Well, the month didn't start off too exciting. Like most of you, unless you are hanging out in AZ, we "Fell Back" to standard time. I bet most of you actually slept through it, but I got to be on-call and stay awake just in case things blew up at work. They didn't. But now I do get to drive to work in the dark and drive home in the dark too, so at least I have that going for me.
Then really very little happened until we got to Thanksgiving week. This year we changed things up and went to the Caribbean to be thankful for the warmth and sun instead of the cold and gray. Lucie was her usual charming self about the possibility of change... "Why can't we just stay home?" Once she got on board (get it - "got on board") though it was smooth sailing (get it - "smooth sailing") and the week just flew by. (OK, no more bad plays on words, even if we did have to fly to and from Florida...)
As you can see, lots of pictures from the cruise... Just be glad I didn't post all 449 of them...
Sadly, the end of the trip was not happy. Sindy passed away on Thanksgiving day, and we found out while we were in the airport in Los Angeles waiting for our connection home on Saturday. We are all very sad that she is no longer with us and appreciate all the love and support that everyone has shown Lucie. I went ahead an included a few pictures of Sindy here, but Lucie is working on a more complete Sindy scrapbook.
Fortunately, Bob continues to be with us. The vet informed us that he didn't give them any problems, all his tests came back good, and he didn't throw up once the whole week. I told them that was because they didn't have any carpet in his cage at the vet's office. He threw up three times the first day he was home just to prove me right.
I guess that's probably enough for this month. Enjoy your Christmas shopping and holiday music!
 Here we are early on Friday morning heading out to Florida to start our soon to be annual Thanksgiving cruise... |
 We hadn't even left port yet, and I was already digging in to the desserts! |
 I worked out every day! No really... I did... trust me... |
 No, that isn't our ship - that is the one leaving behind us as we sailed out of Ft. Lauderdale. |
 A day at sea meant a day in the pool - pretty cool underwater picture huh? |
 Look what else Daddy can do with the camera while I lounge on deck... |
 Here we are at our first formal night - what do you think of my bling? |
 Dad took this picture himself - by getting the camera to focus on the water glass, he and Mom are softly focused and look more fashionable... was that good planning, or what? |
 Mom and Dad took in the show, but I had to get to bed so I could... |
 Get up and get back in the pool! Dad made Bebe hang out in the freezing water with me... |
 Later, we had "tea" time... what kind of drink should I get? |
 This is an Aruba chicken - at least that's what our tour guide said it tastes like... |
 It was hot, but I'm ready to be an island girl... |
 I don't know what these are. Dad doesn't either, but we thought they were pretty. |
 Next we went out to a rocky part of the coast... |
 And once Dad turned around, you can actually see the rocky coast. |
 Mom made Dad give her the camera so that he would be in a picture too. |
 Then he turned right around and took another of Mom. |
 What do you think of when you think Caribbean island? That's right... ostrich! |
 They let me feed the ostriches! |
 Then Mom and Dad made me stand around and get pecked by ostriches while random people took my picture! |
 I still don't understand why this was the California lighthouse... we're in Aruba, people! |
 This is Mom on Eagle Beach (ranked 2nd best beach in the world) - I don't know if that expression is "why are you taking another picture?" or "why are we leaving?" |
 But we did have to leave, and this is us sailing away... |
 Dad says this is me saying "oh boy - more rocky shore..." |
 And I'm pretty sure Mom wasn't too excited to be in another picture... |
 Dad says those Curacao barracuda are vicious, but really he tripped and fell down on Lava rocks - ouch! |
 This is his "art shot" from the plantation museum - a local class apparently had a field trip the day we were there. |
 And this is the beach Mom wanted to go to, but only got to see for a few minutes... |
 That really was the color of the water - Dad didn't play with the camera or Photoshop on this one. |
 Unfortunately, we had very little time on this island, so here is the sail away shot... |
 Our guide told us a great story about how the governor made everyone paint their houses because the white color gave him a headache... and because he owned the paint factory! |
 Another day at sea means another day at the pool - and Dad playing with camera settings... |
 If you look closely, you can tell this is my pre-lunch ice cream cone... |
 They closed the pool, but that just gave me an excuse to try out the hot tub! |
 Mom & Dad's room steward made me this really cute towel dog (which Dad thought was an elephant...) |
 This led to a room steward feud, resulting in more chocolate from Bebe & TC's room steward... |
 And, ultimately to Edgar showing me how to make this really cool towel elephant! |
 Then it was Thanksgiving - no midnight buffet, but look at these turkeys! |
 Just in case you can't see the whole spread real well, Dad provided a close up of a few... |
 And a few more... wait a minute! That's Bebe, TC, and me dressed for dinner! |
 After dinner we went to see "The British Invasion" show. |
 But, the real show started later with our friends in the bar! |
 Our last day... hanging out on the beach - but look at all the choices for where to go next! |
 That's our ship - The Grand Princess |
 That's my Mom and Dad - taking another self portrait |
 Look at that timing! It sure looks like I'm having fun just before the wave swamps me... |
 But here I really was having fun floating in the ocean when it was 40 degrees back home. |
 Once again though, the day had to end... no sail away photo this time, but someone was nice enough to take a group shot after Dad tried another self portrait... |
 Now Dad is just being silly with the camera while we're waiting in the airport to go home... |
 Isn't this "dramatic" though? |
 It was a late night Saturday flying home - but Virgin America sure makes their planes look fancy... |
 One of Lucie's favorite pictures of Sindy |
 Hanging out with Sindy |
 Sindy brought a smile to all our faces |
 In loving memory of Sindy - the best little hamster ever |