Alaska cruise 2 - "I Could Get Used to This"

Friday, July 10

Mamaw: "Well this is it."

Me: "Isn't that what you said that time you were driving and you thought the truck was going to hit you?"

Mamaw: "Oh yeah, I forgot about that. ... Well this is a different kind of 'it.'"

Mamaw and I left the hotel to board the bus this morning, grins plastered on our faces like kids going to Disney World. Once to the port, it was a long process to check in -- one which included a brief health survey with a list of embarrassing questions to which anyone answering "yes" must be abnormally secure. Then it was finally time to board and even the most elaborate cruise commercials hadn't prepared me for the first view inside. Rich-colored carpets, shiny railings, grand staircases and a really tall organ in the middle of the 4th deck.

We first ate lunch in the Lido Restaurant, which has a great view of the ocean. It'll be hard not to have dessert with every meal. Then exploring on deck where we decided only a hammock would make it more perfect. "I could get used to this," Mamaw said.

When our room was ready, we crammed in our luggage and unpacked to make more space. Small but cute. We won't spend much time here anyway. By then it was time for dinner, so we made our way to the Rotterdam Dining Hall. We share a table with four other women -- a mother and daughter from New York and an aunt and niece from Oregon. We also have a window seat and watched mountains, boats and lighthouses pass by as we ate dinner. I had almond crusted salmon with zucchini and carrots.

Charles Stanley spoke at 8:15, so we listened to his sermon about developing intimate relationships -- being the friend, spouse or family member people need and really investing time and effort into the relationship.

We made another trip outside awhile ago, but it's now so foggy you can't see anything. It made me think of when Titanic hit an iceberg.

Tomorrow we're on the ship all day, but there are several things planned. Everyone here is really nice and we met a couple of ladies who live five minutes from me in Matthews. Small world. ... I still can't believe I'm on a cruise.