Tuesday, May 24 10pm EST, somewhere in the Caribbean Sea

It doesn’t really feel any different than 39.9999. It just means that I have to check another box on those "age range" things. You know, it used to be 30-34, 35-39, but now it’s 40-44 or whatever. A bit strange, but what can you do about it.

I had a spectacular birthday. Last night, at midnight, I was in a dance club, dancing the night away with 150 people or so. I had a glass (actually 2) of champagne at the piano bar shortly thereafter to celebrate the day, and the piano player, a guy from Memphis, played and sang Happy Birthday as well. There was a great crowd, and they toasted me, too.

Today, we spent the majority of the day just hanging out, reading. We were sitting in the shade up on the 11th deck, and I still got a sunburn. Not sure how that happened, but I think I could be inside and get a sunburn somehow. Then, I got a chocolate milkshake – yummy- and came back, read some more and took a nap. It was nice.

Then we had dinner. I wasn’t that hungry (see comment about the milkshake) but I ate. Our new friends and tablemates, Marisa and Jesus, surprised me with a piece of cake with a candle and the group sang Happy Birthday again.

Now, we are sitting on the balcony, listening to the waves crash against the boat, just reading and generally hanging out. Tomorrow we will be in Barbados and will hit the beach. Sunscreen will be abound, trust me! I don’t want to get anymore sunburned than I am right now! Being on the beaches for the next 4 days it will be difficult not to, but I’ll have an umbrella with a chair, and lots of sunscreen available. At least this way I won’t have to wear makeup for a while.

Our tablemates are very nice. They are from Puerto Rico and have been married for 20 years. They don’t have any children, but they are very successful and very kind people. We like them a lot.

We have had very cool conversations over the past two evenings, and I’m sure we’ll have more in the coming days.

They told us that we look very happy together, that they can see it in our eyes and faces. They are correct! We are a very close and loving couple. I am a lucky girl to have met my Prince Charming.

I will enjoy my 40s much more so than I did my early 30s, for that reason alone. I know that turning 40 was much better than turning 30 because I have Sweetie by my side, and he loves me more than anything. I know that we will be happy together for as long as we live.

Goodbye 30s. Hello 40s. Let’s make this a most-excellent decade!