Quartzsite Cruiser

For Shark Awareness Day. Lenda

Good morning from sunny central Texas where it is 83F and feels like 93F. Our predicted high will be 104F, with a heat index much higher. The humidity is down since I took my walk earlier this morning, but with some cloud cover and a slight breeze, it was not bad outside. With no rain for several weeks, we are watering everyday, but at night when there is less chance of the water evaporating before hitting the ground. Two of my Silverado Sage seem to like all the water as they were blooming this morning. The bees also like the blooms, and were swarming all over the plants. Most of the bees were small, but there was one very large bumble bee, which I avoided. After working with our family trees, I found we both have some French ancestry, mainly from the Normans who came to England many centuries ago. So HAPPY BASTILLE DAY to Dailyites with French ancestry. We have snorkeled in Raiatea with black tipped reef sharks. We didn't bother them and they did not bother us. When DH and older DD did their open water dive for certification, the person who was testing them, took DD down to pet a sleeping nurse shark. This was off shore in Cancun. I would prefer to skip pandemonium day, and while I like mac and cheese, DH doesn't, so we won't be having it any time soon. The Rose Kennedy quote made me smile. She was quite a character. We'll pass on the meal and the drink. The wine sounds nice, and I'd give it a try. We have not been to Kiriwina Island PNG. The only part of PNG we've been to was Rebaul, on New Britain Island. The storming of the Bastille greatly changed the course of French history. @rafinmd Roy, we celebrated national fry day last night with French fries and shrimp tempura which I cooked in the air fryer. Please wish your nephew Keith a very HAPPY BIRTHDAY from us. @kochleffel Paul, maybe the ban on alcohol and weed may make the after hours in the dorm crazier. 😉 @StLouisCruisers Sandi, thanks for you pictures of today's port. @kazu Jacqui, I'm glad that Ivan is feeling fine this morning, and I hope with your help, he doesn't overdo today. Loved the flower pictures. @Seasick Sailor Joy, I hope you don't wear yourself out before the party. Please wish Allen a very HAPPY BIRTHDAY for us. @cruising sister Lorraine, I'm sorry about Murphy having a stroke during her crisis, but that is good news that she is moving her extremities and opening her eyes. Sending positive thoughts that from now on Murphy's recovery is uneventful and that she has a complete recovery. I'm glad you booked the wellness spa and that you niece will join you for five days. Lenda

Annie, I'm glad Chuck is flying out tomorrow, but I hope DBIL's change of heart isn't because of a turn for the worse. Wishing Chuck a safe flight and a good visit with Mamma Norma, and wishing the best for Mamma Norma. I'm glad you got a good therapist today, and hope you can keep her. Lenda

Good afternoon from hot central Texas. The weather app says it's 102F and feels like 112F. Dry heat or not, that's hot! It turns out that DH will need some dental work, and that will happen the first part of next month. We were lucky they had a cancellation this morning so we can get that taken care of sooner rather than later. At this point, he doesn't need to be on the care list, and one appointment should take care of everything. I'm slowly catching up on small things like writing emails, and taking care of paperwork. The latter is not high on my list, but it must be done. Thank you, Graham. Gerry, I like your idea for Paul @kochleffel to stick around and sing Kumbaya late at night anyway. I'm sorry your friends' uncle passed away suddenly. Terri, I'm sorry your missed Gothenburg, but I'm glad you got some needed rest. Vanessa, it's always nice when you can get the yard work done when it's a little cooler. I don't know what can be done about all the gun violence. It seems people don't want to work out their differences, just shoot those they have problems with or don't like. Still, something needs to be done. Karen, the plans for Phil's celebration of life sound good and so nice to have something for the kids. Your DS is really moving along with the projects. Our condolences on the loss of your friend. Lenda

The first time we were in Moorea, I got my black pearl enhancer. When we were back there a year later, I was lucky enough to find a pair of earrings to match the pearl. DH found his videos and stills taken in 2007 when we were snorkeling off the beach at the Intercontinental Hotel. Some of these pictures are stills and some are screenshots of the videos. It is easy to see how shallow the water was. This is the hotel looking from the reef. Lenda

We have been to Moorea five times on Wind Star, Princess and HAL. Most of our pictures are from prehistoric times before digital cameras, but I did find a few. In 2002 on the APEC cruise on Volendam, Moorea was not a port. We took the ferry from Papeete to Moorea, and rented a car. In fact, we've rented cars there every time except 2007. That time we took a taxi to the Intercontinental Hotel to snorkel. The reef comes very close to the shore there, and the colors of the fish and coral are outstanding. Sadly, the hotel was permanently closed last year. These first pictures were taken in 2007 at the hotel. These were from our drive around the island in 2002. We stopped at a park where a tour was watching a feast being prepared. A young man carrying on an ancient craft. Moorea is our second favorite port after Bora Bora. The night in Moorea on Wind Song, dinner was a barbecue on deck complete with a roasted suckling pig. In 1996, on the Wind Song, anytime the pilot was not on one the bridge, passengers could walk into the bridge. One evening, probably in Bora Bora, we did and started talking to the young deck officer. He even took us out on the bridge wing and pointed out the Southern Cross and other constellations. Fast forward to 2016 on the Prinsendam and a talk with Captain Tim Roberts. In 1996 he was a young officer on Wind Song. We all decided it was probably Captain Tim who was the young office we talked with 21 years earlier. It really is a small world. Lenda

Good morning from a sunny and windy central Texas. I got my walk in while it was still 81F which wasn't bad, just a little humid. Right now it is 82F and feels like 92F with a predicted high of 105F. After DH's dentist appointment this morning, I plan to stay inside until we take our golf cart ride a lot later this evening. I like the harmony of a good Barbershop Quartet, but in small doses. I'm not sure about embracing my geekness and I don't think I'm living in a Fool's Paradise. Sometimes I think the Robert Orben quote is true. 😉 I think we'll pass on the meal and the drink. I would like to try the wine, but I'm not fond of the price. We have been to Moorea many times beginning in 1996 with a cruise on Wind Song. That was the first time we met Captain Tim Roberts who was a junior officer then. We did not realize we'd met him until we were on the Prinsendam in 2016 and were talking to him about our Wind Song cruise. Captain James Cook discovered a lot of new territory in his voyages. @kazu Jacqui, I'm sorry you and Ivan were not feeling good yesterday. I hope you both have a much better day today. @StLouisCruisers Sandi, thanks for you pictures of Moorea and or Sadie and Milo. Two very cute dogs. @smitty34877 Terry, I'm glad yesterday was a good day for all, and that Lou enjoyed being with all the family. @marshhawk Annie, I agree with Terry, @smitty34877 about checking out more therapists. Sometimes it's better to follow your instincts and not listen to family about travels. If Chuck feels strongly he should go see his mother before he starts chemo, then, my two cents worth, is he should go. What is to say his brother won't say don't come after the next incident. @dfish Debbie, I hope you get some relief from your allergies and especially your eyes soon. Lenda

Good afternoon from a very HOT central Texas where the thermometer is reading 104F. The weather app also says it's 104F and feels like 112F. Even with a good breeze when I got home about 1:30 when the thermometer was reading 101F, it was hot. By the time I had the car unloaded and everything put away, I was ready for a shower. At these temperatures, even a dry heat is hot. The drive to and from Ft. Worth was not bad, especially since I can use the toll road and not the crowded interstate, and by being there at 10 am when the stores opened, they were not crowded. I'm just glad I got all the errands run, and was home before it got even hotter There must have been a run on DH's cardbordeaux and Captain Morgan's rum over the July 4 holiday. There was one box of the wine today, but none when we stopped at the Total Wine in Dallas last Friday. Both stores had signs saying the 1.75L Captain Morgan's was out of stock. Don't worry about us though since they had enough of everything else that we won't run out. 😁 The first recipe for the salmon looks good, but since I cook our salmon in the air fryer or in the grill with a cedar plank, basting would be a problem. The one with the lemon and garlic is very much like the one I use, but I add fresh dill and a hint of brown sugar. However, tonight we are going to finish the brisket along with air fryer sweet potato fries and fried okra and cauliflower mix. There will also be the last of the fruit salad and wine. Terri, I hope you get to the bottom of the ghost device and can use the internet without getting kicked off. I hope the weather forecast changes and the rain holds off for the remainder of your cruise. Jack, I hope the ultrasound shows that Sam's tumor has not grown since the last ultrasound. Terry, I'm very glad your DS was able to help you and Lou yesterday. It was so nice that they changed their vacation plans so that everyone could enjoy a pool and a visit. I'm just sorry Tana is not up to joining you, but happy that her friend can stay with her. Hope everyone enjoys the belated birthday party for Lou. Not a bad choice either. Joy, I hope your friend's DH is better soon. Enjoy all the relatives and friends, and I wish the weather would cool off for Allen's party Friday. Can't wait to see pictures of Oliver. I also remember paper bags and then going to plastic. My mother would use the large paper bags to line the garbage can, and we'd hope nothing soggy had weakened the sack. Before Covid, I was using reusable bags, but when our store would not let us use them, I was back to using the plastic. I need to find the reusable ones and put them in the car. Tony, thank you for your pictures. Annie, I'm sorry Chuck's DM Norma is back in the hospital. I hope he doesn't listen to his brother, and goes to see his mother before he starts the new chemo. I hope Mamma Norma recovers quickly. Yikes on the therapist working on the wrong side. I guess that's why surgeons label the correct knee, hip, shoulder etc. before surgery. Vanessa, it shouldn't be that hard to order flowers. I hope they arrived with the correct names. Thank you for your pictures. Denise, I hope the new line up of meds does the trick along with the diet, exercise and water. Carolyn, I hope it isn't too difficult to do something about the trees that are sprouting new growth. When I finally cut down an oleander that was causing problems, it kept putting out new shoots from the roots. It took two years, but generous doses of Roundup on the sprouts over two summers, finally did the trick. Maybe a garden center or someone at a local agricultural office could give you an idea of how to kill the stumps. Lorraine, that is the best news I've heard today. I'm glad Murphy is now off the ECMO and headed in the right direction. While it will still be a long recovery, I know her parents are a little less stressed now. Sending positive thoughts for a complete recovery so Murphy can live a long and healthy life. Edi, it's always good to receive great news from fellow Dailyites. I'm glad the cruise preparation is progressing. I think it's time to get out the wine glasses and the cardbordeaux, and then start dinner. Lenda

Good morning a sunny and warm 80F feeling like 86F central Texas. The predicted high is 104F with an excessive heat warning. Normally, I would get my walk in asap, but today I'm heading to Ft. Worth to finish the Total Wine list. Our cardbordeaux "cellar" is getting empty, and we can't have that. 🤣 Since DH is staying home as it's too hot to sit in the car, I'll also add W-M on the way up, and a few other stores in the general area. I appreciate what cows can do for us, but after all these years watching Dr. Pol, I'll appreciate them from afar. I found the DDs' Etch A Sketch in the attic a couple of years ago, still in good condition. I think it's still there, but it may have been donated to a thrift store or one of the DDs have it. Paper bags are good, and that reminds me, I need to dig out my reusable shopping bags. While I don't condone murder, a good murder mystery either on tv or in a book is entertaining. The Alfred Hitchcock quote is good and I too can hear him saying it. The garlic butter salmon sounds good. We'll pass on the drink and the wine, but a medium Riesling is nice. We have not been to Puerto Chacabuco, Chile. Today's day in history codified a much needed legal tenet. @StLouisCruisers Sandi, I hope you DH gets the tires rotated and your car back in the garage before the mowers arrive. We have a car or two that they say do not rotate the tires. @ottahand7 Nancy, I'm glad you figured out the problem with the inverter. Thank you for the pictures. Now, I better get ready to head out since I want to be home before it gets really hot. I also need to reboot the router. Lenda

Mine too as it's a great reminder of a fun sfternoon. Hope we can repeat it sometime. Lenda

Vnessa, I was sorry to read that your dear friend had passed away. Our condolences to you, your BFF and especially to Ruth's family and friends. Lenda

Karen, I know yesterday was a hard day, but I'm glad you are doing well. It sounds like DS is making good progress on the projects. All the flooding and damage is so sad, and the cleanup from floods is difficult. I'm glad the community is helping the victims. Lenda

Good morning again. It's still cloudy, but the sun is beginning to break through. When I got back from my errands, I put the car that often stays parked on the driveway in the port, so hopefully it will be cooler inside this afternoon when we head to Waco. Jack, I can understand being pragmatic, but in the case of the Sea of Cortez cruise, the itinerary not the ship may be the bigger factor in the price. That particular cruise is usually only offered once or twice each year, so it is naturally a bit pricier. We did it once, and I'd love to do it again. HAL offered it twice last winter, and one was a bit longer with a couple of ports on the mainland too, so that added to the cost. Keep working on Sue if you really want to do the cruise. Paul, we also had kids who ate paste even in first and second grade. One kid also like to eat the modeling clay in first grade. That was disgusting, and I shared a desk with him. Your alternative wine looks interesting. Glad you got the flights booked for Utah, and tickets for the community orchestra. Maureen, I'm glad you family was safe during the floods, and hope your DS is all right. Thank you, Graham. Susan, I hope you get some rain soon. Sorry your neighbor fell, and thank goodness on the mail carrier who thought to check on her. I strongly dislike autocorrect. Some times it can be way off the mark. I have it turned off on the computer and tablet, and just have misspelled words underlined. Unfortunately, I haven't figured out how to turn it off in messages on my phone. Sometimes ever after correcting autocorrect, I'll find it has changed the word again just as I hit send. Lenda

One last post before I get ready for my walk and errand. These are the pictures from our Koningsdam cruises in 2021 and 2022. I talked with one local about the change from the small fishing village we first saw in 1995 to the busy resort village with all the shops and restaurants. He said he missed the old, small fishing village.. That one had a lot of charm. Even though others have posted pictures of Los Arcos and Lovers Beach, I couldn't resist adding mine. On our first visit to Cabo in 1995, we took a small boat out to circle Los Arcos. It was fairly rough on the bay side and even rougher on the Pacific side. DH wanted to walk on Lovers Beach. I wisely decided to say on the boat. DH had a hard time getting back in the boat, and I'm not sure I would have made in back in. On November 16, 2021, I met @dobiemom on shore for a drink. We had a good time getting to know each other better. Because of the Daily, we already felt like we knew each other. A new port building in the harbor to the right as the tender heads to the dock. In March 2022, there were a lot of pelicans in the harbor. There was also this big fella, who I think is a sealion. He would only move when they were launching the wave runners, then would swim right back to the ramp. A view of the new waterfront area The rest of the pictures are from the main street and some of the back streets, which were the main areas when we first visited Cabo. At least, the Giggling Marlin is still there, while the Hard Rock Cafe, Planet Hollywood, and Carlos and Charlies are all gone. I still miss Carlos and Charlies. Cabo Wabo complex Lenda

I also posted these pictures from 2016 about our tour to Todo Santos. It's a nice little town and easy to reach from Cabo. In 2016 on the Ruby Princess, we actually stopped twice in Cabo since we were doing b2b2bs. The first time, we were in port from 7am to 2pm, and we took a tour to Todo Santos. We'd always wanted to see the town, and even started to drive there once when we rented a car in Cabo. Back then the road was a narrow, two lane highway, so we made it about halfway before turning back because we did not want to miss the ship. By 2016, the road was a very new, very nice four lane highway, so it did not take as long to get to Todo Santos. The highway runs from Cabo to La Paz where it connects with Highway 1 back to the US. They run tours from Cabo and La Paz to Todo Santos. I thought I'd add some pictures of Todo Santos, a very clean town, at least the part we saw. It is one I'd recommend visiting if you have a chance. IIFC, this is their museum, but I don't have pictures inside. A few street scenes as we walked from the museum to the hotel where we had lunch. The theater-cinema The bandstand in the plaza The local church, which was as unadorned inside as outside. I thought it was a lovely church. Which brings us to the hotel, where we had a very early lunch that was delicious. The hotel was not the one in the Eagles song "Hotel California". Looking down the street in front of the hotel. Back on the ship as we headed toward San Pedro, a picture of the houses facing the Pacific Ocean on the other side of the hill behind Cabo. We drove through the area when it was first being developed. It has really grown. Lenda

Graham, I knew that but didn't catch the typo. I have now corrected my post thanks to your keen eye. Lenda

We have been to Cabo San Lucas many times, but most were before digital cameras and before Cabo changed from a sleepy, little fishing village that had cruise ships stop occasionally. The first time we were there was 1995, and difference in the town between then and our last time is unbelievable. The big tender pier was not there, nor were most of the shops surrounding the harbor. We were there was in 2016 on the Ruby Princess. These are the only digital pictures I have. We stopped there in 2014 on the Veendam, but evidently, I did not take any pictures. Looking at town from the ship. The harbor Cabo Wabo, one of the few places that was there in 1995, but it is a lot bigger now. Two more from the late 1990s and early 2000s. Senior Frog was at a different location as late as 2001. Walking back to the tender pier Lenda

Good morning from central Texas. If summer wasn't here earlier, it is definitely here now. At 7am it is already 82F and feels like 88F. Last night at 10:30 it was still 91F. Fortunately, there is a breeze for my walk in a few minutes. Our predicted high is 99F and then triple digits from then on until ??? Once I finish my walk, it will be a quick run to the store and then more book work in side until we head to Waco this afternoon for a doctor appointment for DH. It's just a follow up appointment to go over some blood tests, and we don't expect any surprises. Cheer up the lonely and national blueberry muffins are good days to celebrate. However, I will not celebrate Bowler's day. I do not condone censoring or rewriting published works. The author's works should stay as they intended, and if someone does not approve, they should not read them, but those who like the works enjoy them. Now, I'll get off my soapbox. The Robert Fulghum quote is interesting. We'll pass on the meal. DH likes cucumbers, but I don't, and he usually gets any I find in my salads. We'll also pass on the drink and the wine. We have been to Cabo San Lucas many times, so you know I've have a bunch of pictures to share. Our first visit there was in 1995 when it was a sleepy fishing village, and I still miss the "old" Cabo, but won't not go there when it's on an itinerary. Today's day in history was the beginning of the Church of England which lead to the Anglican Communion around the world, and the Episcopal Church in the US. @kazu Jacqui, I hope the "cupping" helps with the scar. That is good news about Ivan's blood work. I hope he continues to improve, and that the injections when he gets them will help keep him pain free. @Denise T Denise, yeah on booking the cruise. @cruising sister Lorraine, I hope Murphy had a good night after the ECMO was reduced by 50%, and that she continues to improve. @Heartgrove Jack, we have always enjoyed our days on Zaandam and Volendam, and our Sea of Cortez cruise. You might remind Sue that the Sea of Cortez cruise is only 10 days, which is not too long to be on an R class ship. @grapau27 Graham, thank you for the explanation of Bowlder Day. I forgotten what it was. Please wish Father David a very HAPPY 50TH BIRTHDAY from us. Lenda

In honor of Kitten Day. Lenda

Good afternoon from a very sunny central Texas. The sun is as intense here as in Quartzsite. Luckily, most of the work I had to do outside this morning was in the port or in the shade. The smoker is now cleaner. I would probably have to pressure wash it to get all the greasy smoke off the walls and grates. As it is, it will still be good for smoking. After I got the smoker cleaned, we plugged it in to see if the element would heat. It didn't. Next, I took the back off, and DH while wearing gloves removed the three thick layers of fiberglass insulation so he could test the element with the volt meter. We now have an new element on the way, and this will be the third element for the smoker. We have an identical smoker in Q, and it's still on the first element. Go figure. Right now, the insulation is in a large trash bag, and the other parts are in boxes until we install the new element. The weed killer has been sprayed, again. It's an on going battle with the weeds. Staying inside this afternoon and doing bookwork and bills seems like a good idea. There's a good wind now, but I don't want to be in the sun this afternoon. @StLouisCruisers Sandi, I forgot to mention this morning that the red bridge in your pictures is the railroad bridge. Construction was begun in 1882 and the bridge was opened in 1890. We have been across the bridge several times when we took the train from Inverkeithing into Edinburgh. It is the reason most modern cruise ships have to tender into Queensferry. We have also been across the older vehicle bridge but not the new one. I'm glad the mammogram is behind you and that you had a way around the blocked and backed up interstate. @RMLincoln Maureen good news on the the DGD's engagement. @ger_77 Gerry, I hope they get the last two fires under control and that there are no more fires. @smitty34877 Terry, we saw pictures of the flooding north of you, and it looked extremely bad. I'm glad you were not affected. I hope the doctor appointment today goes well. I also hope your DS and family arrive at their rental safely. It is nice that your DS will help you get Lou to his appointment with the surgeon tomorrow. I hope the report from the surgeon is good. @kplady Laura, you are correct. I would not enjoy being that high, nor going up and down the steps. I felt the same way when we saw the stands being erected. I guess I'm an oddball, but the Tattoo has never been high on my must see list. Thank you for the pictures, so now I have a good idea of what I won't be seeing. 😁 @grapau27 Thank you as always, Graham, for your nice comments. Glad you have a cruise booked for 2025. @JazzyV Vanessa, I hope your PT can help your knees, and that they can give you some exercises to do. When I hurt my knee last year, I found Aspercreme helped control the pain more than Advil or any other pain reliever. @cruzn single Mary Kay, that is good news that some of the family want the genealogy data. Francis Lightfoot Lee and Richard Henry Lee of Virginia, and the only two brothers to sign the Declaration of Independence were ancestors on my mothers maternal line. I hope the lady who will move you and manage the estate sale has some good suggestions to help with the downsizing. @fruitmachine Welcome to the Fleet Report/Daily. I hope we see you here again. We have enjoyed all our visits toe Edinburgh. Now, I guess it's time to get back to work. Lenda

These are my last pictures for the day. We were in Edinburgh once in 2016 on Prinsendam, and three times on Prinsendam in 2017 on multiple B2Bs. These pictures are from 2016 and our first visit in 2017. The second time in 2017, we took the city bus out to tour the Britannia, and the third time we did the Ho-Ho and walked the Royal Mile from top to bottom. In 2016. we took the Ho-Ho around Edinburgh. When we were in the vicinity of the castle, we ran into extremely heavy crowds who were in town for the Tattoo and the Fringe. Several blocks were turned into pedestrian only streets and the Ho-Ho had to make a detour. Even the area around Waverly Station was crowded. From our detour on the Ho-Ho The new bridge across the Firth of Forth. It was nearing completion, with just a few spans waiting to be installed. It was opened the next year by Queen Elizabeth II. In 2017, we did a ship's tour to the Falkirk Wheel, which is an engineering marvel. It connects two canals which are on different elevations. Boats enter one of the two chambers on the wheel and are either raised or lowered to the other canal. The chambers, for want of a better word, used Archimedes' principle of water displacement, so they do not have to add or remove water when the boat enters and exits the wheel. I strongly recommend a ship's tour to visit the wheel, since the tours are guaranteed a time to "ride" the wheel. We entered the wheel from the lower canal, were raised to the next canal, sailed down the canal, turned around and went back to the wheel to return to the lower canal. Entering the wheel on the lower level. Coming back toward the tunnel and the wheel. Entering the wheel at the upper level The view across the countryside from the top of the wheel was spectacular, even on a cloudy day. Canal boats in the canal near the Kelpies. @RedneckBob RNB, the horse heads represent the Kelpies rising out of the sea. They are mythical creatures who supposed kidnap children. Lenda

These are my pictures from St. Andrews. Since several Dailyites have shared their pictures from the Old Course, I am only including one. The rest are from our afternoon in St. Andrews. Our first stop was St. Andrews Cathedral, really the ruins of the 12th century cathedral. Our next stop was the Old Course, where we had free time. After we looked around the Old Course, we walked back into town. Our first stop was the University of St. Andrew. We walked into the chapel but were not even allowed time to take one picture because the were setting up to take some pictures, IIRC. The rest of the pictures were taken as we walked around town. A pretty park and playground Lenda

Our first visit to Edinburgh was on August 25, 2011. Because we wanted to see as much as possible in one day, we took a morning panoramic city tour which included a tour of Edinburgh Castle, and an afternoon tour to St. Andrews. The day we were there was Armed Forces day, and not only were the veterans in my earlier picture marching, but many military units too. I found out today, thanks to Google, that Prince Charles was there and gave the troops a salute. I'm going to post my pictures of Edinburgh here, and the ones of St. Andrews in another post. Some of these pictures were taken from the bus, and are not the greatest. A couple of pictures of houses. Preparations for the parade Even though it was June 25, the stands for the Tattoo were already being erected. The entrance to Edinburgh Castle The Governor's House circa 1731 Here are a few pictures from inside the castle. The rooms for the royal family, without furnishings, are first, followed by the quarters for the soldiers. Looking down on Edinburgh from the castle Lenda

We have been to five times all but the first time on the Prinsendam, so we docked at Rosyth. The first time was in 2008 on Tahitian Princess. The first time we were in Edinburgh in 2011, we took a morning tour to Edinburgh and the castle, followed by an afternoon tour to St. Andrews. In 2016, we were late docking due to tidal conditions, and our tour to the Falkirk Wheel was cancelled, so we took the train into town. In 2016, we did several b2bs, so we were in Rosyth and Edinburgh three times. The first time, we made it to the Falkirk Wheel, but the tour was nearly cancelled. The guides for the two buses had to cancel and there were no replacements. We were given the option of getting off the bus and getting our money back, or doing the tour anyway. The two drivers went out of their way to make it a memorable tour even without out any commentary. The wheel provided a guide for the boat ride. The bus drivers even made a unscheduled stop at the statues of the Kelpies, mythical sea creatures that steal children. As usual, there was one grump who complained about the lack of commentary on the bus. A view of the stands being erected at the Castle for the Tattoo. The stands are vey steep and tall, and since I do not like heights, I'm not sure I will attend the Tattoo because with my luck I'd be on the top row and miserable. When we left the Castle in 2011, we had to wait for our bus until a parade of veterans assemble and marched by, followed by a band, and pipers. It was worth the wait to see how proud they were. The Kelpies. We visited the Britannia, but I will only show one picture of the sitting room. The last time we did the combination of the city bus and the Ho-Ho, since I wanted to go to the statue of Greyfriars's Bobby. Here is the statue and his grave in Greyfriars's Cemetery. Finally, a couple of pictures from the town. The first was taken in 2016 during the Fringe and the Tattoo. You could hardly walk down the streets. Lenda

Good morning from a sunny central Texas. Our predicted high is 96F, but I think it will be even hotter. It is currently 78F and feels like 86F. I'll be quick here so I can get my walk in as early as possible. Then, it will be time to clean the smoker and spray weed killer. After that, I'll spend the remainder of the day inside a cool house catching up on paperwork and bills. Kittens are cute, but it's been 25 years since we've had cats. I'm am not a fan of pina coladas so someone else can enjoy mine. A Teddy Bear picnic would be fun. The quote is very true. We have been to Edinburgh several times starting in 2011 and have been lucky enough to dock at Rosyth every time since we were on Prinsendam the other times. The Episcopal Church in the US was a head of it's time not only with gay marriage but with ordaining women as priests and bishops and having a gay bishop. Unfortunately, this cause a split among members and many churches broke away and became Angelicin churches. @aliaschief Bruce, at least when I changed to toilet seat several months ago, I got it on correctly the first time. 🤣 Loved that meme. @kazu Jacqui, I hope the therapist has suggestions for continuing exercises if today is your last session. I hope you and Ivan get a good report from the vet today. @cruising sister Lorraine, thank you for the update on Murphy. It sounds like she is making good progress now, and sending positive thoughts for a smooth recovery from now on. You plans for the wellness spa sound good and should keep you busy that week. @Denise T Great news on the fasting blood sugar being the lowest for several months. It looks like going back to basics is working. @ottahand7 Nancy, congratulations to your niece on her engagement. Loved the pictures of the eagles. @Seasick Sailor Joy, you sure will be busy this week. Enjoy the family visits and all the birthday parties. We'd love to see a picture of the dog when he joins your family. @marshhawk Annie, I hope your DH gets a good report from the eye doctor and the infection is not back. Glad you got another campaign. Lenda