luvteaching

NS is now confirmed for 15:45. Princess is confirmed at 15:00 and Ascent at 15:30.

Checking in. We are finally above freezing!! My road isn't in great shape so staying home at this point but we're on the upward trend. Karen

Good morning, I'm all for cheese and like the harder ones. I do love havarti as well. It's a foggy morning and the temp didn't make it above 32F yesterday and is at 30F this morning. The weather forecast has temps close to 50 but it hasn't happened yet. I'm looking at icy snow. My road hasn't been plowed since earlier this week and yesterday was a sheet of icy slush. So far the mailman has made it down the road (it's a flat area but a bit off the beaten track) but not the Amazon driver. I did see a Fed-Ex van yesterday and one school bus go by. So, I'll be home today and probably tomorrow. I'm hoping things thaw out enough to go to the pool on Monday. My day - cleaning, organizing for DD DH's family Christmas on the 28th, working on my counted cross-stitch project (baby one but the recipient will be 4 in March) and I need to organize what kits I have and get rid of some as I'll never do them. Nothing too exciting. Dinner will be a cheeseburger tonight. Have a good day, stay safe, and I'll see some of you on the sail away thread this afternoon. Karen

Congratulations @seagarsmoker!! So happy for you!

Good morning, The only potion I'll be brewing is my tea and I like popcorn especially the 100 calorie bags of Smartpop I get at Costco. It's slowly starting to warm up but it's taking awhile. My outside temp is 30F with rain falling. All the school districts in this county are 2 hour late start but the county to the north of us has them all closed except the university. My friends and I are rescheduling our lunch out today. The main roads, if I could get to them, are fairly good but getting there is the rub. My friend walked out to her mailbox and almost fell from ice so I'd be concerned about the parking lots as well. We can get together next week. Meanwhile another day at home. I have lots to do here as I'm having DD DH's family for Christmas on the 28th so it's time to start cleaning, etc. @ger_77 so sorry you had to cancel but it's the right move. Hope all goes well for your DH and you can get this taken care of soon. Karen

Good morning (almost afternoon) from the snowy Pacific Northwest. Another day in snow and ice here. It's supposed to warm up later. Meanwhile the grader did come down the road yesterday and my mailman has made it both days but not the garbage man. I had a call from Amazon Delivery to say they couldn't get here and I assured the person who called that I totally understood and they can wait until Monday to deliver if they want (it's just a jigsaw puzzle). All the districts in our county are closed today (and were yesterday) and the county north of us, which is harder hit, is also closed. To the south it's more 2-hour late start. I'm so glad to be retired!! No to coffee - it stunts my growth! Maybe on the potatoes and there's always maintenance to do around my place but I'm a low-maintenance type of person. My neighbors finally got water back yesterday and I'm hoping to not have to have my taps running after this afternoon as it's all supposed to turn to rain. Meanwhile back to cleaning and organizing my craft room and working on my to-do list all from the comfy cozy inside of my place! Karen

Good morning! We have temps just at 31F and a rain/sleet mix over top of slush and black ice. All the local school districts started out as late start and are now closed. Lots of accidents and people being urged to stay home. The county to the north of us, Whatcom and especially the Bellingham and Lynden area, really got hit and have several inches of snow. I have just a skim but it's coming down now. Oh - the Pacific Northwest. I'm not going into town for water aerobics - the car will stay in the driveway! Love Betty White (Hallmark plays the Golden Girls reruns and love her St. Olaf stories) and cable cars are fun. No to the drink and wine and maybe to the stew. Thanks for the good feedback on my "Bragging" about doing the feeders yesterday. It's these little things that I can finally do that says my body is on the mend - slow as it may be. @grapau27 Good to see you back Graham! Have a safe and dry day. Snow is in the forecast until late afternoon and then we're supposed to warm up and it will be warm enough I can finally turn the taps off! Karen

Afternoon check-in, Our temperature is above freezing - barely - but it's there! We have a winter weather advisory in effect until tomorrow morning with freezing rain as well as snow and ice accumulations. If that's the case I'll be staying home and forgoing the pool tomorrow. I'm at a bit higher elevation and town can be raining and we'll have snow so no sense taking chances. I'm rather proud of myself. For the first time in months my leg with the stuck hip muscle allowed me to fill the front bird and squirrel feeder and get on the ladder and hang the hummingbird feeder up in the back. I was careful and all went well. I'm on hiatus from PT since mid-December but do need to go back. Had to wait for the Medicare coverage to restart. Have a nice evening everyone! Karen

Good morning and checking in from the Pacific Northwest, We're still in the low 20's and it's a nice day out. Rain, snow, and ice are on the way for tomorrow and then we go back to the normal rain, rain, rain (if we believe the weather forecast!). If the rain/ice/snow mix happens tomorrow morning I'll probably stay nice and snug at home and not go to the pool even if it is my "happy place." Today I'll salute Book Publishers as I love to read! Don't you wish your favorite authors would write as fast you read them? I've done very well and my water hasn't froze up this cold spell so very grateful for DS and a new pumphouse. The neighbor who comes for tea froze up on Friday, had something burst in her pumphouse, have fixed it but now have to wait for the pipes to thaw. She's down her for tea (Earl Grey Cream today) and took water home with her. She may be back later for a shower. Nothing else too exciting around this place. I'm working on getting my craft room cleaned, baking cookies, and I need to start making payments for my summer Alaska cruises. Happy Tuesday! Karen

Thanks everyone for staying late!

Just checked and confirmed for 10 PM now.

Thanks @kazu! It's interesting seeing a cruise I've done many many times through the eyes of someone who hasn't cruised at all. Her only cruise ship experience is a Bon Voyage experience on Princess pre-Covid. I've made it clear that she is to do what she wants in ports and on ship as our interests may not coincide - if they do great. We'll be sure to have dinner together and other things as well. Stay warm and safe and take care of Ivan! Karen

Nieuw Statendam now showing a 9:00 PM departure on the port schedule.

I have double chocolate walnut cookies in the oven and laundry going. Nothing like multi-tasking!

I was wondering that too. I can't find anything saying what charter it is. Any insights? Karen

Good afternoon, I've been 4 star for a while but was sailing with DD DH so not a big deal as he was too! However, this time I'm taking a friend with me in July who is brand new to HAL (and beyond excited I might add). Since she is sharing the cabin with me can she attend the reception on the first day and go to the wine tasting with me? We both have the HIA so the only other perk is laundry and I know that can be sent out with mine. Thanks! It will be an interesting week but I'm enjoying her enthusiasm for Alaska and the cruise. Karen

Checking in as well. Started out at 10F this morning and almost up to 20F now. By Tuesday we're supposed to be out of this freeze and back to our normal rain. Karen

Thanks for the sailaway and thanks to Leanne for the thread. See everyone tomorrow.

Checking in from a chilly Pacific Northwest. We've made it up to a balmy 15F - who knew? Karen

Good morning from a frosty Pacific Northwest, It's 4F (not as bad as @ger_77 by any means but very cold for this part of the state. It didn't get up past 14F yesterday and today we may reach mid-20'sF. I had a hummingbird feeder popsicle as I forgot to bring it in. It's thawed now so it will go out when I'm moving a bit faster. Staying home and staying warm. Klutz moment this morning. My glasses fell on the floor from the dining room table, bend over to get them and caught my face on the dining room chair. A lump below my cheekbone and it's going down so I'm find but I'll probably have an interesting bruise. Nothing exciting today other than trying to get my craft room organized and get rid of things. There's always my counted cross stitch to work on and a jigsaw puzzle to do as well as the neighbor to come for tea (Murchie's Afternoon). Have a good day and stay warm and safe! Karen

Good morning! It's 9F on the front porch and we've a predicted high of 20F today, It's also blue skies and sunshine. The taps are dripping so I haven't frozen up which is good. I plan to stay home and stay warm today. Lots of black ice issues are being reported and we had winds last night which resulted in power outages. DS and DDIL are both "gingers" and will give them a hug and kiss if I see them. I'm a tea granny from the word go - coffee stunts my growth. I have quite a collection of Murchie's teas. Today's is "Snowflake" which is a black tea with hints of coconut and almond. My fave are mint teas. I have a neighbor lady who comes down for tea most days. Absolutely love Sitka and have been there multiple times. I'll be there in July and September this year if all goes well. DD DH really enjoyed the Raptor Center. The totem pole park was accessible for his scooter and we walked it many times. We've walked over the bridge to Japonski Island, explored the downtown area, and every trip had to get fudge at the cathedral store as well as jelly from the Lutheran ladies. The downtown is so unlike the ports of Juneau and Ketchikan as there aren't any jewelry stores and the like. Have a good day and stay safe and comfortable! Karen

Good afternoon. I'm looking out the family room window as I sit at the computer and the sun is shining and there is snow wafting down! You have to love the Pacific Northwest. It's not enough to accumulate in any way, shape or form, and our low tonight is supposed to be 11F. The sanding truck went down my road this morning with no sand coming out of the back and the blade in the front up. I guess they were out for a drive. Karen

Good morning from a crisp clear Pacific Northwest, @StLouisCruisers Happy 17th birthday to Ren! We're past the threat of snow (never happened in our area) but now have 5 days of quite cold temps - for us. Nothing higher than 35 (today) and lows to 10 F or so. There are several reports of black ice this morning so glad to be able to stay home. As a matter of fact home is where I probably will be for the next several days. No-one to hug but I can hug the teddy bear that was at DH's side the last few days of his life. Yesterday was water aerobics and a few grocery stops so I'm set to be able to be home. Today is getting some chores done around the house. I haven't packed up DD DH's clothes yet - no real reason other than other chores taken higher precedence so may start that today. I have a new kitchen sink being delivered today and when DS has time he'll install it and the new range hood finishing up the remodel of my kitchen. Still thinking about countertops and maybe a backsplash (thinking of incorporating my HAL tiles into it) but that's down the road aways. Have a good day and stay warm! Karen

@mskitty1 My condolences on your DH's passing. I lost mine on June 27th after 46 years married. He loved to cruise and, even with his mobility issues and memory loss, it was a good vacation strategy for us. All our cruises were to Alaska out of Seattle and I'd already paid for one in September (he insisted he was going to go) so I went. I did quite well. I had a table for 6 in the dining room and 3 of us were there every night but Juneau. After the first night the other couple didn't return - said it was too early for them. We drank a toast to DH and went on with things. The cruise was good for me and he'd be happy that I went. I have cruises booked for summer 2024 and am hoping to do a burial at sea with a small portion of his ashes. He'd have liked that. I always felt safe and found people to visit with. In ports, since we'd been to them many times, I did my own wandering and went to some of our favorite places. Karen

Good morning! It's a very wet morning. The rain is coming down hard, my gutters are overflowing as it's just so much volume and the trees are letting me know that the wind is blowing. Lots of power outages in the area but so far so good here. We lost power sometime overnight but just long enough to have to reset the alarm clock, microwave, and log in to the computer. Keeping my fingers crossed that that's it for today. This is a stay-at-home day as rain and wind is the total forecast for the day. The mountain passes are having blizzard conditions. Instead I'll get some cleaning done, work on the counted cross-stitch, work on the jigsaw puzzle, etc. DS is coming by later this afternoon to double check the pumphouse for me and do a few other "son-do" jobs. We have cold temps coming on Thursday for a few days (think in the teens and single digits) and I don't want to be froze up and have no water. Take care and stay safe! Karen