Home again! (well, at least California again)

Well, thus ends my second contract with Celebrity Cruises! I can't believe how fast it went...3 months felt like just a few weeks, whereas 6 months felt like a year. :-) Maybe my next contract (5 months) will feel right. Yep, it looks like I will be staying with Celebrity after all for one more contract - they have agreed to get me a higher salary and I really can't wait to experience that itinerary.

My flight was very smooth and all the transitions went without problems. I had a fun and talkative seating partner - we entertained each other for half of the flight (whenever I wasn't asleep). I was met at the airport by my sister, three wonderful friends, and a big sign. :-) I wish I had been more awake at that point to enjoy being home, but I was definitely ready for bed. I spent the night with Chelsea on campus at APU, and then subbed with the APU jazz band the next day at a concert. It was fun to play with a big band again, even if I was jet lagged. I spent last night with my friend Dayna, as she needed to finish fitting my dress for my friend's Sean and Sheena's wedding tomorrow, and she is finishing up as we speak. As soon as she does we'll be off to meet the rest of the wedding party at a hotel for tonight, and then the wedding is first thing tomorrow morning. So it will be tomorrow night before I actually get to go home, unpack, and sleep in my bed. But I figure, I've been away from it for 3 months, whats 3 more days? I don't mind living out of a suitcase a little while longer. It sort of just feels like my contract hasn't quite finished yet - I won't feel that until I get home. Ha ha, during the jazz band concert I had a moment of panic when I realized I wasn't wearing my name badge.

Looking back on the contract, I think it was good for me musically. I got a lot more experience in a couple of areas - especially broadway pit-orchestra style music, and dixieland. It was very different from my last contract, which is really great. I made some good friends that I will be missing, especially the acapella group (Shaun the most), Anabelle (harpist) and Andy, my musical director. Looking back I can realize I had a really great team to work with, good musicians and friendly, competent management. I am glad I got to improve musically in some new areas, and I feel like it was a very successful contract. I'm looking forward to the next one! I'll post a couple times between now and July to let you know what I'm up to - but for now I will say goodbye, and thanks for reading! I appreciate your support and encouragement throughout this contract and the last one. The fun begins again July 4th: Europe, here I come! Goodbye for now, and thanks again!

Leaving France, approaching England, flying Home!

Yesterday was my first time ever in France (La Rochelle) – unfortunately I didn’t get off the ship. My roommate came down sick, and was quarantined, so I had to be quarantined as well. Since I had no symptoms, they wanted to isolate me from her as well. My friend Mark, who is the activity manager, was able to get me put up in a guest stateroom for my quarantine – and the only one available was Concierge Class (aka really nice!). I’ve spent two nights here now, and I still have the key, so its nice to relax here. Room service is my new most favorite thing ever. They have a menu that is free and available 24 hours a day. Last night I finished after 1am and ordered hot chocolate and chocolate chip cookies to eat before I went to bed. I am ordering room service all the time – I’ve got to take advantage of it! Plus I’ve got a nice little outside balcony! Its pretty sweet, I can’t complain. The only downside is that since I was quarantined, I was unable to go out yesterday in France. But I made up for it today – going on a long excursion to Cap de la Hague, near our port of call Cherbourg. The countryside and architecture were stunning. We visited a lighthouse, some cliffs called the ‘end of the earth’, and the birthplace and hometown of the painter J.F. Millet. This part of France is so breathtaking – imagine old stone buildings covered in vines and flowers, green open fields with horses grazing, old decorative stone churches in every small group of homes, and streams everywhere. I could easily spend a month just in the countryside around Cherbourg.

This twelve day cruise has been so different – I am constantly recognized by guests as ‘the trombone player’, ‘the girl in the band’, or ‘the mother of the orchestra’ as Andy has begun to refer to me on stage whilst introducing us. ☺ Usually no-one recognizes me unless I am carrying my trombone, but this cruise everyone seems to know me, and it is very flattering, but a little weird. Last night I walked by a table of guests and got a round of applause! “Go girl trombone player!!” People even greet me by name all the time. Strange! But nice. ☺ I feel famous this cruise – I think it happened because the guests were different for the transatlantic, and 5 sea days gave them time to get to know us and appreciate the music on board much more.

Well, I still have a whole lot of packing to do! Tomorrow we pick up our final paycheck between 5 and 6am, and hopefully disembark around 7:30am. Its too bad all I will know of England is the airport and the scenery on the 2 hour drive there, but I’m still looking forward to it. This will be the last post from the Summit! I’ll write again once I’m back home. Thanks for following me across the atlantic!