Another totally boiling day. My mum's birthday. She would have been 96 today and I still miss her so much and often picture how she would have enjoyed certain things I am doing. I can't believe it has been over 2 years since she passed away, although dementia had taken her a few years before that in many ways. She was an amazing woman who supported me totally and always. Her drive for life has made me determined to live every minute as fully as I can and enjoy everything I do, just as she did.

So… back to today! We pegged out by the pool and read in the sun and swam until it was lunch time and then art. Today we painted a vignette of Easter Island with an island scene bookended by two of the famous heads. Pretty pleased with it although I think one of my statues looks a bit like George Washington at Mount Rushmore if GW had been given a trout pout. LOL.

Then, rehearsal…. We did one read through and then one walk through. There was a slight bombshell when the Entertainments Organiser told us that to perform it, as scheduled, in the very large Carmen's Show Lounge we would have to use hand mikes. This is totally impossible so we suggested that instead we perform it in the Playhouse where we wouldn't have to be miked. Frankly, if this is not possible then I feel we should just do it in the little studio where we have been rehearsing and invite "friends". Will wait and see what happens. It doesn't really matter as I am enjoying just the rehearsal.

Tonight we were invited to another cocktail party with the Captain and Officers. Always ready for a free drink or two from P&O!!! The captain is a bit of a hoot in an Italian charmer styleee. A lot of the women aboard clearly have a yen for him and he plays on it LOL. After dinner we went to the late show which was Vocal Tonik a guy twosome from the West End who do a mix of Lloyd Webber and Pop. They're really good, we've seen them before. Most entertaining.

Finally and rather excitingly we went up to Deck 14 at 1230am for Stargazing with one of the Navigators. Deck 14 is a tiny topmost deck at the bow which is used for sunbathing during the day but crucially is unlit at night. We have been up there on our own to look at the stars during the voyage and they have been amazing. Tonight it was so clear and there were just endless thousands visible including famous groupings like Orion's Belt and the Southern Cross. I remember when I first saw the extent of the stars, about 30 years ago when I was camping in the Sinai Desert. I woke up at about 2am and looked up and literally could not believe my eyes. I had absolutely no idea there were so many…. it's harder to view them these days with so much light pollution but such a beautiful sight and very humbling.