THE BIG BIRTHDAY

So, today I have now boarded the 80 year old bus and got off to celebrate with Michele at the fancy Bayou Cafe and Steakhouse on the Coral Princess There are more of us octogenarians now than there used to be and I think they have all turned up here. Lots of ‘old’ people on this cruise ship!  

“You are only as old as you feel”, so the saying goes, and there are times where I have guessed, ‘this must be how 80 feels!’ The first clear sign that Father (or Mother) Time was adjusting the clock, was in attempting to ‘spring up’ from the floor. That spring was clearly rusting out and by 80 is barely functional. 

Did you say something? Sorry, my hearing isn’t what it used to be. Apparently, we older people are reluctant to accept the fake audiograms manufactured  by an industry only focused on becoming wealthy at our expense! We may have a very slight diminution, but we could save everyone a lot of expense and repetition if they would only stop mumbling or whispering or speaking into the refrigerator. 

Apparently, leg ulcers are a gift to the aged and I was fortunate to receive one of those recently for which I am very grateful. Two lovely nurses rubbed and caressed my right leg twice a week for about two months! 

There was something else we ‘older’ people get tagged with, but I forget what that was. Ah, now I remember - we have memory problems, short term memory problems apparently! Today, on my birthday of all days, my memory was called into question. We visited the ‘Gobble-and-Go’ for lunch and had a lovely conversation with an ex-Navy man on Deck 14 who regaled us with stories of life on the high seas. We returned to our cabin on Deck 10 and I inquired about the whereabouts of my iPad. It was not accepted that I left it intentionally on the table in the restaurant just to check out the honesty of these old cruisers. Anyway, all’s well that ends well and it was located at the Lost & Found counter on Deck 5. (The carry bag was not located for which I am in serious trouble!)

A superb birthday dinner of Fillet Mignon, prawns and lobster with a surprise birthday ‘gift’ from Princess followed by a very entertaining ‘magician’ show in the theatre completed the Big Birthday en route to Fiji.