Day 9 June 15, 2015
At Sea
It’s strange to me how fast the “At Sea” days fly by when anyone might imagine that spending the entire day on board a ship would make f or a long a day, but that is not my experience. Suddenly it is nearly midnight, and the last light of day is fading just before dawn begins about three hours from now. The sun will come up at 4:17 am. We pass into another time zone tonight giving an extra hour of sleep, but what is given will be taken away at the end of the week. There was a pleasant group for the morning Mass, and I had breakfast in the Lido and then moved to the Crow’s Nest to read for several hours. At some point in late morning, Fr Jacobi showed up with his book. He is reading Mitchner’s “Alaska”, and I am reading “The Heart of Everything: The Untold Story of Red Cloud, An American Legend.” Suddenly it was 1:00. We both indulged in too much from the “Pasta Bar” which required 3 miles around the Ship on the Lower Promenade Deck (sort of like “Penance” when you go to confession). It was very windy. After that carbohydrate splurge, it was “nap time.” and suddenly it was time for dinner which we enjoyed in the main dining room.
The musical show tonight was the one I liked well enough to see twice last week, and it was just as good as ever. Drifting back to the “Ocean Bar” to hear the jazz combo was an easy decision, and we closed the place down. After the last set, Sebastian (piano and vocal) came over the table and we talked for awhile before he headed off to a “Cast Party” below deck to which I was invited. However getting up at 7:15 for the morning Mass, made me think it might be better to skip the party. I will probably regret that decision later since it was down low and forward in the ship where the crew lives. It would have been a chance to see that area up close, but here I am typing away.
Pictures tonight: Dinner with Fr Jacobi, a fun picture with Vanessa who runs the “HAL Club” (Holland America Line) which is the program that entertains children under 12 years of age through the day and part of the night. She is from Prince Edward Island, and has been at Mass every day. In addition is a picture of me with Sebastian tonight after the last set, and finally one more picture of the extra ordinary fresh flower arrangements all over the ship that I find so amazing and colorful
