet and make our own hot chocolate (which I don't think we did--we went to our cabin and watched the glaciers and drank "free" cokes). Mrs. New Jersey was the only one who bought $6 hot chocolate.

 

Let me tell your dear readers--PATIENCE--son's baseball team is hosting the summer state tournament and my DH is the pressbox man. Baseball should be over Sunday and then just 30 short days until the first football scrimmage! We ought to start a betting pool if my DH will finish this "little" project in those 30 days. I bet "NO" and remember I have known and lived with him for 26+ years!

[cworld]

As always Dear, you are right. That's probably why I thought the coco tasted so weak.

 

I know what all of you out there are saying. He's losing it. He's making things up. But then I've made up things all along. No big deal. I'm not making up the important stuff.

 

As to when I'll finish this...

 

Only the Shadow knows...

 

And he's not telling me.

[marcruiser]

Hi, I'm still here and I am practicing my patience. Just a year since our great trip to Alaska and I know your continuing posts will bring back great memories.

[mich2]

How about Island & Ice? or Island to Ice?

[cworld]

mich2, liked the first one better. Come on y'all. Hep (yes I spelled that just how I meant to) me. Surely, (please don't call me surely...) someone can come up with some title that we'll all look at and say "that's it... that's what Carl's book should be named." And when you do, you will go down in the annuals of pubilishing history that gave the great one his first book title. You'll be so hot, you'll positively glow.

 

So all of you out there, come on.

[cworld]

Baseball is finally over. I now have time for the things I have been neglecting. Things like painting the house, revamping the flowerbeds, replacing the fence, etc. Oh, yeah, then there is ItAwP (part 2). I can finally focus on finishing this little project. I figure if I really focus I’ll finish sometime in about 2 weeks. But then again, I’m a controller and focusing isn’t one of my strong points. Plus I really need to spend some time paint, revamping and replacing. So, ItAwP will live on for the foreseeable future.

 

So where was I when I was so rudely interrupted? Oh, yeah, we had just finished up the International Hot Chocolate Incident. It was coming up on 4:00 and it was time for me to go try to buy My Map. Mrs. C wasn’t interested in coming, Mr. and Mrs. New Jersey also didn’t want to come. Those traders. I sat through most of that stupid Art Auction for them. You’d have thought they would have returned the favor. I didn’t let it bother me and went on by myself.

 

I walked into the Universal Theater and there it was. My Map. It sat right in the middle of the stage, alone, all by itself. I’m sure it was lonely. It needed me. It was calling my name Carl, Carl, Carl. Come buy me. Take me home. I need you. It took all the willpower I could muster to not just run down and save My Map right then and there. I’d be saving it from the humiliation of no one but me wanting it. Can you imagine how My Map would feel if it went up for Auction and someone (me) bought it for the minimum bid? It would probably develop a major inferiority complex, thinking no body wanted me. I was just an afterthought. Mr. C just took me because no body else would. Nobody loves me, my corners droop, my colors aren’t sharp, my lines are crooked... I could just hear it. You could have to if’n you’d have been there.

 

I snapped a couple more pictures of the Universal Theater with the Wonder Camera, since there weren’t too many people there. (Good the less people the better. Auctions get crazy when there are a lot of people involved.) The decor of this place still blows me away. Although I don’t think it works very well as a venue for shows. But it is beautiful. I was particularly intrigued by the big wall decorations. They had a compass look to them that I couldn’t take my eyes off of. (Yes I could, but it sounds good.) The gold railings added a nice touch to the woodwork, the paneling and the overall decor of the Universal Theater. I’ll always have such wonderful stories about My Map and where I bought it.

 

Hey, dummy. Aren’t you getting the cart before the horse a little? Nah, who else would want a worthless map?

 

Post with pics HERE.

Also I've added a Table of Contents page to the website that will give you an orderly way to look at this book thing. Click HERE.

[mich2]

What about "Carl's Cruise Capers"?

 

You know, Carl, we saw that chart too, and really admired it and wanted it. Didn't go to the sell-off though because we figured it would be so very expensive. I'm anxiously awaiting the end of this "caper":)

[Shirleya53]

Oh my gosh!!! Only two more chapters to go ;-)

[Joy2Day]

Shirley, Take heart. With cworld, I'm sure those chapter listings are mere suggestions, not to mention the subheadings.

[cworld]

mich2, getting warmer. That one could lead to a whole series. Mmmm. Carl's Cruise Capers - Alaska. Carl's Cruise Capers - Panama Canal. Yeah, has potential...

 

Shirely and Joy, Nope, that's it. Two more chapters and I'm done. (Right, and if you believe that I've got a little real estate in Florida I'd like to sell you.) Of course 2 of my chapters qualify as a novel for most people.

[cworld]

Just after 4:00 pm Alaska Standard Time, or maybe it was Alaska Daylight Time, which would be 8:00 pm Oklahoma Daylight or Standard Time, or 00:00 UTC the next day Dave, the Cruise Director Guy, not the Purser Guy, walked up to the microphone and started to talk. (Totally confused now? Me too.) He started droning on about how the auction would continue as long as there were bidders. That there was only one (1) map (yes and it’s MINE, keep your dirty hands off). And that all the proceeds would go to charity (That’s nice, but get on with it).

 

Dave started the bidding at $20.00. It took a couple of seconds, but someone stuck their hand up to bid $20.00. Traitor. I wasn’t feeling too bad. It didn’t seem like too many people were bidding so, I decided to just sit back and wait until things calm down a little bit then jump on it.

 

$25.00, $30.00, $40.00, do I hear $50.00? $40.00 going once...

 

Time to jump in. I raised my hand. Going twice...

 

I was sitting up in the balcony, so I had to get Dave’s attention. I couldn’t let My Map go off to some stranger for just $40.00. “$50.00” I said, maybe a little too loud, but I had to get Dave, the Cruise Director Guys attention.

 

$50.00 from the balcony, Dave said. Do I hear $75.00 (Good Dave, jump it up, run those suckers off). $50.00 going once... going twice... (Be still my heart. Come to papa.) $75.00 from the lady over there. (What? Where? When did she come in?)

 

Oh well, she can’t want My Map as badly as I do. I mean I’ve talked to My Map everyday since I first saw it. I’ve already had dreams that had My Map on the mantel over the fireplace. I already know the perfect framing My Map needs to really bring out it’s beauty and wonder. We’ve already become attached. How could I let some shameless hussy bid more than me.

 

$100.00 I yelled. That ought to do it. Go away. It’s mine.

 

Book post HERE.

[cworld]

I've overloaded Cruise Critic again, and am having a little problem with the previous post.

 

The blog post is really HERE.

[cworld]

I've overloaded Cruise Critic again, and am having a little problem with the previous post.

 

The blog post is really HERE.

[Shirleya53]

WE still haven't found out if you got the map !!!

[cworld]

WE still haven't found out if you got the map !!!

 

(Said in my best Kung Fu voice)

 

Patience...

 

All will soon be revealed.

 

Ahhhhh!

[cworld]

Dave, the Cruise Director Guy, said, $100.00 from the young man in the balcony. (Need better glasses Dave.) Do I hear $120.00?

 

No hesitation, $120.00 do I hear $140.00? Dave looks at me. I raise my hand. $140.00 do I hear $150.00? Yes, I have $150.00.

 

Ok, now’s my chance. I’m going to put this hussy to bed once and for all. $225.00 I yell.

 

$225.00 Wow Dave says, now were getting serious.

 

Mam, $225 to you can you give me $250? I’ve got $225 going once. $250.00 I’ve got $250.00

 

(SHUT UP!!!) NO. This can’t be. This lady is driving me crazy. I had set a limit of $250.00 but now she’s making me, making me, making me... $300.00 I said.

 

$300.00 from the man in the balcony. (How quickly you age when you pull out your checkbook.)

 

Mam, how about you? $350.00, thank you. OK that’s it. I’m done. I’m not about to spend $400.00 on a cheap $5.00 map. Thanks, lady. You did me a big favor. Dave rambled on about how these auctions usually only bring in $100.00 or so, and how he appreciated our donations to charity.

 

Hey, Carl... are you crying? (ME, no.) Are you crying? There’s no crying... There’s no crying at auctions... are you crying? (Well...)

 

It was a pretty sad situation.

 

I went to the bathroom to wash away the evidence and went back to Mrs. C and the New Jerseys empty handed.

 

I still get mistyeyed when I think about My Map. (Sniff.)

 

Sing it Elton...

 

Link to Blog with Music and Lyrics HERE.

[margord]

Hi Carl,

 

I am back from my Alaska trip. Thanks so much for keeping me company builidng up to it. So sorry you did not get the map. I am back with you till the finish.

 

Marilee

[cworld]

Marilee,

 

Welcome back. Hope you had a good time.

 

To everyone else...

 

I've got to take a night off. I'm on vacation, (painting the house) and need a break. I'll try to get something up tomorrow.

 

Still looking for that book title.

[Sea Fan]

So what color are you painting the house??? I'm working on a title for your book but not having much sucess. I hope to come up with 2 or 3 ideas but maybe my trip to Tahoe tomorrow will inspire me.

 

Carl please keep this going it's so much fun!

 

Dianne

[Sea Fan]

Maybe it should be the Carl Series "Carl takes a cruise" "Carl Paints a House," See Carl controll the Airplanes."

 

I can see this big in the childrens and Adults section!!!

 

Dianne

[cworld]

Dianne, I like that you're titles work well for serials, (I was going to insert some witty repartee about cereal and serial, but my brain is fried) but it lacks something, and I can't put my finger on just what it is.

 

Painting everything white. Walls, floors, furniture...

 

Mrs. C's not real happy about the floors and furniture, but what do you else would you expect from cheap labor.

[cworld]

Gonna be a little short tonight. Painting has me worn out.

 

When I got back to Mrs. C, she tried to console me, but alas I was heartbroken. It was cold. I was depressed. My Map, MY MAP, My Map, was going home with someone else. I’m not worthy to live. There’s nothing left to live for. Life as I know it is no longer worth living.

 

We made plans to meet Mr. and Mrs. New Jersey for dinner. They were going to the finals of the ping-pong tournament or something. And we went back to our cabin, stopping on the way for another Coke.

 

That’s all it took. I was fine. One drink of Coke and it was what map? It’s amazing the healing power of caffeine. We did run in to Dave, the Cruise Director Guy, later and he said that lady was on a mission. Her husband wanted that map and she was willing to pay whatever it took to get it. Oh, well. Typical of my life. You can almost taste victory, but find out later you never really had a chance.

 

So we went to the cabin and took a nap.

 

I’ve added a few more pictures to the book pages HERE.