westernmom

I agree with the smell from the suitcases, hotel rooms, etc. So, I just throw a couple of Bounce dryer sheets in each suitcase. They also come in handy if you experience static cling - just rub on your garments and it usually takes it out.

Robert - I love that you consider us "friends" and I'm happy to be called that! Thank heavens we can pick our friends because we can't our relatives! What surprised me about our cruise...... The atmosphere! Everyone was happy and excited and when we walked up to the Lido and heard the steel band I just knew I was the luckiest person on earth! I just wanted to stand there with Frank's arm around me, listen to all of the happy sounds, enjoy looking at the Miami skyline, and know that we had a week of fun and sun ahead of us.

You can actually back them with magnets and use them on your fridge! I went crazy over those $10 watches! I think I bought about 10 of them but my grandsons loved them. I also tucked one in with a nice bag from St Thomas and linen from St Maartin for each of my girls. They thought I spent a fortune on them! Little do they know....... I of course had to have a whole set of the Larimar. I love it! One thing I did learn though - I spent days looking for a nice little evening bag and finally found one in a department store and paid a fortune for it and when I looked in the ship's shop they had much nicer ones for around $10!!! If I need anything like that again, I will wait! Have to tell about my husband. When we got off the ship at San Juan he bought 10 ball caps! He thought they were such a great deal. He's a sucker for the vendors!

My husband loves to play blackjack and so he went down on the Sunday of our cruise. I had taken a bonine and was "resting" and he played all afternoon. When he came up to get ready for dinner he had won $900 which he gave me to use for my shopping on the islands! He went down a few times during the cruise but just couldn't get anything going after that and didn't want to give them back his winnings. I like to play bj but if I'm losing, I leave! I have done well a few times in Vegas but just can't sit still that long! Drives me crazy after a few minutes.

SMB, Wow, you just took me back to a wonderful day last May! Great description of everything.

Thank you Butch for being the kind of "hero" that our younger generation needs. I copied the story to read to my grandkids after Sunday dinner. It started a whole "What would you do?" conversation! We call it the "decide to decide" talk and use it as a teaching tool for all kinds of situations. Thanks for inspiring us.

I think Dawn Beach would be the safest. We had our eyes opened at Orient.........

Tommy Lee Jones! I love his acting. To just look at - Brad will do. James Woods to talk to. George Strait would be interesting for us because he team ropes and ranches - so he could sing to us oh and Celine Dione to that. Brett Favre - just to tick my hubby off. Oops, I think my table is full. Honestly, I just wish I could take all of my kids and their spouses! They are a riot!

The lastest we slept in was 7:30! By 6 ish - I'm gettin' restless and need to get up and going. I hate wasting time in bed unless...............

I have to tell you that I am an ironing freak and I was totally stressed about our clothes being wrinkled on the cruise so I packed the Downey Wrinkle Releaser, steamer, etc. and then found that between the humidity and the "Hey, I'm vacation" that it didn't bug me near as much as at home! I did go down to the service service and iron a couple of Frank's shirts but that was it!!! I also found that our dress clothes were the easiest items. Maybe because they were all packed in plastic and I had purchased a nice rolling garment suitcase.

We took a tour with Sunny Liston that covered the island, included time for shopping, and a few hours at a beach of our choice. It was a highlight of our cruise. We laughed and sang the whole day! We also were on the Triumph!

We took a tour with Sunny Liston that covered the island, included time for shopping, and a few hours at a beach of our choice. It was a highlight of our cruise. We laughed and sang the whole day! We also were on the Triumph!

I too used the XL Baggies along with several other sizes that I packed. I tend to organize my dirty laundry while on vacation so that when I get home I just have to empty one bag in at a time in the washer, ie. whites, light colors, denims, etc. It makes it a breeze to get the laundry done! I use small baggies to put accessories in for each outfit and then hang it on the hanger with my dress, etc. Learned this from my daughter when she was doing week-long pageants!

I too used the XL Baggies along with several other sizes that I packed. I tend to organize my dirty laundry while on vacation so that when I get home I just have to empty one bag in at a time in the washer, ie. whites, light colors, denims, etc. It makes it a breeze to get the laundry done! I use small baggies to put accessories in for each outfit and then hang it on the hanger with my dress, etc. Learned this from my daughter when she was doing week-long pageants!