Day 66 - Christmas Day

Merry Christmas! I hope your Christmas Day was filled with happiness, love & all the great things that come with the Christmas season!



Jaco & his Medical Team exchanged their gifts in the morning & to my surprise they even gave me a present! A wonderful Clinique travel pack – lucky me! Even luckier was my present from Jaco. He gave me a necklace & matching earrings – Tahitian pearls! The exact ones I had been eyeing up in the boutiques! What a surprise, as I was NOT expecting them! Did I mention I’m the luckiest girl I know?!? :o)



We had somewhat of a relaxing afternoon & in the evening, we went for dinner, just the two of us. It was fantastic! First, they had Christmas crackers or poppers on every place setting. I don’t think I’ve had Christmas poppers since I was about 6 or 7 at David & Elva’s in Saskatoon! We enjoyed them!



Next, was the meal. The Hoxsey diet has me avoiding the following 9 items:


1. Tomatoes

2. White flour

3. White sugar

4. Pork

5. Vinegar

6. Added salt

7. Carbonated beverages

8. Alcohol

9. Artificial sweeteners



Now, I’d been ashore in Papeete & picked up a few things from the health food store that I knew I would really enjoy if I could only find someone to prepare them for me. Enter the amazing chef’s & baker’s onboard!



First off, they brought me a beautiful mini-loaf of whole wheat bread! Yes, I get excited about bread! I savored every bite of my two slices. The rest I saved for tomorrow night!

Next up was my main course. They asked if I wanted some turkey, seeing as it was Christmas & all. I would have enjoyed some, but I couldn’t enjoy the stuffing (white flour), the cranberry chutney (white sugar), or the sweet potatoes (white sugar). So, instead, they made me a huge bowl of whole wheat spaghetti with homemade pesto sauce. OMGoodness! It was so delicious! Fresh basil, peanuts, walnuts, garlic, olive oil, add in a few thinly sliced baby potatoes, green beans & you’ve got one scrumptious dish! Even Jaco enjoyed the sauce. He smothered his steamed veggies in it & commented on how we should learn how to make the sauce!



Fortunately Andrea, the Head Waiter, who has been taking amazing care of me & keeps my Hoxsey list in his jacket pocket, strolled by to ask how we were enjoying the meal & Jaco asked him how to make it. We enjoyed the story of this traditional sauce originating from Genoa, Italy. The Italian Mamas would pick the newest, tiniest leaves of basil from the plant, the grinding of the nuts, and so on. Then it would be put into a special jar & needn’t be refrigerated. It will keep for up to 2 years! The sauce is always served room temperature. If you heat it, it becomes toxic. Bellissima! ;o)



So that was our 1st Christmas as Dr & Mrs – at sea! Stay tuned, here comes Boxing Day…



Christmas Wishes & Candy Kisses,

Maria & Jaco

xxxxx

"... And a partridge in a pear tree." - Well almost, our little tree & Jaco's stash of fruit.

The Medical Team - Augustine, Jaco, Tracey & Derek.

My beautiful Tahitian pearls from my wonderful Husband on our First Christmas as Dr. & Mrs. Lucky doesn't even describe it anymore!