(UPDATE, photos and mini trip report!) I'm home, and I missed you!!!!!

[WebmasterKathy]

Home!

After a week being spoiled silly on a gorgeous new cruise ship, with the most wonderful dinner menus every night and lots of fruity drinks to keep cool in the Caribbean sun, we're back to the real world. I've got suitcases to unload, mail to sort, sleep to catch up on. But I had to sneak a quick peek at the WISH board first!

I hope everyone had a good week. I've missed you!!!

(I have no idea how much weight damage I did this week, but it was worth it! )

(I posted a *very* mini trip report on page 2...)

(update.......)
Here are some photos from the trip...

 

[geetey]

She's Home!!!


She's HOME!!!


SHE'S HOME!!!


Welcome back, Kathy!!!!! I missed you!!!!!

 

[tiggerlover]

Welcome home, sounds like you had a wonderful time!

 

[Kabuli1]

Kathy,

I missed you, too! Glad you're back!

Karyn

 

[lmhall2000]

SO selfishly I'm so glad to see you back- but it always makes me feel bad for those coming back from vacation- it's really tough coming back to the same old same old after you've had the CARIBBEAN/food prepared for you every day/sun and fun/and amazing views!!!! Can't wait to hear about your trip!!

YEAH!!! And I bet you looked great in that new Land's End Suit!!!


Tara

 

[PartyofSix]

Oh goody SHE'S BACK. I missed you Kathy! I'm so glad you had a nice trip can't wait to hear all the fun details. Oh i can't wait to see the carribean soon! I'll give you my dh email address so you can push and tell him how wonderful it is. Get some rest and get organized them come tell all.

 

[Beanie]

Hey Kathy! We missed you!!! I am glad you had fun on your cruise, it sounds like heaven to me!! Can't wait to hear all about it!!

Welcome home!

 

[John In Illinois]

Welcome home Kathy, we missed you too!

 

[Luvinit]

Kathy...WELCOME HOME!!!! You really were missed!!! I am glad you had a great time and that you made it home safely!!

Tracy

 

[Debbie]

Welcome home, Kathy! We can hardly wait to hear about your trip!

 

[Hannosmom]

Missed you a lot!! Sorry the cruise is over, but so glad you are back!!!!

 

[karebear1]

We really did miss you! So....... WELCOME HOME!!!! now, PLEASE......... tell us all about it!

 

[nativetxn]

Welcome home, cutie. We missed you while you were gone.

As long as it was worth it, then any weight gain is irrelevant. I'm sure you did no permanent damage.

WISH just isn't the same without you, sweetie, I'm so glad you are back with us again.

 

[ohMom]

so glad to see you again

i'm so glad you had a fabulous time! you deserve a vacation that is nothing short of wonderful

you are a very committed WW WISHer and I know you'll be counting your points and back OP lickety-split! Give yourself a couple days to flush out all the alkyhol and salt and take it from there.

Good for you for keeping the life in living and knowing any damage done isn't permanent and will be gone pronto!

shoo shoo now BF!! you're not wanted here!

 

[mowsie dreamer]

Hi Kathy! Glad you are back, we missed you!


Sounds like you had a wonderful trip! Glad it was good!

 

[AlreadyexcitedGrammy]

Spoiled now, that sounds delightful. Nothing like a cruise to do that for ya! Good to hear that you had a great time - couple of times I have stopped and thought "now wonder what KathyTx is doing right now on that wonderful cruise"!

Can't wait to hear about the miles you put on those walking shoes and how it was doing the WATP workout on a floating surface Okay, okay I won't ask.............. we'll just wait to see if they are mentioned in your trip report.

Glad you're back - did miss ya!!

 

[PRINCESS VIJA]

Welcome back!!! You were very much missed, but happy to hear that you had a marvelous time! Details... I want details!

 

[TigH]

WELCOME HOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I can't wait to hear all about your trip! It seems like it was awesome, just based on the TEENY post you provided us with!!!

Can't wait to see you on the boards more, it just wasn't the same without YOU around to make me smile!!!

 

[WebmasterKathy]

Now I've started to catch my breath and get back into the swing of real life... Whew! Relaxing is really hard work!

We had a wonderful time. We sailed on Holland America's Zuiderdam, and she's really beautiful. We flew into Ft. Lauderdale and spend a day exploring that beautiful city. (So clean! So many yachts! So many people with tons of money!)

Our room was lovely, and very spacious. The food- yummmmmy. There's this warm Chocolate Volcano Cake served with whipped cream- to die for. I had it twice! The food- lobster, caviar, escargots, incredible steaks, salmon, great coffee, pastries and desserts and hors d'ouvres every time you turn around. And, of course, cocktails! Definitely not WISH menus, so I have some penance to do this week.

We sailed to Key West. I took a flight in a WWII vintage biplane- awesome! I felt like the Red Baron- the wind in my hair, incredible views of the water, the town, the ship. I could even spot sharks and stingrays in the water from the plane.

Here we are after the flight. It took me hours to wipe the grin off my face. I LOVED this little plane!

A couple of things I love about cruising- the chance to meet new friends at dinner, and to get dressed up and treat dinners as really festive occasions. It's like you have a little party every evening!

We got really lucky with our tablemates- we all had a great time together, lots of laughs and fun every night. Here's a photo of me, uncharacteristically cleaned up and sparkly for a formal dinner:

We shopped in Cozumel (we honeymooned there 13 years ago, so we reminisced some, too.) We swam with the stingrays in Grand Cayman. (They're really gentle, and so silky-smooth and soft!) We sunned and snoozed on a private island in the Bahamas.

The staff on this ship is Filipino, Indonesian and Dutch. Everyone was very friendly and gracious, and really makes you feel like a welcomed guest. You'll feel pretty spoiled at the end of a Holland America cruise.

Exercise? Bev, I thought about you, but I never did exercise! I strolled the decks leisurely, but I never power-walked. I brought my WATP DVD, but I always opted to chill out to Jimmy Buffett tunes rather than sweat with the walkers. Are you disappointed? Can you forgive me?

It looks like I'm up two pounds. I did LOTS more than two pounds worth of drinking and partying and desserting, so I'll happily attack it and try to get back in the groove this week.

Thanks to all my sweet loser friends for the warm welcome back! You make me feel all warm and smiley inside!

(update.......)
Here are a few more photos from the trip...

 

[TigH]

Kathy, you look RADIANT!! Beautiful, gorgeous, hubba hubba!!! I LOVE the picture of you in the biplane, you are beaming!!!!!! I can tell you enjoyed that very much. How cool that you saw SHARKS!!!! We were in the Ft. Lauderdale area Sat. afternoon and loved it (I want to move there!) You are right about the yachts and money, big time!

And the picture of you all dressed up on your verandah, you look STUNNING!!! Thanks for this mini trip report. Congrats on only gaining 2 teeny little pounds. I'm so glad you "let your hair down" and enjoyed your cruise. You are going to lose those two pounds and more in no time!!!

Welcome back and if you feel like sharing any more details or pictures, GO FOR IT! heh heh heh!