Port New Orleans to the Gulf

 One of the attractive features of taking a cruise out of New Orleans was sailing down the Mississippi.  I have always wanted to do it and someday I will do the rest of the river, but this was going to take me to the Gulf.  What I didn't realize was how long it was going to take.  We departed at 4 PM on the Serenade of the Seas, but the crew said we wouldn't be in the Gulf until midnight. Also being mid-winter, much of the journey would be in the dark.  Before we began the Natchez and Creole Queen paraded outside our balcony.

 But soon we were on our way through New Orleans.  Several times I remembered that this was the port my ancestor William Reed (Farncombe) entered the United States and he would have travelled this same route 150 years ago.

 I loved these maps on the television screen in our room, showing us where we were.

The haze in the sky along the horizon is from marsh fires.

St. Bernard Port

 I loved it all even in the dark.  The water looked like we were going through chocolate soft serve ice cream because it was so thick and brown.

At about 8 PM we were still in the Delta.

 Eventually, we went to bed and woke up to this!

New Year's Resolution

A friend posted this on Facebook and I decided to incorporate it into my New Year's Resolution.  I tend to worry about everything, overly plan---spending way too much time and energy on concerns that may not happen, and not nearly enough time on just enjoying life.

Cruise 2014:  I worried that we were taking too much, not taking enough.  I worried about the weather and driving in the winter several hundred miles.  I worried about what would happen when we got to the port.  Now, I was prepared with bins of easy to open food, blankets, flashlights.  I'd called the port authority several times, had a map of the area, made hotel reservations along the way, but still I worried.

Once we were on the ship, and I was relaxed, I had a great time just like always.  But then word started drifting down that New Orleans was poised for an ice storm.  I worried we couldn't get out; I worried that the locks on our car were frozen; I worried about getting Dave to where the car was parked with our luggage (no shuttle service); I worried about where I'd parked the car.  I only slept 4 hours.

The disembarkation went great.  We got up at 7:30, ate breakfast at 8:00 and were off the ship by 8:30.  But that was it.  For me to get Dave and the luggage, I was told I would have to drive 30-45 minutes down one way streets, over frequently used train tracks and through the masses getting off a Carnival cruise.  I left Dave with the suitcases and headed out to find our car.  I found it and drove aimlessly up and down the aisles not being able to find the exit.  I prayed.

Soon a  snaggle-toothed man in a golf cart waved me down.  When I told him what I needed to do, he took charge, "Park right here, get in the cart, let's go get your husband.  You can't drive all over New Orleans."  We bounced and lurched our way through the port, got Dave and the suitcases loaded, found the car, packed it up.  I turned to the man and said, "You were the answer to my prayers."  He smiled widely as I handed him a generous tip as I said, "Thank you, angel".

Today, my friend who posted the first quote, posted this one which is even better for me.  ". . .Just breathe, and have faith that everything will work out for the best."  That is my New Year's resolution!

Fontanini Nativity

 Several years ago, I bought a few pieces of Fontanini to go with a glass nativity set I had---mainly because they had my daughters' names.  I always wanted to have a full set because these pieces are unbreakable and I don't have to worry about the grandchildren breaking them.  I found a vintage set on E-bay and suggested that each grandchild choose a figure to go with the set.

 Pictured above are Roman and Rebekah.  Below are Eli, Leah, Samuel and Anna chose the cherubs. (the Anna figure is over $100)

 Rachel is holding the basket of fruit with Elizabeth holding the lamp.  The horn player is Brett's and the drummer is Davis's.  Each year I place these out I will think of my wonderful family---even if they aren't here physically for Christmas.  Someday, they will get their pieces back to hopefully carry on a family tradition.