Wimpy Considers Cruising
The Super Bowl of Marriage Maintenance!
(Excerpts of his Game plans from Tom & Mary past reviews)
That Wimpy Character, Tom’s Cruise Persona
Tom had been a Macho man most of his early life. In his latter years he began to realize when he did those little wimpy things for Mary, 
you know, those little wimpy things women like men to do, his lovely Mary gave him a lot more reason to smile. Although Tom was macho, he was no dum-dum. When Tom & Mary are at sea on another “Honeymoon,” he takes on the Wimpy persona to its highest degree. He views cruising as the “Super Bowl” of marriage maintenance and uses these occasions to do all sorts of lovely little wimpy things for his Mary. His credo is: “A marriage may be made in heaven, but the maintenance is done on earth.”
Mary has said the most memorable and best parts of our cruises are the things Wimpy does to surprise her. Wimpy views every cruise as an opportunity to practice some major marriage maintenance. He prepares for each cruise like a coach prepares for the big game. He thinks about all the things he could do to surprise his Mary. After much soul searching, he carefully formulates his game plan. He knows defense wins the big games in football, but it’s the strong well thought-out offense that’s needed for a super week of marriage maintenance. Read the details of some of Wimpy’s successful game plans.
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Royal Caribbean’s Explorer of the Seas: 2/2001, Valentine Week Celebration
Fashion Week
Mary and I call the two weeks before we cruise, Fashion Week. We owned and operated an award winning restaurant in Huntington, Long Island, before we retired in 1973. It was our custom on weekends for Mary to be dressed in an evening gown and I in a tux. Remarkably and to her credit, Mary has maintained her size six and is still able to wear the same gowns. You probably would like to know how I managed in the weight department… but I’m not going to tell you.
Two weeks before the cruise, Mary starts talking about what she might wear. She asks my opinion, and I tell her how nice she looked in this dress and how that dress did something special for her and the another one made her figure look even trimmer than it is and etc and etc, Then after looking at some of our formal cruise pictures on our wall unit, I usually say, “I think I’d like to see you take such and such a dress, but I’m not sure, why don’t you try it on and let me see how it looks.” This is the beginning of the fashion show. She begins trying on different dresses, and we talk about them, and then we decide if she should take it. This goes on at various times preceding the cruise and after we have made our selection, we often change our minds and do it all or again. I’ll share a secret with you. As far as I’m concerned, Mary would look good in a pair of overalls, but I wouldn’t dare tell her. I wouldn’t take the chance of having to give up the fun and the intimacy that goes along with helping an attractive lady like Mary slip in and out of her dresses. We find that Fashion Week not only heightens our excitement and anticipation of our upcoming cruise, but it makes for an entertaining and very interesting week. (BTW, Mary noticed that Tom looks and acts a lot like Wimpy during fashion week.)
Driving to Port
We reside in New Smyrna Beach, Florida and only cruise from the ports we can drive too. We got tired of being treated like cattle and gave up flying long before 9-11. During our drive to port, my Mary assumes the position of chief navigator and is also in charge of the music department. She makes sure I’m going in the right direction and she plays the kind of music that she knows will hasten macho man’s transformation to his more appealing Wimpy persona. It isn’t long after listening to the amorous tones of his favorite Latin tenor, Pedro Vargas, Tom reaches over and takes Mary’s hand and in a soft, quiet, sensuous voice, tells her why he thinks she is such a special lady. Mary realized Pedro has done his job well and that Wimpy is fast approaching his full cruise mode. Mary has to be careful what she says at a time like this, because on a couple of occasions Tom almost over shot the mark and was heading for the Keys. She got us pointed in the right direction and it wasn’t long before we arrived at the terminal. We were about to begin our 27th “Honeymoon.”
Wimpy Does His Cabin Thing
When we entered our cabin Mary was surprised when she saw the birthday decorations above the bed area and the Sunflower bouquet on
the desk, Wimpy’s surprise gifts for Mary. After receiving a hug and a kiss, he unpacked his cabin enhancers, the same ones he brings with him on every cruise… Two Wizard scented plug-ins… an extension cord with a three outlet connection… a night light… and a can of air freshener for the bathroom. Within minutes of Wimpy plugging in the Gardenia scented Wizard. We began to detect the sweet fragrance of Mary’s favorite flower. Mary sidled over to Wimpy and put her arms around him and said, “I love Tom with all my heart, but this Wimpy guy is really something special.” I ask you, how can a guy not do all kind of nice things for such a sweet lady.
Wimpy Gives Mary Gifts In a Unique Way
Having spoiled Mary by having a rose placed on her pillow every night during our Splendour cruise, I was hard pressed to think of something to do for Valentine’s week. Mary & I no longer spend a lot of money on gifts for each other. We find that the quality time we have together on a cruise is gift enough for all occasions. But Mary does like thoughtful gifts and thoughtful words. I gave it a lot of thought and decided I would write some short notes of endearment and give her a note every day of Valentine’s week. But how could I give them in a way that would surprise her. That was the question. I finally got the idea of finding several small, attractive containers that I could place my little notes in. After a great deal of searching, I finally found what I was looking for. I found two small heart shaped porcelain ones that were perfect for what I wanted to do. I cut out a picture of Mary and I that she likes from one our albums and pasted it on the inside cover of one. Then with the other, I cut out a picture of myself and pasted it on the inside cover. I wrote appropriate notes for both. I also found two small attractive porcelain heart-shaped containers that were perfect for holding my notes and some Hersey kisses. I found a very small, exquisite music box that was balanced on a pedestal, with two love birds on the cover. It had just enough room inside for two chocolate hearts and a note, and words from my heart. The one I was most proud of was a small porcelain heart-shaped container that I gave to Mary on the last night of our cruise. On the inside cover was a picture of a young boy who has special needs, who has become a special friend of Mary’s. Mary spends one day a week with him. I placed a note inside that read, “Your Love Knows No Bounds.” Now to tell you how I surprised Mary in the way I gave them to her. She was more than surprised she was speechless.
I kept the gifts in a drawer in my night table. I gave her one present each day of the cruise, but at different times of the day. Mary didn’t have any idea I was going to do this. She didn’t have a clue. And every day she was genuinely surprised. When I gave her a gift at night, I waited until she took her shower, then I placed the gift on her pillow and toggled the pinpoint spot so the light would shine on the gift. Then I turned out all the other lighting and waited for Mary to come out and see what Wimpy had done. It was really quite dramatic and Mary loved it. Wimpy liked the effect he had on Mary. In the mornings and afternoons, when he was alone for a few minutes, he would darken the cabin and do the same thing. She was totally and completely surprised. Between Wimpy’s cabin enhancements, the scented plug-ins and the Hyacinth potpourri, we felt like our cabin was the Garden of Eden. But on second thought, I think it was.
On the morning of Valentine’s Day, we read our Valentine notes to each other. I wouldn’t dare reveal the things Mary wrote, but I will tell you how she signed her note. She signed it, “You are my house guest forever and your room is in my heart.” Now isn’t that a beautiful, poetic way of saying I love you. But then again, it doesn’t surprise me, that’s my lady Mary. Talk about special moments. Old Wimpy was teary eyed. We had another wonderful romantic Valentine celebration, and it will become another one of our treasured memories. Wimpy never stopped smiling for the entire week.
The Joy of Being In Our Seventies
Mary and I have found that our seventies have been better than our sixties, and significantly better than our fifties. Being in our seventies has given us a new perspective on life. While our overall fitness has declined somewhat, our appreciation and zest for life has risen to new heights. The fifties, the sixties, the seventies; every decade has become progressively better. It’s been said life begins at forty, but after cruising for the first time in 1996, and the sheer joy that cruising has brought to our lives, we can honestly say our life began at seventy. We’re beginning to wonder if we might be a bit premature in our thinking; could it be that life might begin at 80? Keep reading our reviews and we will keep you appraised how it feels to be cruising when are in our eighties. We like what Horatio Lauro (85) said when asked his prescription for his longevity. He said, “Swim a little, dance a little, go on a cruise once a year, and live within walking distance of two hospitals.” We do three out of four… I think that is pretty good.
We Had Another Great Cruise
The reason it was great wasn’t because of the ship, or the Itinerary, or the exceptional service we received; it’s because Mary and I can’t think of a more romantic, intimate, exciting way to spend quality time with the one you love than when on a cruise. As we have mentioned a number of times, cruising has added a new dimension to our life. Sometime ago, toward the end of my Macho man years, I read that relationships are like a garden… they need a lot of tender loving care and every so often they need a jolt of fertilizer… to reach the peak of bloom. Many of the seeds of the present Wimpy Persona came from taking that statement to heart. He has come to realize that a kind word, a smile, a listening ear, an honest compliment, even the smallest act of caring or affection … means the world to Mary and that is something he never wants to forget. If you have never cruised, we suggest you try it. Like a garden, it might be just the jolt of fertilizer that your relationship needs.
I think you will enjoy reading this beautiful, supporting meditation about love.
We Are Made For Love
All hearts hunger for tenderness. We are made for love, not only to love, but to be loved. Harshness pains us, ungentleness touches our sensitive spirits as frost touches the flowers. It stunts the growth of all lovely things. Gentleness is like a genial summer of our life. Beneath its warm, nourishing influence beautiful things in us grow.
There are many people who have a special need for tenderness. We cannot know what secret burdens many of those about us are carrying, what hidden grief burns like fires in the hearts of those with whom we mingle in our common life. Not all grief wears the outward garb of mourning; sunny faces ofttimes veil heavy hearts. Many people make no audible appeal for sympathy, yet they crave tenderness. They certainly need it, though they ask it not, as they bow beneath their burden. There is no weakness in such a yearning. We remember how our Master himself longed for expressions of love when He was passing through His deepest experiences of suffering, and how bitterly he was disappointed when His friends failed Him.
We can never be amiss in showing tenderness. There is no day when it is untimely. There is no place where it will not find welcome. It will harm no one, and it may save some one from despair…J. R. Miller
The compassion that we show others allows us to forgive our own shortcomings.
May your next cruise be your best,
Our Warm regards,
Tom & Mary Milano
If you would like to receive our daily “A Thought To Start Your Day”, e-mail tomandmarymilano@yahoo.com.
Here’s a link to the first Wimpy Friday blog and a link to Tom & Mary’s Oasis of the Seas cruise review.