January 9, 2014. Kissimmee, Florida. The Rain Etc.

We four did not think it rained all day in sunny Florida, but we were wrong. When leaving for the restaurant at 2:30, we discussed walking but finally decided to drive, which was fortunate as it was raining cats and dogs on the way home. All the Buckley offspring are now home. It was not easy, due to the extreme cold. Folks got stuck in all kinds of odd places. The Vancouver Buckleys spent two extra days in Florida and wisely played tourist, renting a car. Now everyone is home and the four of us are pleased to be in the south. Our time in Florida has been pleasant and lazy. After rising late, we lingered over breakfast then ate a late lunch. Today we had a delicious meal at an Italian restaurant just around the corner. There are so many restaurants in Kissimmee and Orlando that finding a good restaurant is easy. We enjoyed dinner. I have already packed my case. Tomorrow we drive to the coast and will be at Orman Beach for a week. So far, I have not lost anything. But it means I must keep my wits about me. And today, the Internet is working. Whew.

January 7, 2014. Kissimmee, Florida. Observations.

This part of Florida has many , many restaurants.   There must be thousands in our area.  And Florida is flat.  Ken and I have never fallen in love with Florida, perhaps because there are no hills,  however  the foliage is lovely.  And there are lakes everywhere you look.  And fountains too.

Being with the young grandnieces and grandnephews on the cruise was a delight.   I have never lived in the same city as these young folks so have only seen them for short periods at holiday times, but on the cruise, we were in the same place  for a full week, so we had lots of time to talk.   All seven of Irene and Dave's grandchildren are energetic, good looking and hard working and are a credit to their parents and grandparents.  I only wish my parents could look down from heaven to see the group together.  They would be pleased, I am sure.

Being with the young people was like looking at a slice of live at this instant of time in their lives.   The youngest Alana is at University.at Waterloo.   Katy has graduated with her Masters degree and is working two jobs.    Brendan and his wife Marnie teach school in Korea and are expecting a baby.   Ariel is finishing her PhD. while she teaches  at  McGill.   Rachel manages a tea store and is considering switching to real estate.  Elise is at UBC in her second year, while Eric is a graduate student in Engineering at UBC.   He will work after this degree, says he.    These seven young people are industrious and ambitious as well as being gracious and grateful to their grandparents.     At this time in their lives, I felt honored to spend time with them,  all thanks to Dave and Irene and their 60 years of marriage.  

January 6, 2014. Kissimmee, Florida. Settled In.

Yesterday was not a relaxing day.  Travel days never are easy.   Getting off a cruise ship is the only difficult process on any cruise,  especially when you must clear US Customs and Immigration.    We walked off the ship at 9:30 and it was not until 12:30 that we were in our rental car with Dave and Irene heading north to our time share just outside of Orlando in Kissimmee.    Two major rain storms came down during our drive, which slowed us down too,  but eventually we checked in and ordered pizza for dinner, just so we could watch the football game.    To top it off, the Internet connection would not work and eventually Ken gave up but today it is working like a charm.

I am always surprised what happens after a good night sleep.   Today we are settled.   Irene and I bought groceries, Ken is opening the wine, our laundry is running and to top it all off,  all four of us purchased a membership in a club that offers us 10 weeks of vacation each year.   We are all excited with our new options.  How many weeks in the year can Ken and I go on vacation?   We may find out.

Today we are settled in at Kissimmee, at the Parkway International Resort.   Today we heard that
 50, 000 people a week visit Orlando.  Goodness, is all I can say.

January 4, 2014. At Sea. The Last Supper.

The youngest of our group, Alana, asked an important question: "When will  our relatives be getting together again?"    She enjoyed the gathering in Texas and she has enjoyed the cruise with her cousins and  other relatives.  Now she wants us to organize another event.   We discussed the options but the only celebration in the offing would be birthdays for Diane and Norm.   They are important birthdays for both of them so perhaps they will plan a visit to Italy and have us all come to join them.

We live in many different places:   Hamilton, Ancaster, Montreal, Korea, Vancouver, Ottawa, Toronto and Ken and I who are vagabonds, so getting together is not easy.   And we are not prone to plan family reunions, waiting instead for weddings and funerals.  It remains to be seen if that changes.

Everyone from the youngest to the oldest has enjoyed this cruise.   It is tribute to the planning of Dave and Irene.   The ship was so big that the young had unlimited options for activities while the uncles and aunts enjoyed the entertainment.  It was a good choice.  Now we just ate our last dinner together and it was splendid.   Now we move on to the next venture.

January3, 2014. Cozumel, Mexico. On the Cruise.

Our ship is docked at Cozumel, Mexico, along with 6 other cruise ships.  This is definately not the day to shop in town.  Ken and I enjoyed a leisurely walk around deck 16 but we will not get off the boat.   We have been to this town several times and even though it had no cruise docks 20 years ago, the basic town is the same.

Over the years, friends have mentioned that they would not enjoy cruising.   Ken and I are not in love with cruises but cruising has advantages.   This morning,  I was thinking about the things I enjoy on board a ship, that I would not have at home, so here is my list:
   1. Every morning,  a very nice young man comes into the cabin while we are at breakfast and cleans the bathroom and makes the bed.
   2. We sit on the balcony and look at the glorious Caribbean  Sea.
   3. This morning for breakfast, we could chose from several restaurants.
   4.  We unpacked our bags the first day and will only pack them until we leave the ship even though we visited several different places.
   5.  I have a Library, just around the corner from our cabin, full of books.
   6.  The ship holds unlimited activities for people of all ages, from physical skills to board games, so our young people have had a wonderful time climbing the rock wall and riding the water boards.
   7.   It takes three minutes to go out for a meal, and there are choices of restaurants, all of which are good.
   8.  Our cabin had excellent TV.  I watched the whole Sugar Bowl last night.
   9.  When we want to take a walk, we head to another deck to explore.
   10.  Every Cruise ship has a Spa.  Many of our group have enjoyed a massage and right now Irene is having her hair done.  Norm even had acupuncture.
   11. The staff provides excellent service and are unfailingly polite and helpful.
   12. The entertainment options are huge.   After dinner, our younger folks are always heading out to Comedy Central or to some another show.

All these things we could not enjoy at home.  There is everything to like on a cruise and for Dave and Irene, the cruise has been an excellent choice to celebrate their 60th anniversary.  We might even take one for our 60th ourselves in 2018!!

January 2, 2014. At Sea. New Years Resolution.

Here it is the second day of January and no one has said a word about new years resolutions.  And no one has said anything about where they want to go in 2014.   I am surprised with myself because typically I raise the issue at dinner, and here we are on the second day of the new years and I have not said a peep.

That is not quite true.   Just casually, Wendy at dinner mentioned that her focus has been on the two family events in the fall and she surprised herself by realizing that she has no plans for travel in 2014,  at least not yet.     And Ken and Anne realized that they spent $20,000. on family type travel in 2013.  Her family, the Trudells, had a reunion in Quebec, in addition to our 55th and David and Irene's 60th.  They also included the both kids visit to France, Alise for a semester at the Sorbonne and Eric to visit her.   The Vancouver Buckley's may stay put this year.

Last year, my resolution was to attend more concerts.  I have not done it in 2013, but in 2014 we will attend the International Ballet Competition, to be held in Jackson, Mississippi.   Christina will buy us good tickets to every session so I will not miss a performance.   The competition is held every year in other countries, but only every four years in Jackson.  In 2010 we were fortunate to be in Jackson.   We attended three sessions, which I loved.  My plan was to be arrange to be in Jackson the next time, 2014, and we have done it.  God willing, we will attend every session of the competition.  And that should be enough for the next four years until the competition returns to Jackson in 2018.  

Tonight, I will still raise the issue of resolutions with our group.  It will be interesting with their response.  

January 1, 2014. Falmouth, Jamaica. New Years Eve.

The young folks in our group partied until 2:00 am.   We did what we like to do on New Years Eve, which is to dine with friends.

 At 5:00, Dave and Irene had arranged to take photographs of our group by the ship photographer.   He took family groups, cousin groups, sibling groups and finally the whole group, both inside his studio and also outdoors in Central Park.   When finished with the photographs, we retreated to a 17th floor bar for a drink, where we discovered we had the place to ourselves, so after getting a drink, Dave made a series of gracious toasts, first to his children, then to his grandchildren and finally to Irene, all who have made him a happy man.

Wendy gave Dave and Irene a very cute card, signed by the whole group.  It was a perfect card about taking a cruise.  When the card is opened, the ships horn sounds very loudly.  And she presented copies of congratulations to Dave and Irene from the Queen,  Steven Harper, the Prime Minister of Canada and the Governor General.

Our whole group of 18 dined together.   Everyone was wearing their best so we wined and dined together in style.  It was a wonderful way to end the year.