Off to paradise next week!

Hi everybody. I've not been around much here for quite a while. I thought I'd do an entry before I go away next week, yes, that trip to the Caribbean is almost here! I went to work today but came home after a couple of hours. I've had a bad cold and felt really sick, it's something that's been going around at work lately. I thought I had missed it but it finally got me! Having a few hours spare means I can do an entry here. I've been trying to catch up with everybody just lately. It seems like most of us aren't doing so many entries since moving to Blogger, it just doesn't feel the same does it? Well, spring finally sprung last week then disappeared today. We, like most of the country, have had wind and rain all day. It seems much worse after a few warm days.

I mustn't complain, I shall be in the Caribbean next week! Heat, sunshine, white sandy beaches...... ! I didn't see Andy at the weekend, I didn't want to give him my cold, I don't want to have to cancel this holiday! I spent the weekend washing and ironing my sun tops, sorting out the rest of my clothes ready to pack. Now all that's left is to clean my flat up.

Tien who looks after my cats is away in Germany so I had to look around for somebody else. It's really hard to find somebody I can trust but I found the ideal person at work. Guido, a young Brazilian man, came up two weeks ago and Nina and Katinka loved him so he's the chosen one! Nina loves men and flaunts herself when she meets one! I knew they'd like Guido, he's very softly spoken; they don't like loud people! He's also a very meticulous cleaner so I'm having to try and get my place spotless before he comes up ~ I don't do spotless but I'm trying!

Here's a few photos of Nina and Katinka with their new play centre, the last one they destroyed in less than six weeks! Nina has taken a liking to the 'nest', she spends all her sleeping hours scrunched up in it!

So what's been happening here? Remember Jane, my old boss? She got fired from work. I can't say I'm sorry to see her go after the way she treated me and others who worked for her. They say God pays his debts without money!Some of you know I'm on Facebook now. I opened it up as all my friends at work are on it, that's why most of my friends on my list are Brazilian! We've only got five English staff in the hospital!

I've been walking to work and home again every day, doing about twenty five miles a week, including walking to Andy's at the weekend. I feel much better for it and don't get the leg pains I was getting when I sit at the computer. I've lost over a stone in weight and a lot of my clothes fit me that didn't fit before! I bought a pair of Foster Grants' computer glasses last week. They have tinted lenses to cut out the harsh blue light from the computer screen. My eyes got so tired and sore on here, I've got macular degeneration which doesn't help. I need to get off here now, I probably won't come back till mid April when I get home from my cruise. It's going to be a new experience, I've never done a cruise before, I've never actually wanted to do one, it's never appealed to me but I've always wanted to see the Caribbean. If I like it I'd like to do a cruise up the Norwegian coast next year. It looks rather unusual, it's on a mail ship which delivers mail to coastal towns in Norway so you get to see places that tourists don't usually see. There are some beautiful little towns and wonderful fjord scenery. I don't know if Andy would want to go as it's not in a hot place but I'll ask him anyway. I never mind travelling alone, I just don't like paying the single room supplement although I'd rather do that than share a room with a stranger! Too many times I've met people on tour who share with somebody they don't get on with. Funniest one was in America. They'd put a 70yr old lady in a room with a 21yr old girl. The old lady wanted to go out partying half the night while the young girl insisted that the lights were out by 10pm and she wasn't' to be disturbed! These youngsters just haven't got our stamina have they?! Lol!

So, next week we fly to Miami then board our cruise ship. We visit The Dominican Republic, Tortola in the Virgin Islands, Antigua, St Lucia and Barbados before sailing back to Miami. I just know it's going to be so interesting and I'll take lots of photos. Andy bought me a polarising filter for my camera at Christmas, I can't wait to try it out! The header photo of this entry is Antigua Bay where I shall be the week after next.

I shall bid you a fond farewell and see you in a few weeks when I get home. Hopefully spring will be in full swing by then!