"The Fateful Moment"

Another cruise vacation story...and still on Catalina Island.

As we were walking around the botanical gardens and riding on golf carts (see previous posts) - my brother in law, Jordan, really wanted to try a prickly pear. A fruit that grows off a cactus. These items CAN be found at a local grocery store - but Jordan was determined to find and pick a fresh one.

So we're driving around the streets in our golf cart and spot some off the side of the road - and convinces Ben to jump off and help him find and pick a few.
This is a prickly pear that is ben is holding now...




Here they are, wandering up the hill side in.... THROUGH CACTUS BUSHES......


....find a couple.... and Ben makes the oh-so-smart-decision to carry them down in his shirt.


I like to call this picture..... "THE FATEFUL MOMENT" when Benny realizes that cactus needles are very small, very sharp, and very bothersome. Notice the stance he is taking and where the pricklies from the pear would have landed and wormed their way down through his shirt....



*sigh* It was a rough hour or so. I couldn't touch him the rest of the day or I'd have little needles in my hands and arms. And the clothes were condemned from the rest of the suitcase. The best part - for a week we were picking needles out of areas --- that'd I'd rather not say :)

Sharples ride up the hill on Catalina Island in a go cart.

I've lost which day I'm talking about....

So. Still talking about the cruise. I've lost track of what happened which day. :) You'll just have to roll with it.

These pictures are from the botanical garden on Catalina Island - which at the top is the memorial for Mr. William Wrigley (again, the gum guy who bought the island)

Jordan pays tribute to Mr. Wrigley.
I love this picture because it looks like Ben is really working something out in his mind. I also like the colors. "Back in the day" -Catalina island peeps produced beautiful tiles and demonstrated here with the blue and green tiles...
Phyllis and Shelby
Again, the beautiful blue tiles.... and a narnia lion's head.
Candid shots of the fam resting
This is that Wrigley Memorial from a distance - in the building are the pretty tile pieces

Cactus. This is about waist high and was part of the botanical gardens below Mr. Wrigley
More big cactus. Interesting how many different plants there are... and just how many cactuses there are.

Travel Log Day 3 Part 1

Catalina Island, California

I like water. I like boats, swimming, waves, etc. My poor husband doesn't really. He had a sea sick patch on the whole trip (which worked well - ask him if you need one).

To get to Catalina Island, you have to take little boats off the ship to the dock. This is us walking down to the little boat.

I love this picture. Things that give you a sense of size. Being up next to the cruise ship sure does make you feel small..
...you doing alright back there?


Pulling into the dock here... I like the little houses build up on the hill. Catalina lsland was actually bought by Wrigley - like Wrigley Gum. Yeah. really. Mr Wrigley paid big bucks to keep the population size (how many residents- could live there) to a minimum to preserve wild life and such. Very pretty place.
I'm sure that many of these places are rentable summer homes, but by whom.......some one with money.

Not sure what the turkey sign is about. But i'm sure a valuable standard.

Pretty flowers in October
Just a picture of the streets...There were areas that were restricted to residents. I think that's a smart idea ---

Part 2 coming soon - botanical gardens and Wrigley's monument.

...a quick side note...

Have you ever tried Mr. Clean's Magic Eraser?
See all the black scuff marks from our shoe basket on the wall? ....the ones I can't get off with ANYTHING....




.... I'll never be the same.

Day 2 part 2

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Dancing the night away on the cruise ship. :)

Travel Log: Day 3

Day At Sea.

Day 3 was dedicated to just time on the ship. My thought was that there was going to be a lot of down time, lounging and such. Yeah..... you can do that... but there is so much you can do! Again - if you don't drink or gamble - the options are cut down some.
During the day you can go to the spa, enjoy several different performances and genre's of music, eat, watch the hairiest chest competition, mini golf, relax or swim at the pool/hot tub, eat, battle of the sexes, variety shows, the newly wed game, name the song.... did I mention EAT!!


(I don't know why this part is underlined....) This is the top view of the ship - you can lots of lounge chairs, twisty slide, kiddy pools and hot tubs, a stage behind the slide and plenty of life boats (important :))
This is Noortje. I'm not sure if it's okay to put her picture here :) but I only do so because I think she's awesome and the envious job of Cruise Director. She was in charge of our activities and well being, and the coming and goings of the guests. She MCed many shows and was fun to have around and She's from Amsterdam! Which is another fun part of a cruise - the vast majority of the crew are international! The accents, personalities, stories are interesting to get to know.


Eat. I did mention that right? There are nice dinners, cafeteria style meals, and all night buffets. Ben had a frozen yogurt about every 3 hours.


This was a Ben favorite - squash pot pie - looks not so great - but he loved it.

This is my Brazilian style spinach lasagna. Oh yeah.
Though my favorite meal.... I ate this grouper fish..... the best thing I think I've eaten for some time.... tasty.
Of course the classic towel animals... Cute Elephant.

..... and this angry seal. We also got a sting ray. Room service comes in and cleans twice a day! I was amazed how clean the place was all the time....
Aw. Mr. and Mrs. Sharples on 'Elegant Night'

Good day at Sea. Time flies so quickly! I'm telling you - cruising gives you the bang for your buck!