And they sailed from Baltimore!

I’m backing up in time! Clear all the way back to November 3rd when we headed out on a beautiful early autumn afternoon ----

Sadie was SO knowing we were going somewhere ----Dogs just KNOW don’t they? She was hunkered down in her bed all day, just giving me LOOKS. Yeah, that look --- You know the one!

Never fear, she was going to have more company that she would know what to do with. I’d scheduled a pet sitter and friends to come at various times during the day while we were gone, and we got reports that she was having a great time, hardly missing us at all. Hmmmphh!

I bound the mystery quilt and stitched down the hanging sleeve while DH drove! I was able to bind two quilts on this road trip, one on the way up, and one on the way back! But I must say it really puts a crimp in my binding time to have it get DARK so early now! :c(

We arrived in Baltimore around 9:30pm on Wednesday evening. I knew we were getting close when we saw the Washington Monument and the Capital building all lit up!

We had arrangements to stay in the Sleep Inn in downtown Baltimore, it’s a sweet deal, if you stay the night, they allow you to leave your car parked there and include a free shuttle to/from the port for your cruise. It’s a cheaper deal than what it costs to park AT the port --- so think about that if you cruise! We had a really nice room to rest up from our car journey ((It’s about 7.5 hours to Balitmore from where I live)) a breakfast in the morning, and a shuttle to the pier. NICE!

Here’s a funny! I needed to use the hotel computer to change an email setting…but there was someone at it ---I had to wait my turn. But never fear, they have provided an alternate means of communication in the next cubby hole! LOL! Somehow….this wouldn’t work for what I needed, but it sure brought back good memories!

Pat, Gregg, Dave and I were escorted on early so we could get everything underway for our quilters! We were the first on board the ship! And instantly I smelled something SO GOOD --- they were baking the waffle cones for the Ben & Jerry’s that is right there on board! I knew this was going to be a dangerous cruise, I just knew it!

This is a picture of the centrum….from the 1st floor at the bottom up to the 4th floor. There are 10 decks --- deck 10 has the running/walking track, the pool is at deck 9!

Downtown Baltimore on a sunny November day! It was weird heading out in cooler weather clothes, knowing we would be putting on shorts in about 24 hours or so!

SOME of us ((Hi, Karen L!!)) had been up since the early morning hours, catching a flight from Michigan ---to be there at the port in time! A sunny deck chair and an ipod full of tunes put Karen at complete relaxation level. We couldn’t get to our rooms until just before dinner time, so what else is there to do?

Hit the lunch buffet in the Windjammer, that’s what! I loved the fruit sculptures!

I loved this stained glass window/wall at the top of the stairs! Do you see quilty elements here? I see diamonds and triangles and all sorts of things…see the flying geese? WHoowhoo! Quilter’s eyes on, ya’ll!!

This was the carpet in the “Schooner Lounge” --- Our class room was right off of this lounge….do you see Square in a square surrounded by a blue border in here? I do!

We sailed at 4pm! And yes, that is me in a puffy down jacket! It was cold, even though it was sunny ----at 5pm we met in the Spotlight lounge, all of us! Nearly 60 quilters, several with hubbies in tow, for a quick run down of what would be going on during our 9 night adventure to Puerto Rico, St Thomas, Dominican Republic, and Haiti!

After our meeting? Time to get ourselves to the dining room and make some new friends!!

Eva and Maria were part of a foursome who came all the way from Sweden for our cruise! I’ve got more pictures to come later…

Karen and Paula knew each other when they both lived in Wisconsin --- You can SO not miss the Wisconsin accent, and being a Minnesota girl myself, it sounded like home to me! Karen now lives near San Francisco, and Paula came up from the Augusta, Georgia area!

Does it look like we are having a good time yet!? :cD

Sunset was fast approaching! I took this photo as we sailed out of the port of Baltimore and into the Chesapeake Bay, passing the spot where Francis Scott Key wrote the Star Spangled Banner. I was thinking back in time to that era, wondering if the sunset was as pretty then as it was this night ---

More to come! I took over 340 photos, and will share more as I can! As for me now? Well, cruising has it’s down side…..I’m off to the gym to work off all that yumminess I consumed while on the Enchantment of the Seas!

Back Later! Remember this evening I’m drawing for the winners of the 100 blocks by 100 designers, volume 4! There is still time to get your entry in! Click HERE to enter, and leave a comment at the bottom of the post! Remember to leave your name and your email address if you comment under anonymous ----

Toodles!