Live From The Qm2...penny's "affair" Continues

[TxGal]

Penny, so glad to hear from you. I was afraid you took a nasty fall on that catamaran in St. Lucia! Enjoy your final dinner and evening onboard. Give Beth one final hug from me. Safe travels home.

[keela1eva2]

Oh Penny my heart goes out to you as you take your leave of your Beloved again. Just leave a little bit of your love behind and we will all nourish it until your return next December. Isn't love wonderful!

 

Sue

[Vic The Parrot]

Penny!!!

 

 

You booked the wrong date !!! :eek:

 

 

(Welcome back! :) )

[cinta]

Cheers, Penny....still live and still in love!!!

Oh, Penny, you've made me cry again!! Thankyou:) .Hope Bear is ok, we are dreading leaving our 15 yr old yorkie, Bruno when we go in january!

Sharon

[NomDePlume]

And promised she'd write some more...

[slhw]

Hi Penny

 

Really enjoyed your accounts - could you possibly tell me whether it was the dolphin encounter or the dolphin swim that you did in Tortola.

 

Thanks

 

Sandie (going on 13th Jan).

[patwell]

OK, I'm back...there were no frenzied announcements to find the insane American woman who suffers from a delirium of love for a large piece of floating sheetmetal....but I confess I did eye that lifeboat off my balcony as the last suitcase was being set out. I had my makeup, hairbrush, one formal gown and matching shoes of course (this for you Angela) in my carry on...I could manage on that I thought. I'd charm the occupants of MY cabin and get them to hang my room service requests....I have simple wants and needs. I also suffer from delusion where this ship is concerned.

 

Affairs can be a wonderful thing....one clings to all the nuances, savors every morsel and fantasizes endlessly about what might be, and what has gone before. Such was my year of anticipation while I waited what seemed like an incredibly long 288 days....that would be the amount of time until my voyage according to the Cunard rep who did the booking. 288 days...an indescribably long period in which to remember and plan. To wonder if QM2 would really remember me or had last year just been a one week stand full of passion and discovery....a blissful week to be sure, could this next one be the same I wondered?

 

There is something indescribably delicious about an affair....the secrets one holds close inside and the anticipation of what's to come. The desire to tell all who will listen of the raptures one was enjoying. And tell you all I did. And as I boarded again, memories of last year swirled in my head like a mini tornado. I couldn't help but wonder if last year was the kind of afffair that burns white hot then fizzles like Ice in a drink on a hot summer day? One that crashes and burns in a fiery explosion of pure emotion....raw passion painfully extinguished.

 

Or perhaps this reunion would feel like a cozy old bathrobe...fuzzy and warm, enveloping me in a cocoon of comfort and wrapping me in the familiar and expected. A friend told me she gets a "honey I'm home" kind of feeling each time she boards....is that what I'd experience? I rather favored the passionate scenario but then maybe I had too many stars in my eyes as i met this elegant ship for the first time last year.

 

Returning to NY in the dark of dawn with the lights of the city growing ever brighter and closer reminded me of that other aspect of love...the agony of loss when lovers are parted with so much left to do....and say. Those last minutes of excitement mixed with the tears of separation are incredibly painful....the end is in sight yet the "Affair" continues to grow....the addiction overwhelming. One truly can never get enough.

 

Ahhh, yes, the "Affair" continued. But this time the rose colored glasses came off and much as an aging woman who discovers the early wrinkles and that first gray hair, I found a wart or two this time....actually a good thing. Nothing in life is truly perfect....but she sure comes darn close!

 

Vive l'amour, mes enfants.....toujours l'amour. The "Affair" burns bright still. There was so much new to nourish it this time....how can one follow up these intense feelings I wonder. The sequel will come when my poor heart stops aching from the pain of separation.

 

So thanks to you who patiently waited for me to say something in this blog...for your tolerance of my absence as I experienced more joy than should be permitted to one person. Malcolm, Mary, Angela, Paul, Bettie, Vic, Trish, Jeanne, both Beths, sandie,Susan, Smoothdancer, exlondoner, Linda, Sylvia, Betsy, David and Happyscot, who wondered so graciously if I'd ever leave. And yes Andrew I got thru the tunnel...wth both eyes shut tightly...I don;t do tunnels well but to get to QM2 I'd walk on fire if need be. And Sharon...thanks you for your flatttering words about the "Affair" part one. Sue...leave some love along with mine and for sure all our friends here will nourish it when they sail.

 

As to the game??? We found olives to be far more user friendly than canapes altho the canapes presently being served with drinks In the Commodore Club might make an acceptable alternative. Olives however seemed to have a better trajectory and once fished out can be reused for the Martini of the day. And that's all I have to say about that lest this blog end up in never neverland!!

 

Cheers, Penny

 

Penny’s Affair to Remember QM2 Review

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=471053

 

November 10,2007...the “Affair” continued...oh my did it, and then some!

 

December 9, 2008....the “Affair” resumes again....life is good

[cruisegal101]

Penny, I had no doubt that the affair would continue. And as usual, your reflections on the trip are wonderful. Glad to have you back although I must admit that I had been looking forward to the news account: "Lady From South Carolina Found Kicking and Screaming While Being Removed From QM2's New Pink Lifeboat". ;)

 

Bettie and HRHugeness (who is very busy talking to our other cat friends)

[travel-to-go]

Sunday, November 11, 2007

 

Today, as many of you know was Remembrance Day in the UK....Veterans Day in the US....a day to remember and pay tribute to those who lost their lives in service to their country.

 

Penny,

Finally found your thread. (I had four pages to catch up on, plus I have been working since the day after I got back, yes weekends, too. I have been on call for two weeks, and it looks like next week too!)

 

What beautiful sentiments about remembrance day. I do not profess a religion either, but I might have gone to that service. Only thing that could have put it more over the top for me would have been a lone bagpiper. I would have been a bawling ball of blubbering blithering Um. Can't think of a good B word! <G>

 

Hi, Penny. So glad you finally got to meet Beth.

 

Debbie said our little display at the pier Saturday morning wasn't proper Cunard behavior!!! What--two women who unexpectedly see each other, yell, scream, jump up and down, hug, and carry on like mad women--isn't proper behavior???:D She said people actually stopped to stare at us! Me thinks they were jealous.;)

 

Hope you're having as fabulous a time as Deb and I did.

 

I cannot believe you guys got to meet! I am so jealous! We missed both of you. Vic, I think we left the ship somewhere after 11:00 Or maybe just a little before. But I know that our color was due to leave at 10:15, and we were much later than that! I posted from the Winter garden, so that could give an idea of when we left. It was, needless to say, after that time! Then find the luggage, Vic Marc and I each had to find one more piece of luggage (It's a little game they play!) Then get out of that parking lot jail, which I still didn't get it right how to pay for my parking, then the damned ticket didn't work! Arrgh! So no, we missed all of y'all sad to say!

 

Glad you are having a good time Penny, thanks so much for taking us along with you. Thank you to whoever found Jason in the Pub and said hi for me. He really appreciated that. :D

Sylvia. that was me. I tried to post three times. But my computer died after one post. Tried again from winter Garden, then again when I got home! Probably lost somewhere!

Anyway, if you don't know by now, Jason got promoted. Yes, he is in the Golden Lion now! And what a sweetheart! He really likes you Sylvia! i stammered and stuttered and all I could come up with was Cusyl! Before I could even get this out, he said, Oh,. You know Sylvia? It was loud, busy, and I didn't have much time. But he is indeed, a friend!

and, yes. Trish brought the logbook to the meet and we all signed it! (Well, Vic seemed reluctant. I think it was something about the FBI still looking for him for some "extracurricular activities" in the 60's! <LOL> (okay, so he would have been 5!) Wait! Not, He wouldn't have even been BORN! For several YEARS!

 

Okay, Pardon me for hijacking your thread Penny. I have something to post.

 

Well, I have a series of shots to post, but I will do that later! I need to get some sleep before my phone rings again!

 

Please note the "death grip" There will be more later!

But she wasn't about to let him go!

 

Karie

P.S. Welcome back.

I see you had the same problem I had on board. Let's see, I can post long tomes to the boards. Or enjoy the ship. It was a tough decision!

[Wadadli1]

Hi Penny! It was the red gown, yes? ;)

 

You've got the Canapes and Cleavages game down! You eat the canapes and use the olives from the martinis as your ammunition (?).

 

Wonder if we'll be able to work up a proper send off next year that's as good as this year's?

[travel-to-go]

Hi Penny! It was the red gown, yes? ;)

 

You've got the Canapes and Cleavages game down! You eat the canapes and use the olives from the martinis as your ammunition (?).

 

Wonder if we'll be able to work up a proper send off next year that's as good as this year's?

 

You know, we could use those toothpicks to practice our fencing. (Not to combine two different thread topics!)

 

Karie

[534]

Penny,

Welcome back! We missed you around here. I bet Bear is so happy to have you home. Leaving our animals is always the hardest thing for us when we go vacation. I'm so glad you had a wonderful time. Reading your post makes me even more excited for Jan., if that's possible :rolleyes: :D

 

Betsy

[534]

the insane American woman who suffers from a delirium of love for a large piece of floating sheetmetal....

 

There is nothing wrong with that ;) :p

Betsy

[pnhmrk]

There is nothing wrong with that ;) :p

 

 

Which bit of it? The being insane, being American or being in love?:D

[travel-to-go]

Penny,

Welcome back! We missed you around here. I bet Bear is so happy to have you home. Leaving our animals is always the hardest thing for us when we go vacation. I'm so glad you had a wonderful time. Reading your post makes me even more excited for Jan., if that's possible :rolleyes: :D

 

Betsy

 

Worse is when you come back. They sniff at you suspiciously, give you a look of disdain, and go back to whatever fun they were having (tearing your house apart or playing with the aides at the pet motel) before you so rudely interrupted them.

We get the most disdainful looks from our cats. Even the shy ones have gotten to where they come out to be petted by the neighbor who cares for them when we're gone! Used to be she could go a whole week without seeing them. Just clean the litter pans and fill their bowls with food and fresh water!

 

Hmmph!

 

Karie

[patwell]

Which bit of it? The being insane, being American or being in love?:D

 

All 3 Malcolm...all 3...but I endeavour to do them all with style and panache...and a certain degree of decorum!:p

 

Cheers, Penny

Penny’s Affair to Remember QM2 Review

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=471053

 

November 10,2007...the “Affair” continued...did it ever!

 

December 9, 2008....the “Affair” resumes again....Life is good!

 

[Andiamo]

To Penny, Beth, Terry & Loretta, Pepperrn, and all the other folks from the November 20 trip. A delayed welcome back. I have been the victim of having not gotten my flu shot and have been limited in ability to sit here and feel up to posting.

 

After enjoying your roll call so much, then feeling "green", I now can simply say how happy I am that you all had such a wonderful trip. You sounded like such a great bunch and it looks like the "meeting" was just as wonderful.

 

Today I got an email from my TA with the dress for the week for my upcoming trip and it seems to differ slightly from others I have seen.

 

1/23- Brooklyn , NY Elegant Casual

1/24- At Sea Formal, Black and White Ball

1/25- At Sea Formal

1/26- Tortola Semi Formal, Buccaneer Ball (Costumes Optional)

1/27- St. Kitts Semi Formal

1/28- Barbados Elegant Casual

1/29- St. Lucia Semi Formal

1/30- St. Thomas Semi Formal

1/31- At Sea Formal, Masquerade Ball (Masks sold Onboard)

2/1- At Sea Elegant Casual

 

Fortunately, I have learned on these boards that you can't go wrong with the Semi Formal regardless of the EC/SF, so I'm guessing this schedule will be fine with a little massaging.

 

Penny, can' remember if you were one of the "I still smoke" folks. From last July till this July, it became much more limited on QM2. If I am correct and you indulge, could you tell me what the situation is now? I have been working with the patch this week, with not much success. Am now going to try Chantix, so maybe, with any luck, this will be a moot point for me, but thought I would ask just the same.

 

Again, I have enjoyed following all the posts by you folks and wish you many more happy sailings.

 

Jeanne

[patwell]

To Penny, Beth, Terry & Loretta, Pepperrn, and all the other folks from the November 20 trip. A delayed welcome back. I have been the victim of having not gotten my flu shot and have been limited in ability to sit here and feel up to posting.

 

After enjoying your roll call so much, then feeling "green", I now can simply say how happy I am that you all had such a wonderful trip. You sounded like such a great bunch and it looks like the "meeting" was just as wonderful.

 

Today I got an email from my TA with the dress for the week for my upcoming trip and it seems to differ slightly from others I have seen.

 

1/23- Brooklyn , NY Elegant Casual

1/24- At Sea Formal, Black and White Ball

1/25- At Sea Formal

1/26- Tortola Semi Formal, Buccaneer Ball (Costumes Optional)

1/27- St. Kitts Semi Formal

1/28- Barbados Elegant Casual

1/29- St. Lucia Semi Formal

1/30- St. Thomas Semi Formal

1/31- At Sea Formal, Masquerade Ball (Masks sold Onboard)

2/1- At Sea Elegant Casual

 

Fortunately, I have learned on these boards that you can't go wrong with the Semi Formal regardless of the EC/SF, so I'm guessing this schedule will be fine with a little massaging.

 

Penny, can' remember if you were one of the "I still smoke" folks. From last July till this July, it became much more limited on QM2. If I am correct and you indulge, could you tell me what the situation is now? I have been working with the patch this week, with not much success. Am now going to try Chantix, so maybe, with any luck, this will be a moot point for me, but thought I would ask just the same.

 

Again, I have enjoyed following all the posts by you folks and wish you many more happy sailings.

 

Jeanne

 

Hi Jeanne...so sorry to hear you've been sick..what a bad time for it! I've been a bit absent myself as I've been sick as a dog since we got home...thankfully not on the ship tho!! But it hit with a vengence the day after Thanksgiving and I've not had the desire to do much.

 

Yes, I'm in the smoking camp....and yes, it was a bit more restrictive than last year which was a bit of a pain on deck with no ashtrays visible. The casino was always handy except the one night they went smoke free...wonder how long that will last ...it was dead as a doornail in there every time we passed by it...didn't bother gambling ourselves that night altho we were in there every other evening for a bit. Starboard side of Commodore Club is still OK...as is the a part of the Chart room to the right and at the bar, at least one end of it. Don't go to the Golden Lion so I can't say there. OK at the terrace bar for the pool area on Deck 8 and a small section of tables back there. Annoying at times but with plannng OK....I do wish you luck with your program...it's not easy as we both know. i've cut down over the past 8 months but I struggle still to hold to it.

 

Your dress code sounds a bit off from ours. We had only one semi formal/Informal night, 3 formal and the rest elegant casual altho it seemed a good bit more on the elegant side than casual most of them. I like to dress up so I did and didn't feel out of place at anytime as most others did the same. I even saw some gowns on elegant casual nights!

 

Fogive me...my brain is addled by this "thing"...when do you sail again? Must be soon if you have your pre docs...now it's my turn to be pea green with envy. Next Dec 9th is so far away it seems that I can't let myself think about it yet. It's like this nebulous dream...too early to even shop for it!! Boy, I must REALLY be sick!!!

 

Good to hear from you...get better soon!!!

 

Cheers, Penny

Penny’s Affair to Remember QM2 Review

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=471053

 

November 10,2007...the “Affair” continued...oh my did it, and then some!

 

December 9, 2008....the “Affair” resumes again....life is good

[keela1eva2]

Dear PENNY! How I have missed your posts. I am so sorry that you have been ill. I do hope that you will be fully recovered soon.

 

Now I am waiting on the final commentary on your Affair! How wonderful to know exactly when you will be on your Beloved again.

I am so excited about my February cruise and the time I will spend in New York prior to the cruise.

 

I have been looking at information of things to do in NY and am torn between seeing sights and the shopping I want to do there. I have made a bit of space in my 4 WARDROBES by off loading a lot of my clothes etc to my SIL who was visting me from Australia. She is a definate 6-8 UK size as I am an 8 and some things now need to be 10. Think this is a size 4-6 US size. She was absolutely delighted with her haul and I was delighted to be able to see better what I have and have not.

Piles of shoes some never worn but her feet are smaller than mine so no luck there!

Isn't it awful what we women need to do to satisfy their shopping addiction! Not so bad nowadays but that new dress or gown as you call it does make you feel like a million dollars!!

 

Have been a little perturbed by some of the posts on Trip Advisor about Times Square! Slightly anxious as they talk about having to struggle to walk because of so many people. Also say it the last place NY'rs would ever go and the shops and restaurants etc are overpriced. Well I am booked for the Marriot Marquis but I could probably change if I really thought that it was not the place to be. Another hotel I considered was Essex House but it is at Central Park and was a bit more expensive.

 

I am so looking forward to Christmas and then to go over to Ireland to see my Son and wonderful Granddaughters. I am going now for 6 days instead of 4 and I got this 2p sterling fare again. No tax or charges just 2p. When I booked the flights I did several dates as I am not exactly sure when it will suit Stephen.

 

I do hope that you will keep posting! I referred someone on the QM2 board who is doing my cruise and it is the first time with Cunard in fact it may be their first cruise. I referred her to your Affair to Remember. Essential for anyone who is going or even considering cruising on her.

It was a wonderful inspiration to me as I eagerly looked forward to my voyage.

It lifted me to a different level and I think I had fallen in love with her even before I stepped foot on her. You have that MAGIG in your writing so please write us a book so that we can have that memory with us always.

 

Love and best wishes for a recovery very soon.

 

Sue

[cusyl]

Welcome Home Penny....I had to go back and read all the posts.

Sorry you got sick....good thing it waited until you got home!

We were in the Caribbean too, in a suite...but it wasn't the QM2 this time. :o Still plenty of pages left in the log book?