Quartzsite Cruiser

Good morning from a cool central Texas. Fall is definitely here as our temperature is 53F. It will warm up to about 85F this afternoon. Quite a change from the triple digits in June and July, and the high 90s the past two months. It makes being outside in the afternoon a lot nicer. DH drinks coffee when it's cold outside, but I am not a coffee drinker However, we'll celebrate coffee day. I'm glad to see the old folks have their day, but in my mind I'm not elderly. Frugal fun sounds interesting. Today's quote is also interesting. The meal sounds intriguing, but we'll pass on the drink and the wine. We were in Toulon on July 24, 2019, while on the Veendam. That day we walked into town, then took the little tourist train around part of the town. We also took a city bus out to ride a cable car to the top of a mountain. We stood in line for quite a while, then someone ahead of us checked on the wait times. It would take more than 30 minutes to get to the ticket counter, and then about an hour to reach the gondola. We along with several others turned around and headed back to the bus stop. @grapau27 Graham, I'm pleased that your blood tests were normal, and glad you'll be getting your flu shot and booster next week. @Cat in my lap Safe travels back to Tampa today. I hope you find your place undamaged. @kplady Laura, enjoy your retirement. @Cruzin Terri Terri, that is good news that Ian spared you and that you can go on your trip. Safe travels and have a great time. @ottahand7 I'm happy your friend Frank is making progress. @cunnorl HAPPY BIRTHDAY! to your DH. Hope you can get your appointments rescheduled. I'm glad your friends are all safe, but sorry they will be dealing with damaged homes. @ger_77 Gerry, sorry about your lost earring. I know the feeling only too well. These are a few pictures of our day in Toulon. The area just outside the port. A nice beach with a small fort in the background The promenade along the waterfront There was a market set up in a square on the main road in town The main road, which is a block from the waterfront promenade. Some pictures from the tourist train or from the city bus The view from the area where we waited in line for the gondola tickets. Lenda

DH and I have been following the news about the new ALS drug that was just approved. It made us wonder if the new drug was one of the trials in which @St. Louis Sal was enrolled. It would be wonderful if one of our Dailyites had a part in helping other ALS patients. Lenda

Good to know you arrived home safely after a good time away. I agree, you called it correctly when you canceled your Baltimore trip. Thank you for checking in. and it's good to know your and your condo came through Ian with no damage. I couldn't live for long without power either. Enjoy your cruise(s) and your possible trip to Raleigh. Rebuilding a power grid is a daunting task, and unfortunately, that could take some time. My DF and DH both worked for electric utility companies, so we are familiar with all that is involved. At least, crews from unaffected areas should already be heading to Florida to lend a hand at getting the power grid up and running. Thank you, Jim. We're always glad to be able to share our pictures since that means we've been fortunate enough to visit so many wonderful places. Lenda

Good afternoon, which I hope will be a little less hectic than this morning. When I got up this morning, I was greet with cooler than expected weather. It was 53F this morning, so I waited a bit for it to warm up some before running errands. I did not want to have to breakdown and put on long pants for a couple of hours. After the grocery store, I made banana pudding for dessert, and Watergate salad to go with our collard greens and chicken and dumplings. That's the somewhat healthy meal since tomorrow night we'll be having nachos and cheese dip while we watch the UT v West Virginia game. After last weeks loss, all I can say is GO HORNS! 🤘 I've never had a mud pack, and maybe that's why my face looks well lived in. I wish I could hug our two vegetarians, but younger DD and SO are in Austin. Translators perform a big service. I will also salute Canada's Truth and Reconciliation Day. I wish we had a day like that to acknowledge the wrongs we did to the Native Americans. Today's quote is a good one and true. I might like to try today's meal, but maybe without the fish heads. We'll pass on the drink and the wine. Moet & Chandon Champagne is one of our least favorite ones. @mamaofami 🎂 HAPPY 17TH BIRTHDAY, JARED! 🎈 Carol, I'm glad many of your Florida friends checked into say they are safe. @Heartgrove Jack, I'm sorry you are still fighting with the insurance company about the roof damage from last April. That seems to be what they do best. @Cruzin Terri Terri, I'm happy American Airlines is acting like your flight will be operating. Stay safe until then. @dfish Debbie, I'm going to add my two cents worth, and that's about all it's worth. Our older DD and DSIL used PODS for at least one of their moves and did not have any complaints. It was a local move though. @HAL4NOW Thank you for the latest update on the fire. I like that the contained percentage is going up. @cat shepard Ann, good news that Bindi could go for a walk and stay dry. Thanks for the pictures. @Horizon chaser 1957 I'm glad you are enjoying you stay in Montreal. Thanks for the pictures. @ger_77 Gerry, I'm glad you both will be up to date on your flu and covid shots. Enjoy the warm weather. @Seasick Sailor Joy, I hope your sister recovers quickly from her shoulder surgery. When DH had bone spurs removed, he recovered quickly and was driving in about a month. It's the rotator cuff surgery that's the bad one. @durangoscots Susan, I hope you get good news from your friend in Fort Meyers soon. @HAL Sailer Melisa, what a mess with your friend's house and car. If I'm correct from looking at the picture, DH had a car like that. That's not the way you want it to end up. @Cruising-along Thanks for you pictures from Nemia and Nafplion. @Vict0riann Ann, that New Year's Cruise sounds like a good one. @kazu Jacqui, I'm glad your knee is doing better. @marshhawk Annie, sorry you have to add a new medicine. It's amazing how much heredity plays in our own health. Lenda

A quick good morning from central Texas. It is a busy morning, so I thought I'd drop in to wish everyone good morning and to repost my pictures of today's port. I hope we hear from @MISTER 67 and @jimgev soon and I hope they are safe with no injuries or much damage. I'm so many are checking in and are safe, and their many friends and relatives are safe. I hope everyone still in Ian's path remains safe, too. In 2019, the Veendam took us to Napflion in the Peloponnese. When we couldn't rent a car, we walked around town and then took the Ho-Ho which took us up to the fort overlooking the town. From our walk around town The fort from town and on the hillside. We opted to skip going into the fort. Plus the view of town from the hilltop. Town as seen from the Ho-Ho A smaller fort on the harbor Napflion is an interesting town. There are also several places to visit outside of town including Corinth. I be back to finish reading the Daily after my haircut today. Lenda

The Navigator app works on my LG velvet which is an android phone.

I'm glad you arrived home safely, and that the evacuation level has been lowered. I hope highway 2 remains open. Lenda

We met the OP an anoth3r couple at the first one in March. The other couple was at the second one, but I don't remember seeing the OP there. There was never a good way to figure out the criteria for being invited. I think it depended on how many President's Club members were on the cruise. The number attending seem fairly consistent.

It was correct when we were on Koningsdam last fall and this spring.

Roy, that is good news that your niece and her family are safe. Lenda

That was the one on a later day. The one on the first day is usually for 3*, 4* and 5* mariners, and there is no presentation. The one at the end of the cruise is the one the OP is talking about. Thank you. We're hoping thisn solves all the problems. You're always welcome on the Daily. We always wore the newly awarded medals to the lunch, put them in their boxes in the cabin and then in a drawer in my dresser when we got home. Some people used to bring their latest medal to wear at the reception. The worst was one couple who wore all four of their medals at once. They clanked when they walked.

I like them better too. You get a chance to visit and get to know some of the officers, too. We rarely went to the lunches anyway. It was our understanding the change was Covid related and due to protocols to lessen the spread. All our cruises were on the same ship at two differnt times with two different captains. All the officers and crew were masked for the entire reception.

Debbie, that all sounds good except the moving being expensive. When we moved in 1999, our house sold quickly We moved out in July, and could not get in our new house that was still under construction until the week before Thanksgiving. So all our things were in storage except what we loaded onto the motorhome. We spent part of that time wandering the country, including Alaska, to avoid the Texas summer heat. At least, you, like us, are saving money by doing the packing yourself. I hope there are no problems with the inspection, and glad that your DBIL will be there. Lenda

We used to pre-book, pay and then have to get the discount or the cost for the two free 5* dinners removed from our account. That turned into a hassle even before Covid. Even booking on board, we would sometimes have to get the charges removed. Last fall, we decided to pre-book our specialty dining on b2b2b2b cruises get the day and time we wanted. I spent way too much time at Guest Services on during the first week trying to get the charges removed or discounted. It was so bad, and required multiple trips for each charge, that we canceled the bookings for the remaining weeks. We then booked during each cruise, and while that was better, we still had problems from time to time. When it came time to book for our spring b2b2b2b cruises, we waited until each segment started to book, and had fewer problems. The problems we had, we informed GS through the Navigator app, and they were taken care of quickly.

On our cruises on Koningsdam last year and this spring, there was a small Mariner's reception in one section of the Crow's Nest on each 7 day cruise. The people who were invited were either President's Club members or those with a high number of days. Those people getting their medals were also invited, but had already received their medals. Anyone who wanted to were invited to have their picture with the Captain and the Hotel Director. At the reception, there were drinks and appetizers were offered. There was no lunch. After the Captain's welcome and the introduction of a few Mariner's, the officers circulated and visited with the guests. It was our impression that this scaled down event was due to Covid protocol.

Good afternoon from warm, sunny, windy central Texas. We are home from the pre-op stuff at the hospital. As seems to always be the case, it's hurry up and wait. Our neighbor warned us that it too about two hours, but for us it was about three hours with the MRI thrown into the mix. At least, now, DH is cleared for surgery and given more instructions. The only bad news was that instead of arriving at 6 am, it's now 5:30 am with the surgery at 7am. I guess we'll be leaving at 0 dark 30 that morning. It is good to have so many Floridians checking in. I hope @MISTER 67 and @jimgev are all right and just can't check in due to power outages. @cat shepard Ann, glad you had no damage, and hope that continues when the eye crosses the peninsula. @StLouisCruisers Sandi, I'm glad you DGD and her friend are all right. I imagine the friend's grandmother is glad for company during the storm. @cunnorl Charlene, I'm sorry your nephew's in-laws lost their house, but I'm thankful they had evacuated and are safe. I hope Ian takes his leave of Florida soon. @Cruzin Terri Terri, I hope you and your DH stay safe as Ian moves toward your area, especially now that you are under a hurricane warning. These storms are so unpredictable you always need to be prepared in case they change course or intensity. I liked @rafinmd Roy's suggestion of a anniversary get away to an inland resort if you don't make it out on October 3. It won't be the same, but it might be the break you both need. @ottahand7 Enjoy your get away in New Buffalo. @ger_77 I'm glad you are getting your senior flu shots and boosters. DH has decided to wait until after both surgeries because of the medicines he can and can't take until then. I think I'll wait and get the shots at the same time. We stay pretty much at home, except when I have to run errands. I'm sorry your favorite hotel in Barcelona will be closed when you are there. @Cruise Suzy Thanks for checking in and letting us know you are safe. @smitty34877 Terry, I'm glad all are feeling well, and sending positive thoughts for negative tests tomorrow. I'm glad the new aide is coming back today. Hope your New Hampshire get away next weekend goes well. @Norseh2o I'm glad your DM is settling into her new home and really likes it. @mamaofami Oh no, Carol, about Sam having shingles and having to miss the Rosh Hashanah festivities. I hope all your friends in Florida are safe. I hope your DD is on the mend. That concussion sounds serious. @Cat in my lap I hope your place near Tampa is all right. Safe travels home Saturday if the planes are flying. @Crazy For Cats Jake, I'm sorry you had to cancel your cruise because of DH's work schedule. You do know that work is a 4 letter word. 😈 @HAL4NOW Thanks for the update on the Bolt Creek Fire. Safe travels home, and I hope you find everything all right. @HAL Sailer Melisa, I know it must be a huge relief that your family's home survived Ian's wrath. @bennybear Thanks for more photos from your mountain get away. @Vict0riann Ann, I'm sorry you are feeling bad again. I hope you are better soon. I loved the meme. @JazzyV Vanessa, I'm the eye doctor gave you a good report today. @dfish Debbie, sending positive thoughts for a really, really good inspection next week so you can go to closing. Lenda

Annie, I was not talking about taking a booze cruises. I was answering @Heartgrove Jack's question about Grand Princess' and just mentioned that someone called cruises in Australia booze cruises. If I'm ever on one, I'll avoid the pool area and the bars. 🤣 Lenda

Jack, we have sailed on Golden Princess, a Grand class ship, three times. It's a very nice ship, with plenty of activities day and night. We had one Aussie couple tell us they don't sail out of Oz because the cruises are booze cruises. Not sure what their definition of booze cruises is though. For two nights, it shouldn't be a problem. Lenda

A very early good morning from central Texas. I'm up early since it takes me longer than DH to get ready to leave. We'll be heading out for his tests about 7:30. I will definitely celebrate Maritime Day, but wish we could celebrate it on a BHB. It's been 57 years since I saw a play on Broadway, but loved going to the theaters. Confucius was a wise man. I like the C. S. Lewis quote. We'll pass on the meal and the drink, but the wine sounds nice. I just hope it is not too pricey. @summer slope Again, I'm glad you are safe. Sorry your mango tree fell over, and I hope it can be replanted. @kazu Jacqui, try not to overdo it today with the planters. I'm sorry you had to mention the "S" word. @dfish Debbie, getting a truck for your move is a nice step forward. @*Miss G* I'm glad you made it safely to in spite of a bumpy flight. We visited Majuro on June 6, 2005, on a Islands of the Pacific Theater cruise from Honolulu to Beijing on Pacific Princess. Majuro is a small atoll with some land above sea level. There is not much to see there, but we did find a local tour bus for a short tour. The Marshall Islands are a small republic, but they rely on the US for some things. They also use, or did in 2005, the US Postal Service. Our first stop on our tour was the Peace Park at the other end of the island, Our tour bus Downtown Majuro The Post Office Bikini City Hall. We could not take a boat to Bikini, but they had this building that was part museum. One of the exhibits Pretty flowers everywhere A reminder of the test bombs dropped on Bikini. I hope someone reminds Putin what the nuclear options does. Majuro from the ship. Lenda

Glad you are safe. Thanks for letting us know. I hope the damage is not too extensive and be careful when you go outside. Lenda

Years and years ago when we had cats, they loved catnip. Lenda

Katherine, I'm glad you had the mini-reunion with your DH's family. Sorry to hear that covid is starting again in PA. Charlene, I hope the replacement ports are as good if not better than the ones you lost, The best thing is you will be on a BHB. Stay safe during the storm. Sandi, thanks for the pictures of Nha Trang. It looks like an interesting place. I'm glad the funeral was lovely, and I smiled about "Miss Daisy". Hope your flight is on time and worry free. Enjoy your cruises. The beauty of the two new telescopes that DH is using now is they can be controlled from his tablet or iPad. Not much work involved. I hope your DH gets a good report from his stress test tomorrow. Debbie, thanks for the pictures of the new house. It looks so light and airy, and I guessed it was a mid-century modern. The foot dragging jerk did you and Sue a favor. I can't imagine that the first house was this nice. Gerry, I hope your DH adjusts to the new face mask soon. Thanks for checking in. It's good to know that our Dailyites are weathering Ian safely. Take care. I enjoyed the story about your DF's birthday with the waiter. Hope last night's dinner was as good. Glad you could change your flights to Saturday. I hope your DS is safe at the friend's house. Laura, I hope you have/had a safe flight. Enjoy all your time on BHBs. Looking forward to following along on your blog. Graham, I'm sorry you are having more lesions removed, but I hope he caught them early and before they were malignant. Ann, thanks for sharing all your pictures and the page from Pat's diary. Maybe someday, we'll add that port to the others we visited in Vietnam. Terri, I like your decision to prepare for you trip Saturday. Finger's crossed that by then you will be able to go. 🤞 Thanks for your pictures of the drive in the mountains.. Susan, I'm glad the voodoo doll worked so that @dfish Debbie could get the better house. You might consider keeping the voodoo doll working so that maybe the foot dragger will learn a lesson. 🤣 Jacqui, I agree with your therapist, and think you have thought the cruise through and are prepared. Yes, it will not be the same as previous cruises, but you will be with people and not sitting home feeling sad. Next year, the holidays will have the added memories of a great cruise. Ann, I've enjoyed your saga. Maybe the Junior Cat needs some catnip to improve her mood. Melisa, that is such a sad story. My heart goes out to the wife and her family and friends. Tomorrow will be an early morning, but hot quite as early as we thought. Since it's an hour and a half drive to the hospital where DH will have his pre*opt tests and NRI, he called them to day to see if he could change the time. Now we have to be there at 9:30, not 8:40. The tests will be after the MRI. Lenda

Good afternoon on a busy day on the Fleet/Daily. I have finally read all the posts, and will comment on them in a few minutes. At least, the house is clean and even feels fresh -- for now. The actual work time was the same, but I finished later even though I started earlier. This morning when we went to get out mail, we stopped to see our neighbor who had the first of the two surgeries DH will have. The neighbor's was Monday, and if you didn't know better, you would not know he'd just had surgery. We visited with both hs and his wife. She also told us that the last few days before the surgery he had begun to really struggle to walk. When they got him up to walk that afternoon, she said there was a marked difference. She added that he was walking so fast the two therapists who were walking on either side of him were out of breath when they got back to the room, but our neighbor wasn't. While the surgery is minimally invasive there is a two to three inch incision on the first one and maybe a four inch incision on the second one. Still that's better than our neighbor who had traditional spinal fusion surgery with the screws. The incision went almost the length of her back. Since the surgery DH is having can be done as one operation we wondered why the surgeon does it in two. Our neighbor's wife said she learned that when he did it in two stages he had better success. We get our mail in a cluster box, and many times it has been nearly impossible to get it out of the box. The back opening is bigger than the one we open. Today, we could not get the package out since it was about 1/4 inch or so taller than the opening. DH used his pocket knife to cut the box open so we could remove the contents which was mostly packing,. Then we could flatten it some to get it out. Other neighbors have needed to call the PO to get them to come out and retrieve the mail and bring it to their house. Thank you for checking in with the updates. It's good to know you are still okay, and we hope that continues with this storm too. Stay safe, and don't take any chances. Lenda

YEAH for karma! My first thought was how lucky you and Sue were to find the lovely house you are buying and to be rid of the sleepy seller. The second thought was, Yes, there is justice! And finally, there may be more karma. If he keeps this pattern up, other agents may start warning their clients about the problems with this seller. I feel sorry for his agent, and I hope he/she will sit him down and give him a good talking to. Lenda

Good morning from central Texas. It should be sunny today after the sun rises. We try to be good neighbors, and we have good neighbors here and in AZ. I used to drink beer, but lately, I seem to have lost my taste for it. Fortunately, I haven’t lost my taste for wine. 🍷 Our public lands should be preserved for all to enjoy. Mother Teresa's quote is very true. We'll pass on the meal and the drink, but I'd like to try the wine. We have been to three ports in Vietnam, but Nha Trang was not one of them. I hope someone has pictures to share. Our thoughts are with those who are in Ian's path. Stay safe everyone. @dfish Debbie, I'll echo @cat shepard Ann's WOO HOO! I'm very happy for you and Sue getting the house. @rafinmd Roy, thanks for adding DH to the celebration list for today. @smitty34877 Terry, I'm sorry about the aide testing positive. Sending positive thoughts no one gets covid again. Since it was late yesterday when I posted the picture of Jupiter DH took with his telescope, I thought I'd repost it for those that missed it. Now, I off to clean house. Lenda