Preparing for Vacation- Baggage

     

     I'm doing it, leaving on a jet plane (to get me to a ship), but I do know when I'll be back again. I've mixed emotions. I work hard, I saved, and a week being catered too and indulged and pampered, can't be bad for anyone's spirits. I know I'll miss the kids and the pets, but they're all in good hands and paws with each other. I mostly miss that my husband won't be on this cruise with me. He loved cruise vacations. It's a plug and play, no thinking way to relax, but also see, albeit the tourist view, other places in the world. My first drink will be a Pina Colada, his favorite cruise drink, even though not my favorite. It feels right to have one. 

     Our retirement dream had been to pick a place to head, every January or February, and stay as long as our budget could sustain. We were going to live like locals, then come back in late spring, ready to enjoy Minnesota in it's finest months. He even looked a bit at the 30-90 day world cruise options and put on the figurative bucket list. 

     His mom did I think a 6 week cruise about  1 1/2 years after my FIL passed away. She loved it. She would have been 76, maybe 77, and it might have been a year later than I'm remembering. She wasn't quite remembering either. She's done other trips since he died. These include the family Alaska trip, a Panama Canal cruise, a New England to Nova Scotia bus tour, and a trip to see Noah's Ark ( to each his own), and to Florida  and Georgia with family. Other than maybe an overnight to one of her sisters or a cousin, she says she's done travelling now. Sadly, many of her widowed travel companions either have since passed or are not in good health to go with her. Her trip three years ago over Easter with my BIL's family wore her out. Even though she's very healthy for her age, at 83 she doesn't want to risk being far away from home anymore should she have a medical issue. As much as my MIL can be an opinionated thorn at times, I do respect and admire that she's carved a good life for herself the past nine years. 

   

 Where did that paragraph come from? Lots of baggage I seem to be carrying. You all seem to be my emotional baggage handlers. I had to pack an actual bag too. It was tough deciding what and how many clothing items to bring along. I'll be gone nine days and can double up some things, like the formal night dress and another and a skirt for the dining rooms, but I spied the temps ahead and looks like we might have a mix of rain and sun. I opted for a mix of shorts and tanks/ tshirts, and casual or sun dresses. I'm wearing a T-shirt, hoodie, and casual pants on the plane that will work extra duty, and threw in a sweater and shawl for coolish nights on the deck, and my fun palazzo pants instead of a dress for the 80's night. Of course I have a few swimsuits and cover ups.

     Shoes make up much of my packing. I'm wearing my Nike comfy walking athletic shoes  for the plane, but have a nice wedge sandal, hiking sandals, pool slides, and water shoes, which are practical, but not attractive. Nothing hurts more than walking on beaches that are rocky or broken shell laden. I'm a make up and personal product minimalist most of the time and vacation will be no exception. I'm just going to use provided shampoo and conditioner, but packed a good creamy bar soap and my own face cream. Makeup will be nothing more than mascara, foundation to smooth out sun blotching, blush, and tinted chap stick. Most days I'll skip make up anyway and lather on a lot of sun screen. I have my husband's St Thomas hat, bought on our 25th anniversary cruise. I'll look like a dork but I don't care. 

     Maybe I'll blog a bit, who knows. I left you with shots of two tshirts. One below, the group shirts we'll all wear tomorrow when we embark. Don't ask; designed or selected by the two Want to Be Cruise Director brother-in-laws. The shirt shown at the top of the post was provided by one of my sister's to the four of us girl's going. I don't know when she plans for us to wear it. Bon Voyage.