ottahand7

Happy Mother's Day to all the Mom's out there. I have no children but I have two cats I really miss. It is a beautiful morning here but some rain due. We had a major change in plans because I heard form the couple that opened our cabin for us. #1 the road is still horrible and driving on it when really wet can mess it up #2 our water wouldn't start #3 they couldn't start our gas refrigerator. Therefore we are delaying to probably next Monday. Once the Maples start leafing out they really suck up water so the road dries out quickly. I am hoping it was an operator error on the well electricity or at worse a bad circuit breaker, that requires an electrician versus a visit from the well company that is always three weeks behind. Good news comes out of bad, our plant sale was such a success that we sold out all but a few plants. But we have no plants for the Farmer's Market booth we have booked for next week. That means digging more plants today and tomorrow so we have more to sell. Thankfully my sister has a garden full of desirable volunteers. @richwmn Thank you for the Daily Reports and again welcome back from your world voyage. @StLouisCruisers thanks for filling in admirably in Rich's absence. Thanks for the picture of your Mom. @dfishthanks for the photo of your Mom and today's recipes. They look wonderful but too carbful for me. @summer slope I'll take that drink minus the bitters and at @cat shepardthat vino is a winner. @superoma Thanks for doing our Daily Cares and Celebrations Reports each day. Prayers for all on our care list and the people of Ukraine. Looking forward to photos of today's port and thanks for the great photo @RedneckBob. Happy Mom's Day Mom. ♥️ This photo is on her way to her favorite place, their cabin in the UP.

@scubacruiserx2 We love San Diego. We have a plan to try to book Panama Canal crossing from Fort Lauderdale prior and a SD Panama Canal crossing so that we can drive to FL go on our three cruises, return to FL and drive home. I hate flying so I hope we can work it out. Otherwise we will probably fly to Sacramento after the cruise and spend time in Sonoma. No matter how this scheme works out I have hundreds of thousands of Marriott points (thank you Covid) so I will finally be able to use them in a state I love to visit.

Good morning, I am late this morning as I drove into Kalamazoo to pick up a case of wine they were pushing at a wine dinner last week and then a swing into Walmart to get 2 boxes of lettuce which I hope will hold us until we leave, hopefully next Tuesday. I will be absent tomorrow as my Garden Club plant sale will be at my house from 9-2 and I am sure the crew will show up early. Sandi, I hope Ren and company do well in the tournament. I used to live in Gaithersburg, MD from 92-97 and Boyds was still a small town. I am sure it is part of the mega-suburbs that run from D.C. to Hagerstown, MD. Thanks for filling in for Rich all this time. @richwmn welcome home! @dfish, @summer slopeand @cat shepard thank you for starting our day each day with the research you do into these comestibles. I will pass on the Vegan Pizza, the sweet cocktail but today's wine looks wonderful. @superoma Thanks for keeping our Cares and Celebrations list, a constantly changing list for sure. Prayers for all on our list and the people of Ukraine. Time for me to start watering all those plants. It is hard to believe how small they were when we returned from our cruise to how massive they are now, large in their pots and very thirsty. Once I get back up to the cabin it begins anew, digging up all these volunteer plants that come up where they don't belong. Have a wonderful Friday! Nancy

@scubacruiserx2 Never thought I would make it back there but we are getting there by the Konigsdam RT San Diego in February 2025.

Our day in Santarem, Volendam Grand South America. We went Piranha fishing which was more of a river boat ride than fishing. Still fun and plenty of shade on the double decker boat. They picked us right off the ship. Very easy.

Good Thursday morning! I can celebrate technology day today because I am using my new Starlink mobile for my emails and CC today. It arrived on Tuesday evening and we got it set up yesterday. It is faster than our AT&T signal. We will be brining this to the cabin and it will provide our internet. No more sitting in the truck using the Onstar wifi like I did last year. I will have more than an hour to be on the internet. Thanks for the Daily and Fleet Reports Sandi and Rich. The soup sounds wonderful, I'll pass on the cocktail and the vino sounds great too. @superoma thanks for keeping our Care and Celebration lists for us. Prayers for all needing them and the people of Ukraine. I am happy to read that Tana can get a few steps with her walker. I was in Santarem on March 2. I will share photos from my phone. Nancy

@sciencewonk I am sure we will repeat the GSA as it was the perfect length for the long winter getaway we need. When we rebook first thing I will ask our PCC to do is book me on that excursion. We missed a lot on that trip. I talked to several people that were doing it for second and third times. Thanks for your videos. Your flight to Torres del Paine reminds me of my first helicopter tour in Maui. We were going in and out of clouds and with the mountains so near it was rather scary.

Good morning, I got up and cleaning up the house was in my plan so I match one of the Daily notables. It is beautiful outside but only 50 degrees but getting into the high 70s. Everything for prep for the cabin has stepped it up a bit because the couple we are hiring to open the cabin is going in this weekend in their UTV. If the road isn't flooded we should be good to leave next Tuesday. It is always nice to get up there before the mosquito hatch so we can get everything in the cabin free and clear. Sandi thank you for filling in for Rich while he enjoyed his world cruise. As long as he has been gone, they left FLL the same day we did for GSA, it would be too long for our life as it is right now. Thanks to @summer slope, @cat shepard and @dfish for today's edibles. I will take the wine but pass on the other two. Thanks @superoma for keeping out care and celebrations reports. Prayers for all on our care list and the people of Ukraine. Just a short break in the Bon Voyages. I was in Malaga in September 2018 on the Koningsdam. As usual if horse events were offered I did the HA shorex that took us to another small city to ride Andalusian horses and then a wonderful snack of beautiful tomatoes and bread.

Good morning. A beautiful day today so I have weeding and spreading Preen to try to keep the weeds down while we are gone for the summer. An interesting bunch of days, definitely will pass on Moscato and lost socks are a perennial problem. Thanks for posting these for us Sandi. I look forward to the port photos. I will pass on the sweet potato and the herbal cocktail. @kazu Ivan is handsome dog! Prayers for all on our Care list and the people of Ukraine. I had the opportunity to taste Cristal on the Volendam. We had a great cellar Master, Fernando, and he pulled together a wonderful premium tasting. Only chance we would ever be able to try it. Have a nice Tuesday! Nancy

Torres del Paine was sold out so quickly that I never had a chance. Thanks for sharing your photo. We have a very active Volendam 74 day group on FB but I don't think anyone was one of the few that got to visit. N

@bennybear thanks for the Iris photos. They look like the old heirloom varieties, same with your CA ones @XBGuy! Thanks everyone for the Martinique photos. Nancy

@scubacruiserx2 thanks for starting this thread. Great photos and great ideas for future cruises. Nancy

Thanks for these lovely photos of Antarctica with some sunlight. We had about 3 minutes of sunlight in Antarctica on GSA. Between views like that, missing the Falklands and not being able to go to Torres del Paine I will definitely book GSA again as soon as it is offered after Christmas.

Roy where was this photo taken?

Good Monday morning, a morning of errands here then rain. We got a bad report on the roads to our cabin so will delay until our neighbor goes in first on May 17. Hopefully we can stay later this year but it depends on what the Ravens schedule will be when released soon. We like to go to a game a year but we like September/ early October games. We had a beautiful afternoon yesterday and I got a lot done outside. Thanks for the Daily Reports Sandi and Rich. VE Day is definitely a day we need to recognize. Debbie's recipes today look almost Atkins friendly but will pass on the sweet drink but the SB looks wonderful. Prayers for all on our care list, the victims of the tragedies in TX and the people of Ukraine. We were supposed to go to Martinique in 2022 but for some reason it was pulled off our itinerary. I think it is on the books for next year so I look forward to photos. Have a nice Monday! Nancy In honor of Iris Day.

Good morning, we had noisy thunderstorms all night long. It is supposed to clear up later today. Sandi and Rich thanks for the Daily Reports. Thank you @summer slope, @dfish and @cat shepard for researching these comestibles for us, some days more obscure than others. I will pass on all today, I will drink my bourbon minus butter. Prayers for all on our care list and now another mass shooting in Texas, when will this stop? Prayers for the people in Ukraine. @marshhawk Bon Voyage in spirit, I know you are going "dark" for your cruise but BV nonetheless. We are soon to begin our summer tourism season. As soon as we can get a clear report on the logging road to our cabin we plan on leaving May 15 or 16. Our neighbor always is in there by May 15 for the opening of Walleye season. I have some more yard work to do and our GC plant sale next Saturday. Have a great Sunday! Nancy

We were on the Volendam for 81 days December to March and their Bourbon selection was pitiful. It was the well Jim Beam and Bulleit. No Jack D, couldn't be they couldn't procure it because it was for sale in the store. HA on the Pinnacle ships sets a benchmark for Bourbon and whiskies. If I hadn't caused a stink about Laphraoig I would have asked for more bourbon selections. Thankfully we were on a 7 day prior to the GSA so they would put the Laphraoig on board. Thanks @Crew News for updating on the latest in what is happening on HA.

Good morning. Thankfully I woke up at 6 so I could see most of the coronation of King Charles. We wish him well. I went out to put the bird suet out and in the middle of the night some animal came and dug up plants that I had out behind the house and of course it was the fragile Oak seedlings that I was going to bring to the cabin. Our forest is almost 100% Maples and it is nice to have some Oaks near the house. They are present in the UP but not near our cabin. I hope they survive. Thanks for the Daily and Fleet Reports Rich and Sandi. The wine looks wonderful today and I have had it in the past but the meal and the cocktail are a pass. @superoma thank you for keeping our care and celebration lists for us each day. @smitty34877 I am happy that Tana is feeling better with the new medication. Prayers for everyone else on our list and the people of Ukraine. @cruising sister Bon Voyage! Today is Derby Day! I like three horses, Forte the favorite and Derma Sotogake and Mandarin Hero both from Japan. Some form of exotic bets I will use these three. Enjoy your Saturday and the Kentucky Derby! Nancy

Rio de Janeiro February 18+19 Volendam GSA.

Good morning! It is a beautiful day here and we are going to have a nice run of sunny days. @cruzn single and @Vict0riann prayers that your surgeries go smoothly today. @mamaofami Great news on your cancer results. Prayers for Tana. Thanks for the Daily and Fleet Reports Sandi and Rich and thank you for all the research our three members do for our food and drinks each day. Today I will take a pass on all three. @superoma thank you for keeping our Cares and Celebrations reports for us each day! Prayers for all needing them and the people of Ukraine. We were in Rio February 18 and 19 this year. We did nothing but walk around the port area because HA offered nothing that I could do due to Carnival. I will have to switch over to my phone for my photos. Have a wonderful day! Nancy

Happy Thursday! My garden club meeting at my house and a filling at the dentist ate up my day. It seems the smaller the garden club the longer the business meetings, so it was 2 and a quarter hours including my plant sale talk. Then my dentist was 30 minutes late due to a power outage in town the day before so squeezed in patients needing care. Prayers for everyone, @St Pete Cruiser so happy to hear you will be heading home and prayers for the people of Ukraine. I have to get to the grocery I didn't make it to the last 2 days then I have a wine dinner this afternoon. Have a great day! Nancy In honor of bird day. We have one Oriole, waiting for more and the Grosbeaks.

@marshhawk safe travels and enjoy your cruise. @kazu beautiful flowers from your sister in memory of Jose's passing yesterday. Thinking of you at this time. Ivan looks cute and I am sure he will settle right in. Thanks for the Daily and Fleet Reports Sandi and Rich. I appreciate my siblings and it is nice to have them all nearby. Thank you for the Cares and Celebrations reports. Prayers for everyone needing them and the people of Ukraine. @ocean sounds how exciting to be heading to GB for the coronation festivities. Today's wine and cocktail look wonderful but will pass on the Tilapia. It is a miserable day here. 36 degrees, windy and rain. We are truly ready for spring. 🌷 Nancy

Good Monday morning, thankfully it is rain here and not snow but at our cabin they are supposed to get at least a foot of snow. Baltimore Orioles have arrived and between them and my house finches my jelly feeder was empty this morning needing a fill. Suet cake was all gone too. I have some prep for the smaller garden club that I am a member for the meeting at my house on Wednesday. At least it won't be raining just cool. My grandmother had a children's clothing store and it was named the Mother Goose Shop. Looking forward to seeing Leis when we return to Hawaii in 2025, never thought that would happen again. Loyalty to our nation is extremely important and thanks for the detail on that @grapau27. I will pass on all the comestibles, the chicken sounds good but we don't have an air fryer. @superoma thanks for keeping our cares and celebrations lists updated for us each day. Prayers for all needing them and the people of Ukraine. Have a nice Monday! Nancy

@HAL4NOW and @Cruising-along Bon Voyage!

Grand South America 2023 Iberian Adventure 2018 Amsterdam to Civitavecchia Panama Canal 2017 San Diego to FL Photos - Ballestas Islands Pisco, Peru - Fjordo Glacier Chilean Fjords, Duoro and Eiffel Bridge Porto Portugal, Malaga, Spain, Gatun Lock Panama Corinto, Nicaragua