April 8th through April 14th

April 8th through April 14^th:  Monday Xela had a fever and had to stay home from school.  Mom and I got to stay with her while Sam and Ginny went to work.  Tuesday Ginny drove us to the airport and we flew home to Salt Lake City.  Charlotte picked us up and took us to our home.  Chris did laundry and I packed for our cruise.  Alice came over about 8:30 pm and then John B. drove us to the airport.  We took the red-eye to  Fort Lauderdale, Florida.  Wednesday Tad, my older brother, picked us up at the airport at 5:30 am and drove us to a condo the he had rented.  Tad and Tove, his wife, had been in Florida for about a week with their daughter and her family.  We did not get any sleep on the plane so we all took a nap.  Tad had a rental car and drove us to the port and dropped us off with all of our luggage.  He took the rental car back and then got a ride back to the pier.  We got on the ship, Zuiderdam, about 11:30 am and our cruise to the Panama Canal was underway.  We got a game a sets  and runs in right after lunch.  

Waiting to get on the ship.

Lunch right after we boarded the ship.

Leaving Ft. Lauderdale.

Thursday we anchored off the island of Half Moon Key, we took a tender to the island and walked along the beautiful sandy beach. 

Our ship as we head to Half Moon Key.

On the tender to Half Moon Key.

Tove stayed on the ship.  The beaches were beautiful.

Friday we were at sea headed to the Bahamas.  

The sunsets are spectacular.

This was our first formal dinner.  

Saturday we arrived around 1:00 pm at Aruba and we went ashore and bought some diet coke.  There really wasn’t a lot to see in  Oranjestad, the capitol.

Walking around Oranjestad.

Oranjestad from the ship.

All he needs is a bottle of Coke.

Sunday we arrived in Curacao at 8:00 am and were some of the first people off the boat.  We took a 20 minute taxi to church.  It was a branch of about 80 members in attendance.  The meeting was in Papiamento, a language that is a mixture of Spanish and Dutch.  They had an Elder from the US translate for us.  Chris and I could understand a lot of what they were saying because many of the words are Spanish.  It was fun to go to church and feel the sweet Spirit that was present.  

Headed to church in Willemstad.

Mom and Alice went for a walk through Willemstad.

The buildings were painted so cute.

Mom says the crab cakes were delicious.

Enjoying some of the entertainment.

The steel drum group were incredible.

We are enjoying being together and playing cards and telling stories that invariably make us laugh.   I am still experiencing some pain and I am ready to be done with this recovery.