ottahand7

If one's team is in the playoff hunt or the playoffs there is great interest. I hope to be bringing my Ravens swag on the Grand SA.

That must be confounding about your Kindle. I use mine offline for books and for their ersatz Scrabble game. We are heading to South America so I guess I had better throw in a couple of actual books. My Kindle is a 10 year old model.... Thanks for the heads up! Enjoy the rest of your journey!

Good Wednesday morning. We have 6-8" of snow in the forecast for tomorrow through Friday. Therefore we are going to make another visit with my DB today since I hate driving in snow. I see yesterday's snow melting off the trees. Thanks for the Daily and Fleet Reports @richwmn. I used to play the clarinet and I especially remember the Principal clarinetist in the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. He looked like our neighbor who died of leukemia but he was a master of the clarinet. Amazing I can remember him after all those years. Tolerance is so important and an interesting story on the news today is that the Church of Latter Day Saints is supporting the gay marriage bill in the Senate now, walking the walk. I brought a large bag of buttons from all my years wearing business clothes to the Salvation Army when I moved away from MD. I have a small collection building again. Has anyone here done the button factory visit in Manta Ecuador? @dfishthanks for the photo of your beautiful street but I will take a pass on the potato soup. @summer slopeThanks for the coconut spritz recipe, it looks really good, I love coconut. @cat shepardthanks for your daily search for our wines of the day, I think I will pass on Greek wine. @Quartzsite Cruiserthanks for the photos of Kiritimati. It looks like a beautiful island. So glad Steve is doing better. @StLouisCruisersI know your Covid test will come back negative. @rafinmdRoy thanks for sharing your dining choices on the Eurodam. I hope you are having a great cruise with great weather. Thanks for our care and celebration lists. Prayers for all on our care list and for the people of Ukraine. Have a great Wednesday. Hopefully no bad news for my DB today and that he is doing his PT. Nancy

I loosened up on the NS last February when they took off the mask mandate for part 2 of our B2b. Handwashing and avoiding touching surfaces are something I did including using the towel to open the public bathroom door. As people loosen their guard the norovirus will begin to rear its' ugly head. That makes you wish you would die..... I will be masking on our upcoming Grand SA unless they give us the all clear that the crew is not required to wear them. I still will avoid crowds.

NS in February played the Super Bowl in the Main Stage. On the old Rotterdam we found our game in the bar off from the casino.

I think I remember that upstairs area one time. I think there was lemonade and cookies.

I did get to see DB today and he looked much brighter today and his rash is fading somewhat. The doctor was in and he said he thought the rash was due to the anti-fungal he was on so they are re-starting the cefazolin. I told DSIL to look at a spot free place on his arm and watch it once they restart the meds. If she sees a change call the nurse. He travels to the surgeon in the next couple days to get his staples removed. I hope he doesn't cheat out of his OT today. Nancy

Linda thanks for the heads up on that. I am glad I didn't wait on my luggage shipment after I read you had done yours. I did write on my itinerary the nights that I had guessed would be "special nights" based on lack of ability to book the specialty restaurants. I guess I will throw in something black and gold and something orange in case they decide to call those events. Specialty restaurants blocked. January 12, January 18, January 25, February 6, February 10, February 14 after those dates I quit looking to prebook dinners. I haven't had time to look on roll call or our page on FB so thanks again! Kind of takes some of the excitement out of the preparation.

Good morning, the system snow is coming down and it is 32 degrees. We are heading down to see DB in about 30 minutes. An interesting group of days. Thanks @richwmnand @rafinmdfor our daily updates! I like Bundt cakes and while rummaging around for pie pans I came across a Bundt pan that DF brought when he moved in. We both do Atkins for the most part though. I will be cleaning out the fridge as it is recycling in two days and I see a jar of marinara that is past its' prime. Our recycling is once monthly. Sometimes it is so heavy I have a hard time picking it up to roll it. But last month the wind blew it over. This month it is full with the usual wine bottles but also the cardboard and pulp packaging for the bottles. @Quartzsite CruiserLenda I agree with you comment on Marilyn Monroe. She was defined by others. She allowed it though. Pass on the cauliflower and kale, kryptonite for me. The cocktail looks a little too fussy for me. We have 2 bottles of Chateau Lafite 1998 in our cellar. One a gift from my DH and another from a hostess/host gift from one of our over the top wine dinners. Lenda and Sandi thank you for the photos of Broome! Prayers for all on our Care List. Prayers for those cleaning up from the hurricanes and the people of Ukraine. Thanks to all here who research our daily events, it makes this group so interesting to start the day with! Nancy

Good afternoon. I am very late because of a day of running around. Nurse Practitioner and also a flu shot, a cholesterol and thyroid blood draw then a pedicure and then Walmart. By the time I got home DF wanted to go somewhere for lunch. It was Mexican and disappointing so we will cross that restaurant off our list. Not a lot to choose from on a Monday. DSIL has been keeping me posted on my DB. Yesterday they suggested him going back to the hospital due to his continuing pain and a general rash all over him not reduced by Benadryl and then something higher strength. I urged them to go back to hospital but he wanted to wait for the Infectious Disease doctor who is due today, not yet. He was able to do 15 minutes of out of bed PT today and then since his brace slid down they allowed him do PT sitting in bed. He told my sister to leave yesterday and no more visitors because he is so tired. I asked DSIL if he feels like me visiting tomorrow. His WBC count is up and he is off antibiotics. Prayers for all on our care list and a shout out to all on cruises! Thanks for the photos of Cobh, it looks like a beautiful port. @HAL Sailer and @Quartzsite Cruiser I hope your husbands do better soon. Prayers for the people of Ukraine. Have a nice day.

Good Sunday morning! We missed most of the snow bands and only have about 1.5" on the deck when I went out to feed the birds. My visit was brief seeing my DB. He has a rash all over him so they suspect (I agree) an allergic to the IV cefazolin or the rifampin he is taking for his bone infection. We had a good talk for about 20 minutes and then he started to nod off. I told him I would let him sleep but make sure to do his required PT. I think he understands the consequences of not doing his PT and showing progression. Thanks for the Daily and Fleet Reports @richwmn. I like the Twain quote and it basically sums up the editing process for fewer words. All the comestibles sound good! Recife is on our agenda next February 23rd for a long stay until 11 that night. I look forward to the photos of the port. We have nothing planned yet for that port. @rafinmdthank you for keeping the Care and Celebration reports daily, even when n the Eurodam. I enjoy looking at your MDR food offerings. Prayers for all on our care list, Lenda I hope Steve is back in his rehab and making progress. Prayers for the people of Ukraine and those in Florida suffering from the remnants of the hurricanes. Have a wonderful Sunday morning!

Happy birthday @Crazy For Cats!

Sandi since you are going to be on the Volendam the Cellar #2 package has the Pine Ridge white blend is listed. Much pricier onboard than the $10 store price. Your daughter's ornaments are beautiful. No Christmas trees for us this year. We don't want to return in March for one waiting for us. @rafinmdCongratulations on 5 Star! 🍾 I am heading off to see my brother soon. We have snow in the forecast for tonight into tomorrow and I will probably take a day off since his kids and grandkids will visit while off from work. We got all the needed lawn work done before the snow flies. I am sure leaves will blow in and a few more fall but this lovely run of warm weather made fall bearable. Thanks for the Daily and Fleet Reports! I like French Dip sandwiches, our local tavern near our cabin has a good one. We are holing up for a few days after our casino junket to New Buffalo. The quote is strange. Pass on the food, cocktail but probably drinking a lot of that wine in our future. I look forward to the photos of the port. DF worked for Kawasaki and he had many trips to Japan but he doesn't recognize the port. I look forward to some photos. I got our Luggage Forward completed. Our last communication said we will be contacted but I got sick of waiting. Ours will be picked up 12/14. I also talked to Optum Rx about getting three months of medicine in advance so hopefully that will be handled. I will go several days early to make sure things go through OK, especially since we are starting our drive south to Fort Lauderdale on 12/22. HA finally opened up specialty dining yesterday. I will work on that next. I try to prepay as much as I can before departure. Prayers for all on our cares list, especially people in FL who can't get a break from the huricanes and the people of Ukraine.

Thanks for reminding us to bring small snacks for shore excursions. I remember a few times wishing we had something. Sometimes when we get hungry we head up to the Lido and it is not open. If we are lucky we are in a NS or have the Grand Dutch option but that doesn't always happen. I guess there is room service cookies but by the time they come it may be dinner time. I too am a Pepsi product fan. I miss my Diet Pepsi and Mtn. Dew. First long HA cruise I took we stopped at Puerta Vallarta first. I traipsed across the road to Walmart and brought back 4 8 packs of DP. Sadly we can't do that. I am now on no caffeine but I am planning to bring on a bunch of Starbucks Via Decaf packs so I can get the strong coffee I crave. Great topic!

Just got home from seeing my DB. @JazzyVonce he finishes his IV antibiotic course and being better to ambulate better he will be released to home and then he will have to travel to wound care at the hospital. My DSIL is doing a terrific job motivating him to not slack off which he is prone to do. If he fails to make progress he will be kicked out to a nursing home. I had to deal with that with my DF when he was 90. He refused to do PT so ended up in a nursing home. We made him understand that he could come home but not in a wheel chair. He thought through that and got up and with help from my siblings started walking and was able to go home. I talked to DB just as I did with my Dad, going home requires a lot of work on his part. He has PT at 1:00 today and my DSIL took a break but will return for his PT session. Looking forward to seeing the comments I missed earlier. I think I see some photos of Manaus. Thanks for the photos!

So lucky that they caught that! AFib is the leading cause of stroke. The new Senator from PA had a stroke and it was due to uncontrolled AFib that he probably never realized he had. My late DH had it too. He had to go through cardioversion and they had to shock him three times. Prayers for this to heal!

@smitty34877Happy birthday to your darling grandchildren!! 🎂 Many thanks for our veterans that have fought in our wars to keep us and others free. My first husband was a door gunner in a helicopter in Viet Nam in the late 60s. He got messed up a lot by it but is doing wonderfully now. My DB was drafted in the early 60s but lucked out and was sent to Germany. My DF and his two brothers never served in WWII as they were essential industry running a dairy. I am heading to see DB in a few minutes. No word on how his visit went to the surgeon. From what my DS says he is still really sleepy and talks with his eyes closed and his bed sores are spreading. I feel so sorry for him. Sandi thanks for sharing the photos from the previous port date. We will be in Manaus March 4&5 next year. If we do anything there we will do a HA tour. I will pass on the trout, the cocktail but Bandol is a favorite of mine. Roy thanks for sharing your itinerary. It sounds like a wonderful relaxing cruise. We will be in Puerto Limon on January 7th. I hope you will have some photos to share. @richwmnthank you for compiling the Fleet and Daily for us each day. Prayers for all on our care list, Lenda @Quartzsite CruiserI hope Steve's transfer goes well today. Prayers for the people in Ukraine. Have a nice Friday! Nancy

Good morning! It is a beautiful morning in very SW Michigan as we are getting ready to head home. I hope we can get some yard work done as it will be the last for the season but who knew we would have 70s this late in November. Thanks for the Daily and Fleet Reports @richwmn. I was supposed to go Cartagena in 2017 on a Panama Canal transit but for some reason we had Aruba switched for that port. @rafinmdRoy I hope your Eurodam cruise is a go today. I will give you a hopeful Bon Voyage! 🍾 Thanks for the Daily care and celebrations report you provide for us daily. @dfishthe first pork chop recipe looks so yummy as does the Fish bowl cocktail and the white Bordeaux wine. My day started with an email from HA stating that our Shorex in Rio has been cancelled due to road closures for Carnival. There really wasn't much to choose from for someone that is terrified of heights. We were taking a monster truck jungle tour. Being offline mostly for the summer I missed all the tours in our Roll Call. I guess we will try to find a taxi to take us to the Botanical Garden. Prayers for all on our care list and the people of Ukraine. Lenda I am so happy to hear Steve is going back to his rehab. Have a wonderful day! Nancy

@Quartzsite CruiserLenda I am thankful for Steve's improvement and he can move to a step down room. Finally got in touch of one of my DS and DB is still in the rehab and they did an ultrasound with no results reported. Tomorrow he takes a ambulance transfer to his surgeon hopefully for the MRI too. Meanwhile bed sores are spreading. He can't get a break. Thank you for all of your prayers. Nancy

Jacqui thank you for sharing your wonderful trip and for the beautiful poem and photo from Jose's ash service. Your photos are absolutely gorgeous!! @ger_77Thank you for the heads up on the wine issues. I think when we order our wine package we will carry in our own wine so we don't have to go through the hassle of no wine steward. Keep it in our possession on our table so we can pour at will. All of you thank you for sharing your wonderful voyage including @0106.

Good morning. We are waking up in New Buffalo with clouds and sun and 45.degrees. We have two more warm days and then we pay the price for weeks of warm weather and winter sets in. I spoke with my DS and she said while visiting DB he would talk but not open his eyes. We are all really worried about him. Thanks for the Daily Reports and for our Care and celebrations list. Roy I hope the Eurodam can port tomorrow and you can start your cruise. Have a wonderful day!

@Quartzsite CruiserLenda I hope that Steve's blood clots can be resolved soon. So sad that he has to be moved back to the hospital. I am afraid my DB may be heading back to the hospital again. I visited him yesterday and he was very lethargic. I told DSIL to watch the white blood cell count because if is is going up the infection is probably not getting better but worse. Sure enough this morning he has high WBC count. Now they want to give him a MRI so I think he may be back to the hospital again. I hope that he doesn't lose his leg. On a brighter note after all that time in hospital he has dropped down below 250 pounds so hopefully it will be easier when he can get back on his feet. So my DB is Radiology Day for my family. We vote in early October. Filled out our absentee ballots and off they went to the Post Office. I hope everyone who is delayed one was or another due to the hurricane aren't messed up too badly. Have a good day. Nancy

We lucked out on HA, one time in Tampa and the other in Fort Lauderdale. No table was set up yet so security said move on.

Good Monday morning! I can't hug a bear today as I have a teddy at the cabin and not here. After having squamous cell cancer on my face with ensuing Mohs surgery I am really aware to use sunscreen and I have a very large sun hat I carry when we travel to the Caribbean. A great quote, music is such an important part of many of our lives. @StLouisCruisers and @lindaler I love looking at the Fleet Report watching the Volendam heading West towards Fort Lauderdale. The excitement is building for our upcoming cruises for sure. @lindalerthanks for the information about our final packet for our cruise is still awaited so I don't have to worry I missed ours. We are calling the Luggage Direct today for our bag pickup so we can tick that off from our lists. Terry and Graham, I am sorry to hear that hip replacements are in your future. On a good note my DH had both knees replaced at once and I did a couple of the post surgery group classes with him and the therapist said hip replacements are easier than knees. Still no piece of cake. Today's chili pie recipes look wonderful. Debbie I am glad you are getting settled into your new home. The cocktail looks like another one for sitting around the pool on a BHB. The wine looks good too, I used to love Malbec but I guess my tastes have changed but this one could be a winner if it could be found. Sandi thanks for the photos of Cabo. Prayers for all on our care list and the people of Ukraine. Happy wishes to all on cruises now or soon to be. I will head to see my DB in about an hour then come home and do some garden work. We have a few good days this week I never thought in early October we might have one more 70 degree day in November. We are heading to New Buffalo again tomorrow. DF keeps getting free nights at the casino hotel, I know he spends a fortune in their specialty steak house and I think he may gamble a wee bit more than he owns up to. It will be a beautiful drive through the countryside on sunny days. Have a wonderful day!

Just got back from seeing DB. Previous message wouldn't go through so thankfully it did when I returned. He looks much better and having PT today. Thank you for all of your prayers on his behalf! Nancy