Thankful Thursday: Cruising Through My Thanks

There is just so much to be thankful for this week! I hardly know where to begin, but letting you know I'm linking up with blogging friend, Rebecca Jo @ Knit By God's Hand for Thankful Thursday seems like the right start...because I am ALWAYS thankful for her acting as our host and for being such a ray of sunshine in every day (if you follow her blog, you know what I mean).

This week I am thankful...

** for this little cutie patootie. Our fourth grandchild and second granddaughter (she is also the last grandchild we will have) was born at 7:59 A.M. on July 29. She weighed in at 7 lbs and 12 oz and was 20 inches long. Say hello to Leah Rose.

** for the way Colton is stepping up as a big brother...even though his nose is just a wee bit out of joint over having to share the attention.

** for the wonderful vacation we had.

Our ship, the Grandeur of the Sea. Looking out from 

the shore in Boston.

Just one of Boston's fabulous green spaces with the city in the background.

I should probably remember what historic building this

is....but I don't. 

I also forget who this is a statue of. What can I say?

It was a whirlwind bus tour!

A busy lighthouse in Portland, Maine.

This is a monument and memorial to those (mostly women) who

built the Victory Ships in Portland during WWII.

Another lighthouse in Portland.

The Portland Head Light. 

These rocks are literally just yards away from the cliff the Portland Head

Light sits on and they have claimed many a ship. The writing on 

the rocks commemorates the most famous one.

Getting silly with lobster claws!

The pilings the birds are nesting on are over 100 years old.

They are all that remain of the city dock after a fire raged 

through the town and destroyed most of it.

The tender (which is also one of the lifeboats on the ship) that took

us to shore in Bar Harbor, Maine. It was the only port that

was too shallow for the ship to dock.

A close up look at how we got on and off the ship.

A beautiful sailing vessel.

A small park at the top of the hill over looking the bay

in Bar Harbor.

One of the mansions along the shore in Bar Harbor and backing up

against Acadia National Park.

Seals on an island in the bay.

There were Harbor Seals and Gray Seals.

Look at those cute faces!

They almost look like rocks on the shore.

This is the island the seals were on. They were to the right of the lighthouse.

Some of Maine's dramatic coastline.

This is where the ocean tide meets the St. Charles River in St. John,

New Brunswick. We caught it at slack tide, when the water was mostly still.

As the tide rises, it overcomes the river and the water flows inland.

When the tide goes out, the river flows out to sea.

This big, noisy fellow was keeping an eye on everyone.

I'm not sure, but I think this was taken at the Bay of Fundy.

I wasn't quite tall enough to get a good shot over the railings, but if you

look in the background to the right you can see another covered bridge.

They believe it's the only place you can see two that close together.

Legend is that you have to make a wish inside the bridge 

or kiss your sweetheart.

There are flower beds like this all through St. John's.

They are all filled with marigolds.

All the school children grow them as a project

and then there is one day when they come and

plant all of them. They are gorgeous!

Some kind of big birds hanging out on an island in the St. Charles River.

St. John's version of the Hollywood sign.

The "boys" were quite taken with this private yacht that was docked in

Halifax. It really was quite beautiful with all the wood and brass.

Another nice sailing vessel.

A little lighthouse in Halifax's harbor.

** to feel rested, relaxed, and recharged.

** Tim got lots of naps in while we were away. He sure needed them.

** to get home to my pup. I really missed her.

** for the wonderful crew on the ship. We took the time to talk to many of them and get to know them...a lot of sad stories there about families who can't be together because the husband is away on the ship to make a living. Also, they don't get much time off while they are doing their tour....just a few hours here and there. There are no whole days off. Our waiter for instance will work an 8 month stretch and then have two months off. He is doing it to send his kids to school so they will have more options than he does. These precious folks really knock themselves out to give you the best possible service and they go far above and beyond. (It's tough to want to come back to reality and not being waited on hand and foot!)

** for our new friend, Danny, the piano player in the piano bar. He is very talented and also very funny. We found ourselves hanging out there nearly every night after 9:00.

** for a gentle easing back into work. I worked Monday, was off Tuesday, and then work Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday...and have the weekend off. 

** that things at work seem to be running smoothly and my boss is in a good mood.

** for ripe tomatoes from the garden. The first thing I ate when I got home was a tomato and mayo sandwich!

** the heat is finally backing off.

** to my newly discovered half siblings for approaching Mom and I slowly with thoughtfulness and concern for our feelings.

** for each one of you!