Quartzsite Cruiser

Along with two cruising friends, and to celebrate the birthday of one friend, we did b2b cruises on Marco Polo. On August 21, 2005, we docked in Tromso on a wet and rainy day. Even with the less than desirable weather, DH and I saw quite a bit of Tromso and enjoyed our day. Unfortunately, on the rest of our Norway cruises, Tromso was not on the itinerary. I'm hoping to get back there sometime. Tromso from the Marco Polo MS Polstjerna is Norway's best preserved sealing ship. It is owned by the Tromso University Museum. This building is Polaria, an artic adventure center. Tromso Kunsfforening is the oldest art institution in Northern Norway. One of many streets in Tromso The traditionally built wooden town hall The Mariner statue with the Artic Cathedral in the background across the water. There was a display of old steam powered vehicles, and DH wanted a closer look. The view from the Artic Cathedral side. By the time we made it to the Cathedral, it was locked, so we only got to look through a window in the door. Lenda

@jodi58 Jodi, I hope you and your DH have a great day today. Lenda

@CrabbyPatti Denise, best wishes to you and your DH for a wonderful 46th anniversary. Lenda

Good morning from a sunny central Texas where it is 79F and already feels like 83F. When I checked the wind speed it says calm. The humidity isn't too bad at 76% with a dew point of 71F. The predicted high is 94F, which is I hope as high as the temperature goes today. After about three mornings of waking up too early, I slept until after 7:30, and that made a big difference. There's not much on the agenda, and I hope to finish a project I've been working on for the last three weeks. I wish I could celebrate national dog day with our dogs, but sadly they crossed the Rainbow Bridge. Toilet paper is a necessity, but it's own day? I will honor all the Webmistresses out there. I also agree with those who don't care for or agree with the Desiderius Erasmus quote. The grilled cauliflower steaks might be good, but without the butter beans. While butter beans include lima beans, growing up my mother called the green ones lima beans and the white ones butter beans. Either way, I did not like them. The drink might be good on a BHB, and I'd like to try the wine. We visited Tromso in 2005 on the old Marco Polo, and it was wet that day. A good day in 1682 when Edmond Halley discovered the comet later named for him. When Halley's comet made it's last appearance in the late 1980s, DH set up his telescope where all the neighbors were invited to join us and view the comet. The introduction of the Morris Minor in 1959 was a good day for the British automotive industry. @StLouisCruisers Sandi, I hope you and Dennis have a smooth, safe and on time flight today. @kazu Jacqui, some people who tell others how to do their job should just be ignored. I wish some of us lived closer so we could lend a hand. @ottahand7 Nancy, I'm surprised your DB was sent home yesterday. Just wow on your neighbor finding a wolf on her front deck. @smitty34877 Terry, enjoy "The Godfather" movies. @Denise T Thanks for the picture of Fancy. @Cruzin Terri Terrie, I hope all goes well with your DH at the dermatologist today. Safe travels to Jacksonville. @Sharon in AZ Sharon, thanks for the pictures from Bar Harbor. I'm glad you got the picture uploading from your phone figured out. @aliaschief I hope you have smooth and on time flights today, Bruce. @ger_77 Gerry, our condolences to your DH, you and his classmate's family and friends. @puppycanducruise Thanks for the information about Babe Ruth's jersey selling for so much. Some people have more money than they know what to do with it. Lenda

Nancy, my apologies about forgetting to mention your DB when I commented on your post earlier. From your comments about him sounding chipper when he called, I hoped he'd finally gotten over the infection. I hope they can find the right drugs and procedures to finally clear up the infection. Lenda

We were in Kristiansand many years ago, and IIRC, there was toutist train that mainly went from the dock to town. Kristiansand is a very walkable town. We enjoyed our day there.

Nancy, I'm sorry fishing was a bust, but the outing was not a waste since you got to visit with your across the lake neighbor. Ann, that is good news Pat is home, and resting. I hope he gets some answers soon about what happened. Lenda

Good afternoon from a sunny but not too windy central Texas. It is already 92F at 12:15 pm, and I'm guessing we may see a high above the predicted 96F. With even less grass to mow since we haven't had any rain for several weeks, the mowing, trimming and blowing too less than two hours. After sitting and cooling off for a few minutes, I worked on the marigolds. Some were still in good enough shape to just trim out the spent branches and deadhead. But about four were so far gone, I pulled them. I'll keep the remaining ones as long as I can since I saw a small Monarch butterfly going from flower to flower. Vanessa, I'm glad your symptoms are lessening, but I'm sorry you are still dealing with some dizziness. Susan, I agree that many doctors do not understand the affects of time on our bodies. I think our PCP has a better idea than most since he spends two days a week visiting the residents of the area nursing homes. Also, his mother is at the point she needs someone with her during the day. Joy, I'm sorry Bonnie's recovery will be longer than expected. I hope she continues to improve everyday. Annie, with all you do for your DH and others, you are a saint in our book. I wish my magic wand wasn't on the fritz, and I could wave it and change things for you. Lenda

Good morning from a more comfortable and sunny central Teas. It is 75F with 88% humidity and a dew point of 72F. There is a 2mph breeze which will increase to 10mph later. Our predicted high is 96F, much better than triple digits. When I finish here and have breakfast, I'll mow and trim the grass. I also need to deadhead the marigolds and see if I can get them to last a little longer. They are huge again this year. I'll honor all the national parks around the world. We've done our share of donating clothes for others who need them. Someone else can have my whiskey sour. A long, but good quote from John Lennon. We'll pass on the meal, drink and wine today. We have not been to the Maldives, but have sailed close to them, if that counts. Three good but very different days in history to celebrate. I wonder what Galileo would think if he could see today's telescopes. @StLouisCruisers Sandi, safe travels home tomorrow. @Cruzin Terri Terri, safe travels to Jacksonville tomorrow. I hope you have a good report from your PCP, and that the orthopedist has a solution that does not include surgery. @ottahand7 Good luck fishing today, Nancy. I hope all the computer and internet problems in the Seattle port including SeaTac, which could be a cyber attack, don't cause Marcia @dobiemom and Lisa @LAFFNVEGAS problems getting to the ship today. Lenda

@LAFFNVEGAS Lenda

@dobiemom Marcia. I hope you have a wonderful time on your cruise. Lenda

@JazzyV Vanessa, thanks for posting Tony's @sailingdutchy pictures. Ann, I hope Pat is feeling much better, and the x-ray shows improvement. I hope he gets to come home soon. I'm glad your appointment went well yesterday and everything is set. I'm sorry you have to cancel your October cruise. Beautiful flowers, Jake. You can have my share of the pie. Susan, glad you got some rain. Good news on the dealership waving all the charges. I'm glad the woman was fund alive. We need to be more responsible when going into the mountains or wilderness. I also think people need to be more respectful of other peoples' religious and sacred rites. Linda, I'm glad you decided to go on you cruise. You will have the support of all of us, especially the Dailyites on the cruise. I hope your DS doesn't have to wait too long for things to resolve. YES!!!! I wish I was there to help find temptation with you. Lenda

Charlene, I glad you made it to the airport in plenty of time. But, oh no, on the fall. I hope it feels better soon. I see Elizabeth @Haljo1935 beat me with the bubble wrap. Gerry, that sounds like quite a storm. I'm also one who can sleep through just about anything except a light being turned on. Carolyn, when I make waffles, I cook the entire bowl of batter. What we don't eat that meal, DH will heat the waffles in either the air fryer or toaster for breakfast until he finishes them. Karen, I'm sorry your friend's DH contracted Covid and is now in the hospital. I hope they are both over Covid soon. Lenda

Jake, that would probably make the cruise even more fun. Lenda

Good morning from a cooler central Texas where it is mostly sunny. It is 78F and feels like 78F with 93% humidity and a dew point of 75F. There is an 8mph wind from the south. Our high is supposed to be 97F, an improvement over the last several days. There is not much on the agenda. One good thing about our lack of rain even with watering our grass is not growing as fast. Instead of my normal Saturday mowing, I think I'll wait until tomorrow or Monday when it is supposed to be even cooler. We had a slight cool front come through yesterday afternoon. and it dropped the temperature to 91F. By the time I took my ride, it was almost chilly, at least, compared to the last several nights. Knives are very useful both in cooking and for other purposes. We have a waffle iron, but it hasn't been used recently. Add me to the list that was sad to see Pluto demoted. I like the Harold Wilson quote. I like to think I'm an optimist who is also practical. Pulled pork is good, but we prefer to smoke ours with a dry rub instead of using a slow cooker. I was surprised to see a Texas pulled pork recipe since most barbeque in Texas is beef. Having lived in both South Carolina and North Carolina, we learned barbeque there is pork. I haven't had a Harvey Wallbanger, but have enjoyed screwdrivers on occasion. The wine sounds nice, and we used to drink Grenache wines about 30 years ago. We have been to two ports in Malaysia, but not to today's port. Three good days in history, and one not good day for the US. The establishment of NATO is probably the most important day. @kazu Jacqui, I'm sorry your apartment won't be ready as quickly as previously thought. It is good to know they will make an adjustment to your account. That was good news from your foot care nurse, even though she thinks the appointment with the vascular surgeon is a good idea. @aliaschief Bruce, I'm glad the weekend is going so well. Enjoy the Barbershop performances. @puppycanducruise I agree with you about Pluto. @smitty34877 Terry, I'm glad you are able to relax while your DB is there. I'm glad that he can stimulate her mind and get her to laugh. @cunnorl Welcome home, Charlene. I hope you make your flight with time to spare. @St Pete Cruiser Welcome home, and safe travels today. Lenda

@Crazy For Cats Jake, I hope the cruise is everything you and Juan want it to be. I've cruised with the three other Dailyites, and have one request. Please try to keep them out of trouble. 😉 Lenda

@Sharon in AZ Sharon, I know you will have a great cruise. Lenda

@dfish Debbie, I know three Dailyite Musketeers along with Jake and Juan will have a wonderful time. Lenda

Annie, thank you for the pictures of Prince Rupert. It looks a lot better on a sunny day. Terri, I'm glad you are looking into what help is available for in your area. Lenda

To really see the very far north and come close to the polar ice cap, you should do the cruise that includes Spitzbergen. They used to do it once a year in late July or early August.

Carolyn, that is indeed good news. Elizabeth, I'm so sorry he is not doing better. It's so hard when our fur babies are not feeling well. Nancy, I'm glad your DB sounds so much better. I hope he rescheduled his surgeon appointment, and that everything will work out this time. Lenda

Good afternoon after a long day. So much for not going into triple digits. It's 100F and feels like 110F. We have a 14mph wind from the south, so while it's hot, it was not too bad out for a few minutes at a time. The traffic to Dallas and from Dallas to Fort Worth was not heavy, somebody let all the crazy drivers loose today. We had many people cutting from the outside lane to the far inside lane without signaling or really looking. Fortunately, the other drivers were paying attention, even though most of the traffic was going about 20mph over the speed limit. The one that takes the cake was at a red light in Dallas. We were the first car at the light, and a truck was next to us in the left turn lane, only he did not turn left. Instead, he sped around us and through the intersection. Just glad DH was not hurrying through the intersection. And people wonder why we like living in a small rural town. 😁 The good news is the shunt is working, but the bad news it is working too well. The simplest way to explain it is, if too much fluid is drained, the brain can pull away from the skull which can cause an even bigger problem. The last CT scan showed some space there, so the nurse practioner reset the shunt back to where it was originally, which worked. We'll see her in two weeks. The side trip to Fort Worth was partially successful. One watch was ready, but the other one was not back yet. The stop at Costco was frustrating since the register would not take the debit card I've been using there for 26 years, and which I've used at least three times in the last four months. With DH sitting in the car, I had to leave the items, and I'll figure it out when I'm not so tired. I'm ready for more of our calm, boring days. Joy, I'm glad your DS's incisions looked good. I'm sorry your friends flights were delayed, but at least, it's after the cruise not getting to the cruise. Annie, congratulations on the sales. I hope Momma Munchkin is doing all right. Katherine, thank you for the pictures. I loved the anniversary swans, and that was so nice of your stewards. Carolyn, thanks for the pictures of Prince Rupert. We docked so early that morning, in the rain, nothing was open. We stopped once to empty the melted ice water from the pan in the refrigerator. All propane appliances have to be turned off on the ferry, so we needed a block of ice to keep the refrigerator cool, and it worked. Terri, I'm sorry things are not going well for you, but I'm glad you had a chance to talk to DH's doctor. While you may not want to move as fast as he suggests, it might possibly be better for both of you. It's a hard decision, especially when it is all up to you, and we're here for you no matter what you decide. Charlene, I'm glad the cruise was so good. Good luck tomorrow, and safe travels. @dfish Debbie and Sue, and @Sharon in AZ Sharon, I'm glad you are enjoying your day in Boston, and are having good weather. @Haljo1935 Elizabeth, I hope there was improvement with your kitty overnight. Lenda

Jack, I'm glad your DSIL's surgery went well. Terry, I'm happy your DB will be there this weekend to help you. And there is the added bonus he's bringing dinner. Lenda

We have been to Prince Rupert on a ship, but not on a BHB. We arrived there on the Alaska Marine Highway ferry Matanuska in August 2011. It was very early on a rainy morning, and I only have one picture as we approached the ferry terminal. The Matanuska in two ports. The first is in Haines, AK, where we boarded. Lenda

Good very early morning from a still dark central Texas where it is 83F and already feels like 92F. Currently the humidity is 83% with a dew point of 76F. It looks like yesterday's forecast for today was wrong as our high will be 101F. We're heading out about 8am to make DH's routine follow up appointment at UTSW at 10. When we leave there, we'll be heading to Forth Worth to pick the watches at the jewelry story and a stop at Costco. I hope we are home before it gets too hot. Someone else can enjoy my Cuban Sandwich. I had one on a ship, and found the pork way too dry. I vaguely remember the Gossamer Condor's flight. I hope my inner nerd isn't too nerdy. The Abraham Lincoln quote is true. The meal might worth making, but I'd like to see the recipes. We'll pass on the drink and the wine. We have been to Prince Rupert once on the Alaska Marine Highway ferry Matanuska. This day in 1305 was not a good day for William Wallace. I remember seeing the first picture of earth from space, and earth being called the Big Blue Marble. @StLouisCruisers Sandi, safe travels to your DS as he returns from Singapore. @grapau27 Graham, as always thank you for researching two of the days today. @Crazy For Cats Jake, I hope all goes well with the project, and you can finish it today. @Vict0riann Ann, I hope all goes well at your appointment today. I also hope Pat is feeling much, much better. @kazu Jacqui, I hope it doesn't rain too hard while you are taking care of appointments today. Lenda