Life on the High Seas!

Here is a post from my favorite senior, my mom!  She's talking about one of her favorite modes of travel; cruising!

My husband and I have just finished a week of cruising the Caribbean listening to the most wonderful collection of jazz musicians you can imagine. One of the many advantages of living comfortably retired is the luxury to take off on a trip at will. Cruising is currently a very popular way to travel and there are many reasons for this, not least of which is the ease of travel. Not for the cruiser packing and unpacking every one, two or three days or spending long hours on a tour bus, except by choice. Meals, entertainment, lazing about watching the world go by are all part of the package. The cruiser gets aboard, unpacks and settles in for the duration of the voyage, choosing whether or not to explore ashore as the occasion arises. As one ages, this becomes even more attractive.


    Your ship arrives in port early in the morning at the end of the previous cruise, all the returning passengers are shooed ashore as fast as possible so that cabins can be cleaned and readied for the arriving passengers. A huge task for the cabin crews - they are very good at it, too.


    If you are lucky, your stateroom is ready (it might be a penthouse, a suite, a verandah stateroom or an interior) and you can go directly there, deposit your carry-on luggage, and go to the Lido deck where a buffet lunch is being served. By all means eat! Eating too much is a prerequisite of a cruise. Next you get unpacked and finally, around 5 o’clock or so, it’s time for the Sail-away Party on the largest open deck (one of the pool decks) with a free drink and appetizer snacks as the ship moves ponderously away from the dock. And your long-awaited cruise has begun - hooray!!


    Our first cruise was over 25 years ago - a Transatlantic crossing on Cunard’s QEII from England to New York in December as part of a delightful 25^th anniversary trip. There were a lot of things we liked about it but ultimately, in the North Atlantic, it was like being shut up in a luxury hotel for six days, as only the die-hards were out exercising in the wind. We didn’t try it again for a long time and were resolved that this time it would be a cruise in warmer weather with ports of call to break up all of the sea days. We’ve taken a cruise from Barcelona around Italy to Venice; one from Santiago around the bottom of South America ending in Rio de Janeiro; and the Inside Passage of Alaska (not warm!) as well as several in the Caribbean.


    I’ve also had two absolutely delightful short cruises with our three daughters - it is so lovely for me that they include me as their fourth. They are great travel companions and all I have to do is go along with them wherever. I love it almost as much as I love them!


    Now, back to the cruise we just completed. My spouse and I are fans of what is referred to as straight-ahead jazz. What a delight to us to learn of this St. Louis company, www.jazzcruisesllc.com which annually charters a whole ship for a week-long cruise in the Caribbean, hiring a large contingent of top notch professional jazz musicians who perform in various venues all over the ship each day, usually starting in early afternoon and continuing into the wee hours. There are ports of call but, in this instance, the passengers care little which ports they are as they have come for the music. Many people stay aboard for the entire week. This company also organizes smooth jazz cruises, which are very popular with a younger crowd, and whatever other music-oriented ideas they can come up with. The cruise line they use, Holland America, does an excellent job. It’s a fun week and we get to absorb all the quality music we wish.

    We’re not big exercisers or spa users, so mostly we read and/or sit on our verandah when we are not listening to jazz or eating. This time I brought my laptop along - I don’t get on the internet as the cost for that is more than I want to pay but I am always behind in cataloging my digital photos among other things and I did spend some time at that. If you choose, you can socialize with a lot of the really nice people aboard. Some people meet new buddies with whom they hook up the next time they want to go cruising.

    Does this sound like your cup of tea? Just collect some cruise line brochures from your travel agent or order them online and for the rest of your life you will have more choices than you can imagine!  Bon Voyage, everyone.

Is It Spring Yet?

A post by SimplyForties' favorite gardener!  Cheryl lives with her husband and their two cats in a 100-year-old house in the beautiful state of Maryland. She has a degree in horticulture from the University of Maryland and has been the manager of Stadler Nurseries in Maryland and Virginia for over 20 years. Become a fan of Stadler Nurseries on Facebook to find out what's going on in the gardening world!

Spring is just around the corner, or so they say.  But first we have to get through March.  What will it be?  Lion or Lamb?  By this time of year here in the mid-Atlantic, most gardeners are just itching to get outside and get their hands in the dirt, but it’s too cold/too wet/ too early.  And maybe too snowy.  Just three days ago it was 72 degrees here.  I saw little green noses poking out of the soil.  My long dormant crocus, early tulips and daffodils were pushing up through the leaf litter.  Then last night we got 5” of snow.  The emerging greenery will be fine, but I’m sorry to see it disappear under yet another blanket of white. 

There are a few plants that are meant for this time of year though.  Meant to give the promise of spring to winter-weary gardeners.  Be sure to include a few of these in your garden.  You’ll be glad you did.

Mahonia beali – The bold, dramatic silhouette of mahonia is not for everyone but it’s hard to argue the value of a plant that will give you sprays of yellow blooms in late February to be followed by clusters of purple-blue grape-like fruit that birds just love.

Hellebore – Also known as the Lenten Rose, hellebores are evergreen perennials that will produce clusters of nodding bell-shaped blooms in early March that last for weeks and come in a variety of colors from red to pink to lavender to white. 

Hamemalis virginiana – Commonly known as Witchhazel, this small native tree produces masses of yellow or orange-red blooms in February.  Perfect for small gardens, it only grows to 15 feet or so. 

You may want to plant these late winter bloomers near doors or windows, so you can enjoy them from the comfort and warmth indoors.  But don’t worry.  Spring is just around the corner!

How good are you at financial planning?

This is a guest post by Sarah Barnett who takes a keen interest in the world of business and finance. Writing for a popular personal finances website, she helps many people tackle financial problems.

If you would like to submit a guest post for SimplyForties please check the guidelines here.

Are you ready to finally make your financial goals happen? Success doesn't depend on what you've done in the past, how much money you're making today, or the amount of debt you currently have.

The true secret to achieving your financial dreams lies in financial planning. If you can develop your planning skills and learn how to manage budgeting, your income level, and your spending, you can finally start seeing your dreams come true.

Budgeting for Beginners

Planning your finances consciously will go much more smoothly if you develop a budget. Though many people feel fear at the very sound of the word, a budget can actually become your best friend. The most important part of a budget is to make sure that you actually stick to it.

To do this, be as realistic as possible when considering your monthly expenses. Be sure to consider each individual expense, while also including irregular bills such as oil changes or haircuts.

When you have a budget that accurately reflects your true spending habits, you can then make adjustments as needed in order to make your expenses line up with your long term financial goals.

Finding the Sweet Spot of Your Income Level

Many people think about their finances in terms of their budgets and try to find ways to spend less. However, the key may actually be to earn more. A word of caution, though: while you have some control over your income level, it's not something that you can likely change immediately.

Don't get hung up on this factor while you're planning out your finances if your income isn't as high as you'd like, as the frustration may cause you to miss the larger picture. Instead, think critically about the realistic scale of your income.

Consider ways that you could start earning more money, either through a raise, higher position, or part-time job. It's possible to find part-time work online or with a local company that can bring in additional funds.

Others have found great success selling things through Craigslist and eBay to make money.

Watching Your Spending so You Can Splurge Later

Sticking to your budget will be easiest when you watch your spending closely and remember your financial goals.

It's important to treat yourself as well, especially after you've worked so hard to plan your finances! If you factor savings money into your budget each month, you'll have money to spend on something special later.

This special fund will also help to keep you motivated when you're having trouble staying on track during the rest of the month. By watching your spending closely and consciously, you can greatly raise your awareness about your own financial situation.

Staying aware and planning your finances puts you on the best road to success.