FIVE DAY CRUISE--ONE CHECKED BAG!

FIVE DAY CRUISE--ONE CHECKED BAG!!

The difficulty with packing for a five day cruise is the necessity to change clothes at least twice a day. This particular business trip requires a little more thought than simply throwing a couple of shorts and a  bathing suit into a bag.

I start with a chart and outline each day and time of individual activities. I pencil in potential outfits for each event. I review my color palette and narrow it down to one or two choices. Attached is a copy of the chart I use to organize my thoughts. 

DATE/ACTIVITY	DAYWEAR	EVENING WEAR
03/06/17-Monday DL 1420 Depart 9:05 Arrive Ft. Lauderdale 10:55 Check-in at hospitality desk on Deck 6 Open from 1:00-4:30 pm Welcome Reception 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm Pyramid Lounge Dinner 8:30 King Lear-Deck 5, Table 651	Blk/Gold Sweater Black Jacket Black Jeans Blk Sketchers	Black. Jumpsuit Gold Sweater Gold Sandals
03/07/17- Tuesday Cruising	Denim Capris Navy tank Blue floral kimono Blue Sketchers	Black slacks Royal Blue Cold- Shoulder Sweater Black sandals
03/08/17-Wednesday Labadee, Haiti Arrive 7:30 a.m. Jet Ski's 9:45 a.m. Depart 3:30 p.m.	Bathing Suit Cover Up Water Shoes	Black slacks Turquoise Blouse Black sandals
03/09/17-Thursday Falmouth, Jamaica Arrive 8:30 a.m. Hike to Waterfalls and Beach Picnic Depart 4:30 p.m.	Bathing Suit Cover Up Water Shoes	Black slacks Black/Silver Top Black Sandals
03/10/17 -Friday Cruising 6:00-10:00 pm Farewell Dinner Giovanni's Table Restaurant	Denim Capris Turquoise T-shirt Blue Sketchers	Blue Tropical Jumpsuit Gold sandals
03/11/17 -Saturday Ft. Lauderdale Arrive 7:00 a.m. Flight DL 2026, Depart 12:57 pm Arrive Atlanta 2:53 pm	Black Jeans Royal Blue Tank Blk Floral Kimono Black Sketchers

I place my chart in my carry on. It's an easy reference for events and times. You never want to be late or show up at the wrong venue on a business trip.

My evening attire is black with accessories in  bright colors. My daytime wear is denim with a variety of tops. 

If you're a person who hangs out by the pool, all you need are bathing suits and cover-ups for daytime. Sun damage and cellulite keep me in capris!

Shoes can really trip you up. I love them and I like different ones for each outfit but on a cruise the most important thing is comfort. The ships are large and you walk everywhere. I leave the high heels at home. You can pack a ton of flip-flops in very little space, i.e. the outside pockets of your suitcase. Having had many and varied foot surgeries, I enjoy my Sketchers GOGA Plus. They are cushioned with arch support.  I wear the navy with denim and the black with casual slacks. One pair of black flip-flops serve as my casual bed slippers. Dressy black sandals go with evening wear. That's only four pairs of shoes plus my water shoes which I pack in a plastic bag in case they are wet on the return trip. The shoes that can't go in the outside pocket of your suitcase should be placed at the bottom of your suitcase (toward the wheels). Heavy items at the bottom keeps a top heavy suitcase from falling over.

On this trip I took one pair of denim capris and one pair of black pants. I wore the capris during the daytime with various tops. The black slacks paired with dressy tops and sandals for the evening. I packed yoga leggings and tops to double as workout and comfort wear. I like to change pajamas every couple of nights so I packed two sets. For a five day trip I pack 10 pairs of underwear. I roll everything and place it in packing cubes.

I used four cubes. Two small ones for underwear and bras,
bathsuits, cover-ups and yoga wear in the largest one, medium for
socks, evening shape-wear and miscellaneous items which might get lost.
These lay flat in the suitcase and transfer nicely into drawers in the cabin
without unpacking. Packing up again is equally easy

A five day cruise has one formal night. A seven to ten day cruise has two formal nights. If you want to avoid packing formal wear all together plan to eat at the buffet or one of the specialty restaurants in the evening. There's always room service. You cannot get into the main dining room at night in shorts, so plan on khakis and a collared shirt or top. Hanging clothes and formal wear fold on top of the packing cubes.

For short plane trips like this one I carry my Genius Pack Flight Bag, no purse or carry on. I bought mine at Sam Moon in Dallas, but I've given you a link to order one. I found it on Amazon too, but nothing beats Sam Moon's $40 price tag. 

While on the ship you don't need a purse, just a lanyard to keep your Seapass Card handy. It serves as your room key and credit card. The only cash you need is for tips. I stick lip gloss and my phone in my pocket.

A small backpack is nice for shore excursions. We use it to carry towels, bathing suits and a water bottle for a trip to the beach. I the same bag for shopping expeditions.

If I'm flying internationally I always pack a small carry-on with what I consider to be essentials: medicine, jewelry, cosmetics, toothbrush and toothpaste, and a change of clothes, especially underwear. You never know when your luggage will take a side trip.

When visiting my daughter in Budapest I usually have a 10 hour flight with a 12 hour layover in London. It's nice to be able to wash up, brush your teeth and change your undies.

Here is a sample of a chart I sent my granddaughters to follow when we took them to Washington, DC. They were 8 and 10 years old at the time. I didn't get specific about their clothing choices. I gave them guidelines and room to fill in the blanks. One used it. The other didn't. It's all about what works for you. 

WASHINGTON D.C. TRIP	DAYTIME APPAREL	NIGHTTIME APPAREL
Thursday, August 28, 2014AA Flight Depart 7:40 a.m. Arrive Washington D. C. 11:30 a.m. Check-in JR Marriott Washington & Lincoln Memorials	Jeans  or Shorts Comfortable Walking Shoes	Bathing suit and cover-up Flip-flops Nightgown
Friday, August 29, 2014 American History Museum	T-shirt Jeans  or Shorts Comfortable Walking Shoes
Saturday, August 30, 2014 Washington Zoo Air and Space Museum	Jeans  or Shorts Comfortable Walking Shoes	Dinner in Alexandria Casual dress or pants
Sunday, August 31, 2014 Ford Theater Spy Museum	Jeans  or Shorts Comfortable Walking Shoes	Home to GiGi’s

Toothbrush/toothpaste                                      Blister bandaids

Hair Brush/rubber bands and clips                  Sunscreen/sunglasses/hat

5 pairs underwear                                             5 pairs of socks

2 sets of night clothes                                       Light jacket or sweater

Books/games/snacks                                        Water bottle (must be empty at the airport)

The temperature will be in the 80’s in the daytime. In the 60’s at night. Currently an 80% chance of rain onSaturday. You may wear anything appropriate for school--dress, jeans or shorts. We will be walking everywhere. Make sure your shoes are comfortable. Flip flops for the hotel so your feet and shoes can air out a little.

I don’t know that we’ll have time to swim, but pack your swimsuit anyway.

We might eat on the wharf in Alexandria on Saturday night. We will be taking the metro and walking to our destination, so don’t get prissy. I’ll try not to.

I’ll bring a small backpack for first aid kit, snacks and umbrella. Don’t pack more than you can carry.

Holler at me if you have any questions. Safe travels, my friend!

NATIONAL PIE DAY--FRESH STRAWBERRY PIE!

This fresh strawberry pie is a family favorite. It appears on the table for every Easter dinner, (and lunch...and sometimes breakfast. What?... It's fruit!) and other special dinners. About eight years ago our dear friend, evangelist Darren Bruce and his wife, Nirmala, brought Dallas Cowboy, Woody Danzler home for dinner. Darren's smile and booming voice filled the house as he raised his hands and announced, "Oh my, my, my!That's smells so good. Let's just thank Jesus now!" We watched in amazement as he and Woody destroyed BBQ ribs, baked beans, Jailhouse rolls, and a huge piece of strawberry pie. Woody raved about the food and backed up his words by demolishing seconds and thirds. I sent him home with a dozen rolls and half a strawberry pie. The next day I received the supreme compliment. Darren told me Woody stopped at Pappas Brothers Steakhouse for another player's birthday dinner. When harassed for not ordering anything but a glass of water, Woody bragged on the best meal he'd ever eaten. Thanks, Woody.
I received this recipe as a young bride in Beaver, Oklahoma. Our church was having some kind of dinner, probably a Valentine Banquet. Those who volunteered to bring dessert were asked to make this pie. The recipe came from Willie Harvey. Thanks, Willie.

Gather all your ingredients. I usually use butter for the crust but this time I used anon-dairy buttery spread for my granddaughter who can't eat dairy.For my gluten -free friends, I use a gluten-free shortbread cookie crust.It's not easy making everyone happy, but I try.

You can buy a graham cracker crust, but there is nothing better than athick fresh crispy homemade crust. So easy too! Just combine crumbs, sugar and butter.

Blend together and press into pie pan. I like to bake mine at 375 for 6 min. for a crispy crust.

While the crust is cooking and cooling make your filling. Combine the dry ingredients in a 2 qt. saucepan.

Pour boiling water over dry ingredients and stir until smooth.

Cook over medium heat, stirring often.

Cook until thickened.

Set aside the filling and crust to cool.

I have two tools that make slicing large quantities of strawberries a breeze.

The strawberry huller pops the top off with little waste.

The mushroom/egg slicer zips through a quart of strawberries in less than two minutes.

Place your sliced strawberries on top of the cooled pie crust.

Cover the strawberries with cooled filling. I like to toss the strawberries with the filling so they are covered on top and bottom. 

Chill until ready to serve. Top with whipped cream or non-dairy whipped topping.

FRESH STRAWBERRY PIE

1 C. boiling water

1 C. sugar (I use less, but this is the way the original recipe was written) 

3 T. cornstarch

3 T. pkg. Strawberry Jello (I like the Wild Strawberry, if you can find it). 

          Stir dry ingredients together.  Pour boiling water over dry ingredients.  Cook until thickened.  Cool and pour over 1 pint fresh; cut-up strawberries arranged in a graham cracker pie crust.  Cover with Cool-Whip or serve with whipped cream.  (Double the recipe if you use a quart of strawberries).

Graham Cracker Crust

 Mix:   1 ¼ C graham cracker crumbs

          ¼ C. sugar

          1/3 c. melted butter

Shape:  Using back of large spoon, press crumb mixture firmly on bottom and up sides of an 8 or 9 inch pie plate.

For a crispier texture, bake shaped crust at 375 for 6 – 8 minutes; cool then fill.

You might as well make two. One won't be enough!