Quartzsite Cruiser

Good afternoon. Today, DH had a follow up appointment after a ultrasound scan of the veins in both legs last week. They wanted the scan since it has been more than six months since the blood clot and he is off the blood thinners. The scan showed no problems with the veins. It's always nice to get good news from a doctor. Joy, in my haste to get ready to head to Waco, I forgot to mention your nephew is adorable and such a happy looking baby. You have every right to be a proud aunt. Karen, I'm glad your DH is continuing to improve. The attempt to get in the car was not a complete failure, since it helped the therapists know what areas need work. I hope you are able to go on your cruise. Jake, Mona is a real beauty. Paul, I'm happy you have reservations for Moab next year. The scenery in the area is spectacular. Plan to spend at least one day in Arches National Park, and if possible, try to try to travel several of the backroads along the Colorado River. Dead Horse State Park is also worth checking out. Lenda

Joy, I'm happy the toe is not broken, but sorry about the toenail. I'm glad today's walk went better, too. How thoughtful. Gerry, please wish your DSIL A VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY for us. Vanessa, thanks for the pictures from the American Cemetery. Lenda

Good morning from a clear and calm central Texas. It is 68F and will reach about 86F this afternoon. We didn't get any rain yesterday afternoon, so I turned on the sprinklers to run about 10pm. It worked! We got another decent rain about 11:30 last night. There is no rain predicted for today, but that is always subject to change this time of year. This morning, I will make a quick run to the grocery store and Post Office. Later, we'll be heading to Waco for a follow up doctor appointment for DH along with a stop at Sam's. D-Day was a turning point in WWII. We have been to all the Normandy beaches several times, and were at the 60th anniversary ceremony in 2004. Of all the National Cemeteries we've visited from Guam to Hawaii to Arlington to the American Cemetery in Normandy, the last one is the most moving for me. This is a picture of the American Cemetery on June 6, 2004. DH's DSIL's father was one of the first people off Omaha Beach, but we never knew much about his time fighting in Europe until he was asked to introduce President Clinton at the 50th anniversary ceremony in 1994. Captain Joseph Dawson was a hero who was wounded at Normandy, but who fought with the Big Red 1 until they reached Germany. I can celebrate higher education and gardening exercise, but was never very good with a yo-yo. Another interesting quote by Oscar Wilde. We usually have chicken fajitas, but also like beef fajitas, but not cooked in the air fryer. We'll pass on the drink, but I would have to taste the wine before I bought it. Many German Rieslings are sweeter than I like. We have not been to Tsuruga, Japan, but have been in the general area with a stop in Osaka and a side trip to Kyoto. @Nickelpenny Penny, I hope you enjoy Philadelphia and have a safe drive to Long Island. @StLouisCruisers Sandi, I'm glad the treadmill is working. @kazu Jacqui, I hope your neighbor's recovery continues to go smoothly. I hope the foot feels better soon. @ottahand7 Nancy, another pretty iris. @cruising sister Lorraine, I hope all goes well at the dentist today. @smitty34877 Terry, Miss Camille keeps getting cuter and cuter. @Denise TWelcome home, almost. I'm glad you enjoyed the cruise and your live from. @mamaofami Carol, I'm glad you DH is continuing to recover from his stroke. Lenda

Debbie, it is looking better already. I like the green with the brown trim, and the muted celery will work well with the other colors. Marcia, it's good that the medications have been stopped and the restrictions have been lifted. I hope your vision is not permanently damaged and that it improves with time. Lenda

What an adorable picture of a cute little girl. I can't believe how much she has grown. Lenda

Good afternoon from an increasingly cloudy central Texas. The north wind has also picked up, and is 8 mph. There is still only a slight chance of rain today, which probably doesn't meant very much. This was another day that I got the house cleaned in record time, less than 4 1/2 hours, including a breakfast break. It's nice to get through early and be able to enjoy a clean house before life starts getting it messy again. Terry, I'm glad your DH is making such good progress, and could even go on an outing. Annie, I'm glad the cats are enjoying the porch and that Furnando is calmer. It's good that Bobagingee has a good place to watch all the wildlife. Sandi, how horrible about the accident. It sounds like Colton should be able to play in the tournament, but Jackson may have to sit it out. I imagine it will take time for the teeth and jaw to ge fully set in place. I hope the remaining teeth that were damaged can be saved. Ouch, Joy. A broken toe is not fun as I know first hand. I hope you have seen a doctor by now. When I broke my big toe, I couldn't get it looked at until the next morning. By then it was so swollen the bone wouldn't stay in place when the doctor tried to set it. I was supposed to come back in a week when he would rebreak it and set it. By the next week, he said I was walking well enough, so the toe would just heal as it was, which meant the joint in the toe was frozen in place. If it's a bigger toe, buddy taping it to another toe or two helps stabilize the broken one. However, if it's the little toe, there is not much that can be done. Lots of ice and pain meds will help for the first three weeks. At least, you don't have two kids under four and moving in two weeks, but that was 43 years ago. Vanessa, thanks for the pictures of Atlantis. We enjoyed wandering through the resort before they started charging in fee to just look around. Maureen, I'm sorry your account got hack and some of the money was stolen. I also hope getting it straightened out will not be as bad as you think. Hopefully, your financial adviser can help with getting things in order. Jake, I'm glad you PCC could help with the two cruises and save you some money. A good PCC is worth their weight in gold. @kazu Jacqui, I hope your neighbor is doing well now. This morning, I mentioned that when we first stared going to Quartzsite there was a hot air balloon gathering in January. When we were camped in the desert, we had one pass right overhead. I found this picture from 2002 of a balloon landing in the desert just north of our neighborhood. The mountains and the end of the neighborhood are not as close together as they appear in this telephoto shot. Lenda

Good morning from a partly cloudy and breezy central Texas. We got a nice steady rain last night. It is now 68F with a predicted high of 83F. There is a slight chance of rain this afternoon, but with Texas weather who knows. Today is not one of my favorite days since I'll be cleaning the house. I intend to start as soon as I finish here so I can get it over with. I like watching hot air balloons, but have never been in one. For several years, there was a small hot air balloon gathering in Quartzsite. It's been years since we had frozen yogurt which is good, but ice cream and gelato are better. Everyday should be world environment day with more effort put into saving our planet. Today's quote is interesting and true. The meal sounds interesting, but I think we'll pass on it and the drink. The wine sounds nice though. We have been to Nassau several times, but all were pre-digital. We visited Atlantis a couple of times on stops in Nassau. Without the Marshall Plan, it would have taken Europe many decades to recover from WWII. @Nickelpenny Penny, I'm glad you enjoyed Mammoth Cave. Enjoy the drive through Pennsylvania. It is a lovely state and very different from Arizona. We enjoyed living in southeast PA for five years. @kazu Jacqui, I'm glad the foot is better, but please try to continue to take it easy. BTW, I think I'm mostly normal, but I talked to our dogs and I confess, I talk to myself sometimes. 😁 @dfish Debbie, I'm glad the painters arrived early and eager to get started. Looking forward to seeing the finished product. @StLouisCruisers Sandi, that's good news that Ren and the Jaguars made the tournament in Dallas. I think red foxes are so good looking. We have grey foxes in Quartzsite, and I saw one walking down the moonlit street one night. Now it's time to get to work. Lenda

Good evening. We got a light rain earlier, and it is raining now. I just don't know how much we'll get, so I'm not turning the sprikler system off. That is the best way to keep us from getting a good rain. Annie, it was nice of your neighbor to bring you some spring rolls. I also think your neighbor is being cruel to the dog. Delaying could cost the dog its sight or eye but even worse its life. I would want to be in the exam room with my pet if possible, but the best interest of the animal should come before the owner's wants. Mary Kay, I'm sorry the surgery has caused so many problems, and I hope the second surgery will solve all the problems. In the meantime, have you thought about using a magnifying glass to read? I would alsolike to see some of the water in the Colorado fill Lake Powell and Lake Mead. Sandi, I don't know what people were thinking when posting some of the phony photos. The most blatant was the easily recognised one of George Washington. The others weren't obvious if you didn't check them out. BTW, it's easy to double check most pictures on the internet. Just right click on the picture, then get Google to do a search. After the GW picture, that didn't need checking, I'm checking every picture. We are now getting a nice steady rain. Lenda

Decisions, decisions! I like both new colors better. Hopefully, the painters will paint some of the grren and brown next to the samples to help with the decision. Lenda

Good afternoon. I have enjoyed seeing everyone's pictures from Corner Brook. I will not name all of you in fear of forgetting someone. I've been spending a lot of time on Ancestry before my half price membership expires next month. Some ancestors are easy to trace, then there are the ones who have been added by other descendants who wanted a famous ancestor. It takes a little common sense and digging to find out who is the correct ancestor. What really amazes me are those who add a picture of someone just to have a picture. One added a picture from the correct century, but it was Sir Walter Raleigh not my ancestor. Another was a picture of Lady Jane Grey, but not the correct Lady Jane Grey, who was not the nine day Queen of England. I think the classic was a the picture added of someone who lived in the mid-1500s. The first hint was the clothes were wrong, but the biggest give away, was the very familiar face. It was a picture of a very famous painting of George Washington. 😱 😄 Vanessa, I hope you can get some relief from your back and your knees. I'm glad your temperatures are cooler. Eva, thank you for sharing more about your father. You have a right to be very proud of him. He sounds like he was a very interesting person to know. Robert, I guess I'm in the minority because I think I found the face. Sandi, it does help to have an engineer in the family. DH has repaired a lot of things over the years, even before YouTube. 😉 Lenda

Lorraine, that is a great story. Maybe the wives might want to hire her to work out in the yard when they want their husbands to work on their front yards. 😉 😁 Susan, I'm glad so many animals found new homes, especially Remington. Annie, I'm sorry Fawn is still missing. As far as work and cleaning the porch, just take it easy and do what you can when you can. Charles, I agree about watching the organ from all three decks. We picked one deck each day to watch it. You could miss something while you are between decks. It is an amazing piece of musical equipment. Jake, there are some Cruise Directors who don't want to be bothered with turning the organ on every sea day. One told us he didn't turn it on, which requires flipping a switch in the office, because sometimes the organ won't work. Ironically, it was the Production Manage under him that turned it on every sea day, and who found the different discs to make it play different pieces. It doesn't hurt to ask if they will have the organ play on sea days. Lenda

@StLouisCruisers Sandi, @dfish Debbie, @Crazy For Cats Jake, and anyone else who will be sailing on the Zaandam, be sure to check out the organ in the atrium. It is a Baroque-style Dutch pipe organ inspired by traditional barrel organs, and it rises from the Lower Promenade (deck 3) to the Upper Promenade (deck 5). We were told it is the most expensive piece of art on any HAL ship. It is not just a piece of art, but a working organ that can be played or that can play using a computer disc. There is a regular keyboard behind the screens and false keyboard. DH and I got to know the then Production Manager when we asked about the organ. Our talks with the Production Manager, got him interested in the organ. He dug around in the CD's office and found some different songs. By the end of our cruise, the organ was playing "Ghost Riders in the Sky", a much better selection than the original song. The manager also commented that he wished they could get an organist to come on board and play the organ. In the past on seas days at noon, they will play the organ. If they don't, I strongly urge you to ask that it be played. It is interesting to watch the organ from all three decks since various parts move during the song. That would give you three days entertainment since going between decks when it's playing loses something. Lenda

Good morning from an overcast central Texas. It is 70F with a predicted high of 83F. There is a prediction of rain beginning about 5 pm and lasting for several hours. We need the rain as the ground is dry and cracking. We thought we might get some rain last night as there was quite a bit of thunder and dark clouds east and south of us, but it passed by us. I don't think I've ever had applesauce cake. When we had cats, they got a lot of hugs, even if they didn't want them. DH likes cheese more than I do, and I prefer a mild cheese when we have cheese to snack on. Today's quote is interesting, but I have not read the book. I'll take the scallops, but maybe without the wilted spinach which I sort of like, but DH doesn't. Living this far from the coast, I doubt we can get scallops without the added chemicals. We'll pass on the drink and the wine. I like red wine, but not Syrah. Sadly, we have not been to Corner Brook, but it looks like a nice place to visit. @StLouisCruisers Sandi, thank you for your pictures from Corner Brook. Somehow, I thought the Ryder Cup had been around a little longer than it has. @ottahand7 Nancy, I'm glad you got some much needed rain. The pictures of your garden with the visitors are lovely. @StLouisCruisers Sandi, you and your family are in our thoughts on this said anniversary. Please wish your DS and DDIL a HAPPY 23RD ANNIVERSARY for us. @Horizon chaser 1957 I'm sorry you have such an infestation of tent caterpillars. @ger_77 Gerry, I'm glad you found the Lego pillow and that you made it home before the rain hit. I hope the area with the wildfires also had a good rain. Lenda

Jacqui, I'm happy your foot is better and that you have it wrapped. I think besides being tired from all the yard work, Ivan knows you need him. I firmly believe our fur babies sense when we need extra love and comfort. I was also wondering when @durangoscots Susan said she was not going to adopt another dog. 😁 Annie, that's good that you have a new campaign starting Monday. Paul, that has happened to us in Colorado and in Texas before we got the Toll Tag. It is issued by the north Texas authority, but it is good on all Texas toll roads and those in Oklahoma and Kansas, IIRC. Lenda

Jacqui, I hope you foot is getting better today. Eva, that's good that the real estate agent is already showing the house. 🤞 that it sells quickly and without a lot of negotiating the price. Penny, in some places in Dallas and Fort Worth, it is easy to get on a toll road without meaning to. Don't worry, the North Texas Toll Authority (NTTA) will eventually send you a bill. 😁 It may even be possible to pay it on line. What is now I-30 between Dallas and Fort Worth is the only toll road that I know of that was actually decommissioned. When it was built, they said once the bonds were paid off, the would quit collecting tolls, and they did. The really tricky thing about some of the toll roads are they are actually toll lanes as part of the highway. Susan, I'm glad you had a good time last night until the end. I'm glad he is all right, and I hope someone can convince him to get the monitor and do the PT. Lenda

Canterbury is a very interesting town, and I wish we'd had more time to wander around. The Cathedral was closed that morning for a ceremony, but was open by the time we arrived. These are random pictures of the town. The passage that leads to Canterbury Cathedral Our first glimpse of Canterbury Cathedral The Quire The main altar A statue of Thomas Becket as he was praying just before he was killed Lenda

We have been to Dover five times, four of which were BHBs and once was on Tahitian Princess. The fifth time, on Noordam III in 2004 does not count as that was disembarkation day when we flew out of Gatwick. Our first visit to Dover was in 2004 when it was also a port day for Noordam III, and IIRC, it was a turnaround day, too. That day, we took the train into London, and took the Big Bus Ho-Ho around town. The pictures from London that day and other of my London pictures were posted earlier, so I won't repeat them. There are a few pictures I took of Dover as we sailed in and sailed out of port. We saw this sailing ship as we entered the port area. The lighthouse at the port entrance Dover Castle which overlooks Dover. If you look in the side of the hill below the castle, you can make out a couple of entrances to the tunnels below the castle. Of course, the famous White Cliffs of Dover. Our next visit to Dover was on Prinsendam in 2008. We had a transfer to London booked, but the ship was very late docking. It was extremely windy that day and the wind kept pushing us off the dock. With the help of a tug or two, we finally docked an hour or two late. We decided to stay in town and tour Dover Castle. We then walked around town and took a local bus to Canterbury. The pictures from Canterbury will be in a different post. BTW, we took a shuttle to and from the castle. Walking up to the castle entrance. Dover from the Castle One of the courtyards Dover Castle has been used to defend Dover and England for centuries. These two pictures show the contrast in firepower from many centuries ago and from WWII. The tunnels under the castle have also been used for defense, especially during WWII. We were able to go into a couple of tunnels. This is the entrance to one. Dover from our walk through town to the bus and back to the ship. When we were in Dover on Tahitian Princess in 2009, we did a tour into London, and I didn't get any good pictures of Dover from the bus. The last time we were in Dover was in 2017 on the Prinsendam. That day we rented a car and drove to Brighton and back along the coast. We even stopped at the Chunnel, but did not have time to drive under the Channel and back. These pictures were taken on our soggy walk to the car rental office. The final picture was taken in 2008 from Dover Castle of our home away from home. This was before they enclosed the back of the Lido and added the cabins above the MDR. Lenda

@aliaschief and @DWAliaschief I hope you have a wonderful cruise. Lenda

Good morning from a mostly sunny central Texas where it's 70F with a predicted high of 87F. There is a light breeze. However, today looks like I'll be inside since the laundry is calling. Chinese Dragon Boat Festival is an interesting Day. We were in Victoria on August 18, 2018, when the the Dragon Boats were racing. It was an interesting day watching the races and seeing the different aspects of an Asian festival in town. National Trails Day and World Bicycle Day are also important, but we won't be taking any trails today or riding a bicycle. I like the Henny Youngman quote, and like most of his one liners, I don't think it was meant to be taken seriously. We'll pass on the meal, drink and wine. I would like the wine, but it would be a tad expensive if we had to fly to Hong Kong to pick it up. We've been to Dover several times on BHBs and on Tahitian Princess. I'll look for my pictures in a few minutes. The Dutch West India Company helped open up the world to Europeans. @dfish Debbie, I hope River's last game goes well. It is very nice of you and Sue to make the effort to support her every week. @Nodakboiler Welcome to the Fleet/Daily. @Nickelpenny Penny, Texans do love their trucks, and the bigger the better. 🤣 Also, those who drive the biggest ones seem to be in the biggest hurry on the highways. Safe travels as you head to Nashville. @Cruisercl Caron, I wish you had my dentist. He is very kind, gentle and patient with those of us who need it. Lenda

Good point! Lenda

A very late good afternoon. I finished the mowing before 10 this morning. The temperature wasn't bad, but I didn't get started as early as I hope and there were more areas of the yard in the sun. Since the bushes that needed trimming were in the shade, I decided to tackle them, and thought I'd be through by noon or 1 pm at the latest. I know my back does not like that particular chore, but it usually doesn't bother me until the next to last bush or so. Today, it started acting up halfway through the first bush. Even Aspercreme and two Advil did not work too well. In other words, it took twice as long to do the bushes since I had to stop and rest my back every so often. Probably should not have done them the same day I mowed. Finally, they were done, the mess cleaned up and a new layer of mulch put down. I just hope with our summer temperatures and not as much rain, their growth will slow down for a while. I got a couple of other outdoor chores done too, but they were easy. When I finished, I just sat in the port enjoying the breeze before heading to the shower. Terry, I'm glad your DH is improving, walking on his own and beginning to eat something other than jello and toast. It was nice of the aide to keep an eye on him while helping Tana. She sounds like a real keeper, and you might consider hog tying her if she tries to leave. 😉 Susan, it was good you could help the college out yesterday, but yikes, on the new board dragging their feet on the bank account. I hope your area does get above normal precipitation. Enjoy your night out. Carolyn, please wish your sister and your youngest DGS HAPPY BIRTHDAY for us. Enjoy your time on the island and your goof off day. Vanessa, I'm glad your appointment went well, and the water line was replaced by the time you returned home. I'm sorry your knees are bothering you today. The last two packages we had to sign for, I guess the UPS driver signed for us. He just dropped them at the front door. I was glad I was home when they arrived. Brenda, the little one is so cute. You made me hungry with the picture of the donuts. Annie, it was nice of your boss to give you some hints about surviving Covid. I'm sorry she lost so many members of her family to this dreadful virus. It sounds like your work will pick up soon with some campaigns that you like. Debbie, I love the picture of the purple iris. For what it's worth, my selection of the paint color has changed from cranberry to the orange. When I heard cranberry, I was picturing a darker, deeper red. Your sample seems to be more raspberry to me. However, the computer can make the colors seem different than they really are. With the dark green and dark brown, I think the orange will work better. But once you have the other colors, my opinion could change again. I'm glad you are testing colors. I think it's wine o'clock now, and a glass is in order while I fix dinner. We're having the remaining potato salad and baked beans from our smoked rib dinner earlier this week. I'll be frying some chicken in the air fryer. That should be an easy dinner to fix after a long day. Lenda

I very sorry for you that Ninja will be crossing the Rainbow Bridge this afternoon, and way too soon after Fluff crossed the bridge. Fluff, along with Socks, Jaguar, and Charmer will be waiting on other side for Ninja. I hope the knowledge that you gave Ninja and the others a good, love filled life will be of comfort. I also hope all the sweet memories of your time together will help. ((((((AHUGS)))))) Lenda

Good morning from a sunny, calm and humid central Texas. It is 72 F and will reach 88F if the prediction is true. I'm trying to get outside to mow the yard and maybe trim the bushes before it gets too hot. This is the day I would really like the clouds to appear early. At least, wind has started blowing a little since I started typing. The only Bubba we knew was our second dachshund's father. We both enjoy rocky road ice cream and my dentist is the best. However, I try to keep my teeth in good shape so he doesn't have to go rummaging around in there. We may celebrate donut day tomorrow. Today's quote is very true. I would eat the meal if someone else prepared it. We'll pass on the drink, but the wine sounds nice to go with an Italian dinner. We have not been to Exmouth. Marconi greatly changed how the world communicated. @Mr. Boston Please wish David a happy retirement. When is your planned escape from the working world? @Nickelpenny Safe travels today and tomorrow. We took our DDs to Mammoth Cave in 1987, and we all enjoyed it. @Cruzin Terri Terri, I'm glad you were able to sleep well last night after such a trying day. The knowledge that you have secure flights was probably a big help. @LuauQueen Welcome to the Fleet/Daily. We hope to see you here in the future. @Crazy For Cats Jake, it's always the innocent looking ones you have to watch out for. @aliaschief Bruce, I'm glad you arrived safely in Barcelona. Enjoy the city and Bon Voyage tomorrow. @marshhawk Annie, I hope you and Chuck feel better soon. I also hope Fawn turns up soon. @ger_77 Gerry, I'm glad you got some rain and hope more is in your future and in the areas of the wildfires. Lenda

This afternoon, we reached 89F. I hope tomorrow is a repeat of today's weather since I'll be mowing in the morning. Lenda

Terri, I happy you got it resolved if not the way you wanted. it's good they refunded the miles and taxes. FWTW;, we've flown business class on Delta several times, and it was good. Lenda