Yum! Another favorite from the cruise...

Warm chocolate melting cake! It is a dessert to die for! So good that we all opted to order two desserts each after the first night so that we could try something new but still enjoy the wonderful taste of the chocolate dessert that was on the alternate menu each night after the first night! I don't usually care for cake but this cake served with vanilla ice cream was the most wonderful dessert that I think I've ever had! YUMMMMMMMMMMMM!

We've Been Bit By the Bug!

What bug? The cruise bug! So, as of right now, we are off to Alaska! The last day of school is May 26 and that afternoon, we are on a flight that goes through San Jose to Seattle and then by train to Vancouver where we board a Holland America cruise ship for seven days to Seward. Upon arrival in Seward we have reservations for the train to Anchorage. Three days in and around Anchorage and then we go to Whittier to board the Carnival Spirit for a return cruise seven days back to Vancouver. Both cruises are through the inside passage. From Vancouver to Seattle and then back home on June 14! Woo hoo! Jim is calling it our Retirement Celebration trip...

Standing on the sandbar - YES! Snorkling in the Ocean - NO!

The Stingray City visit was great fun...Much better than nearly drowning trying to snorkle while we were in Cozumel...just couldn't get the hang of it and was very glad to get back in the boat after a what seemed like endless minutes floundering around in the choppy waves that we were left off in...That salt water is pretty yucky (especially when you swallow it!). On top of all that, I couldn't see since I didn't have on my glasses...
This is a picture of the boat that we were on --that's Lynda and Cole in the picture with me! I was very proud that I wasn't getting Seasick! while riding in the "retro yacht" that we were in along with about 30 other people. Jim, of course, was absolutely in heaven...he knew the fish that he was coming face to face with--could call them all by name and had even had a bunch of them in our home aquarium in the past.

I know...I'll just "volunteer" to be a cruise goer...

That seems like the best idea of all...Then I can go over to Grand Cayman Islands and hold another sea turtle like the one in the picture. I couldn't believe how heavy it was! We got to hold it at the Turtle Farm on the way from Hell to Stingray City...

The highlight of this day had to have been being in the ocean with the sting rays. Unbelievable! That sandbar was very crowded with people and with the sting rays...and the tour guides all had every out trying to "kiss" the sting rays for seven years of good luck...

Just 44 more days!

I never really thought that I would be wanting to be retired from the classroom and the children that I've taught but now that I'm so close to it...I can't wait!
Plans? Nothing specific but I am looking forward to more opportunities to travel and maybe even time to get involved in "spreading the word and news for Parkinson's Disease and helping others to learn more about the disease that we now have to think about and live with.
SO, just 44 more days of rising and shining at school each day...who knows?? Maybe I'll be back at school in the fall as a volunteer...