Yes, that’s right. Today is Friday, October 21, 2016. We’re crossing the international date line tonight and that means we’re going to miss a day to catch up with the Southern Hemisphere. Don’t ask me to explain it, for I can’t. I just know we lose a day traveling west, gain a day traveling east. We’ll get it back in November, when we return.

We are having a grand time on our long cruise, but it isn’t without its challenges. We have lots of time. Yes. That illusive thing we’re always seeking and can’t seem to get enough of. Right now, we have time and we’re not quite sure what to do with it. Should we feel guilty laying around reading our favorite novel? Alas, I didn’t bring enough books—the library is not well stocked this voyage. Should we feel guilty for ordering dessert again this week? We are spoiled and it is strange. We don’t make our bed. We don’t prepare meals, nor clean up afterwards. We don’t even have a choice of what food is to be prepared! I have much more sympathy for the people at Downton Abbey. They have to fill their days with what seems to be  n-o-t-h-i-n-g! That’s our problem. We’re so pampered and taken care of, it’s—dare I say it? Boring! Yet we craved this time away with nothing to do. We were tired of being so very, very busy. I’m going to turn this excess time into a time of rethinking life. Everyone should do this once in awhile. This is our opportunity.

We are starting to recognize different people on the ship even though there’s more than 3,000 of them. We go to the gym and there are familiar faces. We’ve now been seated with people for the second time at dinner. About the meals. They are very tasty, but I have to admit, I’m a little tired of the fancy dishes. One day I ordered buttermilk fried chicken and mashed potatoes with gravy just for comfort food for a change. I’m not excited for desserts as I was at the beginning, though I’m still tempted.

What do I enjoy about the long cruise? I enjoy the quiet nights. The slightly rocking ship is soothing and I sleep soundly with no awake periods in the middle of the night like sometimes happens at home. I enjoy meeting new and interesting people. I enjoy the dance classes that challenge my brain—Jim’s too. He has to lead after all. We were having a little trouble with one of the steps and the instructor danced with me to show me what to do. He remarked to Jim, “She fights me a little on the moves, but in the end, she obeys!” You see, in dance, the gentleman leads. Period. The lady follows. No arguing. That is a bit like life for me. I squawk a bit at what comes at me, but in the end, I accept it.

One of the things that is the same as at home here on the cruise are our mornings together. Just as in Vancouver, we have our morning coffee and take time to read what God has to say to us, before we start our day. It’s the same on the ship except Jim just calls room service instead of making our coffee. Someone brings it to our room and we enjoy it, usually out on our balcony in the warm air. The difference is Jim’s coffee is much better than here on the ship.

One discovery we made a few days ago was a Bible study group who meets each morning for about 45 minutes. Dave, an Australian leads it with his wife. There are about sixty people and the group is growing. It is wonderful sharing Scripture and reading aloud with others of the same mother tongue but accented differently. Tomorrow as I said, is not Saturday, but Sunday. All of our loved ones and friends will see Saturday, but we will not. I look forward to Sunday. We’re going to have a church service here on the ship. A priest will bring the message, we will sing together some familiar songs, and we will pray together as Christians from New Zealand, Australia, Tasmania, United Kingdom, Canada, and the United States, to our one and only God and Savior, Jesus Christ. Isn’t that wonderful? So enjoy your Saturday while we experience no Saturday, but Sunday instead.

Here are some photos to enjoy….

Thank you for joining us on our cruise. We’ll check in either next Friday (we’ll still be cruising) or the following when we’ll be in Cairns—near the Great Barrier Reef. We’ll hopefully have lots of photos for you.

We love each and every one of you. Miss you too. Until we meet again, after the crossing……Friday to Sunday!