Top 10

My Top 10 List from the Vacation

1. Throwing my dirty, but only used once towels on the floor and finding clean ones on the shelf within an hour. It's magical. Like a little towel fairy exists only on cruise ships. Actually, his name was Andres and he worked quickly, tirelessly, and quietly during the entire 12 day vacation. 

2. Desserts. Each evening after the delicious meal, I was given a dessert menu. With awesome things on it like mango creme brulee and deep dish apple pie with vanilla cream sauce. I ordered up to three desserts each evening. I didn't eat all of them. I just ordered them and Jared and others would share the joy of calorie-laden goodness with me. 

3. The workout schedule. Our excursions usually left for the day at 8am and the gym opened at 7am. So, it really wasn't possible to get up, work out, eat breakfast, take a shower, and be ready by 8am. So, I just didn't work out much. I walked some around the deck as the ship was sailing away from ports. But, I couldn't pound the treadmill or spin the wheels off the bike. Ahhhh....it was nice.

4. Blackjack. I learned to play blackjack and played for three nights in a row. I started with $25 and made an extra $25 the first night, and extra $25 the second night, and then lost $25 the third night. So overall, I made $25, learned a new game, and had three nights of entertainment.

5. Time with my husband. We didn't check email. We didn't text anyone. Our phones were on airplane mode so not a single call came through. We didn't pay bills or talk about money. We just hung out and talked and saw beautiful places and enjoyed being together. 

6. The food overall was wonderful. The fruit in the morning was killer and there was this crescent roll thing filled with blue cheese one night that changed my life. And the crescent roll filled with chocolate that also stopped the world for a moment. But, the best thing was that I didn't make a grocery list, go to the store, lug things from the car to the kitchen to the store to the refrigerator, cook, serve, and clean up. I just showed up at a meal time, got whatever I wanted, ate, and walked away. Ha! I could just laugh at how silly that sounds sitting in my house right now as I'm about to get dinner ready and the lunches are fixed for tomorrow. 

7. Feeling enough. I felt enough on the trip. I just relaxed and allowed myself to be. I didn't worry about being a good therapist or filling any second of free time with a fruitful and rewarding activity. I didn't worry about saying or not saying the right thing. I just talked and laughed and enjoyed the company of Jared and friends. 

8. The weather. Guys, it was about 70 degrees the entire time with a few drops of rain during one sea day. It was glorious. I wore a scarf out to the dinner last night as per my recent usual and about sweated to death.  

9. Easy tears. Sounds strange perhaps, but crying over missing Dad was so easy. I would just feel something, the tears would flow, and then the moment would pass. I think this felt so different because I stuff things down when I'm at work. I don't have room for crying because I'm busy during the day. I'm focused on other people and somewhat disconnected from my own self. I missed Dad so much. I was triggered by a good rock n' roll song, by Pinocchio, by gelato, by apple pie, by Snoopy. Dad was around Europe. I almost tried to call him today. I knew Mom was busy, so I thought for just a second, 

"I'll call Dad." It's a bummer every time. Every damn time. 

10. Seeing new places. I love visiting new places. My new favorites from this trip were Croatia and Montenegro. I'd go back there in a heartbeat. Never would have thought to visit there and am so glad that we did. 

Well, I'm home. I've got a big pot of beans and rice on the stove. Scout is sleeping on the floor next to me and Jared is tapping away at his keyboard. I'm about to go get the mail from the neighbor. Life.