Wednesday 9th December:

The news of the day, well perhaps the news of the cruise, well perhaps the news of the year, Lucy' having twins, wowsers! Lorna picks this up on her email and she is beside herself, not knowing whether to laugh or cry, and spends the rest of the day doing both, sometimes at the same time. Champagne is ordered for the four of us and we toast Lucy & Neil. The practicalities of three children under two, if only briefly, are just dawning on us, how much space will our Saturday morning coffee in Costa now take up. The due date is June 12th, but Lucy is unlikely to go the full 40 weeks, so the births are likely to be before Martha is two. Lucy tells her news to all the family, and we worry briefly what Hanna's reaction will be......."She's properly trumped me know" is her first comment, but all seems well with Hanna & Evie coming round later to hear the news. Four grandchildren, and the twins will not be identical, 50% chance of one boy, one girl, 25% chance of two boys, or two girls. Prams, car seats, bedrooms, cots, buggies, high-chairs, OMG, the thoughts go on, and we're only the grandparents.

Not much else to report today, other than the usual sunshine, food, drink, and a second spinning sessions. Dinner with Dennis & Maribeth.

Now on a cruise the cross section of people is actually fairly small with regard to age, outlook, even wealth (everyone being able to afford a luxury cruise), but with one characteristic there is a very wide range, basic civility toward fellow passengers. There are too many people who for whatever reason fail to recognise the basics of "hello", "good morning", "I think you were here before me", and "thank you", or even a smile, etc, etc. Lorna & I are getting quite naughty as we make some people aware of there ignorance, which of course means we are now being rude. The man who was happy to jump the omelette queue had to be spoken to three times before he acknowledged I might have been in front of him; completely unaware of my existence. No thought of shall I check to  make sure no one is in front of me, no just march straight up regardless. The man along our corridor for whom we waited to pass, could  not manage eye contact, let alone a thank you. When we called him to task he could still  not manage a word, only a look of great irritation, tosser!

Maybe it is too much to expect the same civility from everyone, but the difference between those that do offer it, and those that do not, is stark.