ottahand7

Good morning. Our run of great weather is taking a breather today. It is blustery and wet. A good day to stay home and get caught up. Thanks for the Daily and Fleet Reports. I will pass on mincemeat, my Dad was the only one that enjoyed it. Horseless Carriages were a wonderful invention and a very good quote from Einstein. I will pass on the tacos, I spot the dreaded cilantro on each. The drink looks like a good poolside cocktail. I am not a fan of Prosecco but La Marca is a decent one. Thanks for the port photos Sandi and Lenda. Lenda I hope things are going better for your DH. My brother is not doing well and could use some prayers. Yesterday he called and said he was in terrible pain and I asked him to go to the ER where he had his surgery. He went by ambulance to the tiny local hospital instead and spent time there and ended on another transfer by ambulance to the hospital where he had his surgery. I think they will be doing exploratory surgery today as they suspect infection. He has said multiple times he regrets getting this surgery and instead just limp along with his bum knee. Getting into the health care system is fraught with danger. One thing I left behind in Baltimore was my friends who were MDs and I could get a referral into the great hospitals they have there quickly. I will keep everyone posted. My friend Frank continues to do well, I mainly text with him when the Packers (his team) or the Ravens are on. Prayers for all on our care list and for the people in Florida and Ukraine. Have a wonderful day. It is a day of cleaning out a closet and getting started packing for the long cruise.

Good morning! A great start to the morning for the photos of Israel. A place I want to go to sometime. The photos were great. Thanks for the Fleet and Daily Reports @richwmn. I will pass on the days but the quote is a good one and a great list of comestibles. I love the cubanelles with the cheese, looks like a perfect balance. Cocktail looks easy though the champagne is too pricy for me at this point in my life. @rafinmdthank you for keeping the care and celebrations list up to date for us. It is so nice to read hear many of us are preparing for cruises. Prayers for all needing them, especially Lenda @Quartzsite Cruiser for your husband and you. Prayers for the people cleaning up in Florida and the people of Ukraine. Today is our last day in the 70s. It has been amazing weather and I got a lot of work done outside. I had a good chance to sweep out and organize the shed because DF removed one of his lawn tools and it made space for me to get to work. It feels good going into winter that things are organized and somewhat neat. I sprayed pool bleach on the concrete surfaces to brighten them and my nose is still itchy after breathing it but it works great. We are headed to Costco and then have to head home quickly as a wine shipment is due. At least two more this week and John is complaining we are stuck at home. Makes me happy as I have a lot of prep to do to prepare for the luggage pickup sometime soon for our January cruise. Plus wine arriving always makes me happy. @seagarsmokerHappy Anniversary! Thanks for sharing your photos from Grand Cayman. Have a wonderful day. How about some HA food porn today. Canaletto seafood soup on the old Rotterdam.

@Overhead Fred Happy Birthday! That cake does look wonderful! 🎂🍾 @Seasick Sailor Happy Anniversary!! 🍾🥳 @HAL @HAL4NOW I am glad you are off the ship and on your way home. I hope that you continue to feel pretty good. I hope you are negative soon. Thanks for all the pictures of Darwin, it looks like a lovely port to visit.

Good morning, I hope everyone had a great weekend. @Quartzsite Cruiser I hope things go well today Lenda. Thanks for the Fleet and Daily reports. I probably have eaten a lot of bologna in my life but I haven't had the sliced kind in probably 50 years. We did grill some ring bologna last year from a local sausage and meat wholesaler and it was good. Yes to the United Nations. Too bad they can't kick the terrorist Putin off the National Security Council. He is a state sponsor of terror. A good quote though I hope a friend wouldn't have to go far enough to stab me. I hope we could work it out. Today's recipes look good especially the one with the spinach. The cocktail has all my favorite fall flavors. The wine is good too. @StLouisCruisers thanks for the photos of Darwin. We are having to run. My 1/2 hog is finished at the processor and we are heading there early to get some work done later in the day. A couple photos of the color this morning.

We were on the Nieuw Statendam for 21days in a Neptune Suite. On Pinnacle class ships there is a dedicated dining room for NS guests and for a group of people that pay extra for Club Orange. That dining room was never crowded and was available breakfast and dinner. It is peaceful and service was attentive and the food excellent. You could get that also for paying extra for Club Orange which may include a cabin upgrade.

Good Sunday morning. We had 77 degrees yesterday and 2 more days in the 70s. Today I will dig the last 4 massive Calla lilies and then I am going to be ready for cleaning the deck and concrete patios. Thank you Rich for the Daily and Fleet Reports! An interesting group of days. I love the quote and I agree food and good cheer is the best! @StLouisCruisers Sandi thank for reminding of my old chemistry days. I loved chemistry but being math challenged doing the calculations for labs was difficult. I was thinking the lawn moles. We don't have those here but the voles are terrible. They totally wiped out three Calla lilies. Completely disappeared from roots to leaves. My DMIL passed away in 2001 at age 84. She was a pip. She was a member of the private dining room at Pimlico race course and drove there as long as she could and then her aide took her there. She was made an invalid when somebody hit her head on on the way to the track. @0106Thanks for doing the recipes in Debbies absence. Today's all look like winners. I remember the cocktail from several months ago. The wine looks great. Today's port is on my long term goal to get to saving up for a Grand Africa a few years from now. I am looking forward to some photos. Thanks for the Cares and Celebration lists Roy @RAF. Prayers for all on our list and for the people of Ukraine heading into winter with lack of electricity in many areas. Putin thinks causing misery will weaken their resolve. I don't think so. Have a wonderful day and a shout out to all cruising today!

Happy Saturday! We are blessed with wonderful weather so I got an early start and picked up some stuff at Home Depot and then went and had a long visit with my brother. He is in good spirits but has this massive brace on his knee. Thank you for the Daily Reports and all that everyone contributes. Prayers for all on our care list and for the people in Ukraine and those cleaning up from Ian. Have a wonderful Saturday!

Good Friday morning. A nice warm up is due here. We may have 3 days in the 70s. We can get a lot of extra outside work done. I have a few planters to store and dig up all the calla lilies. I will wait a day on those because some of those are in clay. Give another day to dry up. My DB went to the ER and they removed his brace and bandages and saw he had a "bleeder". Strike 2 for his orthopedic surgeon. First missing tendon attachment and then not shoring up all bleeders. He is in good spirits and feeling a lot better. Thanks for your prayers and concern. Thanks for the Daily and Fleet Reports Rich. A very interesting quote and so true. Salvador da Bahia is on our itinerary for our Grand SA. Thanks Sandi for the beautiful photos and the warning about the crime in Brazil. Crime is everywhere. I remember back in 1984 we went to the casino on Paradise Island Bahamas and someone had their gold necklace ripped off. As long as there are drugs we will have this kind criminal activity. @HAL4NOWI am sorry you are battling Covid and I hope that you aren't feeling too bad. @aliaschiefThanks for taking us along on your river cruise in France. Food porn is always good. @0106Thanks for ending today's recipe with a crab dish. I miss Maryland blue crab. We missed our trip to Baltimore this year so no overload on crab meals there and if the seafood store still has MD jumbo lump crab left we always bring a couple of pounds home. Ditto with frozen Gulf shrimp which is really hard to find in Michigan. Costco sometimes has Chicken of the Sea pasteurized crab from Asia and the lumps are big and it is a good substitute for a crab hungry former Marylander. Prayers for all on our care list, the people suffering from the hurricanes and the people of Ukraine. Have a wonderful rest of the day and a great weekend!

Happy Thursday morning! Rich, thank you for the Fleet and Daily Reports. I do love to have my fruit macerated with a bit of Grand Marnier so I think that counts as brandy. @aliaschiefthanks for starting our morning with the wonderful photos of the Bocuse market in Lyon. A great way to start off International Chef's Day. A funny quote for sure. I thought today's recipes looked good but hearing liver essence is a part turned it into a pass for me. The Mimi Chardonnay was on the list on the Nieuw Statendam last February and actually had it a wine tasting. It is unoaked if I remember. I have never been to Taiwan. Roy, thank you for the Daily Care and Celebration reports. Prayers for all cleaning up from Ian and Fiona and for the people of Ukraine. Cheers so all aboard ships, have a wonderful and safe time. Today is garden club at 6 at our local library with a talk about rain gardens. I will be heading to buy bird food and hit Starbuck's as our Costco has not had our Decaf for a few weeks so Starbuck's it will be. For some reason it is really hard to find any selections of decaf coffee in stores lately. Ditto sugar free caffeine free soda. Have a wonderful day!

@BrandelynConWelcome to the Daily group! @grapau27Thank you for the food porn! Thanks everyone for the PV pics. I am late again today, we ran errands and had a nice long lunch and a drive through the countryside to leaf peep. @richwmnThank you for the Fleet and Daily Reports. I love rain forests and look forward to seeing the biggest in Brazil We have toured them in Costa Rica and also hiking in the Tongass National Park in AK. Over time I have come to love my body and I evaluate my life from time to time. The Indian pastries look tasty and I remember similar from buffets at Indian restaurants. I think the Laphroaig cocktail would be good minus the bitters. I love the Allegrini Amarone and I know we had one on a BHB because we carried it on. @rafinmdRoy, thanks for keeping the care and celebrations list for us! @Quartzsite Cruisertoday my DB is going through something similar. He had his knee replaced and had continued bad pain for a month. He was sent to a sports doc for a consult and his tendons weren't reconnected. He went back in a week ago but yesterday he noticed bleeding under his bandage. Today a lot of bleeding. My sis called and I said take him to the ER. I am waiting for what is happening. Lenda I hope things get better for you and DH. Prayers for all on our care list and for the people of Ukraine. Thanks for all the wonderful sunny photos of Puerta Vallarta. I was there once on the Oosterdam in 2017 prior to a Panama Canal transit. We got off and made a beeline for Wal-Mart so I could get enough Diet Pepsi to last our cruise. (in the days they allowed it). Have a wonderful afternoon!

I just bought a bunch of 24 crayola crayon boxes at Wal-Mart for $1 and another bunch for 50 cents. We are bringing those in January.

I think we will be doing a lot more of that on our Grand SA. We have unlimited mixers provided in the cabin. Just kind of hard to belly up to the bar with your cabin made cocktail. AARP gift cards may be an option.

@Seasick Sailorand @SusieKIslandGirl Wishing you both a wonderful birthday!! 🍾🎂🥳 @StLouisCruisersSandi so sorry about the sudden loss of your friend Beverly. Sincerest sympathy to you and her family. Thanks for the Daily and Fleet Reports! I love meatloaf sadly DF doesn't care for it. My local meat market has a tasty premade one and it is great for a easy hot dinner. DF has a beard and sometimes every day seems like information overload. A good quote for today! The pizzas look very tasty! So does the Key Lime Pie Martini another one to ask for at Happy Hour on a BHB! The vino looks great too, I love value Italian red wines. I have never been to today's port. Prayers for all on our care list, thinking of Pauline again today @grapau27. I miss my mother so much. She passed way too soon at age 77 in 1997. Prayers for all cleaning up from the hurricanes and for the people of Ukraine. So much misery has rained down them with winter coming. Happy cruising to all on cruises or about to be. We are 68 days out from ours. I am late this morning as we had a big project. The cooler on our wine cellar failed and it was a lot of carpentry and heavy lifting to get the new one in place. My wine will appreciate it since the last one hasn't worked since mid-summer. Thankfully I have a cool, deep basement. It is terribly windy and cold and spitting rain here. I took packing out to our trash trolley sitting at the road for pickup. My neighbor's had blown over so I righted hers. When I came up from the basement mine had blown over. Back out in the cold. A strange year, we are very cold but haven't had a freeze yet this fall. All my plant sale plants are looking really perky since they haven't been frosted behind the garage. Since we are cloudy they probably have another week and it may reach 70 this weekend! 🙂 Have a wonderful day!!

Re Monopoly: wheelbarrow - to hold all your cash. @ScrapnanaI hope you continue to work your way through quarantine and stay feeling well with your good spirits. I look forward to your adventure once you are freed!

We had trouble with our TV on the NS last February. We reported it and a tech came and pulled it out a bit and rebooted it. We continued to have trouble with it and John just fixed it. It was not an easy task involving climbing on the couch in our suite. Sad it is an ongoing problem. Sandi, I thought the same thing when I read today's quote. Very chilly, wet and windy here today with snowflakes in the forecast. Nothing like our cabin where many inches of snow is predicted. A good day to stay inside. We have three more days of this weather and then sunny and 60s for the weekend! We can get more yard work done. The leaves just came down in bunches yesterday. Thanks for the Daily Reports Rich! I was a boss for years, I lost my cat bosses. Great day for national pasta day. I decided we would work on the Costco bag of meatballs taking up space in the freezer and I will have mine in marinara on angel hair and lots of Parm. DF I don't know how he will want his because he is trying to stick to Atkins to lose some weight prior to our cruise. I had also planned on having a Brunello with our dinner, DF bought a case of some good stuff cheap on Wines Till Sold Out. I'll pass on the meal. Prayers for all on our care list. @grapau27 Thinking of you and Pauline with the anniversary of the passing of her dear Mam. The horror in Ukraine grows so prayers for them and the freedom fighters in Iran. Prayers for those cleaning up from Ian. Thanks for sharing and caring, this is a great way to start a day! Have a wonderful day!

Sadly Tampa not returning yet.

I think ours opened in Hunt Valley around 2009. A long with about 10 pounds of weight gain. 😅

Good Sunday morning! A beautiful but cool morning beginning with lots of gunshots from the lake to ring in the morning. Poor ducks and geese. @richwmnthank you for the Daily Report and Fleet Report. I hope that you are enjoying your cruise! I use Google for my dictionary these days and I don't even think the one I had survived the cull when I moved to Michigan. I subscribe online to A Word A Day email. Some of them are just plain weird and wouldn't qualify as a Scrabble play. I miss my dear cats who passed in 2019 and 2021. My Korat qualified as an International cat as she was a Sri Sawat breed that has only been in the US for 70 years after a few pairs were imported from Thailand. Sri Sawat means good luck. My other was a Mackerel tabby pattern Maine Coon. They were my touch stones after my DH passed away. Today's flank steak I would love plain marinated with the liquid grape (wine) on the side. The drink would be good minus the mint and the vino looks like a real winner. Wish Costco carried it. I look forward to the pics of the Christchurch port. Prayers for all on our care list and the people of Ukraine and those bearing with the pain of Ian and Fiona. @rafinmdRoy, I hope you enjoyed the BSO. That and the York Symphony Orchestra are what I miss a great deal after leaving MD. Even more so than Wegman's. A day of the NFL here with some heavy housecleaning before so I can get some exercise before sitting in my easy chair for most of the day. Go Ravens!

Happy Saturday! We started with a beautiful sunrise but also with the dreaded waterfowl season started before 8AM. The noise sounds like mortars on July 4th. The color tour we did yesterday was fabulous. I have lived in Michigan for a lot of my life and I have never seen colors like we have this year. Even driving down the highway the colors were breathtaking. We may go try another route this morning before college football and horse racing. I had my dexi-scan yesterday and my hip joint and arm looked the same as 5 years ago according to my technician. Sadly I could see how horrible my back looked from 5 years ago. I am no radiologist but I worked for big pharma for 20+ years and I could see that my lower spine has compressed so much that they in no disk space visible. 😬Thank God that isn't the part of my back that hurts, that is in my thoracic area. I have worn a back support for 17 years so I guess that is why I don't have a lot of pain from it. I had a call from my doctor's office mid-afternoon but they did not leave a message. I imagine I will be getting a MRI soon. Thanks for the Daily Reports and Fleet Report Rich! I think pugs are cute but would never own one. Sweetest day is a great way to remember those we love, probably about 6 months on from Valentine's Day. The quote is thought provoking. I will pass on the meal, my most dreaded vegetable is included. Drink sounds sweet but the wine looks good. Sandi thanks for the pictures of Bora Bora, what a beautiful place. Prayers for all on our care list and for the people of Ukraine and those cleaning up from the hurricanes. Have a great Saturday!!

Happy Friday! We are off for me to get a screening bone scan and then will drive around and enjoy my colors. My wine finally came at 2 pm so it was too late to go driving about. Very chilly here and many more days like that in the forecast. I love eggs and have them for breakfast several times a week but I really miss my farm eggs that I can find up at the cabin. All males are hirsute around here but DSIL has severe alopecia so she wears a wig a lot. It came after a severe "cold" that she had last winter. No vaxers probably would never own up to having Covid. I love a good library too so thank you for the great quote Mark Twain. Thank you Rich for the Fleet and Daily Reports! @rafinmdthank you for our care and celebration report daily. I also appreciate your sunrises and your meals from you past cruises. makes us more eager to get on a ship and have great meals without having to cook! @0106thank you for the salt cod recipes and happy memories of the Coddies in Baltimore! @summer slopethank you for all the great cocktail recipes daily. Today's looks tasty! @cat shepardThanks for researching the wines for us. Glad I am not an alcoholic or you guys may have me grabbing a bottle. Prayers for all on our care list, the lost police in CT and now in Raleigh, NC. Prayers for all who lost their life in that shooting. Prayers for all in Ukraine and that they can have success running Putin's gang out! Never have been to Ensenada so looking forward to the photos!! Have a great day!

A salute to the US Navy! My DBIL was a long time Navy deep sea diver. A strange group of days. The quote is a good one though. Thanks Rich for the Daily and Fleet Reports each day! I will pass on the meal, the cocktail and the Gruner wine. I think I may have hit the trifecta, three ports in a row that I have been to. Prayers for all on our care report and for those in Ukraine who are bearing through horror in non-military areas. Prayers for good health and happiness for all here! Today is a day of housekeeping, still on the first load of bedding and then I will mop and vacuum the whole house. If wine that I am expecting comes early enough we will head out and enjoy the leaves. We have too many gloomy days coming so today is it. I was in Malaga in September 2018 on the Konigsdam. As usual my shore excursion involved horses. It was a unique opportunity to ride and Andalusian horse. It was beautiful Mediterranean weather and the drive out and above the city through another seaside town was beautiful.

@HAL Sailer I am so sorry to hear about your DH's sister's cancer progression. Prayers for her and your family. Thanks for the Fleet and Daily Reports. Old Farmer's, cookbooks and Emergency Nurses are all worth comment from me today. High praise for the ER nurses who stood through the catastrophe of Covid and all the loss of life right in front of them because it took many people too fast. Same way they deal with all the car accidents and gun shot wounds. A recipe for PTSD. I have a lot of cookbooks but don't think I will be launching my own. I pared mine by half when I moved from Maryland but I have a large file drawer of recipes ripped from my cooking magazines as I pared them. My Dad started as a farmer when he was young, changed to a dairyman and then when they closed their dairy he went back to farming the land where they used to have their dairy herd. Thanks for the recipe! It looks tasty I'll pass on the bitter drink but would try the wine. Looking forward to all photos of our ports. It is a complete change of weather with high winds last night and it appears we have 7 days of rain. I got everything I wanted accomplished outside yesterday so I am moving into fall mode. Grocery store and a manicure today. Prayers for all on our care list. Prayers for the people of Ukraine and the survivors of Ian and Fiona. Have a wonderful day! The photo is of my Dad and uncle at their farm they bought after they returned to the US from the Netherlands. Vicksburg, MI circa 1930.

@HeartgroveDeepest sympathy to you and your family in the passing of your brother.

@marshhawkI hope that your friend Shari can get the care she needs in the hospital. Septicemia is very dangerous and is probably why she isn't coherent. I hope that she can get the antibiotics and care she needs! @Quartzsite CruiserLenda I hope that your husband's surgery goes well today. I forgot to give an update on my 97 year old friend Frank. He called last night and expects to get released from rehab today. He said the staff at his rehab say they are amazed how well he has gotten back on his feet. It is being in good shape for someone his age and his will to live. Usually a broken hip at his age is at best ending up in a nursing home for good. Thank you for your prayers for him!

Another beautiful morning here in SW Michigan. Our news says this will be most likely our last 70 degree days. I got a lot done yesterday and have a few planned things outside. Spraying poison ivy that pops up all over in the woods and digging up a couple of oaks and potting them to bring them to the cabin next year. There are no oaks near my cabin except for 4 I brought from Maryland and one from my home in MI. Then we are having smoked ribs for dinner. Thank you for the Daily and Fleet Report Rich. Continue to enjoy your wonderful cruise. Today's quote is very true, less talking and more listening. The Day of the Girl is very important, hats off to Girl Scouts and other girls organizations. The Mexican chicken salad looked yummy, thanks @0106! So was the cocktail, something I could afford but the wine is too pricy for me. Prayers for all on our care list and hoping Tana has better days. I hope she approves of today's menu and ingredients in the house. Prayers for the people in Ukraine who cannot feel safe anywhere in their country. Prayers for all cleaning up from Ian and Fiona. Half Moon Cay has been a stopping point of all but two of my HA cruises. My photos are mainly of horses. It is a beautiful fun place, it would be great if in the long term future the plans for direct landing would be completed. Have a wonderful day!