Back from two weeks on the Carnival Pride

We returned from our two weeks on the Pride on Sunday afternoon.  After unpacking and eating lunch, we took naps. Mark's was an epic three hour nap.  Cruising is exhausting apparently.

The first nine days were with many friends, followed by a five day cruise by ourselves with 2300 strangers.  The Pride is a really great ship.  We enjoyed her very much.

My weight gain on this two weeks was absurd.  I got on the scale Sunday evening and topped out at 294.8, which is virtually what I weighed in April of 2009 when the doctor told me to lose weight for a hernia surgery or die.  I went from 295 to 220 by November of that year and had the surgery.  After the surgery, I lost another 15 pounds before retiring on Feb. 28 or 2010.

Basically, I've done nothing but gain weight back ever since.  I gained 15 pounds on our 7 week vacation starting in March of 2010.  Then the cancer diagnosis in July and the subsequent treatment brought another 30 pounds back.  By the spring of 2011, I was 250.  I have fluctuated up and down, but mostly up, ever since.  And now it's all back.  How depressing that is!

Well, at least six of those pounds were just water weight.  I lost six pounds by Monday morning, weighing in at 289.  I ate perfectly well, all meals at home, on Monday, but then there was a party, with delicious snacks and free-flowing champagne.  Boom.  Just like that I am up two pounds this morning to 291.

Well, I ate all my meals at home today and had no party to attend.  Hopefully, those two pounds will be gone tomorrow.  I'll be eating many meals out between now and March 3 when we board the Celebrity Equinox for a ten day cruise.  Sigh.  If I could only control restaurants, parties, and cruise buffets....

Meanwhile, here are some pictures from the first nine days on the Pride.

Great inside cabin with our cool magnet on display.

Waiting for the Sail Away party.

Sailing out of Tampa in beautiful weather.  This was Super Bowl Sunday.

Gorgeous area that walks around the bow of the ship indoors.  Very few ships have a nice space like this.

At Key West, we played mini-golf before going on shore.

Mark was on a roll and won with one under par!

Our Key West destination

View of our ship from the top of the Shipwreck tower.

Visiting our friend Andrea K at her shop, The Blue Cat, in the mall on Key West.

We didn't sail away until after sun set.  Beautiful.

This was our first time at this private island.  It's the BEST.

The water was so clear and clean that even Mark went in pretty far out.

Next morning was Towel Invasion day.  Wow.  Always amazing.

This ship really outdid all the others.

Reading on Grand Turk.

Playing in the pool at Margaritaville on Grand Turk.

Our last port of cal for the first cruise.

Ken, the maitre'd, sang a song every night.  He is a awesome singer.  I complimented him and told him that we would be doing Back to Back cruises and that I hoped I had a good table where we could see him sing each night.  He took care of it right away!

Dinner on the last night with good friends Alice and Mark ad Ed and Barbara