Fulfilling a promise to be more loving, sensitive, and caring to my beloved Bride Kathy, I hauled the Ball 'n Chain off to New Orleans for a lovely cruise on the

Carnival Fantasy!

On Saturday, July 18, we jetted off to New Orleans and stayed the weekend at the Hilton Garden Inn just off Canal Street by the French Quarter.   At O'Hare, we bumped into Illinois Senator Roland Burris who was on our flight traveling to the Big Easy for a speech.   I took a snap of Kathy and the obliging Senator which can be seen all the way on the bottom of the page. 

Sadly, I was a rather poor traveling partner to Kathy as I had thrown out my back golfing a couple days prior to our holiday. I was bent over and couldn't walk more than 30 yards without having to stop, stretch, moan and rest.   And as many of you that know Kathy, she showed me very little compassion by complaning and crabbing the whole week that she was schlepping 4 heavy suitcases around while I was doing my best carrying a rather thick book.

On the following Monday, we boarded Carnival Cruise's Fantasy which was moored on the Mississippi River right downtown.  As Kathy prepared to worship the Sun on the Lido deck, I adjourned to a rigid chair in the Ship's air-conditioned Library where I read and stayed out of the Sun.  We repeated this ritual for the next 5 days.   

However, in the evening we reunited for shows and dinners which were just great.   One night we met new friends Roosevelt and Wanda whom we were seated with together at dinner. Picture down on the bottom as well.   Another night we met mother Jennifer and daughter Hannah from Oklahoma who were enjoying a girls week together - courtesy of Hannah treating her Mother to a Cruise! 

Hannah is a lovely 18 yr old just heading off to college and I suggested that perhaps she would like to forego her college plans and marry my oldest boy Bryan - newly graduated from University and now EMPLOYED!   While not quite agreeing to an arranged marriage just yet- she did think it would be fun getting in touch with Bryan - who can be reached by clicking right here Hannah.

Carnival did their usual great job in entertaining their guests.  One of Kathy's favourites was when we came back into our Stateroom after a wild evening of dinner and shows - usually no later than 9:30pm - and she would find that the cabin steward had fashioned an animal out of one of the towels.  Picture left is of Kathy and the Monkey.

Even though Kathy was utterly disgusted that I was injured, without value, inattentive and unwilling to court skin melanoma with her in the Sun each day, I did redeem myself slightly by winning 4 trivia contests which earned me a trophy and 3 medallions that she promptly commandeered.   The topics of the contests were the 1940's, 50's 60's & 70's.  I don't believe I mentioned to her that I beat only one other contestant in the 40's trivia contest and was unopposed in the other 3.  Hey the point is - I won.

The boat stopped in 2 ports, Progresso Yucatan, and the isle of Cozumel.   My crippling back condition did not allow me to leave the ship, so Kathy alone departed at Cozumel for some shopping, cursing her marriage choice the whole time she was ashore alone.

The rest of the week flew by all too quickly and by Saturday we were headed back to Chicago, when oddly enough my back began to feel better.  Quite a co-incidence but nobody told Kathy that living with me was going to be strawberries and cream each day.   

I'll tell you this though...

I love her!