Another lovely day in Oklahoma. . .

[Kitty 34]

I have been preoccupied with thoughts, and actions of our upcoming Bermuda cruise. It's just 2 weeks from today! We cross the Canadian border here, and fly out of Buffalo, N.Y. to Bayonne, N.J. We stay a night in Elizabeth, before catching the ship in the morning.

I'm excited, but at the same time a tad anxious. I almost posted in low-key's thread about rather stick a needle in my eye, than... FLY!!

Instead I decided to "SHARE" here. Lol.

Have a great trip, Jane!

 

[Micca]

Had to post in Twilight's behalf.......saw my first firefly last night and totally thought of you.

Visiting with family tonight including some children from the Seattle area. They were excited to see fireflies for the first time. I never realized it was a regional thing until it came up in this thread.

Jane I agree that flying sucks, but it will be so worth it to get to the cruise.

 

[leebee]

Fireflies aren't a big thing in the areas of Mass and Maine where I grew up. I remember the first time I went to Ohio in the summer (visiting DH's family). The cornfield was filled with fireflies! I was amazed!! I have a Midwestern friend who as a child collected fireflies and sold them to a chemical company; they paid the kids per fly (they wanted the "glow juice"). Totally unheard-of by this New England girl! We rarely see fireflies up here in Maine where I live; just last night there were 2 in our backyard and I was mesmerized!

Enjoy your cruise, Jane!

 

[ronandannette]

Visiting with family tonight including some children from the Seattle area. They were excited to see fireflies for the first time. I never realized it was a regional thing until it came up in this thread.

Jane I agree that flying sucks, but it will be so worth it to get to the cruise.

I have never seen one in my life; one can only assume the climate here doesn't suit them. I actually didn't know they were real until this thread. I thought they were something mythical or metaphorical, like a unicorn. I'd sure love to see them though - it would seem like magic.

 

[Floridaman999]

I've been doing a lot of camping lately in the midwest and have been seeing fireflies all over the place. Reminded me of my childhood visits to my grandparents home.

 

[PollyannaMom]

Fireflies aren't a big thing in the areas of Mass and Maine where I grew up. I remember the first time I went to Ohio in the summer (visiting DH's family). The cornfield was filled with fireflies! I was amazed!!...

Yeah, I miss firefles! They were all over when I was a kid in upstate NY. Now we're in eastern Mass, and I never spot them here. - I still remember the first time DS saw them when were visiting his grandparents. He was enchanted!

 

[NFLDERS]

Just thought I'd drop in to report Bermuda was "Bermudaful" as the locals say.

Give a detailed report later.

 

[Twilight Sparkle]

Just thought I'd drop in to report Bermuda was "Bermudaful" as the locals say.

Give a detailed report later.

Glad to hear it! Looking forward to details and maybe pics?!

 

[Micca]

Just thought I'd drop in to report Bermuda was "Bermudaful" as the locals say.

Give a detailed report later.

Good to hear you had a good time, and that you didn't disappear in the Triangle!

 

[NFLDERS]

The Anthem of The Seas once docked in King's Wharf.

Me in King's Wharf on Day 2, it was 90F in the shade!

Then, back onboard Day 1, after a fun time in Hamilton.


I

Just over heated though, not sun burnt.

 

[NFLDERS]

An anchor fountain outside the Mall in King's Wharf.

The Ferry to Hamilton.


The Royal Dockyard, taken from a pool sitting area NOT the North Star. That pod is way up there!

 

[NFLDERS]

My sort of trip report... Tee! Hee!

First to get my Air travel experience out of the way. Getting to Bayonne from Buffalo was so very easy, and pleasant.

The return experience on July 18th from Newark Airport anything but. There were storms in the area, and subsequent flooding. Our taxi driver warned us about backed up flights from the previous day.

The security check point was chaotic, instructions shouted without visual contact to know whom the instruction was for. Trays holding valuables were not lining up with passengers after they were ex-rayed ie.

There were very few seats to wait for the delayed flights departing Newark. Fortunately for me I needed the handicapped seating. The gate had multiple flights being announced rapidly, simultaneously. Passengers were very emotional, and some reduced to crying.

After a few delays we were finally on our way. Buses took passengers to the planes on the tarmac. Passengers were double checking that they were boarding the right plane. We flew in a storm with seat belts on at all times as requested by the pilot. It was only a 45 minute flight so I was
relieved knowing that.

 

[NFLDERS]

Cont'd.

A few days before our cruise dgs injured one leg (large scrape with open cuts) in a motor cross bike incident. Incident because it involved 2, 12 year olds and a bike. Too eager to show off his new riding skills the the neighbour's son did not wait for his mom to come out of the house to supervise. They learned a valuable lesson.

Dgs did not agree with his Mom's decision that any pool, beach activity on the Athem was not going to be possible. The ship's doctor convinced him that Mom was right.

They did manage to do their kayak excursion, and after relaxed on beach chairs under an umbrella, with a cold complimentary beverage.

 

[NFLDERS]

The Anthem was the most engaging, fun ship we have been on. There was so much to do that we didn't make it to everything. Maybe, because Dh & I spent a lot of time in the Solarium.

We did not go to the Dining rooms, or Specialty Restaurants. There were so many other places to eat, and the food offered everywhere was awesome! The show we decided (of three) to view was 'We Will Rock You." It was fabulous had me wanting to dance in the aisle!! Dgs was at awe of his enthusiastic Gram.

We opted for balconies that joined, and sat out there during sailaway watching Lady Liberty, and the New York skyline vanish before our eyes. Other times to touch bases, then early on debarkation day, our coffee in hand, reminiscing about our cruise, and the 'Bermudaful' Bermuda while dgs slept in.

Later it was off to the Windjammer for one last time.

 

[leebee]

I have never seen one in my life; one can only assume the climate here doesn't suit them. I actually didn't know they were real until this thread. I thought they were something mythical or metaphorical, like a unicorn. I'd sure love to see them though - it would seem like magic.

Definitely real, definitely magical... except when you are driving. Then they get squished on your windshield but continue to emit light for several days! (the light is caused by an activated enzyme, so it sticks around even after the bugs are dead)!

Hope everyone is having a good summer! I am still basking in wedding glow, of course! I have recuperated from both my massive teaching responsibilities and the wedding, having taken a week off for some R&R at my sister's (beach location) and in CT at my daughter's home. It was lovely to laze around and know that my biggest responsibility was to decide what to eat (or where to go) for supper!

DH and I were planning on going to VT for several nights sometime in August but have canceled that plan due to work pressures. We both know the academic year will be upon us before we realize it, and he has 2 research projects he needs to make progress on, and will be teaching 4 different courses (2 sections of general chemistry, 2 gen chem labs, biochemistry, and quantitative analysis) so he needs the prep time. I'm a little disappointed, as I was looking forward to getting away, but know that in the long run I'll be happier if we aren't living with his work stress, right? We also have friends who have a home on a small island off the coast of Camden, ME, who have invited us out for several overnight visits, so we'll get to do that. DD is coming here for a week-long visit in August, so I'm sure we'll take some afternoons off to do some stuff with her, too. Last weekend in August we (DH, DD, and I) are off to Ohio ( not my favorite place in the summer) for a family wedding where we'll share a lake house with DH's sister, her husband, her daughter&hubby, and son (who is DD's closest friend and was a groomsman in the wedding). I am more into the "lazing around the lake house" than I am into the wedding (in a park, pot-luck with games) but it'll be good to see everyone.

Apparently we had terribly hot weather a week or so ago, heat index around 105F (but I was in Connecticut where it was even hotter). We are not prepared for these kinds of temps in northern New England; I don't think I know anyone with central air up here, and most people don't even have window a/c units (or maybe only in the bedroom). DH says he was miserable, but it was good motivation to go into work, where there IS air conditioning! The weather has settled down now, and it's glorious... low 80s, sunny but not intense. We are having our front porch rebuilt (as I type!) and are looking at new carpeting for the bedroom, and new appliances for the kitchen. The "remodel" will have to wait, but it's time for appliances; my dishwasher is dead and my fridge was built in the 1980s! So that's on the agenda for the rest of the summer. We are celebrating my birthday tonight with friends, but nothing big (HOW did I get to be 63 is the real question, right?). I'm getting things ready for the academic year, but there's still about 5 weeks left in my summerSO that's about it from my corner of the world.

 

[Dan Murphy]

Definitely real, definitely magical... except when you are driving. Then they get squished on your windshield but continue to emit light for several days! (the light is caused by an activated enzyme, so it sticks around even after the bugs are dead)!

Hope everyone is having a good summer! I am still basking in wedding glow, of course! I have recuperated from both my massive teaching responsibilities and the wedding, having taken a week off for some R&R at my sister's (beach location) and in CT at my daughter's home. It was lovely to laze around and know that my biggest responsibility was to decide what to eat (or where to go) for supper!

DH and I were planning on going to VT for several nights sometime in August but have canceled that plan due to work pressures. We both know the academic year will be upon us before we realize it, and he has 2 research projects he needs to make progress on, and will be teaching 4 different courses (2 sections of general chemistry, 2 gen chem labs, biochemistry, and quantitative analysis) so he needs the prep time. I'm a little disappointed, as I was looking forward to getting away, but know that in the long run I'll be happier if we aren't living with his work stress, right? We also have friends who have a home on a small island off the coast of Camden, ME, who have invited us out for several overnight visits, so we'll get to do that. DD is coming here for a week-long visit in August, so I'm sure we'll take some afternoons off to do some stuff with her, too. Last weekend in August we (DH, DD, and I) are off to Ohio ( not my favorite place in the summer) for a family wedding where we'll share a lake house with DH's sister, her husband, her daughter&hubby, and son (who is DD's closest friend and was a groomsman in the wedding). I am more into the "lazing around the lake house" than I am into the wedding (in a park, pot-luck with games) but it'll be good to see everyone.

Apparently we had terribly hot weather a week or so ago, heat index around 105F (but I was in Connecticut where it was even hotter). We are not prepared for these kinds of temps in northern New England; I don't think I know anyone with central air up here, and most people don't even have window a/c units (or maybe only in the bedroom). DH says he was miserable, but it was good motivation to go into work, where there IS air conditioning! The weather has settled down now, and it's glorious... low 80s, sunny but not intense. We are having our front porch rebuilt (as I type!) and are looking at new carpeting for the bedroom, and new appliances for the kitchen. The "remodel" will have to wait, but it's time for appliances; my dishwasher is dead and my fridge was built in the 1980s! So that's on the agenda for the rest of the summer. We are celebrating my birthday tonight with friends, but nothing big (HOW did I get to be 63 is the real question, right?). I'm getting things ready for the academic year, but there's still about 5 weeks left in my summerSO that's about it from my corner of the world.

Thanks for the update, leebee. And Happy Birthday!!!!

 

[Micca]

Happy Birthday Leebee

 

[PollyannaMom]

@leebee!

 

[NFLDERS]

Happy Birthday leebee!

I only wish I could report that we are still in post Cruise glow... sigh. One week to the day after returning home, we had to put Charlie down in the wee hours yesterday. We had the good fortune of having him for almost 8 years. It's so darn hard.

 

[leebee]

Happy Birthday leebee!

I only wish I could report that we are still in post Cruise glow... sigh. One week to the day after returning home, we had to put Charlie down in the wee hours yesterday. We had the good fortune of having him for almost 8 years. It's so darn hard.

So sorry about Charlie...