All Things EARTH... part 2

[laurspag]

Night three was formal night.  It was a sea day, and we were out and about, exploring the ship, napping on deck and reading.  There is always some trivia thrown in there, and we do go to the casino.  We aren't big gamblers, so we spend $10 each here and there.  As it turns out, we were lucky this cruise, and we would often win a little bit.  It wasn't much, but it let us go back and play again here and there.

 

So I've already posted my favorite picture.  I love when emotions are captured by pictures.  One thing that stands out is that whenever the photographer tells Brian to give me a kiss on the cheek, those are always, always the best pictures. 

 

Here are a handful of pictures from formal night.  One thing I didn't opt for this particular night was shapewear.  I did wear a one piece item underneath to get rid of lines, but I opted not to wear something to give me a better shape, even though I had it with me.

 

 

[awhfy]

Last night was homecoming for our youngest granddaughter. They opted to wear Hey Dude pink shoes (to support breast cancer research). I think they look adorable Melody

[laurspag]

They look cute, Melody! You have me thinking a bit about watching grandchildren grow up.  Last weekend was my grandson's 5th birthday, and I got to thinking about how he is getting big so fast.  Physically, and mentally, he seems to be changing constantly.  I don't say that in a "hold time still" kind of way; it is more a fascination to me.  Humans are truly amazing.

 

While to time does go faster than what I want, it is a reminder for me to live in the moment more.  To enjoy everything more.  Not to have regrets, not to feel guilty that I took a cat nap on deck one day of the cruise, or maybe spent too long reading.

 

Did everything I wear on the cruise look great?  Maybe, maybe not.  Did I love what I was wearing, yes, for the most half.  I think the white night outfit was something I put together in a pinch, not wanting to buy something for just one night.  At the same time, I liked it. 

 

So night four and five were interesting.  One was labeled tropical and the other was Caribbean. I don't think I have had a cruise like this before.  Usually, one is labeled as casual.  This didn't matter to me, because I already knew what I was going to wear for each night.  What got interesting was that my husband insisted on wearing the same shirt both nights.Hey, we just go with it!  I kind of wanted him to wear his ivory or light tan shirt the day I wore my print dress.  His ivory has a tonal leaf pattern to it, and it would have matched.  He chose what he wanted,to bring, and those weren't in the mix.  And that's okay.  I just go with it, lol.  First, here are pictures from dinner each night.  I wore the rust jumpsuit the first night, and the print dress the next.  

 

The rust jumpsuit I got a really nice deal on over a year ago, and I have worn it a few times prior to the cruise for other things, such as our anniversary dinner and another event.  The floral dress is on it's third cruise, and has been worn a few other times as well.  I'm getting a lot of use out of this dress.  

 

 

 

 

[laurspag]

Those same days were port days - San Juan and St. Thomas.  Here is how we approached those.

 

We originally planned to do our own walking tour in San Juan.  We realized that the excursion would provide us a lot more information, and I am glad we did that.  While there was a lot of signage, it was in Spanish so having an English speaking tour guide was very helpful.  

 

It was a long walking tour, in weather where the "feels like" temperature was over 100.  Sweat dripped off of us from the get go, and after finishing the tour and wandering, I ended up with over 16,000 steps that day.  I don't have a picture of the outfit I wore, since we were led off the ship past the photographers for this particular day.  I wore my blue skort, which I love. I wore with it an ivory tech fabric tank.  Under it, I chose a long line sports bra.  I guess you could say it was a cropped tank with a built in bra, but it was supportive and comfortable, I felt better with it just in case the ivory top didn't end up being opaque enough.  I got the cropped/long line sports bra in a tall, so it reached my waist and didn't move around.

 

I am soooooo glad I wore that outfit.  It was perfect for the heat.  I have some pictures that we took here and there.  My husband has a few pictures he took of me, so I will post so you can see the outfit once he sends them to me.  We also found we loved going to the upper deck to play corn hole regularly.  

 

 

 

In St. Thomas, we also took a tour.  We literally had no idea what we were going to do that day, and finally decided on a bus tour.  It was pretty nice.  We had two stops, including getting the famous banana daquiri.  Once again, my husband has the pictures of us together, but we did get a photo when we got off the ship.

 

We had some rain at the first stop, so we were held up a little waiting for the rain to clear.  Being able to walk all over the old plantation and see the wonderful plants and so forth was fun.  The second stop was nice and clear, and the view was amazing.

 

 

 

 

 

[laurspag]

Day 6 was dress to impress.  I can't begin to tell you how much I love that green dress.  I am happy that I decided to wear it for this nice, because the other nights were just too casual for it.  One thing that gave me a really good boost was that a few people stopped me to tell me that I looked beautiful, they liked me dress, etc.  

 

I had to bracelet and earring sets I brought with me for this dress.  I didn't make a decision in advance, and decided I would go with whichever one fit my mood.  I ended up still being undecided, and my husband promptly pointed to the monochrome type set.  I have already decided that the next time I wear the dress, I'm wearing the other set,  just because!  I really found that I could go in so many different directions with that dress. 

 

One thing I realized fairly last moment was that my husband only had two ties with some green, and while they really weren't the best, they were suitable.  Once again, my husband chooses on his own, and I think he made a good choice.  

 

I apologize - I downloaded these as a smaller size, and it really messed them up a bit.  I still have them on my phone, so I will download them again at full size.  I know it will be slower, but you can see from the first time I posted a picture of the dress what it really looks like!

 

 

Edited October 7 by laurspag

[laurspag]

By contrast, here is another photo, in a better quality.

Edited October 7 by laurspag

[laurspag]

One thing I really haven't mentioned much was that we were in Playmakers a lot.  I am a big sports enthusiast.  You can't choose what you watch - the bartender told us they don't even have control.  He said it is all controlled by RCI's main office.  

 

That is okay - there are way too many sports and teams to be able to please everyone.  I was happy to say that the Syracuse Stafford football game was televised there.  Sadly, they lost but we were able to get a lot of people to root for us!  

 

Other than the sportsing, I didn't find the bar/restaurant to be up to par.  It's funny, because we used just about everything on this ship - main dining room, specialty dining, Windjammer, etc.  This was really the only disappointment.  Service was way too slow, and the food was okay.  Boarding day, I understood that going there for lunch would be rough because it was Sunday and there was football to be watched and a lot of people.  I think what happens is that many people go to the bar for a drink, and then sit down as tables are available.  The staff really isn't looking for people who find the table first, so we had to call them over each time we were there.

 

With the Windjammer, I think we went there twice the whole cruise.  We seldom use it, but the food they had available was fresh and hot, and it was clean.  

 

 

[awhfy]

I just love that green dress on you!

[laurspag]

Thank you, Melody!  Whenever I have something that I truly love, I try to analyze a bit to figure out why it appeals to me.  The reason I do that is because I am hoping that it will help me make future purchases I love just as much.

 

One thing I have learned is that the best looks for me break up the shoulder area somehow.  I used to think that had to be a V neck, but that isn't the only way.  I find that something that cuts in more is very helpful.  They refer to it these days as a halter, but it doesn't mean it ties around the back of the neck, like a halter used to refer to.  

 

I found a few really excellent clearance deals very recently, and I'm trying to be open minded when I try things on. Some items work, some do not.  Sometimes, even if something isn't the best look for me, if I really love the item, then I go with that.  That linen type jumpsuit is a good example.  I wore than on one of the later sea days, and can't wait to wear it again.  It looks like linen, but it doesn't wrinkle and isn't scratchy.  It is very easy to wear, and there is something about the way it makes me feel.  I feel very relaxed in it. The only thing I will change is what I wear under it.  The tank top I chose was not a good one, and I didn't think to try the outfit on first.  I had already tried it on with two or three other tops that were great, so it is kind of weird that I chose a different top altogether, and didn't try it on first?   Oh well.

 

Sorry for the typos earlier.  For some reason, CC won't let me edit them and fix them.

 

 

[laurspag]

Some recent discoveries that I'm trying out:

 

 

i really like the linen look dress.  It seems a bit frumpy looking on though. Maybe because it needs hemming and the straps need adjusting?  

 

These are all sales items with an additional 25-30% off.  The tropical print one ended up at $15, brlieve it or not.

[awhfy]

Love that tropical print. The purple is cute too

[laurspag]

That was just $20 before the discount, Melody.  End price was $15.00.  It wasn't even a final sale, and I have free shipping and returns with Macys so I didn't hesitate to order it.  It is a keeper.  The straps were a little bit big, but I have already adjusted them.  What I love is that it can be worn for more than just a cruise, so I get my money's worth easily.  

 

The purple dress is really nice too - it can serve as a great dress for a number of functions. The animal print maxi is very nice as well.  It's just the linen blend one that I don't think will work.  My husband said it was too plain for me.  I wasn't sure exactly what that meant at first, but then I realized that most of what I wear has a lot of color.  Depending on how much color or print an item has, I use accessories to make it unique as well.  I think something bold could change the whole look, but I am not sure.  I already own something that I thought of immediately when I saw this. I would have to try it on and see what I think. I don't think I have a picture handy of the necklace.  It's one of my favorites, but I haven't worn it on a cruise in a while.

 

 

[laurspag]

It's really about whether or not I want to keep the dress or not.  I would wear this out to dinner, but it would depend on where we go.  I'm a real mixed bag, lol.  Sports bar, trendy downtown restaurant, etc.

 

I think I mentioned it already, but each of these were around $50 before additional discounts.  There is another dress not in yet that was $21.  

 

Sadly, I need things that fit.  I'm also thinking for the long term, so I want them to be easy to adjust.  The purple dress would probably need a professional alteration.  I already decided to keep the tropical print and adjusted the strap.  The one not in yet and the linen one can be adjusted easy.

 

Here is the necklace, and also the bracelet I usually wear with it.

 

 

[laurspag]

One thing I realized was that I never got a picture of the dress from the last night!  I wore my animal print dress, and I love that dress.  Unfortunately, I wore it the last night on my previous cruse too!  This is another dress that I have had for a while.  It was a bargain too - I think around $25.00?  I wash it using the gentle cycle, and hang it to dry.  I LOVE this dress, just wish there was less black in the print and more brown.  The only photo I have is from prior to the cruise, hanging up in my room.  

[awhfy]

That linen could be brightened up with that awesome statement necklace or a brightly patterned scarf (used as a wrap)

Edited October 8 by awhfy

[awhfy]

Anita, please stay safe with Milton kicking up his heels on the east coast of FZk!!

[laurspag]

I was just thinking about this also.  Anita, please let us know if you are safe over the next few days!

[Anita Latte]

All is well! We only lost some fence which wasn’t unexpected considering the condition of that old fence! Mostly tree and plant debris. Never lost power here. Feeling grateful…tornadoes were a big threat yesterday.

[laurspag]

Thank goodness you are okay!  My sister-in-law has a home in Sarasota, but she is currently here in New York.  Her son lives not far from her main residence in Florida.  His house faired well, her house....not so much.  She told me her son went over this morning when it was safe to do so, and she lost a lot of her roof.  Still, that is nothing compared to what it could have been like.  

 

My husband says this is a reminder for us not to complain about snow.  🙂  It is easy to deal with in comparison.

[laurspag]

It has been cool and rainy here a lot lately.  It is definitely fall.  Today, the sun is out but there is a breeze and it is quite chilly. My husband is working on the deck while I do some other chores.  I will probably be helping him in a bit.  This is one of the rare weekends where he isn't working overtime.

 

We are going to have what we call munchies night tonight, while watching both the mets/Dodgers game and the Syracuse football game.  Munchies are really just appetizers.  Taco dip, chicken wing dip, stuff like that.  

 

Then tomorrow....colonoscopy prep.  Not my favorite thing!  But I stay right on schedule with these every 4-5 years, due to family history.  While there isn't colon cancer in the family, there are generally a lot of issues with pre-cancer polyps and the like.  A LOT.  Except me.  I'm not sure why, but I am glad that they haven't seen one single polyp in my last three exams.  Hopefully, that will continue.

 

In other health news, I don't think I've mentioned it, but my cataracts were getting to the point where driving at night was pretty difficult.  My eye doctor told me last year that cataract surgery was in my future, and I could decide when I was ready.  It has gotten worse, so I am doing it now.   I had a choice to make regarding the type of surgery.

 

The first choice is the standard surgery.  I would no longer need to wear glasses all the time, but would still need them for reading.

 

The second choice is a lens that takes care of both.  This is what I decided to go with.  It means you have to pay the difference between the standard surgery and this one from an insurance standpoint, but I despise wearing glasses and prescription sunglasses, so here we are!

 

It is a simple surgery, and they do each eye two weeks a part.  This will be later in the year.

 

We have also picked our cruise for next year - 8 nights on Oasis.  We are very excited about this.  We will be going to San Juan, Cococay, St. Maarten and St.  Kitt.  We haven't been to St. Maarten in a very long time, and we haven't been to St. Kitt before.  We were supposed to go a few years back, but were rerouted due to a hurricane.

 

8 nights!!!  

[awhfy]

Laurie I’ve had the cataract surgery. Opted for right eye for distance & left eye for closeup. It’s a total game changer. I’d worn Coke lens glasses since I was 5. Now I wear good sunglasses (everyday without fail, especially in snow). Had it done in 2008!  Good luck!!!

[awhfy]

We love St Kitts. It’s one of our favorite islands & they have one of my favorite jewelry stores, Colors, right by the big cluck in the square.  The only tour we didn’t like was the train (& we both love trains!) We love taking a taxi around & visiting the Fort, the batik factory & other dues on island. The catamaran trips are great too. The trip to Nevis & touring the island (through the ship) is fabulous. Melody 

Edited Sunday at 05:37 PM by awhfy

[57redbird]

34 minutes ago, awhfy said:

We love St Kitts. It’s one of our favorite islands & they have one of my favorite jewelry stores, Colors, right by the big cluck in the square.  The only tour we didn’t like was the train (& we both love trains!) We love taking a taxi around & visiting the Fort, the batik factory & other dues on island. The catamaran trips are great too. The trip to Nevis & touring the island (through the ship) is fabulous. Melody 

Do the Thenford Grey tour - it was fabulous!!

[awhfy]

2 minutes ago, 57redbird said:

Do the Thenford Grey tour - it was fabulous!!

Thenford was sold out our last trip, they do a great tour 

[laurspag]

I think I need to look up that tour!

 

It is funny how I just got back from vacation, and I can't wait to go again.  Work has been rough lately.  It is a great place to work, which is why I have been there for so long.  It has gotten very stressful though.

 

I gave the linen dress a lot of thought.  It was too long, so I tried it on again with heels, so that I could just see the bottom lay correctly.  I would have to hem it.  I then added the necklace.  Those two things made a DRASTIC improvement to the overall look of the dress, but I still didn't feel confident about it.

 

I asked my husband and one of my daughters for their thoughts.  First, my husband said that to be very honest, he felt the dress looked too plain still, but he loved how I made it my own with the necklace.  

 

My daughter said it felt blah.  She said she could see me in the dress if it was different color.  I mentioned that off white type colors are not very good for me overall, and she said it wasn't that.  She said if it was a warm ivory and a different fabric, it would look better.  She also said she would really love it a lot if it was in different color altogether.  

 

So I asked myself some questions about it.  I came to the conclusion that it really wasn't the dress for me.  It would be great on a cruise, but I wouldn't be wearing it any place else, more than likely.  Secondly, would it be good on a cruise?  It seemed to me that it was going to wrinkle too easily, and it would drive me nuts if I had to try to get a bunch of wrinkles out after unpacking it.

 

So I decided to send it back.  It's funny though, in my mind, I still seem to want something very similar.   I think I am an overthinker...