Quartzsite Cruiser

Karen, I'm glad your DH is continuing to make progress. Susan, this must be a RED letter day with the last BOD meeting. I hope it goes smoothly for your. Terri, with all that's on your plate, you do need that cruise. Remember, to take care of yourself, and if you don't get the house completely put back together before your cruise, it will wait until you get back. Relax by doing some planning for the cruise instead. Bruce, we had a cabin on Prinsendam that would not warm up, but it was warmer than 51F. They tried everything, but nothing helped. I hope they can get your cabin warmer. With all that has been going on with the Dailyites lately, I thought we could use some more smiles. I try to be even handed for the dog lovers and the cat lovers. However, today FB yielded mostly dog memes. But there are a couple of non-animal memes too. I hope none of these are repeats. Lenda

Good morning from a wet, but not raining now, central Texas. The rain will return later this afternoon and continue overnight. It is 61F with a light breeze, and will reach 75F this afternoon. It seems we have lucked out with the timing of the thunderstorms. We have to take the convertible in to have the front end aligned and to check for any damage to the underside. Every since the incident with the firewood in the road, the car has pulled to the right, and the blowout from hitting the pothole last month didn't help. Fortunately, our appointment is between the rain storms. My Australian friends are too far away for a hug, but I imagine we'll hug when we see them. One couple is currently on the Zuiderdam for the world cruise. DH likes pretzels, but until we discovered an ultra thin style, I wasn't not a fan. Without the Richter Scale, we would never have a way to comprehend the strength of an earthquake. Shortly after we sailed from Hiroshima in 2000, there was an earthquake. The ship, the old Regal Princess, bounced up and down in the water a few times. We felt the 1994 Northridge earthquake and at least one aftershock in our hotel room in Las Vegas. We've also felt earthquakes in Quartzsite that happened in Mexico just south of El Centro, CA. With today's quote, you need to remember the times when Hedy Lamarr was acting and the general attitudes toward women. In today's world, the quote is insulting to women, especially strong, intelligent women. @kochleffel Paul, thank you for reminding us about Hedy Lamarr's other life and how brillant she was. I'm another one that doesn't think there is a way to prepare tofu that would be appealing. Even our vegetarian younger DD will only eat tofu if it is fried crispy. DH likes the drink if it is made with a non-London dry gin like the New Amsterdam Original Gin he discovered on the Koningsdam last year. We've had La Marca Prosecco and enjoyed it. We have not been to today's port. Thank you @StLouisCruisers Sandi, @grapau27 Graham, and @rafinmd Roy, for sharing your pictures. @kazu Jacqui, I hope today's surgery is easier than you expect, and that the surgeon will be able to remove all the hardware. @bennybear Brenda, sending positive thoughts for a successful surgery today, and for a quick recovery. I'm also sending positive thoughts for a complete recovery for your DD's DFIL. @dobiemom That is good news you slept for 6+ hours. @ottahand7 Nancy, you are in my thoughts on this sad anniversary of your DH's passing. @RMLincoln Maureen, I'm glad your DH can discontinue some of the eye drops. I hope he gets a good report from the doctor next week, and that the itching will clear up soon. @ger_77 Gerry, I hope any reaction to the Shingrix vaccine is mild. @TiogaCruiser Laura, thanks for the great sunrise pictures. We have not seen the seafood boil on a BHB before. It reminds me of an occasional special seafood dinner on Princess in their buffet. Lenda

@dfish Debbie, wishing you a very HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Enjoy your birthday lunch with your sister. May you have many more happy birthdays and years filled with walks, Farkle Fridays and last but not least cruises. Lenda

Brenda, I'm sorry your biopsy results were not good. Sending positive thoughts for a good outcome with the surgery. Hope the surgery takes care of everything, and younhave a quick recovery. The penguin is cute. Lenda

Edi, that is good news. We've also found the communication between medical practices sometime are lacking. Jacqui, thanks for confirming that my memory was correct. We opted not to go with them when the information said we needed to meet at a hotel or another site that we were not familiar with. If we knew the area, we probably wouldn't have needed the tour, since we usually do our own thing. Lenda

Nancy, we looked into Viator tours for one trip. IIRC, they do not run the tours, but are basically a booking agent for different tour operators. That was why we did not go with them, since it was difficult to figure out who would be providing the tour. Lenda

Annie, even without the ability to talk, our furry family members have a way of letting us know they are ready to cross the Rainbow Bridge. Irving is telling you that you made the right decision for all of you. ((((((HUGS)))))) Lenda

Good morning from a very cloudy central Texas. It is 60F, but with no wind, that isn't too bad. We should reach 69 or 70 this afternoon. More rain is predicted overnight and through Thursday morning. We need rain so we don't have to turn the sprinklers on for a while, but this cloudiness is getting old. In 2008 on Prinsendam we sailed past the ANZAC and Turkiye War Memorials. We should remember all the soldiers from Australia and New Zealand who have died fighting in too many wars. This is the view of Gallipoli from the Prinsendam. East Meets West was an important day in WWII. DH had his DNA tested as part of a research project, and he found he is 100 percent European. Penguins are amazing to watch, and deserve all our efforts to help them survive. @0106 Tina, thank you for putting today's quote in context, but I still thinks is a little weird. We'll pass on the meal and the drink. The wine sounds good. We have not been to Manta, but were in Ecuador in 2001 on Ryndam. We docked in Guayaquil and flew to Quito mainly to visit the Equator monument and museum. Unfortunately, we spent so much time touring Quito and having a 2 hour lunch, we only had a few minutes to look at the monument, and no time for the museum. Since this was why we booked the tour, we were not happy and let ShoreEx know how we felt. On that cruise, I still had my film camera and DH was taking mostly videos. Here are two pictures of the Equator Monument. According to DH's gps, the actual equator was about 1000 yards to the north of the monument. Considering the instruments available when the equator location was calculated, that was not bad. @StLouisCruisers Sandi, thanks for sharing your pictures from Manta. @grapau27 Graham, thanks for the information about east meets west day and penguin awareness day. @cruising sister Lorraine, I'm sorry about your broken toe and the infection. I hope the infection is history by next week. Thank you for your pictures from Manta. @superoma Eva, thanks for letting us know about the 25th anniversary of the Red Hat Society. We had a small group here in 2007, but it disbanded after a couple of years. @cruzn single Welcome home, Mary Kay. I'm glad your DStepson's kidney cancer was benign. I'm sorry he is still dealing with the results of the adrenal gland malignancy and now has to deal with melanoma too. Sending positive thoughts to you and your family for a full recovery. Also sending positive thoughts that today's MOHS surgery goes well and the lesion is small and easily removed. @ottahand7 Nancy and @HAL4NOW Tony, I also enjoyed your pictures. Thank you. @Seasick Sailor Joy, we have armadillos come through out yard and dig to get to the bugs. Besides getting rid of the bugs, I consider they are aerating the yard which means I don't have to do that. 🤣 @aliaschief Bruce, with the famous chef supervising and cooking the meal, it should be cooked perfectly. Enjoy the dinner. @puppycanducruise Melanie, thanks for the sad news about Harry Belafonte passing away. RIP @ger_77 Gerry, wishing your DH a very HAPPY 82ND BIRTHDAY. Lenda

Annie, I'm sorry today was so difficult, first with the decision about Irving and then having your hours cut. For what it's worth, I think you made the best decision for Irving if not for you. It sounds like irving is not enjoying life any more. Between now and Friday, love Irving in anyway he accepts, and know your unselfish act is showing your love of Irving by putting his wellbeing first. (((((HUGS))))) Lenda

You will need to be in the northern part of the northern hemisphere in September to April or May. During the summer months, the sun is up too long to see the northern lights in Norway, Canada or Alaska. We saw them in North Pole, Alaska, in September. Jane, I hope your colitis flare is better soon. Our first time in Guatemala, pre-digital, we also took a tour to Lake Atitlan. It is beautiful area, and we enjoyed the tour very much. Lenda

Good afternoon from a sunnier central Texas than was predicted. Depending on which thermometer I look at it is anywhere from 62F to 66F. Since there isn't much of a breeze, it's not too cool out. I don't know what happened today, but I got the house cleaned in record time. It still takes longer than I'd like. Since the house is clean, we're having friends over for happy hour, which will be easy, We don't do munchies and they bring their own drinks. It's just a good way to catch up with what has been happening. Charlene, hopefully the roll call will become more active the closer you get to the cruise. People may be waiting to to see what is happening in the world before booking. I hope you get to go this time. Annie, I don't envy you the hard decision about what is best for Irving. Getting the advice of your vet is a good idea. I know you and DH will weigh all the options and make the right decision about what is best for Irving. Eva, after having the freezer on top for about 30 years, we got a side-by-side when we moved here. It had to be replaced, and we decided on the freezer on the bottom. It took some getting used to, and there are times, I still can't find what I'm looking for. DH calls it the "toy chest". 😉 I do like having the rest of the items at eye level and I'm not in the freezer that much. Lorraine, I would not feel guilty about what happened at the funeral. You have been there for your friend since her DS passed, and she not only knows you care, but also what you have endured the past year. There are times when we can only handle so much stress. ((((HUGS)))). Graham, I'm glad you liked the pictures. They were only a few of those I took. Antigua is an interesting old town, and is easily walkable. We just took the ship transfer and explored the town on our own. Marcia, thanks. I'm glad that the headband is working to keep the shield in place. When I posted my idea, I thought it sounded crazy and was only half serious. The headband is probably a lot easier than the stretchy non-adhesive tape and it's reusable too. Gerry, I would love to see the northern lights again. All the pictures are wonderful, but nothing beats seeing them in person. Karen, I like the idea of the little baskets for residents of the local nursing homes and assisted living facilities. Carolyn, thanks for your pictures of the Mayan ruins. Bruno, it sounds like your dear dad is making progress. I hope the PT will help him to stand without pain. Maureen, HEB is a wonderful grocery chain. Unfortunately, the nearest on to us is about 35 miles away. They were also a great company to work for many years ago, even if they did not give employee discounts. 😁 I worked in the headquarters which was in Corpus Christi at that time, and got to know several members of the Butt family. Our younger DD became a vegetarian her first year in college even though she did not really like vegetables. She has since converted her SO, and I'm learning to make some decent vegetarian meals when they visit. Carol, I'm glad the antibiotics are helping, and I hope Sam is well soon. Jacqui, wishing you the best Wednesday, and I hope it isn't too painful. I also hope the elbow has healed enough so the surgeon can get all the hardware out so you're one and done. Vanessa, I'm glad you are enjoying the cruise and all the good food, not to mention the wine. Lenda

The first time we were scheduled to visit Puerto Quetzal would have been Good Friday in 2009. However, that port was canceled since the tour operator said that it would be impossible to get the buses to the port with all the celebrations. We have stopped in Puerto Quetzal four times on BHBs. Three times, once on Statendam, and twice on Rotterdam VI we stayed in the port area. In 2014 on Veendam, we took the transfer to Antigua. The pictures of the port area are from our three stops. This is a nice place for a cold drink, and with the expensive drink, you get an hour of wifi. A weaver at work. Just a small portion of the vendor's area A sampling of the entertainment available in the port area This is a small sample of the pictures I took in Antiqua. They are working on restoring the town, but there were many ruined buildings, and IIRC, most was earthquake damage. A pretty fountain in the main square A couple of churches An interesting arch at the end of the main street Two colorful residents The Statendam in 2015 Lenda

Good morning from a breezy, but mostly clear central Texas. It is supposed to be cloudy most of the day. It is 45F but feels like 43F. The high is supposed to be about 65F and then we'll be back in the 70s and 80s like we should be. The only thing on the agenda is cleaning house. That's enough for today. I'll gladly let someone else have my pigs in a blanket. The world needs to not only remember the Armenian genocide, but all genocides. Screaming can be therapeutic. The Paula Poundstone quote is amusing. Vegetarian lasagna can be good, but the one with Italian sausage I made recently was very good. We'll pass on the drink, but I would like to try the wine. We have been to Puerto Quetzal several times, but in 2009 the Statendam's Good Friday visit was canceled. The tour operator said that with the Good Friday celebrations it would be impossible to get the buses to the port. I'll look for my pictures in a few minutes. @grapau27 Graham, Len Goodman was always a gentleman when he was a judge on "Dancing with the Stars". @Ichiban Nekko Cat, your tour sounds wonderful. Glad you are home safely. @Seasick Sailor Joy, I'm glad your little bird was safe during the storms yesterday. @Denise T Denise, I'm glad your family escaped the genocide. @Mr. Boston I'm sorry last week was so difficult, and I'm glad all our kind thoughts and prays could help you get through the week. @smitty34877 Terry, while the apologies were nice, there was no excuse for the lack of emergency help. Lenda

I guess I really should check my notes before submitting a reply. There were a few comments I meant to mention in my first post and missed, and then I missed them again a second time. First to @Lady Hudson Katherine, a belated Bon Voyage. @kochleffel Paul, I enjoyed reading about the unicorn cat. Our one calico was a beautiful female, Patches. She was younger DD's cat. @Denise T and @POA1 thank both of you for the pictures of the ships arriving for Fleet Week. @cunnorl Charlene, I enjoyed your pictures of PNG. Thank you for sharing them. Lenda

Good afternoon. It looks like the rain has stopped for now, but it is still cloudy, windy and cold for us (52F). We received about an inch of rain, and the ground is saturated, especially since we watered quite a bit after putting the fertilizer and grass seeds down last Sunday. I just hope the seeds didn't drown before they could sprout. Not much going on today with this weather, so I'm doubly glad I could be outside yesterday. Tonight, since it is a cold day, I'll make a beef stew and cornbread muffins to go with our wine, Karen, I'm glad your DH is making good progress, and I hope they can find a place closer to home for him. I'm glad you are taking a day off from driving two hours in heavy traffic. Last fall, it took about 1 to 1 hour 15 minutes from our house to the rehab facility. I was lucky that I could take the back roads and a slightly longer, but less traveled route through Waco. Still, I took a few days off to catch up things around the house. It seems you are remembering to take care of yourself too. Susan, what a sweet story about the little boy who adopted the puppy. Brenda, I'm glad your DGD has new pets to take care of, but it is still sad about her pet gecko. The cake is beautiful. Bruce, I'm sorry about another not good experience in the Pinnacle Grill. The memes today were great. Carolyn, the tulips are amazing, and I loved the recreation of the photo. I am also a sufferer of 'white coat syndrome", but my bp is better at home most of the time. I'm glad the new meds are working for you. I bet next week can't come soon enough for you. Enjoy a relaxing cruise to Alaska. Vanessa, I'm glad the cruise is off to a good start. Sorry about the delay getting to FLL and the late arriving shuttle. Hurray for the Ren and the team with another win. Lenda

Good morning from a very wet central Texas. It is currently 48F but feels like 44F with our north wind. The predicted high will be 54F. What happened to spring? I had to dig out a pair of jeans this morning. DH had me dig out a long sleeved t-shirt, but is being brave and wearing shorts. The rain started with a lot of very loud thunder just before 5 a.m. I went back to sleep until 8:30 so I'm late today. So far, we've received 0.83 inch of rain, and it's still raining. Lover's day will be celebrated here. I like English muffins and picnics are fun, but not today. The quote sounds like Thomas A. Edison. I read recently we are really just a three pound brain, and the body is there to support the brain. We'll pass on the meal and the drink. The wine sounds good, but not at that price plus shipping. We have not been Alotau, Papua New Guinea. We have been to Rabul on New Brittan Island, which is part of PNG. @StLouisCruisers Sandi, thank you for sharing your pictures of today's port. @StLouisCruisers Sandi, congratulations to Ten and his team on another win. @superoma Eva, the lists look good, and thank you for taking over for Vanessa @JazzyV. @MISTER 67 Thank you for letting us know about the USS Cole arriving in PEV. @smitty34877 Terry, I can't imagine how scary and stressful the oxygen generators malfunctioning was for the entire family, and it must have been even more so for Tana. I'm glad hospice was going after the supply company too. I hope everyone is resting and recovering today. @kazu Jacqui, it sounds like you got a lot accomplished yesterday. Sorry about the bad headache. @RMLincoln Maureen, enjoy your concerts this week. @grapau27 Graham, thanks for the information about Father David's pilgrimage. @dfish Debbie, I know that saying no to her son was extremely hard for Sue, but necessary. I hope her son finds his way soon. I also hope Sue's move next weekend goes smoothly. @cruising sister Lorraine, it is good you will be there for your friend today, and I know it will be a difficult day for you too. @cat shepard Ann, I'm glad the block party was fun. Thanks for the pictures of the turtle nest. @marshhawk Annie, I hope you get to go out for a birthday breakfast. @StLouisCruisers Sandi, if there is still any doubt about the bp meter, your DH can take it to the doctor's office and have it calibrated with their machine. @Cruzin Terri Terri, I also saw where BB&B was filing for bankruptcy. After the way I was very rudely treated last fall and because they will not help when a shipment goes missing, I will not set foot in one of their stores even for the best bargain ever. They said once a package is shipped it is out of their hands, and would not help. I feel about BB&B the way you feel about Wayfair. Lenda

@cunnorl Charlene, wishing you a wonderful birthday with many more happy birthdays to follow. Lenda

@marshhawk Annie, I hope you have a wonderful day today, and many more happy birthdays. Lenda

I'm glad my crazy idea wasn't so crazy after all. The headband is a great and easier replacement fot the tape. I hope it works. Annie, I'm glad the lunch weny well. I loved the memes. Enjoy your day with the baby grands. Lenda

In 2011 on Prinsendam in the Alantic off Cape Hatteras, we lost all power including engine power for about two hours. It took another two hours for the a/c to be restored. These things can happen anywhere. Mechanical items can and do breakdown at unexpected times. At no time were we in any danger.

Thank you, Fred, for keeping @Vict0riann's live from going on the next segment. That was an unique cake for Tony, @sailingdutchy. Please wish him Happy Birthday from us.

Good afternoon from a cooler, but pleasant central Texas. The clouds started moving in early this afternoon, so it was fairly pleasant doing the yardwork. I'm glad I mowed today instead of waiting until later next week after the predicted rain ends. The grass would probably have been too thick to mow with one pass. At least for Earth Day, I was using a battery powered mower, trimmer and blower. Right now, I'm enjoying sitting outside watching the world go by. I haven't been able to do that since last fall. Naturally the meeting this morning lasted almost twice as long as predicted. Too many people had to get up and say basically the same thing about the two items we were voting on The woman presenting the first item droned on and on, going over the same points. That's when I remembered why I usually skip the meetings, and vote by proxy. I was more tired after the meeting than after doing the mowing and trimming. I'm sorry I missed seeing Vanessa @JazzyV sail away. I hope she has a wonderful cruise. Roy, thank you for sharing your pictures from Falmouth. The church and barracks look very interesting. Marcia, I have a crazy idea that would make you look like a pirate, if you really need to wear the hard shield. If you have some of the non-adhesive tape that sticks to itself, you could wrap it at an angle around your head to hold the shield in place. Coming up with weird, crazy ideas is one thing I'm good at doing. Lenda

Good morning from a sunny central Texas where it is currently 57F and warming to 75F. This afternoon, I'll get out and mow and trim the yard. They are teasing us with predictions of rain for the next several days. and since I fertilized last week, I don't think I can wait until Thursday or Friday to mow. This morning is our semi-annual homeowners meeting, which I need to attend since I didn't get my proxy form into the secretary by the deadline. At least, it was a good morning until my post went poof just as I was ready to click on submit reply. Everyday should be Earth Day so future generations will have a home. I appreciate all the hard work Girl Scout leaders do. DH likes jelly beans (Jelly Belly), and he can have mine. I've always laughed at the Zsa Zsa Gabor quote. We'll pass on the meal and the drink. The wine looks luverly. Falmouth was on our cancelled 2022 world cruise on Coral Princess. Since we've been the northern most point, we had planned to go to Land's End, the southern most point. @StLouisCruisers Sandi, thank you for sharing your pictures. @Cruzin Terri Terri, I'm sorry you did not get a good night's sleep last night. Try to get some rest today. @TiogaCruiser Laura, I hope you have a good day in the canal. @smitty34877 Terry, I'm sorry you and Tana had problems with the oxygen compressor last night. I hope they can get everything fixed today. I'm sorry Tana is struggling even with the oxygen. @cat shepard Ann, I'm glad the plumber could get the leak fixed quickly. @mamaofami Carol, I'm sorry Sam has pneumonia, and I hope the antibiotics help quickly. @RMLincoln Maureen, I'm glad you made it home safely and that your DH could help with the driving. @Lady Hudson Katherine, congratulations on keeping the weight off. @superoma Eva, enjoy the special dinner with your family tomorrow. I know you'll keep working the formatting, but for us, it's the contents of the lists that is important. @marshhawk Annie, enjoy your birthday lunch. @aliaschief Bruce, I'm sorry the food at last night's special dinner was not up to par. Not having medium rare beef would have made me unhappy. Thanks for the pictures from Puerto Vallarta. @ger_77 Gerry, thanks for sharing the news about Dame Edna's passing. I always enjoyed watching her perform. Lenda

@Rowsby Sue, wishing you a wonderful birthday with your family. I hope you get another cake from The Good Roths. Lenda

@JazzyV Vanessa, I hope you and BFF have a wonderful and relaxing cruise. I also hope your three weeks in Germany is filled with fun, family (BFF's) and good times. Lenda