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We have been to Taormina twice on BHBs. In October 2017, the Prinsendam docked in Messina, and we took the transfer to Taormina. In August 2019, the Veendam tendered at Naxos just down the coast, and we took a local bus to Taormina. The first two pictures were taken from the top of the parking garage where the bus dropped us off in 2017. The top one is the road from the coast up to Taormina, and the second is Mt. Etna. The next ones were taken in 2017 as we walked around the walled part of the city. The next pictures are from our 2019 visit, where we started from the other end of town. The first is the remnants of the city gate. The street leading to the ancient Greek theater and a view of the ocean A few pictures of the Greek theater which is still used for concerts and other events. Both times, we stopped here for gelato, and the view. This gelattoria is at the other end of town from the gate. The town outside the old city gate Lenda

Good early morning from central Texas. It is not even 7 am and is already warm at 71F with 90% humidity and a dew point of 70F. It is also cloudy with a predicted high of 82F and more wind up to 14mph. It looks like we are already heading toward summer, and ERCOT, the group that oversees our power grid, is already warning about overloading the grid in the heat. The main thing on the agenda today is my annual physical and blood test. I hope my tummy doesn't growl too loudly since I to go before breakfast. I suppose we all have something to correct on Blah! Blah! Blah! Day. Ellis Island Family History Day is important, but I think most of my ancestors came to the New World before Ellis Island was opened. I'm a Mustang girl, but didn't get my Mustang until 1989, when I got my 25th anniversary 5.0 GT Mustang. One of my best friends in high school had a 1964 Mustang. The Theodor W. Adorno quote is interesting. We'll skip the meal and wine. We have enjoyed Rhone wines, so would probably like the one today. We have been fortunate to visit Taormina twice on BHBs. An interesting day in 1492 when Christopher Columbus signed the contract with the Spanish Monarchs. The 1982 Constitution was important for Canada. @kazu Jacqui, I'm sorry your foot is still so sore, and causing you so much pain and depression. I hope the doctor can help you today, and you can go on your much needed and anticipated cruise. @rafinmd Roy, no need to apologize for over sleeping a bit. @Haljo1935 Elizabeth, I hope the MRIs help the doctors solve your problems. @grapau27 As usual, Graham, thank you for the explanations today. @LambKnuckles I'm glad you are feeling better, and hope the cough is better sooner than expected. Lenda

Paul , thanks for the pictures. It looks like a peaceful, relaxing area. Maureen, good news you have a time for DH's eye surgery. Ouch, Annie. I'm sorry about your fall, and I hope you can get some relief from the pain. Icing the leg and ankle, plus elevating it will help. Debbie, we need a bubble wrap factory for this gtoup. Maybe we should buy stock in the company. Rich, thanks again for taking us with you on the canal transit. Lenda

It's been a productive but not an exciting afternoon. I didn't feel like working out in the humidity, so I tackled a few tasks that I'd let slide the last month, and some for a couple of years. I spent a good bit of the afternoon cleaning out old emails and files on the computer. Then, it was time to get the financial files in order. Those were ignored for about the last month while I was getting everything ready to come back to Texas, and the the last couple of weeks while we were getting settled, etc. Annie, I'm glad you've found homes for two of the kittens. They will have a better life in a loving furever home. I'm glad that Munchkin will be spayed, too. I'm glad you will have a job beginning Monday. Tina, I agree that TNR is a good method for dealing with feral cats and digs. However, I think that Annie's adopting Munchkin and finding homes for the kittens is a better solution for them. Their lives will be so much better and safer. Carolyn, thanks for the update on your BFF's daughter. I hope Amber will make a full recovery, but what you found out does not sound good. Sending positive thoughts their way. Lenda

Good afternoon. We actually got a couple of rain showers, one over night and one about an hour ago. In total, they measured 0.06 inch. At least, it got the grass and the flowerbeds wet. It's still cloudy but a little brighter. After my errands, I finally had time for breakfast, and then straightened part of a shelf in the closet. It was my catchall corner, and it was time to toss a few things. Denise, I'm glad you are going to make a peaceful sanctuary in your garden in spite of the nextdoor grouch. Elizabeth, no matter the cause, I hope your headache is history now. I hope the neurologist can offer another drug that will do what the one the insurance denied was supposed to do. Annie, thanks for the pictures from Carcross. It's always interesting to see a desert in the Yukon. Rich, thanks for the pictures of your canal transit. I'm enjoying following along, and it brings back memories of our transit in 2020 on Rotterdam VI. Maureen, I'm sure your family appreciates all the hard work you are doing to help them when it's time to say a final farewell to your DSIL. You are helping your DB and niece by relieving them one thing so they have more time with your DSIL. Lenda

We have been to Whitehorse many times since we have driven to Alaska seven times beginning in 1992, and gone there from Skagway several times on a cruise. I found just a few pictures as most of my pictures of Whitehouse are pre-digital. The worlds largest weather vane is at the airport outside the transportation museum. And yes, it does turn with the wind. The visitors center The Klondike, a Yukon River steamboat The suspension bridge over the Yukon River just outside of Whitehorse Lenda

Good morning from another cloudy, windy day in central Texas. It is 69F with 97% humidity and a dew point of 68F. While the chances of rain are not high, in Texas, who knows? It would be nice to get some rain (after my errands) so we don't have to turn the sprinkler on yet. There will be a quick run to the store this morning early plus a stop at our PCPs office to make appointments for our annual checkups. DH tried calling yesterday, and there was a 10 minute wait. Since I go right by the office, stopping in will probably save time and aggravation. After that, depending on the humidity, I might work on sorting more of the things taken out of the old motorhome, and seeing what we really need and what can go, if anything. Emancipation Day, Foursquare Day and Bean Counter Day are all good days to celebrate. However, after the last minute rush to get taxes filed yesterday for many, the bean counters probably want to rest today, and celebrate tomorrow. The Veronica Roth quote is very good. The meal sounds interesting, but not today. I might like the vodka collins and would try the wine. We have been to Whitehorse many times, both from Skagway on cruises and by motorhome on seven trips to Alaska. It is a great place to spend a night or two, pick up needed items, and see the many interesting places to visit in the area. The day in history is another good day for baseball. @aliaschief Bruce, I hope you enjoy Agra and the Taj Mahal. I also hope you can sleep on the plane since it's such a long day. Safe flights tomorrow. @StLouisCruisers Sandi, congratulations to Ren on the winning goal. Please wish your DGS and your niece HAPPY BIRTHDAY for us. @cat shepard Ann, thanks for the good wishes. It has been quite a journey, and we've learned that sometimes it takes a while for the right flow rate to be found. Enjoy your visit with your niece and her daughters this weekend. Good news your sister is much better. @LambKnuckles Lambie, central Texas does have it's share of allergens. Glad you got a good report from the doctor, but sorry it will take more time to get over the bronchitis. @dfish Debbie, I hope you like the new instructor. Thanks for the good wishes for Steve. I hope your allergies improve. @richwmn Rich, thanks for the pictures of the Bridge of the Americas. I have those same pictures. 😁 @Mr. Boston Good luck with the packing and the move. @Gsel Welcome to the Fleet Report/Daily. I hope today is not too difficult for you. @grapau27 Graham, thanks for sharing the poem with us. It brought tears to my eyes. @smitty34877 Terry, they used the ice machine for DH's second back surgery and sent it home with us. We donated to a group that helps veterans who need medical devices. Interestingly, when DH had his shoulder surgeries, the surgeon did not send him to rehab because he felt sometimes they had the patients do too much. I'm glad things are better there, and it takes time to decompress after a crisis. It's good Tana has goals for each day, and being "a vegetable" and watching something silly on TV is not bad. Lenda

Congratulations, Grandma. If we're grand aunts and uncles, you are definitely Grandma and Grandpa. Lenda

I hope your BFF's DIL can be treated quickly and she recovers fully. That is scary. Thank you, Terry. The NP said probably in 3 or 4 days he will see a difference. They don't want to drain too much fluid too fast. Lenda

Good afternoon from a still cloudy and windy central Texas. It's been a busy day with a lot more stops than UTSW. We always leave a fudge factor in our travel time to UTSW since the Dallas traffic is notorious. This morning the traffic was light and it looked like it we were going to be about an hour early; then we hit a back-up way before we reached the normal back up. It seemed to take a long time, be we actually only lost nine minutes according to the GPS. We were about 35 minutes early, but were seen shortly after we arrived. We were heading out before the actual time of the appointment. DH's appointment went well, and all that was needed was an adjustment to the shunt valve to allow a little more fluid to drain. She wants to see him in a month and to have a CT scan before hand. That is the best way to determine whether or not the shunt is draining properly. Thank you to all who wish DH good luck with the visit today. Again, I'm not naming individuals as I don't want to leave someone out. We appreciate all the good wishes. After we left UTSW, we headed to Ft. Worth to Total Wine, but with a stop at Costco first. We wandered around a while, and DH got a new desktop computer to replace the one that died last year. The new one is a lot small and weighs almost nothing. He is in the process of setting it up. It was a disappointing visit to Total Wine, where we bought a lot less than planned. They no longer offer a 10% discount when you buy six bottles or more on my Riesling, and they didn't have the selection of wines that DH was looking for. We also stopped in Cleburne to check out Aldi. DH had never been there, and it had been years since I was in Aldi in Waco. I think we will stick with our local grocery store. Paul, I'm glad you are almost recovered from your fall, but oh no on the sprained ankle. The bubble wrap sounds like a good idea. Joy, I'm sorry Ron's wife hurt her back. I hope she feels better soon. Terri, I hope the dementia practioner was able to help you and give you some good ideas of what to expect and how to deal with what is ahead for you and Jim. Sandi, I'm glad Linda did well with the surgery. Shoulder surgery is probably the most painful surgery with the most difficult recovery. She is smart to stay ahead of the pain. Dixie, I'm glad you have settled with the insurance company about the golf cart. I hope the chiropractor visits help, and the insurance company is reasonable about pain and sufferings. Carolyn, I hope you get everything straightened out for the DGSs birthday getaway. I also hope the electric bill is straightened out soon. Vanessa, it sounds like you are pretty much prepared for your upcoming surgery. Maybe BFF could use the air mattress if he stays overnight when you first get home. Our condolences on the passing of your colleague and friend Lauren. Also, our condolences to her family and friends. The Ronald McDonald Houses provide a great service to families of sick children. Lenda

Good morning from a still dark central Texas. The weather app says it's cloudy and will remain cloudy all day. Then, it was supposed to be cloudy all day yesterday, and we had sun in the afternoon. It is 70F with a predicted high of 77F and 10 to 15 mph winds predicted. We'll celebrate McDonald's day since we stop there for a quick meal on occasion. ASL is very important, and I wish I remembered the little I used to know. On One Boston Day, sending positive thoughts for a safe marathon today. I think the Richard Lewis quote is very cynical. We'll pass on the meal and the drink. The wine might be good. We have not been to Manzanillo. Thank you, Sandy @StLouisCruisers for your pictures. A sad day for the Titanic, but a good day for baseball. @StLouisCruisers Sandi, sending positive thoughts for Linda's surgery today. @LambKnuckles I hope the doctor has some answers today for curing your bronchitis. Thank you all for the good wishes for DH's appointment today. I won't list everyone in case I forget someone. The good wishes are appreciated. Now, I better start getting ready to leave in an hour. Lenda

Thank you very much, Maureen. Lenda

Good evening after a long, but productive day. For once, I got everything on the to-do list done, plus a few more things taken care of. Even though I thought about charging the batteries for the trimmer, lawnmower and blow yesterday and in the middle of the night, I still didn't remember to charge them until late morning. While the batteries were charging, DH and I worked on organizing some of the things we, took out of the old motorhome, and got some things tossed and others rehomed. The biggest thing was to get all the tools sorted and back in the toolbox. We had to empty the toolbox before we could lift it out of the old motorhome. The toolbox is the most organized and neatest its ever been. I'm not holding my breathe it will stay that way. While I worked on the yard, DH worked on the motorhome and other things. In another week or so, we might be settled back in here. We do want to travel some over the summer, after we finish with doctor and other appointments fot both of us. Tonight I was grateful to have one last serving of the lasagna I made and froze before we left Quartzsite. That and garlic bread made a good and easy dinner. And there were medicinal gladses of red wine, too. Depending on when I get up tomorrow, I may be late, DH has a follow up appointment at UTSW after his CTscan last week. We think and hope they will adjust the shunt valve. While it's about 1 hour 45 minute drive, knowing Dallas traffic, we allow extra time. So we will try to leave between 7:30 and 7:45 in the morning. Thanks to the Daily genies, I know we have not been to tomorrow's port Thank you, Graham. I think, you both would enjoy Japan. Brenda, thanks for the Hiroshima pictures. Bruno, losing a loved one is never easy. Please join us whenever you feel like it, or just need some human contact or comfort. HUGS! Lenda

Annie, I hope you get the job. I'm sorry about the bronchitis. I hope the doctor can help. Lenda

Our first visit to Hiroshima was in 2000 on a cruise from Vancouver, to Osaka on the old Regal Princess. Unfortunately, all my pictures are pre-digital. That day, we took the tram from the dock to the Peace Park with the skeleton of the A Bomb Dome, the only building left standing after the bomb was dropped as a reminder of the terrible destructive power of the atomic bomb. We also visited the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum, in addition to wandering through the Peace Park. Our second visit was on Coral Princess in 2018, where we docked at the new cruise terminal further from town. We took the free shuttle to the train station, and the train to the Peace Park. We had planned to basically do what we had done 18 years earlier, but the couple with us had other ideas. After seeing the A Bomb Dome, we headed to Hiroshima Castle. Two views of the A Bomb Dome and two plaques about the dropping of the first atomic bomb on August 6, 1945. A section of the river by the Peace Park and part of the park. On our walk to Hiroshima Castle to passed this small area and the locomotive. A nice area on our walk Our first sighting of Hiroshima Castle Two of the many gates to the castle Hiroshima Castle is quite imposing. That day, none of us had the desire to climb the many steps in the Castle, so we wandered through the grounds. The view of Hiroshima from the grounds. On of the main roads in Hiroshima, and a small street with more local shops. In a convenience store, DH found some sake to take back to the ship. The train back to the shuttle pick up spot. Some of the vendors in the port terminal. They had a little bit of everything, and the fruit and vegetables looked wonderful. Lenda

Good morning from central Texas. It is 66F with a predicted high of 81F. We will have clouds and some sun with 10 to 15mph winds. Currently, we have heavy clouds and 10 mph winds from the south. I'll be out later this morning to get the yard work done, followed by an excursion into the attic. There are stacks of last years financial papers to be stored. We may have time to start attacking all the stuff from the old motorhome that needs a new home. Not an exciting day, but a busy one. Laughter, which really is the best medicine, and dolphins are good days to celebrate. No ex-spouses in this house. The Virginia Woolf quote is good and still relevant. We'll pass on the meal, drink and wine today. We have been to Hiroshima twice on the old Regal Princess in 2000 and Coral Princess in 2018. It is a nice city to explore with a somber reminder of the horrors of war. @aliaschief Cochin is an interesting place to visit, and I hope your Azamazing evening is lovely. @cruising sister Lorraine, I'm glad you are home and getting settled back into the real world. Your Antarctica expedition on Silver Seas sounds nice. Thanks for the update on Murphy. I'm sorry she needed to be hospitalized, but I'm glad she is getting stronger, and hope her long recovery continues to go well. @Denise T Denise, I'm sorry about your neighbor. It is never good to not feel safe in your own home, but it's also bad that one person can force others to feel they have to move. @Heartgrove Jack, I'm glad Sue and her sister are home safely. Congratulations on the new cruise booking for your birthday. That is good news that Sam is doing so well. @kochleffel Paul, congratulations on the good comments from your professor. I'll probably resemble the last meme part way through sorting all the things from the old motorhome. Lenda

@ORTravelGal Thank you for letting us know about the two crew members. I hope the ill crew member recovers quickly. Our condolences to the crew member's family, the crew and all the staff and officers of the Rotterdam. Lenda

Except for the wind, today turned out to be a pretty day. The sun came out about the time we headed to Waco, and more about that in a minute. It was so nice, that on the way home, we put the top down on the convertible. As far as the wine run, it could best be described as hit or miss. DH was looking for a particular type of wine, and he called the store to see if they had a good selection. He was told they have a whole section of that particular type. The whole section turned out to be less than two feet of a top shelf, with about four varieties of one brand and one variety of another brand. We managed to pick up about 8 bottles. We agreed that it was not a whole section though. However, we enjoyed a nice drive through some very beautiful green countryside with a lot of wildflowers, so the trip was not a total loss. Rich, there is no need to be embarrassed. With all the ships, I would probably have more than one in the wrong place at times, and especially when on a cruise. We appreciate all the work you do for the Fleet Report/Daily. I can't imagine all that is entailed in finding the itineraries and then keeping up with them and any changes that are made. I am sorry your sister is battling cancer and is so far away. @marshhawk Annie, I hope the driveway was repaired today. Best wishes for DH's PET scan Monday. I hope the results do not show any surprises. Lenda

It's still very windy, but there is some sun. We're heading to Waco for a wine run. Thank you, Graham. Vanessa, I'm glad you got more sleep last night. Have you considered taking Benadryl on other night? Great pictures of Aruba. Lenda

We have been to Aruba many times. The first time was in 1991, on the Carnival Tropicale at spring break with our 13 and 14-year old DDs. This was at a time when you could book a cabin when you were 18, so it was a wild cruise. One group of college kids were thrown off the ship in St. Thomas, less than 24 hours after sailing from San Juan. Just after that cruise, Carnival changed the rules that if you were under 21 there had to be someone 25+ in the cabin. Most of our pictures are the old fashion ones that are in photo albums. However, I do have some to share. We always rent a car in Aruba, so we have a lot of pictures outside Oranjestad. Some of the pictures were taken in January 2020, on our cruise on the Rotterdam, which turned out to be our last cruise for a while and the last time on the Rotterdam. The first two pictures were taken in San Nicolas at the south end of the island, near the refinery. Built in 1924, at one time it was the largest refinery complex in the world. It was shut down in 1985. As of January 2020, the facility was a transfer and storage facility. Charlie's Bar is a well known watering hole in San Nicolas. Unfortunately, we are always in San Nicolas before the bar opens. This is Baby Beach on the far south end of the island. These pictures are from the eastern side of the island. A little bar we found on the eastern side where we stopped for a coke. This is Baby Arch. The original natural bridge collapsed sometime after our first visit in 1991. Behind Baby Arch, you can make out the gap where the natural bridge fell. Just a couple of pictures of Oranjestad. The last was taken from the ship as we sailed. Lenda

Good morning from a very cloudy central Texas. It is 59F and heading to a high of 81F with winds up to 20 mph. It looks like the clouds will stick around through Monday. Sometime, I will need to mow the grass which is growing like weeds. Oh, that's right, there are still a lot of weeds in the yard, and it's been too windy to spray the weed killer. I'm not exactly sure what is on the agenda today, but there are a lot of things that need doing. Since we don't eat lunch, it would be hard to make it count. Instead, I'll honor the Borinqueneers for their service in Korea and beyond. I haven't played scrabble in many years. It's hard to beat younger DD's SO who majored in ancient Greek and also studied and taught Latin, since he knows many two and three letter words. My mother was good at scrabble as she did crosswords daily. I still have her scrabble set. I like the quote, but I think very few will be able to say it like Lillie Langtry. There is a roundabout connection between Lillie Langtry and Judge Roy Bean, the Law West of the Pecos. He had a picture of her behind the bar in his saloon the Jersey Lillie, and claimed that someday she'd visit the town of Langtry and sing in his opera house. We'll pass on the meal and the drink. The wine sounds nice, but it is a bit pricey. We have been to Aruba several times beginning in 1991. This day in 1742 was good day for music and Dublin. @aliaschief Bruce, enjoy Agra, but be careful when opening bottled water. If there is plastic wrap around the cap, make sure the cap seal has not been broken. Sometimes, they refill the water bottles, and that is not good. @grapau27 Graham, thank you for the information about the Borinqueneers. @ORTravelGal Welcome to the Daily. We hope you join us again. Bon Voyage, and have a great time on Rotterdam. @puppycanducruise Melanie, our condolences on the loss of your friend at such a young age and from such a horrible disease. @ocean sounds Welcome home. @SusieKIslandGirl Welcome home. @Heartgrove Welcome home Sue and your sister. @0106 Tina, thanks for the information on Lillie Langtry. @smitty34877 Terry, that was nice of the production to stop filming so the hospice nurse could make it to your house, and for the policeman to watch her car. I'm glad she thought Tana look a little better. Working for a production company would be an interesting summer job for the teenager. @kazu Jacqui, I'm glad the foot nurse specialist visit went well and she was able to help you. @Haljo1935 I saw the story about the shooting at Wilmer-Hutchins high school. I'm glad no one was killed, but something needs to be done to stop these shootings. I hope your yard guy can get to the yard today. Lenda

@AncientWanderer Maxine, I hope you have a wonderful cruise. Lenda

@atexsix Bruno, our condolences to you on the passing of Dear Dad. Lenda

Maureen, i know it was a trying and emotional day, but you were where you needed to be to help your family. You gave them peace of mind knowing your DSIL was not alone while they faced the difficult task of making the final arrangements for her. I'm glad your DH was able to drive now that his sight is better, and I'm sending positive thoughts that his next surgery will be equally successful. Eva, there is nothing to forgive. That's the great thing about the Daily. We can share our experiences and hopefully help others with a similar problem. I'm happy you were able to figure out a way to sto0 your persistent cough. Thanks for the advice, Bruce. We've had the extra pages added to our passports for quite sometime. For many years, you could send your passport in to have pages added, but now they must be added when the passport is renewed. Lenda

Good evening. Our clear skies gave way to clouds a couple of hours ago. It is now safe for me to mow the yard as the came to bury the fiber optic cable this afternoon. They had a trencher, but they opted to do it by hand tools. With our hard soil and rocky ground they were lucky we'd had a lot of rain thos week. Terri, our condolences io the loss of your friend Anita. It's hard enough to lose a friend, but to not be able to find where she was or how she was doing, makes it even harder. I'm sorry you had to find out through her obituary. Sandi, I don't know whether to be relieved or sorry the ENT didn't find any thing. It might not hurt to see a pulmonologist. Vanessa, I hope you are not still feeling defeated about not being able to do much at one time. It's understandable with your pain, but you are doing more than most of us would be doing under the same circumstances. I truly hope the surgery solves all your problems. Lenda