Vacation Time!

Finally got Blog Press and WiFi working again. Got through Indy Customs and Immigration with no hassles. Got our cars out of hock. Drove to Lebanon for Arby's dinner. Ate at home while watching IU men play basketball and winning. Sent texts and called everyone. Loading pictures and unpacking. Glad to be home but sad the trip is over. Craig - Posted using BlogPress from my iPad Location: Mulberry, Indiana.

So the story I wrote on the plane would not upload. Lost it all. Trying again. Oh, and lost the pictures too. Damn WiFi. We packed and left the hotel at 10:15. Got less than one hour of sun as it was overcast and spitting rain. Here are the last two hold outs. We got into a Suburban taxi with a driver who spoke English like a native. We asked about the increased police presence. He said the Cancun Chief of Police is a retired Army General and Quintana Roo has a very good governor. So taxi driver claims it's both good and bad to have more police. Good because the it keeps the criminals away. Bad because he can't speed. Seems the CoP would rather send the criminals to Hell than to jail where they can bribe their way out. So, he orders them killed while trying to "escape." Seems to work. No problems in Cancun at all. Lots and lots of police patrols. We get a bell hop at the airport to help with our luggage. We walk into a very crowded airport. But Frontier's line is...

For some reason the iPad won't update yet. Lost two blogs already. We're home. More later. - Posted using BlogPress from my iPad Location: Mulberry, Indiana

Well, not that returning to 80 degree weather is going to be horrible - especially since when we left it was 25F - but today is our last day in Cancun for this trip. In about 10 hours we'll we home. Yesterday was spent soaking up rays. Alex and I hit the ocean one more time. We bailed about 5:30 to hit the Capt's Cove for our final dinner here. It was a beautiful sunset over the bay and one of our best meals. Got excellent photos. Returned to the room for more Rage. At dinner we made a pact to hose Alex - and we were very successful. He barely hit double digits when the game ended with Nick in the lead. In the second game, it was down to the last hand and anyone could win but Shelby. Sandy took the game (barely) and was happy about that, 'cause in her words she rarely gets to win. Sandy and I went to check out after cards. The line was about 15 people deep, but probably better than what this morning holds. We're free and clear to leave. During our walk to the front desk...

Walked down to the Crab House after our ceremony last night for dinner. Sandy and Shelby had chicken and the rest of us all had Alaskan king crab legs. Took some great sunset photos on the camera. After dinner walked back to hotel. Guessing it's about one mile each way. Played cards and video games in the room. Switched up partners here and there, but at the end of the night, Nick was calling Shelby a jinx because I'm pretty sure whoever had Shelby as a partner lost. I got up this morning at 6:45 and went to the pool to reserve seats. Shelby rolled out Nick by 9. Kathy and Alex did not make it out until after 10. Shelby got in trouble for "air kicking" at Nick this morning. That was a new one on me. Lunch next door then back for our last bastion of sun for the trip. Our flight out tomorrow is about 1 local or 3 Indiana time. Should roll into the homestead around 8 Sat night. Till then, we're enjoying the surf. Waves are about as small as they've been all week....

In a surprise move that's sensitive, thoughtful, romantic, and so unlike Craig, this afternoon on the beach, Craig scheduled a 25-year vow renewal with Sandy. Kathy told a fib and said we were getting family photos in order to get Sandy ready. Seems that Sandy wanted to finish her second book before going to dinner. We met the minster at the bottom of the stairs before he and I went to the tiki torch / rose area on the beach. Kathy and Nick walked in together. Alex and Shelby followed, just like a real ceremony. So we had two attendants each. And, as you can see, Sandy had a bouquet of flowers. Brother and sister were pushing each other in the sand on the way to the "altar." Typical. The Ceremony was nice and non-denominational. Spoke of love and working together and sharing. Minister said we included our kids so that they could witness our example. We said our vows again which were very similar to what we said 25 years ago. And I even got to kiss the bride. We grabbed th...

Last night was competition night. We ate at the Italian buffet here at the hotel. And while it had a greater selection / variety of food, we all agreed that Cajun night was better. Sandy wrote the dissenting opinion. We returned to the room to play Rage, Bid Euchre, and Pictionary Man. The teams were male v female. The girls won the first round of euchre quite handily, by about 45 points in a game of 52. Then we found out why the new card game is called Rage when Sandy, in an almost stunningly brilliant move gave Shelby 17 points in one hand, at a time when Shelby was already leading. Understand two things: 7 is a pretty good score in one hand of Rage, so 17 is unheard of; and no Seager likes to lose. Of course we all ganged up on Shelby while Sandy quietly took the lead. It came down to the very last card. If Nick chose what color card Sandy was holding, then Shelby won. If Nick did not pick the one color out of six Sandy held, then Sandy won. Nick chose wisely and let his girlfriend...

Stayed by the pool til lunch. Right before eating though, we all hit the ocean for a photo op. Kathy says this photo shows we like them more. See, no snow like what Trent has. And yes, everyone got in the water. Here are the girls with their toes in the water, ass in the sand. Forecast says we will be having full sun and 84 degrees for our last two days. Showers next, then eating Italian here at the hotel. - Posted using BlogPress from my iPad Location: Cucumatz,Cancún,Mexico

Called it early yesterday. Went in for showers around 2:30. Headed N to Caracol Mall to buy souvenirs. Shelby had her first bus ride in Mexico. Stopped at Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville for dinner. We all got large balloon hats that our waiter joined together. We had a huge house over our table. Other patrons were video taping us. We got pictures but they're on the camera and I can't post them. We had Cajun shrimp for an appetizer. All our fingernails are orange this morning from the shrimp. Well, all but Shelby's as she does not do seafood. Returned to the room and applied aloe to our burnt skin. Watched the NIT basketball games and crashed by 8 local, which is 10 back in Indiana. Got an email from Pa who said it was too difficult to leave comments here. Basically it said glad we're having a good time and that it was 70 degrees at home. Our dogs (who actually follow the white truck now - all belonging to Grandpa) spent the day in his air conditioned shop. Poor babi...

Monday night is generally reserved for the Mexican Show at the Royal Mayan. However, our hotel hosted New Orleans / Cajun Night last night so we opted for that instead. The guys all thought it was better, but the gals suggested that the other buffet had a larger selection. Returned to the room for more competition. Before dinner, Shelby won a game of Rage and Craig lost. After dinner, we played Pictionary Man and the boys won. Then the couples played bid euchre for the Championship of the free world. Kathy and Alex won because Nick got hosed twice on shooters. Called it quits at about 10. We sat just right of where Dave Porrill thought he saw us on the webcam yesterday. This morning, Sandy reserved chairs all the way to the right end of the pool bar because that's all that was available at 7:15 am Sandy and I each sent beach photos to our co-workers this morning, just to rub it in Alex, Kathy, and Nick have not made it out by 8:30 this morning. We were waiting on a rainy day to go...

Sandy and Shelby hit the pool at 8 o'clock this morning to reserve our chairs. Good call. We ate a breakfast of leftovers. Nick had lamb and suckling pig and Mt. Dew. Shelby had quesadillas and Mt Dew. Sandy had chicken. Craig had suckling pig and Dos Equis. We hit the pool and swim up bar. If you're watching the webcam, we are at the edge of the pool directly back from the camera at the edge of the pool. We made it until 11 am and then returned to the room for pizza. Thank goodness for the breeze or it would be unbearably hot. I took a movie at the pool, but I cannot get YouTube to work, so it is not attached. We played a card game called Rage last night after dinner. Craig won the first game and Alex lost. Sandy won the second game and Shelby lost. The kids said letting us win was their anniversary gift, but really they won since they are in Cancun on our dime. Playing cards while waiting on our pizza. Couples vs couples. The plan is to get Shelby on stage tonight dancing at ...

Spent the day in the ocean and pool side. Bought three boogie boards, but only Alex and Craig were brave enough to try them out. Nick would have but he was sleeping. Shelby did join us in the ocean after lunch. Nick promptly dunked her. Sat over at the Royal Mayan after lunch as the Caribbean was too full. Thank goodness the wind was blowing or we would have been way hot. It took several dunks in the pool just to keep cool. No one is burnt yet, but it's still early. Took showers and then headed to Cambalache (Argentinian steak house) for dinner. We all brought food back to the room for breakfast tomorrow, as the portions were just HUGE. Here's the gang on the balcony before dinner. This is on our room, not Alex's and Kathy's room. You can see the effects of the wind, including the waves behind us. Our balcony is on the third floor, facing the ocean. Shelby called her mom. And then Sandy called and spoke with her parents. We caught most of the men's NCAA brackets on...

Crashed last night at 7 pm local. Got 12 - 13 hours of much needed rest. Hit the sun deck around 9 local as most spots are "reserved" (towels on seats) but not many people around. Looks like we're gonna have to get out earlier if we want our pick of spots to soak up rays. Shelby ate her left-over ribs from Capt's Cove for breakfast and washed them down with Mt. Dew. She said this was a first for her, but were not bad. That is, she was not complaining. No major plans for the day. Mostly sunny but a strong breeze. Going to buy some boogie boards for the surf. Lots o fun ahead. I had to get a pass code for the WiFi, so that's why I did not post last night. I'm live now and even have access in our room. Got an email from Dave Porrill. If you see a weird name in the comment section of this blog, that'll probably be Dave. It's good to be us right now! Craig - Posted using BlogPress from my iPad Location: Cancun, Quintana Roo, Mexico

Right at 3 hours sleep. Nick chose to just stay up all night. Met Kathy and Alex at the airport at 0600. Too much air traffic in Cancun, so we were delayed on the ground for about 30 minutes. Pretty painless flight in. Lots of people here in Cancun for Spring Break. Took longer in Immigration and to get luggage, but Customs and a taxi were a breeze. Overall about the same as usual amount of time to get to the hotel. Checked in and headed straight to the Royal Mayan for cheeseburgers in paradise. Then swapped into our suits. The girls hit the sun deck while the boys hit the ocean. The beach is red flagged with life guards. Nice point break. Post ocean swim, we hit the pool bar and saluted the webcam. Now, look for the group of six beyond the bar on the sun deck. Here we are on the sun deck. Photo taken looking NE. Cuba's out there somewhere to our backs. Cancun is one hour behind Indy. Don't reckon there'll be much trouble going to sleep tonight regardless. Took showers a...

So Apple released a new iOS to accompany the release of their iPad 3. Checking to make sure that the blog still works and I still remember the password. All good things to check before we pack tomorrow and fly out Sat. - Posted using BlogPress from my iPad Location: Indiana, Mulberry,United States