Look What I Found At The Thrift Store

Finding reusable items in second-hand stores is like going on a treasure hunt. Here are some of the things I've found over the years.

Digging through dusty bins can really pay off if you're looking for chairs, side tables, mirrors, kitchen gadgets, pots and pans, dishes, glassware, picture frames, art, tools, books and even clothes for a fraction of the original price. It's an economical way to decorate.

One of my favorite things to collect is American-made dinnerware. If you question buying used dishes, remember that when you eat at a restaurant, you're eating on dishes that have been used hundreds of times. With the right scrubbing, disinfectant and sanitation methods, they're good to go.

Cast iron skillets make great finds for cooking steaks, fried chicken, pork chops and more. Their durable construction makes the pan safe to use on the outdoor grill, over campfires or in the oven.

Look for the manufacturer's mark on the bottom for names like Wagner or Griswold.

The skillet I found was covered in years of baked-on grease. SOS pads, elbow grease and a light coating of oil made it look like new.

Second-hand stores are great place to find vintage items as people who are downsizing donate their excess household items. Goodwill, Salvation Army, Donation Station, Friends of Strays, and Junior League stores can yield treasures from dusty attics, barns, storage units and leftovers from estate sales.

Antique stores usually have a bargain area where slow-moving items are marked down. Pawn shops and flea markets have jewelry, guitars, clocks, kitchenware, appliances, tools patio furniture and more.

This Rookwood vase from 1904 is signed by its designer, KVH, for Katherine Van Horne. It's marked with the manufacturer's stamp and a Roman numeral on the bottom for the year. Vases like this can sell for hundreds to collectors. I found this one at a garage sale.

Keep an eye out for multiple-family garage sales where people are trying to get rid of grandma's "dusty old things." You never know what you might find.

Vintage Oak Washstand from the late 1800s

If you want to learn more about the history of vintage items, auctions are good places to start. An experienced auctioneer tells a story about the items to build interest from the crowd.

Auctions

1. Arrive early and check out the items for sale. 
2. Bring a magnifying glass and a flashlight to inspect hard-to-see areas. 
3. Items are sold as is and where is. 
4. Any defects are the buyer's responsibility.
5. Find out how much the auction charges for a buyer's premium. Sometimes it's ten-percent added to the winning bid amount.

Bidders are assigned a buyer's number to be used when bidding. When the bidding gets intense over an item, the price tends to go up.

Don't worry that you'll end up buying something accidentally. If there's a question of intent, the auctioneer usually asks, "Are you waving at someone or bidding?" You'll know if you've bought something when they yell, "SOLD!"

How Much Is It Worth?

Finding values is easy with an internet search. For years, collector series books were the only source for values. They're still a great source of manufacturer's history of where certain patterns originated. Remember, an item is only worth what the market will bear.

When you check eBay for an item's worth, sign in and look at the "sold" listings. Just because someone sets a sale price doesn't mean people will buy it for that much.

Hull coffee mug in tangerine (rare) color with a matching coffee server.

Knowing what to buy is as important as knowing what not to buy. Here are some things best left at the store.

Things To Avoid When Shopping at Second Hand Stores

1. Intimate clothing, like socks, panties, bras or swimsuits, unless tagged with original manufacturer's tags and in "new" unworn condition. Always launder before using.
2. Cloth covered furniture with odors or stains are best left behind. (Crime TV makes me suspicious of red stains.) 
3. If it smells funny or has mold or water damage, think twice before buying it.
4. Avoid books or paintings that smell of mold or mildew unless they have historical value or are family heirlooms. In that case professional restoration may be required.
5. Pass on porous items like wooden spoons, wooden bowls, non-washable fabrics or other items that can't be immersed in a cleaning solution and disinfected thoroughly.
6. Consumables like make-up, body lotion, perfume, edibles and other vintage food items are likely beyond their best-use date and aren't safe to eat or use. Perfume bottles can be cleaned but the contents will likely smell strong.
7. Kitchen appliances need to be tested. Some items like mixers, toasters and lamps are safer if they're rewired.
8. Shoes are questionable unless they show little or no wear. They can be of value as theater props or decorations.
9. Some baby car seats and cribs have been recalled due to dangerous or unsafe outcomes. Check for any recalls.
10. Some old items were made with paints that contained lead or radioactive materials, like illuminated clock faces painted with radium. Avoid these.
11. If an item just doesn't feel right when you pick it up or holding it makes the hair on your neck stand up, leave it behind.

Use your good judgement on used items.

Good luck in your search for vintage items. I hope you find the treasure of a lifetime!

Burgundy Lace Dishes from the 40s

Solomon Lithograph from the 40s

Marigold Carnival Tumblers from the 60s

Hull Mirror Brown Oven Proof Dishes USA

Oven Baked Salmon in 20 Minutes

 

Fresh Baked Salmon with Iceberg Lettuce, Tomatoes, and Berries

Fresh salmon is easy to make and cleanup is a snap. This oven meal is quick, nutritious and economical.

Whether you're on a budget or just looking for something new to fix for dinner, this meal is easy to prepare, requires little clean-up effort, and is economical. One fresh salmon fillet can easily make three main dish entrees for around $15.00.

Add veggies, bread, and a green salad, and you're ready to eat in 25 minutes.

If you've looked at the price for a nice salmon meal at a restaurant lately, you'll be amazed that you can prepare this meal for less than half of the cost. Clean-up is made easy when you line your baking pan with aluminum foil and bake this delicious salmon in your own oven.

Here's how to do it:

• Select fresh salmon from your favorite grocery store. I always find good choices at Aldi where they have ocean raised (not farm raised) filets.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
• Use kitchen shears to cut the fish into 4 ounce portions.
• Place on a foil-lined cookie sheet skin side down.
• Season with onion salt, pepper, powdered garlic and a tablespoon of butter.

• Bake for 20 minutes or until the fish flakes with a fork
• Separate the skin from the filet using a flat spatula and a fork.
• Leaving the skin on the foil, transfer the filet to a plate or the top of a salad.

Served hot or cold, this economical meal is easy and delicious.

Refrigerate unused filets in a covered container. The next day, in a bowl, use two forks to flake the fish.

• Add a tablespoon of mayonnaise
• Add a teaspoon of pickle relish
• Add a chopped boiled egg (optional)
• Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Use this as a salad topper or on a sandwich. Delicious!

How to Count Back Change

How did cashiers know how much change to give back before computers? They counted it back by hand. This tutorial makes it easy to give back the right amount of change.

Peg owned an antique store and a hair salon and worked in a variety of retail settings before moving into a corporate role.

Yes, I’m one of those people who gives the cashier the exact change for a purchase. I can hear the groans at cash registers everywhere as I dig into the depths of my purse while people in line behind me narrow their eyes and glare. While they’re checking their watches, I ask the cashier, “Is it too late to give you the seven pennies?” The crowd groans. I have actually been told, “Yes, it's too late.”

It's likely that these cashiers were never trained to count back change to a customer. When I ask cashiers if they got any training from their employers like how to bag groceries or what to do if the customer wants to give you the pennies, I'm shocked when they tell me, they didn't.

Here's the way we were taught back in the days before registers told you how much money to give back.

Suppose your customer bought forty-eight dollars and thirty-seven cents ($48.37) worth of groceries. After you've already hit the cash out button, they hand you a one hundred dollar bill ($100.00).

If the cashier entered the amount of the purchase as exact cash received, the register won't tell them how much change to give from the hundred.

How do you figure out how much to give them? You count it back. 

For Example, the Customer's purchase is $48.37.

1. First, you're trying to round up to a zero or an even dollar amount.
2. Starting with the smallest denomination of coins, pull out one penny at a time and count to yourself, “Forty-eight dollars and thirty-eight cents (48.38)."
3. Take another penny and say, "Forty-eight thirty-nine, (48.39)."
4. Another and it's "Forty-eight forty (48.40)." You've reached an amount with a zero at the end.
5. You could move on to the nickel bin, but that's not the largest denomination of coin needed. Nobody wants a pocketful of nickels.
6. Go to the dime bin and pull out one dime. Whisper to yourself, "Forty-eight fifty (48.50)."
7. Next, go to the quarter bin and pull out one quarter. Count to yourself, “Forty-eight seventy-five" (48.75).
8. With the second quarter, say to yourself, "That makes forty-nine dollars" (49.00).

That's a full dollar amount and it ends in zero.

Move on to the paper currency.

• Pull a one dollar bill out of the drawer and tell yourself, "And one dollar makes fifty."
• Pull a 10-dollar bill from the drawer and say to yourself, "Plus ten makes sixty." You could also use two fives, but most customers want the highest denomination possible and not a lot of loose bills.

Still holding the change in your hand you move on past the tens.

Rather than giving them four more tens (forty dollars) for the rest, move on to the next higher denomination, which is twenty dollar bills. 

• 60 dollars plus a 20-dollar bill equals 80 dollars.
• Add one more 20, and you’ve got the correct change for 100.
• Now, you count it back to the customer just like you counted it to yourself. There's a reason to do this. It double-checks your math.

Why Should Anyone Learn How To Count Back Change?

When I turned 16, I started working retail at a dime store. Within the first week, the manager put me on the register. The first thing we were taught about operating that antique brass National Cash Register was that when the drawer flew open after ringing the merchandise, we counted back the change into our hand and then counted it audibly as we handed it to the customer. This is a lost art in today's world of computers and calculators.

Sometimes, it is necessary to know the art of counting change, like when we have a garage sale or work as a vendor in places that don't have automated registers like the flea market or the school carnival.

And, of course, there's the occasional customer like myself who likes to give the odd change to the cashier in order to receive back fewer one-dollar bills or coins. I'll admit, I do it sometimes to keep my math abilities fresh. This seems to have a negative effect on the register operators that can't make change without the machine telling them how much.

Giving Back Small Bills When Larger Ones Are Best

This week, I was shopping at the Ross store that recently opened in our area. I waited in the maze of roped-off lines, Disney World style, to approach the cashier. I gave her a $100 bill for a $48.23 purchase. I don’t usually have 100-dollar bills, but I sold some furniture at a garage sale, and they paid me in cash.

The cashier seemed taken aback that I would even think of using cash. He gave me five $10 bills and $1.72 in change. That was the right amount, but most people don't want a load of small bills in their wallets.

I asked, “Don’t you have any twenties? This is a lot of tens.” After marking the currency with his special pen to make sure the large bill was not counterfeit, he announced over the public address system, “I need twenties, here.” People in the line turned to stare at me.

It seems as if stores are not expecting anyone to use cash, and they don't supply their registers with the appropriate currency to make change.

Counting The Change Back To The Customer

Now, to count it back to the customer whose sweaty little hand is stretched toward you.

Repeat the dollar amount of the purchase to them. “That’s forty-eight dollars and thirty-seven cents, Ma’am," being sure to emphasize the word to let people know that the customer is an old codger.

Next, calmly and firmly, count out the pennies. "Thirty-eight, thirty-nine and forty."

Now, hand them the dime. “And ten cents makes forty-eight fifty.”

Next, count back the quarters. The progression is from the smallest coin to the largest. "That's forty-eight seventy-five (after the first quarter) and forty-nine dollars (after the second quarter.)

Carefully placing the dollar bill in their hand, continue. “And one dollar makes fifty.”

Moving along to the 10-dollar bill, “Sixty.”

We're up to the twenties now. After the first twenty, say, “Eighty,” and handing them the last twenty, simply say, “And that makes one hundred dollars.”

Okay, maybe it is just too hard. When all else fails, tell the customer not to bring cash anymore and go on your well-deserved break.

Three Reasons Why You Should Count Back Change - from YouTube

Credit cards represent around 78 percent of all sales, but there will still be those people, like me, who like to use cash. You need to be able to make change for these people.

Then there are those oddballs who want to give you the change after you've already rung up the amount tendered.

"Can I give you the seven cents?" The next lesson will cover what to do when the old bat gives you the small change.

Fresh Peach Cobbler from Simple Ingredients

 

Easy Peach Cobbler

Making dessert doesn't have to be hard. Try this recipe and see for yourself.

If you're craving a tasty, fruity dessert to top off your meal, this easy recipe is way better than the frozen fruit cobbler at the grocery store.

Store bought cobbler comes out of the packaging looking like fruit filling with a flat pie crust on top. It's costly and tastes nothing like the cobbler Grandma used to make.

Why not make your own? With a few ingredients out of your cabinet, this dish is ready for the oven. You'll need is the following items:

• Medium mixing bowl
• 2 knives
• Measuring spoons
• Measuring cup
• Round oven-proof casserole dish (1 1/2 to 2 quart dish works best)

Use an oven-proof pan like a Pyrex or Corning ware casserole dish (1.5–2 quart) or use a deep dish disposable aluminum pan. No lid is required.

I often find casserole dishes at the thrift store. They're plentiful, not very expensive and make a great gift when making this recipe for a friend. For a couple of dollars, you don't need to worry if your dish disappears after a pot-luck meal or a social gathering.

Ingredients for the Topper:

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 Tbsp granulated sugar

1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup butter

1 egg, slightly beaten

1/4 cup milk

Ingredients for the Filling:

2 cans of sliced peaches, drained or 4 cups fresh fruit

1 1/2 Tbsp corn starch

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup liquid (water or drained juice from the canned peaches)

1 Tbsp lemon juice

1 Tbsp butter

1. Start by making the biscuit topper. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt.
2. Cut in the butter by using two knives in a Criss cross fashion or use a pastry blender.
3. Combine the milk and egg and pour over the mixture.
4. Stir until slightly moistened and set it aside

For the filling:

1. Drain the canned peaches and save 1/2 cup of the juice. Set the fruit aside.
2. Add the cornstarch, spice brown sugar and the liquid in a saucepan.
3. Stir together over medium heat until it thickens.
4. Add the peaches, lemon juice and butter and cook for another 5 minutes or until the peaches are hot.
5. Pour the hot fruit mixture into an oven proof casserole dish.
6. Spoon the biscuit topper over the mixture, making 6 mounds of dough.
7. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes until the crust is golden brown.

Serve warm or cold with ice cream and whipped topping (optional.)

Tip: I like a bottom crust so I often use ready-made pie crusts to line the bottom of the pan. Cut them out with a cookie cutter and they make a great crust.

They'll also work for the top crust.

Fresh Blueberry Cobbler:

1. Use 1 pint of fresh blueberries or drain a 15-ounce can of blueberries reserving 1/2 cup of the syrup for the filling. Set aside.
2. Blend 2 tablespoons of cornstarch with 1/2 cup of sugar and 1/2 cup of water or use the 1/2 cup of the reserved syrup in a saucepan and cook over medium heat until the mixture thickens and begins to bubble.
3. Add the drained or fresh blueberries, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, and 1 tablespoon of butter, and cook until the berries are hot (about 5 minutes).
4. Pour the hot fruit into a baking dish and cover it with the biscuit topper from the recipe above.
5. Bake at 400°F for 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown on top.
6. Serve warm or cold, plain or with ice cream and whipped topping.

Hope you enjoy this family favorite dessert.

Saving Memories for My Sister

Where Are You Little Girl?

The summer I turned 16, my mother and I drove from Miami, Florida to Tallahassee to see my sister. The 500 mile journey took us to the campus of Florida State University where Janet was a Freshman.

She was living in a scholarship house off campus with a dozen or so other students. Their house mother served as a chaperone and substitute mother to these young ladies during their pursuit of a college degree. They shared meals at a giant dining room table with living quarters in an historic house just a couple of blocks from school.

Janet took me with her to her classes and to the campus library, and nearby coffee shops where I played "Little Red Riding Hood" on the jukebox.

As we stood outside the student union, a friend of hers drove up in his shiny new Chevy Corvair and stopped right next to where we were standing.

He rolled down the window and I'll never forget what he did next.

Be My Love - Mario Lanza

This dangerously handsome guy, dressed to the teeth in a light blue button-down shirt with a skinny tie, the hottest styles during the 60s, reached out and took my sister's hand. Then, without any further provocation, he belted out the song in the video above with as much gusto and volume as he could produce.

Afterward, he simply drove off just as smug and confident as he'd driven up.

I asked my sister if that was her boyfriend. She said, "No, he's just a drama student who is deeply into his craft."

I never forgot that few minutes where I thought it was the most romantic thing I'd ever seen.

Janet found her first true love on that campus, but it wasn't the Mario Lanza impersonator. She and Jim got married in April of 1967 in a church wedding with flowers, a long, flowing white dress, a best man, a flower girl (my little 5 year-old cousin) and two bridesmaids including yours truly.

She probably doesn't remember either of these events now. She's suffering from early onset dementia. It's up to the rest of the family to keep her memories safe. 

That responsibility falls mostly on my niece, Janet's daughter who lives in the same town in South Carolina.

Those of us who have served as caregivers know the heavy burden that this entails. It's a complex blend of guilt and exhaustion from trying to do it all, caring for your mother while carrying a full-time job, caring for a retired spouse, a household and the daily grind of life's activities.

I admire her perseverance and fortitude. You know who your are.

Cruising on Virgin Voyages - What We Did and Didn't Like

Choosing the right cruise line can make the difference between a good trip and a great one.

After seven cruises with another cruise line, we decided to try Virgin Voyages. The draw for us was that  passengers have to be at least eighteen years-old. As seniors, we value a quiet and slower pace.

One of the best features of Virgin Voyages was the embarkation process. There was a separate entrance for suite and VIP guests which really made a difference on our first impressions. How they treat you before you get onboard says so much.

There was also a separate lounge area with snacks and refreshing drinks while we waited to be escorted onto the ship.

Once aboard, we were directed to one of the lounges for complimentary champagne and a chance to meet our personal concierge who is tasked with meeting the suite passenger's special needs.

Embarkation Lounge

In our "Rock Star Suite," the bed was placed at an angle to the side wall because of the trapezoid shape of the bathroom. The head of the bed was against the shower wall and had a huge window that let anyone see into the shower and sink area of the bathroom. 

The big-screen TV faced the couch but in the distance between, there was a glass table. Underneath the TV was a wire-backed throne style chair. Pretty but not comfortable.

We asked for a window shade to cover the bathroom peep-hole and it was immediately provided.

The couch was rectangular foam with a matching ottoman. If you're of average height the couch was too deep to comfortably sit back and bend your legs.

There were drawers inside the closet and room to store suitcases under the bed. A hair dryer was provided inside a small chest near the door. Two of the three drawers under the bar were filled with assorted cocktail glasses.

The mini bar had an impressive assortment of full-sized bottles of liquor, wine and even Moet champagne.

I like that they provided sparkling water and fresh water in refillable carafes on a serving tray.

There was also a record player, a speaker, vinyl LP albums and a room telephone which took up a lot of the counter space.

The mini-fridge was stocked with specialty beers, Red Bull and Kombucha. An ice bucket was replenished twice daily along with carafes of sparkling water and filtered water.

The bathroom was enormous and tiled in Italian marble with a seating area at the wide end of the shower. The shower controls were at the opposite end.

There was no enclosure or shower curtain but it had a small retaining curb at the base to keep the water in.

The balcony was huge and had a red string hammock, two upright metal chairs and a small metal table.

Pools onboard were small and designed for plunging rather than swimming. One round pool was divided into quadrants for socializing. Hot tubs were plentiful in different areas of the ship along with thermal suites for hydrotherapy and sauna. 

The arcade had vintage board games like Scrabble, Battleship, Clue, and an indoor shuffleboard.

The deck area was furnished with round, bed-type loungers in red vinyl for sun bathing, covered with terry cloth slipcovers.

The music in the corridors and sitting areas was modern. Occasionally, we heard a familiar song. The thumping bass of the after-hour music, actually rattled the walls of our suite. (Yes, we're old.) 

Our departure was delayed while repairs were made to the rear end of the ship. Welders could be seen from the restaurant windows on the deck below..

View from the restaurant aft of the ship.

Common areas were painted in shades of bright red, purple, orange, and yellow on walls, floors and covered surfaces.

Food

The ice cream place had hand-scooped flavors in waffle cones or a cup. Wonderful! Thankfully, there was a curved sofa near the ice cream parlor as their seats were unwelcoming.

The art on display was unusual. One sculpture seemed to be two bar stools welded together with a face painted on the seats. There were a lot of sexual innuendoes in the paintings and naming of areas. They even had a tattoo parlor among the few shops. It's definitely a place where anything goes. No surprise. It is the Scarlett Lady after all.

Many of the ship's activities were geared for the late-night crowd like the pizza place which didn't open until 2:00 PM but it stayed open late.

Even the elevator was unusual with black lights and flashing marquees inside.

We enjoyed our dinner at Extra Virgin Italian Eatery. The host seated us at a bar-height table. Appetizers were cheese, nuts, salami and salsa. The 2nd course came immediately after the 3rd course - a side of pasta Bolognese and a filet for the hubby. I ordered Gnocchi and the sea bass. It was wonderful.

Breakfast at The Wake was not our favorite. They recommended a more traditional meal at Razzle Dazzle where we ordered fresh fruit, egg choices, pancakes, waffles and more.

The Galley was similar to a buffet where you raise a flag and wait staff takes your order. They bring the meals to the tables, so no self-serving which I liked. I liked the cheeseburgers but the fries were amazing, topped off with an incredible dessert called "Smores in a Cup."

Refrigerated dispensers had pre-prepared sushi and Bento boxes along with fresh fruit. 

Musical tastes, food choices, likes and dislikes are all subjective. What one person loves, another might not. We prefer simple meals with food that we recognize.

This dish was from the experimental test kitchen where invited guests can sample new and unusual foods.

Our Preferences May Not Match Yours

One of the things we missed from other cruise lines was the Piazza with its distinctive buzz of people having a good time listening to music and dancing or just observing. Virgin offers more intimate gathering spots where people can congregate.

The lounges seemed to discourage people from sitting at the bar, preferring that you order on the online app instead. A waiter would then deliver your beverages to you.

Aboard Virgin Voyages we felt out of our element, not only in the average age group aboard, but in the choices of music, seating, entertainment and food.

Most of the chairs were made of wood slats, wire mesh or plastic chairs and backless benches. For seniors like us, it was difficult to find comfortable seating.

Ouch

That was our first experience on Virgin and maybe with more trips we could grow to love it as much as we do other cruise lines. Whatever ship you choose, I hope your voyage meets your expectations. You'll never forget the experience.

Regal Princess Cruise to Costa Maya, Roatan, Belize and Cozumel - March 2025

Our favorite activity now that we've retired is cruising. Where we go isn't as important as the journey and the friends we make along the way.

We saved faithfully for years, doing without the luxuries so we could enjoy our golden years. And now, we're reaping the rewards. I only wish we were younger.

Despite our advanced years, we still enjoy listening to live rock and roll bands, dancing, zip lining (oh, yes!), and exploring new and familiar ports. We like collecting T-shirts and a hats from every port we visit.

Our trip this month was probably the best one we've ever had. The ship made it to every port and the hubby finally got to visit Costa Maya which we missed on the last cruise, due to high winds and swells.

Our suite was spacious, warm and inviting. The view from the balcony was fantastic. The service by our steward, Leo, was without a doubt, one of the best experiences. He made sure our cabin was properly stocked, cleaned and even helped when the maintenance folks were out on the deck repairing some pipes. He cleaned up and restored everything to its place.

The food this trip was excellent, from the Lido Deck pizza and burgers to the high-end steakhouse, The Crown Grill. We ate breakfast each morning at Sabatini's where we were treated like honored guests. The evening we enjoyed a specialty meal there, the chef went out of his way to prepare an off-menu item for two of our party - chicken Parmesan, which was in my friend's words, "the best he'd ever had" (other than his wife's, of course.)

This is French Toast with an apple compote and link sausages at Sabatini's Italian Trattoria.

The entertainment in the Piazza kept us hopping to the beat with performances by Everlasting Now and Asian Soul who played all the feel-good songs of the 70s 80s and 90s along with  performances by Cam Dunbar on acoustic guitar and Simon and Olga on violins.

We didn't have time to see all the other performers whose talent was showcased on the ship. We even missed the Theatrical production of Ashlie Amber celebrating Whitney Houston, but we heard she was fabulous.

Our first port, Costa Maya was a hub of activity with four other cruise ships in port. Surprisingly, the tourist center  in the town square wasn't too overcrowded. We were able to visit many of the shops and find some great deals on merchandise.

We didn't take any excursions on this stop. Just walked around in the square, got our passports stamped and then went back onboard.

It was a calm day with tropical temperatures and a refreshing breeze. Still, it was good to get back to the air conditioning and comfortable seating on the ship.
 

Our Effy "family," Star and Nikola went out of their way to make us feel welcome. With their help, I found the perfect gifts for my hubby's upcoming birthday. I was able to trade in a pair of earrings that I'd never worn for a man's necklace and a ring and a bracelet for myself that I absolutely love.

This is the third cruise where we've seen Nikola and he actually remembered us! He's such a nice guy who got us an extraordinary deal on the jewelry.

Effy's founder, Mr. Hermatian's story is a rags-to-riches tale that is truly inspiring. He worked until he no longer could even after his terminal diagnosis. He passed away in 2023 after three decades of designing beautiful jewelry.

Since Effy is based in New York, no taxes have to be paid on purchases. That's a tremendous savings.

At our second port of call, we signed up for a ziplining excursion with Extreme Zip Line Adventures of Roatan. Our friends, Keith and Renee joined us for their first time to try out the experience. After signing waivers and getting fitted with equipment, we had a slightly wait for the truck to take us up the rugged, dirt road straight up the mountains. That was a "hold onto your seat" kind of ride, but once we made it to the first station, the incredible view was well-worth it.

This is us on Station No. 1, 910' feet of up to 20 mph at a maximum of 60 feet above the ground. What a ride! The longest run was about 1610 feet long.

Five stations later, we were back at the Hideaway Bar on Mahogany Bay Beach to rehydrate. Our adrenaline was pumping.

Unfortunately, the professional photographers who usually film videos of the participants were not available for our visit. The guides, Donny and Harold, used our phones to capture a few runs for us. They were exceptionally patient with the four of us who are inexperienced zip liners.

They told us there was no need to rush and they patiently guided us through the whole excursion.

The stairs are steep and strenuous and the heat takes its toll on sedentary septuagenarians like the four of us. But, even when the hubby had to take a quick break to cool down, our guides remained cheerfully understanding. Harold used the wait time to tell us some of the island history and features.

Later that evening, we were invited to a Caribbean Party in the Concierge Lounge onboard with live music by Cam Dunbar and a table full of snacks and mixed drinks at the private function.

Our Suite Experience Concierge, Millie Coulson and newbie Serban Muresan welcomed us warmly and gracefully. We had a fantastic time. In fact, we were partying so loud the musician was told to turn down the volume. Ah, good times!