July 10 & 11
This is the first blog that I have written after the fact. The others were written on the day. This one is being written on the Monday morning after.
The excitement caused by Rylands adventure is still reverberating around the ship. At this time everyone on board knows who it was that was lost.
" How does every one know it was me, Uncle Dave?" Ryland asked.
" I told Stalker Bill, he told everyone else." I said with a smile on my face. Everywhere Ry went people were wanting to know how he was doing. He warmed up to the story, and as the embarrassment faded, the story improved. By lunch time he was beating off a Grizzly with the Salmon he caught with his bare hands!
We are at Sea until we get back to Vancouver. We went through the Alaskan Islands in the middle of the night. It was dark, as it tends to be at night and also I was sleeping. I only mention this because today was incredibly boring. I wish I was still sleeping.
We were in open water. No shoreline visible, no whales or Dolphins, just water. Oh yeah, the buffet and Stalker Bill.
"Stalker Bill" got the name from "Cathy Gone Postal" she works for the U.S. post office when she's not Cruising with the Peck of Deckers.
I was not on the ship twenty minutes when I hear from behind me "Hey Squatch!" I turn around and there's Bill Ellis. We worked together thirty-five years ago and I haven't seen him since. Cathy called him my stalker because the only time she ever saw him he was talking to me. Thirty-five years is a lot of catching up to do. Time has been hard on Bill! He's sixty-five years old and looks like a character out of The Hobbit movie!
He now owns an accounting company in Victoria with his wife Woo Ping. Lived in China and has a million great stories that I will eventually steal and make my own!
When you're on a cruise on the open sea there is nothing to do but eat. That's what I did. Breakfast at 8:00, second breakfast with the gang at 9:30 snack at 11:00 and lunch at 12:00. Now that's a tough schedule, and it's only morning. 1:30 at the taco bar /pizza/ burger joint just to hold me until tea at 3:00 cucumber sandwiches and little cakes. The dinner buffet starts at 5:00, a quick salad to take me till 8:00 when we have our dining room reservation. We have not made it out of the dining room before 10:00 until tonight. That's because two of our group made the finals of the dance contest and it went at 10:00, It finished just before the start of the 11:00 meal.
I am going to readers digest mode because I am falling behind and a lot is going on. Long story short. Joyce and Carlo made the dance final. They were both having a lot of fun. They both danced well. They both lost. Put our luggage in the hallway and went to bed.
In the port of Vancouver at 7:00 am. I got off the ship at 8:30. They let someone walk off with Janice's case, it was accidental and returned to our door by the woman who made the mistake. It was close to 10:00 by the time I got on the Skytrain. I had sent Momma Lee, Lisa and all the luggage home in a Handitaxi. $80.
Uncle Charlie, Laura and Janice decided to stay downtown with Rob and Wendy.
In a moment of insanity I invited everyone in our group to a farewell BBQ at my house.
Half the bastards showed up! Kidding! It was closer to 60%. I am kidding, I have really enjoyed our week together. Everyone made their way to Lougheed Town Center Skytrain and Lisa and I picked them up. Burgers and dogs and four kinds of salad. Seven of our friends were on the 10:30 flight to Philly. They were dropped at the station and made their flight in plenty of time. I hope.
I took Wendy and Robbie down to their hotel, watched the sunset and called it a night.
" I told Stalker Bill, he told everyone else." I said with a smile on my face. Everywhere Ry went people were wanting to know how he was doing. He warmed up to the story, and as the embarrassment faded, the story improved. By lunch time he was beating off a Grizzly with the Salmon he caught with his bare hands!
We are at Sea until we get back to Vancouver. We went through the Alaskan Islands in the middle of the night. It was dark, as it tends to be at night and also I was sleeping. I only mention this because today was incredibly boring. I wish I was still sleeping.
We were in open water. No shoreline visible, no whales or Dolphins, just water. Oh yeah, the buffet and Stalker Bill.
"Stalker Bill" got the name from "Cathy Gone Postal" she works for the U.S. post office when she's not Cruising with the Peck of Deckers.
I was not on the ship twenty minutes when I hear from behind me "Hey Squatch!" I turn around and there's Bill Ellis. We worked together thirty-five years ago and I haven't seen him since. Cathy called him my stalker because the only time she ever saw him he was talking to me. Thirty-five years is a lot of catching up to do. Time has been hard on Bill! He's sixty-five years old and looks like a character out of The Hobbit movie!
He now owns an accounting company in Victoria with his wife Woo Ping. Lived in China and has a million great stories that I will eventually steal and make my own!
When you're on a cruise on the open sea there is nothing to do but eat. That's what I did. Breakfast at 8:00, second breakfast with the gang at 9:30 snack at 11:00 and lunch at 12:00. Now that's a tough schedule, and it's only morning. 1:30 at the taco bar /pizza/ burger joint just to hold me until tea at 3:00 cucumber sandwiches and little cakes. The dinner buffet starts at 5:00, a quick salad to take me till 8:00 when we have our dining room reservation. We have not made it out of the dining room before 10:00 until tonight. That's because two of our group made the finals of the dance contest and it went at 10:00, It finished just before the start of the 11:00 meal.
I am going to readers digest mode because I am falling behind and a lot is going on. Long story short. Joyce and Carlo made the dance final. They were both having a lot of fun. They both danced well. They both lost. Put our luggage in the hallway and went to bed.
In the port of Vancouver at 7:00 am. I got off the ship at 8:30. They let someone walk off with Janice's case, it was accidental and returned to our door by the woman who made the mistake. It was close to 10:00 by the time I got on the Skytrain. I had sent Momma Lee, Lisa and all the luggage home in a Handitaxi. $80.
Uncle Charlie, Laura and Janice decided to stay downtown with Rob and Wendy.
In a moment of insanity I invited everyone in our group to a farewell BBQ at my house.
Half the bastards showed up! Kidding! It was closer to 60%. I am kidding, I have really enjoyed our week together. Everyone made their way to Lougheed Town Center Skytrain and Lisa and I picked them up. Burgers and dogs and four kinds of salad. Seven of our friends were on the 10:30 flight to Philly. They were dropped at the station and made their flight in plenty of time. I hope.
July 12 & 13
I woke up in my own bed. I just wanted to say that. Then I drove the Peck of Deckers to Seatac. I was happy to do it. Uncle Charlie, Aunt Janice and "Laura the Blade" have always treated us so well when we are in New Jersey and we were so glad to have them visit us again. Squidly is working and was missed by all, especially Uncle Robbie!
Crossing the border with one Canadian, two Americans and one Brit with a green card. Challenging, perhaps.
I handed the Customs officer our passports and Janice's green card.
" You need to replace this card" said the officer " No I don't " "Yes you do" I said. He waved us through.
Filled up the truck and Uncle Chuckie bought Cherries. Raniers and Bings and some apricots.
We had a little time so I took them down to the Space Needle to look around. Uncle Charlie is picture crazy, He has his camera in his hand more often than a fourteen year old has his hands in his pants.
Ivar's for lunch and off to the airport. I left the airport at 3:10 a couple of short stops and I was at the border. 6:15 I crossed the border at 7:35. They sent me back with some cherries for Lisa. I ate them all in the lineup. the apricots were not that good.
Sorry no pics. I forgot the camera!
That's all I got.
Till next time
Peace out Y'all
©2014 Dave Squatch Ward
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