Mom, of course, also talked about the cruise with her friends. One evening at dinner, Mom brought up the subject of the food on the cruise.
“Uumm, this dinner is delicious,” Mom said to her dining companions at Antonio’s, “I hope the food on the cruise is just as good.”
“Oh, speaking of food on the cruise, Phyllis called up the travel agent and they told her that the Captain’s Dinner is probably going to be the second night of the cruise,” Flo replied.
“Well that’s a relief,” Mom said. “I’m glad it’s not on the last night. My new evening gown should still fit by day two. Last year, Sylvia and Susan went on a cruise and they said by the end of the week, they couldn’t zip up any of their clothes.”
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Friday, March 19, 2010
Chapter 11; Part 6 - Trips
Sometimes getaways from Harbor View last even longer than a weekend. This past year the ‘Young in Spirit’ club organized a weeklong cruise. Twenty-eight couples signed up for a seven-day journey to the Caribbean.
“Mom, I can’t believe you’re going on a cruise. Most people would be more than happy to change places with you where you are now. Being in Florida for four months is already a vacation,” I said to her one day on the phone.
“I know, but since we’re already down here, we didn’t have to pay for airfare to fly to the cruise port in Florida. It was too good a deal to pass up,” she replied.
Mom talked about her cruise for about a month prior to their departure, and of course began laying out her clothes for it weeks in advance, too.
“Oh, I don’t know what to do, I need a new dress for the formal Captain’s Dinner on the cruise,” she said to me on one occasion.
“Why don’t you wear the dress you wore to Cousin Linda’s wedding last year?” I asked.
“I can’t. I left it at home in Pennsylvania. Who knew I’d need a formal dress down here?”
“But you knew back home that you were going on a cruise this winter. You should have just brought it with you,” I informed her.
“Okay, I’ll be honest with you. It doesn’t fit anymore. I gained four pounds last year in Florida and probably at least two more this year.”
“Mom, what about all of the walking you’ve been doing?” I asked her.
“I guess it doesn’t make up for all of the dinners I’ve been eating out,” she admitted.
“Mom, I can’t believe you’re going on a cruise. Most people would be more than happy to change places with you where you are now. Being in Florida for four months is already a vacation,” I said to her one day on the phone.
“I know, but since we’re already down here, we didn’t have to pay for airfare to fly to the cruise port in Florida. It was too good a deal to pass up,” she replied.
Mom talked about her cruise for about a month prior to their departure, and of course began laying out her clothes for it weeks in advance, too.
“Oh, I don’t know what to do, I need a new dress for the formal Captain’s Dinner on the cruise,” she said to me on one occasion.
“Why don’t you wear the dress you wore to Cousin Linda’s wedding last year?” I asked.
“I can’t. I left it at home in Pennsylvania. Who knew I’d need a formal dress down here?”
“But you knew back home that you were going on a cruise this winter. You should have just brought it with you,” I informed her.
“Okay, I’ll be honest with you. It doesn’t fit anymore. I gained four pounds last year in Florida and probably at least two more this year.”
“Mom, what about all of the walking you’ve been doing?” I asked her.
“I guess it doesn’t make up for all of the dinners I’ve been eating out,” she admitted.
Friday, March 5, 2010
Chapter 11; Part 5 - Trips
Sometimes, residents of Harbor View go on weekend trips. Last year, Mom’s friend Phyllis organized a weekend getaway to visit cousins of hers at a retirement development in another part of Florida. Three couples went – Mom and Dad, Phyllis and Herb, and Flo and Irv. Mom said it was nice there, but that she was glad to be home.
“Phyllis’s cousins were very nice, and their development was lovely, but it just didn’t feel right,” she said. “I can’t quite put my finger on it. Oh, maybe it’s just that everything was slightly different. On Friday night, instead of eating at Antonio’s we ate at Francesca’s. Instead of Wu’s Chinese buffet on Saturday we ate at Wong’s. And we ate Sunday brunch at Shlomo’s instead of Bubbe’s. Even the shopping was different. The flea markets were called Fantastic Flea instead of Celebration Stores and the mall was Crystal Lake instead of Coral Sands.”
“How about the people in the development? What were they like?” I asked.
“That’s it!” Mom screamed excitedly, “The people! That’s why it felt so weird. Everything around me was different, but the people were exactly the same – they were Characters!”
“Phyllis’s cousins were very nice, and their development was lovely, but it just didn’t feel right,” she said. “I can’t quite put my finger on it. Oh, maybe it’s just that everything was slightly different. On Friday night, instead of eating at Antonio’s we ate at Francesca’s. Instead of Wu’s Chinese buffet on Saturday we ate at Wong’s. And we ate Sunday brunch at Shlomo’s instead of Bubbe’s. Even the shopping was different. The flea markets were called Fantastic Flea instead of Celebration Stores and the mall was Crystal Lake instead of Coral Sands.”
“How about the people in the development? What were they like?” I asked.
“That’s it!” Mom screamed excitedly, “The people! That’s why it felt so weird. Everything around me was different, but the people were exactly the same – they were Characters!”
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