If it ain't broke.......

For reasons known only to blogspot, the layout of this blog was changed when I logged in from Germany.  There was suddenly an airplane in the background - logical but wrong.  I hope I have removed it, landed it safely and just left plain blue - sky and water together.

Period of Adjustment

I had been warned that this phase would be difficult but I underestimated the difficulty.  Looking after myself is not the problem - I have done that for years and years.  Not having the social contacts is the most difficult part. And, not having dancing.  That, however, will be remedied soon.  There are salsa lessons on offer in Hamburg and I have already signed up.

It's easy to get overwhelmed by 5 months of mail, including Christmas which is when I get the most snail mail, or by limited closet space and a seemingly unlimited wardrobe.  I have explained to the ball gowns that they are now in a blue-collar town and will have to wait patiently, please, for the next voyage.  They and I are counting the days.

If home is where the heart is ........

then I am not home.

Tuesday after Sunday when the ship docked,

Michael was given a pass by a good friend of his and surprised me aboard the ship on Sunday.  The trip down the Elbe culminating in the Hafengeburtstag - Harbour Birthday - in Hamburg was wonderful and I would have enjoyed it more if I had not been about to disembark.

My best friend aboard arranged for Michael to get a pass and when I came around the corner, he was sitting in Todd English (upscale restaurant on deck 8) waiting for me.  The three of us had lunch at the buffet on deck 7, then back to TE where Michael played and he and I sang.  Anything to calm my nerves.

The first and only unpleasant situation - I could not find one of my suitcases.  I was looking for the red, white and blue ribbons with which I festoon my bags.  Someone had removed them but the bag was there.  Then, outside to the rented car, hugs and kisses goodbye and we took off.  Michael took the scenic route so as to avoid downtown and while it took longer, it was much more relaxed and quite beautiful much of the time.

The car and the apartment were still here but according to the water meter downstairs, one or more of the neighbors has used my washing machine, situated in the cellar, a lot.  I'll get that straightened out this week.

Yesterday, a charming man from the auto club came by and charged the battery.  Otherwise, there are clothes, shoes, souvenirs, and unidentifiable objects everywhere.  What a wonderful series of adventures I had.  Photos to follow as soon as I figure out how.  Help!!

Last tango with Andy

One of the dance hosts convinced me to try the tango this evening - no head snapping.  We danced, it was fun but it will never replace the jive!!

This is my last post from the ship as my account will close automatically in about 10 minutes and I really do have to finish packing. 

I would say, "I will write when I get home" but it appears that I am home, right here, right now.  There will definitely be some changes made.

IBM - 2

It's amazing how many responses I got to the previous post.  It was apparently (1) more interesting and (2) a lot funnier than I thought.  Everything I have written as a "fact" is true:  the waters are different colors, there were drunken people on the street at 10 am, I did get a sunburn on Bali. The man in question really is tall, good-looking, charming, funny and unavailable so if you care to help, forget the advice and find someone for me who is the first 4 and available.

And, just in case you are wondering how I am going to get all of this stuff off the ship - borrowed suitcases!  Back to packing, party in the ballroom tonight and noon arrival at the berth in Hamburg tomorrow.  The sail away is apparently scheduled for 11 pm, complete with fireworks - just what we had when we left Southampton in January to start sailing around the world.

My I.B.M. ????

I.B.M - Ideal Black Male

(**got an email correction from a friend:  ideal black man - ok, it means the same)

(learned that from a film about a black woman's resistance to dating, or even being seen in public, with a white man)

his version of what I should write:

met an absolutely fascinating and humble idiot of a man from my hometown of D.C., 15 blocks and 10 years away.  Although totally committed to his wife, he was equally committed to having a good time, and for this trip, a goodly portion of that good time with me.  Just my luck, however, that he also happened to be the only man from D.C. who cannot do the cha cha, and fool that I am, I spent several wonderful hours teaching him enough of the basics, all for his wife to enjoy.  Yes, he's an idiot but for at least these past few days he has been an idiot with me.


My version, naturally, better than his:

I met my IBM but unfortunately 10 years, 50 pounds, 1 wife and 2 children too late.

He is utterly charming, well-educated with a vocabulary guaranteed to please even the most demanding English teacher and/or linguist (fricatives anyone?? glottal stops??).  And, he is very easy to look at.

He challenged me to teach him a ballroom dance - how could I pass that up!  I decided on the waltz (slow and easy, I thought) and cha cha (necessary for every party).  He rightly said that the waltz music was funerial (read BORING!) but allowed me or pretended to allow me to convince him of the necessity of learning it.

Once he overcame his initial laziness and actually moved his feet in sets of 3's, he was quite good.  I closed my eyes and he waltzed me around G 32 for 5 minutes without hitting anything - forwards and backwards with turns.  The cha cha was easier for him and I fully expect him to be deluged with female attention once his pedial (D, it is a real word!) talents become known.

We talked a lot, laughed a lot more, he kept me up too late but never late enough.  I miss him already and hope that:

we keep in touch
he finds an appropriate (not married, breathes regularly) IBM for me
and
he will call me first if his wife runs away with the man who does her extensions.