Wednesday April 26, 2023
Still in Southampton and still no news as to when we will be off, but it’s still a fun day aboard with fewer and fewer people each day. The Royal Court cafeteria is now closed, some of the bars seem to be closed, the coffee shop, all the shops, casino etc are all closed. Today was supposed to be the Italian wine Lunch and Learn, but actually is the last day for lunch at the Verandah before it closes and as we get one free lunch per segment being diamond members (the highest loyalty level program requiring over 150 nights aboard) we decided to take advantage and enjoyed a nice lunch alone. When we say “alone” it means we were the only people in the 150 seat restaurant. Thus, we had long chats with the waiters and staff, so lunch took over 2 hours, but it was fun.
We did attend one lecture which as usual, was very interesting. This was Anne Sebba the author of the biography of Jennie Churchill, the US born (Brooklyn, NY) mother of Winston Churchill. Her father was extremely wealthy at some points having a large mansion on 23rd Street in Manhattan, and at other times bankrupt. However his focus, as was her mother’s was to make their three daughters (Jennie was the middle one) highly “marriageable / desirous” to those eligible gentlemen of the upper and noble class. She was very attractive and was sent to Paris to learn to play the Piano (she had the makings of a good concert pianist) and to learn all the social graces. They then moved to England where she met Lord Randolph Churchill and the two fell in love. They were married quickly and quietly and 7 months later Winston was born!!! At first all was well, but then due mainly to ill health, father kept taking off and living in better climates for his ailments. Eventually they divorced, she married twice thereafter and had another son – Winston’s brother, but most likely from a different father, but still retained the Churchill name. Jennie’s lifelong focus was her devotion to making Winston the best person he could be. Obviously she achieved her objective. She died in 1921 at 67 following a fall down stairs resulting in gangrenous leg which had to be amputated and additional complications set in.
In the afternoon, we wandered around the deck seeing all the construction / repair / painting work being done. Anne then went to the gym and Roger went to the golf challenge winning a Cunard USB drive. So a good day “at sea” with no big waves or storms moving the ship around! After dinner we went to the Pub to await the 9:15 performance of the Scotsman – Jai McDowall who was a past winner of Britain’s got Talent. He was a very good performer and enjoyed playing to the reduced crowd, although there were still about 50 of us.
Roger & Anne Travels 