Official Free Republic Network "Freeps Ahoy" Cruise After Action Report (WHOTCSOTC)

NA ^ | June 8, 2003 | Seeking the Truth

[MinuteGal]

Reflections on a great cruise......

One thing I liked about our balconies was the clear panel so that we could sit with a cup of coffee and watch the great views pulling in and out of port. What scenery! Some cruise lines have a solid panel on the balconies so one has to stand while gawking.......

What could be finah than to eat Baked Alaska in the dinnah with our own Colonel Jim who joined us all the way from the great state of Alaska........

Gene's terrific name tags are a wonderful keepsake from the cruise. Some of us now have two of them. Mine are dangling above my computer. Hope we all can accumulate many more.......

Wanda is already on notice to snoop out some interesting cruises for our next voyage as soon as the cruise lines publish their itineraries for next year.........

Special thanks to Doughty One, our cruise webmaster, for designing and maintaining the Cruise/Bahama Mama threads during these many past months. It was a heavy-duty job, folks, and it was done with great skill and artistic perfection. You're da greatest, Ron.........

Some of my favorite photos posted so far show our freepers flying through the surf on gallant steeds, just like out of a movie, catching the spirit of our carefree getaway. We want MORE PICTURES, freepers, can't get enough of that wonderful stuff!.......

Diotima put on a great program in our Free Republic Network meeting. An inspiring Support the Troops video, a rundown of successful FRN activism events since its inception, an enlightening talk by Bob J on the ins, outs and goals of FRN, plus pots of hot coffee, yummy cookies and freeper fellowship in the cozy ambience of the Venezia Lounge made for a great session ......

The barbeque lunch on Seven Mile Beach was really good.....hamburgers, hot dogs, ribs, chicken, all grilled over sizzling coals, plus all the side dishes and fixin's.....plus a sunny sky, the azure Caribbean and white sand....oh, my........

Anyone else still digging out from under? When I got home, my mailman deposited a CARTON of 9-days mail by my front door. Still ploughing through it. Finally got the last suitcase unloaded and stored in the attic (reluctantly, sob!)

Leni

[hoosiermama]

WHo had the t shirt with the great picture of "W" on it? I've misplaced by addresses. (They'll show up eventually.)

[MinuteGal]

I think Gene may have been the one with that sensational t-shirt. It sure caught everyones eye!

I'm pinging him to see if my memory is functioning correctly this morning.

Leni

[Bizzy Bugz]

Yes it was Gene. He has them for sale on his web site. I sure loved it too.

[MinuteGal]

I hope Gene posts a photo of that t-shirt here.

Leni

[hoosiermama]

Thanks for the information. I've sent my order in.......

[Seeking the truth]

FYI, Leni, this image, 8" x 10" can be placed on either the front or the back of the tee shirt. The tee shirt can either be gray or white!

Get Your "Character Counts" Tee Shirt Here!

[Seeking the truth]

Saw your order...thank you very much. It will be shipped this Friday!

[MinuteGal]

From his company, our freeper Chef and food expert, The Shrew, donated those neat Sonata spice/seasoning packets y'all found in your cruise Welcome Bags. Mine was the Prime Rib & Roast Seasoning. Mmmmm, mmmmm, good!

There was a variety of flavors including Balsamic Chicken Rub and various Southwest and Caribbean Jerk seasonings. I'll bet they're great for summer barbeques!

I'm sure The Shrew will respond to any freepmails regarding these intriguing gourmet items.

Thanks, Shrew.

Enjoy.....and Bon Apetit, folks!

Leni

[MinuteGal]

Oh, be still my fluttering heart!

Leni

[The Shrew]

Thanks for the plug Leni!

I was in Seattle over the weekend and cooked for the Seattle Contingent of Freepers. We put the Balsamic Chicken Rub on some Halibut and baked it with a little white wine and butter and had a pretty nice evening. Publius has an awesome music collection and BilltheDrill brought his own homemade brew and Libertina gave me a tour of Pike Place Market and bought dinner. It was a great time!

I'll have to let them comment on the quality of the food!

Regards,

TS

[Publius]

Excellent evening. Our FReeper friend The Shrew is a professional chef, and he really made my stove sing. (I can only make it gasp.) I put on some Brubeck (Time Out), Rampal (Suite for Flute & Jazz Piano), and Billy Joel's classical piano pieces (Fantasies and Delusions), along with some Schubert (Trout Quintet). Great music, great conversation, and the Four Toasts of the Puget Sound Chapter.

The halibut was exquisite and flaked apart just perfectly. The sauted veggies were just tender enough. Our Washington wines are pretty decent in the form of a Columbia Crest Chardonnay. It was one of the best dinners I've had in a very long time.

And Billthedrill's homebrew! Both light and dark. We knocked back one of each in the latter part of dinner, and the next day I knocked back another bottle of the dark while I sauted that broccoli that The Shrew left me.

FReepers that come to Seattle get treated well by the chapter. ("Any excuse for a gathering," that's my motto.) Libertina even made the salad dressing from scratch. If a FReeper hits town, just let Libertina know. The chapter knows how to show out-of-town FReepers a good time.

[The Shrew]

FReepers that come to Seattle get treated well by the chapter.

My nomination for understatement of the day!

Thanks for your hospitality!

TS

[Seeking the truth]

My brother & sister-in-law live out there in the Seattle metro area and we owe them a visit.

If I recall, there are some good Reislings grown up there in Washington - even some dry ones!

[MinuteGal]

Cruisers, if you have any photos to post, please get them up as soon as you can.

This thread will not go on indefinitely. The ship icon links on the home page and the latest posts pages will be eventually removed to make way for current freeper events and activities.

Bookmark this thread so you can always refer to it when you get cabin fever or when it starts snowing, hah.

We're all dying to see more pics, so please get them up within the next few days. Thanks

Leni

[dalereed]

I just posted a bunch of pictures on the Network Cruise Pics thread.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/925858/posts?q=1&&page=51

[Libertina]

It was as you said: an Excellent Evening!
Puget Sound fellow FReepers BUMP

[MinuteGal]

Gotcha! Will go over right now for a look-see.

Thanks.

Leni

[hoosiermama]

.......Thought you might enjoy a virtual trip to "the barn"...The wild raspberries are ripe! THe honeysuckle in bloom, and the Whipperwill has been keeping me awake, so.... Finally got the pictures up on Home page

[MinuteGal]

To help y'all navigate, we have two threads of cruise comments and pics running concurrently. This is a thread started by Gene and is connected to the ship icon links on the top of the FR home page and the tops of the "latest posts" pages.

To get to Bob J's thread, loaded with even more great photos, click the link on reply # 189 on THIS thread.

DaleReed just put up some great shots on the other thread.

For Hoosiermama's unbelievable pics of her abode way down home in Indiana, just click her screen name.

Hoosiermama, I thought I was looking at exquisite paintings of your place. Absolutely idyllic. Some day I MUST drop in to see you on my trips to and fro Illinois (if you're not too far off my I-65 beaten path).

"When whippoorwills call and evening is nigh, I hurry to my blue heaven".

Leni