lairdandjonelle

Well, all good things must come to an end. A looooonnnnngggg end. By the time we got home around midnight last night, we’d been up for a little over 24 hours. And damn if we didn’t wake up at our usual times — that certainly wasn’t fair. I so wanted to sleep late this morning! We had such a great time drinking, eating, walking, ohhhhing and ahhhhing and, the last ship night, dancing. I don’t know why it took until the end of the cruise to do that, but we had great fun. Lots of people complimented us on our dancing, which made us feel fabulous, of course. Even coming up to us the next day, when they didn’t have to, to say how much they enjoyed watching us because we looked like we were having so much fun. One woman voted us Couple #1 of the evening and one came up to us the next day to say we had inspired her to think she could get her nondancing husband to dance at their wedding in two weeks. I don’t know how that would work, but we’re happy to have been of assistance! There were a couple of places on the ship we didn’t even discover or remember about until the last couple of days — we could have been doing something every minute of the day or night instead of just most of them. We walked the jogging track — 13 laps = 1 nautical mile, which = 1.15 land miles. It occurred to me that I like the confined-space nature of laps and treadmills much more than walking free-form. There’s something about that containment that keeps me going and motivated that walking the roads of Rancho Alegre doesn’t. I think it feels much shorter than “out in the open”, more prescribed. Or something. I got on the scale this morning and all I can say is, it could have been so much worse. If I had really, really eaten everything I wanted, it would have been worse. Laird has not gotten up the nerve to weigh yet. Diet time is upon us. Right after we eat this wonderful spread Asa’s mother, Ava, fixed for us for homecoming dinner. For me, it was homecoming breakfast. And lunch to follow, also dinner as she provided a feast. Great BBQ brisket, cole slaw, onion and corn salad, boiled eggs, watermelon, rhubarb pie — I’m sure I’m missing something. What a wonderful gesture and much appreciated since our fridge would have been barren otherwise.
I spent all my prepaid internet minutes on the last day trying to get our boarding passes, so didn’t get to blog. We didn’t get them for some reason that still hasn’t been explained; we even had a little trouble at Heathrow getting them. Even though we were confirmed on our flight and had seats, the British Air computer just didn’t want to give us boarding passes. Our concierge (and I) spent 35 minutes on hold with BA trying to find out the problem before we gave up and hung up. We had pretty good seats, each an aisle catercornered from one another, except that there was not enough room to cross one’s legs. But the flight attendants were so friendly and cheerful — not something we see on most USA airlines, except for Southwest. The good thing about international flights is the free booze, helps to knock off the edges of discomfort a little bit. But they never have enough ice on board for flights to US. Europeans just don’t get the concept of ice, I think. On the ship, I kept having to go back to the bar to get extra ice for my oh-so-wonderful Hendricks gins and tonic.  The secret of a good G&T is COLD.  That means ice.
Laird is going to see if he can figure out how to get pictures on the blog — now that we don’t have to pay 42 cents a minute. But he’ll be happy to carry his computer to anyone who wants to see — or maybe we will have an At Home evening and y’all can come out here for drinks and nosh and travelogue. That would be fun! [Laird interjects: As we speak (write?), I’m editing the Stonehenge pics. Good sky, and some panoramas with people in view to give a sense of scale. I think some of the bigger stones weigh up to 15 tons! I’m not convinced they have any good idea what the Stones are all about or how they transported or erected them. Of course, I haven’t done any research.]
I had told myself not to go souvenir crazy and I didn’t, though mostly that was from not finding much that I wanted. OMG and I getting too old?????? Well, except I would have bought tons of stuff at the Delft porcelain factory if I could have afforded it, and the expensive shipping. God, there was some beautiful stuff there!  I wanted it all, even though Delft doesn’t really fit into the SW style.  It is clear that I really must find a job as a souvenir consultant — I couldn’t find potholders; dish towels or tea towels were limited and mostly ugly or not on point; there was too much schlock and too much breakable stuff — oh, and too much heavy stuff. The industry needs me! If they only knew.  Maybe we can start putting Laird’s pictures on tea towels for sale?????

Our new superlight luggage really did the trick — we’d have been waaaay overweight if not for them.  So if anyone is traveling in the future and wants to borrow, you’re welcome.  We have two large suitcases (fit the airline overall size requirements), one purple (of course) two-wheelie and one black four-wheelie.  Jon and Pam — do you need?????  I, naturally, carried too much clothes, but actually wore almost everything.  I could have doubled up more.  I have to get the right outfits.  One woman we met says she packs 1 pair jeans, 2 other pants, 3 tops for each pair of pants, superlight (I assume nylon) panties that can just be rinsed, hung and dried overnight, 2 bras, 2 pair shoes, 1 dress-up jacket and one weather jacket and she’s off.  That’s sorta what I did, but her suitcase is way smaller than mine was — must have been all those extras.  Reading weather report said everywhere was going to be cold and rainy.  It wasn’t.  We had beautiful weather, actually too hot for Floriade and Chelsea.  One COLD day on ship.  So we packed according to reports.  That turned out to be unnecessary weight, but who who would have known? But I’m getting closer to downsizing each trip I take!  Thanks to Alex for coming out to say “take those, leave that, do you really need more than one of those, etc”.  She saved me enough weight that we got home with the few things we acquired without either of the airlines complaining.
Hope to see most of you soon.  Thanks for reading us and thanks to those who commented — it was great fun to hear from you.  Homingly yours, l&j

A little more from Laird… I was only a partly diligent photographer. I took a lot of pics of cathedral interiors and exteriors, cool medieval facades, and of the French countryside as we were cruising up and down the Seine to Rouen. So I’ll edit up the mass of pics and select the 150 or 250 best. Skies and backgrounds were not as cooperative as they could have been and were for our Prague adventure last fall. We also can say we loved the Normandy area of France. We cruised down the Seine on Monday afternoon — and since it was a French holiday (V-E day), many, many families came to riverside and whistled, waved and appreciated this cruise ship willing to make the passage up and down the lower Seine. It upset some of our hardwired dislike of the snooty French! Maybe we will have to visit Paris and meet real people, not just tourist service folks.

While we expected some rabbit and squirrel depredations and some damage from inadequate watering of the garden, we didn’t lose as much stuff as we worried about. The big winds last week overturned the new garden shed. However, that may give me the opportunity to build a new one to one pattern we liked a lot at Chelsea, or another of a timber framed shed we saw on a sidetrip to Le Havre.

So, as Jonelle says, homingly yours. See you all soon. Laird

Cool morning, hot day. We went into town, found the train station and took a train to La Havre — a waste of time — and then back. Tonight is the big deck party, which will be some fun, perhaps a lot. We have enjoyed Azamara, though not quite as rabid as others. There are lots of diehard fans, none more so than a couple we met at our wine pairing dinner — gay couple in their 40s, I think, who have been on 60 cruises, 18 of them with Azamara. They now refuse to go on any other line and have 10 more cruises this year and 22 next year, already booked! One is retired, the other still works, but he can work in his stateroom (a suite, of course) — he does something in financial management, with clients. They live in Henderson, NV, but apparently that doesn’t mean much in terms of residency — I think Scott said they were taking the month of Sept off from cruising; otherwise they have and will be on the sea most all of the rest of the time. Wow, that’s diehard! We have had lots of fun, met some swell folks, and now it is almost over. We have some time in port tomorrow, then we sail for Southampton. I say what day we’d be home, but I don’t remember what the calendar looks like anymore. Laird has tons of pictures to share, so get ready.
We read about the fire in NM, what a bummer that is — is there going to be any wilderness left in the state?????? Any trees??? Scary that this is just May.
Hope all is well with everyone. Partyingly yours, l&j

Yesterday was a real sea day and we did nothing but lie around on sun deck (with blankets, it was COLD) and read in between eating. That’s not totally true — we did do our 13 laps around the jogging track — walking, of course, me in blanket — for a mile.  I even tried jogging a bit.  It was a pathetic sight, as you can imagine.  But thanks Sandy for giving me those yoga pants — I wear them all the time now.  Well, until I went and changed into my fleece pants and a turtleneck because it was so cold.  Last night was special wine pairing dinner, which was delicious and delightful, with great tablemates. Even the white wine, even the chardonny, was good! That’s saying a lot since I basically hate white wine. Today, we sailed up the Seine to Rouen, very picturesque until we hit the place we’re docked, which is ugly industrial. Oh, well, the town is beautiful enough to make up for the parking lot view — and at least we’re not looking at the humongous grain elevators that are loading grain, with attendant grain dust. Don’t they know that stuff is flammable???? Anyway, we did a short ride on a tourism “train” around the town, then went to see cathedral and another church — all very medieval, flamboyant architecture, but very plain insides. After the churches in Prague, most have a far way to go to measure up. Walked around, looked in shops, then had a fabulous normandy lunch, with a bottle (make that full bottle) of Cotes de Rhone wine, after which I was totally on my lips and had to come back to ship before I was liable to stumble and do a face plant on the cobblestones. Plus it is very hot in town, very hot. So we made it back, got cooled down and rested and now it’s time to do something. Oh, I know, lie on the sun deck and read! Actually, I left Laird sleeping in the cabin — I’ll have to go wake him up to come to the deck. We were really impressed with Rouen’s charm and beauty. Haven’t figured out what we will do tomorrow. One choice is to take train to Paris, another is to go someplace else. A couple of hours in Paris doesn’t seem like enough to bother with, but we’ll see. Monet’s gardens would be great choice. Who knows? That’s the beauty of vacations — one doesn’t have to decide until the moment.
Hope all is well with everyone. Frenchly yours, l&j

Coolarama! The Chelsea flower show is everything I thought and more — way more people, too; for some odd reason, I never imagined all 157,000 ticket holders showing up on the same day and standing in my way! But even so, it is a gardner’s paradise — and for those of us who are not gardners, it makes us wish, wish, wish we were. And living somewhere with moisture to grow all these amazing flowers! Can you imagine a river of orchids, a sea of delphiniums and digitalis, every bromeliad there is, plus ornamental pineapple in pink and lime?????? And the gardens — makes you drool! The floral arrangements were a Big Drool moment as well. Laird is all set to build a shepard’s wagon for a potting shed.
After an exhausting day, what better than a massage. I just had a terrific one and now it’s time for — what else — dinner! I think all we do is go from one meal to the next, with snacks in between. Man, are we going to have to diet when we get home! What a lovely day, wish we could have shared it with all of you! Floweringly yours, l&j

This is a lazy day, also known as sea day — whether we’re at sea or not. That’s what I’m going to start calling those days at home when I feel like doing nothing. I’ll be having a sea day. Having one today, too. Laird went off to see the Cutty Sark and the Prime Meridian and whatever else, but I couldn’t work myself up to caring about them, so I stayed and did the laundry and napped on the sun deck. I think I’ll have sunburned ankles, between my yoga pants and low-top socks. Cute. We’ll probably go out and about this evening. But I have to save myself for tomorrow, the CHELSEA FLOWER SHOW! Very excited about it! Maybe I’ll even get to see Alan Titmarsh (famous English landscaper and BBC personality). Royalty will have already come and gone earlier in the week, so it will just be us hoi polloi. Will report anon. Sealy yours, l&j

We’re in Brugge today, actually leaving shortly. Whoever it was — there were several of you — who said Brugge is wonderful are right. Beautiful city, lots to look around at everywhere — oh, the rooflines, the buildings, so dreamy. Luckily the bikers aren’t as nasty as they are in Amsterdam and Antwerp. I just love these medieval cities! Great architecture, great Belgian waffles, lots and lots of chocolate (fortunately for me, not my most favorite taste). We got to see a Michaelangelo, apparently one of the few outside Italy. Question: why is the Baby Jesus mostly shown naked? In Antwerp we saw a beautiful Madonna and Child statue that they dress, like they do the Infant of Prague — when he does get dressed, the Baby Jesus has GREAT outfits!
Tonight we must decide between going to Indian food buffet or lobster night in regular ship restaurant. Oh dear. Everything is fabulous onboard, as we knew it would be! Hope everyone is doing swell, we miss you even if we do want to stay here longer.
Wafflingly yours, l&j

OK, everyone who likes gardening, flowers, plants, the environment, the green movement, innovative ideas — get crackin’ to get your plane tickets to Antwerp before the middle of June so you don’t miss the Floriade. It is spectacular! Every superlative (the good ones) you know applies here. Sandy, you especially, need to get over here — I’ll come back with you if you like. You would just be blown away by the masses upon masses upon masses of plantings. The place must have every plant known to man. About 163 acres of landscapes. Alas, tulip season is over, so we didn’t get to see the masses of tulips that were planted outside the ticket gates — a bunch of HUGE beds leading from bus parking to gates. No wonder it’s only on every 10 years — it has to cost a giddy fortune to put one on! Lots of gardens and exhibits from around the world, the Chinese and Indonesian exhibits were particularly wonderful. Still, my favorite was a “green” house that turned inside/outside inside out. And a humongous grass sofa — I think Laird and I should do that near our new patio and veggie garden, but with artificial grass of course. Hope pictures turned out so we can amaze you and do justice to the 2012 Floriade. Want to come back Sandy????? Anyone else??? Now on to Chelsea!
Horticulturally yours, l&j
p.s., leave a comment if you’re reading this. thanks.

This morning, Laird went to see the massive Holland delta flood control project and I went to Middleburg, a medieval town that had been bombed to smithereens in war and rebuilt. Laird was much more excited about his gig than I with mine. But now we’re in Antwerp — very OMG territory. We walked down to the plaza in which the most amazing cathedral stands — of course not open. Bummer! What a beautiful place, so far second to Prague. For all you beer drinkers, we passed a bar that proudly proclaimed “247 beers”. Or some high number. Tomorrow is the Floriade — 10 HOURS long. 2 hour bus ride, then SIX HOURS walking around. I will be weeping before I ever get to six hours of viewing pleasure! As I told some of you, this is a decennial horticulture show, but what I learned today is that it is in a different place each time because they actually build a park. Isn’t that cool?! At the end, they take away all the commercial stuff, but leave all the hardscape, grass and plants, etc. they’ve planted or installed for the event. So that makes it even more exciting — though methinks that 4 hours of transportation and 6 hours walking around may dampen my enthusiasm. I may HATE the Floriade by the time we return to ship. And then we have yet another shore excursion the very next morning. Yikes! My body is not holding up all that well; I may be really crippled by this time tomorrow.
Laird and I are wondering how we can get TEFL courses to teach in Antwerp, though. Or, better yet, how can we find something we can teach on a cruise ship?????
hope all is well with everyone. Let us know if you’re reading this. Theodore and Sia, we miss you!
Antwerply yours, l&j

We went to a talk on Dutch Master Gardens last night and walked in with an elderly lady from Naples, Fla. She, other members of her garden club and other friends are on this cruise, about 10 of them. She is an orchid afficianado and proudly reported that she has had an orchid named after herself! Her name is Lauren, don’t know what her orchid’s full name is — will have to ask her; stupidly forgot to. So if you go to Naples, or an orchid store, look up Lauren!
How nice to wake up to the sea passing by! It’s still a gray day, but clearing a little, chilly, but we’re moving through water, which I love. We’ll tell you about sea barriers and medieval towns later this evening. We still haven’t figured out how to upload pictures to this blog. Surely there must be someone on this ship who can tell us, que no? Have a great day, boys and girls! Flushingly yours, l&g

Actually, sometime later, the Orchid Lady corrected me: her name is Lorna.  Towards end of cruise, met another Orchid afficionado, from Tampa.  She has an orchid named after her, too!  Her father was a Very Big in the Orchid World, think she might be, too.

We had a great time today on our Holland tour. Went to Delft, toured the one remaining Delft blue on blue pottery — what gorgeous stuff! And how expensive, as well! They used to do amazing building tiles as well — they had a porcelain tile picture of the famous Night Watch that was fabulous — but for some reason they think that stuff doesn’t sell today. I’d sure want some of it — maybe not the lifesize 13 feet by 13 feet Night Watch, but other tiles. Walked around Delft for an hour or so, then went to the Haag — just tour busing around there, but a beautiful place. We sail tonight and tomorrow I go to Middleburg, the once upon a time capital, a medieval town, and Laird goes to see the water works at the delta — a gear head’s paradise, I’m sure. Holland is still beautiful, but still doesn’t move me to think, “gee I want to live here” — my yardstick for whether I love a place.
Congratulations to Alex for her win at an entrepreneur competition– she and her partner won Crowd Favorite. Couple more steps to the big final win — go, Alex!
Hope everyone is well and happy — Amsterdamly yours, l&j

Well, we’re aboard, had our emergency lesson so we’re ready to go. Amsterdam is gray and cool, but part of the day was sunny and cool, so there’s hope for tomorrow. We go off to Delft — who wants blue and white pottery? Flight was tiring, but not like going to South Africa! Still, we’re looking forward to bedtime tonight. Perhaps more to report after Holland tour tomorrow. Sleep tight! l&g

OK, got as far as the first entry and could actually locate it on the internet. Now is this how one writes new posts? Isn’t email so much easier?????

Hello, Everyone — we’re trying to do a blog of our Chelsea Flower Show Cruise.  We’re off in a few hours to Denver, then tomorrow to Detroit and on to Amsterdam on Wednesday morning.  Then trip starts in earnest.  Perhaps we’ll learn how to use this blog; perhaps not.  To my way of thinking, we’re a tad overscheduled on this cruise — shore excursions every day, some very long — where’s the spa time????  But y’all know Laird, always up for a new adventure, new something to see and do, no time for lolling around the thessohydrowhatever pool before massages.

If this works, we’ll send everyone the link to it, then you can follow along or not, at your pleasure.  Here’s to hitting the link!  l&j