2021 Nov 14-20, Carnival VALOR 5 Day Caribbean Cruise to Cozumel and Progreso, Mexico

2021 Nov 14, Sunday Day 1:

Monday, Traveled to Slidell, Louisiana. We stopped in North Port at Mapco and filled up with gas for $29.49. We ate lunch at Cracker Barrel in Meridian, MS. I ordered pinto beans, fried okra, and grilled chicken. $6.53 We also had cornbread, biscuits, jelly, and water. Bought gas at 2.99 a gallon at Mapco in Northport, Al. for $29.49 and bought gas at Texaco Carrier, MS for $3.09 a gallon. We stayed at Hampton Inn in Slidedell at 4:40 P.M. We watched TV and went to bed early. We skipped supper full of lunch. 

We stayed one night at Hampton Inn 56460 Frank Pichon Rd, Slidell, La. 

Carnival Valor Cruise Ship Stateroom   Deck   Muster Station  

2021 Nov 15, Monday Day 2:

Took a shower, ate Reese's cup, and finished my Sprite. We ate breakfast at the hotel. I ordered scrambled eggs, sausage, muffins, and cranberry juice to drink. We checked out, loaded the car, and headed into New Orleans. We ran into work traffic on 1-10 going into New Orleans. We parked on 4A in the parking deck, walked to the elevators, and went to the ground level to wait in line to be processed along with everyone else. A woman called out Have your boarding passes ready for inspection (not folded) We walked through several lines. We handed the inspector our passports, boarding passes, COVID cards, and the results of our COVID test that showed we were hostile from the results of the COVID test. After several more lines, we were finally seated, waiting to board the ship at 10:40 A.M. Our rooms would not be ready until after 1:30 P.M. After boarding the boat, we walked to Guys Burgers, where we ordered a hamburger and fries. I got lemonade to drink. The dressing for the hamburger was on a buffet; I got onions and fried mushrooms. When we finished, we walked around the ship carrying several bags. (Camera bag with Nikon D7200, medicine bag, my purse, and overnight bag) Wanda had her backpack and her purse. Around 1:30 P.M., we walked to our cabin, unloaded everything, and rested. We went back upstairs to watch the ship leave the dock, and that's when the party began. (4–5 P.M.)We watched the sunset as the boat rolled down the mighty Mississippi, and it was dark when we reached the ocean. We returned to our cabin and changed into nicer clothes to dine in the Lincoln Room for dinner. I started with a shrimp cocktail, followed by a Caesar Salad; the entree was Sweet & Sour Shrimp, followed by Strawberry cake. (5–6 P.M.) At dinner, we sat next to a couple from Tennessee near Cookeville; they had left their 13-year-old daughter at home with her grandparents because she refused to get the COVID-19 shot. After dinner, we went to cabin 9268, which had a balcony, and went to bed early. 

Leaving New Orleans on Carnival Valor 

Sunset leaving New Orleans on the Mighty Mississippi River 

 Nov 16, Tuesday, Sea Day Day 3:

We showered and went upstairs so Wanda could get her some coffee. I also got some cranberry juice. We watched the sunrise around 6 A.M. and then went to the Washington room for brunch. I ordered a Parfait with nuts, Blueberries, strawberries, and yogurt. They cleaned our cabin while we were at brunch and left a towel on the bed. I ate a small taco for lunch. Today is a sea day, so we sat outside and watched schools of flying fish. Today was very windy, and the water was very turbulent. Walking was hard; at times, everyone looked like they were drunk. We had dinner in the Lincoln Room, and no one sat next to us tonight. I ordered prime ribs with gravy and potatoes, my appetizer was cocktail shrimp, and I ordered custard pie for dessert. 

 

Sunset Gulf of Mexico (Sea Day)

Nov 17, Wednesday, Mr. Sancho's Cozumel Mexico Day 4:

Watched the sun come up and then went to breakfast. I ate cantaloupe, French toast with syrup, eggs Benedict (which I didn't like), and chocolate milk for breakfast. Today, we docked in Cozumel. We took a taxi to Mr. Sancho's, which cost us 17 dollars both ways. It is a fifteen-minute ride south of Cozumel. At Mr. Sancho's, it cost us 55 dollars for all-you-can-eat and drink. We sampled a Margarita, & daiquiris while sitting under a bamboo roof. There was a rain shower while we were there, but we didn't get wet. We watched people swimming, snorkeling, and other activities, but we decided to enjoy the view under the umbrella.

We saw several birds scavenging for food. We were brought fried jumbo coconut shrimp with orange sauce, guacamole, salsa, and chips. We also sampled a Pina Colada, Miami Vice, Banana Mama, and Mr. Sancho's special. Our waiter was Aldo, a charming young man who said he was married with a young son. He said that we were queens for the day. He introduced us to his co-worker and told the son of another mother that he was very gracious and helpful. We took the taxi back to the shopping area in Cozumel. I bought a pair of pineapple teal shorts and a Burgundy top and spent $34.50. We went back through security and loaded onto the ship around 2:30 P.M. We watched the ship leave port at 4:30 P.M. We ate dinner in the Lincoln Room. I ordered Caesar salad, steak with gravy, potatoes, & broccoli. My appetizer was a shrimp cocktail,  and the dessert was chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream. Tomorrow, we will dock in Progresso. 

Day trip to Cozumel 

Our waiter, Aldo, at Mr. Sancho's Beach

Nov 18, Thursday, Progresso Mexico Day 5:

Ate breakfast and saw towel art everywhere around the pool area. We docked at Progresso and embarked around 9 A.M. with my boarding pass around my neck and my iPad in my hand. We loaded into a van, and there were 14 of us. We rode about an hour to Celestron, where we used the restrooms and loaded into three boats. There were 4 in two boats and six in one boat. Wanda said I hope we don't turn over because I cannot swim, and our guide, Misael, said the water is only two feet deep. We saw pink flamingos at a distance. Flamingos eat small shrimp that live in shallow waters. They also eat algae & crustaceans that contain pigments called carotenoids. These pigments are found in the shrimp and blue-green algae that they eat.

Next, we rode a short distance and saw Blue Herons, osprey, American Anhinga, and pygmy kingfisher. We rode through a tunnel of mangroves, where we saw several termite mounds in the biodiversity of the mangrove Yucatán peninsula. We stopped at a boardwalk where we saw a pygmy kingfisher. We rode back to where we had parked the van, exited the boat, used the restroom, and looked at the trinkets that were for sale. We loaded into the truck and rode to the beach area where our meals were being prepared. We ate chips & guacamole dip, smoked fish, veggies, and a margarita at the restaurant. We stayed on the beach for about 30 minutes. 

Loaded back into the van for an hour-long ride back to the ship. Our guide played the movie "The Big Year," a nature movie about two bird enthusiasts trying to defeat the cocky, cutthroat world record holder in a year-long bird-spotting competition.

We loaded onto the ship and watched it leave port at sunset. We dressed for dinner: cocktail shrimp, Cajun shrimp, bread, and dessert. We then went to a show for about 60 minutes. 

Island of Progreso 

                                                                  

Some of the birds that we saw at Progreso 

 Nov 19, Friday, Sea Day Day 6:

Sea Day, we are on our return trip to New Orleans. We ate brunch in the Washington room; I ordered bread and sausage with cheese grits. We went upstairs and got in line to purchase an item that benefits St. Jude, where I bought a build-a-bear. We watched the Carnival Valor Family & Mardi Gras giveaway with Matt, the cruise director. I ordered fried shrimp, salad, ribs, green beans, potatoes with gravy, and a dessert in the Lincoln room that night. Watched a Dean Martin special on TV, then went to sleep. 

Friday's Sunrise 

Nov 20, Saturday, Travel Home Day 7:

 Packed the night before, making sure we had everything. We ate breakfast, a couple of pastries and two chocolate milk. Grabbed our bags and met the Silver & Platinum sailors in the Lincoln Dining room. Loaded into the elevators and walked to our car on level 4A. Began our journey home. Filled with gas at Love's in Sandersville, MS, for $28.31, We ordered a sausage and cheese muffin at McDonald's. We stopped at Arby's for a beef & cheddar sandwich with Curley fries and a Coke for lunch. We were at Wanda's by 4:30 P.M., but Hubby had not gotten home from work, so we sat around and talked until Hubby picked me up.

Hampton Inn 56460 Frank Pichon Rd, Slidell, La

Carnival Valor Cruise Ship Stateroom   Deck   Muster Station 

2002 November 7-12 Trip to Washington DC with my Grandson Jake

2002 ~ November 7-12 Washington, DC

I rode a bus to Washington, DC, on the weekend of Veteran's Day with a group of gifted kids from the Lauderdale County school system. 
All the kids, parents, and grandparents had to meet at the Board of Education in Florence, Alabama, at 4:30 P.M., when we loaded onto a tour bus.  

Day 1: Thursday, November 7, 2002  

We left Florence, Alabama, on Highway 72, heading to Huntsville, Alabama. 60 miles

565- Huntsville, we took I565 East 2.4 miles to 72 easts for 37.7 miles, 

35 South merge onto Veterans Drive for 2.1 miles toward Fort Payne, 

35 souths turn right onto Al-35 South for 23.4 miles.

59 North – merge onto I-59 via the ramp on the left toward Chattanooga for 41.9 miles

24 East –merge onto I-24 toward Chattanooga for 17.4 miles.

75 North- merge onto I-75 North via exit 185 B on the left toward Knoxville, Tennessee. 

40 East- take I-40 east toward Knoxville, TN.

81 North – merge onto I-81 North via exit 421 on the left toward Bristol, crossing to Virginia.

66 East- merge onto I66 East via exit 300 toward Fort Royal Washington, crossing into Virginia. 

We traveled all night on the bus, and most of the kids slept. We swapped drivers sometime during the night because drivers cannot drive nonstop for twelve hours.

Day 2: Friday, November 8, 2002

We arrived early the following day, and our first stop was the Arlington National Cemetery. 
We watched the changing of the guards.
Arlington National Cemetery

Changing of the guards at Arlington Cemetery 

We saw all the graves of the unknown soldiers, the eternal flame of President Kennedy, his wife Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, and his brother Robert Kennedy.
We saw the memorial for the seven crew members who lost their lives when the Space Shuttle Challenger exploded.
On January 28, 1986, Challenger disintegrated just 73 seconds after blasting off, killing  Francis "Dick" Scobee, Ronald McNair, Mike Smith, Ellison Onizuka, Judy Resnik, Greg Jarvis and Connecticut teacher Christa McAuliffe. 

Francis "Dick" Scobee, Ronald McNair, Mike Smith, Ellison Onizuka, Judy Resnik, Greg Jarvis and Connecticut teacher Christa McAuliffe

Also inside Arlington National Cemetery is the Arlington House, formerly the Custis-Lee Mansion. It was the former home of one of the most famous Southern generals, Robert E. Lee.
Arlington House The Custis Lee Mansion

Arlington National Cemetery is on a 500-acre site on the East side of the Potomac River. 

We saw the Pentagon on the West side of the Potomac River.
Pentagon

Pentagon, on the West side of the Potomac River

Arlington National Cemetery 

 Smithsonian National Castle  

We visited the Washington National Cathedral Church at 3101 Wisconsin Avenue, NW, DC. This Gothic Cathedral has dramatic architecture, soaring vaults, magnificent stained glass sculptures, carvings, gargoyles, peaceful gardens, and daily worship. 
The Cathedral is the sixth largest in the world, offering magnificent views of DC, Maryland, and Virginia. It is 57 acres long. 
Washington National Cathedral

Washington's National Cathedral  

Jake in front of the Washington's National Cathedral 

We went to the National Zoological Park located at 3001 Connecticut Avenue NW. It has 1000 exotic animals, including the Panda Bear. 
Smithsonian National Zoological Park

When we arrived, the zoo was closing fast, but I did get to see the two new Panda Bears before they closed.

Day 3: Saturday, November 9, 2002

We walked along the White House gates and stood in line for over an hour to get tickets to enter the Capital Building. 
US Capitol Tours

Tickets are free and are on a first-come, first-served basis. 
Distribution began at nine, and we arrived at about 7:30 A.M. 

US Capitol Building with our school group 

Ticket to see the Washington Capitol

We came back later that day for a 45-minute guided tour.
Inside the capitol building were statues that represented every state of the Union. 
General Joseph Wheeler from Pond Springs, Alabama, was the statue that represented Alabama.

There were paintings on the walls and ceiling. 

The constitution of our country was under glass in the capital building. 

Washington National Capitol building is located at 3101 Wisconsin Avenue NW DC.

The white House is located at 1600 PennsyHousea Avenue NW DC. 

To visit the White House of a party of ten or more, a request must be made through a member of Congress six months in advance. 

We went to the Ronald Reagan building for lunch. 

Ronald Reagan Building

We used the restroom in the US Botanical Gardens.
The United States Botanic Gardens
We visited the Smithsonian History Museum.

The Smithsonian Museum of National Air and Space Museum is on 6th Street and Independence Ave SW. 
Inside the National Air and Space Museum are many icons, such as the original Wright Flyer, the Spirit of St. Louise, Space Ship One, the Apollo II Command Module, and a touchable Luna rock. 

Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum

We saw the Jefferson Memorial, a 19-foot statue of our third president. 
Jefferson Memorial

We saw the FDR Memorial, which has four outdoor "galley rooms" featuring ten bronze sculptures depicting the life and times of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt and his beloved dog, "Fala."

National Park Service

We saw the Korean Memorial, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, the Lincoln Memorial, the World War II Memorial, and the Washington Monument, all of which are in West Potomac Park.

Ticket Washington Monument

Day 4: Sunday, November 10, 2002

We went to Mount Vernon (Washington's home in Virginia), 16 miles from SoDCh of DC.
George Washington's Mount Vernon

Mount Vernon 

Ticket to visit Mt Vernon

We ate lunch at the Fashion Center at the Pentagon City of 100 shops.
Fashion Centre at Pentagon City

We also visited the House where Lincoln, our sixteenth house resident, died. 

We shopped in some gift shops on the same street where Lincoln died. 

We went up in the elevator at the Lincoln Memorial, but I had a sick stomach, so I had to rush back down to find a restroom.
Lincoln Memorial District of Columbia
We saw FDR's memorial and his wife, Eleanor Roosevelt.

 FDR Memorial

We saw the Gettysburg address where Lincoln was sitting; he was the size of a two-story building. 

Gettysburg Address

We could see across the Potomac River to the White House. 

We ate lunch at McDonalds. 
We saw Fort Knox, where they make money. 

We saw where the terrorists had destroyed the DCilding in DC, and it is being restored. 

Pentagon being repaired after 911

We saw dinosaur bones in the Smithsonian National History Museum. 

That weekend, they were having a memorial and were reading the names written on the Vietnam Wall. 

My stomach stayed torn up the entire weekend, and I think I used every room in DC. 

We ate breakfast every morning at our hotel. 

Four were in a room, and the parent or grandparent had to sleep with the child. 

We ate lunch and dinner at several different places in Washington, DC.

Day 5: Monday, November 11, 2002

We started our trip back, and my stomach hurt when we got on the bus. 
I was having hot flashes, and I felt the urge to throw up.
I told my grandson to get me a Wal-Mart bag to barf in.
He brought me one, but it had a hole in the bottom. Needless to say, my barf went in one side of the bag and out the other, spilling all over the bus floor.

It smelled awful, so the bus driver found a place to stop, and everyone got out so he could clean the bus.
Everyone went inside the store where we stopped, and I went to the restroom, barfed, and pooped again.

Someone gave me some medicine for motion sickness and a sick stomach. 

I slept until we stopped at a mall in Knoxville, Tennessee, for supper.

My stomach had settled down, so I went shopping at the Disney store, where I bought my granddaughter a Lelo stuffed animal. 

I also bought the movie Snow Dogs, which everyone on the bus watched on the way home.
I went back to sleep and slept the rest of the way home.
A fun trip, but no one will forget the time I barfed on the bus on our return trip home.

Letter to Washington D.C.

Washington October 23rd, 1872, East Dayton

Sir,

I am a homestead settler and am in some trouble in regard to some fine timbers that have been cut on my land 3 years ago.

I made a bargain with a man O.B. Wait for apportions of the pine on my land for so much money payable in payments once a year.

The contract that he should touch anything to interfere with the homestead rights in March 1870.

He went to cutting the timber I forbade him touching it.

He then took of what he had cut as he was not to make me any trouble.

I consider that his claim no coming into force until I prove up my claim to be void.

Wait sold the claim to J.L. Stevens of East Laginane.

In February 1871, he cut about 30 thousand feet of cork pine, I forbade them mooching it, they took it away.

I sent a complaint to Mr. Ripley then received in the land office his reply was that M.L. Stevens had been there and settled for it by having $55.00.

In March 1872, Stevens cut about 80 thousand more and drew it on to banking ground on my land.

Some of it is there yet.

Some dam the creek I made.

In March, I made a complaint by letter to Mr. Bates receiver in the land office.

I went down and made inquiries.

He said he got no letter from me and was very sorry about it.

I saw Mr. Brooks the commissioner, he and Stevens had some talk, told me I had better go home and  I could not do anything with it.

He said he could not find anything paid by Stevens in the books and Bates said the same.

Henry of Lorpeer, agent for the Marshall, went in and looked at the logs said he would come in 10 days and mark the logs, he never came.

I wrote and ask him the reason and he said had met Stevens’s Agent he said they had settled with me and I was satisfied and paid his expenses.

If there were anything he would see to it, I had never seen any of them.

I sent him 4 times, he answered that he could not do anything without Mr. Bates sent him.

I sent a paper with the affidavits of the town clerk and justice that witnessed my contract.

I sent in July to Mr. Bermet, Mr. J Marshall but got no answer.

If that paper could be found it would prove that I am not liable.

One man is in Indiana now.

 I have shown a copy of the contract to Brooks and other prominent men they say that I am not to blame, their claim is broke.

Stevens says he got permission from the land office to take the timber but sent through Brook that he would give me $150.00 for a right of my timber, I will not do it.

They would take anything they can find and be my defiance.

This letter is written to Washington concerning Walter Rumble’s land problem.