All Aboard

Here I go again, off on another tangent. Easter decorations still up, daily daycare of toddlers, closet storage project on hold and a light bulb went off in my head. 

Let's go back in time, maybe to February 2020. My best friend from high school and I signed up to travel on the senior bus for a vacation in New York City in the fall. It was a dream for both of us and she actually had a previous opportunity when she was asked to help chaperone a bus of teenagers from her local high school. But her husband became ill and she could not go. We loved that they had organized all kinds of activities, restaurants and we could even order tickets ahead to an optional side trip to see Hamilton on Broadway! 

Then let's travel back to March 2020. The first Friday when I slipped in my kitchen and smashed my arm. As I lay in trauma I swear to you I was thinking about how long this would take to heal and how I had to be able to go to New York City! 

By the time the smoke cleared and I was immobilized in my recliner, the powers that be had shut down the world. I didn't mind. By the time I was able to shower and comb my own hair, this funny virus would disappear and my job would be to work on being able to dress myself by fall. My husband tried to slow my roll, he was very concerned (he is such a sweet guy) if I would be able to do all this and also very nervous because he wasn't on massive pain medication and could follow the news. Meanwhile, once I ran out of pain pills and my vision cleared. I began online clothes shopping for my trip! 

As you know, New York City got pretty scary. Our trip was completely cancelled. The travel companies were not sure when and if anyone could travel. I could finally raise my arm up to shampoo my own hair, but it took longer than I thought possible to be able to accomplish the impossible - being able to fasten and unfasten my bra all by myself! 

Then the vaccines! I actually sent an email to the senior center in January 2021 to make sure they knew I was still interested in the trip, even though their offices had not yet reopened. 

Then on April 9, 2021, my favorite author and blogger and total girlfriend, the fabulous Susan Branch announced that she was booking a cruise to England in 2022 on the Queen Mary 2! After all, we would all be vaccinated and this stinky old virus would be a distant memory. And she was inviting all her girl friends to be a part of it! I was ecstatic!  

My enthusiasm flagged when my dear sweet husband started on about what a horrible plan this was and how dangerous it would be and did I remember that he refuses to ever step foot on a boat? No problems, I would call my girlfriend. Unfortunately her first words were "are you seriously considering this?".  Due to a mixture of health concerns, pandemic  concerns, financial concerns, work and job concerns, I am sure there were more concerns, I was unable to find someone to go with me. And as much as I think I am such a free spirit, after my fall I have become very intrepid about traveling alone, much less across an entire ocean! 

I gave up the dream (boo hoo). Spent all my trip money and more on a new car (a story unto itself; if you are not leaving your house, why are you buying a new car?), but I still subscribed to the trip page, still monitored every price increase and decrease, looked up and studied every travel restriction, read every passenger review when travel began. I followed Susan's blogs on trip planning, followed other's comments on cancelling and rebooking. I kept thinking maybe, just maybe, there would be a way I could come up with a plan to join them. 

The clock is running down. The ship sails on May 1, 2022. 

I came up with a plan! I am going to sail with them virtually. I did what I do best, online shopping. I have decorations, buntings, books and accessories on their way to decorate my living room. Some arrived today! It looks like one of the best parts of the cruise is the food so I have been stalking travel blogs and have been recreating menus and recipes from the QM2. I am planning the virtual activities while on board the ship and I started laying in supplies in the ship's kitchen. I have ordered cozy mystery books with cruise themes, a jigsaw puzzle of a London street scene and scouted some movies and PBS shows to watch in the evenings. 

I mentioned this on the cruise page and it turns out there are Susan Branch girlfriends as crazy as me! We are going to post our virtual adventures along with the lucky girlfriends traveling in person. One girlfriend already has her office cubicle decorated for the trip! (I am really behind on this!). 

Today's find - dishes from Dollar Tree that almost match the china on the Queen Mary 2!  Dollar Tree china on the left, photo from Cunard showing a dish on the QM2 on the right.