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How sad. It must have been very frightening for her. Lenda

Good afternoon. I got my walk in a little while ago before it got too hot. It was mostly cloudy when I started, but the sun came out about halfway around the loop. Still it wasn't too bad since it is still in the low 80s. Maureen, I'm glad your DH had a good exam at the doctor yesterday. Since he is not able to get on the waitlist, I'm glad he is stable enough to wait for the surgery in August. Susan, I hope you get some much needed rain even though it is cooler than normal. Wow. That is interesting about your close encounter with a famous person. Terri, I'm sorry about the flight cancellation. It's late, but even though it would cost you money, have you tried booking flights with the cruise line? I don't know about Oceania, but HAL often had (pre-covid) decent prices on business class flights to and from Europe. Is it possible to take an AA flight on a different day? I hope AA is crediting your miles back to your account. I wish I had a better answer for you. Brenda, I hope they can get the fires under control soon and put out as quickly as possible. Sharon, I was glad your DH was there and could save your life. I'm sorry about the side effects of your medicine. I hope the ease quickly. Karen, putting on a new roof is a big job, and also one that keeps on giving. We found old roofing nails in the flowerbeds for a couple of years after our roof was replaced. I'm glad you DH is making such good progress. Lenda

As I mentioned in the previous post, in 2014 on the Veendam, our tour took us to a local school and a banana plantation. There was an unscheduled stop at the local church. The church ladies had prepared a lunch for us which was quite good with local foods. There was a discrete donation box, which we all gladly added too. These are just a few of the imagines from the school. The fathers greeted us with a marimba concert. This is a typical classroom. The students performed their local dances for us. Before we arrived at the school, our guide gave each of us a packet of school supplies (cost included in the tour cost). We figured we'd give the packets to one student each. Instead, we were told to open them and talk to the kids before giving them one item from the packet. The way the kids converged on us, reminded me of sea gulls when you throw breadcrumbs at them. This is the inside of the church. Unfortunately, I don't seem to have a picture of the lunch. After lunch, we headed to the banana plantation which is close to the border with Guatemala. At that time, most of the workers at the plantation and packing facility were Guatemalans, as they could make more money working in Mexico. We thought that was rather ironic. Of course, the first stop was the banana plants where our guide explained a lot about them. The banana stalks are first washed before being packed. The ones that do not meet the standard for export, are loaded loose in a truck for local use. You can see the truck in the background. Those little stickers on the bananas when they get to the store are put on by hand, with at least one sticker per bunch. They pack the bananas for several different brands. That day they were packing for Dole. Lenda

We have been to Puerto Chiapas three times, and I agree there is not much in the port. The first time on the Statendam in 2009 we did a tour to the Izapa Archaeological Ruins and then a stop in town. The next time was in 2014 on the Veendam. We did a tour that included a stop at a local school and a visit to a banana plantations. Then in 2015, again on the Statendam, we took a van into Tapachula. Because I have quite a few pictures, I will post the ones from the two Statendam stops here. Then, I post the pictures from the Veendam on another post. Here are a couple of pictures from the Izapa Archaeological site. It was interesting, but very hot that day in April. A couple of pictures of Tapachula. In 2015, we took a van into Tapachula and just walked around, trying to follow streets we hadn't walked in 2009. However, all the pictures taken in town are repeats of those others have posted. That day, the ship treated the crew to a barbeque breakfast/lunch on shore depending on their free time. It really smelled good. Here are a couple of pictures of the port, and our BHB. The pool looked so refreshing, we were temped to try it. That was the year we took the Statendam to FLL to meet the Ruby Princess for her 49 day cruise to LA via Cape Horn. It seemed like a better idea than flying to FLL and then flying from LA to Phoenix. Lenda

RABBIT 🐰 RABBIT 🐰 WHITE RABBITT! 🐇 Good morning from a mostly sunny central Texas. I just noticed some clouds are moving in, but it's not supposed to rain until Saturday afternoon. Supposed is the operative word in the last sentence. It is currently 75F with a 7mph wind from the south, so it is a tad bit humid this morning. A high of 87F is predicted on the hourly forecast, but the daily forecast says 90F. That is still a lot better than this time last year. Like Jacqui, @kazu I think some changes are more scary than exciting. The Heimlich maneuver has saved countless lives since it was introduced. I try to always say something nice. My grandmother's version was, "You can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar". But watch out when a Southerner or Texan says something that sounds nice about someone and ends the sentence with "Bless his heart". 🤣 The DARE program was big in the schools, but I haven't seen or heard it mentioned in several years. I wonder if it survived the Covid lockdown. We'll pass on the meal, but if I find some other white fish I might give one a try. I'd prefer a rum Collins, and would like to try the wine if it was not so pricey. We have been to today's port several times when it was called Puerto Chiapas. I'll look for my pictures in a few minutes. We were sad when Simon and Garfunkel broke up. I don't remember any of their songs that I didn't enjoy. @superoma Eva, I hope the meeting with the real estate agent goes well and she suggests a good price for your Dad's house. @kazu Jacqui, I hope they are able to contain all the wildfires in the Maritimes quickly. Please be careful when working outside, drink plenty of water and go inside when it before the temperature gets to high. @NextOne Edi, I hope the booster does not cause a bad reaction. @1ANGELCAT I hope Ninja perks up and doesn't lose anymore weight. I'm sure he is missing Fluff. I meant to say last night that if you don't open the refrigerator while the power is out, most things should stay cold during the power outage. @cruising sister Lorraine, I hope the jet lag eases soon. @JazzyV Vanessa, I'm glad your knees held up while you were doing yard work. Even doing our yard once a week, some muscles remind me that's the only time I use them. 😁 @marshhawk Annie, I'm sorry about Fawn. It's hard when they wander off and you have no answer to their fate. @dfish Debbie, I hope it's the wall outlet and not the a/c unit. @cunnorl Charlene, I agree about not reading many of the other threads, and that's why the Daily is so unique. @smitty34877 Terry, I'm am also surprised at how soon they send surgical patients home. I'm glad you know how to lift and transfer safely. I hope things continue to improve as the day progresses. Lenda

Edi, I'm glad the cardiologist agreed your surgery can wait until October after your cruises. Lenda

Good afternoon. As expected, our high was higher than predicted. It is currently 90F. We're lucky there is a 9mph breeze, and the humidity is relatively low, 45% with a due point of 64F. Still, I would rather be in the shade than in the sun this afternoon. Denise, enjoy Skagway, one of our favorite Alaskan ports. Bruce, I'm glad your friends were thoughtful enough to let you know they would pass on dinner since the wife was sick. Penny, I guessed you already had an alternate route in mind, and you'll miss downtown El Paso. Good looking car. Safe travels tomorrow. Amsterdam is a very interesting city. Terry, that is good news the surgery went well, and your DH can come home tonight. Lenda

We have been to Tenerife twice. The first time was in 2000 on the P&O Oriana' on their world cruise. The last time was in 2009 on the Tahitian Princess. Both times we rented cars and drove around the island. The mountain in 2000 was shrouded in clouds, so we did not drive to the top. In 2009, it was clear, so we were able to drive up there and take the gondola to the top. I'll start with the sun rise that greeted us in 2000 as we sailed into port and the view from the ship when we docked. (We got up a lot earlier in those days.) This also from our 2000 visit. It is another view of the church @StLouisCruisers posted. This is a different view of the Auditorio de Tenerife which was taken in 2009. The gondola we took to the mountain top, and looking down into the crater. The area around the mountain looked like a moonscape. I thought this statue was interesting. What would a visit to a Spanish island be like without a picture of the bull ring? And finally, the view from our ship as we sailed. Lenda

Good morning from a sunny and mostly calm central Texas. It is already 72F and heading toward a high of 87F. Yesterday afternoon, it rained in town, but not out where we live. Otherwise, no rain is predicted until Saturday. I am not fond of macaroons and I also wish we could get rid of tobacco and vaping. I am one who has a hearing loss like my father. I do wear hearing aids, and they are called aids for a reason. They help but are not perfect. I like the quote by Sai Baba. We'll pass on the meal (chickpeas), drink and wine. We have been to Santa Cruz de Tenerife twice. I'll repost my pictures in a few minutes. @MrSnuffleupagus Welcome to CC and the Fleet/Daily. I hope you will join us often as we are a friendly, welcoming, caring group. @superoma Eva, thank you again for taking care of the lists while Vanessa was traveling. I'm glad you had help from your niece with clearing out your father's house. @ocean sounds Thank you for the update about the teen's body being found. Our condolences to his family and friends on such a sad loss. @kazu Jacqui, you are truly blessed with wonderful neighbors. @cruising sister Lorraine, I know Molly is glad to be home. Thank you for taking us along on your cruise. @RMLincoln Maureen, I hope you find your DH's tonometer is just reading high and needs to be calibrated. @dfish Debbie, I'm glad your new fan keep you comfortable last night. @Nickelpenny Safe travels tomorrow, Penny. That is a long drive from Tucson to Abilene, and part of the drive to Quartzsite. I was curious how far it is between the two cities, so I looked it up on Google Maps. I'm sure you are aware of the road closures on I-20 in the Midland-Odessa area. They should be easier to navigate in a car as opposed to our 40ft. motorhome.. BTW, I grew up in Abilene. @marshhawk Annie, I'm sorry Chuck also tested positive. Rest seems to be the best "cure" for Covid. I hope the feral cats are okay and will return soon. @Horizon chaser 1957 I'm glad your quarantine FCC have appeared on your Mariner Accounts. @aliaschief Bruce, I hope you have a safe flight tomorrow without all the problems others have experienced. @ger_77 Gerry, I'm glad your DH had a good outcome with the stress test yesterday. I hope the upcoming angiogram gives you both some good answers. Maybe the solution is getting a lawn service to do the mowing. @smitty34877 Terry, I hope your DH's surgery goes well and that he has a quick recovery. @Vict0riann Ann, please wish Pat a very happy birthday from both of us. We hope to see you on another BHB in the future. Lenda

Good evening. After a busy afternoon, I finally caught up on the Daily. @marshhawk Annie, thank you for sharing your pictures of Valdez. It sounds like the town hasn't grown much since we were there in 1996. @StLouisCruisers Sandi, I'm glad you made it home safely, but what a long day. @JazzyV Vanessa, what an ordeal getting home. I'm glad your knee cap was not fractured, but sorry about the arthritis. Lenda

Welcome home. I'm sorry you returned to trouble at home. Sorry about the teeth needing implants, but they do work. A belated Happy Anniversary to you and your DH. Lenda

@kazu Wishing you a very happy birthday, and many more happy birthdays to come. With wine! Lenda

Good morning from a mostly sunny and calm central Texas. It is 67F and is supposed to reach 85F this afternoon. No rain in sight until next weekend and then most days next week. That is the normal pattern this time of year, and the rain is usually popup thunderstorms in the late afternoon. I guess we'll just have to wait and see. In the meantime, our sprinkler will take care of watering the yard and the flowers. While I'll celebrate Creativity Day, I'm not very creative. Mint Julep Day should be on the second Saturday of May when the Kentucky Derby is run. As I said, the sprinkler system will water the flowers. The Wilson Mizner quote is true as in the end, the house always wins. I'm not much of a gambler, but the penny slot machines are a good way to spend an evening in Las Vegas. My limit is $20 a night which is cheap entertainment in LV. Some nights go a lot more quickly than others. I think we'll pass on the meal, drink and wine. The wine sounds nice, but I don't like the price. DH likes watching the Indy 500, and has always wanted to go the the race at least once. I don't think that will happen now. This is the first time Valdez has been the port of the day so there are no links to post here. We have been to Valdez at least twice on motorhome trips to Alaska, but that was before digital cameras were around. @grapau27 Graham, thank you for the explanation of two of today's days to celebrate. @ocean sounds Such sad news about the two teens. My heart goes out to the families and especially to the one who's teen is still missing. @kazu Jacqui, I hope they get the wildfire under control today. @cruising sister Welcome home, Lorraine. I'm so happy you enjoyed your cruise and booked another one. I enjoyed reading your thread about the cruise. @smitty34877 Terry, sending positive thoughts for a good outcome and quick recovery for your husband's surgery tomorrow. The hospitals around here now require that someone stays in the hospital during the surgery. With DH's two surgeries last year, the OR waiting room was closed, and they took me to his room to wait. @dfish Debbie, I'm glad you are almost 100%. Sorry about the itching. My mother always said that when a wound started itching that meant it was healing. I like the idea of getting paint samples and trying them before decided on the color. It should keep you from having to live with a mistake. @ottahand7 Nancy, I'm glad the pump is working and that your flowers are now happy. @ger_77 Gerry, I hope your DH's appointment goes well, and that he can get help with the angina. @marshhawk Annie, I'm glad you got some sleep last night, but continue to take it easy. Lenda

Good evening. Today I caught up on some paperwork that I let slide while I was working ourside. At least, I'm caught up until the mail comes tomorrow. 😁 I even managed to find time to sit outside and enjoy the newly cleaned port and furniture. Debbie, that is good news the painters will start Monday, ahd so soon after signing the contract. Yes, inquiring minds want to know what color you and Sue chose for the front door. Gerry, I'm sorry about your friend's diagnosis. That's such a horrible disease in any form. Sending positive thoughts that it was caught early, and it can be treated successfully. Lenda

In spite of the typical weather, I'm glad you saw and eagle and the scenery. I'm also happy you are enjoying the cruise and experiencing the wonderful HAL crew. Lenda

Good afternoon. Our high for today will be above the predicted 84F since it's not even 1 pm and it's already 85F. I'm think it will probably be 88F, but still not too bad, in the shade. I finally got around to cleaning the patio glider and side tables. I ran out of steam Saturday before I got to them. Annie, it was very nice of the neighbor to bring you breakfast. I'm sorry you are getting so little sleep. Rest as often as you need to, and I hope you are well soon. Debbie, I'm glad you are basically off the pain meds, and those occasional twinges of pain are a reminder to slow down and take it easy. I'm glad you could extend your walk. I don't think you can go wrong with either color either. How nice of your vet to send the flowers and the cards. Terri, after seeing Sandi's @StLouisCruisers last post, I remember we have used Toms Port Guides in the past. He has a lot of good information. Here is the link to his site. https://www.tomsportguides.com/ Lenda

@cat shepard Wishing you a very happy birthday with many more happy birthdays to follow. Lenda

WISHING ALL A PEACEFUL AND THOUGHTFUL MEMORIAL DAY Good morning from a partly cloudy central Texas where it is 72F with a predicted high of 84F. Sometime between my first post yesterday and last night, the rain that was predicted to begin yesterday afternoon and last through Wednesday disappeared. Last night, I turned the sprinkler system back on, but that didn't bring the rain, and neither did washing the cars. 🤣 While we don't compost here, our younger DD composts and uses it in her garden. The 529 plan provides a good way to save for college educations. The UN Peacekeepers deserve their day of honor, and unfortunately, there are too many places in the world that need them. The Lily Tomlin quote made me chuckle. I like the looks of the first recipe, but I think I'd substitute Parmesan cheese for the Feta. The drink might be nice if it's not too sweet. I'm pretty sure we had the wine in the Canaletto before and liked it. We were in Puerto Montt in 1999 on Noordam III from Valparaiso to Fort Lauderdale by way of Cape Horn. We took a ship tour that went to Puerto Varas, which does have a distinctly German look. Our guide told us it was settle by Germans who emigrated to Chile. Sadly, all my pictures are non-digital. Rich @richwmn, thank you for including Tenzing Norgay along with Edmund Hillary in the mention of today in history. For too many years Norgay was overlooked, and some feel he was the one to reach the summit first. @dfish Debbie, both the burnt orange and the cranberry sound nice for your front door and trim. I'm glad your walk did you a "world of good" and I hope you can slowly increase your distance each day while still not overdoing as you recover. @StLouisCruisers Sandi, no problem. I'll be glad to post the link(s) to tomorrow's port so we can find our pictures. Have a safe trip home, and if it turns into a two day drive, I'll be glad to handle the links on Wednesday too. I enjoyed your pictures from Puerto Montt. @smitty34877 Terry, I'm glad Tana was able to join everyone on the deck last night. I'm sorry the smoke from others' firepits bothered her though. Hats off to your wonderful neighbors who assisted in getting Tana to the deck and back. @kazu Jacqui, I hope they can get the wildfires in Nova Scotia under control very soon. @RMLincoln Maureen, it sure is nice to have a handy DSIL. Ours is always willing to take care of things we can't do anymore. I'm glad you had a good visit with your DGD. @ottahand7 Nancy, thanks for the great pictures of Puerto Montt. Lenda

I love it. It reminds me of our older DD. As background, at our house at the time, we had two phone lines, one personal, and one for the business. We were getting calls in the mornings with just heavy breathing. She said, while I was still on the phone, next time let her handle. She'd tell me to get on the other line, call the police and tell them it was the pervert again. He heard her and never called again. Lenda

Edi, you do have some really great neighbors. Sandi, thanks for agreeing to my idea. I guessed that not all the ports had been the port of the day, since I didn't recognize some of them. I know seeing pictures of future ports give me an idea about the area. Lenda

Terri, I'm glad I could help a little. I had an idea that since some of these ports have been the port of the day at one time or another, you could search for them, or maybe, Sandi @StLouisCruisers could give you the links to the pictures when she returns home. If not, let me know and I can repost some of my pictures. Pictures might give you an idea of what each port is like. Lenda

Terri, I'm glad your Polymyalgia Rheumatica hasn't flared up, and that you are getting your house cleaned. I'm also glad you DH is doing well after having the stitches out. We have been to some of the ports and I'll give you what information I remember. Mostly, we did our own thing in the ports. Kristiansand -- IIRC, there was a shuttle into town, and there was a small tourist train. It is a relatively flat area that is easily walkable. Molde -- We did a ship's tour there to see the Atlantic Road and a very interesting bridge. You might want to keep trying to get a tour there. Trondheim -- We have been there twice, and I think there was a shuttle into town, or we took the city bus. The town area is easily walkable. In 2011, we picked up a local tour at the tourist information center. It seemed they oversold the tour, and some didn't make it on the bus, so if you opt for this, be at the pick up point early. The tour was interesting. Tallinn -- We have been to Tallinn about three times, and really liked the town. The old town is very interesting, but the streets are steep. We also took the local tram, and have done the Ho-Ho twice. Unfortunately, it is not able to navigate the streets of the old town. I hope this will give you and idea of a few of the places you will visit. Lenda

Good afternoon. It turned out to be a busier morning than planned. When I got the ingredients for the potato salad out, I discovered I did not have any green bell peppers. That meant a quick trip to the store, and since I was going anyway, I got everything on my list. I was surprised at how busy the store was, and they even had the managers helping restock the shelves. I should have checked the pantry for the ingredients for the rib rub. I barely had enough of one spice, so there is now another list started. Finally, the salad, baked beans and the pie are done. All that is left is smoking the ribs and warming the beans to thicken the sauce. Just typing this has made me hungry. That must have been very scary for your friends, and I'm glad your DH was able to help the wife get to your house. I imagine that eased some of the husband's worry. I hope you can take some time to relax and enjoy being home again. Susan, we've had our credit cards hacked twice, once in the mid 1990s and once in 2009. It's not a fun experience. The first time DH was out of town and the credit card company wouldn't talk to me. I had to track DH down and have him call the company. The second time, the bank denied the charge and put our hold on the card. They voluntarily canceled the card and set up a new account. We had rented a car in Namibia and someone used the number to book a first class seat on Air Namibia out of Cape Town. That is why we carry two different cards when we travel. Annie, I'm sorry about the positive test. I hope it is a mild case and your well soon. Just think of it as free, natural embellishment. 😉 Debbie, the iris is beautiful and so different, but then I love purple iris. I guess if you are a member of the garden club, then with my iris and the few bedding plants that are miraculously surviving this year, in addition to the bushes I haven't killed, I guess I'm a member too. A very junior member who uses the benign neglect gardening method. I'm glad you took a walk and feel good. As I was cooking this morning, I realized that I forgot the day's memes. Lenda

Good morning from a overcast central Texas. It is 70F with a high of 82F. Rain is predicted on and off through Wednesday and is supposed to begin about 4 pm, but when it actually rains is anybody's guess. Today will be an easier day than the last few days. The main item on the agenda is cooking. We'll be smoking some babyback ribs, and I'll be making potato salad and baked beans to go with the ribs. Dessert will be key lime pie. Amnesty International does great work, but unfortunately their work is never ending. I like jazz in small doses. We celebrated national hamburger day a few days ago. The Mark Twain quote is interesting; and I'll have to think about it some more. We'll pass on the meal, drink and wine today. We might have stopped at Macapa on the old Regal Princess in 2006, but our unscheduled stop at the entrance to the Amazon was not one where we were allowed off the ship. It was for divers to inspect the hull after we ran aground on a sandbar about 40 miles off shore earlier that day. Fortunately, there was no damage to the ship; and we could continue our trip up the river. Needless to say, there are no pictures of the very unattractive dock. Alan Turning's theory certainly stated a technological revolution in many aspects. @StLouisCruisers Sandi, I'm glad you are feeling better today. @smitty34877 Terry, I hope Tana will be able to join you on the deck today. It should help everyone's morale. @kazu Jacqui, I'm glad Ivan did well on his walk. Somedays, you just need to slow down and take a break. That's what I'm doing today. @JazzyV Vanessa, I'm sorry your flight was delayed and now you have such a long layover in Atlanta. I hope the remainder of the day goes as planned. @dfish Debbie, that is good news about a great night's sleep and less bloating. Enjoy you day out. Lenda

@Denise T Here's to a great cruise. 🥂 🥂 Lenda