Tinkerblue

New Years Eve on the Ship

Every ship is different. But this is how we spent New Years Eve.  Our itinerary had us docking in Aruba from 2pm-11pm.  

 

The shop was open in the morning from 930am to 1230pm. Then we were closed for the rest of the day. Well that was the original plan.  But for various reasons we had to open in the evening as well. Instead of the whole team working only the three shoppies who were port manning had to work. Guess What? That was me.  

 

So this was my day:

Worked in the shop in the morning.

Had lunch in the crew mess.

Went for my last run of 2015 on the running track on deck 11.

Did a load of laundry.

Watched the movie on the big screen on lido deck and read my book/napped.

 

Watched the sunset over Aruba.

 

Had New Years Eve dinner in the crew mess with Trudy, Vikas and Sachin.

 

Worked from 8-10pm.

 

Had some photos taken on the promenade deck with Marion and Zolia in our party dresses.

 

Toasted out the old year and welcomed in the new year with a glass of champagne.

Counted down to New Year with our shop team and 2000+ guests and crew on the open deck.

 

Had a few drinks to ring in the new year with Trudy, Vikas, Sachin and Jin.

   It was a bit windy!

Slept until 3pm on New Years Day!!!!

 

 

Merry Christmas! Feliz Navidad! Christmas on a Ship.

Seems like everyone wants to know what Christmas on the ship is like.  Sometimes it's just like any other day, and sometimes it's very Christmasy. It's really up to me and how I much effort I put into it. The ship doesn't have a lot of decorations.  A tree  and the Santa Mailbox in the lobby, a tree or two in the main theatre, and some garland in the atrium.  

 

I decorated my headboard.  

 

We put some stickers up on the door. If we'd been more organized Trudy (my cabin mate) and I may have actually decorated the door properly and entered the crew cabin door decorating competition. Yes, there was actually such a thing. Needless to say we did not win!

 

All the shoppies have a stocking hanging in the office.  I put some chocolates from home in each one...Caramello Koalas, Turkish Delight, Magic Elves and Freddo Frogs.  We are opening our stockings before work tonight.

 

Two weeks ago we picked our Secret Santa names.  Our Secret Santa exchange is after work tonight, but mine has been leaving me goodies on my door almost daily!

 

You could say I've decorated myself! I've been wearing christmas earrings (glass Santas from Key West, and a cheapie pair from the mall), charm bracelt and a santa or elf hat everyday for the past week.

 

The coffee shop is selling Strawberry Santa Claus. They are so cute. And  very easy to make!

 

My cabin steward left me a monkey, at least I think it's a monkey, wearing my santa cap.

 

There was a non denominational service for guests this morning and there's one for crew today as well. Yesterday there was a holiday show including Santa in the main theatre, there's been carolling in the lobby, and a couple of times it's "snowed" in the atrium.  I'm pretty sure dinner in the crew and staff messes tonight will be Christmas dinner with turkey and ham and all the trimmings.  

Some of the ports are all decorated.  Grand Turk....

 

and Cozumel...

 

So that's Christmas on the ship.

Birthday Treats

This birthday, my 44th involved a lot of edible treats. I really need to go for a run or even two now.

After work Friday night friends treated me to a couple of beers. Saturday, my actual birthday started with a free coffee and a slice of chocolate raspberry cheesecake at Starbucks in Ensenada.

Saturday night my coworkers and I celebrated with a delicious chocolate cake and multiple beers.

Today I had another free frappucino and a slice of raspberry swirl cake. I think I've used up all my free rewards now.

And to make me feel extra loved when I logged on yesterday I had 102 emails, Facebook posts, messages, what's apps etc wishing me a happy birthday. Thank you everyone for your best wishes and remembering my birthday. I have some really great friends!

Hot Stone Massage at Painted Boat Resort

 

Today was a gorgeous day on the Sunshine Coast. Blue sky, sunny and warm. It was also my birthday. As a birthday present from my Nan I spent a good chunk of the day at the Painted Boat Resort. 

It's a few miles up the road from here. I arrived at noon for my 1:00pm appointment.  Why so early? Because they have the Spa Garden that you can use before and/or after your treatment.  

 

 

At reception I checked in, signed my life away, collected a locker key, was given a quick tour and then left to enjoy the hour before my massage.  In each locker there is a clean bathrobe and towel.  I think there were about 12 lockers so I can't imagine it ever being really crowded.  The change room was nicely stocked with extra towels, face washers,  cleanser, moisturiser, body lotion, razors, shaving foam, hair spray, hair dryer and curling iron.  I changed into my swimsuit and head out to the spa garden.  

 

 

The garden has a huge firepit which was on but not really needed today. Beyond the firepit are a salt water floatation pool, hot tub, sauna and two glacial rain showers.

 

 

 

I chose not to partake in the glacial rain showers today (we have no hot water at home right now, so I've had enough glacial showers for the month). I did float in the salt water pool for a bit, but spent most of my time in the hot tub or laying out in the sun reading my book.

 

 

Just before 1:00pm I went inside to dry off, cool down and grab a glass of water or two before my massage. I love getting massages and the hot stones are just awesome, they make the knots feel like they are just melting away.  It is just so relaxing. I might even have dozed off for a minute or two. 

 

 

After the massage was done, I spent 15 minutes in the steam room. Michelle gave me a fresh glass of water and a small tub of glacier clay to rub on any dry areas (elbows, knees etc) before heading into the steam shower. The clay is really moisturising, I didn't think it would be.  I felt so good when I was done.

 

 

After the steam room I headed back to the change room to take a hot shower, something I haven't been able to do for the last 5 days! I thoroughly enjoyed the hot water. I wrapped myself up in the bathrobe and headed back out to the garden to read in the sun for a little bit longer. Then it was finally time to get dressed and head back to the real world.

 

 

It was a wonderful way to spend my birthday.  Thanks Nan.  

 

 

Where? Painted Boat Resort, Spa, Marina 

What? Hot and Cold Stone Massage

Price? $135 for 60 minute massage includes use of spa garden

Duration? I arrived at noon for my 1:00pm massage. Massage was 60 minutes. I left at 3:00pm. 3 hours in total. I could easily have spent longer. There is no restriction on how long you use the spa garden for.

Atmosphere? Beautiful, quite, relaxing, clean, and the staff are friendly and unobtrusive.

Worth it? It's definitely a splurge.  Way more expensive than just having a regular massage but you are paying for the spa experience. For me, I think it was worth every penny.  I'd love to go back.  It would be a great place for a girls weekend. 

Would I go back? Yes.  I'd like to try the exfoliating body scrub or the Signature Ritual, but I'll have to save my pennies for those.  A pedicure might be more doable for now.

Recommend it? Yes.

One a Penny, Two a Penny - Hot Cross Buns

 

 

Remember when I made a fruit cake for Christmas? It's been 20 years since I made a fruit cake. It's been even longer since I made Hot Cross Buns. I'm pretty sure it was in a home economics class at Geilston Bay High School. I usually buy my Hot Cross Buns from the supermarket.

Hot Cross Buns are traditionally baked and eaten on Good Friday.  Mine were baked on Thursday, and will be eaten for many days afterwards. I did have one for breakfast this morning. 

I used a recipe on page 168 of the March 2010 edition of The Australian Women's Weekly.  I can't find it online but it's pretty much the same as this recipe.

Ingredients for Buns:

• 2 x 7g packets of granulated yeast (my packets were 8g, because that was what they had at the store)
• 1/3 cup caster sugar (I used regular sugar)
• 1 cup of warm milk
• 4 cups plain flour
• 1 tsp mixed spice (I didn't have mixed spice, so I used 1/2 tsp nutmeg, 1/4 tsp cloves and 1/4 tsp cardamon
• 1 tsp cinnamon 
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 80g butter
• 1 and 1/2 cups chocolate chips
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup warm water

Combine the yeast with one tablespoon of the sugar and all of the milk in a small bowl; whisk until the yeast is dissolved. Cover bowl and stand in a warm place for about 10 minutes until the yeast mixture is frothy. 

 

Mix the flour, spices and salt into a large bowl; rub in the butter. Stir in the remaining sugar, chocolate, yeast mixture, egg and enough water to make a soft dough.

 

Cover your dough with plastic wrap and stand in a warm place for about one hour or until mixture has doubled in size.

 

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for about 10 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic.

Divide the dough into 20 portions and roll each portion into a ball. Place the balls, almost touching, on a large greased oven tray. Stand in a warm place for about 20 minutes or until dough has doubled in size.

Preheat the oven to 425 F or 395F if using a convection oven.

Ingredients for Flour Paste for Crosses:

• 1/4 cup plain flour
• 1tbsp cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons caster sugar
• 2 tbsps of cold water, approximately

Sift flour, cocoa & sugar into a small bowl; gradually stir in enough water to make a smooth thick paste.

 

 

Place the flour paste into a piping bag with a small tube or put in a zip lock bag and snip off the corner. Pipe crosses.

 

Bake Buns for 15 minutes. Transfer to a cooking rack.

Make Glaze

Ingredients for Glaze:

• 1 tablespoon caster sugar
• 1 teaspoon gelatine
• 1 tablespoon water

Combine all the glaze ingredients in a small saucepan and stir over low heat, without boiling, until the sugar and gelatine dissolves.

 

Brush buns with glaze.

 

 

Verdict? Once I had put the balls of dough on the baking tray, I forgot to let them sit for 20 minutes to rise, so mine are a little small. Also my flour paste for the crosses was too runny. It was was too thick after adding 2 tbsps of water, so I added another 2. I should probably have only added another 1.

They are time consuming.  Only because you have to let the yeast do it's thing.  But apart from that they are quick and easy to make. Because of my lack of finisse with piping that part was pretty messy, and my crosses look more like blobs.

 

 

However they still taste pretty good. I had one, hot out of the oven last night and another for breakfast this morning.  They freeze well, but that's not gonna happen.  These will get eaten in no time. Anyone want one?

Oh and did you know:

• sharing a hot cross bun with another is supposed to ensure friendship throughout the coming year
• if you take a hot cross bun on a sea voyage it's supposed to protect against a shipwreck
• hang a hot cross bun in your kitchen to prevent fires

 

 

Girls Night Out

Not long after I moved up to Sechelt, Michelle came to visit and to treat me to a birthday weekend.  I've known Michelle for 7 (?) years now. She used to live in the same complex as me, then she moved across the road.

Over the last 8 months Michelle has been an awesome friend.  She's listened to me cry, rant, and worry, and she's made me laugh.  She's dropped everything to meet me for coffee so I can talk thing through when I've been so confused I can't think straight. We've traded texts at 2am when we've both been struggling with insomnia.  We've drunk more beer and wine and consumed more ginger gems that is healthy.

When she heard I was alone for birthday, she packed her bag and got on the ferry and came over the following weekend to celebrate. Michelle decided we were having girls night out complete with curly hair and dresses.

 

 

Dinner at the Lighthouse Pub on Sechelt Inlet followed by a few drinks. It was a late night.  But we were still able to get up bright and early the next morning to serve breakfast to the guests, clean the room, shop at the Farmers' Market and bounce on the trampoline. I cannot remember the last time I was on a trampoline. The '80s?

 

Thanks for a great weekend Michelle.

 

Polli Made A Pendant

My Mum and Dad sent me this pendant for my birthday.  Isn't it pretty?

 

 

It's made by an Australian company called Polli.  According to their website my pendant is inspired by the floral embroidery in traditional Mexican fabrics.  I have some Mexican fabrics stashed in boxes in the garage I should check and see how alike they are.

Mum and Dad also sent me chocolate  and vegemite. The chocolate has long since been inhaled. I like these little packs of vegemite, they can go in my bag for when I eat out or am at a friends house and want vegemite on my toast.

 

Birthday Greeting From Jo

 

I think I've finally worked out how to share the audio greeting that Jo sent me on Whatsapp. Just click on the button thingy below.

 

 

Birthday Greeting from Jo

 

Happy Birthday Part 2

My Canadian birthday started of bright and early. Well early, not too sure how bright I looked or felt! For whatever reason I was awake at 530am. Way before my alarm clock was due to go off.

I received lots more birthday greetings today, from Sweden, Brazil, Japan, England, Ireland, Australia, Thailand, a dozen US States, and 4 Canadian Provinces.

The highlight was a last minute unexpected visit from Steph and Finn. I talked to Steph yesterday and said she should come for lunch. And she did. An hours car ride to the ferry, 2 hours at the ferry terminal, 40 mins on the Ferry and then another hour in the car on this side. All for me.

They arrived with balloons and chocolate cake. We had lunch here... Chicken and salad. Relatively healthy. But then we ate half a chocolate cake each! Before Steph left to take the ferry home, her and Finn took me out for a birthday beer.

I finished off the evening with a 3km run. Now I'm looking forward to a cuppa tea and a chat with Jo. I'm also hoping to catch up with my Mum and Dad and my brother and Kelly before I sleep.

I tried to thank everyone individually for their birthday wishes, I'm sorry if I missed anyone.

I truly appreciate all your thoughts and best wishes and the support that everyone has given me over the last few months. I have some of the best friends.

Thank you.

Happy Australian Birthday To Me

It's not quite my birthday here yet. But it's been May 3rd in Australia for the last 13 and 3/4 hours.

This morning I woke to a voice mail from Jo singing me Happy Birthday. I wish i knew how to post it on here. It was an awesome way to start my day. I've had an inbox full of birthday wishes from friends and family all over Australia. This evening I finished off the day on a video Skype call with Narelle and Justin and Tait. Tait is my Godson and we share a May 3rd birthday. It's his first birthday, it's not my first! Happy Birthday Tait!

Thank you to everyone who emailed, texted, phoned, Skyped, Facebooked etc I feel much loved.

This afternoon I also received an actual gift. Some flowers, a bottle of wine and a card. I wasn't expecting to get any gifts this year, so it was a nice surprise.

My plans for tomorrow? A run. A visit from Steph and Fin. Maybe some chocolate. We'll see.