WELCOME HOME GGC

can your relatives come here while I'm away?

glad you had a great time. how's bill?

sheree

<Ermalee> wrote in message
news:roWdnd8d3MOu9gDanZ2dnUVZ_vmlnZ2d@comcast.com...
> kerry ambler wrote:
>> we want details, please?
> Thanks for the welcome back! I think I must have slipped a disc in my
> lower back, but have managed the pain with meds. Will seek Dr's help
> tomorrow.
> So here are the details, Kerry. Gorgeous ship, delicious food, wonderful
> friends and a pretty generous (at times) casino. But the very best part
> was seeing really good friends. The ports visited by
> the Adventure of the Seas were Aruba, Caracau, St. Maarten and St. Thomas,
> and return to San Juan. Lots of choices for shore excursions, but I
> didn't do any of them. Shopped a little in St. Thomas, visited an
> internet cafe and played some slot machines on St Maarten. Everything
> went very smoothly from embarkation the departure from the ship, then a
> very smooth flight back to Philadelphia.
> It was a great cruise, but it sure is good to get back home, and my bags
> have already been unpacked (not by me).
> While I was away and family members were caregivers here at home, they
> took the time to rearrange my closets and bureau drawers (a job that I
> don't look forward to). Everything back home is in great shape!
>
> Ermalee <----thankful for good friends and precious family members
>
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"kerry ambler" <kerryamblerNO SPAM RemoveThis @msn.com> wrote in message
news:f2bnj.5144$z_6.2594@trnddc06...
> we want details, please?

Hi Kerry,
The weather could not have been nicer...Sunny and in the 78 degree area
except for the day in Curacao when it hit 83. PERFECT!

The ship was lovely but showed signs of wear in places and they wear
replacing carpeting during the sailing...Not any of the cabins near us, but
I did see a pile of worn carpeting and rolls of new carpeting on two decks.

The food was quite good, especially the beef entrees, the wonderful desserts
and almond raisin and citron bread. My waist grew at least two inches!
;-( I had read here before that the fish was of very poor quality on RCL,
but Barb & Tobie who are on a back to back on this ship right now (lucky
ducks!) ordered Mahi Mahi and one other fish that escapes my mind at the
moment and raved about how delicious it was...so maybe RCL is improving
there! I think that our just coming off the new and beautiful Liberty of
the Seas in December with its Christmas splendor, it was a very hard act to
follow, too! Even though it was a tad smaller than the Liberty, it was a bit
harder to find our way around...Some of that was probably because we took a
promenade balcony this time and we kept getting turned around...We almost
always take a regular balcony and really missed seeing the ocean! So it was
a new experience but I much prefer the ocean balconies...It amazed me to get
up in the wee hours of the morning and still see people out in the promenade
eating and drinking! Our cabin was over Seattle's Best Coffee Cafe and Ben
& Jerry's combined area.

With a promenade balcony, we missed sitting out and watching the sea very
much...Even sitting inside an outside balcony cabin, you feel as if you are
sailing and not sitting in some hotel room...The sailing was so smooth that
we never knew whether the ship was in port or had not arrived yet...We were
at our evening meal when we left port most nights and having a window table
we saw more of the ocean there...I missed seeing the sight of land whenever
we neared port. So although we had a great time, we ruled out future
promenade balconies.

Our room steward, Avalon, from St. Kitts was not the best...he seemed to
have a chip on his shoulder from the start. The ice buckets are quite small
on the Adventure and by the time we used them, there were just a few tiny
bits of ice swimming in the water that was left...not nice when returning
from shore..He was not filling the bucket full and when I mentioned it to
him, he said he could do nothing about it...So I asked him to give us two
ice buckets and he seemed miffed at that suggestion so I got a bit stern and
said, "Look, we have never had this problem on RCL or any other ships and we
just got off the Liberty and had no problems like this on it." That
afternoon we had two buckets that were filled to the top. He never smiled or
seemed happy no matter how nicely you treated him...He did loosen up a bit a
couple days before the end of the cruise. Maybe because tipping time was
nearing!

Our waiter, Marian, from Romania was very pleasant and accommodating... as
was his assistant... Marian had a twin brother working in a different dining
room whom we met and was also very pleasant. He knew all about us from his
brother!

It was great seeing so many old friends from previous group cruises and we
missed those of you who could not be with us this time!.

The ice show was spectacular and different from the one on the Liberty of
the Seas. I only attended one and part of another show and was not impressed
with the entertainment...apparently the best one was one that I did not
attend. The casino was especially good to Ed...He hit a jackpot of
$2,500...so he paid for our cruise and then some!

The drinks of the day have really gone up!!! $7.95-$8.95...I could see sign
of cut backs here and there too.

--Jean
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Welcome home JEAN & ED,good to hear you had a nice cruise,keep me
updated about WAYNE.
surfer e 2468

<
cruise lover>
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sheree wrote:
> can your relatives come here while I'm away?
>
> glad you had a great time. how's bill?
>
> sheree
>

Yeah exactly, lol. Maybe they like rearranging closets and drawers and
so really we'd be helping them and making them happy!!!

Jeff
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Jeff wrote:
> sheree wrote:
>
>> can your relatives come here while I'm away?
>>
>> glad you had a great time. how's bill?
>>
>> sheree
>>
>
> Yeah exactly, lol. Maybe they like rearranging closets and drawers and
> so really we'd be helping them and making them happy!!!
>
> Jeff

I am really thankful to be so blessed with good relatives.
Except for a really painful lower back, the cruise was top notch. I
called home every day from the cabin. Whatever bill I ran up on the
ship to shore calls, it was worth every penny.
Bill is actually no better, but no worse. The Dr. is pleased with his
present condition, and said he would only need to stop and see him once
every two weeks. (However, he's coming today to see me, perhaps send me
for an MRI of my lower back, before I see the surgeon in 9 days.)

Ermalee <---enjoying being back home after a sweet visit to the Caribbean
 >> Stay informed about: WELCOME HOME GGC 

"Surfer E2468" <pocomount DeleteThis @webtv.net> wrote in message
news:29218-479E90A7-898@storefull-3357.bay.webtv.net...
> Welcome home JEAN & ED,good to hear you had a nice cruise,keep me
> updated about WAYNE.
> surfer e 2468

Thanks, Annie!
Many here do not know that our 19 year old grandson was diagnosed with
cancer of the liver several weeks ago and biopsies had returned indicating
it was sarcoma. He had surgery removing the cancerous growth plus a large
marginal area surrounding it. He came through the surgery well and his
parents insisted we not cancel our cruise but that they would keep in touch
with us by phone and phone text messages while we were on the ship and in
the islands, as by then, there was nothing to do but pray and we could do
that no matter where we were. The biopsies sent to MD Anderson and Baylor
were to determine the next step to take. While on the cruise, we got the
good news that the diagnosis was lymphoma...The spindle cells in the first
biopsies fooled the doctors into thinking it was sarcoma because they are
cells associated with sarcoma. The oncologist said that if one HAD to get
cancer, that was the best kind to get, as it has a 98% survival rate. Our
grandson is at home and fairly pain free, healing well and very relieved to
have the surgery over with. He is undergoing a bone marrow procedure this
afternoon as they are covering all bases. Now our prayers are that the bone
marrow is normal. Thank you, Annie, and to many others who knew about this
and kept him and his family in prayers. God is good! We had a much more
relaxed cruise...technology sure makes it easy to stay in touch no matter
where in the world you are nowadays!

Now I have another worry...our daughter who is with a medical team fighting
malaria and dengue fever in Kenya is pretty much secluded in a compound
there in Kisumu, Kenya...She assures us that she has tall, thick concrete
walls around her home with shards of glass and barbed wire on top and two
security guards 24 hrs around the clock, some army personnel are
always nearby and a house staff member and gardener are in the spare
servant's rooms on the grounds.
She is in constant contact with the Regional Embassy Security Officer and
has a direct hot line number to the Kisumu Police...she has many friends
there since she has lived there over five years now and a Dutch physician
and his wife who live right next to the State House have also invited her to
come stay with them as well as a very well liked local lawyer and his wife
and a few others with the medical team whom the locals have always liked
because of the medical services that they provide..But with all the burning
and looting and murders going on there, she has a small bag with essentials
packed, just in case they decide to evacuate her from Kisumu. So it seems
right now in our lives, when it rains it pours...but I have faith that all
will end up well.

--Jean
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Jean

I am so glad to hear about your Grandson.. Leslie has been asking me
if I heard from you.
I pray that his bone marrow is free and clear also

NOW onto your daughter! WOW I be scared out of my britches! I be
coming back home!
Mothers always need to worry as my mom said its small worries when
small and BIG worries when BIG


ERMALEE

How is that back doing? You must been pinching alot of mens butts and
pulled something! hahahaha


Glad you all had a good trip and are back to the USA


OH and ERmalee SOMEONE unpacked for you! THAT is a FEAT in itself!
WOW
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Susette wrote:
> Jean
>
> I am so glad to hear about your Grandson.. Leslie has been asking me
> if I heard from you.
> I pray that his bone marrow is free and clear also
>
> NOW onto your daughter! WOW I be scared out of my britches! I be
> coming back home!
> Mothers always need to worry as my mom said its small worries when
> small and BIG worries when BIG
>
>
> ERMALEE
>
> How is that back doing? You must been pinching alot of mens butts and
> pulled something! hahahaha
>
>
> Glad you all had a good trip and are back to the USA
>
>
> OH and ERmalee SOMEONE unpacked for you! THAT is a FEAT in itself!
> WOW

Thanks for asking, Sue. Yes, someone did my unpacking, because my back
is so very bad that I could never have done it. My dear niece knows
where everything goes, and she did it in just a few minutes. I will
have an MRI next Wednesday. Then to the doctor on Thursday. If it gets
any worse I will head for the Emergency Room.

Ermalee <----would love to be on Susettes next group cruise
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"Susette" <cruiseoutlets DeleteThis @aol.com> wrote in message
news:901b2276-97cf-4ad9-8a0e-4adf5dabf01b@q21g2000hsa.googlegroups.com...
> Jean
>
> I am so glad to hear about your Grandson.. Leslie has been asking me
> if I heard from you.
> I pray that his bone marrow is free and clear also
>
> NOW onto your daughter! WOW I be scared out of my britches! I be
> coming back home!
> Mothers always need to worry as my mom said its small worries when
> small and BIG worries when BIG

Hi Susie!
Thanks, we hope the worst is over, but there is still a bone marrow
procedure and four doses of chemotherapy...one every three weeks and
hopefully he will be on his way to remission. Thank God it is not sarcoma.
As for my daughter, I had an e-mail from her saying that Kofi Annan was
there in Kenya trying to mediate and get the two parties to negotiate and
things had quieted down enough so she was able to stock up on more
groceries...there is only one grocery left standing after the lootings and
burnings...but they do not expect it to be quiet for long as there is too
much animosity between the different tribes and so much poverty which breeds
violence and discontent...The recent election has caused all the turmoil...I
hope that they come to an agreement of some sort soon.

Leslie, bless her heart...she is such a sweetie...tell her that I will get
to her e-mails as soon as I get caught up here...It seems there were a
million things to do and still are left to do since we returned from the
cruise. The cruise on the Adventure was very nice but I was spoiled after
being on the Liberty with it being newer and so beautifully decorated for
Christmas...The food was better on the Liberty, too...I missed you all too!

--Jean
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Jean O'Boyle wrote:

> As for my daughter, I had an e-mail from her saying that Kofi Annan
> was there in Kenya trying to mediate and get the two parties to
> negotiate and things had quieted down enough so she was able to stock
> up on more groceries...there is only one grocery left standing after
> the lootings and burnings...but they do not expect it to be quiet for
> long as there is too much animosity between the different tribes and
> so much poverty which breeds violence and discontent...The recent
> election has caused all the turmoil...I hope that they come to an
> agreement of some sort soon.

Jean, for the latest news on Kenya, check out the BBC news, they offer
more information than our national news here in the US.

From what I heard, the leaders of both sides have agreed to stop the
violence within two weeks. Unfortunately, the mediation with Annan had
been halted, because both sides were in a snit. Let's hope peace is now
on the horizon. It looks like Denise is at the edge of the Rift Valley,
where most of the violence is happening, so I hope and pray she will be
fine. I know you and Ed are worried, as any parents would be. I will
keep Denise in my thoughts.

Becca
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On Fri, 01 Feb 2008 03:30:18 GMT, Jean O'Boyle wrote:

>> NOW onto your daughter! WOW I be scared out of my britches! I be
>> coming back home!
>> Mothers always need to worry as my mom said its small worries when
>> small and BIG worries when BIG
>
> Hi Susie!
> Thanks, we hope the worst is over, but there is still a bone marrow
> procedure and four doses of chemotherapy...one every three weeks and
> hopefully he will be on his way to remission. Thank God it is not sarcoma.

My condolences, Jean.
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"Becca" <beccaNospam DeleteThis @hal-pc.organ> wrote in message
news:60hn2uF1racirU1@mid.individual.net...
> Jean, for the latest news on Kenya, check out the BBC news, they offer
> more information than our national news here in the US.
>
> From what I heard, the leaders of both sides have agreed to stop the
> violence within two weeks. Unfortunately, the mediation with Annan had
> been halted, because both sides were in a snit. Let's hope peace is now on
> the horizon. It looks like Denise is at the edge of the Rift Valley, where
> most of the violence is happening, so I hope and pray she will be fine. I
> know you and Ed are worried, as any parents would be. I will keep Denise
> in my thoughts.

Thanks, Becca, I have been watching the news and BBC is good with their
reporting.
One news article about the violence erupting again in Kisumu, where Denise
is, prompted me to send her an e mail to which she responded quickly,
assuring me that she was okay but the stories she tells scare me half to
death. She should write a book about her life in Africa. I will send you
part of her e-mail relating her experience today.

--Jean
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Chrissy Cruiser wrote:
> On Fri, 01 Feb 2008 03:30:18 GMT, Jean O'Boyle wrote:
>
>
>>>NOW onto your daughter! WOW I be scared out of my britches! I be
>>>coming back home!
>>>Mothers always need to worry as my mom said its small worries when
>>>small and BIG worries when BIG
>>
>>Hi Susie!
>>Thanks, we hope the worst is over, but there is still a bone marrow
>>procedure and four doses of chemotherapy...one every three weeks and
>>hopefully he will be on his way to remission. Thank God it is not sarcoma.
>
>
> My condolences, Jean.


I also wish the best for Wayne.

Ermalee
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