Quartzsite Cruiser

@Mr. Boston Our sincerest condolences to you and your family on your brother's death. All of your family will be in our thoughts during these difficult days. Safe travels to Michigan. Even with all the advances in medicine, mental illness is still greatly misunderstood, even by the family of and those suffering from mental illness. I'm very sorry his illness led to such a sad ending. I hope you and your family can find comfort in being together and remembering the good times. Lenda

Good evening. It has been a long and busy day, but at least all the yard work was accomplished. Before I could start on the yard, we had to make a quick trip to W-M. After buying what we thought was the correct fertilizer for Bermuda grass, DH did a little more research, and discovered that what we bought was for killing Bermuda grass in St. Augustine grass. Oops! We have Bermuda grass with no St. Augustine and we're trying to get it to grow again after the hot, dry summer last year. I also discovered I'm bought the wrong fire ant granules. I got the ones for the yard, but I wanted the ones for the mounds, since I already had something to put on the yard. Once back, the first order of business was to repair the three sprinkler heads. The first one just needed to be taken out and then screwed back in place. The second one just needed to be changed from a quarter circle spray to a half circle. The third one was more problematic. It covered too big an area, including a lot of concrete. We went with a head that covered a smaller area, but still a little too big. There is still work to do on that one, since last year when repairing the connection between the water pipe and the sprinkler head, I accidently cut part way into the pipe. Now the head does what it's supposed to do, but there is a geyser coming out by the pipe too. Someday, we'll need to dig down to the pipe, cut the bad part out, put a new connection on and the reinstall the sprinkler head. At least now, not only is the yard getting watered, but the flower bed is getting watered too. The next order of business was to plant the flowers I bought Friday. It took a little longer than I expected. Years ago, to mark out the area where a water meter was, I put large rocks around the area. The meter was moved quite a number of years ago, but I never did anything thing about the rocks, and they were buried by the mulch over the years. In order to have enough room for the flowers, I had to dig up most of the rocks Hopefully, the flowers have a better chance this year, with no rocks and more water reaching them. Finally, I could rake out the old thatch from the yard, spread the fertilizer and insect repellant. When that was done, I spread grass seeds in the areas where the grass had died, and over seeded the rest of the front yard. Now, I'll keep my fingers crossed 🤞 that the grass comes back and the seeds sprout. If not, I'll resign myself to mowing weeds. 😒 For now, the vast majority of the weeds have been pulled, I just can't get all of them pulled. Thank goodness for left overs. Dinner to night was lasagna, a lot of ice cream, and a fair amount of red cardbordeaux. So please forgive any typos. I think tomorrow will be an easy day. Annie, I'm glad you ended your time at the Bowl with a sale. Sorry your hours have been reduced. I hope all goes well at the doctor this week. It's good you have a doctor you both can talk to. As far as the weather in Whittier, there should be snow in the mountains, but I doubt there will be too much on the ground. I'm not sure exactly when you will be there, but most of the snow should have melted. Some of the fresh water ponds and streams might still have ice on them. Whitter, as someone mentioned, is Alaska's ice free, year round port. Thanks. Whitter is a small, quaint town that caters to tourists with glacier tours and to fishing boats. Sandi, we were very lucky to have a nice day for our glacier tour. Our first time there, it was foggy, rainy and cold. We couldn't wait to get back on the train. The bird is an American Purple Gallinule, and it's interesting that it was on the ship. They seem to prefer fresh water. Here is a link to more information about them. https://animalia.bio/purple-gallinule Annie, you have gotten some good advice about getting Canadian money. When we are in a foreign country, we usually get money from an ATM, just be sure to use a bank ATM. Some will change a fee in addition to some ATM cards. Our financial institution refunds foreign ATM fees. We've found we get the best exchange rate at ATMs, and the worst at money exchanges. We rarely use a credit card, but we have one that does not charge an foreign transaction fee. It may be too late to get one like that for this trip, but they are nice. Linda, that must have been interesting watching the storm last night. Paul, that was fast. Carolyn, we also prefer the smaller ships, but I was pleasantly surprised how much I liked the Koningsdam last year. Of course, it was never full when we were on her, and only once was it more than half full. I'm not sure about being on a Pinnacle ship when it was full. We also have found the duvets are too hot and heavy for us. We ask our steward to make the bed up with a sheet, a blanket and another sheet on top. Lenda

Sharon, thanks for the great picture. We've met Susan, and I recognized you from your pictures. It's nice to be able to put faces and names with CC names. Have a great cruise. Lenda

Here is what I posted about Whittier on July 16, 2022. @StLouisCruisers Sandi, Whittier can have some beautiful sunny days, but also rainy, miserable days. We were lucky to have a beautiful day for our 26 Glacier Cruise. What is now know as the Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel, was built by the Army and opened in 1943. This allowed supplies to be moved into the interior year round. The Army abandoned the tunnel in the 1960s and it became part of the Alaska highway system, and eventually underwent an up grade. The tunnel is the only access to Whittier by road, and cars share the tunnel with the Alaska RR. We have been there a few times, but never sailed into the port. We have sailed into Anchorage on the 14 day cruise, doing b2b2bs. At least once every time, we've driven to Whittier. One year, probably before the tunnel opened to car traffic, we took the train into Whittier. That day was cold, wet and windy. We walked around town and reboarded the train. It was also predigital. Even today, since Whittier is a protected port, most supplies come through the port. Rail cars are loaded on barges that have rails. Once in port, the Alaska RR backs an engine up to the barge and the cars are added to the train for the run into Anchorage and beyond. We watched some cars being unloaded, but I can't find the pictures. In 2012, we did the 26 Glacier Cruise which we booked on our own. We were lucky to get a rare, mostly sunny day. Since we did not want to miss the boat, we got to Whittier early and drove around, but evidently I did not take many pictures. The approach into town as you leave the tunnel. The building the Army built in the 1940s to house everyone in town. It is now falling into ruin. The new building where the residents live is in the background of this picture taken from our tour boat and in the distance was we drove into town. In driving around Whittier, we found another oldie. This is exactly like our first RV which we bought used in 1979. RVs have come a long ways since this one was built. A picture from the waterfront area Finally, our tour boat coming in to pick us up Lenda

Good morning from a chilly central Texas. It is sunny and windy, but not has windy as yesterday. The temperature is currently 48F and will warm to 73F this afternoon. We'll have another cold night tonight, but a warming trend begins tomorrow with highs ranging from mid 70s to high 80s for the foreseeable future. By the time the laundry was finished and put away yesterday, it was too late to start working outside. With the sun, it should be nice this afternoon for yard work. Mainly, with DH's advice, I'll be repairing two sprinkler heads and replacing another one. I also need to spread the fertilizer and bug preventative. Friday, I decided to risk the lives of some bedding plants, and I'll be planting them today. I just hope the adjustments to the sprinkler near the flower bed will help keep them alive. Elephants deserve all our help in saving them. When we were in Phuket, our taxi driver offered us a chance to ride an elephant, but we decided to pass. I like mushrooms sautéed, cooked in various dishes or raw in salads. I'll salute our Dailyite bean counters. Bean counters the perform a necessary task, at times, some go too far. The quote is interesting, but I have to think about it some more. We'll pass on the meal and the drink. I would like to try the wine, and maybe we'll see it in NZ someday. The price plus shipping makes it a bit pricey to buy here if we could find it. We have been to Whitter several times, but not on a cruise. We have driven through the tunnel to see the town or to take a small boat cruise. I'll look for my pictures in a few minutes. @StLouisCruisers Sandi, cheers for Ren's team having another great win. HAPPY 18TH BIRTHDAY TO KAI! @cruising sister Lorraine, you are truly an angel to help your dear friend, and it's a nice way to honor you son too. @cat shepard Ann, I resemble the second meme, but my earrings are from college. 😉 @dfish Debbie, I'm amazed at the "landfill" the former owners left in the yard. @ger_77 Gerry, your dinner and time with Valda, Anton, and their daughter sounds lovely. You may have an adopted granddaughter locally now. Enjoy your visit with friends today. @TiogaCruiser Laura, enjoy your Dailyite meet and greet. Please tell Susan @AV8rix hello from Steve and Lenda. We really enjoyed visiting with her on Koningsdam last year. @kazu Jacqui, just remember that what isn't done today, will wait and there will be wine after today's chores are finished. @GTVCRUISER Lenda

Carolyn, I wish there was a way to erase that dreaded red line. I'm glad you feel like doing some things even with rest breaks built in. I think it might be a hold over from when the DDs were little. I always leave at least one clean pair, just in case. The exception is on a cruise since you never know how long the laundry will take before being returned. I would not want to have to call Guest Services that we desperately need our laundry because we we're out of clean undies. 🤣 Joy, good to see you posting today. I was concerned that you might still be under the weather. I'm glad it was because you were doing a good deed helping your neighbor. I hope the sale went well and the jewelry sale goes well too. Thank you, Graham. It is one of my favorite cities to wander around and see some of the different areas. When we were on the Koningsdam, it would show up in the gelato selection, but usually when we weren't ready for gelato. I did get it once, and it was good, but not as good as that in Venice or anywhere in Italy for that matter. Another great place to get it was a small gelattoria in Volterra, which is off the beaten path. Lenda

I couldn't resist going back through my pictures of Venice, and of course, I found a few more to share. We've taken the vaporetto along the Grand Canal at night several times, but twice we were lucky enough to grab a couple of seats in the very front. Here are a few more night pictures along the Grand Canal. On one visit in 2016 on Prinsendam, we took the vaporetto to Lido, which is one of the barrier islands shielding the lagoon form the ocean. Since it was October 15, there were very few tourists on the island, which also allows cars and buses. On the way back to St. Mark's Square. we passed tugboats spraying water, then we passed the racing yachts. While I enjoy going down the Grand Canal and seeing St. Mark's Square, I also enjoying wandering abound some of the back areas that are not crowded with tourists. Their version of UPS, FedEx or DHL delivery. The restaurant in the picture above is the Rialto Restaurant, a part of the Rialto Hotel at the foot of the Rialto Bridge. It is also our favorite place to get a pizza to share with a split of wine. Their Margarita pizza is very good. This is the restaurant looking down from the Rialto Bridge. In 2019 on Veen mosaics in the sidewalks. The grand water entrance on the Grand Canal. The pedestrian entrance which still can be a little hard to find even with the mosaics. Since we were there in the afternoon, they let us wander around without having to pay the entrance fee. As a thank you, we made a small donation to the slots god. The gaming room. We've also found some of the best gelato on some of the back piazzas away from the heavy tourist areas. My favorite is Stracciatella which means little rags. In this case, it is a very creamy vanilla with little rough shards of chocolate, but I normally also get a scoop of dark chocolate too. Lenda

In 2017, we decided to check out the Arsenale, home of the Italian Navy and the Naval Museum, which had a display of various types of boats besides naval vessels. These pictures are of the entrance to the restricted area of the naval facility. We also visited the Jewish Ghetto, which is not easy to find. After the bustle of the rest of Venice, it was eerily quiet. We've been to Murano twice. We like Murano, but Burano was even more interesting and prettier with it's brightly painted buildings. While Murano is know for glass, Burano is known for lace. We have been fortunate to overnight in Venice twice. St. Marks Square and the surrounding area are practically empty compared to the daytime. This is the walk from the vaporetto dock to the square at night. A couple of pictures from the Grand Canal at night. Lenda

The problem with many visits to Venice there are just too many to choose from. However, I'd rather have too many pictures than not enough. We were there in 2016 and 2017 on the Prinsendam, and in 2019 on the Veendam. So my pictures will be a mix from five visits, and will have to be broken up between two posts. A couple of pictures as we sailed into port on the Veendam. In 2016, during our first time in Venice, we got to the Doge's Palace ahead of the tours, and managed to get a senior ticket that included three other museums. The first picture is looking out the Bridge of Sighs toward the lagoon, which was the last look at the city for most prisoners. The second picture is a repeat, but it puts the first one in perspective.. After the three other museums, we headed to the Campanella with advice to be back down before noon as the bells are deafening. In the last pictures, you can see the Prinsendam "in front of the X ship. On our second call there was after Venice had three days of heavy rain, and St. Marks Square was underwater. We bypassed the area, and found a dry route to some of the back streets. On another visit, we took a gondola ride, but without the singing. We have also toured the Opera house. One of the streets away from the Grand Canal. There was an art festival one time we were in Venice, and there were various temporary displays around the city. This one was on the Grand Canal. Lenda

Good morning from a sunny and slightly breezy central Texas. It was 73F when I started, and will be about 81F this afternoon. The start of the day was not auspicious as I woke to heavy clouds, wind and a cool damp feel to the air even though it was 68F when I left to get donuts before the little shop ran out. If there is time today, I'll try to do some work outside including fixing a couple of sprinkler heads that are leaking. I appreciate my DH everyday. We did our taxes a couple of weeks ago and efiled them Monday. It didn't take the IRS to suck the payment out of our bank account. For once I'm in sync with a day since the last load of laundry is in the washer and the second load is drying. There is not a specific day that I do laundry. Laundry is usually the day before we will run out of clean underwear. 🤣 The Anais Nin quote is interesting, but I suspect there are some who live deeply but still fear death. The salmon packets look interesting, and I was planning on salmon tonight. However, I think it will be teriyaki salmon cooked in the air fryer along with a vegetable rice mix and a salad. We'll pass on the drink, but would like to try the wine. We've had Torres wine from Spain and enjoyed it very much, and the billboards along the highway that were just a black bull. We have been to Venice several times on BHBs, but our first time was in 2016 on Prinsendam. I am very glad we got to sail into and out of Venice more than once, since that is such a spectacular passage. I'll look for my pictures in a few minutes. I actually started working on this post quite a while ago, but stopped when DH got up and wanted breakfast. Then the dryer stopped, so I need to fold and put that load away. I hope to get this finished before the dryer stops again. @ger_77 Gerry, I'm glad you are feeling better and will be able to enjoy the dinner tonight that your new friends are making. @RMLincoln Maureen, our condolences to you and your family on the passing of your cousin's DH. @lindaler Linda, you had a busy day outside yesterday. There always seems be be a lot of work to be accomplished around the house and yard in the spring. @JazzyV Vanessa, I'm sorry the knee is still a problem, and they did not pick up on the location of the drainage. I hope the antibiotics do their thing quickly so the knee won't be a problem on your cruise and trip. @Denise T Denise, welcome to the Fleet/Daily. We hope you will join us often. @Heartgrove Jack and @StLouisCruisers Sandi, and any one else I missed, thank you for your pictures of Venice. Lenda

@Dismomx5 Have a wonderful time on your cruise. Lenda

@AV8rix Susan, wishing you smooth seas and fair winds on your cruise. Lenda

@Sharon in AZ Sharon, I hope you have a wonderful cruise after your adventure getting to FLL. Lenda

@TiogaCruiser Wishing you a wonderful and relaxing cruise. I'm glad Rover I arrived safely if late. Lenda

Wow, Bruce. That sunset is spectacular. Annie, helping some one is often as important as making a sale, except, for your bank account. And they will remember your kindness. It sounds like you will have a happy, if late, ending. Once you get the bag, have a good night's rest. Lenda

Vanessa, I wish I had an answer, but some people are just crazy. I'm glad no one was hurt for a change, and that you decided to just go home. Lenda

Thanks for the update. I'm glad you arrived safely along with your bags. Hope you sleep better tonight, and have a great cruise. Lenda

Good afternoon. It is now 72F, but with the the heavy cloud cover and the strong wind, it feels cooler. I think I'll wait until tomorrow or Sunday to do more of the yard work. I survived W-M and for once got almost everything on my list and only a couple of things not on the list. Annie, you have a lot more patience that I do. I also would not last long in your job. I'm glad you could help the patron. Terry, the weather this year is crazier than it has been in the past few years. I hope the a/c units will help, and will help Tana keep more comfortable. Gerry, thank you for telling us that @Sharon in AZ Sharon made it safely to Miami, and that the HAL reps were there to meet her and get her on her way to the hotel. How nice of the Ukrainian couple to invite you to dinner. I hope your throat is feeling better. Roy, I agree Dover Castle and the war tunnels are a good way to spend time in Dover. Another choice is the local bus to Canterbury and seeing the town and the Cathedral. We did the castle in the morning and Canterbury in the afternoon. Sandi, I was going to mention people also sleeping in the solarium and in tents on the open decks, but @kochleffel Paul beat me to it. The ferries can carry more passengers than the available cabin space. While it was three days from Haines to Prince Rupert, and another three days on to Bellingham, WA, when in Alaskan waters, the ferries stop at many of the coastal communities, so many passengers don't need a cabin. Then, there are the passengers who either don't want to pay the additional daily fee for a cabin, so they sleep in public areas, along with those who booked too late to get a cabin. It took us a couple of tries to find a ferry that had space for the motorhome and a cabin for us. It was nice to have a bathroom with a shower in the cabin. For those without cabins or who are in cabins without bathrooms, there are public restrooms and showers on all but one vessel, and I'm guessing it is the one that makes short runs between the smaller islands. Paul, thanks for giving Sandi @StLouisCruisers the information and sharing the picture of the tents. Roy, I enjoyed your pictures of Prince Rupert and the area. You had a lot better weather than we did. We've also taken the Columbia from Haines to Skagway, and the highspeed ferry roundtrip from Skagway to Haines. That time it was to pickup our mail that did not arrive before we left for Skagway by road. Naturally, it came the next day. In 1992, along with our DDs we took Tustemena from Homer to Kodiak and then back to Seward after spending one night in Kodiak. Karen, I'm glad your DH is settled in the rehab facility and has a friendly roommate. I don't know about the Medicare policy for OT and PT in an inpatient facility after the Medicare days are used, but for in home and outpatient OT and PT they paid for three times a week for DH. It was good that your DH could join his 65th high school reunion on Zoom. Charlene, your area during the air show sounds like Quartzsite during the three big events in January. Fortunately, some of the main streets have been widened, so it is easier to get around. Laura, that is good news you made it to ORD and that your air tags said the luggage is with you. I hope the rest of the trip is less eventful. You are certainly getting a tour of the country. Maureen, we've driven to Alaska seven times in our motorhome, and it never gets old. The drive from Fort St. John to Tok is some of the prettiest scenery. We first drove the Alaska Highway in 1992 for the 50th anniversary of the Alaska Highway. Our last trip was in 2017, and they have really improved the road. They've also made some of it easier too. Vanessa, it seems the problem with your knee is more annoying than very serious. I hope the antibiotics help and it is not a big problem on your cruise and trip. How nice of your BFF to mow your yard for you. Last year, we bought an extra after market battery for our mower, so now I don't lose time waiting for a batter to recharge. The battery was quite a bit less than the OEM battery and works as well. We found it on Amazon. Lenda

Good morning from a cloudy, windy day in central Texas. it is currently about 60F and will be about 78F this afternoon. This will be quick as I need to head to W-M this morning, and I want to get it done early. We will not be celebrating ex spouse day. Laughter is very important every day, and we look up in the sky often. An interesting quote by Ursula Andress. Artic char is good, but I'm not a fan of fish tostadas or tacos. We'll pass on the drink, but the wine sounds nice. @TiogaCruiser Laura, wishing you the best as you head to Florida today. I hope your luggage makes it there too. Glad you have air tags to track the bags. @JazzyV Vanessa, hoping for the best possible outcome today at the doctors. @mamaofami Carol, I'm glad your second cataract surgery is scheduled. @Sharon in AZ Sharon, @AV8rix Susan, and @Dismomx5 I hope your travels to FLL go smoothly and that you have a great cruise. We have been to Prince Rupert on a ship, but not on a BHB. We arrived there on the Alaska Marine Highway ferry Matanuska in August 2011. It was very early on a rainy morning, and I only have one picture as we approached the ferry terminal. The Matanuska in two ports. The first is in Haines, AK, where we boarded. Our cabin which was spacious but spartan. We had two huge windows overlooking the deck where the crew went to smoke and relax. Their version of the Crow's Nest. People who did not have cabins slept there too. The Lido, but it's not included in the "cruise" fair. Lenda

Lorraine, I am adding our condolences to those of others on the loss of your friend's son. We are very sorry this happened and are sending our thoughts to you, your BFF, her family and her son's friends. Take all the time you need to help her and to deal with your emotions, too. Lenda

We had an unusual variation of a classic favorite for supper tonight. We decided on grilled cheese sandwiches after yesterday's discussion. I had somethings in the refrigerator that needed using or being tossed. I made the sandwiches using provolone, shreeded mozzarella, and adding pepperoni, diced onions,and sliced mushrooms. They were a hit, even if unconventional. They may be a one off unless I have that combination of ingredients again. Lenda

Yes it is, but it has changed a lot since the first time we took it in the late 1970s. Then, it was a two lane road, IIRC. Now, it's an interstate higway. Another suggestion if you decide to use Uber, and if you're like us and have a lot of luggage, be sure to tell them when you book that you will need a larger car. Lenda

Good afternoon from a warm, sunny and only breezy central Texas. We played hooky to day and took a road trip and managed to miss the potholes. 😉 Most of the fields in central Texas are covered with wildflowers, not just bluebonnets. The town of Ennis, about an hour north of here, has a Bluebonnet Festival every year. We tried going a couple of years ago on the Saturday of the festival, but talk about a zoo. Ennis is not far from the DFW area, and the main street was more of a parking lot than a street. The festival starts tomorrow, so we decided to drive up there today. It wasn't crowded, but not really worth the drive. The flowers in our area and on the way to Ennis were just as pretty. Ennis was just smart enough to turn the wildflower season into a money maker for the town. Even so, it was nice to get out of our rut and go somewhere that did not involve a doctor or a grocery/big box store. 🤣 Today proves again how special the Fleet Report/Daily is. I've been impressed with all the Dailyites who are helping @TiogaCruiser with flight information and advice on rental cars and places to stay in FLL. We truly have become a family who is there for everyone. Vanessa, I hope they have a quick fix for your knee tomorrow that doesn't impact your cruise or trip. Thank you for your comments about my pictures today. Love the picture of the Christmas cactus. Karen, I can relate to your difficult decision about rehab for your DH. Fortunately, we both knew rehab was the best place for him after his second surgery. I was the one that insisted he be able to function at home by himself with just a little help from me. The hour plus drive was not that difficult for me since I knew DH was in the best rehab facility in the area. I hope your DH makes good progress and is home soon. Annie, talk about being in the right place at the right time. I'm glad you got some good first hand information about HAL and the Lido. Sharon, I hope the red eye flight is not too bad, and glad you will have a day to rest. It's good the HAL rep could contact the rep in Miami to let them know to expect you. Carolyn, I'm sorry you and your DH are still seeing a faint red line. I hope it's gone the next time you test. Thanks for all the flower pictures. Bruce, thanks for the picture of the Zaandam, a great ship. I've quit saying any BHB is our favorite since they sold the last three we said that about. 🤣 I don't want to jinx another BHB. And thank you for all your canal pictures. I am reliving our many canal cruises. Laura, it's good you are set for flights to Fort Meyers. I was also going to suggest checking out Uber. We found it was cheaper to take Uber from DFW to our house 100 miles south of the airport than the cost of the rental car and drop off fee. Uber will also add the tolls to your bill if they do what our driver did, but it was still a better option. Also, we didn't have to drive to Waco the next day to return the car. Our driver was please that with Baylor playing a football game that night, he could pick up a fare back to Dallas. We have also stayed in Plantation pre-cruise, and it is a nice area. I guess I read your mind, since I was thinking about suggesting Uber, too. We drove part of Alligator Alley in 2015, and it wasn't that bad then, and we liked staying in Plantation. Lenda

We have been to Monte Carlo eight times, and all but one were on BHBs. Our first time there was in 2001 on Golden Princess' inaugural TA. In 2002 and 2004 on Noordam III we made three stops there. We were also in MC in 2008 on Prinsendam and three stops in 2019 on Veendam. Many times, we took the train to Cannes or Nice, and once to Genoa. In 2019, we stayed in Monte Carlo, taking the city bus the first time and the Ho-Ho the second. By the third stop there, we just stayed on the ship and relaxed. There is a "new" dock in Monte Carlo that can accommodate one small ship. In 2019, we docked there twice and Oceania was there one time. Before that, we always tendered in Monaco, with the exception of the time in 2004 Captain John Scott moved the Noordam to Ville France during the day because the seas were too rough. Imagine our surprise when the train from Genoa rounded a curve and we could see the harbor but no ship. They had a bus to take us to the Ville France. These pictures are a compilation from all our visits to Monte Carlo. The casino from the ship and the front of the casino looking across the circle in front of it. In 2001, there was a fountain in the circle. Near the fountain and behind me when I took the picture above, there is a nice, tranquil park. I didn't discover the park until 2019. There were several topiaries with metal additions like this one. A local enjoying the park. A view of the harbor outside the train station which is in the upper part of Monte Carlo The Palace Another building near the Palace In 2019, we got a free ride on this self driving vehicle, which was a work in progress with a lot of jerky starts and stops. There was someone with an tablet who controlled the vehicle, which seemed to be most of the time. Preparations for the 2004 Grand Prix A statue honoring the drivers in the Grand Prix The new pier viewed from the Veendam. My version of the fleet report with former BHBs. Veendam at the pier in 2019 and at anchor in 2019 Finally, the Prinsendam at anchor in 2008 Lenda

Good morning from a sunny and warming central Texas. It is 55F and will be in the mid to upper 70s later. I'm not as stiff or sore as I expected to be after pulling weeds for almost two hours, and then doing the regular mowing and trimming. I appreciate most plants, but not those that are weeds. We didn't have a bookmobile, but I spent a lot of time at the library. Peach cobbler is my favorite, but I haven't had any since I don't when. I like today's quote, and Rich's @richwmn version better. I had heard the story about the Kansas editor, and in journalism classes we were taught if you can say it in ten words or in one word, choose the one word. We'll pass on the meal and the drink. I would like to try the wine, but not at that price. We have been to Monaco many times, and visited the casino on our first visit. @Sharon in AZ Sharon and @TiogaCruiser Laura, I hope you do not have too much trouble getting to FLL, and the Palm Beach option sounds good. @mamaofami Carol, I hope you get a good report from the cataract surgeon. @smitty34877 Terry, I also enjoy sitting outside on nice days and reading. It's very relaxing. @cruising sister Lorraine, those suitcases look interesting. I hope you let us know how well they work. @Vict0riann Ann and @ger_77 Gerry, my plants also grow in spite of me. I call it benign neglect. @ger_77 Gerry, I'm glad you had a good time with the little ones and are now safely home. I'm sorry you wound up with strep throat, but glad the medicine worked quickly. @aliaschief Bruce, thanks for the memes and the pictures from the Canal. Lenda