Quartzsite Cruiser

BON VOYAGE tomorrow. I know you'll have a great ruise.

Thanks for the information, Graham. I had read about that friendship, and I hate to think what the world would be like if Edward had remained king. Cute picture. When DH and I were talking about the feelings about Camilla expressed by the Canadian Dailyites, I commented that it takes two to have an affair. Charles is as much if not more to blame for the breakup of his marriage to Diana. I remember we drove to Ft. Worth to see the coronation of Queen Elizabeth at my mother's aunts house. This time, even this Texan is not really interested in seeing Charles' coronation. Carolyn, the refunding of pre-paid five star specialty reservations was an ongoing problem for us in 2021 and 2022 on Koningsdam. It got so bad, I was spending hours at Guest Services in 2021, and finally had enough, so we canceled the remaining reservations. In 2022, we booked on board, and still had problems, especially with the Pinnacle Grill. That time, we'd send a message on the Navigator, and the problem was corrected quickly. We'd also get a call within minutes of sending the message. We were also told there is not "night manager" or "night auditor". So much for urban legends. BTW, I quit reading the complaining thread before I finished the first page. Lenda

Thank you, Graham. I always read that the marriage would cause a constitutional crisis, or something to that affect. Sandi, I'm glad you had a good outcome at the dentist to day. That is really weird that I got the picture of the two of you. I did not see us in your pictures. I also looked through the rest of the pictures from that day, and found two more of you coming down the steps from the statue. Your shirt was easy to spot. 😉 I did not find any of you in any pictures from other stops, so we must have been on different buses. Maureen, I hope you have a great visit and dinner with your friend. Navigating the medical system in any form is not for the faint of heart. Good luck. Great picture of you and Pauline. It must have been an honor and a memorable day. Lorraine, I'm glad you had a good day touring Barcelona, and that you got your requisite hot chocolate and churros. It's nice to meet others from CC and put names with faces. This afternoon we took the car to the alternator shop to have it checked. The guy said he didn't see a problem with it or the battery. He added it could be something else that might cost more than the 28 year old car is worth to fix. He added if the problem gets worse, to bring it back and he'll try to trouble shoot it. The nice part was he did not charge us for the visit. It is 92F now, and even with the breeze it is warm. This is more summer weather. What happened to spring? Lenda

It won't be long now! Susan, I'm keeping my fingers crossed that you will have a quorum for the meeting and that it will be short and sweet. 🤞 Linda, that sounds like quite an undertaking. It should be an interesting experience. The second day we were in Rio, we took a tour to see the Christ the Redeemer. The tour also included riding the tram up and back down, and a stop at Copacabana Beach. Not only were there crowds looking at the statue, but there were crowds waiting to board the trams. While we waited, we had a chance to tour their workshop and displays. A vintage tram car Scenes on the way up the mountain. Christ the Redeemer with most of the crowd on the stairs omitted. We also had a cloudy day. Rio looking down from the mountain. Looking up as we descended the mountain The area outside the tram station as we waited for our bus. Copacabana Beach on a windy day. That afternoon, we took the H. Stern shuttle into town, and walked around the area a little. We stopped in a grocery store to pick up something, and wound up talking to a nice lady in line. She even guided us to the senior line so we'd get the senior discount. In the entrance to H. Stern we saw this display of Carnival costumes. We also saw some of the floats from various parades parked along the streets near the dock, but we were unable to get pictures from the bus. Lenda

As I mentioned earlier, we were in Rio on February 17 and 18, 2015, on Ruby Princess. I'll divide my pictures into two posts by days. On February 17, we took a tour to Petropolis, named after Pedro II, the last Emperor of Brazil, and where Pedro II built his summer palace. The town is about 42 miles northeast of Rio in the mountains. A few scenes from Petropolis. The large white building may have been a grand palace or house, but is now a hotel. Our first stop was lunch at a restaurant that served many varies of meat that was sliced at the table. There was also a salad bar, so we had more food than we could possibly eat, but it was all good. I normally don't like to show pictures of people I don't know, but the one of the server slicing the meat is the only one I have like that, and it can't be cropped and still show the server and the meat. The next stop was the former summer palace. We got to tour inside, but couldn't take pictures. To protect the floors, we had to wear some type of shoe covering that would not stay on and was very slick on the floors. We wound up sliding our feet around the palace. At least, we could take the covering off to climb the stairs and to come back down. The entrance to the palace grounds and the outside of the palace. One of the residents of the palace's extensive gardens and grounds. Our last stop was the Catedral Sao Pedro de Alcantara. Pedro II and is family are entombed in the cathedral. Rio at night from the ship. I'll be back with pictures from our second day in a little while. Lenda

Good morning from a partly cloudy and windy central Texas. It is currently 75F with 93% humidity and a dew point of 73F. The predicted high id 92F this afternoon. There is a chance, 40%, of rain again today. I might try to get my walk in early today, but it will probably still be fairly warm. Happy Cinco de Mayo! May favorite cartoonists are Charles Schulz and Gary Larson, too. We'll also celebrate space day and hoagie day even though in Texas we eat subs. The Steven Spielberg quote is true, but I believe some part of us stays the same throughout out lives. The meal sounds good, and I used to make salmon marinated in lemon juice, garlic and dill, then cook it with the marinade on top. We'll pass on the drink and the wine, but with the wine only because of the price. We've never been to a concert in Carnegie Hall, but have walked by it several times. We have been to Rio de Janeiro twice. The first time was in 1999 on Noordam III, and the second was on Ruby Princess in 2015. Unfortunately, our first visit was in the pre-digital age, and I don't have pictures of our tour to Sugarloaf or the beaches readily available. I'll look for my 2015 pictures in a few minutes. @cruzn single Mary Kay, sending positive thoughts for a great outcome from today's surgery, and for quick healing. @Vict0riann Ann, you and Pat are in our thoughts as he undergoes surgery today. I'm also sending very positive thoughts for a good outcome and speedy recovery. @ski ww Thank you for your pictures of the Carnival parades. In 2015, the main parades ended the night before our arrival. The children's parade was that day, but we missed it. @Lady Hudson Katherine, my guess is you moved to PA from northern New Jersey, since one source I saw says they are called hoagies in South Jersey. I'm guessing that's the part near Philadelphia. @mamaofami Carol, good news about the clean bill of health from your oncologist. Hope the cataract surgery in two weeks goes as well as the first one. @ottahand7 Nancy, thank you for your pictures of Rio. @dfish Debbie, I found an different explanation of hoagies vs subs and the origin of the name hoagie when reading about them. The other story attributes the name hoggie to Italian immigrants who worked in the Philadelphia Navy Yard which was also called Hog Island. The name was applied to the workers and their sandwiches. Another source says the hoagie uses a harder roll and is only served cold, while a sub can be toasted. That's it for today's trivia. @ger_77 Gerry, wishing your Calgary family a safe and calm (inside the plane, too) flight today. Lenda

I am so glad you are doing this live from. I look forward to following all yiur good times on the cruise.

Good afternoon from a cloudy and windy central. Inwas surprised that cleaning the driveway didn't take all day. About half was very dirty where the pollen and other stuff from the cedar trees land. The rest just had red dirt that washed off easily. As soon as we have four or five days with just a slight chance of rain, I'll tackle the port and that side of the house. Right now, I'm very happy to have a few days to rest. Terry, that is good news that everyone got some sleep last night. I hope Tana will feel better very soon. Vanessa, I hope your knees are better soon. I envy you the good weather at Stonehenge. It rained the day we were there. Susan, I hope the weather stays cool to slow the snow melt, and there is no flooding. I hope all goes well at the board meeting Saturday. Mary Kay, I hope you got a better time for tomorrow's surgery than the original time. Sending good thoughts for an easy and successful surgery. In the past, we've gotten the insurance through HAL, and the one time we had to use it, it was with Allianz. There was no problem with getting the claim paid quickly. Karen, I know how scary that must have been, but I'm glad your DH was all right. Twice when DH was in rehab, I got calls they were sending him to the ER. Even with reassurance, you worry and want to get there sooner than asap. Enjoy your day tomorrow. Carolyn, I'm happy you are enjoying your cruise. Thanks for the pictures. What a great day you had in Ketchikan. Lenda

An early good morning from a windy and overcast central Texas. It is currently 66F and will reach 81F this afternoon before the storms move in this evening. After running a couple of errands, I hope to have time to power wash the driveway before the storms hit. That chore won't be as bad as it was two years ago, the first time it was cleaned in 20+ years. I will celebrate Star Wars and bird day, but someone can have my candied orange peel. The Audre Lorde quote is very true. I'm looking forward to seeing the recipes Debbie @dfish finds for us today. Caribbean shrimp and ride bowl sounds interesting. We'll pass on the drink, but the wine sounds nice and the price is much better today. We have been to Taipei, but not to Kaohsiung, Taiwan. Lorraine, I'm glad you made it safely to Barcelona and are enjoying your hotel. Safe travels to London today for you, your sister and your luggage. Bruce, it seems you and your DW have everything under control on the babysitting front. Enjoy your time with the grandkids. Saint Mary's church in High Hill, Texas. I bet that surprises some people. It is one of the painted churches in the area that are plain on the outside, but highly decorated inside. These churches were built in the 1800s and early 1900s by Czech and German immigrants. Terri, I hope today is a better day for you. Jacqui, that is great news on all fronts. I'm glad the surgeon was pleased and the sutures were removed. It's good Ivan and your neighbor bonded, and he has another place to vacation when you travel. Here's hoping he gets a good report from the vet today, and will officially become a member of the family. Lenda

Good evening. This afternoon we got back from DH's blood draw to check how the blood thinner is working in time for me to finish pressure washing the rest of the house that is not covered by the port. Our predicted rain may not happen until Saturday. I think there will be time tomorrow after a grocery run to pressure wash the driveway. Then, I'll wait until we have several good days to tackle the port. It takes almost as long to clear everything out of the port and put it back as it does to clean the siding and concrete. I need a few easy days anyway. Debbie, I remember reading about the other factors. Also, interest rates have risen quite a bit in the last year. Denise, I'm glad the VA nurse liked how you are taking care of your father. Tony, thank you for your pictures from Ketchikan. In all our visits there, we've never visited the church. We'll have to stop there the next time we're in Ketchikan. That is great news you were discharged from the hospital. I hope they can arrange your flights as you would like. In the meantime, enjoy the great view. Ann, I'm thrilled, with the report from the bone scan. I'm sending very positive thoughts for the best possible out come for Pat's surgery Friday. You both are in my thoughts. Maureen, I'm happy you both got a good report from tje stent surgery. I hope the August date can be moved up. Lenda

Good afternoon. It's been a slow day and the house washing has been postponed until tomorrow. Debbie, thanks for the link. It does sound like those with good credit scores are not being punished. And you were correct, it is a complicated system and article. Ann, I hope your headache improves soon. I hope today's appointment goes well. Mary Kay, even if Friday's surgery is at a better time, it's a shame they waited until today to let you know it was rescheduled. The day surgery center sounds better than the hospital too. Lenda

Good morning from a mostly sunny and breezy central Texas. It is currently 71F and our high will be 80F. The rain is predicted to hold off until tomorrow evening about 7 pm, which is always a moving target. I don't think my two small flowerbeds constitute a garden, but I enjoy sitting outside on nice days. We don't have any lumpy rugs, but I like the explanation of the day that Graham @grapau27 provided. Thank you, Graham. I've always appreciated the hard work and long hours teachers put in. Another interesting quote by Oscar Wilde. We'll definitely pass on the meal. Not even our vegetarian DD likes chickpeas. We'll pass on the drink and the wine. While the price is good, I'm not a fan of Syrah. We've been to Saguenay on a day trip from Quebec where we spent three days on b2bs on Veendam in 2014. Somehow, I either failed to take pictures, or they were lost. @marshhawk Annie, I hope all you flights go smoothly today, and you have a great time in Vancouver. @kazu Jacqui, I hope you have a good report from the surgeon today, and that the sutures can be removed. It seems that Ivan has won over at least one neighbor, and it is good he won't be alone today while you are gone. @RMLincoln I hope your DH has an amazing report from the eye doctor. @cat shepard Ann, that story about Lee Trevino is well known in Texas. It's still funny. @Lady Hudson Katherine, I'm sorry you had such a horrible headache yesterday, and glad you are better today. Since this is a first for you, it makes sense to get it checked out. @smitty34877 Terry, I'm glad your presence last night helped Tana be less anxious, and I hope you can get some rest today. @cruising sister Lorraine, safe travels. @Nickelpenny School nurses have a difficult job, and they deserve the appreciation too. @rafinmd Roy, I'm glad you are able to do more, and are working on your fall cruises. Lenda

@cunnorl Charlene, I hope your surgery today goes well, and you don't have to stay in the hospital too many days. @cruzn single Mary Kay, I hope the rest of the reconstructive surgery on your nose goes well. Lenda

Good afternoon. It has been a cloudy, dreary day, and even though it looks like rain, none is forecast for a couple of days. After that, predictions are for seven straight days of rain. However, with spring in Texas, you can never be sure. I hope I can finish power washing the rest of the house except the port tomorrow. After the next round of rain, I'll tackle the driveway and the port, hopefilly before it gets too hot. Vanessa, I'm glad you enjoyed Cobh, and I hope your knees get better everyday. Thank you, Gtaham. Sharon, I hope the next segment is as good as the canal cruise. It is very heartwarming that your DBIL stayed in contact with your family, and that the family welcomed his second wife. Carolyn, that view never gets old or boring. Enjoy your cruise. Jacqui, I glad Ivan is settling in, and I agree, his arrival couldn't have come at a more opportune time, giving you companionship and love yesterday. Debbie, it's always good to hear about another close knit family. The downside of being an only child of only children is the lack of extended family. My grandmothers had brothers and sisters, but the families scattered once they left home. Lenda

Terri, enjoy your lunch with your friend. Ann, I'm sorry you and Pat are having to go through so much before the surgery. Sending positive thoughts for a successful surgery and a quick, uneventful recovery. Since no one has posted pictures from today's port, I decided to move us down the coast and to share my pictures from our day in Accra. We had a city tour with stops at the national museum and a park, before a few stops near the coast. Like many African countries, Ghana is a contrast between grand buildings and poverty. We were greeted by these dancers and musicians upon arrival at the dock. Some of the pictures were taken from the bus and are not as good as I'd like. Accra Temple (Mormon) A couple of exhibits at the National Museum Next was the obligatory shopping stop Our next stop was the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park and Mausoleum. Kwame Nkrumah was the first Prime Minister of Ghana. Another part of town Our next stop was a nice hotel and resort for a cold drink. One of the natives Our final stop was the strangest and most interesting -- a coffin "factory". From the size, I think they were for children or for ashes. Looking at the neighboring area from the upstairs display area. Lenda

Good morning from central Texas. It is cloudy and breezy with a current temperature of 66F. We should reach 79F this afternoon. The only thing on the agenda today is a doctor visit for DH in Waco. There are no babies in the family now, and DHs youngest two grandnieces are in their teens. I am an only child, but DH has two brothers. We donated our ukulele to a thrift store last year. The Samuel Johnson is probably true in some cases. We'll pass on the meal, drink and wine today. We were in Ghana in 2009 on Tahitian Princess, but we did not go to today's port. Instead, we were in Accra. Sandi, I hope your computer and treadmill are back to normal by now. Laura, I'm glad you had a good cruise. Safe travels to your home even if it's not too far from the port. Jacqui, the thoughtful flowers from your sister are beautiful. Ivan looks like he is settling into your house. I too loved the picture of him with his head on your legs. Safe travels in two days and have a great time with your sister in London. Annie, safe travels tomorrow. Enjoy Vancouver, and then the cruise. Debbie, it sounds like you and Sue are going to be busy today. I'm glad things will be going to places that can use them to benefit others. Gerry, I'm glad you were able to get the plants you wanted. Charlene, best wishes for a successful surgery tomorrow. RIP Gordon Lightfoot. Lenda

@Lazy 1 Jane, I hope you have a wonderful cruise. Safe travels to San Diego. Lenda

A late good evening. At least, part of the outside of the house is clean. I got the front and one side done as far as the hose would reach. The patio and sidewalk were cleaaned too. I hope to get the remainder cleaned Wednesday. The port and driveway will have to wait. Rain is predicted for four days beginning Thursday. The driveway should take about a day as it's not too bad. The port will take several days because all the vehicles have to be moved along with emptying storage cabinets and movimg them. It will all look a lot brighter like the part I cleaned today. Maybe, it will keep me out of trouble for a few days. It looks like you have a very good care team. I'm glad you are in good hands. Bruce, thanks for the pictures. Safe travels tomorrow. Marcia, that is goid news you can sleep on your side and raise your head some. I hope everything else improves soon. We're lucky, our PCP reads all the messages sent through their web portal. Good job, Terri. Lenda

Terry, I wish there was more we could do than tell you we are thinking of all of you and the difficult time everyone is having. My heart goes out to all of you, but especially to the teenager and to Tana. I hope you find the strength to see you through the days ahead. I also hope Tana can overcomethe pneumonia and can get some help and relief from the pulmonaryfibrosis. ((((((((((HUGS)))))))))) Lenda

They didn't tell me either when I had oral surgery. The dentist mentioned it the next day when he called to see how I was doing. I didn't let on that his staff forgot to mention the warm salt water rinse. I'm glad the ibuprofen is helping. Lenda

Marcia, I hope your visit with the surgeon goes well, and that you can begin raising your head. Joy, my air fryer is not big enough to bake pies or cakes, and it is also not big enough to roast a chicken. I still use my oven for things like that. Until 2020, I never roasted a chicken or turkey in the oven but in the free standing roaster. I switched to using the oven because the roaster never got the skin crispy. Now, the oven really needs cleaning, but I keep putting it off. I do use the air fryer often.. Terri, the bathroom looks great, especially the shower. Denise, did they mention rinsing your mouth with warm salt water. I was told to do that after oral surgery, and it helped relieve the pain, especially from the injection sites. Lenda

RABBIT! 🐰 RABBIT! 🐰 WHITE RABBIT! 🐇 Good morning from a sunny and occasionally windy central Texas. Today we have a east, southeast wind, which is unusual for us. It is currently 62F and will reach 76F this afternoon. When I finally emptied the rain gauge yesterday, it showed we'd received 3.5 inches of rain last week. It should be a good day to start power washing the house. The dirt that gets on the siding has a lot of pollen in it, so it sticks. It's been two years since the house was washed, so it is looking a little dingy. Today we have three good days to celebrate. I remembered today's quote from Ellen DeGeneres. It's been a while since I made chicken Parmesan, so maybe I'll make it later this week. When I was growing up, my father liked milk punch. I always thought it was a waste of good milk. 🤣 The wine sounds good, but the price is not good. We have not been to Gladstone, Australia. @grapau27 Graham, thank you for the explanations of today's days. It looks like you had a good time on your cruise. @JazzyV Vanessa, I hope your knee improves quickly. Enjoy Cobh. @ocean sounds I'm sure your dogs will do well at what we call "the doggie spa". When our older DD was babysitting our Nikki and she and DSIL had to be out of town, both our dog and their dog were boarded in the same kennel. Neither were lonely. @dobiemom Marcia, I hope you are sleeping better and that your eye is healing well. @aliaschief Bruce, I hope you can get some rest before heading to Jacksonville for grandparent duties. @rafinmd Roy, thanks for sharing Gladstone's location. @dfish Debbie, I cook my chicken Parmesan in the air fryer, and it is not dry. I also add more sauce and cheese. I think it is the bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese in the pictures that make it look dry. @Denise T I hope all goes well at the dentist today. @cunnorl Charlene, thank you for the pictures of Gladstone. @travelnap I like your sense of humor. @ger_77 Gerry, I enjoyed seeing your deck picture. Now, I will better understand when you mention it. BTW, for those contemplating getting an air fryer, I highly recommend the oven type over the ones with a basket. Mine has three racks, and I can cook an entire meal in the air fryer. Lenda

@HAL4NOW Tony, I hope you both have a great time on Koningsdam. Lenda

@Cruising-along Carolyn, I hope you and your DH have a wonderful cruise. Lenda

@kazu Jacqui, you will be in my thoughts today. I hope today is not too hard for your. Lenda