Cruising-along

We head to the Lido, we love the hustle and bustle and excitement of the first day. But most of all I can't wait to get my first big Lido salad from the salad bar.

Oh, that could be fun! 🤣 Thank you for the great photos today. It makes me excited to see it in '24 (other than the "VERY hot" part!

Good morning all! Another pleasantly warm, sunny day here in the PNW. We're having a great summer! With my fear of heights I'll pass on riding the wind. Will definitely hug my sweetheart, and love daffodils but will have to wait another 8 months to see them here. The drink sounds yummy, will pass on the meal and wine. There are very few drinks I can drink from a can....not sure why. I even prefer beer from a bottle. Have not been to the port, but hope to get there on the '24 Grand Australia. I hope we have some photos today. Yesterday we had a fun afternoon with the grandsons and today it's back to those apples. I'll finish the applesauce today, it will be nice to get the kitchen put back together. It's always a mess when I do canning. Speaking of messes, I'm also a messy painter and definitely get it in my hair too -- especially when painting ceilings! I don't know how anyone could not. Another reason I hate to paint ceilings lol. @Vict0riannAnn Happy Birthday!! @rafinmdRoy I hope the low sodium level will be easily treated -- maybe they will have you take daily sodium pills. @kazuJacqui enjoy those fur babies, they're adorable. When we had our DD's kitty here for a week recently we covered all the couches (2 are new, one is leather). I never saw the cat even go near the new couches lol. He did get on the covered leather couch a few times but really preferred the guest bed. 😉 @HeartgroveJack thank you for the photo of Lily -- she's so cute!

That was HAL's policy the last I knew. As far as I know, it still is. Sadly our great PCC has left HAL, and now we're stuck with his replacement. I say stuck because I think this policy is still in effect. Otherwise we would transfer our bookings now.

Good morning all! Another warm, sunny day in the PNW. I'm taking a break from applesauce and will spend the afternoon with the grandsons. We may take them to a splash park or pool. Then it's back to the applesauce tomorrow when I should be able to finish it. Saving some for pies, especially for a large family picnic this weekend. Our family kept the tooth fairy very busy this year. At one time grandson #2 had 5 missing teeth! It was a challenge for him to eat much 🙂 There are lots of angels here. I'll pass on the meal and wine, but the drink would be good. We were in Cartagena 3 times in 2019 when we were on our 75-day anniversary trip. Still, we found something different to do each time, always on our own, no tour necessary. It was easy to walk to everything. We went to the Roman Theater, the Roman Forum, walked the Punic Wall (3rd century BC) to the House of Fortune, and took the 45-minute tourist bus around the city. Not sure what we would have done if we'd gone there a 4th time that trip! As you can tell, ancient ruins are why we love the Med. Debbie @dfishglad you found that paint hardener. @superomaHappy Birthday to your DH! Gerry @ger_77I'm glad you're starting to feel more like yourself -- take it easy and don't try to do too much. Graham @grapau27Happy 41st anniversary to you and Pauline! First photos are from the 45-minute Tourist Bus and other walks around the town. Our ship the beautiful Nieuw Statendam, can't wait to sail her again in a few weeks! Next are photos from the Teatro Romano Cartagena Part of the stage And the Roman Forum This was an oven for baking bread. Some from the House of Fortune. Amazing how the colors are still so vivid. And crypts The ones on the left have been uncovered (photo above) and the ones on the right have not.

Sounds like a plan! We can talk between now and then. We sure wouldn't mind walking the Freedom Trail again too. 🙂

Good morning all! It's an overcast morning, heading for high 70's F again. I'll be doing more applesauce today so my day will be like yesterday! DD, DSIL and the grandsons got home from Crater Lake late last night, it's good to know they're safely home, especially after that scare with the tire. It sounds like they had an amazing trip. Makes me want to get down there again, I know I went once as a child. I don't know yet if DD will be coming to get their kitty today or if she'll ask us to bring him down when we go down there tomorrow. He's been a perfect houseguest. 🙂 I like Spumoni ice cream, but have never had the dessert. I don't think I'd like it as much. Like others, I may be a senior citizen but in my mind I'm still in my 40's. The quote is so true. Nothing like a good belly laugh. I'll pass on the meal, spice in any amount doesn't agree with me. The drink and wine both sound very good. We've been to Boston several times and will be again in October. My photos would be too much like others already posted (thank you for them!). I think we've done all the touristy things there, but I'm thinking of visiting the Paul Revere House this time and just walking around (weather permitting). Debbie @dfishis that something worth seeing? I would think it is... Gerry @ger_77 My condolences on the loss of your good friend. May she rest in peace.

Hi John! Both Saguenay and Gaspe are on the Quebec City-Fort Lauderdale 14-day itinerary in October. We've enjoyed both ports several times when taking that cruise fall and spring.

I've gotten about a third of the applesauce finished, I guess it's going to take 3 days to get it all done. I've gotten to the age that I won't push myself, not worth it 😉 That and even though it's cooler today, the humidity is higher (nothing like some of you get, but we aren't used to it here). Melissa @HAL Sailer I'm sorry your DH's sister's melanoma has spread. Prayers for successful treatment and that she can be cancer-free.

Good morning all! I have a ton of honey bees in my yard but have to be careful when I'm gardening because I'm allergic to all bee stings. They love the Hibiscus and Bee Balm especially. I rarely listen to the radio, and hate mosquitoes although they love me and eat me alive. I'm pretty sure I'm allergic to their bites too because just one bite and my whole body itches for a week. Because of the woods behind our house, our back yard is full of mosquitoes every spring so I can't even go back there until later in June without dousing myself in repellent. Even then I won't stay out there because they will find me. The quote is sad but true. I'll pass on the meal (not fond of Buckwheat) but the drink sounds good and I'm sure the wine would be very good. My work is cut out for me today and tomorrow if not longer. Yesterday we drove to Lynden and got a box (28 pounds) of apples, so now I have 37 pounds. I'll make a couple pies but the rest will be made into applesauce. Debbie @dfishgood luck with the painting! Did you know there's a product you can buy at the hardware store that you add to the paint and it hardens quickly? No mess and very easy. I don't think it was very expensive either. Sandi @StLouisCruisersthank you for the great photos of Nassau! When DDIL worked for Disney the family toyed with the idea of a Disney cruise with the DGSs but then Covid hit. Even with her discount it still was very pricey though! 😱 @superomayikes about your DD's bee sting above her eye! I hope the pain and swelling go away quickly. How scary that had to be. Debbie @dfishmy Mom did the same, a paste of baking soda and water. It did help! Well one more cup of coffee and then on to those apples!

I was waiting for this and you did not disappoint! 🤣 Smart to wait until after your mammogram. I read in the news last night that they expect the new booster (aimed at this variant) to be available to everyone ages 12 and up in early-mid September so we're waiting and will get that one. Just in time before our October cruise.

Good morning all! And what a morning with the great news about Shadow being found!! Jacqui @kazuI join everyone else in a huge hurrah! What good news. 🙂 All good days. I admire all pilots who get me safely where I need to go even though I do detest flying. I don't think I've ever had cat fish, but would try it. I can take or leave potatoes, and try to limit them because of the carbs. @RedneckBobwe still have Mr. Potato Head here for the grandsons and we all say he's a male -- well at least when he's wearing his mustache. 😉 The drink sounds good, and NZ Sauvignon Blancs are always my wine of choice although I've never seen this one. I woke up to showers this morning -- so funny, we must have had the cloud coming over us from the west as I was looking out the back door. It was drizzling in the back yard, but not in the front yard. A few minutes later it was drizzling both in front and back. We can use the moisture, it's gotten pretty dry. I hope to get more Gravenstein apples today, but will have to call the market in Lynden to see if they have enough. It's an hour+ each way so I want to be sure. But we love the sauce and pies from Gravensteins, so worth it and it's a nice drive. Sandi @StLouisCruiserswhat a beautiful quilt! I'm sure your DGD will always treasure it. We were in Rijeka last year and took a tour to the resort town of Opatija. It was a wonderful day and we enjoyed it a lot. First we walked along the waterfront promenade for an hour, then we were wined and dined at lunch. We had an appetizer similar to Bruschetta, lunch was potatoes and pork roast (delicious), a dessert of an apple pastry (yum!!) and the wine flowed freely. We then had free time to wander the town and/or shop, we did both. From our balcony as we approach Rijeka Walking along the promenade in Opatija So many large resort hotels. Opatija is considered the playground of the rich and famous. This statue is called Maiden with a Seagull. Although when we passed by she had 2. The one in her hand is part of the statue. Isadora Duncan was good friends of the owners of this hotel. They had this statue made of her. It was October and some storefronts were decorated for Halloween. I found a friend and place to sit and rest. 😉 Beautiful sunset as we prepare to leave Rijeka.

If you go to your booking on the HAL site, then on the far left click on "purchase beverages" then "wine packages" which is at the bottom. The packages will pop up. You'll see the prices for each package, and the wines in each package. * But bear in mind* , you may get on your cruise and learn they don't have all the wines listed. In that case you'll have other choices from what they do have. They do their best to get you what you'd like.

Happy Birthday!

Wow, that's amazing! So glad nobody was hurt. Careful, safe driving. Yes, it would have been DD, DSIL and both our grandsons. I hate to even think what could have happened. 😞 Thank you for posting the photo of your adorable Lily!

Thank you, as the tire guy said, it was a miracle. I did correct my post later (after editing expired) I should have written 3 of 5 lug nuts but it still was a miracle. Thank you Graham. DH also said they should get locking nuts -- will pass it on to them 🙂

Too late to edit my post, but I said 3 of the 4 lug nuts and it should have said 3 of the 5 were removed. Shows how much I know about lug nuts! 😄

Good morning all! We'll get a high of 86 F today, but with a cloud cover so I'm thinking humidity. Good day to stay inside and catch up on the laundry! Interesting days and if I wrote poetry it would definitely be bad poetry. Will pass on the meal but the wine and drink both sound good. We'll go to Noumea on the Grand Australia '24, I look forward to any photos. I'm still a bit shaken from some news DD shared with us. On the first day of their road trip to Crater Lake they heard a strange "whump whump" sound as they were driving. They pulled over and discovered that 3 of the 4 lug nuts on a tire were gone!! All we can think is that someone either wanted that tire and was interrupted or was pulling a terrible sick joke (DSIL parks in a large parking lot in Seattle for work). Long story short, the tire guy told them it was a miracle that they were ok. So I'm saying a lot of prayers of thanks right now!! Gerry @ger_77I was glad to hear that you're feeling better this morning. As for the appetite loss, our DD lost 10 pounds when she had Covid (!!) so I'm not surprised to hear the reports of no appetite. Sandi @StLouisCruisersyou are so right about the timing of smoke alarms' batteries. Why is that??? Living in GA you probably haven't had this, but we've also noticed that on very cold nights it seems to happen even more. When we were gone on a long cruise a few years ago, my neighbor (who was checking on our house while we were gone) noticed a chirping coming from the smoke alarm in our bedroom. Bless her heart, she changed the battery for us. Terri @Cruzin TerriI'm so sorry to hear about your neighbor. @1ANGELCATsending good wishes for a good outcome from Fluff's surgery. @RedneckBobI'll say it again, I love your stories and humor!

Good morning all! We're having glorious sunny weather here in the PNW, heading for the low-mid 80's F today and tomorrow. We've donated to many thrift shops, especially when DD passed and I gave away many of his things. I have wonderful neighbors and feel so blessed to have them. I love all cats, but black cats have a special place in my heart. I'm loving all the black cat photos today! We had one, "Ebony" who we took in when he was abandoned. Like many, he turned out to be one of our best pets. He lived to be 17. Now the black cat in my life is my neighbor's cat "Jinx" who is very special to me. He isn't like any other cat I've ever known, he's amazingly calm and even loves tummy rubs (!!) He's also very jealous of any other cat that comes in our yard, so we're being very careful to not let him know that our Grand-kitty Nimbus is here for the week. He (Jinx) tried to get into our house yesterday as DD was bringing Nimbus to us --- thankfully they didn't come nose to nose 😉 I'll pass on the wine but the drink sounds good and all the recipes for today sound great! I printed off the "carnivore" one though for future use. Jacqui @kazumy heart breaks for you again for yet another disappointment. Prayers that Liz can find Shadow soon and I'm so sorry you reinjured your wrist. I hope you heal quickly. Our Ebony 1982-1999 "Spek", one of our DD's previous cats And my neighbor's cat Jinx. We aren't sure how old he is, but his whiskers have turned white and he's getting a little greyer and arthritic so we're guessing around 15 but he's very active for his age.

IMO if you have two separate booking numbers (as we do for our b2b this fall) they should consider them as one 10-day cruise and one 11-day cruise. Unfortunately our first one (14 days) is out of Canada, so this doesn't help us. 😞

Thank you for the photos Ann 🙂 We enjoyed the Postojna Caves and Predjama Castle too, but from a different port that cruise. So many things to see in that area it was hard to fit it all in! You're welcome Lenda. And trust me, I stuck to the edge -- where I could at least touch the half-wall. I have a terrible fear of heights too so I understand! At one point (going down) there were a couple young girls who parked themselves on the side (sitting) -- right where I needed to hang on -- and it took all my courage to walk around them and back to the wall!

Good morning all! I'm a little later than usual this morning. DD brought their kitty Nimbus to stay with us while they're on a road trip to Crater Lake, OR. So we'll have a cat with us for a week! He knows us well and is settling in quickly and seems quite happy. 🙂 It's nice to have a cat in the house again. Roller coasters and I do not get along. I can't think of much that scares me more, and that's even the little ones! I love hearing jokes but am not very good at telling them. The meal and drink sound great, will pass on the red wine. We were in Koper twice on a cruise exactly a year ago. We went to Lake Bled one day (amazing day!) and a DIY to Piran the other day. It's a beautiful place, and I'd love to get back there. Piran Town square A doorway for Sandi @StLouisCruisers If you ever get to Slovenia, you *must* have some of their Kremsnika. It is to die for! I had it twice. 🙂 And our day at Lake Bled The wooden boats awaiting passengers to the island Another boat, taken from ours. On the boat to the island we saw this castle on top of a rocky hill. Approaching the island Getting closer When we got to the island there were 99 steps to get to the top. It was said that on their wedding day, men had to carry their brides to the top. Looking down from the top. We walked around the island and visited the gift shop. Beautiful views! We had some free time before returning to the ship, so we savored the views and....got some more Kremsnika! Even the ride back to the ship had beautiful views.

Hi Susan, I did get a notification and answered 🙂

Good morning all! Happy Acadian Day to our Canadian friends. My French ancestors on my Mother's side settled in Acadia from France in the 1800's. I think they stayed in Canada for a generation or two before moving down to the states. Relaxation day is perfect today, I'm ready for that and hope to spend the day gardening (my way of relaxing). I will let my BFF know that this is best friends day! I like Debbie's last recipe, but will pass because we had pasta last night (4-Cheese Ravioli take-out made by our favorite Italian chef). Will pass on the drink, the wine would be good but pricey. Have never been to the port. Terry @smitty34877I'm glad that you decided to keep the extra help for another couple weeks. You need the rest. Debbie @dfishsafe travels home! Jack @Heartgrovethank you for sharing the photo of your beautiful new grandchild! Congratulations!

This was for Lynden and Sumas -- and remember this is Sunday. Hopefully it won't be bad for you on Tuesday!