Memorial day

Whip cream made with vanilla sugar for tres leche!!! Everything prepped!

Sam has the ribs in the cooker! Now my pre-party stress :-)

Way better than Yummy!

No nada not on the diet!!! But because I had made a mess in the kitchen making glaze for ribs....I decided to make chocolate sauce for my tres leches that I am making tomorrow!!!!  Nice glossy chocolate sauce!   I love using http://www.lylesgoldensyrup.com  I love this stuff!!!

That can of eagle brand milk in the back ground is for the cake :-)

Tomatoes

Only part of this weeks haul!! Doesn't count the plate full that Sam has had every night this week!

Tomato or Tomahto ?

2nd PLACE RIBS

I'm turning in my resignation to the cook off team! 

Surprises

Sometimes one might get a cast iron skillet, or even a Rolex for a surprise.

Last week I was presented a brand new galvanized bucket! It was a thoughtful gift, so I don't have to make so many trips feeding the ducks with my small scoop!

I am special!

Ribs

Gumbo is turned in, fajitas just taken; and this may be my turn in ribs! You have to wait and slice them to determine which to turn in!!!

OK, they were turned in at 2:15 today!  Some of the rules, you want them tender but not fall off the bone tender.  You have to be able to take a bite and like see the bite mark, and the bone should glisten...really that's the word.  You slice close to the bone on one side and that leaves the other side meaty, you don't want "wet" ribs so the glaze is just to be shiny but not wet.  And those are just a few!  I couldn't have done it with out Chris (he helped me get the membranes off of 9 racks of ribs, actually he did them all), and Kelly who helped wrap then put them in the cooker, and Phil for slicing them.  I only determined the rub and glaze, and made both of those items....Pressure!!!

Cooks choice was Friday night, but results for that is also Sunday.  I was Ricks assistant and made his drink, starter, side and dessert he did a stuff pork loin.  Since we have 2 spots rented we had to Cooks Choice and Gary made it, I did his drink a Sangria (steph better recipe this time), and he made spicy shrimp and avocado, then his main course was a crab cake, Edith made a molten chocolate cake in the microwave.  I have NO idea how they judge that, everyone makes something so different!  Waiting till Sunday!

Back to Reality

The Tux is hung in the closet with care, in hopes that, uh I get to play dress up again.....

The suitcase went fighting and screaming up the stairs, to wait patiently for next year...

Ok, so I'm not a freaking poet.

Things I learned on a cruise - Bring dressy "flat" shoes, even though all you read about this cruise is the seas are calm, kind of felt like a weeble that wobbles!

Yes even if you have NEVER Ever been sea sick, you can get that queasy feeling, and those pink chewable pills they have on board work wonders the first time!  None of us got "Sick" but 3 of us did feel a bit yucky one day, and that sea calm pill they had was awesome!  but it was only once :-) 

When you pay for that extra nice stateroom, you can have your laundry done free...meaning you can pack less.  Even though I only packed one extra shirt!  (unlike others)

You can still indulge, just go exercise it off!

Try something on the menu everyday you haven't had before.  Don't tell Ricky but I had DUCK!  And if they don't quit leaving a mess I may have to learn out to prepare it!

Study all the shore excursions and read all the reviews, we picked out good ones.  Do something you have never done before.

Go on a cruise at least once in your life...

Oh, and I'm always wanting a spa day, but never find the time.  Woohoo I had 2 spa days!  So take a spa day at sea.

Back in Seattle!

Okay, so you have seen pictures of Seattle.  This just in from Imp....are you ever coming home?

Almost ready for buses, planes and automobiles....going to be a long day!

Houston bound via Albuquerque

Victoria - Last offical Day

Docked in Victoria LATE - all trips cancelled, so we stayed on board.  So you get a picture of my shoes.....lesson learned bring a pair of  flats for dinner!!!!  I want you to know I did NOT fall, and i worn of these every night!

Nice day of sailing today, and the sun was shining all the way.

Cheers see you all in Houston tomorrow night!

Ketchikan

Welcome to Ketchikan!!

Sitka

Another typical rainy Sitka Day, off to see Bears, Barnacles and Birds in Sitka.  No pictures of us, but lots of Eagles in the wild, the Bears were in rescue place, they lost their Momma's when they went looking for food in someone's kitchen. 

Juneau

 

Helicopter trip up to Hebert Glacier today was suppose to be to a dog sled training camp, only the weather had been so bad they hadn't made camp yet.  So we opted for a shorter version of the trip.  Still in a helicopter up to the glacier.  Rain forest in Alaska, yep they have that, Eagles yes they have those too!  Glaciers, you land right on the ice, and the ice boots they put over your own boots do work!  I did not fall down, or in a crevasse and I walked right over them!  Lunch at the Red Dog Saloon!

Weather in Juneau, Cold, raining off an on, but that didn't stop us!  Still have to have the drink of the day!

  Will wake up in Sitka tomorrow!

Tuesday - Tracy Arm

Tuesday started off Much better than it did yesterday!  Much smoother!  It also started with the 2nd part of my spa day (I only had the massage portion yesterday) this morning the facial was done...then treadmill and breakfast.  While we hit the gym, Mom and Trudie had a special invitation for brunch with the Captain!

They played Bingo, and Sam went with me to another cooking demo!  At 4 we met in the Crows nest to view the Tracy Arm Glacier, when it came time to turn the ship around we came back to our cabin and watched it as we left.  Beautiful sight.

Drink of the day was blue drink, but don't remember the name. Sam tried the Alaska Brew - Amber

Monday at Sea

It was a rocking and rolling day at Sea OH MY!  Drink of the day was a Ice Cool Aid, pretty tastee!  It was also dress up night, and the 3 women looked like they were with James Bond at our table!  But most important, with the ship a rolling I didn't fall in my 4.5" platform shoes!!!

Underway

Ok should lose service soon!

On board

Just a couple of iPhone pictures!

Seattle

It's good that I'm married to a Math person, I had been calculating that I walked about 3.5 miles per hour, duh it's 5mph! 

Out for a early am walk in Seattle you can see the Holland America Oosterdam in the back ground!  That's our vessel that we are headed out on today.  You also see that I am quite the fashionable walker!

I love Seattle, the Market place to be exact.  You can buy fresh cut flowers, vegs, fruits, fresh bread, fresh dried pasta, local honey, jams and jellies every day.  In walking distance is an Italian, Spanish, French and Mexican markets, and kitchen stores!  oh and the fresh seafood (but we have that close by)

Another adventure

Waiting at Hobby for Southwest to start on another great adventure with Sam, Mom and Trudie!

North to Alaska! (sad that I can know the tune to this song)

Peppers

I thought I was prepared to make jalapeño jelly last night - yes 2 days away from vacation, but I hated that these would waste! Any way had everything but enough sugar and it was already 8pm. So peppers came to work today, and I hope someone takes them!

Yes I leave in the am, and no I am not packed!!