Kim,

My sister lives in West Salem, right next door to LaCrosse. You make Packer fan number four on this board. Brett seems to be saying he will retire this year, although I believe he must have mixed feelings about his decision. Do you think he'll actually do it? BTW, do you attend the air shows?

Trish

Kim/Trish!!
Hey Wisconsin!!! (That's what I was called on a cruise to the Greek Islands that was mainly Europeans - at that time, I wasn't living here in Texas!!) Know Oshkosh fairly well (since I've been gone over 25 years) - it has grown as well, especially the phenomenal air show that started out so meekly, and has now grown to such dimensions!! Yes, I agree - Door County has grown far too expensive - that's what I hear from my friends that still live there. But I still think there's few places in the Midwest that can compare during the fall colors -

As for Brett - I think he's doing a lot of thinking over the next few months, and was a bit "prejudgmental" right after the loss to Philly and all the interceptions he threw (he probably felt a bit better after Philly did the same to the Falcons & Michael Vick!!) A lot will do with his family situation, too - he was willing to give up all up for his wife, and her health & welfare is important as well. I think he'll come back - he's still a great quarterback, and really doesn't want to end it this way - and those interceptions came from his receivers going on the wrong routes.

You'll love Ida & Wes - they're a fun couple to be around!! Both are very "active" and lively - they're like the Energizer Bunnies - they keep going and going!! I'm very very envious - I'd love to go to the South Pacific one day!!

Take care!!

Marie/Trish

My gut feeling is that Brett will be back for 1 more year- although I have a hard time imagining the Packers ever being without him. Was also very sad about Reggie. He is one of my all time favorites!! (I even named a pet hamster my daughter had after him) Marie, my husband and I went to Dallas in January of 1996 to see the Packers/Cowboys in the NFC Championship game. Even though they lost we had a blast! Dallas is a fun city. The Greek Islands- WOW. I'm envious- another dream trip of mine. I have a feeling though that after Tahiti my husband is going to expect that I go on a hunting/fishing trip to Africa or Alaska.
As for the air show- I have only been to it once many years ago. If you live here it tends to be a pain. To many people, to much traffic and the prices go up.

Kim

Kim:
I agree - it's VERY difficult to think of the Packers w/out Brett - they'll have a long way to go to get back into contention w/out him!! But, alas, it will be inevitable one day!!
And I was extremely shocked and saddened at the loss of Reggie White - especially the way he went (my brother has a similar condition!!). Plus, he's younger than I am - which is hard to phanthom!! They both brought back the Pack to a respectable, "no frills", true Football team & town!! Saw that Dallas/Green Bay championship game from Europe - needless to say, it wasn't worth staying up late over there (I had to stay at work, too - since I didn't get American TV at my house!) The following year - I did go to the game in Lambeau - where the tables' were turned!! YES!!
Yes, the Greek Islands were "Fantabulous!!" - I had wanted to go there on my 40th BD, but some career issues interefered (ie military), so it became my dream/retirement gift to myself!! Wonderful place - started in Venice (we arrived a day before and left a day after returning), and hit Dubrovinick, Crete, Rhodes, Santori/Mykonos & Athens. This was right after 9/11 (like a month), so we were very careful!! But Tahiti should really be great - those waters look sooooooooo neat!! Very relaxing, etc!! On my list as well!! Do understand about "balancing" vacations - luckily I have enough friends that want to do both (plus I'm single - helps once in a while!)!! My sis & I are going on a BtB cruise to Alaska - the last time I went I did try Halibut fishing (to no avail!) - but enjoyed it nonetheless!! Alaska's beautiful - lot's to see and do!! We're a bit on the artistic side - so we like to go and draw/paint when we can (since we've been there a couple of times before!!) African Safari would be very neat - my Sis wants to try that too!!
Can't blame you about the airshow - I drove past it on HWY 41, and it was crazy!! I went to the air show in Tampa last year - and everyone talks about Oshkosh!! Does remind me of Door County in the summertime - if we only would have known we'd appreciated it more!!
So is your daughter going with you to Tahiti?? What's the countdown again (I bet you know the days, hours & minutes to go!!)
Well - time to go!! Nice chatting, Kim!!

Kim,
I, too, really liked Reggie. We were in Tulsa when my sister-in-law told us he had died. I was sure she was mistaken.

I think a trip to Tahiti would be worth just about anything. I had wanted to go there for our anniversary, but we were just in Kauai last year and Dave said it was too much of that same ambiance. Thus, we ended up in Bermuda. I agree with you about the Greek Islands. That is also one of my dream destinations. Please post a LONG trip report when you return from Tahiti.

Trish

Marie/Trish
The kids will not be going with us this time(which is unusual). They have been to more places than some adults I know- my daughter is not happy that she isn't going- typical 14 year old girl(and spoiled). My 5 year old son doesn't care- he's happy to stay with my parents in town and also have his grandma from LaCrosse come to take care of him. He is going to have his tonsils and adnoids taken out the 23rd of this month so I'm hoping all is well before we leave. He just got over strep throat and now he has been home from school since Monday with influenza.
This cruise for us is a belated 10th wedding anniversary celebration and also for my husbands 40th birthday which is the end of March.
Trish- We wanted to take the kids to Bermuda on the Navigator summer of 2006 but don't know if that will happen now with the Navigator going to Europe. Will have to wait and see what the cruise schedule ends up to be. Did you go on the Navigator? If so, were there many kids? How did you like Bermuda?

Kim

Kim,
I hope your son's surgery will be a piece of cake for him. Remember how they stopped taking tonsils out for years? Funny how they've started removing them again. Strep and flu on top of it of everything else? Poor kid. I'm sure grandma will have plenty of ice cream when she takes care of both of the kids.
The Bermuda cruise was for our tenth wedding anniversary. And, yes, it was on the Navigator. Our anniversary is Septmeber 6th, so the kids had just started bck to school. There were maybe five on the entire cruise and they were younger. I remember though that some of the people on the forum that went in August said there were more kids, including teenagers. We loved Bermuda. Very friendly people and it was beautiful. Having never been there before, I'm sure it would be pretty to fly in as well, but there was something special about seeing it from the water and being greeted by the town crier.

Trish, Thanks for the info- guess we will just have to wait and see what our options are.

Kim

Loon - just so you know, we (MDs) generally still don't recommend removing tonsils and adenoids - only in cases of chronic strep throat usually.

Masaki

Masaki- my son is actually having a T&A due to his snoring/problems they are finding that are associated with this. This was the first episode of strep for him. According to his ENT doctor they use coblation to remove them and this has significantly cut down on complications and recovery time.

Kim

Kim - that's yet another indication for removing them ... sometimes we do it for sleep apnea problems as well as part of a somnoplasty. :)

Masaki

OK Masaki, now you have peaked my interest. Sometimes you remove tonsils and adenoids for sleep apnea? I have sleep apnea and am tired of having to carry around my C-Pap machine everywhere we go. I wonder if that would help. I am a mouth breather, and I wonder if my tonsils are causing obstructions that might be causing my sleep apnea.

If I take a picture of my throat and post it here can you diagnose me from Hawaii? LOL

Really what I am wondering is just how common of a problem is it with in relation to sleep apnea?

Don - most honest ENTs these days will tell you that CPAP is the best treatment for sleep apnea. Somnoplasties were very big about 10 years or so ago but the outcomes were relatively poor - i.e. it didn't take away the sleep apnea for a lot of patients. If your tonsils and adenoids are particularly large and they think that they may be causing obstruction, they may consider removing them though it seems to be getting rarer these days. If you haven't before, you may want to go see an ENT to have it evaluated and see if removal may be an option for you.

Of course, losing weight also helps with sleep apnea - so you're already on your way to improving things already! ;)

Masaki

I agree with Masaki. CPAP is best if tolerated. If not, you could also look into another option that works well. Visit your friendly oral and maxillofacial surgeon to discuss upper and lower jaw advancement surgery. This is almost the only curative surgical option for severe OSA patients.

Anthony

Anthony - oops, forgot about treatment options from your specialty ... We'll have to talk shop one of these days and explain to me how you actually do that ... :D

Masaki

I've been enjoying all of the introductions here, and I guess it's time to share mine. I just love the friendliness and banter on LCT---what a great place!!!

I'm a babyboomer (I'm 53) and I get a kick out of a lot of the nostalgic posts I read in various topics here!! I was born and raised in Baltimore, Md., but came to California in 1969 to go to college here (in Claremont)...and just never left. I later got a Piled Higher and Deeper (Ph.D) degree also at Claremont in Psych/Educ. The biggest accomplishment about getting that was making it through being a dicorced/single mom and holding down 2 part time jobs while going through school....some of the most difficult years of my life, but it gave me a real sense of self reliance..

I work as an investigator for a county Child Protective Services agency---a combination of real detective work, law, police work and social work. It's exciting and NEVER, ever boring, but sometimes really demanding and draining, as you can imagine. It's hard not to get cynical...it turned me into a conservative (moderate, I suppose) pretty quickly, LOL....

I LOVE being in my 50s---and I intend to enjoy every minute of it!!! There is so much richness and wonder to life, whether you find it around the corner at the grocery store, or on an exotic cruise to a far off place.

I'm treating myself to the Nov 8th round trip (L.A./Tahiti/L.A) on the Navigator. It'll be the trip of a lifetime for me, and I'm so excited about it!!! I'm thinking about Alaska for 2006....

I'm twice divorced, and currently have a long term boyfriend (we're on and off) who reminds me of the main character in Out of Africa...he's a real adventurer, Zorba the Greek type-- looks like Eernest Hemmingway and lives like him, too...travels a great deal for his work, all over the world and the U.S.....He MAY join me on the Tahiti trip (if we're on rather than off), but if not, I'm also excited to go by myself....

Hobbies are cooking, food/wine, horseback riding, hiking, music of ALL kinds. I'm active in the Episcopal church (I'm the Youth Minister at my parish)....I love working with teens b/c I have a lot of that joie de vivre in me, yet balanced by adult, mature wisdom. The kids and I love each other, and I feel really blessed to have them in my life. They're all descending on my house this coming Sunday for lunch and a movie.....

I have a grown son, 30, who will be starting on his MBA in the fall. He lives in S.F. Like my b/f, he's a traveler and is currently spending 2 months in South America. His girlfriend who's an M.D. (we tease her about being a "fake" doctor, b/c she's in research rather than practice) will be joining him there for part of the trip. I adore her and keep hoping and praying that they'll get married...she and I manage to sneak in conspiratorial conversations when my son's not around, LOL.

The love of my life is my dog, Abigail. I got her at the pound almost 9 years ago. I also have a crazy Cockateil (Sally) a rescued mutt (Harley) and a horse (retired, now), Porkchop.

Well, that's about all....I really enjoy this place (LCT) and I look forward to getting to know you all.....will definitely be at the Queen Mary brunch in May for the SoCal crowd!! Liz

Liz, welcome to LCT..great introduction, thanks
for sharing..am sure you will love the Navigator and Tahiti trip..r/wes

Hello everyone, I would like to start out by saying there are alot of interesting and wise people on LCT, this site is great and addictive, just like cruising!! My name is Darec I am 31 years old, I live just outside Chicago, I live with my wife Barbie she is 33yrs old, "but please don't let her I told you", hense the name Darbie (ha ha). Lots of firsts for me last year I ran the chicago marathon, my first, my wifes 7th, I was married last year, and my very first cruise was last year in Nov. and now I'm addicted to all three. My wife is a food serv. courd. with a culinary arts degree, and I am a Journeyman electrician with the chicago union. I also just recently got out of the army national guard as a combat medic. We have no children yet but have our doggie named Gordy /who is a full breed visla, and at 2 yrs old still a handfull. Looking forward to our next cruise on sept. 10th 2005 on the PG, and hopeing to meet some of you on it. But if not mabee next time. I will make it short and sweet so take care. Darec (Darbie) :lct:

Liz and Darbie, welcome to the board! I enjoyed reading both your introductions, and hope you will continue to post after your cruises.

Welcome Liz. You will find many boomers here. Glad you enjoy your work. My sister and her husband both started their careers in child protection. They found it very draining and went on to other aspects of social work. So, I know your job is not easy. Glad you're here!

Trish

Liz and Darec, welcome to the board!!

Welcome Darec/Darbie and Liz! Thank you for sharing a bit of yourselves here. You''ll find we all have an a lot in common besides crusing.

Liz, we'll looke forward to meeting you May 1st!

I am writing from Shanghai to tell Liz and Darec welcome and thanks for igniting the "Introduction" board - I love reading all introductions and seems LCT had hit a long dry spell - glad you took the time to write - Joanna

Liz and Darec - thanks for posting your introductions!! They're always so much fun to read!

Masaki

Liz & Darec,

Thanks for posting your intros. Nice to meet you via LCT. Welcome!!!!!!!!

Betty

Welcome to LCT, Liz and Darec. I enjoyed learning a little bit about you. Happy to have you here!

Thanks to all of you for the warm welcome!!!! I know I'm in trouble when I check this place for new posts before even reading my e-mail, LOL!!! I look forward to getting to know everyone...just seems like a great crowd. And Darec, from one "newbie" to another, welcome--I enjoyed your intro!! Now, I hope I don't spend my whole trip on the Navigator down in the Internet Cafe, reading and writing posts here, LOL!!! Liz

Liz & Derec:

Welcome aboard to you both! ! !

Liz: You sure have a lot of "critter" friends and that kind of thing goes down well on this board. If my memory serves me right, I believe you'll be on the Queen Mary on May 1...I hope I'm right as Penny and I would like to meet you.

Derec: A former combat medic. God bless you!

Both of you are into saving in one form or another. Super!

Cheers! Ray

Ray--

I do have a lot of "critter" friends--I LOVE animals of all kinds. Actually, before I moved to this townhome in late November, 2004, (I know you read the story about the patio debacle, LOL), I owned a small ranch (1/2 acre, but well-designed) in a town here in SoCal called Norco (a town devoted to animal keeping. with a zoning law that minimum property size is 1/2 acre). For a few years, I actually rescued aged, unwanted horses...I took them in, and at my own expense provided hospice care for them (including whatever medical Tx they needed) until they died.

It took a toll on my finances and, more to the point, a toll on my heart and soul...I had to put so many down--so I quit doing it. I love being around animals...they all have their own distinct personalities, don't they? I've already gathered that many people on this board are true "critter" lovers... Thanks for your welcoming responses. Liz

Liz and Darec - I'm very late in wishing you a very warm welcome to LCT!!!! So glad to have you join in. Ray said it so well (he always does!) about you both being into saving lives. Kudos to you both!!

Liz, I'm looking forward to meeting you at the May 1 Queen Mary Brunch. I love all your critter stories. We've always had cats. Our last 4 have been either rescued (abandoned or lost) or adopted from the animal shelter. It feels so good to help out a furry critter who needs a home so badly.

As for your upcoming cruise. . . as far as I'm concerned, you'll have the best of both worlds - the Navigator (my first ship) and Tahiti (will be my new love in May!). I bet you can't wait!!

Darec, I want to thank you also for your past service to our country. I take my hat off to you. You have definetly earned some fun on the PG in Sept!!! Where and what ship was your first cruise?

Welcome to both of you!!!!

Welcome Liz and Darec,

You are both welcome and wonderful additions to the LCT boards! I've enjoyed reading your posts and hope that there are many more to follow!

I have to agree with your comments, Liz, about savoring life in your 50's. I feel the very same way. I, too, am a baby boomer (going to be 55 in April). This time of my life has been very freeing in many aspects and I find myself trying to take in as much of life's experiences as I can - an urgency, if you will. There is so much yet to do and see. I want to do it all - now.

I am looking forward to meeting you at the welcome home brunch on May 1.

Again, a big welcome to you both!

Thanks everyone for the welcome, Hi Cyndi and Tom, my first cruise was Royal Caribbean's navigator and we went to the western caribbean, about 5000 people on this ship so the PG should be a different experience.

Cyndi and Denise

Cyndi--Yes!! Isn't it the most wonderful feeling to look into the eyes of a rescued animal and know that you gave him/her a good home??? I have this horrid scraggly mutt named Harley whom I found almost dying in front of a Bank of America..alone and so forlorn. I could tell that he was very, very old. So, I took him in (after posting news of him at the nearby pound) and, 4 years later, he is still with me. The little guy is an enormous pain in the rear and has cost me a fortune...but his little eyes are so filled with love and gratitude, that it just makes my heart happy that he has a warm safe home to spend his last years...

Denise!! You say it so well about being in our 50s....that urgency to experience things, to live richly (and I don't mean in terms of money, LOL), that sense that life is fragile and short. I think when it really hit me was in 1999, when both of my parents died within 3 months of each other. Suddenly, when you lose your parents, you are truly slammed with your own mortality...especially, bing the oldest child (of 2), it's like when they go, you're the next in line....

That's one of the reasons I'm going on the Tahiti cruise. It's a huge extravagance for me, but who knows how my health will be in several years, who knows anything???? I've worked so hard most of my life (most of it in the service of others, one way or another) and I decided that it was time to really treat myself....plus, I've always so wanted to see Tahiti, and am too phobic about flying to go that way. The colors, the rich native culture, the natural beauty....just call me there. I am so excited!!!

If I love it as much as I think I will, I'll probably start pulling money out of market funds to go on other cruises (but less extravagant ones) in future years. I actually saw a nice cruise to Alaska--can't remember the line, but it's another line like Radisson, perhaps more like Seabourn. It goes round trip from S.F. to S.F. and is the only one that stops in Victoria. Sometime in the summer of '06.

I can't wait to meet you, also, at the QM brunch. I'm so enjoying these "board" conversations!!!!!! Warmly, Liz

Liz,

You say things so eloquently. You have a lot of heart. Rescuing Harley shows you have lots of compassion.

I lost my dearest friend, Aunt who was more like a mother to me, and both my parents within a four year period. I truly can relate to what you have said. I told my husband, Alan, that I feel as if the 60 Minutes clock is ticking inside me - I want to take all life has to offer in. Loosing loved ones makes you feel vulnerable and in a race to do all you can and be all that you can be, because time is very fleeting. I don't take anything for granted (actually, I never did). I especially feel that it's important to tell those you love and care about, exactly how you feel about them each and every day. Never leave anything unsaid. My life is not about money, but about relationships and experiences. I feel I am the better for living my life this way.

I think you and I have lots in common. Very much looking forward to meeting you in May! Hopefully, some of the trips you anticipate taking will find us on the same journey!

Oh, Denise--your post was so lovely and powerful, it gave me goose bumps!!!! You expressed it so beautifully. I so well know that vulnerability that comes on the heels of so much loss (through death) of loved ones, coupled with the inexorable march of time and advancing of years....I feel the same longing to be all that I can be and do all that I can do.

It truly becomes a matter of quality, not quantity, though....that important sense of living life not so much for one's own pleasure, but with a certain pitch and passion, giving something back.....

and I agree about the love for family and friends...after my parents died, and I was truly struck with how fragie this slender thread really is, the most important thing in my life became my small circle of family, friends-who-are-like-family, and beloved pets.

I feel the same way you do---always letting those people know how much I love them. You never know when the last words you say to someone will come. The night before my mother died, she called and we had a visit on the phone. But I was tired and irritable and didn't really put much heart into the conversation..she had gotten sometimes difficult during her last weeks, and I felt mildly irritated with her. The next morning, she died.

Knowing my mother (she was an Episcopal priest and very aware of the deeper things in life), she knew when she called me that she would be gone the next day....I wish I had been more loving. It was my last chance. Of course, we all have our moments of being grumpy, uncharitable, or outright mean, but after such moments, I always try to undo them.....because you never do know.

I can be a huge whiner about the silly, unimportant things that go wrong in my life, but I am humbled and grateful when I remember how blessed I am. Few people in this world get to do something as wonderful as going on a Radisson cruise. So I'm always mindful of how fortunate and blessed I am (in between periods of whining, LOL).

I think that you and I have TONS in common....we most definitely will have to try to coordinate a future cruise. Wish you were going to Tahiti!!!!!!! Warmly, Liz

Darec and Cyndi---

Darec--I so think you guys are going to enjoy the smaller ship after being on the huge mega-ship. A good friend of mine and his wife were on the PG in Tahiti and they said it was so unbelievably wonderful, especially after having also done some of the "mega-ships." When are you going??? If it's before me, I expect a full report about your recommendations regarding shore excursions.

Cyndi--It sounds like you're going in May, so that goes for you, too!!!! I'll look forward to hearing your opinions about what is good to do and explore!!! That way, I'll know which excursions to reserve!! This is WAY better than reading some review...I know that from you all I'll get real, honest opinions and advice!! Liz

Welcome to you both!! I rarely read this thread, I forget about it. It's so nice to get a glimpse into the life behind the names. You will find that so many here have a wealth of information to offer (not me, lol, I just add my 2cents worth on occasion).
Darbie-Darec, it's nice to see some younger, more inexperienced ones on here besides me! Not really younger, but the inexperienced part.... (I'm 36).
Liz, you and I have similiar careers. I am in Law Enforcement and handle sex crimes (adults & children) and child abuse cases. Loads of fun, huh?!! As we speak, I am off today and I am being called out on something, ugh...
I'm half joking, I do enjoy the job but it does tend to jade you after awhile. I'm a moderate conservative, too (if there is such a thing) and I know this job is to blame!! I am also an animal lover, the mommy of two 13yr. old set-in-their-ways pain in the A$#%$ that I couldn't live without. Again, welcome!

Hi Liz, PIP PG sept 10th 2005 and we can't wait. when is yours?----Darec

Liz,

What you've written is so meaningful and insightful.

Although you wish you could have done some things differently, prior to your mother's passing, you did the best you were able at the time. You have to believe and know that your mother knew how you felt about her, despite you not saying the words "I love you" at the time. None of us are perfect beings. We're all guilty of whining, complaining, getting upset over the most trivial of things and sometimes not being as demonstrative as we should be; however, the real person comes out many times in many ways. The way you live your life each day speaks volumes of the person you truly are.

Reading your posts, I have a sense that you are a very caring and spiritual individual. Surely she knew the real you and how much you loved and cared about her.

While I'm sorry to say we will not be sailing with you to Tahiti, we'll have lots to talk about during brunch.

We are very much looking forward to this get together.

Darec, I will be looking forward to hearing your opinion of the mega ship atmosphere vs. the PG. The entire Radisson experience is so fantasic. And of course, French Polynesia is famous for being paradise. You can't go wrong!!!

Liz & Denise, both of you are so eloguent with your words. It is going to be a pleasure to meet you both on May 1.

Cyndi