Christmas Eve at the Fern

Twas the night before Christmas and all through Fern House
Not a creature was stirring, not even the crackheads.......

Well in reality, the days of the old school crackheads are just a thing of the past. Today, the field of addiction is filled with young kids coming off pills. The doctors prescribe seven oxycotin per day for a stubbed toe and the kids today are kicking walls and getting in line..... well today is christmas eve and alot of these kids are getting ready for their first christmas without drugs in a long time. My plan is to spend time with the ones who dont have a family to visit with. We have been more lienent about people going home for the holidays than I have ever seen Fern House be, but some of these guys dont have a family to go to, so to help keep their risk level down I am gonna stay here with them this year.

I have invited the parental units to come over and enjoy a Fern House Christmas dinner and we will spend some time together that way. Its better for them anyway as I think they have both given up on that room called the kitchen in their house. As a kid my motherly parental unit ALWAYS made homemade lasagna with meat sauce, and it was GOOOOOOOOOD. Unfortunately the days of her spending a full day in the kitchen have long since passed her by so I had a great idea, for Christmas eve I am taking them out to dinner at a lovly Italian resturant so I can get my lasagna fix.

Thas about it for now, I would like to wish all of you a very safe holiday. Heres hoping all your faces have smiles

Party in paradise

Today is a big day in the holiday season at Fern House. I have a hearing in court this morning, I have had a lot of these lately. If you have seen me on Facebook, you have seen the pictures of me getting ready to walk into a courtroom, if not here you go:

After court I have to get back and get ready for the Fern House Christmas Party. Two hundred people are expected which is just crazy. We talked about changing the party next year and doing two different parties. One for the guys and their families, and one for the board of directors, the lawyers we work with all the time and hopfully a few judges too. I think that would be better because if 250 people show up (which is possible) I have no idea where we will put them. I will be posting some pictures from the party afterwards tommorow.

I have been struggling with my diet since getting back from the cruise. I still have the desire but the follow through just isnt where I need it to be. I am promising myself that after Christmas I am getting back on track with the plan. I am down seventy pounds since I started nine months ago, but I still have thirty to go to get to my original wish of losing a hundred pounds. I WILL DO IT.

Thats about it for now, I am writing this Sunday night and I have to get up early for court so have a great day. Heres hoping all your faces have smiles!

Cruise Photos

Here are a few of the pictures taken on last weeks cruise. There are bunches more but these are my favorites.

 The guest of honor and BIRTHDAY BOY!!!!!!!!!!!

 The motherly parental unit with Ayla

 The true destination of the trip

 Atlantis Resort

 Food Porn

 More Food Porn

 Me at Megans Bay, St Thomas, USVI

 Veiw from the mountins of St Thomas

 Old San Juan, Puerto Rico

 Fort Cristibal in San Juan

 Setting Sun leaving San Juan

 Grand Turk

This was the final sunset on a great vacation

Carnival Glory Day Seven (fun day at sea)

Well it is winding down, another wonderful week on a Carnival Cruise Ship. The family time has been great! The relaxing time has been awesome.

We are already packed and ready giving us the last night free with no responsibilities. I am going to miss the room service, the cabin steward cleaning up, the fresh sea air, and the peace and quiet....but I have to say I kinda miss my insane asylum. I am looking forward to getting back.

I will be posting a series of posts filled with pictures over the following week. I gotta run and enjoy the last night. Heres hoping all your faces have smiles.

Carnival Glory day six (Grand Turk)

Today was a wonderful day filled with not much at all. I got off the ship in grand turk for a couple hours, just long enough to walk around the shops and have lunch at Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville.

We didn't go to the dining room for dinner, elegant night and the sarge just cant handle the walking involved. the three of us went up to the Lido for dinner and some card playing. I am here to tell you my parental units are professional cheaters at cards.

After that it was comedy show night. Both comedians were ok, neither really knocked my socks off but they were not bad either. Going into the last day, a sea day. Gotta cut it short. Heres hoping all your faces have smiles.

Carnival Glory Day Five (San Juan, PR)

So we arrived in San Juan at 7AM this morning. San Juan is an amazing city. Last time here I did a bus tour of the city and didn't have time to explore the forts that guarded the city for five hundred years. My goal for the day was to do just that. Three blocks south of the port is this towering stone building that seems to be about twelve stories high. Come to find out it three levels, HUGE levels. Stone wall tunnels and 45 degree ramps with no handrails to go from one level to the next. I also don't know who did the design but I think if your on level two and need to go to level three you should not need to go down to one, but they did. My legs are still burning from all the walking today but it was fun.

I was back on the ship early and spent some quality time with the parental units. We sat on the Lido and played cards.

Dinner was lovely, Oysters Rockefeller, Caesar Salad, and filet minion. That was followed up by a chocolate raspberry cake.

I am not looking forward to returning because that will mean my diet has to resume and I am expecting a full blow detox from sugar and fatty foods. I am interested to see if I gained weight on this trip because my level of activity has been much more than when I am home.

I am over tired and cant think up anything else to say about today, so there. Heres hoping all your faces have smiles.

Carnival Glory Day 4 (St Thomas)

What an amazing day! We arrived in St Thomas about an hour late due to the high winds we experienced over the past couple days. Because of this the ship decided to stay an hour later in port. Around 11AM the motherly parental unit and myself got off the ship and moseyed through the port side shops and into the pharmacy to pick up some things the Sarge needed. after acquiring everything we needed she headed back to the ship and i went in search of something to do.

I found a bus island tour. $25 bucks and we were off for a two hour our of the island. St Thomas is truly one of the most amazing places I have ever been to. I got a bunch of pictures which I will post when we get back sunday.

I got back to the ship around 2PM and headed to the Lido in search of some lunch.....two people in line for the mongolian wok, wow! Staying on ships time, which is eastern standard time it meant that sunset was at 4:45 PM so I managed to take some photos from the balcony of the sun setting over the ridge line of Charlotte Amalie. There were a few too many clouds for and amazing sunset but it was pretty good.

The service at dinner was considerable better than it has been. The sarge was not feeling up to going to the dining room so the matre`d offered to take an order for him and have room service deliver it him. I thought tat was particularly nice of him.

Tonight was the show "Coming to America" they tried to do this show the other night but the seas were too high so it was rescheduled. I have seen this show before but it was still pretty cool. Afterwards we went up to Lido and played cards for a good while. You might have noticed there was no nap, this means I am exhausted, and we make port in San Juan early so I am calling it an early evening.

Heres hoping all your face have smiles!

Carnival Glory Day Three (fun day at sea)

So today was a sea day which i really enjoy. We never even had a view of dry land. The day brought total relaxation, much needed relaxation. I mentioned a show in store for last night but it did not materialize as rough seas made them cancel due to safety concerns for the dancers. wearing 6 inch heels in 8 foot seas is apparently not safe I don't know as I have never tried to dance in heels, but I will take their rd for it.

Dinner in the dining room has been some pretty rough service so far. Last night at the steakhouse the service was five star, but the dining rom has been poor service. I know we are a party f 11 which is tough but my niece Ayla watched us eat our second course and be served entrees then she got two courses at once. I have never seen problems like tis from Carnival. she did enjoy the wine at dinner, so much so that after dinner se was dancing in the casino with another lady who also had one two many. I can say this, Ayla is a funny drinker. She had me laughing until late into the evening.

So tomorrow is St Thomas, we are going to arrive about an hour late because of some of the high winds we have been traveling into. Thankfully the wind is starting to subside, and the seas with it too. many parts of the ship have been closed due to high winds and they are the parts I like such as the bow of the ship and the senility deck I am hoping to see them open back up tomorrow.

This cruise has been more of a bonding experience with my nieces and nephews. That part has been wonderful. overall so far it has been perfect, weather cant slow me down.

I guess thats it for now, heres hoping all your faces have smiles.

Carnival Glory Day 2 (Nassau, Baamas)

Ok, Sorry yesterdays post was late coming up, we were having internet problems.

Today was Nassau, and it was a beautiful day. 75 degrees and a nice breeze. Most of the gang went on a sail and snorkel adventure and they said it was a great time except for cold water. I ad planned to go to Paradise Island, but after breakfast I thought more sleep was imperative so I skipped it. I wandered around the straw market for a little while and enjoyed the ship being quiet. We set sail at 2 PM and are under way. Tonight is the old Sarge`s Birthday so we are going to the steakhouse for dinner. We lucked out having his birthday fall on elegant night so I will only have to don the suit twice this trip. After dinner the show tonight is Living in America. I have seen that show before but it is really good so I think I might check it out again. Then I will be removing the suit and going back to shorts. I have plan of another cigar on the lido deck tonight.

So far I am up a couple bucks in the casino, and have grow to like a new game, three card poker. We still have not gotten the sarge out enough to get him pole dancing but I have high hopes for that to happen. I will tell you if he pole dances, I will to. For those who dont know what I am talking about, here is a picture from a previous cruise Till later heres hoping all your faces have smiles

Carnival Glory Day One

Well it 9 pm on the first night and all is well. The ship is kinda rockin and rollin just a bit, but not to bad. The motherly parental unit got a bit sea sick and the fatherly parental unit is just plain hurting from the procedure the doctor did two days ago, but they are hanging in there. It is a peaceful night after dinner with the whole family I have a fine cigar in pocket and am preparing to move to the upper deck of the ship. Other than that, just taking it easy tonight.

Te trip down to the port was uneventful. We came early and beat the crowd (I think we were third) which was nice. The three of us sat in the VIP lounge (well they sat, I paced) and were in the first group on the ship.

Tomorrow morning we wake up in Nassau, we shall see how tat goes. Till then heres hoping all your faces have smiles.

Fern House Christmas Concert

And on the night before vacation, all through the Fern.....was the West Palm Beach City Employee Choir. It was a great time and I have included the following video as proof.

See you from the ship

Two Days andconting

Well folks, this post is really just a test of my new blogger app. i needed a good app for the upcoming cruise.

It is Friday afternoon and we are leaving Sunday morning at 8AM. I am going to miss the insanity at work, but i need a vacation badly.

Tonight there is not much going on but Saturday evening we are having our annual Christmas Concert. The West Palm Beach city choirs coming out to sing Christmas Carols. If anyone is in the west palm beach area ad wants to come it is a great time. We have the tree in the big hall standing thirty feet high and the whole place is a winter wonderland. Should e a good time. once that is over it is vacation time. well thats it for now, heres hoping all
your faces have smiles.