California Coast Cruise, Part 1: Boarding the Ruby Princess

As I mentioned, Steve, Trevor, and I just got back from a 7-day cruise aboard on the Ruby Princess. This was our second time on the Ruby. In 2014, we sailed from Canada to New England as a group of 10. This time, four of us sailed along the California coast. Our fourth was CJ, Trevor's friend from high school.  

California Coast Cruise - Ruby Princess

On Thursday, September 10 the four of us drove to the ferry terminal in Vallejo, excited to get to San Francisco to board the Ruby Princess. Driving into SF on a weekday morning is a giant pain and parking there for a week is expensive, so taking the ferry is a great option. We weren't the only ones who thought so, as there were at least 30 others on the ferry taking the same cruise. 

We had a pleasant, 1-hour ride to the Ferry Building in San Francisco. 

It's 1.3 miles from the Ferry Building to Pier 35, where we boarded the ship. We took a leisurely stroll, enjoying the public art along the way. It was a beautiful day. 

Normally, the Ruby boards out of Pier 27, which is closer to the Ferry Building and far better equipped to handle crowds. Boarding did not go nearly as smoothly as it usually does on a Princess ship, but eventually we made it aboard. 

Steve and I had a balcony cabin (B-335) on Deck 11. 

Trevor and CJ were directly across the hall in an interior cabin (B-337). 

We had a delicious lunch, took care of our safety/muster responsibilities, and then spent time exploring the ship and enjoying the Bay views. 

There's Alcatraz!

In the 12 years since we were last aboard the Ruby, it has been refurbished twice: in 2018 and in 2023. So while the basic layout didn't change, practically everything else was different. It was fun to discover the fabulous new mini golf course! 

Shuffleboard and cornhole are right there too. 

I love the new menus at the bars that put zero proof and nonalcoholic drinks front and center! That is such a smart and thoughtful improvement. The other side of the menu has the alcoholic drinks. I can't have alcohol because of my cancer medicine, so I really appreciate when there are fun mocktail options. 

  

By the time we were ready for sailaway, San Francisco's famous fog (Karl) had rolled in. 

We sailed under the Golden Gate Bridge with the foghorn blasting. 

We had a fantastic dinner, then enjoyed some of the evening activities, including trivia and a game show called Strike Out. They played a song and put two dates up on the screen. Everyone moved to one side of the room or the other based on when they think the song came out. The people with the correct answer stayed for the next round; the ones on the wrong side had to sit down. It was HARD, especially for the songs that came out 20+ years before I was born. I did do pretty well with the songs from the 80's and 90's. 

Each time they got a winner, they started a new game and brought everyone back to play. On the very last round of the very last game, I stood alone on one side of the room. I thought Baby Got Back had come out in 1992; the other remaining contestants all thought it was 1994. I won (exciting!) and enjoyed my Princess-branded prizes for the rest of the week. 

Friday, September 11 was a sea day. I'm a really early riser, so I had the buffet mostly to myself to eat, relax, and do my Duolingo. 

I went to a port lecture, walked multiple laps around the Promenade deck, and enjoyed the ocean views. 

Steve and I filled the rest of the day with good food, reading, and relaxing. 

  

The boys went swimming, then joined us for trivia. Our host was Prince, who is from St. Vincent and the Grenadines! I had to introduce myself and tell him about my connection to his beautiful country. 

After dinner, we went to the champagne waterfall.... 

... then played cards and enjoyed live music. 

We were all really excited for our first port. Steve and Trevor had both been there before (separately) but I'd never visited and it had been on my bucket list for a long time. It would be CJ's first visit as well. Tomorrow I'll tell you where we went and everything we did.

California Coast Cruise

My parents' 50th anniversary was in 2020 and we were planning a California Coast cruise to celebrate. We'd never done that itinerary and were excited about it. COVID canceled our plans. We rescheduled for 2021 and ended up canceling that too. In 2022, our extended family took an Alaskan cruise together, where we successfully celebrated my parents' 50th and 52nd anniversaries. 

Steve, Trevor, and I still wanted to take the California Coast trip and we finally made it happen. We sailed on our "Hometown Cruise Ship" and had a great time. 

I'll be back on Monday to tell you all about it.

Mini Keepsake Quilt #4

I finished my mini keepsake quilt using scraps from Quilt #4. Making these mini quilts is more difficult for me than the full-sized quilts. I have a much harder time accurately sewing the tiny squares together and lining up the corners. Or maybe it's just that the mini quilts show the mistakes more readily. Still, each one of these I've made is better than the previous one. Progress!

I love seeing the quilts all together. I'm absolutely amazed that I have finished four quilts (so far!) in 2026, considering that I didn't learn any of the necessary skills until the end of 2025. 

In two weeks, we'll be bundling up all the quilts our group has made this year and sending them off to LWR. I'm excited for them to reach people in need and provide warmth and comfort. Each of my mini quilts serves as a reminder of why we do this. 

If you would like to be a part of this important ministry, St. Mark's Quilters welcomes donations of fabric, thread, batting, or money to pay for shipping the quilts. You can also donate directly to LWR. Or you can get involved with making quilts. It has been so rewarding for me. 

Banana Ball

It was hot, smoky, crowded, and the seats were uncomfortable... but I still had a great time at my first Banana Ball game! I would love to go again, especially on a cooler day with clearer air, fewer people, and stadium seats. But I'd still go again, even with less-than-desirable conditions. 

Banana Ball in Boise (affiliate link)

I'm really happy with this layout. I love the family selfies, the Banana Ball logo as the title, the scoreboard as one of the photo elements, and all of the journaling I was able to include. It was fun to work with a color I don't use often. I like the simple embellishments, particularly the 'Fun in the Sun' banner that frames the photo and gives a nod to just how hot it was that day. 

Thanks again to Kari and Brian for making this possible!

A Message from Brayden and Tulip

International Rabbit Day is coming up on September 26. In anticipation, Brayden and Tulip would like to remind of you how incredible rabbits are. You'll have to imagine the speech bubbles above their heads. 

"Hello. I'm Brayden. Underneath me is Tulip, my best friend. She and I are free-roaming, bonded house rabbits. (We use litter boxes, just like cats, but I prefer not to talk about my bathroom habits.) We're crepuscular, which means we're most active at dawn and dusk. That's why we're drowsy right now while Mom is cleaning our territory. Not to brag, but we are charming. I've heard Mom say lots of times that rabbits are the best pets ever. Right, Tulip?"

"Absolutely. Rabbits are smart, curious, playful, and affectionate. Our binkies are the cutest thing ever. We can be trained, but honestly it's a lot easier for us to train Mom and Dad than the other way around. It's better that way. More treats. Of course, that's more important to you than it is to me. You're the more food-motivated of the two of us. People sometimes forget that we rabbits are unique individuals with different preferences and habits."  

"You're totally right. Every rabbit is different. One thing that's the same though? We all deserve an indoor, free-roam home with a family that loves us. I'm so glad we were rescued and ended up with Mom and Dad." 

"Yeah. If any of you are wondering if you should welcome a rabbit or two into your home, Mom has a blog post that talks all about that. Rabbits make wonderful pets but we aren't for everyone." 

"That's for sure. Sometimes even Mom says that we 'try her nerves'... whatever that means. Just because you like to throw my water dish sometimes and I occasionally like to push our x-pens into interesting shapes." 

"Both fun activities. She shouldn't knock it until she tries it. But right now, what sounds like the most fun is a nap. Sleep well, Brayden. I love you."

"I love you, Tulip. Sleep well."