5 weeks from home....3 cruises from home.

Another cruise begins tomorrow - the last 11 day cruise.  This will be our last trip to Corsica and a couple other places.  Wrapping up this cruise is helping me move on from the depressing event it contained.  We also had an official memorial service for Ron which has helped give us some closure.  The captain even came, which was a nice gesture since he didn't even know Ron.   Marie and I put together a book for everyone to sign and write their fond memories in, which we will send to the family, so they know we cared about him here.  

Today was an absolutely gorgeous day at sea.  I can't remember a better one.  The sea was so calm that you couldn't feel the ship moving, and you could actually see hazy reflections of  the clouds on the water - something I've never seen before on the open sea.  There was almost no wind and the sky was so blue - after rehearsal we knew we needed to be outside, so me, Marie, Liam and Stephan went out onto deck 7, pulled up some chairs, and just enjoyed the beauty of the day while talking.  It was a perfect afternoon.  The evening was even better - just before dinner I happened to glance outside again, and saw the most beautiful sunset beginning.  I went back out to deck 7 and watched it by myself, enjoying the colors in the sky and on the water long after the sun had gone down.  I believe that sunset was a gift from God.

Some other quick highlights of this cruise: Going on an excursion to Cinque Terre near Florence - a group of 5 tiny towns along the Italian coast that are quite breathtaking - and enjoying an awesome lunch (including local sheep cheese and honey, tiramisu, and ravioli with pesto) there with a girl named Juliana who works with shore excursions.  Seeing Avignon and the Palace of the Popes, and the famous St. Benedict Bridge, with Margit - the ultimate tour guide, and Scott, another musician on board.   Marie and I watching the new cast (who will take over tomorrow) rehearse the new show called "Liverpool Knights," and making fun of it a little.  Enjoying an absolutely evil piece of dark chocolate cake in Valetta, Malta, with Marie and Liam.  Having a chocolate shake at the Hard Rock Café in Malta.  Trying out a new and mostly ridiculous but pretty fun workout routine with Marie that she found in a magazine (i'm still sore).  

And lastly, some info - it looks like I will have three months at home, and then do a short contract on Norwegian Cruise Lines, with by friend Andrew Loveridge as bandmaster.  The tentative dates are March 14 - June 14, and the itinerary includes Florida, the Bahamas, and Bermuda.  Sounds like fun!