All Things EARTH... part 2

[MJC]

Those coats are all very different. I think the Ralph Lauren is very much your style because it's so tailored. I couldn't see the color you mentioned though. I think it's green?

 

The CC one has a hood, and I don't like those if I expect to wear it while driving. Hoods mostly just bother me. I like the color a lot but I'm not happy with some of the reviews (though they are from last year). I would think about that though because CC charges shipping for returns, which can be both pricey and annoying. I do miss having a store here where I could try things on.

 

I am a fan of that jjill coat. I have a similar furry coat (shorter, more like a jacket) that I bought last year at TJMaxx and I love it because it is fun. I call it my muppet coat. It's like a blue spruce green that looks good with my eyes, too. If I didn't already have that one, I'd be seriously considering the jjill one.

 

 

 

 

[laurspag]

Margaret, I am happy you are feeling better.  When I tested positive, I was so sick for a week and a half and then it took that much time in addition to get over the fatigue.  It was no joke.

Coat wise, I'm going for the RL. It is on sale right now.  I personally envision a coat that is truly part of a "going outside" outfit, which means scarves, booties, etc.  I can do that with this style. 

 

I am platinum with Macy's so I have fre shipping and returns.  It makes shopping easier.

 

We love trivia.  We aren't into game shows, but enjoy catching a musical here and there.  We often enjoy going to the lounges to listen to music.  Last year was rough for my husband but he did much better this year.

 

I love learning about different cruise lines.

[awhfy]

22 hours ago, laurspag said:

Or maybe this?  I checked, and the Coldwater Creek coupon doesn't work, even though I can't find the item under the exceptions.  Oh well.

 

This is cheaper, and while not as fuzzy, may be better choice for my sizing.  I'm looking at litchfield, although the ivory is nice.  For this particular one though, I think the olive green is just better.  It is on sale for a great price.

 

Lauren Ralph Lauren Women's Corduroy-Trim Quilted Coat, Created for Macy's & Reviews - Coats & Jackets - Women - Macy's (macys.com)

 

 

I love the fuzzy JJill one

[laurspag]

I love that it is fuzzy too, Melody.  I am learning though  that I love a lot of different styles, but what I actually wear isn't always the same.  I also like to analyze things like that too.  Why do I feel drawn to it if I won't wear it?  Then I realize that you can see the beauty in many things, but it doesn't mean you want it for yourself.   I think if they had a less fluffy version, I would say it is a candidate.  

 

One of the reasons I often ask on this thread about things, is that you all will say things like "that is so you!" or "the tailored one seems more your style", etc.  You make me realize things that I already know, but just aren't thinking about at the moment.

 

I too saw that the Coldwater Creek jacket was not getting very good reviews, and just thinking about it made me super hesitant.  I have had jackets where the lining wasn't right, and hated it.  

 

So, are you ready for my long winded review?  It is way too long, and I apologize.  At least this isn't a work email, where the boss will ask me if I can try to be more to the point, lol.  It's meant to be a story!!!

 

 

[laurspag]

I took a few hours of personal time off so that I could go home and finish getting ready for the cruise on Friday.  As I mentioned previously, I normally like to get things out and ready if I can, and I originally thought it would be easy to do because it’s fall and I would be able to set aside the dinner dresses, swimsuits, shorts, etc.  Then I would just need to add things later on.  However, we were having an appraisal done, and I wanted everything put away and tidy in the house so I waited. 

 

While I got to work on the cruise clothing in between all that, I felt very unorganized.  My husband was working a lot of overtime because they are short people and he figured the money would come in handy, for household things and vacations.  We had a big to-do at the bank with a major job not being done properly that required a lot of effort to take care of.  We were both literally all over the place, both mentally and physically.   I also did something very silly….

 

I ironed everything, and had a bunch of dresses, tops, my husband’s pants and shirts, etc. all ironed and on hangers.  I put them in the spare room, on the curtain that covers the closet entry.  It is just a tension rod, so I moved the curtain to the side and hung everything.  I was so proud of myself, since I would be packing in there.  So when I went in to pack, everything was on the floor.  It was too much for the rod, which I should have realized.  I had to re-iron everything…even the things that really didn’t need ironing to begin with.  Oops.

I am updating the vacation packing list I have saved.  I always add my outfits and there are some fixed items on there, but I want to make it better to help prevent us from leaving anything behind.  It will make things easier, as I overlooked bringing a few things this time.

Getting back to leaving early from work on Friday, I came home to do laundry, pack and lots of last minute things.  My husband and I made a plan, because we wanted to feel rested for the long day ahead of travelling on Saturday.  First, Texas is one hour behind New York.  It takes quite a while to get there as well.

Our flights were leaving at 6:00 AM, meaning boarding was at 5:30 AM.  We aren’t too far from the airport, but I knew we would need to get the luggage situated, go through TSA, etc.  The plan was to shower the night before, and literally get up and leave in 30 minutes.  Since my husband is involved, it meant 45 minutes, lol. 

 

So there we were….getting up at 3:30. I’m always excited, so it isn’t a problem for me.  My husband is a bit slower in the morning.  He is also still not well.  He is better than he was last fall/winter, but he struggles.  He is frustrated, and I am frustrated.  While we are elated that they ruled out leukemia and lymphoma, they really didn’t figure much out and it seems like his doctors aren’t really doing anything at all, including follow up visits.  More on that at another time.

 

I only tell you this because we have been in a situation where we both lost weight, started taking really good care of ourselves.  We were more active than ever, and very much enjoying this stage in our lives where we can do more and start checking things off the bucket list. We are still trying to take good care of ourselves, but my husband’s mobility is very much off.  He moves slowly, has pain, and his anemia means he sleeps a lot and can be weak at times.

 

So…back to the flights.  They were both with American Airlines.  Both flights were promptly on time, with only a short time between flights.  It was perfect really – just enough time to make a restroom stop and head to the next gate. Then we just waited to board.

 

When I arranged for the shuttle through Galveston Limo, I was concerned of flight delays.  Since we were scheduled to arrive around 11:00, I was concerned the 11:30 shuttle would be an issue.  We booked the 12:30, so we had time to spare.

 

The shuttle was prompt.  They tell you ahead of time that they drop people off at different hotels, so it may not be a quick trip.  It is also a distance from Bush Airport to Galveston.  There were two other couples on the shuttle, and they were staying in some out of the way areas.  Both seemed to be beachfront type hotels with narrow streets and tiny parking lots.  Our driver was amazing, but it made for a close to 3 hour trip between the stops and traffic. 

 

We got to our hotel and checked in.  Harbor House is unassuming from the outside, but rather modern on the inside.  Our room was nice, and faced the harbor.  We could clearly see a Carnival cruise ship, which I knew meant we would be able to see our ship the next morning.  That was an exciting feeling. It also confirmed that we were definitely close enough to walk, as Melody had indicated.

 

I told my husband to nap, and that we would get dinner after.  He decided that he didn’t want to – he wanted to try to make the hour adjustment, and we were both starving.  The bagel we got at 4:30 AM to eat on the plane was a distance memory, and we were now closing in on 4:00 PM. 

Here are some hotel pictures for you.  Actually, they are pictures taken from the hotel, not of the hotel.  There is a restaurant called Willy G’s., right there.  I sadly forgot to take pictures of the hotel itself and our room.

 

 

 

 

 

[laurspag]

 

There appeared to be a lot of choices for dinner.  We looked at the menu for Willy G’s, and my husband noted the steak on the menu right away.  He knows I love seafood, but he does not.  Since he wanted to go here, I didn’t argue.  Twelve hours without food means you aren’t too fussy!

It turns out we made a good choice.  It is very pretty inside, and it was there that we watched the Carnival ship sail away.  We were both very happy with the choice we made.

I always opt for some sort of broiled seafood.  There was shrimp with parmesan risotto, a crabcake, and mahi mahi.  You can see just a little of my glass in the background, where they had a mango bellini type of cocktail on their menu.  It was wonderful.

 

And here is that steak that my husband was looking forward to.  He said it was wonderful.

 

 

My husband was still feeling pretty good, so we wandered around.  There are a lot of shops, and a lot of places to eat in the area.  We were kind of tired so we weren’t pushing it.  Next time, we will fly in earlier and give ourselves a chance to really explore.  There was so much we wanted to do, but it had been a long day and by this point, it was probably about 7:00.  We stopped back at Willy G’s as we noticed that there were not too many people in the outside seating area.  We got ourselves a brew, and brought a baseball game up on my phone.  It may sound silly, but we felt so relaxed and comfortable, and we just did what we wanted instead of feeling pressured to be the ultimate tourists and go everywhere.

 

 

I slept great.  My husband, who has a lot of trouble at night, seemed to sleep pretty good too.  Of course, I woke up before 6:00, and ran to the window and raised the shade.  I was hoping I would be able to see the ship after it arrived.  My timing was good, because she was in the process of parking.  I got a picture, of course, and then another once she was fully docked.

 

 

I behaved and didn’t wake Brian up, lol.  Of course, once I figured  that once it was light out, it wasn’t too early to wake him,  so I showed him that we could see Liberty from our room.  He smiled and went back to sleep.

 

[laurspag]

Harbor House has a continental style breakfast.  The room is small, but it had everything we wanted.  The coffee was really good too, and they had an assortment of flavored creamers as well as flavored coffee. 

 

 

 

This may seem a bit silly, but I am always proud when I see certain things.  For example, they had Chobani vanilla yogurt, which is made in Central New York as well as the chocolate milk being from a NY dairy.  I’m not sure if you can see it well in the first picture, but there was cold and hot cereals, and to the right of that which I didn’t catch in a picture was fresh fruit and muffins.

 

Melody said that it was a short walk to the port, and she was correct.  Even with my husband not able to move as quickly as usual, I think I timed it out to be around 8 or 9 minutes?  All flat sidewalks and no traffic to be concerned with.  The only thing you have to figure out is how to enter the port when you get there as you are walking in.  There was a gate, but it was closed.  There was a drive for traffic, and that was open but we knew we didn’t want to be walking where people were driving.  There was a section in between, so we just followed that.  We gave them our luggage and got in line!  We had an 11:30 check in time, and it was 11:25.  I could not believe the high amount of people there.  They still had the doors shut.  However, they opened them and we were on board so quickly…the new process with facial recognition and scanning the seapass on their app is so convenient. I would say from the time we got in line until we were fully on board (after pictures) was about 20-25 minutes.  Considering we stopped for pictures twice, I found that to be excellent. 

 

We figured with the early check in time that our luggage would be super early.  It was not.  However, we wandered and looked around, and they let us go to our rooms at 1:00, so my hubby took a nap.  I spent time on the balcony, just taking it all in.  The luggage isn’t a big deal, as long as we have what we need to change and freshen up for dinner.  We always get our luggage by then.  Still, once we have our luggage and get everything put away and situated, that is when I feel I am truly on vacation!

When he got up, we found the Schooner bar so we could get a drink.  I have a thing about the lavender daquiri.  It’s different, and I really like it.  My husband does not drink much, but usually opts for a beer.  Due to some of the medicines he is taking, he mostly is not drinking alcohol at all. He drank half a beer at Willy G’s, and I most of a Blue Moon when we are on the cruise.  Otherwise, he had a few frozen mocktails, soda, and water.

 

Here is our boarding picture.  I don’t love this shirt after all.  It wrinkled horribly in the suitcase, and nothing was helping until I hung it on a hanger and kept it in the bathroom while I showered.  That did the trick! 

 

It looked awful with the shorts I picked, so I swapped those out with another pair.  When I got home, I washed it in cold water as indicated.  It said tumble dry low, and I left it in the dryer too long.  Oops.  It is now much smaller.  Like, WAY smaller.  I haven’t tried it on, but I guarantee you it will look much more fitted now, lol.  This is an awful picture, but it will at least show you my sail away outfit.

 

 

 

[laurspag]

Just a heads up, but the rest of the posts are much shorter overall.  I think I wanted to give you an idea of our approach to the cruise.  I really focus on taking it easy early on to make sure my husband is comfortable.  He did wonderful - we both had a great time and he was able to be more active.

[awhfy]

Looking forward to the rest of your review Laurie. Glad you liked the convenience of Harbor House. We liked Willie Gs too & Katies Seafood on the other side of the hotel. You likely had the same room as our daughter overlooking the harbor. Les only wants to stay there so he can walk to the ship. Melody

[awhfy]

Laurie, check out Chicos today. This is brand new this week

[MJC]

Also Lands End:

 

https://www.landsend.com/products/womens-insulated-reversible-barn-coat/id_357465?attributes=44967,39555&source=GS&currency=USD&geo=US&skumv=5880092&promotion-code=IIWAJ30&promotion-pin=0&cm_mmc=139971612&SC=pla_non-brand&CMPGN=11383290717&ADGRP=114185176929&KYW=&MT=&DV=m&PID=5880092&TRGT=pla-821726894815&gclid=CjwKCAiA9qKbBhAzEiwAS4yeDd_qVKYE1NjDmOMXa1alf_whRUHmSD7Tzcf_v4haeYJCpicktS-EQBoCQP8QAvD_BwE&gclid=CjwKCAiA9qKbBhAzEiwAS4yeDd_qVKYE1NjDmOMXa1alf_whRUHmSD7Tzcf_v4haeYJCpicktS-EQBoCQP8QAvD_BwE&CH=Google AdWords&_cclid=Google_CjwKCAiA9qKbBhAzEiwAS4yeDd_qVKYE1NjDmOMXa1alf_whRUHmSD7Tzcf_v4haeYJCpicktS-EQBoCQP8QAvD_BwE

[awhfy]

Looks like everyone has that quilted jacket this year

[awhfy]

Anita, stay safe with that late season hurricane

[laurspag]

I second Melody - please stay safe, Anita.

 

My jacket came in, and I really like it!  I think it suits the purpose perfectly, and it fits nice.  I'll get a photo!

[laurspag]

We are diamond, so that means we receive 4 drinks a day each.  My first is always specialty coffee in the morning, as I dislike the dining room coffee a lot.  I opt for Starbucks or preferably, Café Lattitudes for the specialty coffees.  Given a choice, Café Lattitudes wins out over Starbucks but it is whatever they have on board. 

 

I generally have something fun and new during the day, a glass of wine with dinner, and then an after dinner drink.  I think once or twice, I had an extra drink during the day but we focus on a lot of water in general. 

 

 

A cosmo while Brian played bingo one day…

 

 

I must have forgotten to take a picture of the lemon drop martini!

 

So back to boarding day.  It was time to get ready for dinner.  I decided the first night would be good for the red jumpsuit.  I found it very comfortable, and using the restroom was not as complicated as I expected.  Maybe it was because it was the first night, and so many people were still just in whatever they wore when the boarded, but it felt right not overdoing it.  I’m wearing comfy flats that are probably more casual that I was originally planning, but I was comfortable with the amount of shoes I was bringing.  I also struggle with wearing heels if I don’t feel the pants are the right length? 

 

 

 

You can’t see the necklace in detail, but about a week before packing, I decided not to wear either of the two necklaces I was looking at.  I need to get an up close picture to show you at some point, but this was on target for the casual feel we had in mind for the evening.

 

We had two sea days in a row. I love sea days.  I also thought it would give my husband a chance to rest more, since we had three port days in a row and two of those days involved a bit more physical activity.

 

The first day we ate breakfast and lunch in the dining room. The second day, we used room service for breakfast on the balcony and went to the dining room for lunch again.  We played trivia, I did some reading and my husband did a lot of sleeping.  I was happy that he was able to rest.

 

This is breakfast from the second sea day:

 

My husband tends to eat to his heart's content when he is feeling good, because he drops pounds right off when he isn't well.  Since he was feeling good, he had a big breakfast.  Most of the food is his.  Side note: Upstate Farms Yogurt is from New York.  🙂

With the first full sea day, it was actually night two so it was formal night.  My husband wanted to be ready for dinner early so that we could get pictures taken at every last possible stop.  He is such a trooper!

 

 

 

 

My husband encouraged me multiple times to get a picture of just me, and the one above was my favorite. I encouraged him too.  While you can’t really see the earrings good in these photos, they were perfect.  I loved that the dress has a certain understated elegance and those earrings added an artsy, unique touch.  I am actually looking forward to wearing this dress again on a cruise. 

 

I never got around to it, but I think an emerald (real or not) ring would have looked good too.  It’s my birthstone also.

 

Doesn’t he look handsome??  He only wears a suit 2-3 times a year, so he just has one.  Regardless of the fact his suit is the wonderful grayish blue, he always tries to wear a tie that matches my dress.  Other than that, we don’t really coordinate outfits. 

 

 

[laurspag]

Night three was one of our date nights.  We were going to Chops, and I wanted to wear my brown dress.  In the mirror and in my mind, I thought the dress looked better.  I am realizing a few things about shapewear too.  All that aside, I liked the dress a lot but didn’t always like the angles the photographers use.  We found one photographer who seemed better than the others, and he was good at getting us to relax more. As the cruise went on, he showed a lot more desire to have different poses, which we thought was great. He understood the hand on the hip issue I have and helped me quite a bit.  The cruise was still early though, so there are a lot of stiff shoulders in my pictures, including this one.  It really isn’t a good picture for me overall.  I just don't have that length in the waist area so when they have me turn, I just feel like I look weird.

 

Giving myself time to adjust to my pictures has helped.  I always hate the way I look at first, and then I try to remind myself that I loved the way I looked at the time, and I still love those dresses and shoes and jewelry.

 

 

 

 

 

I’m probably posting way too many pictures, but since I had a photo package, I have lots to choose from.

So the next day was our first port – Roatan. We have never been here.  I think the port itself needs developing a bit.  That isn’t meant to be negative, since there were a nice number of things to choose from.  It seemed they were working hard to create the whole shops/restaurants/bar area still.  We had an early excursion, which was the Mayan Eden Eco Park.  Our tickets indicated to meet in the theater at 8:15 AM, so we had a light breakfast from Café Promenade.  I tried to behave.  My husband is carb guy, so he got the ham and cheese thingy, along with the muffin.  I opted for the yogurt parfait and fruit. 

 

This excursion did not disappoint!  Our bus tour operator was knowledgeable and fun.  We had a park employee for a guide during the walk, but the bus tour person joined us as well, and was so informative.

Weather….hot, hot, hot!!!! And humid.  I know we always joke about the many outfits I bring, but I was soaking wet at the end of this excursion.  The interaction with the animals was a blast.  My husband is not a fan of animals being in captivity, but our guide was explaining to us how the animals at the park have all been rescued, many that were ill or injured and were rehabilitated.  The monkeys are not in cages, but they know this is their home, for example. 

 

My outfit for the day.  It turns out it was really a good choice.  I love these Athleta pants.  I’ve had them for at least two years.  They are lightweight and quick drying.  A funny story about the shirt, but this wasn’t the one I was going to wear.  I told my husband I was going to put on just a little makeup, because it has sunscreen in it.  When I went to put it on, the pump for the foundation squirted all over my shirt.  I had to wash it twice in the sink to get it out.  I’m glad I have mix and match outfits so that I had something to wear with these bottoms.

 

If you are afraid of heights, this may not be for you.  There are two suspension bridges.  The first is short and not very high up.  The second is long, and very high up!  I am afraid of heights, but often use excursions like this to work on conquering my fears.  I was so proud of myself. Here are some fun photos from the excursion.

This is the short bridge.  I do not have a picture of the long one, but my husband did a whole video of my walking over it, lol.

 

 

 

 

[laurspag]

We finished a little earlier than planned, and our tour guide asked us if we wanted to go on a short hike?  Hey, we were dripping with sweat already, so why not?  But this was quite a hike.  Some people couldn’t do it, and had to go back down.  We made it, and my Fitbit very much approved the climb.  The view at the top was fantastic.

 

A little digression here.  I had mentioned that I was considering a slingback.  I don’t like backpacks, and I thought this would be better for me.  It was very handy for me to have in Roatan and again in Cozumel, but I really didn’t like it too much.  It had nothing to do with the quality or brand or anything, I just don’t like how they sit, and they are made one sided.  Does that make sense?  Maybe it’s because I am left handed, but it just didn’t seem convenient for me.

I purchased mine last minute at Eddie Bauer.  It has some great features on it.  There is an outside area for a water bottle, and then two main zipper areas.  The large area can hold whatever you want it to: another water bottle, your sunscreen, camera, snacks.  The smaller section had an area with a zipper, and a hook for keys.  I really liked that.  Then the strap in the front was large enough to hold a smaller cell phone, Kleenex, etc.  My phone was too big for it.  If I was going to buy one of these again, I would see if other brands seemed to be made to carry positioned just on one side or not.

It got dirty, and I just threw it into the washer and dryer today.  It came out great.  So, if you don’t want to spend a lot of money on a Kavu, this is a great option.  Between the sale and an extra discount, I think it was about $16.00.  I will use it again, but I am looking around a lot to find something that is better suited for me on future trips.  Maybe a different style messenger bag.  if I can find one with maybe a place for a water bottle?

 

When we got back from our excursion, we wanted to try and help the local economy a bit by eating at the port.  As I mentioned earlier, there isn’t a lot there.  We did get some nachos, along with a soda for my husband and a Corona for me.   They had this sign, which I thought was funny.

Once on board, my husband wanted pizza so off to Sorrento’s we went!

 

Tonight was tropical night.  I debated highly between two dresses, and then let my husband pick.  He picked this one.  He only wears solid colors or plaids, so we went with this because I loved the way it was light and casual.  It seemed fitting for tropical night.

 

 

 

 

[awhfy]

Laurie, great pictures!  Your hubs looks like he’s feeling better

[slidergirl]

On 11/7/2022 at 5:25 PM, awhfy said:

Looks like everyone has that quilted jacket this year

Quilted jackets and "shackets" seem to be the thing.

[laurspag]

Slidergirl, I've never been a quilted jacket fan, but I thought this appealed to the type of clothing I wear.  It cam in at the beginning of the week, and I've already worn it twice.  I think that says a lot.  Getting a good deal on it makes me feel even better!

 

I'm off today for Veteran's Day, and it is just as well that I am off because I've been under the weather.  I went home sick last Thursday, with the worst chills and aches along with a sore throat.  I slept a lot, and took Friday off to rest up some more.  I felt good over the weekend, just not 100%.  Monday after work, I noticed that I was declining a bit.  I hung on for the week, but left early yesterday to go to the doctor's.  It is essentially a viral infection that isn't settling in my chest, which is a good thing.  It's a sore throat, the type where your glands feel like you swallowed golf balls, lol.  The main reason I went to the doctor was that it got to my eyes!  Viral pink eye!  Sigh.  It isn't pretty, but I will be just fine.  

 

I remember being younger, and bouncing back so quickly.  🙂  

 

I will get a picture of the jacket - really, I will!  and I'll post in a bit.  In the mean time though, I will finish up my review.  

 

Melody, my husband has been much better.  It is up and down, and for this cruise, I would say that he was close to his regular self.  

[laurspag]

The next day was Cozumel.  We were finally going to see Mayan Ruins.  This has been on my husband’s list forever, it seems.  We chose Chacchoben Mayan Ruins, an excursion of about 4 hours. The trip was about 50 minutes driving each way. We felt that having about 2 ½ hours should be enough to explore, but at the same time, we were not looking for a trip of 6 or 8 hours.  There was one we were considering that stopped at two sites, and I’m glad we didn’t go that route. I think it would have been too much.

 

Once again, we had a good tour/bus guide.

 

 

We got to climb one as well.  Most were blocked off, such as the one above.  That is understandable, from the standpoint of both preservation and safety.

 

 

My outfit was perfect – a quick drying skort that was super comfy and lightweight.  The shirt, while not a tech fabric, was lightweight and did the trick.  I’ve had it for years, from Target.  It is the one I had to wash the previous day!  The weather was like Roatan, and maybe even more humid.  The heat was really sweltering.  I was so worried about my husband, but he drank a lot of water and did well.

I had just gotten a drink of water, and forgot to move the slingback back into position.  

 

 

I think it is customary to get this photo at the port, isn’t it??? 

 

 

Now would be a good time to tell you about the items I forgot to bring: insect repellant and my prescription sunglasses.  I did buy a cheap pair of sunglasses, but I couldn’t see much with them on.  Live and learn – this is going on the checklist!  I have no excuse, really, as I have two pair.  While one is older, the prescription is not that much older so it would have been sufficient.

 

I forgot my wristlet that I use for dinner, and my formal night purse also.

 

 Bought this for $20.00 on board, and used it every night. My phone, seapass card and lipstick or a little money for the casino fit perfectly. It has an ivory background, with a nice evergreen color.  With the formal night dress and dress your best dress, it worked really well.  It was fine for a few of the other night outfits as well.

 

Tonight’s dinner was at Giovanni’s, and was another casual night.  I was deciding between my other tropical dress and green maxi I have.  I’ve had the maxi for ages.  I just fill it out more than I used to.

I asked Brian his thoughts and he chose the green maxi.

 

I really like this jewelry with this dress.   This was a necklace that I mentioned that I was going to buy because I can wear it was so many things.  

 

 

 

 

I wore those flats again.  The jewelry worked really nice with this dress.  I was comfortable and we had a wonderful dinner.

[laurspag]

The next day was Nachi!!!  The paperwork said it opened at 8:30.  We decided we wanted to go early, so we would have our pick of spots.  Like always, it was peaceful, relaxing and just beautiful.  The current cost is $65.00 per person. I am good with that, as it includes all your beverages and food.  The pool is beautiful, although we don’t use it with the beach right there.  The water felt so good.  It was as hot as the other ports, but a little less humid. 

I used the skort over my swimsuit for transportation purposes along with a shirt that I have also used as a coverup in the past.  Here is the picture from getting off the ship.

 

 

 

You probably noticed I didn't get a manicure this time.  I missed it, and then I didn't.  I had these nice long nails until just before we left and I broke one.  I really didn't want to get an acrylic tip and then go through the whole process, so I left them alone.  I always give myself a pedicure though if I don't get one professionally.  If I had more time, I would have gotten a professional one but I was fine with doing mine up the night before we left.  This is a rusty brown color from Opi that I have worn a number of times.  

 

We get a lot of food, and we share everything.  I just have to get the grouper.  I wish I remembered to get food pictures before I start to eat, but I never seem to, lol.  So here is our half eaten food!

 

 

Tonight is Dress Your Best night.  I had a few people stop me to tell me they liked my dress.  That felt really good.  I can’t wait to wear it again. 

 

 

 

 

 

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Just a side note on the last picture.  I was thinking it would have been better if I stood on the other side, as it would have brought my shoulder down a bit. 

 

I still can't believe that I got this dress as a final sale item at a great price, when other stores have had it since for so much more.

 

Sadly, the next day was the last day of the cruise.  ☹  To start the day, we brought down the bottle of champagne from our travel agent to the dining room, so that they could chill it for dinner.  We like to share it with our table mates.  We then brought back our beach towels from the day before, stopped at guest services with a question, chose our pictures for the package, etc.   We laughed because it was Saturday, and at home, we go to the gym and then run errands.  Here we were, running cruise errands!

 

Oh, and did I tell you we had breakfast on the balcony again?  I love doing that.

 

I always wish that I would remember to have my husband take a photo of me, and then ask someone to take a photo of us together.  I always forget.  That dress really looked great too!  The dress was that brownish burgundy tropical print. 

 

We stopped down in the On Air Lounge, and we brought up the SU football game on my phone, while we watched the Houston Astros playing.  Sportsing is my thing!  But the lounge really needs to be converted to something like Playmakers, which they have on Freedom.  I think the ship totally lost out on the opportunity to take advantage of all the different sporting events by having them available to watch along with a bartender in the bar.  Still, it wasn’t far to get a drink so we did that and brought it back! Sam Adams Octoberfest is one of our favorites, and you can only get it for a limited time.  Plus, I didn’t relish trying not to spill a martini and didn’t know what I wanted.  My husband is good at making choices, especially after I pointed across the room and said look!  They have Octoberfest by Sam Adams on board!

 

 

I have to say I really loved my attire choices.  I know exactly which ones I didn’t love as well.  I felt really good with my options, and wish I had gotten some daytime pictures.  I thought I had, but I can’t seem to find them.

 

You may have noticed that I did not wear those ivory braided slides.  I brought a different pair of sandals with me that I felt were more comfortable.  They are noticeable when I am wearing the brown dress.  It wasn’t really a last minute change, as I have been wearing the braided sandals to work off and on.  I have bunions, so sometimes I was readjusting them so that they didn’t slip off.  I didn’t like the idea of wearing them walking around the ship so I didn’t wear them.  Here is the link.

 

Style & Co Chicklet Wedge Thong Sandals, Created for Macy's & Reviews - Sandals - Shoes - Macy's (macys.com)

 

Going home was as smooth as flying down – no issues at all with our flights.  The shuttle was straight to the airport, and took much less time than the trip to the hotel.  I would gladly sail out of Galveston again.  They are less than a month away from opening the newer, bigger port that will be able t handle Oasis.  That should be something!

 

We were able to get some great sunrise and sunset pictures, which I wanted to share with you.

 

 

This is my favorite.  I wish I had straightened out the camera first!

 

 

 

Our room attendant left cute little towel animals each night.  They kept each other company.

 

And....that's it.  🙂  I was just thinking that I have a picture from my daughter's graduation that I can share of the brownish tropical print dress.  I got some really nice compliments.  I will find it and post it shortly. 

 

In the meantime, I just want to mention how far kindness can go.  Having people stop me to tell me they liked my attire or whatever was really a nice feeling.  And just yesterday, my husband and I were walking into the grocery store and a lady walking behind us stopped us to tell us how good it made her feel to see us hold hands as we walked in.  I am always thinking these things too, and now I am trying to verbalize them more as well.  Kindness is a good thing.

 

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Okay, so I don't have a picture of me wearing it.  Must be on my husband's phone!  I wore the Style and Co. wedges with this.

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And the jacket.  The lighting on the room wasn't good, but it is a nice olive color.  Thry have this in an ivory color, which is tempting also.