HAPPY NEW YEAR 2023

​Well this has been one heck of an end of year and start of a new one for me
 
I am on a lovely cruise with three of my mom’ first cousins. The sisters and Mom were raised pretty much like one family and since Mom couldn’t do this trip – I was invited.  As you probably can tell by the way I write my stories, I am a big fan of families and this chance was golden for me.  When your aunts are 80, 86, and 89, you don’t take them for granted!
 
Here we are arriving on the ship – Left to right my aunt Paulina, My aunt Julie, Myself, my aunt Mary, and their cousin Mary. No relation to me but you’ll see from other photos that we are true partners in crime! LOL. 

​We celebrated New Years on board and let me tell you, My aunt Mary and her cousin stayed up later than I did ! And for the record, never underestimate how much dancing keeps you young! 

​The new year started for me in San Juan. I’ve been there before. As a teen with my Mom, then a few years back on a cruise with my Mom again. Some of you might even remember that cruise with Mom as it’s the one where I wrote Shell Game. So much of that book – including the fire – really happened in some way or other, and the lowering of the lifeboats I used in one of the Honeymoon books (I think it was four) came from an even on that first cruise with Mom.  And of course yesterday, my aunts chose to stay on board and play rummy while my new partner in crime, their cousin Mary, and I explored San Juan

Yesterday (Monday) was a new island for me – I’d never been to the British Virgin Islands and I’m blessed to add a new travel spot to my list.  The waters of Tortola are gorgeous.  We took a little tour and had lots of fun. There’s still almost a week left of the cruise so I’ll report in next week. 

​For now, there is no writing. The trip is family time. And I must say, I owe a hug and thank you to my husband and daughter for letting me take this trip and representing me at my mother-in –law’s funeral. She passed away unexpectedly at ninety one the way I want to go, resting on the sofa after watching Wheel of Fortune. She closed her eyes and left this troubled world.  God bless all my family.
 
I’m off to play music trivia (you know how I love it!)