Not much of anything

Dear Friends and Family,

I haven’t had the patience to write anything on the blog, and I haven’t taken any pictures, recently. The truth is that I have done little of interest; my day is filled with physical exercises and classes plus bridge every afternoon, so there is not much of interest to report. For a week or so, my partner and I were on a roll, and managed to come in either first or 2^nd every afternoon, but yesterday, we spoiled our record. I don’t know where we came in, but it was not at the top.

I manage to do at least 5 km every day on the bike (it takes almost 30 minutes), but the sea has been too rough for me to use the treadmill. However, I can use it on land days.

Phil and Gayle will be in Zürich today, on their way to join me for the next segment.

Catching Up

Catching Up (March 30, 2011)

In other years, I concentrated on places I visited, but this year, I have depended on what is offered, here on the ship, mostly because I am still dependent on a wheelchair to get around, and it’s too complicated to take a land tour.

Even the wheelchair can get complicated: it’s difficult to get one that is in perfect repair, and then when I finally had one that was O.K., it was mysteriously removed from its resting place in front of my door, and was again replaced with a defective one, which was replaced by an even MORE defective one, until I finally got a good one, which I hope no one removes from my doorstep. For very short distances, I can manage with only the crutches, but for any distance, it becomes painful to be on my feet.

Now, I have an additional problem: I skinned my shin bone on one of the wheelchairs where the footrest didn’t hold, and caught me right in the middle of my right leg. It has been a long time in healing, and now I’m afraid to get it wet (since it needs to dry out) and so I have not gone into the pool, recently.

Today was a port day in Marmagao, India and I rode the bike for 30 minutes (5 km) and then did some exercises with Mark; he discouraged me from swimming until my leg heals a bit more, so instead, I came back to the room and fell asleep in the sun, waking up all hot and dripping, only to wash up, and fall asleep in bed. Seems all I want to do besides my exercises, is sleep.

I don’t know if I already mentioned the “State Fair” on March l8th; I couldn’t do much of anything there, because most of the stalls required tossing items at goals, all of which I missed by yards, because I have problems with both arms, as well as my back! However, Gary Hunter’s wife is here, and she tossed a ball that unleashed a bucket of water all over him. There’s a picture of him with a white towel wrapped around him, and he is soaking wet.

Next, came our Purim celebration on the 22^nd, with Klezmer orchestra, Megillah, Hora, Hamantaschen, etc. Great party with few costumes, but the next day everyone dubbed me as Esther in my pink gown and  Egyptian (from 3 years ago) headdress.

On the 25^th, there was a special World Cruise Event (original skit by the Entertainment Dept. i.e., mostly Stacey Huston and Gary Hunter, plus some innocent bystanders.). It was extremely clever, entertaining, and full of surprises. Not until the very end did I recognize, Gary, dressed as the daughter of the MaHaraja, and bride of the Sultan! There was also a snake charmer and snake in a box (Curtis and Beverly, who then did a fantastic dance routine, once Beverly was out of the box) guarded by Mark (my personal trainer). At the conclusion, Gary posed with me, and then I managed to get a nice picture of Margarida (she’s the Mgr. of the Spa) and Mercedes, my Spanish teacher.

On March 26^th, I finally got a photo of Bob M. dancing with Doris; she only started dancing at age 84, and now, she is 96, and going strong. She loves to dance, and takes every opportunity to do so. Bob was only here for one segment, as an Ambassador Host, but he was most friendly and helped me, constantly, with the wheel chair, or at lunch, etc. whenever possible.

When we landed at Cochin on the 27^th, there was a colorful, local, bugle and drum corps, in costume, on shore to welcome us, and on the 29^th, I caught the sunrise over a neighboring ship, which I thought you might enjoy seeing.

That’s my blog at this time. Hope it’s not too long for you to read. All the best, Ann

The Best Laid Plans......(March 21st)

The Best Laid Plans...

Just noticed that tomorrw would have been my 58th wedding anniversary!

Every day I mean to write, but then there doesn’t seem much to report. I don’t take any of the land trips, because it’s too complicated with the wheelchair (and I’m more comfortable here on the ship). I’ve also already been to some of these ports in previous years. I’m quite busy with my therapy (personal trainer every day, and acupuncture every four days), and I look forward to the land days to do the things I never have time to do, otherwise.

What IS new, however, is that I have been bike riding for 10 and 15 minutes at a time, managing 1.5 miles and more, but then I have to take a rest!

I checked my weight, and was unhappy to find that I have regained half of what I lost before coming on board.

The other new item is that I finally made it into the pool; I had already gone into the Jaccusi a few times, but today was only the second time I managed to actually go into the pool, where it is possible for me to walk unassisted, and practice the various exercises I do with Mark on land, but after a session in the pool, I need to rest, again. Mark thinks I am making tremendous progress, but as long as it hurts so much to walk, I don’t feel any progress. True, I CAN stand up straight when I make a concerted effort, but it takes all my energy.

I haven’t taken any new pictures, and our dinner table is not particularly interesting this segment .  However, it’s a short segment, and will finish on the 29^th in Mumbai. We are still in Myanmar, leaving tomorrow for Sri Lanka, and then Cochin.

I started taking Spanish lessons, again, instead of the advanced BRIDGE. The class is quite mixed, however, so I keep hoping the rank beginners will switch to a different class; otherwise, there are quite a few who are fairly proficient, and I like the teacher.

Now, I have to go get dressed for dinner; hope you don’t find this too boring. It seems a long time since I heard anything from Helga, Heidi, Marianne, etc. Fortunately, Gayle is a faithful writer. Thanks, Gayle. To Ruben, I want to encourage you to seriously study for your upcoming tests, and wish you the very BEST of luck.

Love to all, Big Ma

What is Progress?

What is Progress?

For the very first time since coming on board, I opened the booklet with the choice of shore itineraries in Bali, only to find that all of them are too long (time-wise) for me to consider. The last time I was in Bali, I took a cooking lesson, but this year, I will remain on the ship. However, I am encouraged to think that I could even THINK it might be possible for me to take a land tour!

Today, we were docked off the Island of Komodo, home to the ugly, slimy, dragons. It was a beautiful sunny day, but too hot to be in the sun, as we are very close to the equator.  My “therapy” this morning was to walk the entire length of the Promenade Deck! (using Nordic Walking sticks). I have a picture of Mark and me, on deck, as well as some of the background scenery. He pushes my wheelchair, in case I should need it, and I walk. At the end of the hour, I was exhausted, and haven`t done much else except sleep for most of the rest of the day.

I had to go to the Computer Room to get a printout of a “secure” message I had received from the broker; now I need their fax number in order to return the signed copy. It’s amazing how life has changed in such a few years. Fortunately, I learned to use the computer!

Some of the pictures I posted previously are deserving of some explanation. For instance, the one labeled Returning to the Ship: that was on the way back over the mountain with Trudy from Christchurch to the dock at Lyttleton,  just ahead of the resounding earthquake that struck two days later, and destroyed the whole area.

You must have recognized the Sydney Opera House; we were docked in front of it, and I took the picture from my verandah.  There are also pictures of Lynda and John Gaskill taken on land, that day. We had a lovely visit.

That was followed later in the afternoon by a visit with Julie Jacoby Sallick, who lives in Sydney. Julie is the granddaughter of my cousin Beverly  Flink Fink, who I haven’t heard from in years,  but whose daughter (Julie’s mother) happened to have contacted me a day or two before we got to Sydney asking if we might be related! We hastily arranged a meeting with Julie, who is married to an Australian,  just before the ship sailed, and I was able to meet her on the dock! We had a lovely visit, and she took notes about the family connection, etc. It was really a very pleasant surprise visit.

Since Jane had not yet been to Prego this year, our dining table group went there for dinner, one night, but I was disappointed because out waiter put much too much balsamico into my carpaccio; I should have sent it back, but instead I ate some of it.

The picture of Bob Deane and me is also an interesting story: Bob grew up near Assonet, a few miles from Taunton, MA which was my hometown. Our high schools were football rivals! One of the dance hosts, who also sits at our table, comes from Middleboro, which is where Boy (the fellow who worked for my father, and gave me driving lessons every Sunday) used to take me to practice. Proof of the “small world” syndrome.

There is also a picture of Sasa and me; Sasa is the butler assigned to my stateroom, and he helps in many ways, including serving me a 4 o’clock snack every afternoon. He has also arranged for me to have a driver for my wheelchair, so I don’t have to push it myself (like a walker), and he also sends my clean laundry to be pressed. He was also responsible for getting me my personal lounge chair for my balcony, which is very convenient. I hadn’t realized, in previous years,  that such a luxury existed.

Finally, there is the picture of me at the Jacuzzi; that was the first time that I actually immersed myself, this year, rather than just getting my feet wet. We are now docked off Bali, and I am still hoping I will be able to get into the swimming pool this afternoon. It’s hot enough, but quite cloudy.

In the meantime, I wasn’t able to upload the last pictures I downsized for that purpose; I can never remember from one time to the next how to do it! But before I sign off, you should know that I am walking more with less pain, so I am hopeful there is real progress (some of the time!).

Fond regards to all my readers. Ann

Friends

 Lynda and John in Sydney--->

Catching up; pictures later

To my faithful Blog readers:

Today I started the day by taking a medication where I am required to remain in an upright position, so it’s a good time to work at the computer, and this is the result:

My situation continues to improve, although I still use the wheelchair, and definitely need the crutches outside my stateroom. However, I seem to have less pain, and unless I make a movement that stretches the stitches, I am O.K. My mobility has definitely improved and I even have some arm muscle, now. I really like both my physical trainer and my acupuncturist, and in addition, I get a back massage once a week.

Since Marlyse left, various people have pitched in to help me because I cannot manage to get the corset on by myself, but I have a very nice night stewardess who comes just before I go to sleep each night, and in the morning, my regular room stewardess helps me; ! have a softer version for overnight that needs to be changed for a stronger one in daytime. After dinner, one of the tablemates wheels me back to my room, or else to a show, but mostly, I just want to go to bed when dinner is over (usually about 22:30h). Until now, we were seated at a table, meant for eight, which was too large for the six of us since none of us hear very well, but since they couldn’t alter the size of the table, I requested we move to the table next to ours, with the same waiters, etc. and now, we are all happier at a round table for six.

Yesterday, we were docked at Sydney harbor, and in the morning Lynda and John Gaskell ( I originally met Lynda in ZIWA some 14 years ago) came to visit. They were both quite impressed with all the amenities that the ship offers, and thought I am pretty lucky to be here for my recuperation from back surgery. Later, they wheeled me to a local restaurant for an enjoyable meal and visit, in plain view of the famous Opera House. After they left, I had time to take a nap, and return to the outside of the terminal where I met up with Julie, the granddaughter of my cousin Beverly. I had long ago lost contact with Beverly (her father and my mother were sister and brother), but just a few days ago Beverly’s daughter, Carroll, contacted me on Facebook to inquire if I might be related. When I realized that, indeed, we are related, and that she has a daughter in Sydney, the contact was made, and an appointment set up. We had a nice visit, and Julie took notes about everything I could tell her, concerning family history.

Prior to Sydney, we were in Melbourne, where John and Marelyn Coghlin (former colleagues of Marcel) came to visit, and we had dinner at the Italian Specialty Restaurant on the ship. I ordered their famous Carpaccio of beef, and John enjoyed their creamy mushroom soup, served in a round scooped out loaf of rye bread. We hope to see each other again next year, when the 2012 World Cruise will again be in Melbourne.

As always, for the full world cruisers, there are special parties and programs that take place on a regular basis, as well as all the classes and lectures that are available. I still haven’t managed to make it into the pool, but I really hope to do so this segment, which started yesterday, and continues to Singapore on March 15^th.

Trudy, on her front porch

Bev and Bob (Trudy's parents) joined us for the afternoon; this is what the yard looks like. It is quiet and peaceful, and both the lawn and the trees have grown considerably since I was here two years ago. The dogs were getting their hair cut, so they weren't around.
The house has an observatory that Andrew had built for the telescope Trudy once arried with her from Zürich!

Docked at Dunedin, Feb.19th

Docked at Dunedin, Feb. 19th

After The World Cruise event at the Redwood Forest in Tauranga. NZ, with the strange men in blue, and much too much food, the next item of interest was my visit with Trudy. It was really the first time I dared to go ashore (almost) alone. Jane Haskell helped me get off the ship by taking my wheelchair down the gangplank, while I manipulated myself on my crutches. Trudy met us just outside the dock gates, (at Lytleton), and took us on a lovely sightseeing ride to Christchurch. It was the same one she had attempted two years ago, but then we were completely enclosed by fog, and missed all the beauty of the ride. This time, the weather was clear, and it is a beautiful spot.

Jane got off in town, and Trudy and I went shopping for various personal items, before going to her home for lunch. Her parents also joined us to sit on her quiet peaceful porch, overlooking her beautiful yard. Andrew was in Wellington, but he called to say hello to me. If I have any luck, I will upload some pictures from the house, as well as from the trip back to the ship.

I have been playing bridge with Marty Cohn (he was my partner for one segment last year, also) and we managed to come in first! (once) and second, another time. He has been practicing bridge with his computer since last year, and has become a very good player.

Our dinner table remains very interesting; like last year, we are always the last table to leave the dining room, but we haven’t succeeded yet, to have the table made smaller; we are only six, but the table is large enough for 8, so we all move together, and leave one big gap. That way, we are not so spread out, and it is easier to hear each other.

I have been continuing with my personal trainer every day, plus acupuncture every 4 days, and a back massage once a week. All of this has resulted in a slow, but almost steady recovery, although I still need both crutches and the wheelchair (when I get tired).

I wondered how I would manage when Marlyse left me, but my stewardess helps me in the morning to get my girdle in place, and the night duty person helps me before I go to sleep, so I manage quite well. Ruth takes me home every night from dinner, and my stewardess even did my laundry for me!

I have signed up, again, for next year, and even signed on for an extra segment that will end in New York in May. I am hoping that might make it possible for me to visit Phil and Gayle before returning to Switzerland.

The next couple of days will probably be exciting sailing as we traverse Milford Sound and Dusky and Doubtful Sound, if past experience is any gage. On the 25/26 we will be in port at Melbourne, and on the 28^th, in Sydney. I hope to meet up with friends in both places.

Now the big challenge will be to transfer this report onto my Blog. Hope it works!

All is well

Hopefully, I will be able to manage the Blog from now on(but don't count on it!)

Phil and Gayle are now visiting in Texas-- good luck to all!