Quartzsite Cruiser

A little while ago, I remembered that we had been to Corinto four times. It was in 2014 on Veendam, that we did the tour to Leon. In 2015, we did a tour to the Fore de Cana rum distillery while in Corinto. It was an interesting tour. I looked for my pictures of the tour, but the file for Corinto that day was empty. My best guess is they were also in the group that were deleted from my iPad when it was updated with a faulty update. When we were there in 2020, there was no mention of the school or about bringing school supplies. I'm not sure what the situation is now. Vanessa, I hope stopping the cholesterol helps with the muscle aches. Lenda

Roy, I'm glad you have noticed some improvement. Several years ago, our DSIL who was in his 30s at the time and in good shape, had pneumonia. It took him quite some time to fully recover and get his stamina back. It sounds like you are headed in the right direction now, so just hang in there, and take it easy. Graham, thanks for your nice comments. I'm glad my pictures and comments can help you decide about various ports. We have been lucky to have been able to make something good out of even the less desirable ports. There are only a few we really have not desire to see again, but we wouldn't not take a cruise because of one bad port. We could always make that day a "sea" day. That's good news you got your cholesterol under control with diet. Annie, congratulations on a good week for sales even if it didn't seem that way during the week. Rich, your story proves, it really is a small world. Edi, sorry you will need surgery to repair the valve. Maybe, they can work around the cruise so you don't have to cancel. Lenda

We have been to Corinto and to Leon. Our first stop was in 2015 on Statendam. One time to Leon was enough, as there is not much to see. In 2020, we stayed in Corinto both times on our b2b Panama Canal cruise. Corinto is not the greatest port, but we felt safe, and the people are friendly. We took one of the bicycle taxis for a tour of the town, then walked around a little. The stop of the west bound portion of the cruise was on a day the town was having a fiesta, which we found interesting. You can call me odd, but I actually enjoyed Corinto more than I did Leon. You just need to remember that Nicaragua is a very poor country. I think HAL and other cruise lines stop there to help boost the economy. These are some pictures from Leon. You could go on the roof of the church, which DH did, but I stayed in the square which was hot. To walk around the roof on the path that was laid out, you had to take your shoes off. Our last stop on the tour was the steaming mud pots with the volcano in the background. These are some pictures from Corinto. Both days, we were only off the ship a little more than an hour. The local church Some of the local vendors during the fiesta. Lenda

Good morning from a cloudy, but not windy central Texas. The sun is trying to break through the clouds. I'm beginning to sound like a broken record with our weather. It's 42F and will get to 56F this afternoon, but the overnight low will be 34F. There will also be wind this afternoon. While I have awkward moments, I don't want to celebrate them. After having two wonderful DDs, the Goddess of Fertility moved on. I'll honor all those who have made the supreme sacrifice. I like today's quote. Albert Einstein was a wise man. I like the KISS principle --Keep It Simple, Stupid. We'll pass on the meal since DH is not fond of lamb. We'll also pass on the drink and the wine, even though the wine is finally a reasonable price. We have visited Corinto at least three times on BHBs. I'll post my pictures shortly. Some of you may remember when Captain Albert was on the Statendam, the ship adopted a local school. They gave the school enough paint to paint the school and other supplies to help improve the school After waiting to see if the parents and teachers would work to improve the school, they continued giving supplies to the school. Some of the painters and other crew members helped paint the only school with HAL blue. We drove by the school on out bicycle tour of Corinto, but I couldn't get a picture of the it. The ship and passengers collected school supplies for the children, but ran into problems with customs. They invited the kids on board for lunch, and gave each one a backpack with school supplies, IIRC. In 2020, the were still having some kids and their families on board after the welcome dance performance. @StLouisCruisers Sandi, as far a the weather jinx in Texas for your DS, the only problem with summer is the heat and occasional thunderstorms. @smitty34877 Terry, I'm glad they made the arrest before the parade. I'm glad the aide is working out, and hopefully their professionalism will help both Tana and the aide overcome the emotional issues. @seagarsmoker and @DWAliaschief BON VOYAGE! Lenda Wow! I can't believe I actually made the first page.

I'll pass on the taste test. 🤣 Lenda

Paul, thank you for the link. It's an interesting article. I bet if the family had kept off social media the state would have been none the wiser. Nutria are also in south east Texas, and they are considered a nuisance. When we lived in The Woodlands north of Houston, there was a family of nutria in the pond at the country club building. Lenda

Brenda, thanks for the pictures. We enjoyed our day in Kyoto. Thank you, Graham Terry, your DS certainly can keep a secret. What an honor for the band. Sandi and Gerry @ger_77 while I thought the quote was a little weird and referred to another time, I also thought it was funny. RNB, I'm sorry you had to cancel your cruise. I respect your wishes to not go into details, but I sincerely hope it is nothing very serious and that everything turns out well and soon. People will always find a way to get around edicts they don't like. The bakery was very clever. Bruce, another cutie. I can see imp written all over her face. 😉 Lenda

Evidently, I never got around to posting my Kyoto pictures on February 1, 2022. I did post them on May 24, 2021. Here is the link to the 5/24/21 Daily where Osaka was the port of the day. Here are some of my pictures of Kyoto. These are the two trains we rode. I did not get any pictures inside the first train, but it was crowded. It looks like there were six others in our car on the bullet train. Scenes as we walked to the temple. Pictures from the temple. Sorry, I don't remember which temple out of the many temples in Kyoto we visited. A view of Kyoto from the temple. The street leading to the temple Kyoto Station, where ironically, we found some very good Chinese food for lunch. Kyoto as seen from the train station Lenda

We have been to Osaka twice, and missed the port in 2018. In 2000, it was the disembarkation port for a trans Pacific cruise. We did not see much of the city, as we were taken to hotel before our late afternoon flights, and were stuck in a banquet room. We were there for a long day in 2002 on the APEC cruise on Volendam. We covered a lot of ground that day. Early that morning, we took the train to Kyoto and spent several hours walking around and touring one of the many temples there. We took a local train to Kyoto, which was very interesting. We took the bullet train back to Osaka, and our car was mostly empty. What a difference! I'll post the Kyoto pictures in another post. These first pictures were taken as we walked back from the train station. It was a grey day and very polluted. The giant Ferris wheel as seen from Volendam. It was the first large one we saw. Back on board, we had dinner in the Lido, which at that time, you picked up your appetizer and salad, then placed your order which was cooked and delivered to your table. After dinner we walked over to the aquarium and went through it. The aquarium is multi-storied. You take an elevator to the top, and begin walking down a gently sloped ramp that circles a very, very large tank. As you descend, the sea life changes from fish that live near the surface to the denizens of the deep. This is the outside of the aquarium. Lenda

Good morning from a mostly sunny and very windy central Texas. It is 42F, but feels a lot colder with the wind chill. We should be in the mid-50s this afternoon, and in he 50s and 60s for the next week. I will celebrate all the days, but I won't be cooking corned beef and cabbage, which I have done in years past. This year, we will be having Rueben sandwiches for dinner, so the corned beef and cabbage will be present. Not only have we been in several of the Atlantis submarines, we took their deep water submarine in Grand Cayman down to about 1000 feet. It is an entirely different world down that deep. If you ever want to take the former research sub, be sure you are with someone you know very well. The two passengers sit in the front and are very close together with the captain behind them. Although I was not a Camp Fire girl, I will celebrate the good work they do. Today's quote is weird and is definitely from an earlier time. DH likes halibut and would enjoy the meal, while I would probably cook a piece of salmon for me. We'll pass on the drink, but would love to try the wine if not for the price. We have been to Osaka twice. The first time was at the end of a cruise on the old Regal Princess in 2000. All we got to see of Osaka was from the bus and the windows in the hotel where they stashed us until time for our flights. In 2002, on the Asia Pacific Explorer Cruise on Volendam, we had a long day and a late night in Osaka. We looked around the town, took the train to Kyoto and visited the aquarium that night. I'll repost my pictures in a little while. @Crazy For Cats Jake, I'm sorry your stop in Saint John was canceled. I hope you get there in July. @aliaschief Bruce, I hope your DW enjoys her sisters cruise. Loved the memes. @summer slope Great news about the FCC for your DH. @dfish Debbie, my first thought was a bear was casing the place. Glad the patch helped. I hope the parathyroids don't hide this time. @cruising sister Cute kids, Lorraine. @marshhawk Annie, I don't blame you for cutting your hours back with all the frustration of an non-working phone system. @Cruzin Terri Terri, I'm glad that your DH is all right today and just has a little pain in his hip. @Lady Hudson Katherine, I'm glad your cruise is going well. I'm sorry your DH fell, and I can only imagine how scary that was for his caretaker. Glad he wasn't hurt. @StLouisCruisers Sandi, thanks for finding the other link to Osaka. I guessed there was one, but didn't have time to look for it. @rafinmd Roy, Osaka is at the head of Osaka Bay, and Kobe on is the north side of Osaka Bay. Kyoto is northeast of Osaka on the southern end of Biwa Lake. @kochleffel Paul, thanks for the information about the muskrat dinners. I agree with the Bishop of Lansing, that those who eat the muskrats are doing a big penance. In south Texas, the semi-aquatic animal is the Nutria, but I don't think many people eat them. Nutria look similar to the muskrat. @ottahand7 Nancy, enjoy your last day on board. I hope the patient will be all right. @RedneckBob Hope you have a great cruise. Lenda

A quick good morning, and HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY before I run some errands. Osaka was the port of the day at least once on February 1, 2022. You can go to Kyoto from there. I think you can also go to Kobe from Osaka. Here is the link to Rich's @richwmn post. Lenda

Good late evening. Again, we lucked out, and all the really bad weather was north and east of us. We are getting wind, but nothing we haven't gotten in the past. Karen, great news that you got a good report from the doctor, and even better that you don't have to see him for a year. Debbie, this is a red letter day for you. Tax assessment lowered, the insurance company reversed the denial, and better than expected results after doing your taxes. Did you consider buying a lottery ticket? Ann, loved the video of Oskar running on the beach. Carolyn, it's always a good day when you walk out of the dentist office only needing to have your teeth cleaned. Thank you, Graham. Terri, I'm sorry your DH fell in the bathtub. I hope the worst thing is an injured pride, and that he is all right in the morning. Did he grab the shower curtain to try to stop his fall, and instead, pulled it and the shower rod down with him? I hope all this is over soon, and your lives return to normal soon. I hope you both can get some rest tonight. Lenda

Susan, that is a sight I would have loved to see. It sounds like a three ring circus. Lenda

Sam is a very handsome dog, and obviously, a lap dog wanna be. He is very lucky that you rescued him. Lenda

Before I add some afternoon laughs, I am not trying to compete with our Meme Expert, Bruce @aliaschief. I already had these picked out and ready to post. Lenda

Good morning again. While it looks like it's been raining, but it really is just heavy mist There is still not enough to show on the digital rain gauge. I've finally gotten the few chores done and read the Daily. I hope everything I do today is right, but watching what I'm typing, so far that's not happening. I just hope I catch all my typos. Freedom of information is very important. I love the giant pandas, and IIRC, we saw them in the National Zoo many, many years ago. The Oscar Wilde quote is typical of him. I think it was the quote of the day once before. Whole chicken cooked in the slow cooker is an interesting idea, but we like crispy skin, so I guess I'll keep cooking it in the oven, but not today. Before the forecast changed from rain and highs in the 60s to rain and a high of 78F, I took the last of the chili out of the freezer. Tonight it will be chili and cornbread muffins. We'll pass on the drink and the wine, although DH likes tequila. DH reminded me we were also in Coquimbo in 2001, but at that time I was still using a film camera. @StLouisCruisers Sandi, I don't know what computer you have, but Microsoft updates and my Sony don't work well together at times. After an update, it will stop working due to an error, but doesn't restart again because it tells me it can't find the operating system. It will restart on the third try after two forced shutdowns. It's annoying, but at least now, I can pretty well predict when it will happen. @seagarsmoker Safe travels tomorrow. Have a great cruise on the NS @cat shepard Ann, great memes today. @GTVCRUISER Loved the Irish toast. @kazu Jacqui, I'm glad you made it to your therapy session yesterday and to the store. Sorry about the garage, but a little paint can work wonders. I hope the surgeon gives you the ok to drive. @rafinmd Roy, thanks for the pictures of the Tololo Observatory. If we every get back to Coquimbo, I think we'd like to visit the observatory if it would be doable in a day in port. @kplady Laura, have a safe flight to Auckland and on to Melbourne. Enjoy your cruise on Grand Princess. @smitty34877 Terry, I hope there is nothing seriously wrong with the site where the cyst was lanced. @dfish Debbie, good luck with the battles of the tax assessment and the insurance denial after the fact. Because we travel extensively (before 2020 lockdown) and have a place in Texas and Arizona, we opted for traditional Medicare and a supplemental policy, which we pay for. We also got the top supplement, which is not offered now, but we're grandfathered. This past year with all the tests, scans, surgeries and doctor visits, we have not had to have preapprovals nor have we had claims denied. With all the stress, it was worth the money to not have to worry about fighting an insurance company too. @cruising sister Wow, Lorraine, Ruby is beautiful. That is my favorite red for a car. I also loved my Mustang GT 5.0. @durangoscots Susan, I'm glad your are feeling better today. If you're like me, you'll feel better when the house is "under control" again, but I am glad you will allow time to rest too. @Heartgrove Jack, I'm so sorry Sam is having more down days lately. Do they give dogs steroid injections for hip problems? It will be hard seeing him needing more and more help, but I know you will do what is best for Sam no matter how difficult it is for you. @Cruising-along Carolyn, I hope neither you or your DH have any surprises at the dentist. Lenda

Good morning from a very cloudy central Texas. It is currently 60F with a predicted high of 78F. After today, it will be back to the 50s and 60s for the next week to ten days, with our spring winds. We got a little rain last night, but not enough to measure, and more rain is in the forecast. We have some weather advisories, but I suspect they are more for the DFW area north of us. The skies in my pictures of Coquimbo look a lot like our skies today. I'll repost some pictures from Coquimbo when we were there in 2015 on the Ruby Princess. We did a tour that had an over view of Coquimbo, and took us to La Serena where we visited a Pisco vineyard and distillery, and then to Vicuna. Coquimbo La Serena and the Pisco vineyard Vicuna An interesting tree sculpture The ship "graveyard" from our balcony Now, I'll read the Daily and be back in a little while. Lenda

That has not stopped Half Moon Cay being the port on the last sea day of the cruise in the past. Lenda

Good afternoon. The clouds are moving in and the windy is still blowing. It is 66F, so I will take my walk when I finish here. Tomorrow is supposed to be rainy, so I better take my walk today whether or not I want to. The blue bubbles are definitely brighter and easier to see, but as far as I'm concerned, the jury is still out on the new color. There are times the brighter bubbles seem to dominate the post and draw my eye away from the text. Maybe there is a middle ground between the old bubbles and the new ones. Ann, I hope Pat gets a good report from the doctor next week, and you get to go on your cruise. I can certainly understand your frustration betting things organized for the trip. Thank you for your pictures of Adelaide. Roy, I'm very happy the podiatrist was pleased with your progress. It's always nice when you can get in and out of the doctor's office before the appointment time. Susan, I'm happy your are feeling better and able to eat normal food. I also understand wanting to tackle chores, but you are wise to do just a few things then take it easy. Glad you were able to get out with the dogs for a bit this morning. Sharon, as I said, I didn't want to scare you, but the situation with our friend was scary for a while. I hope the doctor will have some suggestions for your DH, and does the doctor know how long the CPAP has been in the closet? Lenda

Karen, that is really good news. I know you both will be happy to have him home again. Charlene, thanks for the pictures of Adelaide. Brenda, those are beautiful flowers. Sharon, your mother is lucky to have you help her. I don't want to be an alarmist, but we have a good friend who gave up on his CPAP for several years, then ran into some serious issues. He now has a APAP machine, and is using it after the scare. I hope your DH's doctor is monitoring him closely. Lenda

Good morning from central Texas where the temperature is 53F and going to 68F this afternoon. As usual, it's windy with a mix of clouds and sun. I think I'd rather celebrate the Ides of March than today's days. Buzzards do play and important role in our ecology, and the number of turkey vultures in our area has risen substantially in the past few years as the roadkill count has risen. It's not often I'm dumbstruck, and I hope I'm not wrong in what I think. Today's quote is true, and it's sad that sometimes we don't realize how wonderful our life is until later. We'll pass on the meal since neither of us is fond of curry or coconut in most dishes. We'll pass on the drink and the wine. I wish we had been to Adelaide. Maybe, we'll get there some day. @StLouisCruisers Sandi, congratulations to Ren on getting a place on the Dallas soccer team. I was wondering if Ten's friend Colton had gotten an offer, and while I'm pleased he's accepted the offer from the Colorado team. I'm sorry he and Ren won't be together in Dallas. I'm sorry about your bump in the night. @cat shepard Ann, I'm glad the wind didn't keep you away from the beachfront winery until after sunset. @ottahand7 Nancy, what sad news about the band member dying. Our condolences and thoughts are with his family, along with condolences to the crew and passengers. @superoma Eva, I'm glad your family is feeling better, and that your DGS could go to class last night. @ger_77 Gerry, I hope your DH's appointment goes well, and that the respirologist has a solution to the mask problem. @Cruzin Terri Terri, I'm glad you are feeling better. I suspect it was a stomach bug not the wrong medicine that cause the problem since it was quite some time after the incident that you got sick. I'm glad the bathroom is coming along, but sorry they have to redo part of the shower tile. I hope your DH's blood work for next week's physical is good. @marshhawk Annie, I hope the work situation turns out well for you, and you have less stress. @kazu Jacqui, I hope your absence so far this morning means you are at your physical therapy session, and that the news is good. Lenda

Good evening after a long afternoon, but I accomplished what I set out to do. First, I got what I needed at Sam's and Walmart. The washer search was between two models each from two brands. No store had all four models on display. I found three at one store which let me rule out one brand. The one I really wanted was at a different store. After seing it, I began rethinking which one to buy, because the last one would not work as well in the space available. Now, we have three options -- one of two washers or repair our old washer. Decisions, decisions. The good thing is both washers are on sale. Annie, what a mess. I hope it gets straightened out soon, and you can make some sales. Lorraine, that's good news one of your HD's car buddies could help you and Ruby. Jacqui, I hope you can make it to your therapy session and back home safely. If not, could the therapist work you in before you see the surgeon? Susan, I'm glad you are beginning to feel better and to want to eat. It's good news you are still testing negative. Lenda

Annie, good luck with the CYO sales. Karen that's great news that your DH will be going home not to skilled nursing. I'm sure you are very relieved. I'm headed to Waco to look at washers. It is hard to find the ones I want on display in the stores. We'd both like to see them in person before ordering, but that may not be possible. At least, it's narrowed down to a few brands and models. Lenda

Good morning from a gray and wet central Texas. We got some rain overnight, but so far not enough to measure. There may be a few more passing showers. It is currently 41F. and we may reach 57F this afternoon. I will gladly celebrate all three days. Butterflies are interesting to watch. Several years ago, the Monarch butterfly migration came through our yard in Quartzsite, and it was amazing. My father also called butterflies, flutterbies. Potato chips go well with sandwiches and hamburgers. PI day is interesting, and we'd also celebrate with a pie if we weren't still working on birthday cake. George Gershwin's quote is good, and improvising does add zest to life. Since we had meatloaf last week, we'll skip the Paleo meatloaf today. I make meatloaf using my mother's recipe which calls for broken crackers instead of breadcrumbs. We'll also pass on the drink, but would love to taste the wine, if only it wasn't so pricey. We have not been to Kangaroo Island, but would love to see it someday. @StLouisCruisers Thanks for the waterfall picture. BTW, it is possible to eat just one potato chip, especially if you are bribed. I took an advertising class at UT during the height of the "Bet you can't eat just one" ad campaign. About once every two weeks, the professor would hand two potato chips to four or five students. We were told we could eat one, and if we still had the other chip at the end of the class, he'd take us to the Union for coffee. So there we sat through the entire class with one potato chip sitting on the desk begging to be eaten. @grapau27 Graham, thank you for all the lovely pictures from your recent trip, especially the lovely one of Pauline. We've liked our two stops in Tenerife. @TAW1963 I'm glad you enjoyed your cruise on Ruby Princess. We have sailed a total of 81 days on her and think she is a lovely ship. HAL is our cruise line of choice, but Princess occasionally offers some very unique itineraries. @rafinmd Roy, I don't want to jinx you by saying too much, but I'm happy you are sleeping better. @cruising sister Lorraine, that is good news Subaru agreed to buy the car and that they are offering a good price for the car. I can understand not wanting the car as a constant reminder of your loss especially for your DGS. Hopefully, the deposit for the Legendary Amazon trip in 2025 will come down. That sounds more like the deposit for the world cruise. A suggestion, if Ruby will start take her in to have her battery checked. We've done that at Wal-Mart with a couple of cars when the battery was acting up. This will give you an idea whether or not she needs a new battery. @cat shepard Ann, the one time I tried to give a cat a pill by myself, I felt like your meme afterwards. I'm still not sure if the pill went down or was lost somewhere. @smitty34877 Terry, I'm glad the aide worked out yesterday, and I too hope she's back tomorrow. It must be difficult helping someone you worked with though. Glad DSIL will drive your DH to the doctor's appointment. I hope all goes well for him. @aliaschief More great memes today, Bruce. I hope all goes well at the dentist today. @dfish Debbie, thanks for the definition of the Paleo diet. @superoma Eva, I'm glad your family is beginning to feel better. @ger_77 Gerry, enjoy your breakfast with your former colleagues. @0106 The culinary dinner sounds like the one @marshhawk Annie was asking about. The only one I could think of was the Cellar Master dinner. @kochleffel Paul, we flew through Detroit on Delta with a tight connection that was tighter since our incoming flight was late. Both gates were in the same building and just down the hall from each other. We made the flight and so did our luggage. @ottahand7 Nancy, thanks for the pictures from Dominica. Lenda

@Mr. Boston For your mother. @StLouisCruisers For your DB. Lenda