Phew!! We got home yesterday at 1pm, just to have my poor husband shower, re-pack and head back to the airport for work. Poor guy!
Especially because during the 2 hours he was home, I heard a horrible, agonized sound emanating from the bathroom.....
"EIGHT POUNDS!! I GAINED EIGHT POUNDS!!! That's 1/2 a pound a DAY!!!! Arrrrrrghghghghghhg"
Too many midnight "all hands on deck", I'd say.
We had such a wonderful cruise - made all the more so by the fish extender gifts. I loved them all, but because my memory is currently refreshed from some of the unpacking - the "Earmergency" kit came in very handy; the clothespin to close that drape (2 hours of almost-dark skies is really not enough)
; I loved the russian doll magnet... on and on.
Thank you to everyone!
And someone did attempt to swipe my FE - but I used the plastic tie idea and they only managed to twist it around a bit. There were a higher than usual number of teenagers on this cruise, and not all of them were well-mannered.
Anyhow, if you were the family who delivered the last sea day, I was just getting a jump on my packing, and hopefully the other missing FE's were for the same benign reason.
A rant re the excursions - I brought home a form that I intend to send in with a letter regarding the Ball in St. Petersberg. I am sure that many people had a wonderful time - and I don't want to offend, but I was so disappointed at the cost vs. the amenities (the lack of water in the ball room for instance) that I could never recommend it. Our photo in the amber room was completely ruined by the blue footies (couldn't someone have taken them off my little one, once it was obvious she was being held for the photo?). And being harassed to buy musical instruments in the middle of the tour was really too much. Anyhow, that's my two cents about that particular adventure.
Thank you to everyone who organized activities and the exchange.
Oh - and the doors were great! First prize went to Stateroom 7068, for a wonderful job of presenting all the countries we were visiting, plus the countries in the World Cup. I'll post a photo if I can remember how. An unexpected second prize went to Deb, because her door was also great - AND she made us a magnet and left it on her door. What was really funny is that I left the FE gift, took a photo of the door - as I did with all of them - and only then did it strike me that there was a magnet dedicated to my family...
(and I have to admit, I was absolutely stumped about what to do with *that* - do I steal the magnet, given that it had my name??? or do I leave it, because it's on *her* door?? - but what would she want with a magnet with my name on it?? either option made me look a bit bent
)
I have to edit here and say that the very neatest single decoration I saw was the cut out ship with all the family members in 3D.
We're doing the Alaska Cruise on June 21. Hope to see y'all there!
It was great to see our old friends and meet new ones! Now to plan another cruise! Oops, should unpack first. 
