Quartzsite Cruiser

I thought I remembered that the priest was convicted and sent to prison, but since I was not sure, I decided not to say that. It's interesting that DH, DD, and I were at the rail watching as the tugboat approached and until it left. We never saw the chief engineer getting on the tugboat, or someone on a stretcher being carried on the tugboat. Until I looked for my pictures, I'd forgotten I had a couple that included the priest. I just looked at the pictures again, and there are none with anyone else boarding. BTW, I never posted any pictures from that day before this thread. We may have met, but it was not on the tour you mentioned. We heard there were problems with the Chinese officials on the tour. But then, the officials gave Peter Harris trouble in just about every port in China.

Melisa, I'm glad I could add a different perspective. Sometimes, it takes someone who's not so close to a situation to see another point of view. Lenda

Good evening. This afternoon the thermometer read 98F, but by the time we took our nightly golf cart ride, it was pleasant out. I'm glad your DD is safe after the earthquake. I saw video of the quake, and I feel for those caught in it. Vanessa, we also hope the screws solve the leak problem. 🤞 The next step if that doesn't fix it would be to open up the cieling to try to determine where the water is getting in. I only want to open the ceiling when the leak is fixed and we're ready replace the insulation and wallboard. Ann, I'm enjoying the installments about your trip. You can't really see Alaska unless you also see at least part of the interior. Lenda

Bruno, thanks for stopping by and for the update on Dear Dad. As others have found, take care of yourself too, and take breaks when needed. An aide, maybe not every day, but for several hours to a couple of days a week could give you the time to take care of yourself. I just realized that no one has posted pictures of Florence. I guess all those who posted their pictures last year, are not here today. I went through my pictures of the days we actually visited Florence instead of touring Tuscany. After our day in Florence in 2016, we decided the crowds were just getting too big. My pictures are a collection from our visits in 2001, 2002 and 2016. I'll begin with the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Flore, also know as the Duomo, and the Baptistry. The Basilica di Santa Croce di Firenze, which has the tombs of many famous Italians or at least monuments to them. A replica of Michelangelo's David and another statue outside a church near the Uffizi Gallery, and the gallery. Ponte Vecchio Looking toward the Uffizi Gallery from the Pone Vecchio In 2001, we took a ships tour to Florence as it was our first visit to the city. The tour buses were not allowed in the main tourist area. We had to board these little buses to go from the parking lot into the main area. Lenda

On several of our visits to Livorno, we have rented cars are toured the countryside of Tuscany. These pictures are from visits to three different towns in the area. We visited Lucca in 2004 while on Noordam III. The two of the gates to the walled city. Inside the walls In 2008 while on the Prinsendam, we drove to San Gimignano, which is known for it's square towers. This is the Piazza del Duomo An interesting building in the Pizza del Cisterna The countryside west of San Gimignano with the town in the background of one picture. Our final stop that day was Volterra, which sits on top of a hill as the name implies. It is a climb from the parking garage to the main part of the town. The first picture is Volterra from the highway. We found the best gelato in a small shop on one of the narrow streets. Lenda

Jacqui, sorry about the appliance gremlin attacking your freezer. Hope the fix is easy and good that you have the extended warranty. Good news that the Junior Cat ate on her own. Glad she is doing better. Susan, glad today is a better day. I'd already decided to not get the flu shot and the next booster at the same time. Thank you, Graham. Fred, I agree, the Livorno port is a busy, working port. Fortunately, there is a shuttle into town, especially since the ships are docking at at portion of the port further from town. Lenda

Roy, as far as we know, it wasn't the official priest. Accodimg to the article in the Times Digest and what Captain Peter Harris told us, the priest was from LA. He was wanted by the authorities in a pedophile case, and he was on the ship fleeing to Japan. We're not sure what finally happened to the priest.

This is what I posted on March 19, 2021, when Livorno was the port of the day. I did not post pictures of Florence that day or today, since other's have posted their pictures of the city. We've been to Livorno seven times and missed it once due to wind. In 2001, we took a tour to Florence and Pisa. Walking into Pisa from the parking lot was one of those moments where it was better than expected, with the Baptistry, Church and Tower backed by a clear blue sky. After that, we have done our own thing, renting cars most times. In 2002, on the Noordam, the Leaning Tower had just opened to visitors, With the suggestion from the port guide, Barbara H, we left the ship early. In fact, we were the first ones off the ship, even before the ship was cleared. The Security Officer told the gangway crew to let us leave since he knew us. They were still getting everything set up for the day. We found a taxi to take us to the train station, but he said he could get us to Pisa quicker, and on the way to the Leaning Tower, she showed us the train station in Pisa. We were at the ticket office by 7:30 am and had tickets for the 8 am climb. Your are allowed 35 minutes to go up and back. Here are a couple of different views of Pisa. This is one of the anchors cables attached to the tower in the latest attempt to straighten the tower. IIRC, it did pull it back several degrees and concrete was poured under the foundation of the raised area. In 2001, the tower was closed because of the anchors and the correction being made to the lean. After 9/11 when the tourist levels fell, the tower was opened for tours to help bring the tourists in. In 2016, on the Prinsendam, we rented a car and drove to Florence and then to Sienna. This is what I call the $120 picture. We were driving through the walled part of Sienna, not knowing we were not supposed to be there. A year later, the day before we were leaving for another long Pdam cruise, we got a letter from Italy, that was a fine for driving in a no auto area. The funny thing was, I got the ticket even though DG was driving, since my name was on the rental agreement. This is the cathedral in Sienna. In 2019, on the Veendam, we were in Livorno three times. Since we had never really explored Livorno, we decided to stay in town that year and avoid the crowds in Florence. The first day, we took the Ho-Ho and visited the village of Santuario al Montenero, by funicular which was included in the Ho-Ho ticket. The next two stops there, we rode the local bus, stopping once at the beach. At several areas of the beach you have to pay to get in, but we found a nice place where we could sit and get a coke. Livorno is not a tourist town, but we still managed to enjoy the days there, since they were slow paced and we could take it easy. Lenda

Good morning from sunny, warm and breezy central Texas. There is not much on the agenda today, so it may be another lazy day like yesterday. We watched the Texas Longhorns game last night. After losing by one point to #1 Alabama last week, the Longhorns moved up to #21. At the beginning of the game last night, it looked like UT San Antonio might win, but UT out played them in the second half, and the Horns beat the Roadrunners 42-20. 🤘 Some good news this morning, we received an email from the people who will replace the screws in our metal roof. They have a change in their schedule, and wanted to know if first thing tomorrow was all right to do the job. When I emailed them back, I ask just what time "first thing" tomorrow was. It turns out, their idea of first thing in the morning is earlier than ours, and they'll be here at 7:15 am. I can be up by then, but I'm not sure about DH. Hopefully, replacing the screws will solve our leak problem. As far as national cheeseburger day, we celebrated a couple of days early since cheeseburgers were our dinner Friday night. I value my women friends and hope I'm appreciated as a wife. The Oscar Wilde quote is interesting, but I'm not sure I completely agree with it. Stuffed shells are good, and I make them occasionally. We'll pass on the drink and think about the wine. We have been to Livorno many times, and all but the first time were on BHBs. I'll repost my pictures in a few minutes. @1ANGELCAT I hope you will be able to enjoy your cruise, and not have to cancel. However, you know what you can and cannot do, and I'm sure you will decide what is best for you. And I hope the insurance issue with the doctor is solved soon. @HAL Sailer Melisa, I hope your DSIL gets the results of the full body scan soon. In a way, I can understand her doctor recommending beginning chemo based on what was found during the surgery. This will give them a head start on fighting the cancer, and hopefully slowing or stopping any further spread of cancer cells. I feel so sad for your DH not being able to visit with his sister. @HAL4NOW Have safe if longer drive to the coast today. Thanks for the update on the fire and road closures. You are right, I wouldn't want to be in the path of one of those falling trees. @ottahand7 Loved the picture of the flowers and the butterfly. It's interesting the different versions of the King Ranch Casserole recipe. @cunnorl It sounds like you have everything under control for you long cruise. We like longer cruises and have everything arranged so we don't have to worry when we are away. All our bills are either direct debited from the bank account or charged to a credit card which is debited from the bank account. Since we travel a lot (or did pre-Covid), our mail is sent to a mail forwarding service which will hold the mail as long as needed. Needless to say, after a very long trip, we get a big box of forwarded mail, mostly junk. We no longer have houseplants to worry about, and our neighbor, who has a mowing service, looks after the yard. @rafinmd Roy, sending best wishes to the search and rescue members going to Puerto Rico for their safety. @Crazy For Cats Jake, I think I know who the boss of your house is. 🤣 🐈 @cat shepard Welcome home, Ann. Can't wait to hear about your trip. @lindaler Linda, welcome home. Enjoy your sister's visit to Mobile. Lenda

We were also on that cruise in 2002. There was a crew member reported to injured the night before in the rough seas. That was probably a cover story for the unscheduled stop near Dutch Harbor. DH, our older DD and I were watching when the tugboat pulled along side the Voelndam. We saw an older gentleman step aboard. He was definitely not an officer or injured. The next day in the Times Digest was a small article about a pedophile priest from LA, who was fleeing to Japan, being taken from the Volendam and placed in custody. In his noon announcement Captain Peter Harris admitted they had been caught since they did not edit the Times Digest thoroughly. This was in the article, and the Captain told us that when US law enforcement determined the priest was on board, they requested the ship enter US waters off Dutch Harbor so officials could take him into custody. This picture is of the priest on the tugboat. He is the one with a life vest on the upper deck. The seas were rough enough that for three or four days, the meteal hatches that covered the portholes in our DD's cabin were bolted down. I found a picture of the priest climbing the ladder to the upper deck.

Good morning from partly sunny and windy central Texas. AT 9:30 it was already 79F. and humid. The high today is predicted to be 93F, and we'll stay in the 90s for the next ten days, with a couple of days around 98F. After that, it looks like our highs will be in the upper 80sF. After three busy days, I think today will be an easy one. At least, I hope so. Citizenship and the Constitution are worth celebrating every day. Red pandas are cute, but don't look anything like the giant pandas. Both species of pandas need our help and protection. Margaret Mead was a wise woman, and her quote is very true. We'll pass on the meal, drink and wine. On a tour in Puerto Chiapas, we were treated to a meal at the local church cooked by the church ladies. The main course had mole on it, and I was surprised that I really didn't care for the mole. We have not been to Exmouth, Australia. Maybe we'll get there some day. @rafinmd Roy, I think the ship captains feel the same way about crossing the Pacific in storms. Four years ago tomorrow, we embarked Coral Princess for a circumnavigation of the northern Pacific. We left Kodiak on September 28 heading for Kushiro, Japan, with an expected arrival on October 5. On the crossing, we ran into two typhoons with 90mph winds. We spent several days zig zagging around the northern Pacific to miss the worst of the storms and to keep the ship as steady as possible, which wasn't all that steady. Everyone was glad for a break when we passed through the eye of one of the storms, and the storms were only the beginning of the adventure. We missed Kushiro, which was our refueling port. We made it to Yokohama as scheduled on October 9, only to learn they would not refuel the ship on a Sunday, and the ship did not have enough fuel to reach Osaka two days later. Instead, we anchored in Yokohama Bay for a day, where refueling at anchor was not allowed. So we had a second day in port on October 9. After that, the rest of the trip went as scheduled. @kazu Jacqui, that is great news Air Canada reinstated the flight home. I think you may have turned the corner and now are in for a string of good luck. 🤞 I liked the story of Adam, Eve, the dog and the cat. @dfish Debbie, you may be correct that the son is having trouble letting go of his father's house, or it could be the nitpicking of a lawyer. 😁 I'm glad you now have a closing date. It is interesting about how different agents handle the inspection process. When we sold our house in The Woodlands in 1999, we were there for the inspection, but our agent was not. @smitty34877 Terry, thanks for the update with good news. I'm happy things are much calmer around the house. It's also good news that Tana is resting more comfortably and likes the new aide. I don't think Americans would stand in line that patiently. There'd probably would be fights as people tried to cut in line. I saw where David Beckham stood in the long line waiting his turn and not using his celebrity status to go to the head of the line, a classy act. @Horizon chaser 1957 That is good news the air was clear enough to see the sun rise. I'm glad you got the uninteresting stuff with government agencies out of the way. Thank you for your very clear explanation of the two different types of government. I am familiar with both, but the parliamentary system still confuses me. Lenda

Terri, I'm happy you finally have some good news. Enjoy your anniversary trip next month. You'll come back refreshed, settle into the new tempoary quarters, and be able to tackle the next steps in getting the house better than new. Glad your cousin is coming to give you some ideas about fixing and decorating the house. Lenda

Melisa, I do use the name brand ones. Others would probably work, but I've not tried them. I also get the original version, which I don't find very spicy. DH likes spicer than I do, but the original works well with the other ingredients. I guess it depends on your individual spice tolerance. Lenda

One quick note about the King Ranch Casserole, it's really hard to mess it up. The other day I forgot to put the cheese layer between the layers. When I realized my error. I put one layer of cheese on top, then the tomatoes and green chiles, and finished with the remaining cheese. I thought it made it better. Also, I had two cans of cream of chicken with mushroom soup I needed to use. I used the two cans and it was still good, but I won't go out of my way to repeat that. Lenda

Vanessa, I'm glad you had a good time visiting with your friends and enjoying the outdoors. I'm just sorry they had to leave early because of rental car issues. BTW, I'm not fond of black olives, or any olives, but I can tolerate a few black olives. That's why I limit it to one small can in the recipe. 😄 Ray, I'm glad all is going well after Sara's cataract surgery. I hope the syringe feeding with the special food goes well, and helps the Junior Cat feel better soon. Now it's time to go relax with my book after a busy day. Lenda

That's good to know, but still, that is a long time to stand in line for a few very brief minutes to view the Queen's coffin. Lenda

Wow. I can't imagine standing in line that long for anything, no matter how much I admired the Queen. Lenda

@HAL Sailer Melisa, and for anyone else who is interested, this is the recipe I use. KING RANCH CHICKEN 7-9 oz. crushed tortilla chips (taco flavor ok) 1 lb. grated cheddar cheese 1 lb. chicken pieces cooked, boned, diced (reserve broth) 1 can cream of mushroom soup 1 can cream of chicken soup 1 soup can chicken broth 1 can (16 oz.) tomatoes and green chilies, un drained 1 chopped onion 1 chopped green pepper 1 small can sliced ripe olives, drained (optional) 1-2 small cans green chilies (optional) Layer ½ of chips in bottom of a 9x13 casserole, then ½ of chicken. Mix together mushroom soup, chicken soup, broth, green pepper, and onion. Spread ½ the mixture in the casserole. Sprinkle with ½ the cheese. Repeat for second layer, pour tomatoes and green chilies over the last soup and top with cheese. Bake at 300oF for 1 hour uncovered. Over the years, older DD and I have tweaked the original recipe. We added the chilies and olives. Later, we decided to leave the green chilies undrained , to add more flavor. Once, I tried using diced jalapenos, but this made it too spicy for some of us. This time, I used two cans of green chilies and two cans of tomatoes and green chilies, which added to the flavor. Younger DD taught me a short cut. Instead of layering the chicken separately, mix it in with the soup, water and veggies. I also usually can only find an 11 ounce bag of tortilla chips, and I use them all. Enjoy! Lenda

Good afternoon. The yard was finished in just under two hours since there were no interruptions and no stops to wait for batteries to recharge. We bought an additional battery last week for that reason. However, I really goofed. Not remembering the mower was set lower than in the past, and that the ground had shrunk during the drought, I tried to mow over a sprinkler head. Tried is the operative word since I broke the sprinkler head off the pipe going into the main line in the ground. 😱 I've seen DH replace the sprinkler heads many times, so I decided I would tackle the job. It didn't go quite as planned. But what does? 😉 First, the tool that goes in the pipe to unscrew the fitting didn't go in far enough and I couldn't get the pipe fitting to break loose. About that time DH came out to see what I was up to, and he wound up having to help. Somehow, between the last time I had the tool in the pipe and the next time, a small rock had lodged in the pipe. Between the two of us, we got it out and the broken pipe. The new sprinkler head is installed and working. There is another one that needs replacing. It's working, but since I bumped it (twice) with the mower wheel, it is loose and leaking. That is a job for another day. Melisa, I will gladly share my King Ranch Chicken recipe, but I'll do it in another post, so this one isn't too long. It is easy to make and makes enough for several meals. After the first dinner, I divide the rest into to portions that are enough for two for one meal. I freeze what I am not going to use within a few days. The frozen servings are easy to reheat in the microwave. Carolyn, have a good time this weekend with the DGS. I hope the little one isn't too sore. I hope the traffic on I-90 isn't too bad. Graham, thanks for the pictures of her family standing guard by the Queen's coffin. I read this morning the line was 4.4 miles long, and they had stopped more people from joining the line. Lenda

Good morning from central Texas where there is a very light breeze and clouds. I hope the clouds do not clear until after I finish trimming and mowing the yard. I salute the American Legion and all veteran organizations. We used to collect rocks and polish them, and we still have one jar of polished rocks. A salute to step families, especially those like Terry's @smitty34877 who make it work. Both our fathers remarried after our mothers died, but we were grown and already married. My stepmother was a wonderful woman who took wonderful care of my father. Today's quote is interesting but confusing. We'll pass on the meal since the presentation with the whole fish is off putting. We'll also pass on the drink and the wine. We have been through Drake's passage and by Cape Horn twice. The first was on Noordam III in 1999 where the water was almost glassy. In 2015 on Ruby Princess, it was very rough. @dish Debbie, you deserve a day off. Enjoy your clean house. @kazu Jacqui, what a wonderful gesture by the dealership and Hyundai to pick up the tab for the repairs. There are still some businesses that put customers and loyalty first. @StLouisCruisers Sandi, hope the appointment goes well and you get the appointments for the crowns soon. @smitty34877 Terry, I'm glad that the talk around the dinner table helped and things were better yesterday. I hope I'm not butting in, but I wonder if a few sessions for the entire family with the counselor provided by hospice would help with better understanding and dealing with the stress and all the issues. I am happy everyone was willing to work together. @aliaschief Bruce, safe travels today and have a great visit with the granddaughters. @ottahand7 Thanks for the lovely pictures of your garden. This is what I posted last December. Here are a couple of pictures of our 2015 visit to Cape Horn on the Ruby Princess. We were supposed to sail around the island, but the weather was extremely bad and the seas were so rough, the Captain decided to stay behind the island in the calmest area. I think Sandi, @StLouisCruisers, will agree that he made the correct decision since we'd had two days of extremely rough seas between Cape Horn and The Falkland Islands. In the first picture of the lighthouse, you can see how the flag is blowing in the wind. The second picture shows the rough seas and the waves crashing on the shore. In 1999, the crew on the Noordam III couldn't believe how calm the seas were. That was the only time that season they'd had calm seas. Lenda

One thing I like about King Ranch chicken is that we can get five dinners out of one cooking. It's one of the recipes than can be tweaked a little. Lenda

Wow, that is a big tree. I'm glad it did not hurt any one. Terri, I'm glad you safely navigated the house, and rescued the things from the bathroom. I agree with the advice not to cash the check. It's probably their first offer which they hope you'll take. It the contractor is willing to handle it, it's a good idea to do so. He's probably handled a lot of insurance claims. Lenda

That is good news that your DM is in her new home and that she likes it. It was nice that the entire family helped with the move. Lenda

Congratulations, Debbie. Relax and celebrate tonight, and hopefully tomorrow they'll accept the offer on the house in Midland. I hope the Junior Cat is better soon. It's always a worry when our fur babies Ares sick. Lenda

Good afternoon. The house is clean, but not spotless. I get the basics clean and any areas that are noticeable, but only once in a great while will I tackle some of the more hidden areas. One load of towels is put away, and the cleaning towels are in the dryer. I was really impressed today by Costco. When I ordered the velvet hangers, I didn't know how many I would need. Since we could order up to 500 (I knew I didn't need that many) and they were on sale, I ordered 200. Once I started switching the hangers out, I realized I would only need 100 here and in Quartzsite. Their on-line return process was easy. UPS picked up the box yesterday afternoon, and the refund is already on the credit card. That's the quickest refund we've every gotten. @smitty34877 Terry, I'm glad the aide seems to be very good. It was probably a very good idea for everyone, including Tana, to talk things over and clear the air. I hope the changes going forward will help ease the bad tempers. Sending positive thoughts for the whole family that things will improve on every level. I hope everyone can manage some "me" time. @HAL Sailer Melisa, I'm so very sorry your DSIL did not feel like even a short visit. I can't imagine how very hard it is for your DH to want to be with his sister at this time. I hope you can visit soon. @Seasick Sailor Joy, what a great picture. Are the other men jealous that "Tina" always sits in Allen's lap? 😄 @JazzyV Vanessa, I hope you enjoy your visit with your friends from Arizona. @1ANGELCAT The Oley Fair sounds interesting, especially without the midway and commercial booths. We lived in PA for five years, and I wondered why we had not heard of it. I looked it up and discovered it is near Reading, and we lived in Kemblesville, just across the DE state line off Rte. 896. @durangoscots Susan, I'm glad you got a good rain yesterday, and the added bonus that the roof did not leak. Wanting to see what happens with another rain makes sense. @ottahand7 Sloppy joes do sound good, but tonight we are having leftover King Ranch casserole, sorta Mexican food. Lenda