THURSDAY, MARCH 3 - At Sea

Last night Carolyn decided she would have a really lazy morning and put out a room service breakfast order for one for about 10AM. Dick didn’t want any part of it. About 8:30AM Dick wakes up and tries to find something to wear that is not missing a hem or a button. Finally dressed, he goes to get coffee, meets a man from Houston and visits awhile. Back in the room he works on the computer until room service wakes Carolyn with her breakfast at 9:30AM. She eats in bed and shares some with Dick. While we are eating Rick the Assistant food and beberage manager calls and tells us that our favorite menu will be served aagain in Signatures starting the 7^th. Franco will call us with a reservation time. Dick thanks him for his effort. Now we will see if we do actually get to eat in Signatures.

We are so far behind on the blog and the pictures we spend the rest of the morning trying to get caught up. About noon we go to the Compass Rose for lunch so our stewardess can get in our room...she usually goes off duty by 1PM or so if all her rooms are done.

After lunch Carolyn continues working on the pictures and starts to up date the postings. The Internet is really slow and she gives up after just one complete post...only two more to go. Dick works on buttons and Carolyn helps with hems...the mundane always interferes with the fun!

At 4PM, Dick goes to Tea Time to meet people and set up a new Trivia team since there is only one person left from the original team. Carolyn gives up on the blog after getting the last two write ups posted in draft form and only two pictures up...it is really slow. She goes down to deck six for some cookies and a picture of the beautiful day and flat calm seas. We have seen some shipping traffic and some oil wells today.

Tonight is the Welcome Party and formal optional night so we dress up and head out to see who all is new and to enjoy a good meal. These welcome and farewell menus are the best. The theater is packed...a far cry from the last two welcome aboard parties. Plus, many of the passengers have on tuxes and fancy long gowns, also so a big change. Dick is in a sports coat and Carolyn a silky skirt and silk jacket...there are other men in shirt sleeves so we are not out of place. The meal is good, but even though we are in the dinning room by 6:45, the service is slow. The dinning room fills up by 7:30. The meal is good, Carolyn has lobster, spinach salad and a salmon started with a souffle for dessert and Dick has the salmon starer, mushroom soup and beef tenderloin. Then it is off to try to get more posting done and to bed.