All Things EARTH... part 2

[laurspag]

Sounds like so much fun, Melody!!

 

What ship are you on?

 

Have any of you cruised during a holiday such as Christmas or Thanksgiving? I've thought about it but I don't think I will ever actually do that.

 

If you're a college football fan, check out the Syracuse Clemson game that's in now.

 

Sent from my SM-G935V using Forums mobile app

[awhfy]

Laurie we’re on Celebrity Eclipse. Perks included are premium beverage package, gratuities & $500 OBC. Another reason I like Celebrity, lots more perks than Royal

 

We commonly cruise the week after Thanksgiving as it’s our anniversary

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[laurspag]

Royal has never come close to that. I will likely try them at some point.

 

Sent from my SM-G935V using Forums mobile app

[laurspag]

I was referring to Celebrity, lol. Sorry, it was a major win for the Cuse tonight!!![emoji521][emoji458][emoji521][emoji458]

 

Sent from my SM-G935V using Forums mobile app

[awhfy]

Laurie. Now that you’re Diamond on Royal you’re also Elite on Celebrity

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[awhfy]

Just discovered a place to paddleboard in Curaçao, very reasonable, $61pp includes pickup & dropoff at the ship, 3 hr tour & paddleboard. Now I have something all set for our second day in Curaçao. Melody

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[MJC]

We haven't cruised during the holidays because we spend them with family. Even if we didn't, though, we would probably avoid it like the other school holidays.

[laurspag]

We typically host family get togethers, but we have found that as the family grows, we tend to break off into smaller groups.

 

I am curious because I have often thought about Christmas in particular. I love the whole season and atmosphere with decor and the like. I would love to see the ship all decorated.

 

Sometimes I crave quiet time and reflection. A few years back I started a Christmas eve dinner for just the 4 of us. We go all out and use my specisl.fishes, make a beef tenderloin...even white Christmas martinis. We change into pajamas around 8, turn on the fireplace and watch It's a Wonderful Life.

 

And I can't believe how much I love and cherish this compared to larger gstherings, although I do enjoy hosting a party on Christmas day for my side if the family. We call it a party because it is all appetizer and munchies style between noon and 4. Then everyone moves on with their dinner plans.

 

 

Sent from my SM-G935V using Forums mobile app

[laurspag]

Melody, I loved going to the Curacao factory. It's an interesting history on how they started to make it. And samples too. 🖒

 

Sent from my SM-G935V using Forums mobile app

[laurspag]

That was supposed to say special dishes. You know, my big fingers and a small phone...:)

 

To expand on the idea of traveling at holiday time, I think one of the things that I often think about is how we tend to move away from certain things sometimes. We work, work, work. Then there is household stuff, and we are all just doing different things at different times. I think it is really wonderful to spend time with one another.

 

And as I said, I like quiet time too. I remember one time in the early spring. It was still very cool out, and it was a Sunday. I turned on the fireplace, and had a glass of wine. No TV or phone, just me. And I like that once in awhile. When I go on vacation, I try to find a little time where I just relax. I do like music and reading, but sometimes, I just watch the water. I may be at a beach, or my balcony or someplace else on board. For Oasis class ships, I like Central Park.

 

And back to my point, I think it would be fun some day to travel with my husband and my adult daughters, because the last time we did that was 2014. And when your kids are in their 20's, those few years makes a big difference in their maturity, likes and dislikes. We have been talking for a while now how much fun it would be to travel together again.

 

This may be a silly question, but with Alaska, are sneakers sufficient for getting around? I'm not much of a sneaker person myself. I know that layers are the best way to dress, so I can imagine long sleeved knit tops, scarves, fleece, and then a packable bubble type cold weather coat. But what about the feet? I'm assuming you don't need winter boots, but it may be pretty slippery in areas?

 

I have heard that, depending on when you are there, you may need clothing that would cover three seasons in New York - spring, summer and fall. I have heard also that if you go later, you may even get some nice days where you can wear short sleeves. I'm so intrigued, because I have wanted to go there for quite some time.

 

I was browsing online through JCP yesterday, and they had this pretty summer dress in a color they described as rust. I think that is an accurate description, but it wasn't at deep as what comes to mind. I would say it was more of a burnt orange. I really liked it, but don't know what I thought about the hanky hem. That makes sense for me, I guess.

 

I try all sorts of things, but I bring back an awful lot of things. It is very educating, in a way. It reminds me of what I like and dislike, and quite honestly, it helps you build up that resistance to buying things that aren't right. There was a print dress too that was questionable, but seemed to have some good colors to it.

 

I found a very pretty teal formal dress, that was very much "me". But I have a teal dress that I wore on the last cruise. As much as the price was great and the dress would probably be perfect for me, I can't justify it because of the color. It is on the blue side of teal, but the styling and the lace are something I like a lot.

 

https://www.jcpenney.com/p/decoded-sleeveless-evening-gown/ppr5007263141?pTmplType=regular&catId=cat100210008&deptId=dept20000013&urlState=/g/misses-size-womens-dresses/N-bwo3xD1nnujcZ1z1356vZ1c2&badge=new

[laurspag]

I thought this was pretty too.

 

https://www.jcpenney.com/p/one-by-eight-sleeveless-evening-gown/ppr5007296540?pTmplType=regular&rrec=true&rrplacementtype=addtocart1_rr

[Sailor_Sally]

Sneakers are fine for Alaska unless you are going to do a lot of hiking . You really only need layers . I packed several long sleeved t shirts , cotton sweaters ,jeans ,other long pants for on the ship (it is chilly ),a scarf, gloves , a rain jacket ,a fleece and a few outfits for evening nothing really dressy . We went Mother's Day week and the weather was perfect . The only time I was cold was glacier viewing and whale watching . We had a balcony and wrapped ourselves in blankets to watch the scenery go by . Did not pack a bathing suit or any formal clothes .

[awhfy]

Sneakers or hiking shoes. I wear smart wool socks which keep my feet toasty

 

We just got home from Santa’s Village. I’m totally exhausted, but we had a blast. All 3 kids fell asleep in the car on the way home, the hallmark of a great day!

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[Sailor_Sally]

Melody , Great Pictures ! I am taking my grandsons to Disney in a few weeks and I am tired just thinking about it .

[awhfy]

The little guy is our new bonus grandson. Our new daughter in law came with an 8 year old. He’s fit right in.

 

I’m off to bed! Melody

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[Sailor_Sally]

Laurie , I was widowed at 51 and my daughter was 21 so we spent several years travelling together . We made such great memories .She worked and went to school in Boston so I would visit monthly and we had a ball.One of my favorite pictures is us in Grand Camyan with snorkel masks ready to dive in. I cherish that time we spent together because now she is a busy Mom of two boys plus she teaches at a local college and designs web sites so her time is limited .

[Anita Latte]

When DH and I were first married, we had a couple Thanksgivings where we went traveling just the two of us and didn't meet with either his family or my own. My favorite trip from those few years was the one we took to Glacier National Park in Montana...near Kalispell. We drover there from Loveland, CO, where we lived at the time. We stayed in a time share in Columbia Falls, I think. It rained almost every day, but still, it was such a great trip...just the two of us. Really nice. That was our first Thanksgiving as a married couple, I think. So...1997?

 

One year for Thanksgiving, when we lived in Dallas-Fort Worth area, DH was gifted with football tickets for Denver, Broncos at Dallas, Cowboys. There were 4 tickets, 2 in one row and 2 in the row behind. DH sat in one row and I sat in the other. DS could go back and forth between us, and the "empty" seat was for our coats, etc. DS was 4, so...2005.

 

Both times, being relieved from the stress of the big holiday meal...I KNOW without doubt that I could travel on Thanksgiving. NO PROBLEM. BUT...I don't live close to family...and when I have been close to family (years in GA) Thanksgiving was STRESSFUL...not a happy, yay family holiday...SO...again...without doubt, I could just forget Thanksgiving altogether and take the time for travel or something else. I don't need that pomp and circumstance for a day of the year.

 

Christmas...I can travel for Christmas too. One year, DH, DS, and I drove from Houston area to Pagosa Springs, CO for Christmas. OUTSTANDING. LOVED it. We had such a good time. Of course, leaving the typical Texas weather for a white Christmas rocked...but also...it just lowered the expectation of what all we were going to do on the big day...and so...in so many ways...it was just a lovely day...boiled down to the essentials...and more time was spent in hanging out and being together than worrying about all the stuff and such that constitute the holiday celebration.

 

Not that there's anything wrong with all that ceremony. It was just nice to have a break from it for a year. And that's all it is...one year...doing something different...which in some ways makes you appreciate the doing of it all over again because you know what it's like to have a holiday without it. And it's okay to have that simplified holiday like that because the pay off was the travel or what not...

 

There's a theme here...I think travel during the holidays is a nice break. It helps to have that time that is typically a time where you take vacation time from work to be something that is relaxing...obviously, I think holidays can be stressful. I've learned over the years to chill out a bit...and not put such high expectations on the days...and on myself with meal prep, holiday decorations, etc.

 

This year...we have no particular plans for Thanksgiving. And it's DH's family time...since everyone moved away (my other SIL and her family also moved from Atlanta area to Alabama)...DH's family is now in Texas, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, and us, in North Carolina. So we've rented one of those big home away from home cabins in the North Georgia mountains for 5 days to celebrate Christmas, so no one has to be alone in a hotel and one person doesn't have to try to host for everyone, because no one is well equipped to do that. The rental is pretty amazing...should be lovely.

 

Laurie...I would think that footwear would be largely dependent on what your excursions and plans were. I can tell you, with how our plans are shaping up...we NEED hiking boots. I have great ones...I have to get them out and make sure that they are all still good, but I worn them in GA on the few snow/ice days we had and they were still good. Mine are all leather...and I spent so much on them back in the day...back in Colorado...so, 1997, I think...they were well broken in for our one year anniversary to Grand Teton National Park in 1998. They are still good, as crazy as that is, but I remember that, when debating them, the guys in RCI were like, you can have these for 20 years...

 

They were totally right!

 

Anyway...with our plans, I think sneakers for cruise would be fine...but we are going to get wild on our land days in Alaska after the cruise...and we'll need good hiking shoes.

 

Smart wool socks RULE!! We wear liners too when we are really serious about having happy warm feet.

 

Fun pictures Melody! I remember going to a place like that in Southern California with my Great Grandma. Santa's Village or something like that. Your cruise plans sound like a lot of fun. A whole lot of water sport which should be such a good time.

 

Laurie...that teal dress DOES seem very you. The second dress....not so much. Only because it isn't a symmetrical style. That one shoulder...I'd have to see it on you...but my first reaction leans way more toward the teal than the red. If only that teal color dress was offered in the red color...then it'd be perfect.

[laurspag]

I know what you are saying, Anita.

 

I love to cook for us. But since I very much love and crave peacefulness and taking the time to enjoy things, I find that I wish I had more time to just relax and enjoy it all. And I love when my daughters want to help. It is so special to be in the kitchen, and having one of them asking me how much rosemary I put in the stuffing while the other one is asking about different ways to prepare sweet potatoes.

 

And there is such a big difference when there is 4 of us or 20 of us. You don't have the same time to reflect and enjoy. If we have a lot of people, I always tell my daughters to enjoy the time with the guests because we don't get together very often.

 

And this ties in, and I would imagine it might be a type 4 thing: if I make an appointment, I tend to make it first thing in the morning. I do not want to think about it all day. I want to get up and go, then return to my usual business of things. What if I lose track of time and end up late for the dentist because I was in the middle of an issue at work? And if I make an appointment to get my haircut, I want it to be at 5:15, so I can stop right on my way home for work. I do not want to go home, then go back out later on.

 

 

So I get tense waiting for people to arrive.

 

All that must have made me seem plain weird. But I guess I have often thought about traveling at holiday time just to be able to focus on the meaning or the people who are special to me.

 

Melody, I look forward to having grandchildren someday to take places like that. Just this morning, I was talking to my husband about a place locally that has a pajama party for the viewing of Polar Express at holiday time. Not that I think pajamas should be worn outside the house, mind you, but I can handle it if it is the "uniform" for the event!

 

And we just got tickets for The Nutcracker in December. A local place has the Russian ballet here every year for this, and we went for the first time last year. I loved it. The only difference is, we went to the afternoon show last year at 2:00 on a Sunday, and this year, we are going at 6:00 PM instead. What I liked about the 2:00 show was that we went to dinner after. We will be doing the opposite this time, and I hope I don't have that after dinner grogginess going on. And that I don't get any food on my dress.

 

Last year, we all wore red dresses and my husband wore his red tie with his suit. He said he loved going out with all of us dressed like that. I have the picture on my phone, so I will have to re-post it. I love that dress, and would probably wear it again for this same event.

 

Do the wool socks itch? That is probably a silly question, but I have trouble with wool. I have a lambswool scarf that wear, and it leaves me a little red and itchy but it passes quickly. I think it is because I seldom leave it next to the bare skin on my neck very long.

 

Here I am planning ahead for Alaska when I think it may be quite some time before I get there. But I really am excited about going there.

 

I did some window shopping today. Well, online. I always like to see what is out there. I saw a dress described as forest green, and it looked like it could be an earthy green in real life. I think it is beautiful. It is not cheap, but not over the top expensive with the current sale. But I look at the top part of that dress and ask myself how it would fit on me, and if it lays the same on me as it does on the model, how would I feel about that? If course, she is much tinier on top that I am or ever could be. But the dress really caught my eye. I generally don't do ruffles. If this was in the store locally (highly unlikely - the whole store is a sea of black) I would try it on to see what I thought.

 

http://www.lordandtaylor.com/main/ProductDetail.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524442375165&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=282574488355581&bmUID=lYqrDwX

 

Then I look at my monitor again and say maybe that isn't an earthy green. You just never know.

[laurspag]

This is from last year.

 

Sent from my SM-G935V using Forums mobile app

[awhfy]

Great picture Laurie, pretty gals.

 

I’ve never had a problem with smart wool socks, never itchy & I have issues with wool too.

 

Our daughter’s have pretty much taken over holiday cooking. I’m allowed to bring my specialty dishes [emoji6]. Cranberry orange relish, butternut squash & enhanced tapioca pudding (pineapple & whipped cream). Thanksgiving will be 42 this year! We leave at 6 am the next morning. Melody

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[laurspag]

I think that someday, is like to try a cruise between Thanksgiving and Christmas just to get a feel for it.

 

 

 

Sent from my SM-G935V using Forums mobile app

[MJC]

Laurie, I'm really looking forward to our first try at cruising in the first week of December, which is supposed to be a pretty quiet time to go what with kids still in school and parents spending their $$ on presents instead of vacations at that time of year.

 

For the first 7 years we were married, DH and I did not spend Thanksgiving or Christmas together. He was a firm lawyer back then and 4th quarter was their busy time, and nobody could take vacation. I would always go to my family for the holidays or I would have been home alone. :loudcry: If we were lucky, he'd get a Sunday afternoon off and we'd go to his aunt's giant Hanukkah party.

[awhfy]

We love cruising the week after Thanksgiving. We decorate the house for Christmas the week of Thanksgiving then leave. Get to the ship & it’s all decorated for the holidays. Get home & everything is done. It’s great!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[Anita Latte]

I remember that photo...such a good one. Both you are your girls look so happy!

 

Margaret...I think you're going to have such a great time on your cruise! I'm so glad that we have you and Melody going on cruises soon. I need some vicarious vacation! :D

 

Laurie...Smart Wool...is definitely something to check out. Notice the proper name:

 

http://www.smartwool.com/discover/why-merino-wool/merino-wool-101.html

 

I haven't tried the base layers, in clothing...just the socks, but I admit that I am very curious about the clothing. I love their socks though and wouldn't wear anything else for hiking/backpacking.

 

The last big dinner I hosted for the holidays was a Christmas Eve dinner. It was DH's family...he has 4 sisters...and our total for the group was 12 adult like people, a toddler like person and an infant like person. I'll just share what I did because I thought it was brilliant and my SIL copied the thought for Christmas Day.

 

I have used creative seating and the full leaf extension of my dual-pedestal dining room table to crowd everyone around one table in the past. I didn't ever enjoy what that did to the table dynamics. It was always frustrating to me to not be able to really talk with family at the other end, etc. Anyway...I didn't want to do that whole rigamarole and so I decided that there would be a sort of musical chairs for Christmas Eve. I had bench seating in the formal dining room that would help with the little ones...but basically, I decorated my breakfast nook table (52" diameter bar height seats 6 easily) and my formal dining room table...set the kitchen up in the middle as a buffet...did an appetizer course with soups, salads, bread...and the dinner course, which was a whole salmon stuffed and grilled...and then dessert.

 

Everyone sat wherever they wanted for appetizers and dinner, but I said that we were going to mix it up for the two courses. So each course ended up with a different group around the table.

 

Dessert could be whenever you wanted...and if you wanted a table...use the nook...or just hang out in the family room with the fire.

 

The big break in between the courses was totally welcomed by everyone...and it made it much easier to plan the food...and there were many helping hands that were willing to participate in the set up for the dinner course. I think it was the best family meal I ever hosted.

 

Planning for Alaska is coming right along. I'm getting a very good handle on how things are going to play out on the cruise and the post-cruise land touring...and I'm so every excited. It's taken a bit of soul-searching in a way to really put together what we want to get out of this first Alaska experience. I haven't talked to Mom yet this morning...so I'm not going to share too much yet, but I am SO EXCITED.

[Sailor_Sally]

We traveled at Thanksgiving several years .We would meet my daughter ,her husband and the my grandson at various places usually Washington,d.c. We would then tour and go out for Thanksgiving dinner . One years it was just Gary & I and we went to Savannah .We had a great time . We did take a cruise one Thanksgiving but the ship was too crowded with kids so if I was going to cruise it would be after the holiday or early dec.. One year my daughter & I went to New York for Christmas . That is something everybody should do once . It really gets you in the holiday spirit . Ever since I moved to Florida it is hard to get in the holiday spirit because it is too warm.We usually have a large party Christmas eve and most of the time people are sitting outside on the deck eating .

 

Laurie , That green dress is very pretty .