Something a little different:)

[innlady1]

Before our cruises, something always breaks...this has happened to us many times. On our last cruise, our water heater broke, the cruise before that, our stove hit the dust....the cruise before that, our heating system went.....was wondering if anyone else had this problem? What's going next?:(

 

Lynne:)

 

Must be in the air, Lynne! Before we go anywhere, something always breaks down!

[Lynne Myrna]

As i'm reading these, just thinking that my problems are nothing compared to some.....now i'm going to turn off the water hoses to my washing machine after each wash. I do turn the water off before we go away.

 

Anyone else have any horror stories to tell?????

 

Happy.....you are a riot:)

[Krazy Kruizers]

We usually have 2 or 3 things happen before we cruise.

 

Just before our recent cruises in August on the Maasdam, we had to have roofers out 2 days before we left to repair shingles on a 5 year old roof that had been damaged during a microburst. We had already been without power for over 9 hours.

 

Another time I was in the hospital just 5 days before we left.

 

The list goes on and on.

[Lynne Myrna]

KK.....could you please tell me what a microburst is, I never heard that term used before.

[jhannah]

May I? A microburst is a weather phenomenon. It's a blast of wind ... a very fast downdraft.

 

The only thing broken before a cruise for me is the bank! ;)

[Lynne Myrna]

Thanks Jim.....I had no idea what that was. You are lucky that it's the only thing you break:):):)

[JMC715]

I always seem to have a dental emergency while cruising. Couple of years ago, I had to find a dentist in Ft Lauderdale for an infected tooth, and then a pharmacy for a couple of Rx, all before hopping in a cab and down to Miami for a cruise. But it was the cheapest onboard bill ever. One Martini on top of the painkillers was all it took each evening!

 

This past June, I broke another tooth in the middle of an 8 day cruise on the NCL Spirit. Managed to deal with it until returning home however. So the family joke is that I know all the dentists on the high seas!

[innlady1]

May I? A microburst is a weather phenomenon. It's a blast of wind ... a very fast downdraft.

 

The only thing broken before a cruise for me is the bank! ;)

 

Thank you, Jim! I'd never heard of microbust, either.:eek:

[winemistress45]

As i'm reading these, just thinking that my problems are nothing compared to some.....now i'm going to turn off the water hoses to my washing machine after each wash. I do turn the water off before we go away.

 

Anyone else have any horror stories to tell?????

 

Happy.....you are a riot:)

 

How about 17 year old nephew in a drowning accident, dear friend critically injured in a boating accident (still in the hospital) and the 10 year old girl sitting in her lap dies in the same accident, best girl friend passing away at 47 years old from cancer, then her step daughter gets murdered a week later, lover in a horrible cycling accident where he tore his right elbow off of his body -- yeah, no kidding and all in the last 6 weeks! Insanity personified.

 

They say things come in threes like this --- this was a 6 pack -- so I'm hoping I'm done with bad news and personal tragedy for a long, long while!

 

Its been a rough summer -- very much looking forward to a holiday with my girls and spoiling them rotten -- living with gratitude every single day.

[sail7seas]

You need a cruise!

 

How awful to suffer so many loses/so much pain in such a short time.

 

I think that is the most depressing post I've ever read and hope everyone in your life stays safe and sound.

 

(I'm running the other way if we're ever on the same cruise!!! :eek: - - kidding..... I think. ) ;)

 

 

Hope you and the girls have a wonderful cruise.

 

 

[winemistress45]

You need a cruise!

 

How awful to suffer so many loses/so much pain in such a short time.

 

I think that is the most depressing post I've ever read and hope everyone in your life stays safe and sound.

 

(I'm running the other way if we're ever on the same cruise!!! :eek: - - kidding..... I think. ) ;)

 

 

Hope you and the girls have a wonderful cruise.

 

 

 

Thank you so much for your kind words and the joke --- we need lots of laughs around here for sure!

 

:D

 

Here is a something I do often but it happened to me today -- its something small but meant a lot to me -- so here it goes (indulge me on the story here):

 

So, this morning, I'm in the drive thru starbuck's line in my pj's after dropping kids at the school.

 

There is a huge line -- but I can't get out cuz of the pj thing -- so I wait -- in no giant hurry but I do have meetings all day today and need to get on with it.

 

Okay, so at least 5 people behind me and the lady in front of me has 3 car lengths in front of her empty -- she's just sitting there -- I keep thinking she'll look up and see that she should move up in line ---

 

She doesn't.

 

So about 30 seconds goes by (which can feel like 5 minutes) and she still doesn't move -- now people in the parking lot are being blocked by the long drive thru line and can't move their cars -- so finally one person behind me gives a quick "tap tap -- honk honk" on their horn (not mean or anything) -- she looks up and moves forward.

 

Turns out she is reading a book (I can now see her from the side) -- so this proceeds to happen two more times -- where she is engrossed in her reading and has all this room to move forward but doesn't realize it.

 

I just kept breathing -- biding my time -- thinking oh well -- she must have a great book that she can't put down (wish I had one of those right now).

 

No one honks at her again or anything and finally she is at the window paying and getting her drink.

 

So my turn is next. I get to the window and they give me my drink and say "the lady in front of you paid for your drink".

 

I said, "oh my gosh, do I know her?" Starbuck's girl says "I don't think so, she just paid for it and drove off with a smile on her face."

 

So I sat for a second and said "well I want to pay it forward."

 

Starbuck's girl says "well your drink was $2 and the one behind you is $6.40." So I pull out a $10 and said "pay it forward have a great day!"

 

It felt sooo good -- there is ray of hope afterall.

 

:)

[sail7seas]

That's a nice story. Thanks for sharing it.

 

I've done things such as that.

 

A cute honeymoon couple playing slot machine in the casino. I'm beside them playing a little but truthfully enjoying watching them more than my slot machine. They used up all their quarters and I was proud of them when they agreed they would leave. Seems they had a fixed amount of money they planned to gamble and they were at their limit.

 

I stood, told them I needed to leave, handed them my bucket of quarters and asked them to 'use them up for me'. The look on their faces as I left was darling. I hope they won the Progressive!!!

 

[winemistress45]

That's a nice story. Thanks for sharing it.

 

I've done things such as that.

 

A cute honeymoon couple playing slot machine in the casino. I'm beside them playing a little but truthfully enjoying watching them more than my slot machine. They used up all their quarters and I was proud of them when they agreed they would leave. Seems they had a fixed amount of money they planned to gamble and they were at their limit.

 

I stood, told them I needed to leave, handed them my bucket of quarters and asked them to 'use them up for me'. The look on their faces as I left was darling. I hope they won the Progressive!!!

 

 

How wonderful!

 

I have done something similar-- at the Bellagio in Las Vegas -- I was having so much fun in the casino visiting with friends in the piano bar -- but I had "O" tickets -- awesome seats.

 

An elderly couple was sitting near me and I went over and asked them if they had seen the "O" show -- they said they couldn't get tickets but had hoped to because it was their anniversary -- the man was in the dog house with the wife over not planning ahead:(

 

-- I handed them my tickets and said "happy anniverary" -- they were stunned --- the tickets were really pricey and they said they would never have been able to have afforded them.

 

I was just glowing the rest of the evening about it all!

 

I saw them the next morning at breakfast and they were just so excited to tell me all about it -- they were just darling.

 

I'm thinking of having my girls do a little scavenger hunt type activity on board the ship during the at sea days --- maybe doing some random acts of kindness should be part of that!!!

 

Doesn't it feel great to let someone else in front of you at the market, or cut over on the freeway in traffic --- its priceless!:)

[jhannah]

What great "pay it forward" stories. We all need to hear these more often to keep our faith in humanity.

[winemistress45]

What great "pay it forward" stories. We all need to hear these more often to keep our faith in humanity.

 

Faith in Humanity is right --- trying to show my girls that as well.

 

 

At yoga last night -- my yogi said something so poignant:

 

"Before you speak, consider -- is it kind, is it true, is it necessary and does it improve upon the slience..."

 

Ugh, I loved this. I thought of these boards and life in general and how sometimes its like siamese cats -- people having to get the last word in -- is it necessary? does it improve upon the silence?

 

The yogi also said -- "that which you feed you give life to."

 

Sometimes silence says it all!

 

On the way home I heard that Beatles song "ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE" ---

 

I can't get it out of my head --- truly -- love is all you need.

 

Pay it forward and let the love spread like a wild fire!

[Sea Island Lady]

Ugh, I loved this. I thought of these boards and life in general and how sometimes its like siamese cats -- people having to get the last word in -- is it necessary? does it improve upon the silence?

 

winemistress45 ~ I think you have the last word tonight! :) Bless you!

[Lynne Myrna]

I'm ready to cry.....winemistress45, you certainly have been through a lot, but have come out of it unscathed.....you sound like such a good human being. I want to wish you, & your children, the most wonderful & safest of cruises....after what you've been through, you most certainly deserve it:)....I have done many a good deed, there is nothing like that feeling of giving. Take care......& so happy you posted:)

 

Lynne:)

[winemistress45]

I'm ready to cry.....winemistress45, you certainly have been through a lot, but have come out of it unscathed.....you sound like such a good human being. I want to wish you, & your children, the most wonderful & safest of cruises....after what you've been through, you most certainly deserve it:)....I have done many a good deed, there is nothing like that feeling of giving. Take care......& so happy you posted:)

 

Lynne:)

 

Oh sweetie -- don't cry.

 

The world can certainly be a dark place, that is for certain. But we can find the light.

 

All of this has touched me in a deeply grave way, but as I tell my daughter we will not only survive, we will thrive.

 

So many others have it even worse --

 

Yes, we are definitely looking foward to a fun-filled cruise and you are so right -- there is nothing quite like touching the hearts of others.

 

 

Thank you so much for your kind words. They mean a lot.

[bepsf]

LOL

That was once the case, but not now.

In January, 2 days before my flight to New York for the Noordam cruise, I was on the interstate about 10 car lengths behind a truck that dumped a box load of nails onto the street. I couldn't swerve due to traffic on either side. I blew all four tires. So did most of those around me. It was a horrible and it was truly a miracle that I didn't flip with the blow outs (I was going at least 60 mph at the time) or that someone else didn't hit me.

 

Just before the Voyage of the Spammed, last October, someone shoved a knife into the tire of my new Monte Carlo while it was parked outside the church offices.

 

The Sunday before the Noordam Inaugural I came out to get in my car to drive to church and noticed that I had a flat tire.

 

About a week before my January 06 cruise on the Oosterdam I had a blow out of one tire due to (yes, again) debris on the highway.

 

In short, it's a never ending saga. Makes me wonder what's about to happen next month, as we approach our cruise on the Volendam. Frankly, I'm looking for wood to knock on. :D

 

 

Geex Greg - Shouldn't have posted what model car you drive...

 

...sounds like a "certain someone" is following you around slashing your tires/spilling nails on the highway, etc., etc.

:cool:

 

Better trade it in on something else (and don't post here) before the next cruise.

;)

[bepsf]

Winemistress--

 

With everything you've been through and the great outlook you still have on life - you more than deserve this cruise.

I hope it's a great one and that we get to meet aboard ship someday.

:)

[winemistress45]

Winemistress--

 

With everything you've been through and the great outlook you still have on life - you more than deserve this cruise.

I hope it's a great one and that we get to meet aboard ship someday.

:)

 

How sweet of you.

 

Deserve? Well, I dunno about that....but I want to create another fantastic memory for my girls --- cherish each moment and love them to bits!

 

Last year at Thanksgiving we did work for Ambassadors for Children in Puerto Vallarta -- giving back to kids at risk, homeless teen Moms --- we still talk about it all the time.

 

This Thanksgiving will be quite different, however I hope it will be just as memorable.

 

Thank you Brian -- I hope our paths cross as well someday ---

 

:)

[Lynne Myrna]

Brian......don't you have a story to tell?....Has anything happened to you before cruising?:)

[bepsf]

Brian......don't you have a story to tell?....Has anything happened to you before cruising?:)

 

 

Lynne---

 

Haha - I didn't think I had a story (since I rent my apartment, don't own a car and have no children or pets...) but now that I remember I think I do...

 

A couple years ago, I was terribly unhappy at my job - I had tried all the proactive things like trying to take on different responsibilities, etc. which didn't work w/ my management, so I finally told my boss that since I had been there a year I was going to start looking for an internal transfer to another department - and in response, they wrote me up w/ HR for all the issues I had come to them with which preventing me from moving! So I took a few weeks off and in that time I discovered that on top of that I had some health issues to deal with so I ended up needing to take 3 months off total. When I was due to return to work, I reminded them that I had a cruise to Alaska and that I was going to be taking vacation time for that...

;)

...within a week of returning from that cruise, they were doing the same things and I had just had enough - so I wrote my resignation and left! :(

 

 

 

The following year, Scotty and I arrrived in NYC a couple nights before the Noordam Inaugural cruise so we went out and were partying like Rock Stars. We were having such a great time and I got so tanked that night: I fell out of our booth in the nightclub, I fell out of the taxi home, and when I rolled into the hotel room, I tripped over the luggage in the hall and fell between the beds. Next am when I awoke I couldn't move my leg! I had sprained my knee so badly that I pretty much stayed in bed all that day with ice packs for my knee and my head! :o

 

So when the CC'ers picked us up in the Limo for our NYC tour the day before the cruise, I was barely able to get in and out of the car due to my bad knee, and throughtout that 10-day cruise I think I got off the ship only twice!

 

 

 

Good things happen too, tho...

 

This past January during the Noordam Reunion, I received a phone call from a former boss that I'd stayed in touch with - I had done some consulting for her while I was unemployed, etc. and had interviewed for a position w/ her company which her boss had made her pass me over in favor of someone w/ less experience but a better degree. Anyway, she called to tell me that the job was open again (the previous hire quit w/ no notice) and she was allowed to offer it to me, so how much time did I need before I could start - 2 weeks? I said that I actually needed something more like a month, and of course she asked why on earth I'd need to give that much notice. I replied, "Well, I can't very well give notice while I'm on vacation - I'm in St Thomas on a cruise!"

:)

[winemistress45]

Brian -- you are a great story teller.

 

Not sure what you do for a living or who Scoty is, but was wondering if you do or have considred writing for a living?:)

[innlady1]

Brian -- you are a great story teller.

 

Not sure what you do for a living or who Scoty is, but was wondering if you do or have considred writing for a living?:)

 

Brian is not only a great story teller...he's the king of one liners! ;)