We disembark in Fort Lauderdale this morning. The schedule calls for us to leave the ship between 9:00 and 9:15. I have arranged for a rental car at the airport at 10:00; so that should give us sufficient time to drive to Miami for lunch with Gary and Jeanette, and Larry and Margaret. Following lunch we will scatter Dad’s ashes in an area near the beach where he and Mom used to go around the time I was a year old. The plan is to have a break after that. I know that Kate will want to rest for a while. At 6:30 or so Gary will pick us up for dinner.
It is a little ironic that our last full day on the ship turned out to be one of the easiest. It almost made me want to commit to the cruise in May. It is possible, however, that it was easy because we did not get off the ship, and we had no special obligations. We were pretty active but not rushed.
The only definite obligation was to get our luggage packed and outside our door before going to bed. During the night the cabin stewards picked up the luggage and have stored it for delivery to the terminal for us. This was not a big chore. I did most of mine before dinner. Kate chose to do hers after dinner when she is usually ready to hop into bed. Before I left for the evening entertainment (once again she preferred to remain in the stateroom), I got out her suitcase and set aside the clothes for her to wear today. She picked them out but was confused about what she was going to wear after doing so. That led me to put them with my clothes in my closet. When I got back from the show, she was in bed and almost asleep. She hadn’t finished packing. I said something to her about her not finishing, and she got up to finish. I don’t know why I didn’t just finish for her. It would have been easy for me to do. This is just another example of my vacillation between doing everything for her (something she resents) and not doing things that I should.
I woke up just before 5:00 and have finished breakfast where I am writing this post. She awoke before I walked out the door. She mentioned coming with me. I asked if she would like me to bring her something. She opted for that. That is probably better for both of us. I won’t have to rush her, and she won’t suffer any stress. I’m not sure when we have to be out of our cabins, but I do know that they indicated we could wait in any of the public areas on the ship.
8:17 a.m.
We are now in the Lido where Kate had a little more smoked salmon and orange juice. I couldn’t find her sweater this morning. I am hoping she packed it with her luggage. She also borrowed a pair of my socks last night. This morning she could only find one sock.
She is in a good mood and is not exhibiting any of the signs of exhaustion that are common at this time of morning. When I said something in the stateroom about when we might be vacating our room, she asked why. I told her this was the end of the cruise and that passengers would be getting off and new passengers getting on.
While sitting here in the Lido, I said something about all the anticipation of the cruise, and now it was all over. She said, “It seems like just two days.” I agreed. Then she said, “No, I really mean it. It seems like just two days.” I am sure that for her this is quite true. It is another sign that the trip has not been stressful for her. I am glad of that. I am still not sure that given how she seemed to be reacting to everything that it is worth taking the one in May. I will work hard to make that decision soon.
