Feb. 21, 2004 Eastern Cruise

[Gina]

Gayl --

While the mini-fridges don't really keep things super-cold, there is a little card you fill out in your stateroom to tell your host how often you'd like your ice refreshed. I chose the three times a day option, and had my own plastic cups, and my own Dr. Pepper as cold as I wanted it. I don't really like Coke products.

On a totally different topic, the nightmares have begun... LOL. Last night, I dreamt that I had forgotten to bring my checkbook, all my credit cards, everything. And you wonder why I'm so obsessive-compulsive about my packing lists??

-gina-

 

[christinou]

We are arriving friday morning, and will drive to Cocoa Beach, we might go to Kennedy Space Center that day. It will just depend on how we feel.
We are not planning to take any drinks on-board, the drink place on Deck 9 was fine for us, and we are planning to order a wine package, and keep one of the bottle in our room.....
Christine

 

[whytcrystal]

I will definatley share my drinks. I can't wait to meet you all. My scanner is broke or I would scan some pictures in the Yahoo site. Maybe I will resurect my old one. It will take a while to scan one but it's beter than nothing.


Woody - It's soda. I remember being a kid in Maine when they called it "Tonic" On the other hand they call BINGO "BEANO".

:0)

 

[woody64]

Christy: I thought Beano was something you put on food to prevent...*kids in background start laughing*... never mind!

The drinks will be flowing soon.

woody

 

[bassoongirl]

Christy,

My sister lives in Maine, and according to her, it has a whole different culture than the rest of the country! She has gotten used to red hot dogs, bean suppers and lobster stands everywhere, but still hangs on to her Michigan roots. Whenever she comes home, she loves to have Vernors ginger ale!

Gayl

 

[whytcrystal]

Gayl-

My dad's family s from Maine. Red Hotdogs are actually one of my favorites. Also, When we were kids my aunt used to have us pick fresh greenbeans from the garden and she would steam them then put salt and homemade butter on them. Ummm.

 

[woody64]

Christy-oh yeah, growing up in South Dakota we used to eat mud and loved it. My family was also so poor we could only afford one pair of shoes so we had to take turns carrying each other to school, and there were 4 of us and I am the youngest...sorry, thought I was telling stories to the kids !

Seriously(no really) I did grow up in SD and miss the garden at our house with fresh green beans, cabbage, etc. and I really miss the homemade pickles and pickled beets. Thankfully, living 40 mi. west of Chicago we have some great farm srands and can still get fresh sweet corn late summer.

OK, now I'm hungry. I'll just call room service...in 3 weeks.

woody

 

[woody64]

As you all can see from my spelling on the last post my schooling wasn't very good, maybe because I was so tired from carrying my brothers and my sister to school, up hill, thru the snow.

woody

 

[Ms. Linda]

Where I live we have plate lunches, gumbo when it is cold, cochon de lait, crawfish boils, and boudin.
And it's pop. Abbeville used to have a plant that made pop rouge.

My lists now have sublists. And I found beads from last Mardi Gras to bring! Should have enough for all of us.

I plan to pick up V.O. and some root beer for DS.

It's almost Mardi Gras. The parade lists are already in the local papers.

 

[PhotoLisa]

Mardi Gras season means crawfish are available!

Our first parades are next weekend - Friday, Saturday and Sunday - in Houma (my hometown, 20 miles down the road). I'm glad that we'll have a few to attend before we leave for the cruise but I'm not sorry that I'll be missing the five big days of Mardi Gras.

The most fun part of the parades for me next weekend is seeing my 3 year old granddaughter's delight while she's at the "harade," as she calls it! She is coming in from North Carolina on Tuesday morning and returns the morning after we get back from the cruise.

Linda -- at lunch, we call around to the restaurants to see who has the best plate lunch for the day! My son (stationed in Okinawa) is seriously missing gumbo and chicken stew!



Lisa

 

[woody64]

"gumbo when it is cold, cochon de lait, crawfish boils, and boudin"

Alright you 2, what is all this. Being a life long Midwesterner we have steak and steak and now in Chicago pizza. It sounds good but what is it?

I need to bring the wife to NO I think!

palate challenged,
woody

 

[PhotoLisa]

Bruce:

Spending a weekend in New Orleans is worse for your waistline than cruising for seven days!

Gumbo is the equivalent of cajun soup - usually made by browning onions in phase 1 of the preparation and contains chicken and sausage or seafood (such as shrimp & okra or as many different kinds of seafood as you can gather). It has rice in it!

Boudin is cajun sausage -- VERY GOOD!!

Lisa


BTW -- everyone raves about the shrimp on the buffet on the cruise . . . . YUCK!!!!! You haven't had boiled shrimp until you come to Louisiana and have them properly seasoned!

 

[Gina]

*goes for the bottle of Pepto Bismol*

The cruise and all the food is such a waste on me... I have steak and baked potato nearly every night, except for that awesome garlic-somethinged tenderloin one night. Our first cruise, DS and I headed to the "awesome buffet" at Topsiders. We took one look at that weird food, made what was I'm sure two terrible faces, and headed straight for pizza at Pinocchio's.

And I was told that gumbo is actually Cajun for "Yeah, throw that in there, too."

Well, it is starting to look pretty chilly for when we leave! (Chilly by Florida/Texas/likely Louisiana standards) The forecast at accuweather.com goes up to that Wednesday now, and the highs that week are only in the low 60's so far. Tyler Dean will be SO disappointed if he can't swim... he loves that pool. We were on the cruise this week last year, and it was so warm when we left! The high for that Wednesday is forecast to be 63. It would have to warm up quite a bit from that in two days! Darn Florida is as screwy as here -- you never know what the weather is going to be like.

Oh well... it'll be warm in the Caribbean.

-gina-

 

[whytcrystal]

Well, it was bound to happen..I woke at 4:30 this AM with a stuffy nose, headache and my voice was hoarse. I was 10 min late for work because I had to dig through my packed luggage for the Zicam. I think I am going to buy a face mask since the rest of the cruise group is over this Sat and I don't want to be passing this around.

Food, food everywhere. Where did this start? Oh yeah, we were talking about bringing alchol so now we all have the munchies.

 

[bassoongirl]

Isn't it interesting how there are so many dfferent types of food in the same country? Some day, we will get to New Orleans to try all the unique foods. We have been to a Cajun restaurant in Detroit and at Disneyland, but I don't know how authentic the food is. As for the red hot dogs in New England, they just don't look appetizing! What makes them so red?

Gina, you and my husband share the same tastes in foods. He is a carnivore! Steak and potatoes are his favorites too. And don't put any gourmet sauce on his meat - he likes it plain! I will probably be the only one in my family that will enjoy the embarkation buffet!

I do hope we have warmer weather than the 60's in Florida! However, I don't think the cool weather will keep my kids out of the pools! My son can't wait to try the Mickey slide.

Lisa and Ms. Linda, I had no idea there were so many Mardi Gras parades down there! I thought there were parades only on Fat Tuesday. It sounds like a wild time!

Christy, I hope you get over your cold quickly! I have been monitoring my family's health lately. I've been pushing vitamins and plenty of sleep. I walk my dog nearly every night, and the past few nights it has been very icy. I tread carefully because I am clumsy and do not want to sprain my ankle or break my leg before the cruise! That would be awful! We are supposed to get more snow and freezing rain tonight. I hope my dog appreciates what I do for him!
My daughter received your niece, Cayla's e-mail. It took us awhile to find it because the message went into our Spamblocker. Katie is planning write back tonight. She is looking forward to hanging out at the Goofy pool with Cayla!

Gayl

 

[whytcrystal]

Gayl-

I also am watching the ice. I have placed a moritorium (sp) on Timothy going snowboarding from now until then. He is scheduled to go parasailing in CC. I made it worth his while because I thought I read somewhere there may be jetskis at Greatbay. I told him if he makes it there healthy I will spring for a ride for him.

I am sure Cayla will be excited that Katie is going to write. I'l let Doreen know incase Cay has the same problem. I know she hadn't even received my email with Katie's address. I was over on Tuesday night doing Doreen's taxes so I logged her on and put it on her address book.

 

[christinou]

Well we just came back from the doctor and Emilie has Strep , the only good thing is that we have 2 weeks to make sure that we are all healthy. She is enjoying a great day at home with me, and I have been busy, the documents are ready and I am nearly done packing.....
I did find sunscreen lotion at Rite Aid, the pharmacist looked at me funny as I paid for sunscreen lotion and antibiotic
Gina 60 will be so hot for us, I am sure my girls will be swimming we have not had temperature above 30 in 4 weeks, and at this point 30 feels balmy.
We do like different kind of food, I am the one who loves escargot, boudin (the french kind which is blood sausage) and everything else that is funky.

 

[woody64]

Christy-there are jet skis at Great Bay Beach. They are real close to the dock that the water taxi drops you off at.

Gayl-we are also expecting a storm tonight, of course starting before the evening commute. Maybe another 3"-5" of snow.

Don't know about the red hot dogs but I love a good Chicago style hot dog-steamed sesame bun, mustard, tomato, onion, pickle spear, jalepeno's with a sprinkling of celery salt. Must be time for lunch.

Christine-sorry to hear about the strep but now is better than later.

Still haven't packed or gathered anymore, maybe this weekend.

woody

 

[bassoongirl]

Christine,

I am sorry that Emilie has strep throat. At least with the antibiotics she should be better soon. My daughter is also on antibiotics right now. Hopefully, by the time we cruise she will be back to 100%. Boudin sounds gross! And I am not a fan of escargot either! Isn't it sad when 30 degrees feels balmy?

Woody,

I love Chicago-style hot dogs! I have been to Chicago few times and always try to have one for lunch. I think you are making Gina nervous by your lack of packing! Good luck getting home tonight in the snow storm. The snow isn't starting here until 10:00 pm and then turning into freezing rain overnight, so tomorrow morning's commute should be interesting!

Gayl

 

[Gina]

Christine -- hope Emilie feels better soon!! Kids usually bounce back so quickly from stuff, unlike us old people.

I have been busy, the documents are ready and I am nearly done packing.....

Okay, Bruce, everyone is getting packed now... Peer pressure! Peer pressure!


And as for the forecast, it looks better today! Now the high for that Thursday is 71 -- much better than 63! *crosses her fingers*

-gina-