Inauguration Day

It's been 8 days since I wrote a blog.  I never wrote anything during the cruise because we were just having too much fun!  Many of you have already received the four albums from the trip. If you didn't get them and would like to see all the pictures, just shoot me a private email and I will send you a link.

The cruise was one of our best ever.  We had forgotten how fantastic the Disney cruises are.  We took the Disney Wonder in 2000 with Evey and Lowell and the Disney Magic in 2003 with Evey. It's been a decade since we did a Disney cruise.  It is a quality product!  Even if you don't have kids, or even think you don't like kids, I would recommend a Disney cruise.  The food, the staff, the service, the decor are all exceptional.

At the end of the blog I have posted a few pictures.

Of course, I gained weight during the cruise.  I gained about three pounds in the six days of the trip.  I have taken two of them off since we got home.  Still I'm pretty high.  I started this cruise already too high, so I really need to do something before the NEXT cruise in February.  Crazy. 

This morning I have an appointment with the radiation oncologist.  I have still been checking in with him every six months, but I'm hoping today he is going to cut that back to annual or even not at all.  I don't feel that I'm having any problems related to the radiation.  We'll see.  The worst thing is that I know I'm up about 8 pounds since I saw him six months ago and up 15-20 pounds since I was having the radiation in 2011.  That's embarrassing.  (OK, I'm finishing the blog after the morning's doctor appointment.  He said I'm fine, but he still expects me to come back in six months.  Sigh.  At least he didn't comment on the weight!)

I'm also thinking about Obama's second Inauguration today.  Four years ago it did not turn out on a Federal Holiday (MLK Day) so I was sitting in a classroom at Catonsville High School watching it with students.  I might miss more of it today than then because I'll be at the doctor's office, running errands, and playing Mah Jongg!  I have also been thinking about that weight because four years ago as I sat in that classroom, I weighed 322 pounds.  I could barely move.  That day I decided to lose weight and got down to 295 by April 8, 27 pounds in about three months time.  I'd love to lose 27 pounds in the next three months.  322 on Inauguration Day of 2009 and 265 today.  I guess I should be happy that I'm down 57 pounds in the last four years, but I know that it really means I have GAINED 50 pounds in the last two years.  (Update since it's now afternoon:  I won three games of Mah Jongg and heard the President's speech partly on the car radio and partly at home.  Now I'm waiting for the parade to start.)

Yesterday we had a blast going to the Canada pavilion in Epcot for the Winter Wonderland.  We had our picture taken with some characters, which I'll put up today also.  

Here's a picture of us with the characters in Canada and a few pictures from the cruise. Enjoy.

Duffy and Admiral Duck in the lobby atrium of the Disney Dream.

Mark and Duffy found our cabin.

Every princess needs a throne!

Sharing my drink special with Duffy at the Sail Away party!  Hm....is that legal?

Mark loves Sail Away parties, but especially ones with Disney characters.

A pelican friend in the buffet area, Cabanas.

Playing Goofy Golf while docked at Nassau.

I got a hole-in-one on this shot!

We played Foos Ball after golf.  Although I took an early lead, Mark won by one point.

At Atlantis

In line to ride the Aquaduck

We enjoyed the spa. Here's Mark using one of his salt scrubs in the medium heat steam room.  Very nice.

Very relaxed after the spa!

Dinner at Animator's Palate the second night.

Duffy is soaking up the rays on the beach at Castaway Cay.

The water was kind of cold, but it didn't stop me from swimming.

Aarggh!  Duffy is ready for the Pirate Deck Party.

I'm ready, too.

I think Mark is MORE than reaady!

On our last night, we splurged with dinner at Remy's, the special French restaurant.

Snow White was quite a talker!

I don't think my friend requires an introduction.