The second of our two scheduled sea days is here. These usually prove to be less demanding than the days when we're in port and going on shore. Today, however, we find ourselves trying to get to a number of events completed during the morning hours. Our list consists of a souvenir sale 9-1pm, award presentation at 10:30am, Mariner Society Brunch at 11am and our Pinnacle lunch from Costco at noon. We were up at 7:30am but didn't get to breakfast until around 9. I did get some pictures posted to the blog while waiting for Karen to get ready. Unfortunately, while gathering our breakfast together at the buffet, Mom decides to share a table with two ladies from Arizona. While they're very pleasant, the three of them carry on over a myriad of topics. On and on they go until finally they take a break, not because they're tired of talking but there's a sale going on.

Holland America had a sale in progress out by the pool starting at 9 and Karen wants to check it out. We walk to view these items but I remind her that we're supposed to meet the captain at 10:30 to receive our bronze medallions. She promises to be right down so I head down to the Queen's Lounge while Karen remains poolside to peruse the items. I greet the Captain and his Officers and he asks the whereabouts of Karen. I just say she's on her way and take a seat. There's about 40 people getting loyalty awards while cocktails and snacks are served to the sound of a piano and violinist duo. I anxiously watch the door in anticipation of her eminent arrival to no avail. Holland America takes my picture with the Captain and First Officer when presenting my award. No Mom!

Next I head to the Mariner's Society Brunch to meet the same group who will address even more people. I can't take a seat since Karen is nowhere to be seen and she'll never find me in the dining room. I wait outside until well after the event begins, check out the pool area for any trace of her and then return to our stateroom. She's not here either so I wait for a while and then head to the Pinnacle Grill for our noon lunch. Again I wait until 12:20, inform the maitre'd of my situation and again return to the room. Ahh. There she is. She was looking for me too but we missed each other.

Off to the Pinnacle Grill for our lunch. Our reservation moved back to 1pm. Mom likes this place. She likes that they iron the tablecloths. We have a nice lunch and then I head to the Explorations Cafe while she returns to the room to organize things. I send out two more blogs although it takes 50 minutes of Internet time to do what I could do at home in about 3 minutes. That's about $20. Frustrating and expensive. Karen joins me and has a hot chocolate. We hear that a lady from the Zuiderdam got robbed in Stockholm yesterday. In the old town where we also were, two guys threw something that looked like bird poop on a lady, then went to help her. While cleaning her up, one grabs her purse and they both take off. She lost cash and credit cards. She wasn't injured. 

Tonight is a gala night so we return to the room to get dressed up. Mom watches a movie while I take a nap so we don't leave for dinner until after 6pm. We are seated with another couple from Southern California and they are mesmerized by Mom's travel stories. They say we're lucky to travel around while we're young and adventurous. They must be very old!

We're out of there by 8 and barely get seats at the show, another singing and dancing act accompanied by the HAL orchestra. It's not bad but we head directly back to our room since we have a ship sponsored shore excursion set for tomorrow in Kiel, Germany.

Weather: Overcast, near gale winds, rough seas, 61°F