Day 3

Ok bloggers heaven last night. Thomas took me to the ball...will get to that soon.



First-thomas has done pictures now! Here F and I, just before we leave...100 degrees. Pool bottom is adjustable...here it is before it is lowered. At the bottom of blog are more pics.






Today big news is: rough (ish seas) we are all a flutter...There are, I learned, 10 oh so English-ly described levels of sea conditions:
Glassy calm
rippled calm
smooth wavelets
slight
moderate
rough
very rough
high
very high
and of course the real crowd pleaser: Phenomenal.
Yesterday was slight and today is Moderate (!) I think one starts throwing up around rough. Thomas thinks some of the weaker links are throwing up now. We are so very proud of ourselves..and in a shameless attempt to flaunt our sea legs, are going up to play paddle tennis.
Frederick has taken a real shine to the court up there..he and Thomas played an actual doubles game with some grown ups who quickly realized not to hit it softly to Frederick who goes in his sweat bands (arm and head!) He saw Federer do it and thinks despite the wind chill, they are necessary. They beat our fearless team sadly, but only just.
Ok last night: I decided to order caviar again...I like it, but don't care that much...just like playing with all the toppings. The Wehlen's Russian friends told us that the only real accompaniment to caviar is vodka. So we ordered a few shots..from our charming and patient sommelier who has the bad luck to have us and some Chinese people who don't drink at all in her area. In other areas are huge groups of people who look drunk and a sommelier's dream.
They bring the vodka in the cuuutest little tub of ice...beyond cute. So cute we had two each. Below is a picture of Thomas after the cute vodka. (Veteran Thomas watchers will note the joie de vivre in his expression.)

Ok just back from tennis...no go..closed due to high winds.

We have a commodore this trip-one step above captain, above that is admiral who Thomas says basically doesn't go to sea anymore.
Commodore's announcement told us it might get worse, the weather, and we would be close to the site of the Titanic. The sea is now 2.5 miles deep....the deepest is 6 or 7 miles somewhere near Guam. Tomorrow it will be significantly shallower 200 meters or so.
No whales seen yet.
Nothing on TV nothing is coming in but Fox News. I kid you not.
Ok so last night we go check out the scene...filled with the milk of human kindness after the alcohol..and a very nicely dressed woman comes up and asks if she can sit with us. She is Marcy, 87 years old in a lovely dress of black sheer top and huge white satin skirt (it was a black and white themed ball, and true to form the people were so sheep-like they followed instructions Exactly and wore not either black OR white, but rather both as written.)..she also had a rather jaunty black and white belt and an even jauntier blond wig that is slightly off center, but no matter we are at sea. She has been cruising for years and years. Lives East 30th in NYC where she moved after she left husband. She says cruises used to be tres elegant, but no more. She says New York used to be tres elegant, but again no more. But she is not a drag really, just stating the facts. problem is she can remember nothing. nothing. five minutes after something she can't remember. And she is here alone on this cruise. For one month. As she says, her social life is a big zero at home. So she cruises. T asks her where she is going..i.e. to England, or Finland or wherever. she says she can't remember. She says she will be on a one month, but no more details than that. I am wondering how in the hell she will know when to get off. Together we watch the "hosts" dance with the old ladies. Soooo fun to watch. Then there is this surreal announcement where all the hosts, all over the age of 70, in white dinner jackets line up and as if this is a Chippendale's performance or an auction for man meat, the announcer says: Here is Fred, he lives in Florida, loves tennis, gardening, and of course dancing. His faves are the waltz and the rumba. Marcy says rather loudly: the hosts used to be much better! these are the worst excuses for hosts i have ever seen! I say, what did they used to be like? she says: young and handsome! Of course we wonder..what exactly are these men willing to do in the name of Cunard? They are all single and working it.
Saw marcy today and greeted her..then asked about the rest of the night. She says: I can't remember.

Today will be planetarium, comedians, and Thomas entering a golf chipping contest. F is at scavenger hunt. Tonight we can meet the commodore..I will bring F in his blue blazer and short pants. Thomas says they always plan these things when it is bad weather, so the commodore can get out of meeting the crowd. (in bad weather, they stay on bridge) Big waves now..actually between 4 and 7.5 feet...when one walks one weaves...sober.

Ok go to elegant dinner with handsome. I will try to get a picture of him. In case I am too chicken, you all will have to rely on eye witness martha. Tonight, while we are in black tie, he has white tie and tails; hair parted down the middle like a gangster... Martin Scorcese.film type. During the obligatory chat as we are seated, I want to talk about the weather...he says that until the people mentioned it, he had not noticed. He only notices when it is so bad, they cannot put the glasses etc on the table until the guests are at the seated.

He said this is fun, agreed that no serious person throws up before the next level.

I went to the gym and tried to run on treadmill. Wild...when we go down a wave you have to hold on or you will fall off. Turk said that the ship is so massive, when they were training in the Mediterranean they felt nothing on the the QM2, but once in the rescue boats, it was crazy how violent it was. he said he was an officially licensed captain of rescue boats and I told him to expect us in his boat.

Tomorrow....no black tie..more paddle tennis...long b fast I hope....and spa treatments perhaps.

XOXOOXOX
This is a picture of them repairing our rescue raft before we left.