It’s our second full day at sea. I didn’t wake up super early again. Besides, between my blister and my back I’m not power walking anywhere.
Naturally, right after breakfast Kaitlyn wanted to go to Kids Club. Bill and I played some shuffleboard, but stopped to take pictures when the ship sailed past Sicily. We cruised through the straight between Sicily and the mainland of Italy, so you could see land on both sides of the ship. It was pretty neat. Hard to capture in a picture, though.
Once that excitement wore away, we played some ping pong. I would have won, but I had to go to my appointment at the spa. I’d made the appointment Sunday evening when we boarded the ship… which was kind of annoying because I had no idea what might be going on today but it was the only time they had open for a manicure and pedicure. I didn’t manage to get a pedicure when I was in the US last fall, I wasn’t going to miss an opportunity again. Even if it was the most expensive manicure and pedicure I’ve ever had at $115!!! Some sort of back massage might have done me more good, but I’ve been thinking for weeks of the joy of having my nails done. By someone else. Who knows what they’re doing.
While I was being pampered, I missed the family scavenger hunt. Bill and Kaitlyn took part. He said they came in dead last, but the Kids Club gave prizes to everyone, so Kaitlyn had a new Kids Club sun visor. They had to find things like a magnet (he had to buy 5 in the gift shop because they were trying to get rid of them and they were 5 for a buck and the guy wouldn’t let Bill take only 1.)… a postcard from a port of call (he didn’t know I had one in the room)… a grandparent…. the cruise director’s first and last name… sugar packets…. I don’t remember what else. They seemed to have had a great time, I’m sorry I missed out on it.
They found me at the ice sculpting demonstration. Bill said during the scavenger hunt they passed by the towel folding class (where they show you how to fold towels into shapes of animals like the cabin attendants do each night) and Kaitlyn told him that’s what I should learn. Her expectations are getting a little high. I already thought I’d created a monster by cutting out her sandwiches with cookie cutters once.. now she demands her sandwiches be cool shapes.
At lunch I made the mistake of offering to take Kaitlyn into the hot tub. She agreed at first, then realized I was trying to take her close to the pool but not actually into the pool. (Our dinner-mates told us that they got kicked out of the adult pool yesterday.) She begged until Bill finally gave in and agreed to swim with her. I don’t know how he managed to get into that pool; I put my feet in and it was freeeeeeezzzzing. While he swam with her, I watched the Mr. Splendor contest going on next to the pool. It was fairly amusing. One guy seemed to be taking the whole thing way too seriously… he was especially entertaining. I didn’t get in the pool, but I did have to take Kaitlyn to the bathroom at one point. She was sitting there and looked down and there was a piece of poop on the floor. Which she announced very loudly for anyone else in the ladies’ room to hear. That’s gross! Poopy on the floor! I was annoyed that the bathroom attendant who was in there when we arrived had left before we came out of the stall. She’d better not have left after hearing Kaitlyn’s proclamation.
We couldn’t convince Kaitlyn to nap, so we watched some cartoons and just rested. I finally remembered there was a family activity going on, but I couldn’t convince her to get up and get dressed to go. She was tired, but refused to admit it.
Tonight was the second formal night in the dining room. I forgot to sign her up for the kids meal, so she ate with us. Then she went to Pirate Night at the Kids Club in her little black velvet dress. They took the kids on a pirate parade around the ship… with all the parents chasing after them with cameras. It was really cute. They’d painted the outline of eye patches on each kid and each had decorated a bandanna tied around their head. They shouted about being pirates and did a little routine. It was funny… we put our kids in the club so we can spend time on our own, then we chase them around to see them. It was worth it. The show was yet another singer, so it’s not like it was a hard decision. After chasing the pirates around, we went back to the bar with the friendly bartender. He made me a Cosmo that just about guaranteed I’d pass out as soon as I put my head on the pillow. He told us he’s studying for his PhD in tourism and finds his time on the cruise an interesting part of his studies.
We picked up Kaitlyn and took her to the open snack bar for a late night hot dog and French fries. (We’ve been getting her ice cream after Kids Club which is not a good pre-bed snack.) There’s a woman there making crepes so Bill also got a late night snack. I managed to overcome the temptation.
It was not easy getting that pirate eye patch off Kaitlyn’s face. I think that when they paint on the kids faces, they should have to get that stuff off before letting the kids leave!
A PhD in Tourism? One would have to then call him Dr. so-and-so.