rollerdonna

Hmmmm Judson, very interesting, and thanks for posting that.

I'll have James check his credit account and let you know...

Meanwhile, I just posted a batch of pics over on the Daily Dock.

It's too time consuming to do it again here, so you're welcome to go over there and check it out!

donna

Good Evening Crazies, it's taken me awhile, but I finally got some pics loaded.

I'll share some of them with you, taken at the dinner in Miami, and the Sailaway cocktail party on the Connie, and of course, the group photo and gift exchange.

Thanks once again to everyone who participated in the gift exchange, I found lots of nice little surprises in my bags when I got home!

Howie and I dressed as TWINS! Notice the shoes!

DINNER IN MIAMI:

THE SAILAWAY PARTY

And now, waiting to see YOUR pictures......!

donna

Hello Crazies, just a quick note to let you know that the travel-weary Canadians are home at last.

Staying over in Miami that one extra day was just too long, then having to stay over again in Halifax because we arrived so late and tired Mon. night...just get me home!

Anyway, yesterday I went to pick up the animals (thankfully, BOTH of them, the cat had been caught and is fine) and James went to have his cast taken off. He is relieved to get it off, but now has to endure the pain of his physio exercises for another 6 weeks!

Laundry is on the agenda, as is packing away all the summer clothes until next year...

Where's that room steward when you need him?

donna

Hi Crazies,dinner was fun last night- I guess you can all figure out which one was James in the crowd - the white cast waving from the back row!

Weare hanging around the lobby this morning, preparingto take the shuttle to the ship.

Look out Connie, here we come!

Donna & James

Well, another disaster has befallen us before we even get out of here.....

We took the pets to the kennel this morning, and before I even got inside, the cat somehow bolted from her cage and ran off into the woods, hotly pursued by the dog. Of course the dog scared her even farther into the woods, and she disappeared.

The kennel owner managed to collar the dog and safely put her in the kennel, but James and I spent almost an hour trekking through the woods and dense underbrush trying to catch the cat.

At one point I had her and was trying to make my way back when she freaked and bolted from my arms again. Then she really disappeared.

Her is a cat who NEVER shuts up, is ALWAYS meowing for something, but when you NEED her to meow so you can find her, she says NOTHING!

WE finally had to give up, before James hurt himself climbing over fallen trees with only 1 arm for support, and before I poked an eye out on the branches. This was rough terrain!

The kennel owner and his neighbours assured us they will keep a lookout for her, that it has happened in the past and that the animal always returns for food.

Knowing her penchance for eating, I'm sure she will, but it sure was hard leaving, knowing we may never see her again.

NOT a good way to start one's vacation....

donna

Well, another disaster has befallen us before we even get out of here.....

We took the pets to the kennel this morning, and before I even got inside, the cat somehow bolted from her cage and ran off into the woods, hotly pursued by the dog. Of course the dog scared her even farther into the woods, and she disappeared.

The kennel owner managed to collar the dog and safely put her in the kennel, but James and I spent almost an hour trekking through the woods and dense underbrush trying to catch the cat.

At one point I had her and was trying to make my way back when she freaked and bolted from my arms again. Then she really disappeared.

Her is a cat who NEVER shuts up, is ALWAYS meowing for something, but when you NEED her to meow so you can find her, she says NOTHING!

WE finally had to give up, before James hurt himself climbing over fallen trees with only 1 arm for support, and before I poked an eye out on the branches. This was rough terrain!

The kennel owner and his neighbours assured us they will keep a lookout for her, that it has happened in the past and that the animal always returns for food.

Knowing her penchance for eating, I'm sure she will, but it sure was hard leaving, knowing we may never see her again.

NOT a good way to start one's vacation....

donna

Morning Crazies, ah, the excitement is in the air - no wait - that's snow flurries!

Whatever it is, I'm glad to be getting out of here, even if it is only to Halifax for today!

Ray you do remember correctly, there's lots of rolling hills, pretty in colour a few weeks back, but pretty barren by now. However there's also a lot of open spaces and with the winds we've been having, it's hard to hold the car on the road!

Cruisetarp, I'm sorry your shopping trip was a bust, but I'm sure you'll make up for it in St. Thomas!

All other Crazies going on Connie - seeya in Miami!

As for those left behind, remember, I WILL be taking pictures.....

donna

Well, my bags are packed, I'm ready to go....

Hmmm, that sounds familiar....

Yup, we're all ready! The little bags of surprises for you all are packed right on top so I don't forget them!

All we have left to do is take the animals to the kennel tomorrow morning, settle them in, come home for lunch, put the bags in the car and enjoy a leisurely 2 hour drive to Halifax.

I sure hope the weather improves for the drive, because today was just nasty with high winds and heavy rain and sleet, hail, and snow flurries in certain areas. I am going to be SO glad to get to the Caribbean for some warmth and sunshine!

Are you all excited now? Only 2 more days left! Can't wait to meet all of you, and I hope I will remember names, or at least online screen names! I don't mind if you call me rollerdonna, or RD for short! But James is James, don't ever call him Jim!

Seeya in Miami Crazies!

oh yes, and don't forget to bubble wrap yourselves!!

donna

Well, my bags are packed, I'm ready to go....

Hmmm, that sounds familiar....

Yup, we're all ready! The little bags of surprises for you all are packed right on top so I don't forget them!

All we have left to do is take the animals to the kennel tomorrow morning, settle them in, come home for lunch, put the bags in the car and enjoy a leisurely 2 hour drive to Halifax.

I sure hope the weather improves for the drive, because today was just nasty with high winds and heavy rain and sleet, hail, and snow flurries in certain areas. I am going to be SO glad to get to the Caribbean for some warmth and sunshine!

Are you all excited now? Only 2 more days left! Can't wait to meet all of you, and I hope I will remember names, or at least online screen names! I don't mind if you call me rollerdonna, or RD for short! But James is James, don't ever call him Jim!

Seeya in Miami Crazies!

donna

Good Evening Crazies,

I just had to share this video with you. It's a new Christmas song from the new Christmas album released yesterday by my favourite Canadian artist, Justin Hines.

This young man is severely physically handicapped, but he is the most wonderful singer/songwriter I have heard in many years.

To get yourself in the Christmas mood.....enjoy!

Update on James: he's seen a couple of doctors and the cast tech and nobody seems to be able to tell him why all the skin is blistering and peeling off the fingers of his cast hand.

They have put yet another cast on (4th one!) and unfortunately, it is no longer fibreglass, so he will NOT be able to go in the water as planned.

To say he is bummed is an understatement. He is so miserable the poor guy, I really hope that once he's on the ship he will feel a little better!

Meanwhile, I am treating his fingers with pure Aloe from the plant, and wrapped them in gauze.

Hopefully he will not look like a Mummy by the time we see you on the Connie!

donna

Morning Crazies, when I logged on a few minutes ago it was gray and pouring out, now I see the sun struggling to come out, so who knows what kind of day it's going to be?

I really hate November, knowing the winter is coming and not much else happening - it's the perfect time for a cruise, and I am getting so excited thinking that we're leaving on the weekend!

Can't wait to meet all you Crazies and have a good time aboard the Connie!

Mary Lou, safe travels, and see you Sunday!

The painting is officially finished! I did the last room yesterday, and today I will decorate it.

I'll take some pictures when I'm done and post them sometime later....

James is off to the hospital yet again this morning, his cast is still too tight and causing skin problems, so he's going to have it changed again.

I sure hope he's in less pain and more comfortable by the time we sail, 'cuz he's going to be one miserable Crazie if he isn't!

donna

Morning Crazies, when I logged on a few minutes ago it was gray and pouring out, now I see the sun struggling to come out, so who knows what kind of day it's going to be?

I really hate November, knowing the winter is coming and not much else happening - it's the perfect time for a cruise, and I am getting so excited thinking that we're leaving on the weekend!

Can't wait to meet all you Crazies and have a good time aboard the Connie!

Mary Lou, safe travels, and see you Sunday!

The painting is officially finished! I did the last room yesterday, and today I will decorate it.

I'll take some pictures when I'm done and post them sometime later....

James is off to the hospital yet again this morning, his cast is still too tight and causing skin problems, so he's going to have it changed again.

I sure hope he's in less pain and more comfortable by the time we sail, 'cuz he's going to be one miserable Crazie if he isn't!

donna

Debbie, in regards to you toes and finger nails not matching - who cares?

(I'll just laugh at you in the pool....)

And as for photos, let me appoint myself Offiical Connie Photographer ( my nickname among family and friends is "Mad Flasher")

Just remember, what happens on Connie, may not necessarily stay on Connie.....

Unfortunately, those of you at home will have to wait till we get back because I don't have a laptop and therefore no means to post pics until I get home!

By the way, I have a question. Does anyone know when and where we will have our little "Trinket Trade" as James calls it, the little inexpensive gifts that we're bringing to each other from our hometown - or whatever...

I was wondering if I need to bring them to the Sunday night dinner, or are we having a special Cocktail Party or gathering somewhere onboard?

Debbie, in regards to you toes and finger nails not matching - who cares?

(I'll just laugh at you in the pool....)

And as for photos, let me appoint myself Offiical Connie Photographer ( my nickname among family and friends is "Mad Flasher")

Just remember, what happens on Connie, may not necessarily stay on Connie.....

Unfortunately, those of you at home will have to wait till we get back because I don't have a laptop and therefore no means to post pics until I get home!

By the way, I have a question. Does anyone know when and where we will have our little "Trinket Trade" as James calls it, the little inexpensive gifts that we're bringing to each other from our hometown - or whatever...

I was wondering if I need to bring them to the Sunday night dinner, or are we having a special Cocktail Party or gathering somewhere onboard?

And a Happy November to you too! The only thing "Happy" about this November is that we're going on a cruise in a week!!

I used to work with a childrens' singer who wrote a song called "No-no-no-November" that went something like "No more flip-flops, no more shorts, no more picnics in the parks - November!"

That pretty much sums up my feelings about the month of November, it's so dull, not even a holiday to break the monotony of bad weather (in Canada we don't have Thanksgiving in November, but early October).

Anyway, the monotony will be broken next weekend when we get to finally meet some of our Cruise Crazie friends in Miami, and set sail on the Connie. Boy, I hope the Connie knows what she's in for!

James is hanging in there with his cast, still having some pain, and incredibly impatient to get the darn thing OFF!

I am feeling better after a mini-bout with Diverticulitis, and am now ready to start thinking about packing. I actually hauled the suitcases out of the garage yesterday, today I will try on clothes and hope that something still fits!

Oh, and I finished another painting project, the hallway at the back of the house, which was really more about door frames than it was about painting walls! When I get that re-decorated today, I'll post some photos....

Have a good Sunday , and see some of you NEXT Sunday!

donna

In answer to Deb, I always do my own nails and I do a French manicure, never colour.

Now I have a question for you Connie Cruisers:

I see we have a downloadable Cruise Crazies Doorhang, but does anyone know if there is a downloadable plain ordinary Connie Goes Crazy Logo anywhere?

I thought I saw one once, but can't find it anywhere and I need it for a project I'm making for the Connie Cruise!

dodnna

Morning Crazies, time for an update....

James got his cast changed yesterday, to a fibreglass one which for some reason seems less comfortable than the plaster one. But it is lighter and affords him enough movement in his fingers that he drove the car this morning!

Despite his misgivings, the doctors told him he should have no problem flying/and cruising, and could even go in the water with this cast, so I think he's pretty much decided to make a go of it.

So Crazies, I guess we will be meeting all of you in Miami on the 9th of November!

donna

So....where's the party?

We got home from the Trivia Night around 9:45, it's 10:24 now ( we're an hour ahead of most) so it's probably 9:30 for you guys....where is everybody?

Mary Lou, if you check back on Page 120, you will see the pics I posted of the finished room.

Once I get some feeling back in my arms, elbows and shoulders, I will proceed to the last bedroom and the back hallway.....

Meanwhile, not much planned this weekend except a break from painting!

James will continue to take it easy, we may run some errands today (with me as chauffeur of course!) then this evening we have plans to go to a different Trivia night at a different pub.

It's kind of like the UK around here, pubs are everywhere!

Wishing everyone a wonderful weekend, and warmer temperatures than the 5C (41F) we are having here!

donna

I know you all have been waiting with baited breath (yeah, right!) to see pictures of our cruise room, and now I am finally finished painting and decorating, here they are!!

The "Cruise Room" has a cruising theme, houses all our cruising souvenirs, is decorated with laminated jigsaws pertaining to cruising, and also serves as our computer room, and hobby room (for scrapbooking, jigsaws, painting, whatever I feel like making).

These are the "before" pictures, with the khaki colour being primed....

And these are the "after" pictures with the sunny yellow colour....

Good afternoon Crazies,

James is still very out of sorts. He had his wrist re-X-rayed yesterday, and unfortunately, the Dr. chose to put another heavy plaster cast back on for at least another week.

He wil have another X-ray next week, and then, hopefully, get a fibreglass/waterproof cast and then he can be sure he's still going on the Connie cruise!

Meanwhile, he has new painkillers which are making him dozey, so he is resting and watching British soccer through his closed eylelids!

I am back at the painting again, this time working on the Cruise Room (also the computer room).

No pictures yet, I'll post some when I'm finished, but with the plastering, sanding, priming, and so far 1 coat, it still needs another coat, so it will be awhile before I can decorate it the way I want!

donna

Donna here, I think James missed Ray's question about last night's show - yes, it was WAY better than Sat. night's!

The 2 guys were called Evans and Doherty, a couple of Irish/Canadian singer/songwriter/folksinger/beer-sing-along/sea shanty types, and they were GOOD!

Such great Celtic style music, with wonderful storytelling, and talented musicians to boot.

Check them out on Google, they have a website, and they have done cruises!

Meanwhile, James is feeling very sorry for himself, as he can do very little without help.

Today's weather didn't help, constant rain and miserable, so we went into town for a few errands and stopped at Mrs. MacGregor's Tea Room (don't you just love that name?) for lunch.

They make wonderful homemade soup and fresh sandwiches, and a to-die-for "Sticky Toffee Pudding" for dessert, It was well worth the trip!

He's resting now, arm still in pain, and I am painting the cruise room. Sick of looking at the yucky colour, so it is being primed now for a nice, sunny yellow!

donna

Good Saturday Morning Crazies,

Donna reporting in this morning as James is still not up to it.

I am taking him back to Emergency this morning as he is still in quite a bit of pain and has some serious swelling going on. I'm worried that the X-ray was not read correctly and perhaps the break is more serious than we thought, or it was not set properly. It should not still be hurting so much.

He has a follow-up with the orthopedic surgeon on Tues. but I don't feel he can wait that long.

Meanwhile, I was going to join you for the Dock party tonight (I always seem to miss those Sat. nights) but we have tickets to see a comedy show tonight at a local arts centre, if James is feeling up to it. I'll keep you posted!

donna

Good afternoon Crazies, Donna reporting in today, since James is unable to at the moment.

We were headed out the door early this morning, me to my Aquafitness class, and James to the bank.

As I was getting the car out of the garage I heard yelling and found James sprawled on the ramp outside our back door (there is a wheelchair ramp access).

He was in a lot of pain and favouring his left arm, so I hauled him up and we went straight to the hospital.

4 hours later, sure enough, we got the verdict we had been dreading - a clean break of the wrist!

As you can imagine, he is none too happy, and worried about having to cancel the cruise.

He is still in a lot of pain, but has had pain killers and is resting now. He has to go back in 5 days to see an orthopedic surgeon, be re-X-rayed, and have a new cast put on. I told him to wait and see how that goes before he makes any decisions about the cruise.

We'll keep you posted, I'm sure he will be on here himself eventually; a broken wrist should not affect his typing - he was a hunt-and-peck one-finger typist to begin with!

donna