OnTheJourney

What lake??

Winter here in Berks County, PA

I dislike dynasties in any sport and so typically pull for the underdog. Yep...got tired of Brady too! Glad to see him go. Guess I might not live long enough to see Mahomes exit the game, though I'm tired of him too. I was pulling for the Ravens and Lions to get in the SB. Chiefs and Niners? Same old...boring. Chiefs got there this year thru the mishaps of other teams near the end of a few games. As for Taylor, I have great respect for her accomplishments and her many acts of benevolence. The thing with her is, she grew up in a town (Wyomissing) only 30 minutes from me and so virtually everything she has ever said or done has been in our local newspaper since she was like 6 years old or whatever. Sort of got pretty old after awhile. I'm admittedly not a fan of her music. Superlative entertainer and gifted songwriter for sure. The actual musical content and quality, not so highly rated in my book. Beatles songs might still play 100 years from now. TS? Not so sure on that one. Be neat to be around to find out. And, she had EVERY advantage growing up in a very wealthy family. Dad had connections (and money) that could open doors for her. There are likely thousands of kids out there with the talent, personality, and drive but simply not the means, and so will likely never receive great recognition, let alone big time, nor, obviously, TS's level of superstardom. She is a cultural force to be sure, which I find astounding.

I sort of doubt it....😉

Never heard of it...Celebrity Summit. We like to sail her out of Bayonne. No flying needed.

It is. Seems like the mother will be ok, but what a tragedy. So you live near the Watch Hill property?

OK...confirming my suspicions of who owns it! You're pulling my leg on the "invitations" though 😁 LOL on the "football boy toy". See how long it lasts. I've decided to not watch the KC Chiefs anymore. Tired of them, and now even worse that the focus is on Swift. Speaking of her, though, just came across this: https://www.1news.co.nz/2024/02/18/teen-girl-dies-in-horror-crash-on-drive-to-taylor-swift-concert/

Ahh....nice to have such a friend!! How about some inside pics? 🤔 Wait a second...looks very much like Taylor Swift's "High Watch" estate....

Goodness...your house??? Wow....

About 9 in my driveway. Happens all the time due to there being nothing to break the wind. We're on top of a hill out in the country and so frequent drifts and larger accumulations. There can be 6 inches on the road and 3 feet in my driveway depending on the wind. Shovel it off and sometimes it drifts back in again overnight. This stuff was pretty light so I could shovel it. Last time needed to snowblow. Should be a lovely spring with having had some snow cover on the flowerbeds for slow-release moisture.

Here in PA..I believe I have now had enough snow....

Interesting. Generally, we've found CT to be excellent. Manfredi's also was very good except for one or two entree choices I had there. We greatly enjoy both. Restaurant, we feel, is also quite good to very good. But, yeah, can't hardly compare cruise ship food to a great restaurant in Italy. I'd never expect it to be the same. Cooking for 900+ people.

???

I was a solo performer representing the US at the Expo ’67, and always thought it’d be so interesting to go back to Montreal and revisit whatever remains of that event. I've never been back since, but I know that Parc des Îles was renamed to Parc Jean-Drapeau in 2000 based on info I received from this site: https://www.mtl.org/en/what-to-do/activities/parc-jean-drapeau It'd be so cool to go back. I'd surely recognize the former US Pavilion, now the Biosphère. Viking offers this cruise that, by using a pre or post extension, would allow a few extra days to explore. Thanks for any suggestions. I specifically mention the Viking trip because I have to use vouchers anyway from a previous cruise.

Then you should try the ocean ships. I think you'd like that as well.

Not really. Just from what I've been reading. Well, I'll say this. I didn't care for eating right next to that open kitchen design in the restaurant. It's interesting and all to watch what they're doing, but the noise factor is a bit much. So then we wound up finding a nice quiet place all the way in the back near the wine racks. That was ok till others discovered it as well. The one couple seemed insistent on always having the window table and went as far as to stop by before they even started serving and plopped a wine bottle on "their" table. Another couple that didn't know about this came in the one night and wondered why they couldn't have the window table - didn't seem too happy when they found out. At that point, yet, there was no wine bottle on the table but the waiters quickly explained the situation (that there would be shortly). Guess giving the waitstaff a big tip every night has its benefits! So anyway, we decided to bail out and ate the remaining dinners up in the cafe. Found it more relaxing, faster, and, of course, bigger food choice. Entertaining at times too with some of conversation and friendly banter between the bartenders and guests, etc.. Plus, the great views on either side. Mississippi is a unique ship. We really enjoyed it except for not getting to most of the ports. I don't think we'll do it again, but glad we did. Used vouchers from the Viking Sky 3/23/19 Northern Lights incident.

I know, but thanks for mentioning anyway. Thanks for all that great info! Sounds really nice. We wound up eating dinner at WC the latter part of the cruise on the Mississippi. Most other times, on ocean ships we were in the restaurant. I think we'll have to try the Great Lakes for the expedition ship experience.

I'm sure. Crazy weather patterns. I've never yet been to your part of CA. Hopefully a CA trip sometime that would incorporate a visit to our daughter. I thought this trip looks interesting. We have to book something to use the vouchers from the Mississippi trip by October (book by, not sail by). https://www.vikingcruises.com/oceans/cruise-destinations/caribbean-americas/pacific-coast-explorer/pricing.html

Just chatted and asked about this. Seems that reservations start at 6 pm. Not crazy about having to make them. I can understand it for Manfredi's and Chef's table (which isn't on Expedition anyway).

Really? Considering booking a Great Lakes cruise. Curious as to why reservations?

How'd you manage with the crazy "atmospheric rivers" out there recently? Our daughter lives in Arcadia - recently moved there from Irving. They had a lovely apartment there and hated to leave it but she got a different job (was working for the University) and felt it better to move closer to Pasadena than possibly have long commute times due to traffic.

Hey JD...likewise to you! DW is improving steadily following her surgery last November. It was dicey for awhile though. She wound up in the hospital over Christmas. 12/23/23 has now become the scariest day of our married life, supplanting the Sky event of 2019. Weirdly, both are on the 23rd! We got engaged 44 years ago on this day.

This is the direction we need to move for automotive transport, if and when feasible.