Terrible news: there’s been a flu outbreak at the Lola Ya Bonobo sanctuary. It is located in the Congo in Africa, and is a safe haven for the intelligent and beautiful Bonobo ape. They’ve been hit hard by the flu, and nearly a dozen apes have died already. They are short on funds and needRead more about Help the Bonobos Fight the Flu![…]

We’d been to Labadee before, during our cruise on Celebrity last February, so we knew what to expect in terms of the horrendous tendering process. When you take the elevators down to the tendering gangway on Deck 1, the doors open and you are faced with an angry mob of people barking at you toRead more about Cruise Day 4: Defying Death in Labadee![…]

After getting lots of relaxing in yesterday, we decided to try participating in more activities on our second at sea day. The weather outside was gradually warming up, and more folks were out on the pool deck so the ship was less crowded. Rich and I had already booked dinner at Portofino’s–just the two ofRead more about Cruise Day 3: Family Time[…]

As we headed towards warmer waters, it still a bit too chilly outside to take full advantage of our balcony, but some brave (or maybe just crazy?) souls ensconced themselves in the hot tubs on the pool deck, despite the cold temperatures. Gotta get your money’s worth, I guess. It’s days like these—a full dayRead more about Cruise Day 2: Valentine’s Day at Sea[…]

Our trip began on February 13th (yes, indeed, Friday the 13th!) in Bayonne, New Jersey. It was a quick ride to Cape Liberty, and we didn’t hit that wall of traffic that we experienced back in August for our Bermuda cruise. This time, we drove right up to the luggage/passenger drop-off area. Unfortunately, Rich endedRead more about Caribbean Cruise Day 1: Embarkation & Settling In[…]

I’m finally getting around to posting a review of our most recent cruise: a 9-day trip to the Caribbean onboard Royal Caribbean’s Explorer of the Seas. I’ll be breaking it down in manageable increments over the next few posts: first, departure from Bayonne’s Port Liberty and the two At Sea days, then a review ofRead more about Reviewing our RCCL 9-Day Cruise: 2/13/09-2/21/09[…]

Today would have been my Dad’s 77th birthday. He’s been gone a little over two years now, but I still think of him every single day. I was very lucky to have a great father who showered me and my sisters with lots of love and caring. I feel most fortunate that while he wasRead more about Father/Daughter Time[…]

I was really looking forward to today, the first day of Spring. So long frigid Winter, hello sunshine! It’s 6:12 am. And it’s snowing. They’re just flurries, and they won’t last, but sheesh….it’s like Old Man Winter couldn’t resist flipping us all the bird one last time.

Yup, got the email from Amazon that my order has shipped. Heaven help my mail carrier if she doesn’t get it here by tomorrow.

Congratulations to my cyber-buddy Jeannine Garsee, on the publication of her latest novel, Say the Word. My teenager loved Jeannine’s first book, Before, After & Somebody In Between. I plan to delve into Say the Word this coming weekend, and I’m really looking forward to it. Here’s a bit about the book’s plot, as describedRead more about New YA Fiction: Say the Word by Jeannine Garsee[…]