Back in the USA

  As most of you know I don't like cold weather, and Friday Dec 3rd I looked at the extended forecast for the Tampa area and didn't like it at all. It showed a cold front coming to the area bringing too much cold for me, so I ask my loving wife to book us on a cruise headed to Mexico.

  She found us a great deal on an inside stateroom, so I ask her to check on a suite with a balcony, and for the same money we paid for the cruise we took in Sept we got a 5 day cruise to Costa Maya and Cozumel in a Junior Suite with a balcony. Naturally I told her to book it and we would Chase the 70's to Mexico since FL was going to be well below that.

 Monday AM we took off to the Port of Tampa where we boarded the Radiance of the Sea. The ship left Tampa with us on it and the temperature was a whopping 50 degrees as we departed Tampa. Well below the 70's that we sold our house and moved into the motor home for. By Tuesday the temps were climbing as we sailed south. Wednesday Am the LOW was 70 when I walked out onto the balcony to watch the sunrise.

 As on every cruise I've been on the cruise line tries to take every penny you have in different ways. This cruise was no different, we attended an infomercial about the spa services offered on the ship. They always give a free whatever to entice more people to come to hear their spills, and I just happened to be the lucky winner of  $195 seaweed detoxification treatment and massage. I was a real happy sailor because we had not beat the cold front out of FL and the cold was working double time on my body.

 The massage was scheduled for Wednesday at 8 am so after watching the ship dock in Costa Maya and the sunrise from the balcony I was pumped for the detox and massage. A very petite English girl was the lucky lady that would be putting the seaweed on me, and giving me the massage. She explained everything as I sat on the table with the foil wrap as a sheet.

 The scalp, feet and ankle massage felt relaxing and rejuvenating, but the back and neck part of the massage was a disappointment. The seaweed slime I was covered in didn't have the effects on me as they described in the infomercial, but then I didn't have to fork over $195 for it. I did enjoy it, but I enjoyed the $45 massage I got from Jean Damon at the rally put on by Nick and Terry a lot more.

 I enjoyed the weather while we were away most of all, but I did also enjoy walking around in Costa Maya, riding the scooter around Cozumel, and all the fantastic food. I really didn't think the old saying, "the sea-salt in the air will cause all your clothes to shrink a size or two" was true, but after two cruises this year I can tell you it is TRUE.

 Saturday Am as we were sailing through Tampa Bay I was very sad to see the TV showing 43 as the current air temperature. And then seeing the extended forecast for the Tampa area I think I will start looking for a condo somewhere in Costa Maya.....................