A day of ahhhh…  We (mom and I) literally did nothing day. We kept no schedule.  We went to no activities.  We met at the spa at 10:00am for our first massages on the ship. I pre-purchased some spa packages to save some money so mom and I could get pampered.  We were at the spa till noon.  Then we went to our rooms and changed into our bathing suits.  We spent the rest of the day resting and relaxing poolside.  We are both a little “lobstery”, but it felt great to get some sun.  Geoffrey took the girls and the two boys to our table in the main dining room for dinner tonight and mom and I had a chance to try the specialty seafood resteraunt. It was a nice evening having some grown up time with my mom knowing the girls were in safe hands.  The food was amazing; we shared a bottle of wine and were back to our rooms by 8:30pm.  Tomorrow is an excursion day in Punta del Este, Uruguay.  Enjoy some pictures from dinner tonight.  Love and Hugs, Debra 

Hello from our day at sea. We safely left Rio de Janeiro yesterday and had a relatively uneventful evening at sea.  A little rocking and rolling but we have become quite accustomed to the movement, as long as it isn’t too rough.  This morning the four of us had a lovely breakfast at the Pinnacle Grill resteraunt before we all went off our separate directions for the day’s activities.  Nana and Valerie went off to a Galley tour and got to see the working of the ship’s kitchens. I really wanted to go, but the release we had to sign stated we did not currently have any illnesses or coughs, so that disqualified me from going. Megan and I went to the project Linus group and I got to turn in my first completed blanket.  It is sweet how they ring a bell and get everyone to look at your competed work as they applause the maker of the blanket.  I believe our blanket count as a group at the end of today was 104 completed blankets to date on board.  I picked up some more yarn and started on my next blanket. Megan is still chugging through and is about 75% done on her first blanket.  After that Megan went off to do school work with Valerie.  I stayed and did a little more crocheting until 1:00pm when they had the first meeting of the Service Club on ship.  All members of any service organization, Lions, Lioness, Rotary, Kiwanis, Eagles, etc. were all invited to attend.  We had an opportunity to introduce ourselves and then started brainstorming on what service project we could do while on board or for a port we will be visiting.  Then I met up with Mom at 2:00pm for our daily educational presentation. Today we learned about the next three ports we would be coming to, Punta del Este, Uruguay, Buenos Aires, Argentina, and Montevideo, Uruguay.  It was a great hour-long presentation on the places we are going to be seeing next on our adventure.  At 3:00pm Megan ran off to dance class and Valerie finished her studies for the day. Mom and I had a cocktail party with the Captain at 4:30 pm and we had a chance to get to know some more passengers on the ship.  It amazes me how we still meet someone new every single day.  The blessing is we are also starting to see familiar faces daily as well too.  At 5:30 pm we met with the girls at the main dining room.  They sweetly invite Geoffrey from Club HAL to be our guest at dinner tonight and he joined us for another lovely meal.  Tomorrow he is going to host the four children at dinner in the main dining room and since we have a table that will accommodate six people, we gave up our table to the group.  So, mom and I will have our first opportunity to enjoy one of the specialty resteraunts on board tomorrow evening.  It was a nice surprise and everyone is excited for what tomorrow will bring.  For mom and I it will bring our first massage appointments in the morning and hopefully a relaxing day poolside tomorrow.  We haven’t had much chance for relaxing in the sun and it is time to just lie out and enjoy the beautiful weather we are having.  We’ll be in Antarctica in a week and it will be freezing so time to enjoy it when we can.  It was another really full, but completely fulfilling day.  Sometimes I feel like I hardly saw the girls at all.  But at the end of the day everyone has a smile on their face, a happy heart and love to share.  What more could I wish for?  Sending you love from me to you from across the miles…Debra

Day two in Rio de Janeiro. It was a little strange this morning waking up and being in the same place we fell asleep.  That was a first since we left Florida on Jan 2^nd. We are a little tired after staying up and watching the 49’rs win their win into the super bowl last night.  That 6:00am alarm was not our friend today. But we were up and the door in 30 minutes for our adventure of the day.  I am still fighting the annoying cough and chest congestion, but I will not be held down. Today we went to the top of Corcovado Mountain via a train that was constructed over 100 years ago. As we stood at the top of that mountain and looked out. We could see much of Rio de Janeiro. As we turned around we stood at the base of the 125 foot Christ the Redeemer Statue.  It was quite breathtaking to be standing beneath something I have seen in books, on television, and read about my whole life and it was right there in front of me.  We got to spend about 30 minutes on the mountaintop and by the time we left it had become the crazy tourist place we had been warned it would be, but we did have a good 15 minutes of it being relatively calm.  The fog was just blowing through and by the time we left the sun was just beginning to break free of the clouds.  From there we ventured to the Sugar Loaf Mountain to ride two 115 year old cogwheel trams to view two other vista points of Rio.  Now those of you who know me well know I HATE trams.  But for some reason today, they did not bother me at all.  It was strange, but so peaceful.  It’s almost hard to believe how quickly our eight hour excursion went by today.  The afternoon concluded with a fabulous lunch overlooking the lagoon.  So this part cracks me up.  We are 6500 miles from home and what do you think of when I say Brazilian food…anyone?  We traveled to Brazil to eat lunch at Fogo De Chao.  Now I know that they cook in the spirit of Brazil, but this is the first time I ever ate at Fogo De Chao and now I will NEVER forget the first time I ever ate at one.  We went to the source!!  I also finished my Project Linus blanket last night while I was watching the game. Tomorrow I will get to turn it in.

I had many opportunities today to just stop and reflect on where I am and who I with.  I took some very deep breaths and felt like I am truly at a place of relaxation that I have not been in, in far longer than I care to remember.  My heart is full, my soul is at peace, and I am so blessed to be right here right now. We are getting ready to pull out of port shortly.  We are off to Punta del Este, Uruguay.  Hug someone you love and think of us tonight.  Hugs and Kisses, Debra

Day one of two in Rio de Janeiro.  After a night of rocking and rolling we were up early to have our first excursion of this location.  Today we had a two-hour bus tour around Rio.  We got to see it’s architecture and history.  We saw Ipanema Beach and Copacabana Beach.  We also saw the Christ the Redeemer statue and Sugar Loaf Mountain from the distance.  Tomorrow we will see the statue and Sugar Loaf up close.  Lastly, we went to where they are actually constructing the floats for the Carnival.  There are 12 teams that compete each year for bragging rights.  I had no idea there were so many requirements and guidelines for this competition.  Each Samba school (team) has to construct a minimum of 5 but no more then 7 floats. There are 250-300 drummers that keep the beat going for the 82-minute performance.  There are required to be no less then 3000 performers but no more then 4500 performers for each Samba school.  The number of costumes is mind blowing.  We had an opportunity to try on costumes from past years and take photos. Then an award winner dancer came and performed for us and taught us how to Samba a little.  It was a full and exciting day.  We were back on the ship by 2:00pm for lunch.  Mom and I went and scheduled some nail and massage appointments. Now we are ready for some football. We are wrapping up showers and are getting ready to cuddle in for some playoff games.  Tomorrow we have to be ready to get off the ship at 7:00am and we have an 8-hour excursion. It will be a long day for sure.  Here’s wishing the best teams win tonight.  That there are no injuries.  That my cold goes away.  And that we keep on having an adventure of a lifetime.  Love and Hugs…Debra

Just because I tell myself I am feeling better, sadly it doesn’t make it so.  Just can’t seem to kick this thing.  I made myself get up and function today though.  The four of us had a nice breakfast at the Pinnacle Grill all together before we went off our separate ways.  Megan and I go to crochet class and later schoolwork, mom to her lectures and Valerie to work on school and later with the tutor.  Our sea days seem to falling into a gentle routine. Some days we are eating three meals a day some days only two.  Tonight we had a lovely cocktail party hosted by Cruise Specialist, the company we booked our cruise through.  They invited all 275 of us, so that’s over 20% of the people here on the ship, to the main theater and thanked us again for booking our cruise through them and welcoming us to the family.  There are three cruise specialist “staff” on the ship with us for the entire time we are aboard.  They make themselves available to us every sea day at one area of the ship.  We can swing by for coffee or ask any questions we may have. Next, we went off to the main dining room for dinner.  After dinner the girls shot off to Club HAL for their evening activities.  After we played our nightly game of,  “What time is my curfew mom?”   I am trying to make sure they get plenty of rest, especially when we have excursions the next day.  But, I also want them to feel like they are having fun and a vacation too.  It’s finding a balance.  Mom came back to my room and we had a nightcap before we snuggled in for the night.  We are rocking and rolling again tonight.  Valerie started having some seasickness again so she has another patch on to settle her tummy.  Here’s hoping that another night of rest continues to help me heal more.  Hugs and Love….almost to Rio…Debra

Sea Day.  Sick sea day.  This cold has gotten the best of me.  It has settled right into my chest and I took today off.  I slept in till about noon.  Got myself dressed long enough to go up and have some soup for lunch and to help Megan with homework for a while.  Then I was back in bed by 2pm.  I awoke to everyone in the room getting ready to go to Gala night, which I missed.  Mom stayed with me and took great care of me.  The girls got all dressed up and went to the dining room all by themselves and enjoyed a lobster dinner.  I am so proud of them for branching out.  Mom and I ordered room service.  We opened up all the doors on the patio and to the hallway and let the breeze blow through for about thirty minutes to let the room air out.  I have my room steward changing my sheets every night too to get all the germs out.  I am in bed by 7:00pm and took two nighttime cold pills.  A good nights rest and I am hoping to wake up feeling better in the morning,  Sweet dreams to you all and wishes of good health. Debra

Happy 11^thBirthday Megan in Recife, Brazil.  Megan and I are both fighting a cold with a cough.  We woke up this morning seriously contemplating if we were going to go on our excursion today.  We actually told Nana and Valerie to go without us, but we rallied and went off on the adventure anyway.  Today we toured the historic cities of Recife and Olinda. It was hot and humid again. But we had lots of water and we were smart and had brought along sandwiches today for lunch that we ate on the bus.  We were back on the ship by 2:00 and Megan and I showered and took naps so we had enough energy for this evening birthday festivities.   We had a nice dinner in the main dinning room.  All the staff came to the table and sang Megan happy birthday in Indonesian.  Then we went to the show put on by the Amsterdam dance team.  It was a compilation of different styles of music and dance from the 50’s and 60’s.  The highlight of the evening was a surprise party planned by Geoffrey the Club HAL coordinator.  He arrange to have a private space all set up with decorations, he had staff all in the room, he had the pastry chef on the ship make Megan a special cake, and we walked in at 9:10pm to have everyone shout surprise to her.  She was so surprised!  It was above and beyond.  I was so touched as a mom that he did that for Megan.  For all the love and support of so many staff members that was shown to us after having only been on the ship for two weeks time.  It was a birthday that Megan will never forget, neither will I.  Sweet dreams to you all from this mommy with a really full heart. Debra

P.S. More pictures to follow. Wait till you see her cake!!

It’s another exciting day at sea on the Holland America Amsterdam.  We have definitely gotten into our sea day routines of schoolwork, project Linus blanket class, watercolor classes and lectures.  That takes us up till about 3pm.  Today the afternoon was a great opportunity for my mom and I to both take a nap.  The girls spent some time in Club HAL and getting a jump on some more schoolwork. Next week we have five days that we have excursions so they wanted to get a little bit ahead so the don’t fall behind.  They are being so conscientious about their studies.  I am really super proud of them both.  So tonight the birthday celebrations began.  We ate at the specialty Italian resteraunt on the ship at Megan request, as tomorrow is her 11^thbirthday.  Tomorrow we will have dinner at our usual table in the main dining room and I know they will spoil her there.  Lastly, Geoffrey the Club HAL coordinator is planning a surprise party for her tomorrow evening.  He asked the pastry chef to make her a special birthday cake and we are going to decorate an area on the ship and some of the crew was invited to come and all yell surprise for her.  We are finalizing up the details, but it should be amazing.  So tomorrow we will spend the day in Recife, Brazil touring the city and learning about the history and culture of this part of Brazil. We have been asked to be cautious of pickpockets in this port and so we will be vigilant, as we always are. Someone had asked about activities on the ship, specifically exercise.  There is a full gym here on the ship and even personal trainers. They offer many classes throughout the week including Yoga, Pilates, Spin classes, and aerobic classes.  There is a full salon and spa.  The prices are a little steep, but the convenience of having it here on the ship is worth it.  There is a type of general store that also sells liquor that they will keep for you till we get off the ship in four months, a gift shop, and a jewelry store that also has cosmetics and perfume.  There is quite a library on the ship and it has a section dedicated to games and puzzles you can use.  There is a coffee shop that has all things latte and Frappe you could want, for an additional fee.  Enjoy a couple shots of Megan’s birthday celebration from tonight.  She’s rocking her new hair due. More goodies to come tomorrow for her special day!!  Hugs and Love…Debra

P.S. I tried unsuccessfully to add photo for an hour. Maybe tomorrow. I have a feeling the further south we head the less cooperative our internet service will be. Never fear. I promise to type nightly as usual, you just may get multiple days to read once we get to civilization. LOL!!

It’s funny when mom and I were talking about the blog for this evening we were joking that we didn’t “do” anything today.  But what we really meant is I think we didn’t really “go” anywhere today.  In truth we never left the ship because it is sea day but we wander up and down and front to back of 6 floors of ship every day. Activities take place all over the ship. I think this is the first time I have ever cruised that I have been on the ship long enough to feel like I have a good lay of the land.  One cruise I went on, I didn’t even discover a swimming pool till like 2 days before we were getting off the ship.  This morning Megan and I grabbed breakfast to go as we were heading out to our crocheting group for Project Linus.  Nana and Valerie had breakfast together today.  Megan and Nana had hair cut appointments today.  They look amazing!!  They really did a great job on their cuts.  I participated in the first slot tournament of the trip.  There is a second round tomorrow and then finals. We all met for lunch around noon before Valerie went off to tutoring and and Megan and I worked on her schoolwork. Then at 2:00pm we went to the daily lecture on Recife, our next port of call in Brazil the day after tomorrow.  After the lecture the girls went off to line dancing class and mom and I played Bingo.  Then it was back to the room to get ready for dinner at 5:30pm for another wonderful meal with a Brazilian flare.  Mom and I decided to turn in early again tonight.  I feel bad sometimes missing out on all the evening activities, but I can’t stay up so late every single night.  It’s almost 8:00pm here now and getting my blog done is more important to me.  This cruise is definitely a test of prioritization.  Some days there are multiple things we want to do at the same time and since we can’t be in two places at once, we have to decide what we want to do most.  It has been amazing not having to have made my bed for the last two weeks.  When we have dirty laundry we fold it up, count it, mark the laundry sheet and place it in the laundry bag.  In the next day or two it reappears all clean.  I am trying to make sure the girls are keeping everything within our room neat and tidy.  This is a small space but you know what, it really works for us.  We spent February of 2016 through June 2016 living in my friends pool house as Don deteriorate and then passed away and this is very reminiscent of that time in our lives.  Only we have grown so much since then.  We are emotionally stronger and we have all come so very far since that time just four short years ago.  We are happier then we have been in a long time.  Our stress levels have diminished immensely being away too.  We had to take a pause from therapy to come on this trip and the time we are just being together focusing on one another has been all the therapy we have needed.  It is quite a pleasant side effect to this wonderful trip.  I can see more and more why people do this trip year after year.  O.K., off to bed with a cup of herbal tea tonight for some sweet dreams.  Hugs and Love to you all.   Debra 

This is officially the longest cruise the girls and I have ever been one.  Previously our record was 9 days.  Today we came into the port at Belem, Brazil. We had to tender on and off the ship.  Luckily, we are inland toward the tributary that the Amazon river flows to the Atlantic through so the waters were calm and the transitions were easy.  We visited the Our Lady of the Nazareth Basilica, The Botanical Gardens and Zoo, the Ver O Peso market, and the Cathedral de Belem. It is a very poor country today in stark contrast to 200 years ago when the rubber barons made this town one of the richest in the world.  Some fun things we saw today that reminded us of home were Shell Gas stations, Uber eats bicycle deliver guys, Pizza Hut and a Mc Donalds.  The Botanical gardens had over 450 different kinds of plant that are indigenous to the Amazon basin area so it was a great way to see the diversity in one small place.  We didn’t get off the ship till later than expected due to a delay in the tender boats and so we didn’t start our excursion to 9:30 and we didn’t get back on the ship till 4:30pm.  There was no food involved in today’s excursion.  Luckily I had grabbed some fruit and boxes of fruit loops from the buffet this morning to tie everyone over.  I will be much better about planning next time.  We even had an issue with our tour bus at one point and he had to roll back down the hill to a flat area before he got a “running start” up the hill to make it a second time.  I did notice we had a police escort following us throughout the day today.  It makes you a little concerned why it is needed and at the same time gives you some comfort that they are there.  We are very conscientious about removing our jewelry before we visit these countries and are avoiding making ourselves targets.  It is a valuable lesson for each of us.  I have more pictures to share today of all our adventures so please enjoy them.  Tomorrow is a sea day.  Megan and Nana have haircut appointments so they can have some bonding time together. I am looking forward to an early night, as I didn’t sleep well last night.  Hugs and Love from off the coast of Belem, Brazil…Debra

P.S. This sleepy head cannot get photos to load tonight and I am exhausted. So I will attempt to load them on in the morning for you viewing pleasure. Sweet Dreams!