FYI

My NEW blog address is
bj-sweetnothings.blogspot.com

and I have a link to where you can receive
SWEET NOTHINGS posts in your EMAIL ACCOUNT.

Please go to the NEW BLOG.
thanks, bj

Monday, November 10, 2008

A BEAUTIFUL BLUE MONDAY WITH SALLY.....

please be warned that this is a
long..very LONG post today....
i have lots of
BLUE pictures to show.....so you gotta look at them ALL !!
deal ?


MY KIDS...DAVID KEITH and STACY LEIGH
on a boat heading out to BLUE SEA.....
*****************
i want to share a few more photos of the FABULOUS BLUE waters of
MY DREAM CRUSIN' VACATION COME TRUE
on this lovely BLUE MONDAY, hosted, once again, by our own and loved, SALLY at SMILING SALLY.
Please go right over and take a gander at all the beautiful BLUES making their way around
BLOGLAND....
*
here we are landing at
GRAND CAYMAN..
Lovely Daughter in Law, Kathy, and Handsome Son , David, lead the way..
THE WAY TO A MAGNIFICENT DAY..
and just take a look at that beautiful blue water and sky...OH, MY !!
*
the following...pictures of photos....

now, here's YOURS TRULY snorkeling...i was laughing so hard i nearly drowned myself...
i'm tellin' ya....this was SO MUCH FUN and i laughed at the grown-ups as much as the kids...
we did have SUCH a GOOD time... the water was so clear..when I got back on the boat, I had lost an earring. BRYAN, g-son, went down, located it right away and brought it back up....
I was totally IMpressed !!
THEN.......

the boat man said, "Time to swim with the rays" .....
UHHHH, rays........ What rays?...... SUN RAYS?

Little Deeds, here with her daddy, was WISHIN' it was SUN RAYS....
STING RAYS....say it with me, please...S.T.I.N.G. R.A.Y.S.
Deeds is about to climb up on top of her daddy's head....
i mean, it's just plain UNATURAL to be that close to a SEA ANIMAL.....and Deeds thought so, too!!
*************
ALL these pictures were taken with an UNDERWATER camera and so I don't have them on my computer and I don't have a scanner (what's up with THAT??)
...these are PICTURES OF PICTURES
but you can see them pretty good....

isn't this just about the most amazing photo, ever...
and SCARY ??
Beautiful Daughter, Stacy, took most of these photos and she is good!!
Our skipper said these String Rays are fed EVERY DAY by the crew on the tourist boats at about the same time and they have become extremely TAME..
and, they aren't the same type that killed the Crocodile Man, Steve Irwin....
well...MAN !!.......THAT was good to know !!
and, oh...what about that sting ray that just FLEW up out of the water, onto a boat, hitting and killing a woman and hurting her sister......ooooo, my goodness...and they wanted us to
SWIM with the rays ?!!
by this time, i am getting pretty UP TIGHT..you could've opened a Pepsi with my butt!!

this one reminds me of
JAWS !!!!!!! eeekkkk
"SWIM FASTER, BROOKS OR DREW OR BRYAN OR WHOEVER THIS IS...." !!
this ray is going up the back of Handsome Son*In*Law, JENT .....
Now...he's grinnin' but I think he shivered, too !
GOOD GRIEF, people....

Hey, I'm with you, BAILEY and DEEDS...the boat seems the best place to ME, too !!
I'd rather pet 'em than swim with 'em !
THIS is the most incredible thing I've ever seen in my entire life !!
And, the ray spit water all over the place.... including on MOI....
if they weren't so dang scary, this one would be almost cute....

ALMOST !!

I tried...I really, really did try to get in the water and swim with the rays...
but, like I said up above, that BOAT looked a heck of a lot safer than the water...
I am SUCH a titty baby !!
BUT...I kept thinking, "Most of the rays are tame but WHAT IF a new one got in the bunch that very same day and HE was the one swimming with ME??"
SEE ?....TITTY BABY !!
Oh, but it was quite an experience just to touch one of these amazing creatures...
They are as soft as can be and I was shocked...I didn't think about them being so soft and velvety...


Beautiful Daughter just about shivered herself to death when this one started up her back....
Jent wasn't gonna let it go over the top of her head, tho.....
oooo, how fun !!!
but pretty scary and that's a fact...

After the snorkeling and playing with the Sting Rays,
the boat man (what DO ya call that guy?) took us to
RUM POINT for lunch...

I said, forget the food... after all those sting rays swimming around....
I WAS LOOKIN' FOR THE RUM !!!! ;O)

OHHH....LACEY JEAN .... you gotta STING RAY on your back.....how did that feel, girl ???
Notice how they all have their mouths wide open when that sting ray is on their back? O)



This one looks like a big rock on the bottom of the sea...


but....it's NO ROCK....



A great time was had that day in that pretty BLUE water...not too sure anyone wants to do it again....at least not any time SOON.... ;o)

BUT WE ALL WANT TO GO ON ANOTHER CRUISE,...................ASAP !!

LOVE, bj

57 comments:

Neabear said...

Wow! What an experience! That is something I have never done. I would probably be like you, and not want to go in the water with those things around. I have lots of pictures on my Blue Monday too. I am glad to see I am not the only one. Lol!! Happy Blue Monday!

Alice said...

i have always been facinated with sting rays, and i can't believe you were all so close to one. it looks like a lot of fun and laughs, tho. great pix!
love, al

ksarra said...

What a happy, happy, "blue" day, BJ! Thanks for sharing the good times.

bj said...

Hi, ALICE...so glad you stopped by. Email me soon and let's get together....
love you !

Marcela said...

Hi BJ
Your pictures are wonderful and amazing...
I love them all. Thanks for sharing with us :)
Have a happy week!
Marcela

Sue said...

BJ I know you all had a blast but girl... OMG!! I don't know how you all floated in that water! I woulda sank to the bottom LOL! I just don't get it, I'm so afraid of the water that I would never go on a cruise let alone swim in that HUGE ocean, it scare the hageebees outta me just thinkin about it! But I am so glad you had a memorable time, and talk about blue, that water was BLUE!!! xo

Picket said...

Morning BJ...Great pics girl....but you couldn't have paid me to get close to one of those things!!!! lol lol Oh and that comment about your new PEPSI opener...girl you know I love Pepsi....now I'll never be able to look at one quite the same!!! lol lol Have a great day girl!

Anonymous said...

Good morning and Good God! (sorry God) it just came out. I would have been screaming like a sissy. LOL. I love your post today BJ. When we were in Grand Cayman snorkeling we did not have stingrays to swim with. I am personally very happy about that, but my kids would have loved it.
Your post is so entertaining I have laughed myself silly. What gorgeous blue water and skies with the most wonderful pics. I was riveted the whole time and was sad when it ended. Thank you for bringing back the most fun vacation I ever had. Now I am thinking of posting some of those pics. Have a happy Blue Monday.

Love, Jeanne

Anonymous said...

BJ, you know I don't love getting up and going to work on Monday. So I always visit the same four blogs every morning before I leave the house, and yours is one of those.

Well, what do I find here this morning, but words to fill my oh so pristine mind with suggestion. What, my very own BJ is talking about her butt and titties. OMG girl, I am going to be rolling on the floor laughing about this all day. You alone have saved my Monday from the blahs. I'll be thinking of butts and titties in exactly one hour during my staff meeting. Too bad everyone else won't be privy to why I am grinning.

And, I'm laughing at you and Jeanne and cuss words. Don't let Jeanne fool you because I've known her a very ... long time. ;-)

Kathleen Grace said...

I would freak out if one of those crawled up my back! They are interesting and kind of cute though. You all look like you are having a blast in these pictures:>)

Anonymous said...

Morning, BJ!! I love going on the cruise with you, but I'm staying on the boat with you girl!! Looks like all the family is having such a wonderful time.
Well, I didn't want to disappoint you, so I went back to my blog and wrote a story. Come back and read it if you get the chance.
Be a sweetie,
Shelia ;)

Chrissy...The Apothecary Shop said...

Hi stranger...well looks like you had a great time thats for sure.Hope everything is good with you and yours, love it if you would stop by sometime...take care, SEACLIFF

Stacey said...

Oh my gosh! I would be one of the titty babies. No sting ray swimming for me.

Don't you love that blue water though? It's like nothing else.

I'm so glad you had a wonderful time.

Becky said...

Moringing BJ. I love your blue day, especially the pic of you laughing! You guys looked like you have such fun!! I'm jealous!

SmilingSally said...

I had MY mouth open while looking at those pictures. (*shudder*) I could NOT! What a great vacation you had with your neat family. I love that your grandson found your earring. Happy Blue Monday!

santamaker said...

Awww...you little chickenchit! just kiddin'.. swimming with the rays is so much fun! They feel so much like a sheet of jello! We did that a couple of years ago and loved it. Of course that was before the australian guy got killed from being stabbed by one...Now I'm not sure I'd do it. Smart move on your part!
You asked about the color of my walls. It's funny, I was not a big fan of this color when I first saw this house.. but now I like that I can use any color with it and it works. It's a Duron paint and it's called Pale Peachtree..formally called Clay Beige.

Anonymous said...

That was really something to see !
So much laugh and fun.
Thank you!

Happy week to you!

Bo said...

Hi BJ...ugh, I shivered too when that sting ray was going up your daughter's back...these were great photos! I hope you all get to take another cruise too! ;-) Bo

Mojo said...

There's a tank at the aquarium where I shot the jellies that has smaller versions of the southern stingrays your crew was playing with. It's basically a petting zoo. They say that the rays in the tank have all been de-barbed (or whatever the term is) so they can't sting anymore, but all the same I think I'll pass on petting the rays. They're not all that cuddly in my opinion. Besides, that's what I have a dog for!

Smelling Coffee said...

What great pictures! So glad you had such a special time!!! We went on a cruise several years ago, and snorkling was my very favorite activity! I'd do it again in a heartbeat!!!

Blessings on your day...

squawmama said...

BJ my cute little TITTY BABY... Your pictures were fantastic and I enjoyed them a lot... I would have been a little worried but I'd done that in a flash... What a great experience.. FUN!... Ok... you have a great one today and thanks for the fun post...

(((HUGS & KISSES)))
Donna

Baba said...

Hi BJ, I am with you and would have stayed on the boat.. it was fun to look at the pictures , but not be in the water with them!!! I have never been on a cruise, because my husband hates the water and worries about fires or the ship sinking..I may have to go on one with a girlfriend... thanks for sharing all of the pictures with us... I like the one with the string ray's mouth open!!! Have a good day.
Hugs, Baba

Anonymous said...

Bj, what fabulous fun to take this vacation with your family. I've enjoyed the past photos you've shown too. Ok about the stingrays...I would have just waited on the beach at the shack and just had the rum while everyone played with those rays... I mean why do they have the word sting attached to ray?...

Knitty said...

Ewwww...I am with you on staying safely on the boat! Great pictures and glad everyone had such a good time. I've been on two cruises and would love to go again.

Tara said...

Wow--love the pic of the person holding the ray! Scary but I guess tame enough if they could do that! What a neat adventure, BJ!

nikkicrumpet said...

So much fun...you definitely had the vacation of a life time...and if you want to see those Rays swarm...bring some cheese whiz next time....THEY LOVE IT!!!!!

Sherrie said...

Hi!
Awesome photos and what a wonderful time you all had. Great memories! Thanks for stopping by my place. Take Care!!

Sherrie

squawmama said...

Hi BJ... Thanks for coming by this morning... Glad you liked the recipe... you won't be sorry it is delicious and very eazy... I make several during the holidays... and sometimes make mini ones to hand out as gifts...I am like you... I am a fanatic about the holidays but traditional.. Oct & Nov fall decorations that go into Thanksgiving... right after Thanksgiving I put up the Christmas... and they stay til after New Years... I decorate for evey holiday but the fall. Thanksgiving and CHristmas are my favs... The motorhome is smaller but I still manage to deck the halls... LOL LOL

(((HUGS)))
Donna

Chrissy...The Apothecary Shop said...

B.J. I can not tell you how glad I am you came by....thanks !! You were one of the original ones I met on RMS, hope you will come by often!! SEACLIFF

Anonymous said...

You had me at the cupcakes. Wow! Fanastic pictures. Wonderful memories for you and your family. Thanks for sharing.
Charlotte

Anonymous said...

What an experience wow, swimming with sting rays.... hummmmm I am chicken I don't know if I would... yikes...
Diane

Anonymous said...

That "cute" one looks like it has lips.... how funny... I might touch them ....but on my back... NO WAY... gosh... just think of those happy memories those adorable children will have all their lives from that wonderful trip... and that blue water is just spell binding...
HUgs
Linda

Vylat said...

Great Blue Monday post!! Here in Toronto at the zoo they've got a whole tank of them that you can pat. Just stick your hand in and they swim up. Real friendly like. Happy Blue Monday.

Anonymous said...

Happy Monday BJ. I have missed you and your sweet smile. April just left with the kids so it really is kinda blue for me.She was so happy you added her to your page. just starting out is hard.
I do love your new header picture. Looks so warm and homey.

Hesses Madhouse said...

Jut that water!!! So clear and blue. Let me at it! What an amazing adventure! I hope you get to go on a cruise again soon....Wait...I hope I get to go on a cruise soon. hee hee

kattz*cottage said...

What a wonderful trip that must have been! Looks like SO much fun! Thanks so much for sharing your Blue Monday!

Have a great week!
Kathy

Sweetie said...

BJ - If you weren't so nice I'd actually be jealous of you. The cruise must have been fabulous. Snorkeling with stingrays is just too much! It must have been wonderful to share a cruise with your family. Great post! Happy Blue Monday.
Sweetie

Anonymous said...

What a wonderful trip..now I want to go. The pictures are wonderful!!
Happy Blue Monday and have a great week.

Anonymous said...

What a wonderful trip..now I want to go. The pictures are wonderful!!
Happy Blue Monday and have a great week.

Betty said...

I would be with you on that boat BJ! I really enjoyed seeing your pictures.
Have a great day.

Betty

Sue said...

BJ when it comes to the ocean you are much braver than me! And as for your prayers for our new President, I hope the whole country can forget their differences and pray for Barack Obama, and be as gracious as you are! I want to put my bad feeling aside too so I'm going to delete all my political posts, Its time for us all to be one nation under God! xo xo

Missy Wertz said...

Oh that looks like so much fun! One day, one day!!! I am so glad that y'all had such a good time. Happy Blue Monday!

Anita said...

Looks great to me! I've always wanted to meet some rays up close and personal!
Fabulous photos...

Kim said...

Hi BJ... Thank you for sharing all of the wonderful pictures from your cruise. Seeing so many great pictures almost made me feel like I was right there along with you. Now, more than ever, I want to go on a cruise myself. Maybe someday I will. Happy Blue Monday!!

Southern Lady said...

What a neat post and pictures, BJ.

I was laughing out loud as I read it, and just the thought of a sting ray on my back made me shudder, too!

I don't even like to walk on a beach barefooted because of all the little "critters" hiding in the sand ... much less what's hiding in the WATER!

Christie said...

Hey BJ!
That water is the prettiest color of blue....and I must say honey, you have some brave family....to get in the water with the sting ray and to have it on their back...wow! LoL! It looks like you all had the time of your life and I am so happy for you....
xoxo,
Queenie

Penny from Enjoying The Simple Things said...

I would have been right up on that boat beside you BJ! Those things share the bejeebers out of me! That water is sooo pretty though.
xo
Penny

Coloradolady said...

What a great trip that must have been. I think I might have been scared. Love your contribution to Blue Monday. Makes me want to take a trip to where it is warm.

Scooterblu's Whimsy~Rhonda said...

Hi BJ, Great pictures! This time last year, we were pulling out of port for a week long cruise! Aren't the waters just amazing!

Happy Blue Monday! ~Rhonda

Beth at Aunties said...

What an incredible adventure!!!!!
The pictures are wonderful and I bet the memories will forever live on. Sting rays make me a bit skittish also! YIKES! Just call me Chicken Little....
I was looking around your blog and you are a darling grandma! With beautiful children and grandchildren. I really liked your poem on your side bar! Grandchildren are the best!
Thanks for coming by and visiting me:)

Andi said...

Your pictures are amazing BJ. I live in Florida but I've never been on a cruise...perhaps someday. I think I'd prefer to stay on the boat and just admire those stingrays from afar! The reason the mouth is open when they're on your back is to let the S-C-R-E-A-M out...yikes!!!

Happy Blue Day!

Anonymous said...

I enjoyed your photos and I think I would have fainted if a sting ray touched me. My Dad was stung by a sting ray, I took him to the ER, Dad said it was so painful. I'm wondering how they kept those sting rays fom stinging.

Hugs,
Chris

Anonymous said...

Wow! What great pictures. It looks like such a wonderful time. Happy Blue Monday!

Mary said...

BJ,

This was the experience of a lifetime and am so glad you shared it with us. When we were in Florida, the boys got to feed and touch sting rays at Sea World. I touched one also and was surprised that they feel so much like velvet.

Take care, my friend and thanks so much for sharing. And don't feel bad about not swimming with the rays. I don't think I'd want to either.

Blessings,
Mary

Meggie said...

Wow! What a great time! You look great in your mask and snorkel, BJ. Loved all you photos of "blue."

Carole Burant said...

I would have stayed on the boat with you! lol Oh my, such brave souls to have stayed in the water and even let the stingrays climb on their backs!!!! Yikes! I'm shivering just at the thought of it! lol I'm sure it was a great experience BUT I'd be too chicken to be in the water with them!!! xoxo

jessica said...

These pics are great. I'm jealous that you got to swim with the rays, but I'm with you...I think it would be a little unnerving.