Liner Lady

            I slept well and only awoke at 9:15 after Aunt Audrey had long gone to breakfast.  It was high foggy, but now (10:15) it is burning off to partly cloudy.  At present both A.A. and I are on starboard, Queens Room reading.  Queens Room is decorated in brown.

            After a deck walk, I finally settled at a table on the Fantail by the pool to write a letter.  While there a steward breezed by and mentioned a bomb scare, but nothing to worry about.  Later at lunch I mentioned it to Matthew who explained they have bomb drill occasionally, hiding three objects for the crew to find.  He wasn’t around very long to serve us, but Mark was available and we chatted about Devon his home (Torquay). We were surprised to be served a super special surprise dish.  The Head Waiter for our area, Gunther, took Aunt Audrey’s special order for Lobster Thermadore this evening and soon after, in he came with two fabulous gourmet desserts consisting of a molded raspberry and blackberry layer inside sponge cake lining.  Summer Pudding.  Along the side were triple berry garnish and whipped cream mold with mint leaf.  It made a gorgeous picture and tasted out of this world.  Gunther is Assistant Restaurant Manager and is probably making his bid for recognition when it comes to tips.  Mark said he is the best of the managers.  Mark will meet me some time to discuss places in Devon to see.

            At 2:30 I watched the fashion show, then thought I would buy a QE2 beach towel.  Since I had not enough to charge and no money with me, I put it back and may have been saved some space!  It has clouded up again.  Since I didn’t feel very well I decided to just stay in, wash my hair, putter and read the lesson till supper.  A.A. saw “The Red Shoes.” 

            We dressed formally again for dinner.  I wore my black long skirt and pink blouse with blue jewelry.  With my new hair do I mentioned that if I didn’t attract attention tonight I never would, and sure enough, C. came over as I was sitting down and kidded me about not finding me and I came back with “Where were you?”  I was out jogging on the helicopter deck between 12 and 1.”  He said he was there,  Ha!  Anyway, later he came over with a small battery torch, and showed me his signal that I’m supposed to look for.

            A.A. had her special order of Lobster Newburg and I had turkey, gazpacho and ice cream.  Mark told me more about Devon – try Cornish pasties (pab) and Devon Creams.  Matthew had a good rest this afternoon so he was full of it.  Changed my clothes and am now sitting by the Library.  At 10:30 we returned to the cabin so I could change clothes for my late night deck run.  I walked up and around the rear decks quite a while and finally C.  arrived as I was standing on starboard, one level above fantail.  He was in jogging suit but we didn’t jog, since the deck was still wet from hosing down and waxing.  Instead we sat on sun deck in cushioned chairs.  He is from Fife, Scotland, separated, and has a son and daughter.  He himself was at sea as a teenager, then went into catering business on his own with wife.  Then he taught in a Technical College in Kirkcauldy, and just left in July to try QE2.  He first applied to work as a Manager, but is taking waiter position in hopes of working up. 

            At midnight I suggested he needed to get to bed so he walked me right to my cabin.  A nice guy and fun to talk to.