New England Cruise Begins

When Bob first suggested we go on a New England Cruise, I wasn't really sure what to think.  I had always heard lovely things about the beautiful fall foliage in that area, and thought going to Maine to enjoy lobsters and lighthouses would be an exciting vacation someday.  However, I had never considered it as a cruise destination.  But the more I looked at the itinerary, I realized that a cruise would be the perfect way for us to see that part of the world.  And the 10-day cruise we chose on Princess provided us with an interesting port to explore each day, except one day at sea.  And we would even get to see parts of eastern Canada.

We would fly into New York and board the ship the same day.  Bob had limited time away from work, and although November 4-14, 2019, was a little early for fall foliage, I was very excited about our many destinations.  We took at taxi to the cruise port and were amazed at how enormous our ship was!  The Caribbean Princess carries over 3000 passengers and an additional 1200 crew members.  New York is a dazzling city, and from the harbor, it had a magical quality.  We settled into our room and went to have lunch as a storm quickly engulfed the city.  But it quickly cleared up, leaving us with a beautiful sunset and amazing views of the city dressing herself in sparkly evening attire.

 A quick look around the ship revealed some fun features, as well as lots of  "mature" travelers with whom we would share the next 10 days.  Obviously, the ship was similar to others we have been on, and so my photos are concentrated on the various ports of call, rather than on the ship.

We arrived at Newport, Rhode Island, early the following morning and were tendered to the shore amidst troves of sailboats and lobster boats. A trolley took us to the eastern shore where we would begin our "hike" along the Cliff Walk, one of Newport's most famed attractions.  The trail affords breathtaking scenery with 3.5 miles of rocky coastline and crashing waves on one side, and stunning Gilded Age mansions on the other.  We started at the "40-Steps", which is less than a mile south of the actual Cliff Walk starting point, and is near where the historical mansions are located.

The hike was a beautiful way to see the beauty and historical significance of Newport.  While on the walk, Bob and I decided to tour the most famous of the mansions:  The Breakers.  Built in 1895, this jewel was the 70-room summer estate of Cornelius Vanderbilt II.  It features a two and a half story high Great Hall, a morning room adorned with platinum leaf wall panels, rare marble, alabaster, and gilded woods throughout. It owes is opulence to the success of the owner of the New York Central Railroad.

The Breakers was almost a return to France in my mind.  But the incomparable spacious setting on the rocky shoreline of  Newport, told me otherwise.  With tired feet, we located a trolley stop and returned to port and did a little shopping before returning to the ship.  It had been a perfectly lovely day in Rhode Island.

Parties Persist Throughout August and September

Family celebrations continued without ceasing through August and September of 2019.  Ben was recovering well from his stroke and had begun participating in some rigorous outpatient physical, occupational and speech therapy.  He was leaps and bounds ahead of what anyone had expected and we knew our prayers were being answered. Stephanie found a beautiful home for their family located close to the Exxon Mobile Campus where Ben would eventually return to work.  Bob and I were grateful to have family moving in just 30-40 minutes away.

Our family has lots of birthdays in August, and we got to celebrate a number of them.  Bennett was fortunate to have his fifth birthday with Grandma Kathy and Aunt Anna from Idaho joining the celebration with us in Texas. Following a Pit Masters BBQ dinner together, he opened presents at our home and Emma treated us to cupcakes.

Eve turned three on Chelsea's birthday, and though we couldn't be with Chelsea, Kristin hosted a fun party for Eve at their new home in Katy. Aren't these little owl cakes adorable?!

The Johnsons came up to celebrate Bob's birthday.  We won't say how old he turned this year, because he definitely continues to exert himself as if he is 39 and holding!

Our last birthday celebration was with Emma, who turned 10 this year.  We were glad to fill her wish list for a pocket knife and a watch.

We started out September with a Labor Day pool party and cookout.  Michael's family and their friends from the Geology Department at BYU came to our home for some fun.  Upon graduation, both families found jobs in Houston and live fairly close to one another.  The Johnson's were with us and my niece, Karina and her boyfriend came down from Dallas for the celebration.

Bob and I left on a New England cruise September 4-14, just as Stephanie and Ben were receiving their household storage shipments from Wyoming and Paris.  (The cruise will be covered in the following posts.)  By the end of September, the Johnson Family was somewhat moved into their new home and hosted a housewarming party.  Chelsea, Knox and Holly came over for the weekend and Michael, Kristin, Eve and Brady drove up to join the party.  We enjoyed being together at a nearby park.

As much as we love being with family, it had been a long, sweet but stressful summer, and we were all ready for our lives to get back to "normal".  As the Johnson family settled into their new home, Bob and I enjoyed some time alone together on a 10-day New England cruise.