Originally Written April 10, 2024
My dear readers, I have been traveling so I’ve been quite busy and haven’t written lately. I’ve been thinking of things to write, but I just haven’t done it because I feel like I have been on the go for three weeks now.
Last month, I had my annual Mom’s Spring Break Cruise with John and Derrick, and this year, Brian joined us as well. This cruise was shorter than our usual cruises and we all agreed that five days is too short. The cruise was great as usual, but there was not enough time on it!
We were on board for St. Patrick’s Day, so this time, instead of our hallway looking like Santa threw up in it, it looked like a Leprechaun had too many Guiness and got lost in the St. Patrick’s Day décor aisle at Walmart! I am so glad that my personal Leprechauns were happy to get into the spirit, and even played along when I opted to leave Jeanne in the room and take Colleen O’Sullivan out for the evening! She looked pretty good in her wavy red hair and sparkly green cocktail dress, and the Leprechauns were a handsome complement to her in their sparkly green finery as well!
I must admit that it was a nice feeling to be escorted to dinner by three handsome men every night, and it is so much fun to have travel partners who don’t mind being my dates, even if it does confuse the ship’s photographers. They never seem to know which one I’m with! I missed Abby and the dogs, but I definitely enjoyed the break. Once in a while, I need that break to cast away the chains of motherhood, widowhood, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Executive Officer of the Domicile, as well as chauffer, volunteer, dog cuddler, maid, and cook (Okay, okay, y’all can laugh now, since everybody knows I don’t cook!), and go let my proverbial hair down.
Alas, after many trivia games, sunsets, sunrises, desserts, ziplines, and ATVs, and even more laughter, we found ourselves packing up our stuff so that we could all return to our homes, scattered around the southeastern US, and reality, but before we left, we had one more thing to do. We had to attend the final game show on the ship, which is an adult only show and requires audience participation. I’ve always said I would not participate, but ever since the first time I went, I seem to be sitting closer and closer to the action. This time, I knew Brian would be down for participating, and much to the amusement of all of us, he was… we both were, and it was a blast!
The morning came bright and early after a late night of raunchy humor and debauchery, and we left the ship. I always feel a little sad when I leave, but I always know I’ll be back. After spending only five days on board, we all agreed that it wasn’t enough time, and that we would do no less than a seven night in the future… unless we have a back-to-back.
Before coming all the way back to reality, though, we still took a couple of days to make our way back home by way of Jacksonville, where we stayed the first night and St Simon’s Island, where we stayed the second night.
In Jacksonville, I drug John off to his first rock concert ever – the always entertaining Air Supply, but not before my regular “I’m-in-your-neck-of-the-woods-meet-up” with my old friend, George (with whom I surpassed 27 years of friendship on St Patrick’s Day!)! I sang all night, and John even knew three of the songs! I even got to run down and shake hands with Russell Hitchcock at the end of the show! When we went to St Simon’s the next day, the temperatures had dropped (thank goodness for my Air Supply hoodie!), but that didn’t dampen the mood as we went to dinner and shared an evening of friendship and laughter with John’s family.
By the time I got home, my voice was gone, and I was exhausted, but not the depressive kind of exhaustion. I was both refreshed and exhausted, and I was reminded once again that it is not only okay, but it is necessary, for Abby and me to have some time away from each other.
