It started in a not so glorious way!…I woke up, switched on the news and the horror of the earthquake in Japan had just hit! followed with an alert of a Tsunami heading towards Hawaii….My heart along with the world’s dropped…I was due to head to Honolulu that very day…Still, I decided to take my first flight to Atlanta and pray that the day would hold promise. Thankfully I was able to not only fly to Honolulu BUT also get on the ship!….It was such a mixed bag of emotions that day to be happy to get where I was going knowing what was happening just over the pond….gulp!

Still, Onward life goes and join the ship I did!

I was yet again spoiled by spending 2 weeks with 8 other Entertainers!….Well, we had no where to go but miles of Ocean and deserted Islands!…It was a tropical Paradise stopping in the Cook and Tahitian Islands, truly magical and words simply could never do these places justice….I never ventured far as my fair and divine skin would fry that close to the Equator and Sun! ha ha!….I did have a shoulder heat rash for 24hrs but it quickly subsided to my normal translucent self!

My show went wonderfully!….great band on the Rotterdam and tons of repeat cruisers who became one big giant family… The highlight being Virgil and Trish….the funniest couple so honest and liver’s of life!…

Ok, so fellow acts to speak of….gosh ok, there is not enough room for all so I’ll pick 3!

Firstly the divine     MS JANINE GARNER

What a super funny Lady she is and an absolute sweetheart!…..She sleeps in longer than I do and that’s saying allot lol! I never really laugh at US comics as I struggle to understand some of the national material but I howled at her show….I shall always put my stack of panties on my taxes in the future lol!

Next we had another Lady!….yes 2 on a ship is weird but 3 of us!….oh lord!…

Ms Tara Whittaker – Flute, Piccolo and Nasal Flute Virtuoso!

This girl is super cool…She lives and loves her life and has such a charm…gorgeous!….I especially was impressed by her mastering the art of the nasal flute!….well I’ll say no more you just have to go and see her!

I tell ya tho next time we meet Tara PLEASE let me do your packing…you can leave the kitchen sink at home trust me lol!

And finally!….The Boys!

Your 3 Tenors!

What a smashingly classy show these boys put on!…They were just the nicest guys as well…You know Opera is not for everyone but really the variety they offered was just second to none…you sold me boys!….

You know all in all this was just a cruise where some great friendships and bonds were made….truly terrific! I couldn’t have asked for more!

I think the highlight tho would be the travel home!…..OK, so we all had to vacate our rooms by about 10am on the Weds for the new acts to settle in!…….However, our flight was not till 10.30PM!!!!!…….So the day begun with 8 people killing time lol!…I edited my new show reel whilst Jimmy one of the Tenors Snored away next to me lol!….We ate lunch with the Cruise Director Steve who might I add was just fantastic!…A Brit and a true pro!….Bummed around some more ate more etc etc until finally we all hopped onto the bus to go to the airport….yes 8 entertainer and a duck! Finally we were met by the longest most tedious line to check in imaginable!….it must of been at least an hour sweating away but the flight was in sight!….anyhoooow 36hrs later and I am HOME!….this time I have 6 days 3 of which with hubby before the next installment!….ah life is good to be busy!

Ok, I see a cup o tea in my future and my DVR to catch up on so off I pop!…..tarah for now!

I just got back a few days ago from a week on the Beautiful “Enchantment of the seas” and what a week it was!…Truly one of my favorite cruises ever and yet again more chums to add to my list…lovely!

I joined the ship in Baltimore, a little snowy and the first time I think I’ve ever travelled to a ship with my coat!

The list of fellow Entertainers this cruise was for me such an honour and joy to share the bill with…..really, how many times can you say you spent a whole cruise with 5 other Entertainers!….AND I got to see their shows…just brilliant!

Ok, well I won’t waffle on about everyone but will pick just a couple for this blog!

Starting with the incredible Sir Bobby Arvon

For those of you not familiar, he was the voice of the “Happy Days” theme tune,  but for me he is a Legend at work….Such a solid and awesome show to witness, I was quite simply bowled over!….

His gorgeous wife Judi was cruising  and although I struggled with my time management we did find a little time to catch up however brief….Honestly, every ship I do I struggle to fill the time and then this one I ran out!

I shared the joy of watching Bobby’s show  with two very redonkulous characters I bumped into……we sat on the balcony watching and looking like Statler and Waldorf’ with Mis Piggy in their box!

Sorry boys!…

John Joseph and Johnny B

Honestly, as a rule I am very slow watching comedy but I seriously howled with laughter through their entire show and actually every moment I spent with them…..they never stop but it’s brilliant!….They had this stunning little song they performed towards the end That I bawled my eyes out too….You really are on a rollercoaster with them,

I tell ya though that was the most fresh and unique show I’ve seen to date on a cruise ship….Loved it and their ok too!

As for my show?….Well truly my best night thus far….I had two cracking shows, really great for my soul and I buzzed with it for a few days…well why not eh!….Even better I had the evening videoed and so I will keep a memory  this time round which is a huge bonus!….Hopefully I’ll get a new demo up and running soo….it’s baby steps but still edging in the right direction!…..

Next I must get in the studio and record a new CD….I’ve been busy working on the ideas and it looks like I may record two of them in the end!….We hope that will be in the next month or at least when Hubby and I are in the city at the same time ha ha!…Still, the wheels are in motion and I am excited to get on it!

Well, time to go for now…..There’s always so much more to write about but then it would be too long and you’d never read!….do you read?

Well, Until the next it’s a tarah from me!….PWAH xoxo

Obviously today I find myself home with time on my hands thus the urge to Blog away!

I spent the first part of the holidays on Holland America’s “MS AMSTERDAM” joining the ship Dec 22nd in LA. It was a memorable day but for all the wrong reasons as days of rain caused terrible floods in the city. Still, I made it safely and got down to touring my new home straight away….she’s a small ship but beautiful and refined and owned what was to be my best friend for a few weeks…the Panini maker!….if you’ve not been at sea as much as I you’ll never understand what an un-buttered, sauced and oiled food product can mean to you!

Christmas was of course low key for me and I tried hard to ignore it’s occurence so that I could enjoy it on Jan 17th with my hubby!…Still, I had my plate of Turkey and caught a delightful show the crew put together the highlight being the Indonesian crew and their national holiday songs…it really brought a smile to my face!

My show onboard went great and actually my stay on the AMSTERDAM felt short and within no time I found myself debarking on DEC 30th in Costa Rica!

And so it begins!

I disembarked at 1pm firstly to have a 17 year old passenger pop her head in my taxi window….she wanted to tell me that she didn’t know any of the ole songs I sang but loved them all and had written the titles down so she could download them!…..The joy I felt was amazing….The audience had been 95% a mature crowd thus the songs I chose so for her to of been affected my the music well it’s priceless!

So, now DEC 31st and I am ready to fly to MIAMI…..My facebook begging for ANYBODY to spend the day with me went unheard and I spent 7.5hrs at Miami Airport….I filled it with phonecalls, reading and eventually Episodes of Coronation St on the internet!….once a brit always a brit!….Finally it was time for the last leg of my trip and a flight to St Marteen!, I arrived just in time for the stroke of 2011 to enter and had the most divine sea view room with a fireworks display and my husband on webcam….it’s not for everyone but we loved it and saw the year in together!

So, JAN 1st 2011, I joined the “MS MAASDAM” a slightly bigger ship owning my new favorite place and thing…the movie theatre!……My new home for the next 16 days and new pals to be made.

The most wonderful surprise was to meet

Ian Finkel Xylophone Virtuoso

IAN, 18 years previous had been my Vocal Director!!….What a small and delightful world! And what an Entertainer he is!….I only wish I had realised he was there sooner so I could listen to his stories, he is such a character and fascinating with such wit….Hopefully in his words we won’t leave it 400 years till we meet again!

Another joyful new pal I made is a wonderful Vocalist PRESTON COE, I shall start by thanking Preston for the Cosmo Carabana …at least I think that’s what it is?….Help Preston!

We had far too short a time together but hope it will  not be the last…

www.prestoncoe.com

And so, here we are Mid January of a New Year and I am home after an eventful and wonderful first time on Holland America!

I have a week to unpack, do my laundry clean the house before heading out to RCI’s “Enchantment of the Seas” for my next gig!….It shall be a quick 5 days onboard but a ship I always adore returning to and close to my heart xoxo

In the meantime I need to find time to enjoy my Sewing Machine…my Christmas gift from hubby! lovely!

So, for now…..Tarh everyone and I’ll see you on the flip of and ocean wave!

I am just back from a fantastic trip on the Jewel of the seas over in the Baltic!….I arrived with a whole day and night at a hotel in wonderful Copenhagen!….sadly, I spent the whole time in bed trying very hard to get over my jet lag with no such luck lol!

The morning brought a wonderful new face and pal to my life!….At the lobby I met a rum lad from the North of England Craig Halliday, ……turns out he’s not as scummy as I thought and is actually a very Classy violinist, travelling with the ONLY swarovski covered violin in the world! (what a poser lol)…..still his accent is dodgy! yes and that’s coming from me!

Anyhoooow, the two of us popped in a cab and set of for the beautiful Jewel of the seas!

Being the International superstar that I am lol!….I was of course to stay in the suite onboard whilst my new found pal set up life in the broom cupboard!….oh he’s gonna kill me but I’ve seen his palace on TV so I’ll just keep on digging!

All in all it was a fab cruise, Stockholm, St Petersburg, Helisinki and all of which I slept through!….I tell ya it was the jetlag but I was very happy to have BBC on the TV and felt rather british for the week!

I got to do just one show!….yes the suite and one show?….The diamond encrusted string boy really is my best pal now lol!…..I guess the last laugh would be on him as I performed right before the World Cup Final but alas I continue giggling as I have a packed crowd and couldn’t be happier. Meanwhile my new pal has hand cramp from recording my show on my beat up video camera and tripod but he really and finally DOES get the last word as I spend most of the show with my tights falling down giving me a 2nd tire right around my waist!……Sadly this can be viewed on my video page but I am a strong lass and will roll with the punches for the sake of humour!

All in all life on the Jewel was brilliant!….I got to catch up with tons of old pals and fed my soul with the joy of performing!…..and although I’ve given him stick Craig is a STAR a fab act and a gem of a guy….love ya matey!

So, the end came and I decided to take a detour on my way home!…I caught a flight to Manchester UK!….Yup!…popped on a train, bought pie n chips and then jumped in a taxi!…..where did I go?….I turned up on my folks doorstep! CLASSIC!…..it’s been almost 2 years since I emigrated to the US so this was indeed a huge suprise!……The end to a perfect trip I’d say!……now I’m back in Nashville with a suitcase full of English chocolate, a full heart, a happy soul and a very happy husband that I am finally home!