Vacation

My birthday sucked since we had to spend all day traveling to Baltimore - because US Airways sold our reservation to United which changed our flight to 4 hours later than originally scheduled. I did not get to have a decent meal, only lousy overpriced airport food for my 50th birthday.

We did not get to see any of Baltimore, but I highly recommend the Country Inn. The breakfast was wonderful and shuttle drivers were superb. We are now RCCL Platinum Members so we got in the VERY short line for checking in on the ship. My poor Mother brought her expired passport. Thank goodness Arkansas issued her a credit card style birth certificate. The cruise line accepted that.

Our cabin was amazing. It had a 7 foot couch in it. Very spacious. There was a fruit tray and champagne from the travel agent. Our dinner table mates were really lovely people. They were knitters who were there for the sea socks cruise - Louise, Renee, Lee and Leo, and their traveling companions. The prolific lace designer MMario aka Leo was among them. He presented us with a one-of-a-kind exclusive lace shawl pattern called Grandeur of the Seas. I cannot wait to cast on.

The cruise was relaxing and the food was delicious. Our waiters Ricky and Jorge took good care of us. The ports of call are not any that I would want to revisit but it was nice seeing Baltimore, Halifax, St. John, Bar Harbor, and Boston at least once. Very old, historical and pretty. Not sure when our next cruise will be but we have selected a ship - The Oasis of the Seas.

Mom enjoyed her birthday onboard. Leo presented her with a rose at dinner. Our cabin steward Antonio made her two swans and set them face to face forming a heart. He sprinkled rose petals around them and a bottle of wine and Happy Birthday placard was on the bed.

I finished the Aguona bag, it just needs to be blocked. I added 82 more rows to the Wollmeise Candle Flame Scarf. There was a cute little shop in Bar Harbor called Bees. I bought red and gold Plymouth Encore yarn for a SF 49ers Baby Surprise Jacket, some light mint colored bamboo yarn for 1/2 price $3.00 per ball and some Peaches and Cream cotton for a washcloth. I bought a Reynolds pattern book full of patterns, and two lace shawl patterns. I don't have the names handy - more on those later.

I have 4 rows left to knit on the Bernat Softee Baby Surprise Jacket I am working on, so it will be ready for the shower next Tuesday. I still have to knit the Converse Booties. I am going to cast on the 49ers BSJ even though I don't think I will be able to finish it for Tuesday. I will give it to Jorge and Maria Renee after the baby comes. They are buying a house 7 minutes away from us in Antioch - YAY!!!!