Quartzsite Cruiser

Good morning from a mainly cloudy central Texas. It is 71F with a predicted high of 75F about 11am. The predicted severe thunderstorms will arrive about 1pm, if the forecast holds, and they will last until about 8pm. When the rain begins we'll drop back into the upper 60s. If I want to get anything done outside, I better get it done this morning. Three good days to honor today. I hope someday people will learn to live in peace. Another good George Carlin quote. We'll skip the meal and the drink. I would love to try the wine. We were in Inchon on Coral Princess in 2018, along with Ray @USN59-79 and his wife. Unfortunately, we did not meet on the cruise. The 1920 canonization of Joan of Arc was a good day for her. @dfish Debbie, I hope the soreness wears off soon. Could you share a picture of the deck and new furniture when it's finished? @aliaschief Bruce, thanks for the pictures of the progressive dinner. It looks like the crew out did them selves, and they were having a good time too. I loved some of the costumes the crew were wearing. @RMLincoln Maureen, it looks like you are settling into your new home nicely, and finding things to do in your new area. I also hope your DH's eye continues to drain and the pressure settles in the normal range. I'm glad your DGD passed the kidney stone. I hope she is feeling good for their trip. Lenda

@aliaschief and @DWAliaschief Brice and Sue, I hope your 32nd anniversary is wonderful. Lenda

Carolyn, thanks for the pictures from Athens. Debbie, I agree that it's time to take your money and find a friendlier gym. I think the current place needs to rethink their personnel because of the attitude you've encountered the last two days. The windshield did not get replaced. They sent the tech out with a windshield that had to be glued on, but the car uses a gasket. The tech said his boss said just glue it. Now, we have to wait for them to see if they can get all the needed parts before they can schedule us to come in for the service. For some reason, we are dealing with an repair facility near Ft. Worth instead of the one in Waco which is much closer and we would encounter less traffic. I am less than thrilled to say the least. End of rant. At least, the clothes and sheets are clean, folded and put away. Now, I'm taking my book outside to relax. Lenda

It's nice when the vet really cares for their patients and their humans. Pretty flowers. We've been to Greece in the spring, summer and fall. I would recommend spring of fall. The time we were there in July, it was so hot, they had to close the Acropolis in the after. Summer is also the most crowded time to visit. Paul, Oranjestad is an easy walkable town. However, to get the flavor of the island, you should get out of town. We've always rented cars, which you can pick up just outside the gate on the pier. You probably could hire a taxi to show you the island. Pennie, try not to get behind the pain. I hope raising the head of the bed goes well, and that you can get to walk. Lenda

I have a few more pictures from our stops in Athens and Piraeus. The Church of the Holy Trinity in Piraeus between the cruise terminal and the train station. In 2016 while on the Prinsendam, we took a tour to the Corinth Canal which included a boat ride through the canal. The first picture is taken from the bridge over the canal. On the tv show the Amazing Race, the contestants had to bungee jump from the bridge. In the second picture, the small ship was stuck for a while and our boat circled the bay until the ship was moving again. On our first visit to Athens in 2002, when we were much younger, and fitter, we climbed to the top of the Acropolis. I know there are similar pictures, but no visit to Athens should leave out pictures of the Acropolis. The ancient theater that has been modernized. The ruins of another ancient theater Those seats do not look very comfortable. I hope the performances didn't drag on too long. 😀 If anyone has not seen the movie "My Life in Ruins", you might like the movie. It is set in many places like Delphi, the Acropolis, etc. It’s a cute movie with a good cast and makes for a fun evening. Lenda

We have been to Athens at least four times, not counting the two times we flew home from there. In 2019 while on the Veendam, we took the Ho-Ho from Piraeus into Athens. The first group of pictures were taken from the bus as we drove through Piraeus. The next pictures are from the bus in Athens. It was one of the hottest days of the year, and they closed the Acropolis in the afternoon due to the heat. A pedestrian shopping street A couple more pictures of Athens In 2017 on the Prinsendam, we took a taxi to the Acropolis, but due to the lines just waiting to get a ticket, we decided not to visit the top. We'd been there in 2003 on the old Regal Princess. Instead, we walked down the hill to the ancient agora and then to the modern agora. This was a street between the Acropolis and the agora. A small chapel along the way The ancient agora The modern agora area near the train station. An old church at the train station in Athens. Lenda

A later good morning than usual from mostly sunny central Texas. I've been up a while, but had to get some things done early since we are waiting for the tech to arrive and replace a windshield in one of the cars. He's supposed to text us when he's on his way, and the time frame is 8am to 5pm. I knew if I didn't get up early and get ready, he'd be here at 8am. Now we are just waiting. It is 70F and heading to 88F this afternoon. The clouds will be moving in this afternoon, and rain tomorrow, so I'll enjoy the good weather today along with doing laundry. The tech just called and said he thinks he'll be here about "noonish". He'll text or call when he is finished with the customer before us. I'm not sure how this happened, but this was posted before I finished. I hope I can finish before it times out. I'll celebrate families and honor kangaroo care and MPS awareness. I like the Anne Morrow Lindberg quote. The meal sounds good, but we'll pass on the drink and the wine. We have been to Athens several times, and I repost my pictures when I finish this. The day in history was a good beginning for women's rights in the US. @marshhawk Annie, I'm glad your DH has an appointment with the doctor who didn't have openings until January. I hope this doctor can help him. I'm sorry your friend's cancer has advanced and that his time is growing very short. I hope he can be kept comfortable during his remaining days. @cat shepard Ann, I'm glad you and Bindi remained safe last night. I'm also happy that you sister is doing better, is more active and doing things for herself. @mamaofami Carol, it was good to hear from you. I hope your dental implants are finished and glad the eye issue is resolved. @kazu Jacqui, I'm sorry your foot is still so painful. I hope you can get some relief soon. Lenda

Ann, I hope your DD has safe and uneventful flights. Good for you , Debbie. It sounds like they didn't think about what is best for those who take the classes. I hope you prevail. Lenda

On no, Vanessa. I'm glad the scan showed no problem. I'm glad you gave BFF a talking to, and I hope the glass of wine was a really BIG glass of wine. Lenda

@marshhawk HUGS to both of you. Words fail me, but know that you are in our thoughts and are hoping for the best for both of you. @dfish Debbie, I can't believe the response from the director of aquatics, so callous. I hope you can find another solution. Lenda

Annie, that is heart breaking that the surgery was not successful -- again. I wish there was more any of us could do but send you HUGS! Anni, I think it is unconscionable that the doctor did not talk to you. I hope something can be done about the leg, and that something can be done to help with the weight loss. Karen, that is good news from your PT therapist. I'm glad someone had good news today. Lenda

Good afternoon. I'm back from being scanned and pressed. Now, I just have to wait until the radiologist reads the bone density scan and the mammogram, and sends the results. It turns out, the position for part of the bone density scan is much more uncomfortable than the mammogram, but I surprised both. It was so nice and pleasant out today, that I was able to open the top of the Smart for the drive over and back. We're planning on taking advantage of the nice weather and grilling a ribeye to share, along with baked potatoes, salad and of course, wine. Pennie, I'm so sorry there were complications with the surgery and you are flat on your back for another day. I hope you tolerate the head raising tomorrow, and will be allowed to go home on Thursday. Thanks for the information on a winery I have not heard of before. While I'm not a fan of most white wines, I'd like to try some of their reds. Vanessa, just as you were very fortunate to have BFF take care of you, he is very lucky to have you as a caregiver. I hope the echocardiogram goes well tomorrow. Lenda

Both our Kiel Canal transits and visits were on Prinsendam. The first time in 2011, we stopped in Hamburg first followed by the canal transit. In 2017, we transited the canal followed by Hamburg, where we overnighted both times. This time, it will be pictures from our two visits to Hamburg. In 2011, we had good weather as we sailed the Elbe River. We arrived in Hamburg late that afternoon. We walked over to the miniature train museum, which is huge. There are many train displays set in various cities and regions of the world. At different times, the displays are in daytime hours and then nighttime hours. First is a picture of the control room, and the second is just one of the displays. This is a canal we crossed going to the museum. The second day we took the Ho-Ho and also walked around some. This is the city hall, the interior and the central courtyard. The Saint Pauli district where The Beatles performed early in their career. The train station where we switched Ho-Ho buses. Some different views of town as we walked around. An interesting building on the waterfront Lenda

The first time we went through the Kiel Canal on Prinsendam was June 9, 2011, after an overnight in Hamburg. On August 2, 2016, again on the Prinsendam, we left the Baltic and headed to Hamburg through the Kiel Canal. The pictures are a complication from both cruises. Because the Kiel Canal cuts through a varied landscape in Germany, I have enjoyed both passages through the canal. These pictures are from 2011 as we entered the first lock, and the lock looking behind the ship. I believe this is the administrative building for the lock. A town along the canal On our first time through the canal we passed this barge with the bow of a ship being built somewhere. Further along, we passed a ship builder who looked to be building mega yachts. Besides several bridges crossing the canal there are two types of ferries. Fist a traditional ferry loading cars. Then the ferry where someone was thinking outside the box. It was a good thing the Prinsendam's mast could be laid down, or she would not have fit under the low bridges. Some locals enjoying the waters of the canal. Some of the lovely countryside along the canal. In 2011, Prinsendam had a deck barbecue featuring sausages of all types. There was also a local band to entertain us. Lenda

Good morning from a beautiful sunny day in central Texas. It is 64F and heading to 83F this afternoon. Looking at the long range forecast, Thursday will be the only rainy day, and some days we'll reach the low 90s. This morning will be busy since I will be getting my mammogram followed by a bone density test. We haven't danced the chicken dance since older DD was in her high school band. The band director was from Lake Charles, LA, and wanted everyone to do the chicken dance at all the band parties. I agree that National Decency Day should be everyday. "Stars and Stripes Forever" is a great march, and now. An interesting quote from William James. It's a trifecta today as well pass on the meal, drink and wine. We have been to Hamburg and through the Kiel Canal twice on Prinsendam. However, we have never been to Kiel. A good day in history honoring the beginning of the Lewis and Clark expedition. @Nickelpenny Pennie, I hope you are doing well after your surgery yesterday. @smitty34877 Terry, I hope you have all the help you need to take care of Tana. @marshhawk Annie, best wishes for a successful surgery for your DH. @RMLincoln Maureen, I hope your procedure goes well and there aren't any surprises. @cat shepard Ann, stay safe with all the bad weather around you. @0106 Tina, thanks for the information about Decency Day. @dfish Debbie, I'm sorry the new community center isn't offering as many classes. Lenda

@summer slope Dixie and George, I hope you have a wonderful 58th anniversary, and many more happy years to follow. Lenda

Me, too. Lenda

By going to one of apps that came with my tablet, I was able to download your picture. The quilt is lovely, Maureen, it sounds like things are slowly heading in the right direction, and the eye is healing slowly. Annie, best wishes for a good outcome tomorrow with DH's surgery. Good news about the breathing test. Keep up the good work. Lenda

Good afternoon from a still cloudy, but drier and warmer central Texas. It is currently 81F. It was a long day, but a successful one for the most part. After we finished at the imagining center in Cleburne, we drove to Ft. Worth to do a bit of shopping. Since they opened the toll road from Cleburne to Ft. Worth, it is a much easier drive to the part of town where we shop. We completely miss I-35W and I-20. 👏 Now, the "wine cellar" aka closet and storeroom is restocked except for one wine which was not available. The liquor cabinet was also replenished. Our last trip to Costco, we bought a box of their house brand Cabernet Sauvignon and found we like it better than our old cardbordeaux. Today, I picked up a case of the wine. @RMLincoln Maureen, I hope the doctor was pleased with your DH's recovery from the eye surgery. @kazu Jacqui, I hope your foot is healing, and you are experiencing less pain. Nancy, I was sorry to read your procedure was postponed and will now have to wait until next fall. Elizabeth, I hope the next eye procedure was successfully reschooled and you got through to OT with a good outcome. Vanessa, it is always good to read that you are sleeping well and getting 7 or more hours of sleep. I'm sorry your BFF's surgery was put off until Tuesday. That's a long time to wait for surgery after a fracture. Debbie, we have a couple of those switches here and in Quartzsite. Mostly, they are for a light kit on the ceiling fan if we ever install one. A couple control one part of a wall plug, which is weird to me, but then the electricians who wired the house were not the greatest. Karen, I'm glad you had some one-on-one time with your DS yesterday. Not only do we not have curbside recycling here or in Quartzsite, but there is not place to take our recycling. 😒 Maxine, I read that thread just before coming here. What a mess, but for me, I would not have been disappointed. I like the inside passage that's in Alaskan waters, but the area between Vancouver Island and the mainland has too many trees and gets old after a few hours. Sorry, about that to our Canadian Dailyites, but this west Texas girl prefers wide open spaces. Besides, many times, the ship is transiting that area at night. Carolyn, thanks for the great picture of the family. I also get the tall ones sitting in front of me. Last cruise, I left a seat between me and the next person, and there was on on the other side too. A couple asked me if I would move over, which I gladly did. It wasn't a hardship, since I wasn't behind the person blocking my view of the stage afterwards. Jane, I'm sure your DS will lave the shed as his man cave. I don't think Gaspe is on too many itineraries. Lenda

Good morning from another cloudy day in central Texas. It is 67F and the predicted high is 80F, and there is no rain in the forecast. Even better, tomorrow is supposed to be sunny. Later this morning, we will head to Cleburne for a CT scan for DH so the doctor at UTSW can determine if there will be another adjustment to the shunt. We suspect there will be one. Since rain is not in the forecast, we may head on to Ft. Worth to Costco and Total Wine since we'll half way there. Welcome back, Rich. As others have mentioned, I enjoyed following along on your wonderful cruise. And a big thank you to Jacqui @kazu, Sandi @StLouisCruisers, and Roy @rafinmd for keeping the FR/D going for us. Croutons are nice in a salad or soup, and hummus is all right, but not high on my list of favorite foods. We won't be participating in frog jumping today. Even with all our rain, I have not seen any frogs or toads this year. The quote is one to remember, and we should make the most of our time in this world. Our vegetarians might like the meal, but we'll stick to beef hamburgers. DH would like the drink, and I would if they could calm down the spices. We'll pass on the wine. We have not been to Gaspe, but only sailed by it several times. 1787 those on the ships headed to Botany Bay were probably not happy about their situation. @Nickelpenny Penny, we'll be thinking about you today, and hope your surgery goes well with a good outcome. @aliaschief Bruce, thank you for your wonderful pictures of your safari. @AroundWithMAPTravels I enjoyed your pictures from Gaspe. Thank you. @smitty34877 Terry, I'm glad you had many supportive family members around you yesterday, and great help the past few days. @cruising sister Lorraine, I hope this week is a much better week. Lenda

Great picture, Terri. Thank you for sharing it. Lenda

Thanks for sharing a beautiful picture of your lovely mother. I hope the goos memories of her make today easier. I'm sorry today holds sad memories, but it sounds like all of you were at peace with her passing. Good you were all together. Lenda

Today has been a lazy day. Not much going on except rain and more rain. I just checked outside, and it's still very wet, but the rain has stopped for now. Eyeballing the old fashioned rain gauge from the sidewalk, it looks like we've gotten about 1/2 inch of rain. Thank you, Graham. I was 26 when my mother died, and sadly, she did not live to see her granddaughters. Carolyn, sometimes hospitals seem to push patients out before there is a safe place for them to go to finish their recovery. I'm glad Amber's DH was able to get her admitted to Providence Rehab. I hope her progress continues. Graham, thanks for the interesting information about the Sunderland shipyards. Great picture of your mother, sister and you. Safe travels home Tuesday. I hope the weather cooperates, and you can get to Denver without any problems. Lenda

Good afternoon, from a very wet central Texas. So far we've received 1/3 inch of rain, and it not stopping anytime soon. There is a 9mph wind, too. I enjoyed all the pictures of the Arora Borealis. Last night, I thought there might be a slight chance since there was clear sky to the northeast about 7:30, but when I went out between 10:30 and 11 last night, it was cloudy. I could see a few faint stars in small areas between the clouds, but there was no sign of the light show. We might be too far south. However, the past two nights, I've seen lightning bugs, especially back near the row of cedar trees. I am enjoying seeing all the pictures of your mothers, and grandmothers. In honor of Mother's Day, this is my mother and me at what was probably my second Easter. Sadly, she died too young at 62 and that was 50 years ago. Bruce, thanks for the pictures from Cape Town and Namibia. I was not surprised to see all the sand since Namibia is home to the world's tallest sand dunes. I hope you see a lot of animals. Now, that is a redneck yacht! You would stay drier with it. Sharon, welcome home. I'm glad your DM is feeling better, and I hope the cough and tiring are history soon. I'm glad you enjoyed Waco and your ladies group, and that the weather did not cause any problems. Graham, I'm glad they were able to detonate the bomb safely. Brenda, thanks for the family picture, and for the pictures from Himeji. I'm sorry about the smoke and wildfires. Ann, thanks for the cute picture of Oskar. Enjoy the rest of your visit with DD. Elizabeth, please wish your brother, the older, A VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY for us. Vanessa, I love that picture. I know you were adopted, but your mother reminds me of you in some of the pictures you've shared with us. I hope all goes well at perioperative clinic tomorrow and you BFF is cleared for his surgery. Lenda

Happy Mother's Day, and I hope all the mothers have a wonderful day. It is very dark and gloomy in central Texas. Our rain has just started, and it looks like it will be with us until sometime tonight. Looking at the weather radar, we could get some very heavy rains. It is 67F with a predicted high of 71F, so we will not be venturing out today. Plant health is very important to us and our planet, and I try to keep the few plants I have healthy. Nurses are the backbone of the healthcare system, and we've met some wonderful nurses the past few years. I used to know quite a few limericks and could write them, but not any more. Eleanor Roosevelt was very spot on with her quote. The meal sounds interesting, but only if some one else makes it. The drink might be worth a try on a BHB, and I'd like to try the wine. We have not been to Himeji, Japan. An interesting day in history when Richard I married Berengaria of Navarre in 1191. The house below is in Khirakita, Cyprus, and is believed to be where the marriage occurred. @Heartgrove Welcome home, Jack. @AncientWanderer Welcome home, Maxine. @StLouisCruisers Sandi, congratulations on to Ren and the team for the win. The Vista class ships take a day or two to get used to the layout. @marshhawk Annie, I hope the laser is working and your DH can get his surgery this week. @JazzyV Vanessa, best wishes to BFF on his surgery Friday. @smitty34877 Terry, thanks for the picture of your mother and grandmother with your DS. @Cruzin Terri Terri, I'm glad you are feeling better, and I agree that the restaurants are to be avoided on Mothers Day. @ottahand7 Nancy, I'm glad the plant sale was a success. I hope all the remaining plants are sold next week. Thanks for the picture of your parents. @grapau27 Graham, thanks for the explanations. @Denise T Denise, I hope your DB and DSIL are safe from the tornados. @superoma Eva, enjoy your visit with your DD ad family. I hope your DH's eye clears up soon. @dfish Debbie, thanks for the great picture of your mother. @ger_77 Gerry, I hope the smoke has cleared from the wildfires and that the wildfires are quickly contained. @Nickelpenny Pennie, best wishes for a successful surgery tomorrow. @Seasick Sailor Joy, @LambKnuckles Lambie, and @Haljo1935 Elizabeth, I hope all of you are safe from the storms and have no damage. Lenda