2024 Feb 4-10, Five-Day Carnival Valor Cruise to Cozumel and Progresso, Mexico

 Sunday, Feb 4, Travel to Slidell, La.

Stopped at Jack's for breakfast gravy, sausage, and biscuit. We stopped at Murphy's in Petal, MS to fill up with gas.

We stopped at McDonald's for a couple of pies and to use the restroom.

We checked in at Hampton Inn by Hilton Slidell, LA, room 213, and then went to eat dinner at Texas Roadhouse. I ordered grilled chicken, and a baked sweet potato, with rolls. Hubby ordered Caesar salad, steak, and baked potato.

Grilled chicken, and baked sweet potato

We returned to the hotel where we met a man unloaded his car. He asked us if we were cruising with Carnival. I think he saw the Carnival luggage tag on my carry-on baggage. He and his wife were from Birmingham, AL he said they had been cruising since the 90s. They had been on about 30 different cruises on different ships. We saw them leave the next morning.  

Monday, Feb 5, Travel to New Orleans 

Ate breakfast at the hotel with 2 waffle rounds with whipped cream, sausage, and cranberry juice. 

Checked out of the hotel and headed to New Orleans around 10 AM. 

Paid for parking at Erato St Cruise Terminal $125

Parked the car walked to the elevator down to the boarding process. For lunch, we ate at Guys Burgers 

and ordered a cheeseburger and fries.  Our room 6434 was ready by 1:30 PM. 

The ship left port around 3:30 P M. Let the party begin. 

It was too cold on the Lido Deck so everyone met in the American Lobby. 

the Crimson Trio 

We listened to the Crimson Trio in the American Lobby. 

We ate dinner in the Lincoln Room. I ordered a shrimp cocktail, a crawfish strudel(savory baked phyllo, sweet corn remoulade), Szechuan Shrimp,(scallions, garlic, angel hair noodles, peppers, and bok choy), and Cheese Cake with strawberry sauce. 

We sat next to a couple from the State of Washington. Said they lived on an island and watched cruise ships come up the Pacific Ocean. 

We also sat next to a mother and daughter from Columbus, Mississippi. 

Tuesday, Feb 6, Sea Day 

Watched the sun come up from my balcony. 

sunrise

At the Omelette Station, I ordered a loaded omelet made to order, with bacon and chocolate milk for breakfast.

9:00 AM made two necklaces at Creativity at Sea in the American Lobby. 

We went to the Fun Ashore Giveaway at 10:30 in the Ivanhoe Theatre but didn't win anything. 

Lunch was at the Mongolian Wok, where I ordered a shrimp stirfry with veggies.

Mongolian Wok Asian flavor your stir-fry bar with rice noodles,  veggies, sauce, and shrimp (double) cooked in unique culinary creations. 

Met a woman from Louisiana who loved Mongolian food. She had several bowls of food for crew members because they did not have the time to wait in line.

Took a long nap.

Dinner in the Lincoln Diner where I ordered Herb-crusted salmon with asparagus, sweet potatoes beurre shrimp cocktail, and Carnival's Chocolate Melt Cake with Ice cream. 

We once again sat next to the mother and daughter from Columbus, Mississippi. 

We went to the V IP Show at 7:00 PM in the Ivanhoe Theater 

Wednesday, Feb 7, Cozumel 

Breakfast in Lincoln Dinner ordered waffle, omelet, sausage, and water. 

Went ashore in Cozumel around 9:00 AM.

We walked around to several shops and bought Ron a pair of Crocs. 

Took several pictures. Walked up the street to Margaritaville where we ate lunch. 

We ordered 3 tacos, 1 Pepsi, Sunrise Margarita. We Walked back to our port area stopping to take several pictures of the Coral Reef display. 

Stopped to take pictures in front of a couple of donkeys at the 3 Amigos. 

Dinner in the Washington Dining Room where I ordered a Shrimp cocktail, Chicken, Veggies, and chocolate melt cake with ice cream. 

We listened to the Crimson Trio in the American Lobby 

Chac Mool ("Red Claw") 

Thursday, Feb 8, Progresso 

Breakfast Omelet bacon, pastry, and Chocolate milk. 

All-inclusive Shore Excursion at 9 AM to Mi Casa Es Su Casa Private Beach your way. 

Back on the ship by 3:30 PM 

Lunch avocado dip, chips, Pina cola, and coke. Watched our host make an avocado dip using Mangos, and tomatoes. Cilantro, salt, pepper and avocados.

Dinner Stuffed mushrooms, Fried Mississippi Catfish(cornmeal-crusted) spinach, mac & cheese and tartar sauce, and a banana split. 

Excursion to a Private beach with around 40 people took the bus with 2 children. A nine-year-old named Sabrina. Our host cooked us lunch Mexican Avocado dip, chicken tacos, etc. We had a bartender who mixed drinks. I ordered a Pina cola, and my hubby a margarita both virgins. 

I walked along the beach the water was cold. Monday a storm had come through with 50 MPH winds so the water was a little choppy and dirty. Not many people went into the water. Most everyone sat in beach chairs and some under umbrellas. Lunch was served around 10:30 AM. 

Around 10:30-11 We heard a mother call out  Sabrina where are you?

She was nowhere to be found. Everyone joined in the search for Sabrina up and down the beach, inside the house. Going from one neighbor's house to another.  A neighbor called the police. Five showed up at the beach. A detective went along the beach circling Sabrina's footprints. Neighbors called their friends and several said they saw a small girl walking up the beach crying. 

She had walked about 1 1/2 to 2 miles up the beach to the nearby hotel. When they found her she said "I thought my family had left me so I was walking back to the ship. You could see the ship from the beach. 

They took her to the hospital to be checked out for dehydration. 

The family was brought back to the beach house where everyone enjoyed the rest of the day eating and drinking. 

Everyone was so proud to see the little girl Sabrina.

I overheard the mother ask Sabrina about her adventure but she just said I don't want to discuss it. 

The mother's feet were covered in scratches from running through the thickets looking for Sabrina. 

Everyone loaded back onto the bus and began our journey back to the ship. Thank God we were able to return with everyone. 

We were back on the ship by 3:30 PM. The ship's time to leave was 3:30-4 PM but we didn't leave until almost 5 PM because a bus full of people was running late getting back from an excursion. 

The bus drove straight up to the ship, letting people off right at the boarding area. This was a very eventful day. 

Welcome to Yucatan

Friday, Feb 9, Sea Day 

Breakfast with Doctor Seuss Cat & the Hat, thing one, thing two in the Lincoln Dining room.

Hubby ordered Green eggs with ham and funny Belgian Waffles. I just ordered Funny Belgian Waffles with Moose Juice.

In the Ivanhoe Theater, we made a bulldog, and an elephant out of towels and bought the Towel Art Book. 

Lunch was #6 Cuban Mixto: roasted pork, ham yellow mustard, Swiss cheese sandwich, 3 cookies, and vanilla ice cream. 

Bought Build-A-Bear for St Jude on the Lido Deck. 

Hubby took a long nap while I watched TV

Ate a salad for dinner. 

We watched 90s music and We Are the World in the Ivanhoe Theater. 

We did the Debark process in the Carnival App.

funny Belgian Waffles

Saturday, Feb 10, Travel Home

Breakfast Lido Deck 9 Omelets, chocolate milk, pastry. 

Waited for our app to tell us when to embark. 

Went through the immigration process, loaded our car, and started for home. 

We stopped in Petal, MS to fill up with fuel. 

Stopped at Welcome Center  for a break

Ate lunch at Cracker Barrel in Meridian MS

I ordered Fried Shrimp, Pinto Beans, cornbread, chow, and tartar sauce. 

Bought some chocolate candy and hubby a shirt. 

It began to rain in Russellville and rained all the way home. 

 

Growing up in the Shoals

Earline in Story-Land was enjoyed by many children in the Shoals Area including myself, for over 22 years.
All I remember about Earline Burns was her television show and where she lived.
Both my grandparents lived in Sheffield and one of my grandparents went to Church not too far from Earline's house.
We moved to Florence in 1962, sometimes when we would travel to Sheffield we would go by  Earline's house on Hatch Blvd., but most of the time we would travel down second street.
I remember seeing her blue Cadillac Convertible sitting in front of her small pink house, which has been torn down.
My parents lived in downtown Sheffield when they married and moved to Tuscumbia when I was about 2 1/2.
Entertainment was watching a movie on the big screen either at the Theater or a Drive-in.
I saw many movies at the Colbert Theater, Tuscumbia Theater, Norwood Theater, Shoals Theater, Wilson Drive-In, and Joy-Land Drive-In.
My siblings and I would walk to the Shoals Theater during the summer months and watch a movie for ten cents.
I was always small for my age and could get into the theater for the cost of a child long after I was passed that age.
I remember buck's night at the Drive-In.
We would go around the neighborhood filling the car full of neighborhood kids.
We could all get into the movies for one dollar a carload.

I don't remember listening to the radio but we did own a black-and-white TV.
Dad worked for a Mr. Hensley Jarrett hauling large power poles. Our TV Antenna was atop one of those tall poles. I remember the pole had spikes and dad climbing to the top to install the Antenna and the wires running into the house to the rabbit ears sitting atop the TV.
We could pick up all the local channels.

We watched shows like Gunsmoke, The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet, The Bob Hope Show, Calling all Cars, The Cisco Kid, Death Valley Days, Dragnet,  & The Lone Ranger.
Since I never listened to the radio, I did not know that many of the television show that I watched were once live radio shows.

Many famous people came to the Shoals in those early years, but growing up in the Shoals they were just another face in the crowd.

When I was a teenager, just turned sixteen,  I worked at Shockley's Pancake house, which was across the street from Holiday Inn, where many of the famous entertainers stayed when they were in town.

I served the Four Seasons, and I  had no clue who they were.
As a working girl who never listened to the radio, I had no clue who came into our restaurant.

Now that I am older, I am learning so much about the Shoals Area that I have been a part of.

I walked the streets of Florence, Sheffield, & Tuscumbia and  I spent many hours at Spring Park.

I remember dad bringing home a trunk that he had gotten from the Helen Keller Home, that had been thrown away.
It had several books inside the trunk, one was a Blue Hard Back Brothers Grimms Fairy Tale Book.
I read that book many times.
When we moved to Florence in the early 1960s the Fairy Tale Book must have been thrown away because I never saw it again.

I remember going to Spring Park riding the train, and playing on all the playground equipment, which was like an amusement park.
There was a swimming pool just up the street and inside the park was a large wading pool.
The park fell into disarray for many years and its glory days are gone forever.

I remember the Liberty's, & A & P Supermarkets where mom shopped, they gave S & H Green Trading Stamps, Plaid Stamps, and Top Value Stamps just for shopping at their stores.
When collected into multiple books we would take them to the Trading stamp store for merchandise.

So many things we no longer have, as time changes.
We now have a cell phones, no sharing party lines, and phones hanging on the wall.
We no longer use an outhouse, we now have portlets.
We no longer have to heat the house up to cook, we have a microwave and convection ovens.
We no longer use glass, everything comes in plastic.

Gasoline is no longer 100% and costs 25 cents a gallon.
A new Corvette fully loaded costs over 80,000 dollars.

In the next twenty years, many will be living in Space.

One hundred years sounds like a lifetime.
When I was a kid, I thought 30 was old, now one hundred doesn't sound quite that old.

🍉🍉🍉2016 Friday, August 19, Watermelon Festival Russellville

We arrived at the Watermelon Festival in Russellville a little before 6:00PM 
We parked on the street behind the main street and walked one block entering the Watermelon Festival.  
As we walked up Main Street we saw Daddy's Roasted Sweet Corn which was positioned near the Roxy Theater.  
Posted on the Marquees was "Welcome to the 36th Annual Watermelon Festival." 

Main Street was crowded with vendors on both sides, with many people buying the vendor's wear. It was a struggle just to walk up the street because it was so crowded.
It was a little breeze blowing but, not enough to take away the humidity. The sky was filled with dark, heavy clouds, ready to burst into rain. 

We could hear the Kerry Gilbert Band beginning to play.

We could hear the Kerry Gilbert Band as they began to play. We walked in the direction of the sound of the music. 
When we arrived, in the area of the band, the sun was beaming down right into my eyes, so we had to find a shaded area, where we could watch the band. 

We had brought chairs to set in but left them in the van so, we ended up sitting on the concrete curb near the tables filled with juicy, red, slices of watermelon, free for the taking. 

We sat and watched the band play while the watermelons behind me were saying come to get a slice. 
So, I walked to the table that was full of sliced melons and picked out a slice, making sure that I had plenty of napkins.

Free slices of red juicy watermelons! Make sure you grab enough paper towels!

I listen to music while eating the melon, with juice dripping down my arm. 
I savored every bite until nothing was left but the rind. 
I found only a few seeds in the watermelon slice, which I spit onto the ground. I found a garbage can to dispose of the rind and I wiped my face and hands of all that red, sweet, juice, from the melon.

Slices of the red juicy watermelon slices were going fast. 

Kerry encouraged the crowd to clap 

Kerry is an Elvis Presley fan and he sang one of Elvis's songs, Suspicious Mind.  Kerry gets way down on the base, with the song Way Down. 
Kerry, Hugh Banks, Terry Frank, Randy Kimbrough, Alyssa Ashley, Mitch Curtis, and Wendell Dean did an Acappella of the gospel song, Sweet Sweet Spirit.
Alyssa Ashley and Mitch Curtis performed a Dotty West Song, Two Worlds Collide. 

There were several women and a man that got up and danced, while others clapped, and stomped their feet to the beat of the music. 

SWEET TREE Productions controlled the sound system and provided the stage for the bands.

When the band ended we walked back into the crowded streets. 

Fresh Squeezed Lemonade YUM!!!

We saw Smoothies and Tropical Treats by Dixie Concessions.
We saw Corn Dogs, Chicken tenders, Mozzarella Cheese Sticks, French Fries, and Ribbon Fries, Philly Cheese sticks, Polish Sausages, and Funnel Cakes. 

We saw on the Roxy Theater Marquees facing down Main Street: Whiskey Tree Guest Kendra Hope, Travis Wammack, and Snake Band Saturday, August 27, 6:30PM

We saw Captain Marvel and Spiderman

We saw Protect and Serve Police Officers. 

We saw Protect and Serve Police Officers. 

We saw Mickey and Minnie Mouse and children getting their pictures made with them 

We saw U.DO. IT Chill Factory, Alabama's Best Fresh Made Ice Cream, Tharptown Wildcats Cheerleaders, Boy Scouts, Italian Ice, & Dipping Dots Ice Cream.

We walked to the carnival rides where we saw Mickey, Minnie, Donald, and Daisy's Bouncing house. We saw children buckled into the Reckless ride. We saw children loading into Pirates Revenge Ride. 

Swings, Mind Winder

Monster Truck 

Reckless and Mickey, Minnie, Donald, and Daisy's Bouncing house

We saw a giant Monster Truck called Mayhem inflatable and a large inflatable slide. We saw children being slung around on the swings. 
The last ride we saw was the Mind Winder.

Standing in Silence watching the Festival for the last 36 years is this Historic Home 

Facing one another at the end of the festival, stood in silence two Old Historic Homes.
On the right was a house built of red brick with two chimneys. To the left was a white siding three-story home with a red slate, a triangle roof, a rounded dome room on the third level, and a covered front porch. 

We started back up the street where we saw a young boy riding the bull, he stayed on for 48 seconds. As we walked past, I said to myself, not me, that bull can buck someone else off. 

I ain't afraid of no GHOST!

As we walked up Main Street we saw a man from Ghost Busters.
Not yet dark enough for any ghosts. 
Yet, there may be ghosts lurking in the two houses just beyond the festival or ghosts walking among us.!  

2003 to present ~The movies that I seen at the theater

Some of the cartoons I went to see more than once with the grandkids 

Christmas with the Kranks

Pirates of the Caribbean Curse of the Black Pearl

Lemony Snickets A Series of Unfortunate Events

Cars

Pirates of the Caribbean Dead Mans Chest 

Harry Potter Order of the Phoenix 

Charlottes Webb

Night at the Museum

Charlottes Webb

Ghost Rider

Pirates of Caribbean at Worlds End

X-Men 

Ratatouille

Hairspray

Sea Monsters

Ink Heart

Harry Potter 1/2 Blood prince

Avatar

Alice in Wonderland 

Transformers 2

Team

Monsters vs Aliens

Surfs up

Despicable Me

The Sorcerers Apprentice

Grown ups

Harry Potter Deathly Hallows Part 1 

Tangled

Chronicle of Narita Dawn of Voyage Treader

Tron

Season of the Witch

Gullivers Travels

Rango 

Rio

Hop

How to Train your Dragon

Water for Elephants

Fast Five 

Pirates Caribbean on Stranger Tides

King Fu Panda 2

Green Lantern 

Cars 2

Harry Potter Deathly Hallows 2

Monsters vs Aliens

transformers Dark of the Moon

Cowboys and Aliens

the Last Air Bender

Disney's a Christmas Carol

Immortals 

New Years

Sherlock Holmes a Game of Shadows

We bought a zoo

Alvin

Sherlock

Mission 4

Joyful Noise

One for the money

Star Wars 

Journey 2 

Lorax 

John Carter 

Hunger Games

Mirror

three Stooges

Chimpanzee

Dark Shadows

Avengers

Men in Black 

Snow White and the Huntsman

Puss in Boots

Prometheus 

Madagascar

Chicken Run

Over the Hedge

Brave

Kung FU Panda 

People Like us

Amazing Spider Man

How to train your dragon

Ice Age 4

Madagascar 2

Dark Knight Rises

Bee Movie

the Watch 

Monsters vs Aliens

Megamind

Paranormal 

Odd Life of Timothy 

Hotel Transylvania 

Frankenweenie

Cloud Atlas 

Sky Fall

Rise of the Guarding

Life of PI

Wreck it Ralph

Hobbit 

Monsters

Cirque du Soleil 

Les Miserable

Hansel and Gretel Witch Hunters

Jack and the Giant Slayer

OZ Great

Croods

GI Joe

Jurassic Park

Iron Man 3

Despicable Me 

Hotel Transylvania 

Man of Steel 

Smurf's 

MU 

Ice Age 4

Despicable Me 2

Lone Ranger

Horton Hears a who

Pacific Rim

Happy Feet

Yogi Bear 

Wolverine

Chimpanzee

Percy Jackson

Frozen 

Thor The Dark World

Hobbit of Desolation of Smaug

Captain America Winter 

God is not Dead

Heaven is Real 

X-Med 

Maleficent

Croods

Epic 

Turbo

Despicable Me 2

The Nut Job 

Rio 

Lucy 

Mr Peabody

Guarding of the Galaxy

Rio2

Tomorrow Land

Rise of the Guardians

How to Tame your Dragon 2

Monster vs Aliens

the Croods

Megamind 

Shrek 4ever

Marmaduke 

Minions 

Ant Man

Tooth Fairy 

Spongebob 2

Pattington

Star Wars the Force Awakens 

2013~ October 1, Tuesday, Trip to Red Bay, Alabama “The Way we worked”

October 1, 2013, today my husband and I drove to Red Bay Alabama to see the traveling Smithsonian exhibit ”The Way we worked.”

My husband drove west on Highway 72; at Pride, he turned left onto highway 247.

We saw rugged mountain with towering forests along highway 247, the trees were green with a hint of yellow and orange, not quite ready for autumn.

We had to wait several minutes because there was a large road machine digging in the ground doing some kind of road construction, we also passed several log trucks, and several horse trailers, must have been a horse show nearby.

Road Construction

Log Truck

“The Way we worked,” is a collection of black and whit colored images from the National Archives.

The display is at the Weatherford Center on Main Street and will be there from September 14-October 25 2013.

“The Way we worked"

“Music Works” from Alabama Music Hall of Fame Muscle Shoals, Alabama, is another collection that is being displayed. 

“Theater Works” is Storytelling & Local Movies at the Weatherford Center. 

“Quilt Works” is on display at Red, Bay Library next door to the Weatherford Centers. 

They were many first, second, and third class ribbons given away in many different categories for the quilts. 

Machine Child Category, 1st place went to Fiona Oliver (Christmas Scene), third place to Christianly Carter (Stork scene).

Side by side were the Auburn (eagle) and Alabama  (the elephant) quilts they are rival teams.

There was a cross stitched quilt by Lucille Horton given as a wedding gift on July 1983, 

A quilt made by Granny Burcham for Hazel Hall 1947, it was a friendship quilt (each block was made by different individuals with name of family members on the blocks. These quilts were often raffled off as fundraisers.)

An Alabama National Champion quilt displaying dates of: 1979, 1992, 2009, 2011, 2012

A Cathedral window tie-hanging quilt that was made by Dianne Bentley (governors wife) from ties belonging to Governor Robert Bentley.

There were a couple of Alabama quilts in the children contest  made by Josiah Oliver (second place) and by Cindy Carter (first Place).

The back wall of the Library was hanging full of quilts, quilts with many shapes, sizes, and designs

Alabama Quilt

Our walk in Red Bay was on a bright sunny October day following the tracks laid out for tourists to follow for “the Way we Worked Smithsonian Tour”.

We saw many of Red Bay’s old building that depicting murals of the lives of the people of Red Bay. Starting with A.M. Nix Barbecue, Bay Theater, Morrow, Red Bay Café, Red Bay Grocery, Red Bay Ice and Gin Company, Red Bay School, Rob Orrick’s Hamburger’s, T. D.  Jackson’s Meat Market, The Calaboose, The depot and hotel, the old Medical clinic, the style shop, the well, Thompson’s seed and feed, Wilson Read to Wear and ending with Yarber’s Grist Mill. 

Murals Red Bay 

Murals Red Bay 

Down the street at the Red Bay Museum is History Works where you can find local treasure of years gone by.

 Red Bay Museum 

 Red Bay Museum 

“The way we lived” inside Red Bay’s Museum was the original sign and stair case of The Red Bay Hotel which is now being restored.

We saw a Cary Safe from Buffalo, NY, a sign from Faust Rexall Drugs, counter from a hardware store, a soda fountain from a drug store, sign from Naber’s & Co., Cash Store, antiquated Coca cola drink machine, dippers that was used at the old well, the ceiling, light fixtures and seats from the old Red Bay theater.

There were medical instruments that were used by local physician, a computing scale for Sagle Co from Dayton Ohio, items donated by several different churches. There were military uniforms on display wore by local veterans of Red Bay.

There was a sign that said Condimental Ginning System, items from old train depot, and farm tools of every kind. 

There were several rooms each with different themes, depicting the life of Red Bay Alabama.

The top floor was full of items of Tammy Wynett.

 Tammy Wynett Dresses

 Tammy Wynett Dresses

 Tammy Wynett Dresses

It was getting past lunchtime and we ask where a good local restaurant was but all they had to offer were chained Restaurant. 

So we stopped at Jacks where I ordered chicken fingers with green beans and water. 

After lunch, we headed north on highway 24. 

There was a lot of construction along this highway and it is along way from being finished.

We drove through downtown Russellville.

We stopped on Jackson Avenue where I took pictures of the town and couple historic markers. Next, we stopped at the Historic Roxy Theater where I made pictures of the theater and historic marker.

Historic Roxy Theater 

Historic Roxy Theater 

We drove further down the street and I spied an old cemetery called Sadler. 

We stopped in Littleville Alabama to make a picture of the historic marker that told about the life of Captain Benjamin Little who had lived in historic Littleville. 

Littleville 

History of Littleville, Alabama 
Capt. Benjamin F. Little, a former Confederate soldier, opened a store here after the railroad from Tuscumbia to Russellville was built in 1887. A train station and several houses were soon erected. A rail spur provided access to nearby iron ore mines. Capt. A.H. Keller owned a sandstone quarry and summer resort called Fern Quarry near Keller Springs just north of the town in the 1880s and 1890s. The stone was used in the construction of a blast furnace and commercial buildings in Sheffield. In 1917, Jackson Highway (U.S. Hwy 43) was constructed along the general route of the old Jackson Military Road. (continued on other side) (continued from other side) According to local lore, early settler Hezekiah Tharp's wife Nancy was the daughter of Chickasaw Chief George Colbert (the county is named for him and his brother Levi). Ligon Springs, 1~1/2 miles west, was a popular summer resort in the 1870s. The water was advertised as a cure for dropsy, dyspepsia, sore eyes, kidney diseases, etc. By 1910, Littleville had a population of 30. Its merchants were J.D. Bullington, general merchandise; G.W. Hargett, lumber; M.C. Murray, general merchandise; L.O. Breitling, bakery; and C.J. Brockway, lawyer. The town was incorporated in 1956 and Frank Bullington became the first mayor.

All the way home I was snapping pictures of the winding roads, the towering trees, old and new houses, signs and  I did not stop taking pictures until it was dark.

We came home and my husband grilled pork chops, while I made creamed potatoes and mixed vegetables. 

What a great way to end the day, with a good home-cooked hot meal.