Puerto Rico, Aruba, Curacao, Dominica & St. John

Living in the Midwest, my water experience and activities are limited to rivers and lake. Colors of Missouri and Mississippi rivers are nothing to rave about. Lakes offers some excitement , courtesy of resorts abutting on its shores , it's never the same though. Having lived the first 44 years of my life in an island part of an archipelago, I always equate water with the tropical seas , blue, expansive and endless. When my husband brought up the idea of a cruise, I jumped at the offer. Forget about the kitchen and bathroom renovations, it can wait. But my longing for the sea needs to me satiated.

Luggage packed like any woman would pack for a 7 day trip, as if she is packing for a month. Wardrobe, shoes, purse and accessories and still unsure if I covered all the checklists for the formal dinners and casual garbs. Should I bring 2 or 3 swimsuits, hmm, maybe 4 , I can't be photographed with the same attire all the time. What will my Facebook buddies would say, aarghhhhhhh. Manicure, pedicure, eyebrow waxed and a prayer that I can coach my rotund belly to coöperate with me to hide or move to Arizona for the time being . Why Arizona, in that way, my fat can be deported out of America with their new laws.

Trying to cut down on my food intake for the last 2 weeks, why you ask? To splurge on the food in the cruise, that is what my husband told me. I did not do it, i think i gained more weight avoiding foods.

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The Convivial Gist

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