Quartzsite Cruiser

We have been to Lima twice. in 2001, on Ryndam, we took a taxi, along with two tablemates, to see the catacombs under the cathedral. If you have never been to the catacombs they are interesting, but a little creepy. I won't say any more about them so I won't ruin the first look for anyone. Unfortunately, that was the last cruise where I still had a film camera. In 2015, along with @StLouisCruisers Sandi and Dennis on Ruby Princess, we docked in Callao. That day due to reports of high crime in Lima, we took the shuttle to Miraflores, a resort and beach area outside of Lima. These are some of my pictures from our day in Miraflores. This first group of pictures were taken from the shuttle on the way to Miraflores. For those of us who wanted to convert US dollars into Peruvian Nuevo Sol, the guide from the shuttle led us down the main street until she found the man she was seeking. She explained that he was a money changer and would give us a good rate. From what we knew of the exchange rate, we felt we got a fair deal. From there, we walked down to the Indian Market to look at the native crafts. The large market that was in the terminal in 2001 had closed by 2015. Compared to a huge warehouse full of vendors, the Indian Market was small and a disappointment, but it was still interesting. I think we bought two t-shirts. Our drop off point was a hotel across from a large open air mall overlooking the Pacific Ocean. It was a good place to sit and relax, get ice cream and a cold drink. Views of the Pacific and the coast road from the mall. Looking down the main street from the mall. An interesting fountain near the mall Since we didn't spend all our Nuevo Sol, and we knew that by the time returned to Peru, the currency would have changed again, we needed to find a way to spend what we had. There was a casino next to the hotel pick up point, and we figured we would have some fun while getting rid of the money. Wouldn't you know it, that was the day the slot machines were hot, and I kept winning. Finally, we switched machines and made our donation to the slot gods. Lenda

Good morning from a cloudy but dry central Texas. It is 75F and feels like 75F. The humidity is 97% with a dew point of 74F and a 6 mph wind. The predicted high is 81F with rain predicted to begin about 4pm and lasting through Monday. Instead of a high of 44F tomorrow it will be 72F with the high Monday being 44F. I'll celebrate black cats who get an undeserved bad reputation. American beer is nice, but it doesn't agree with me any more. I'll also salute the members of the Navy. An interesting take of vegetarians by David Brenner. The cauliflower Parmesan would not be a good meal for me, but I have found a Parmesan coated cauliflower that is made for the air fryer. It mixed with air fryer breaded okra makes a good side dish. We'll pass on the drink, but the wine sounds interesting. We have been to Callao and Lima twice. The first time was in 2001 on Ryndam in the predigital era. We went to the Cathedral to see the crypts with two of our tablemates. The second visit was in 2015 on Ruby Princess. I look for my pictures shortly. The 1795 Pinkney's Treaty was important for the expansion of the country. I don't think I've see Rebel Without a Cause. @aliaschief Bruce, I like the idea of the ship having a reception for first time Seabourn cruisers. @Crazy For Cats Mona is beautiful, Jake. @smitty34877 Terry, the two black cats in your family are also lovely. @dfish Debbie, I'm glad the insurance company got the eye doctor's office to refund your money. Getting money back from a doctor is never easy. @RMLincoln Maureen, I'm glad you got a good night's sleep. I hope the phone call gets them to send the authorization letter asap. @Cruzin Terri Terri, I'm happy that changing some of your DH's meds has helped. I'm sorry about his fall last night, but glad there are no broken bones. Lenda

@Norseh2o Kathy, I hope you and Bob have a wonderful cruise. Lenda

@grapau27 Graham, I hope you have a wonderful 67th birthday, and enjoy your special dinner with Pauline and Sarah. Lenda

Good evening. The brisket and sides were good, but idealy the brisket should have been in the smoker an hour longer to get the meat really tender. Instead, we had to eat early before the technician came. He was running behind schedule and was not scheduled to arrive until 5:45 instead of sometime between noon and 5 pm. We now have the new system, and it wil be a learning curve, but I don't have the energy to tackle it tonight. Carol, I'm glad Sam is home from the hospital. I hope your grandson is accepted to the school. Thanks for sharing your pictures. I'm glad you made it to Rome safely. The underground tour at the Colosseum sounds interesting. I hope you don't stress your shoulder anymore, and that it starts to feel better. Lenda

Good afternoon. The rain has stopped and we've actually seen the sun between waves of clouds. There is still a big difference between the digital rain gauge and the old fashioned one even though they are sitting less than a foot apart. I looked into the digital one and didn't see any debris blocking the water flow. I also know I emptied the old fashioned one after the last rain, and I don't think we had any rain at the house yesterday when we were gone. At least the digital gauge read 0.00 last night. The digital rain gauge shows 1.86 inches, and the old fashioned one showed 3 inches before I emptied it. However much rain we had, the yard is saturated and some of the top soil I added washed away. When it's drier, I'll drag it back where it belongs. It was a busy morning between laundry and cooking. Now, all I have to do is fold two more loads of clothes and heat the baked beans for an hour before we eat, which will be later this afternoon. I also verified our AARP membership with HAL so that we'll get the discount on future cruises. The process was easy, but you do have to scan or take a picture of your membership card and upload it for verification. For some reason, they won't just take your word for it. 🤣 I also learned you have to type your Mariner number in, instead of copying and pasting it. Now, we just need to book a cruise. Terri, I'm glad the nurse got a new IV going for Tana. I know going through the pictures of your DH is difficult, but I hope the good memories behind the pictures will make it easier. I'm glad Tana feels like helping you. Welcome home, Gerry, but YIKES! 😱 to all that snow on the road. That is why we live in the warmer climates, even though we suffer with the extreme heat in the summer. Great picture of your DS, DDIL and DGSs. Debbie, I agree with you about the shootings and lack of action by those who can make a difference. The news was bad enough last night, and it's only getting worse today. I hope the brace helps until you can have the hernia repaired. I also agree about wine helping just about everything, and the wine doesn't necessarily have to be in the food. It can be in a glass and still help. 🍷 Edi, thank you for checking in, and I'm glad you are home and are recovering. That is great news the surgery went well and the Afib appears to be gone. Hats off to your DS for stepping up and helping you as you recover. Your fuzzy freeloaders are probably the best medicine, and will help you rest and not over do. Save travels, Paul. Hope all the flights are smooth, on time and without problems. Vanessa, I'm sorry your back and leg were even more painful this morning, but glad you got some sleep. I hope the surgeon's PA can help and can expedite things for you. We've found the neurosurgeons at USTW and in Temple to be extremely busy and difficult to see. Even with an appointment with the surgeon Monday, we saw the nurse practitioner, which was fine with us. Debbie, I have a great tomato soup recipe, but it needs very good and flavorful tomatoes. Sadly, they are hard if not impossible to find. I haven't made my vegetable beef soup in years, since it makes too much for two of us even if I freeze some. If I use canned soup for dinner, it's Progresso. If it goes in a recipe, I use Campbells. Thanks. I should have remembered that. I guess I've got too much info overload. . I hope the Afib disappears completely for your DH. I think most patients are patient when recovering. Lenda

Lorraine, I'm sorry your DB will need such a long course of antibiotics after his surgery. Sending positive thoughts that all goes well and that Murphy can be taken off the vent completely. It's about time the family got a good break. Too bad about the recipe. I understand about standing in the rain waiting for a reluctant dog to do their business. Our two dachshunds did not like rain and tried to stay under the eave of the house where it was a bit drier. However, they would not set foot in snow when we would get our infrequent snow. Joy, we got a lot of rain from that same system, and our yard is flooded, too. It is still coming down but not as hard as last night. The grass needs mowing, but that will have to wait until it stops raining and dries out a bit. Lenda

Good morning from a wet central Texas. We got a lot of rain last night, and I slept through it. DH's fancy rain gauge said we 1.69 inches and eyeballing my old fashioned rain gauge from a distance, it is showing almost 2 1/2 inches of rain. Whichever one is correct, it was enough that the roof leak dripped water onto the counter top and kitchen floor. It is 67F and feels like 67F with 100% humidity and a dew point of 67F. Our high is predicted to reach 81F. It has started raining again, and could rain all day. In fact, rain is predicted everyday except Saturday through Tuesday. A cold front is headed our way, with Saturday's high predicted to be 44F. In fact, we won't see 70F after Saturday until a week from Saturday. That is more late November weather. Today, neither of us are planning to go anywhere. I'll be keeping an eye on the brisket, making the sides and BBQ sauce while doing the laundry. We also have a technician coming this afternoon to change our satellite tv receivers. Ours are the first generation high definition receivers which are no longer supported, and they are beginning to be a pain to get to turn on. Mincemeat is not something we keep in the house, but I used to make dessert around Christmas that used mincemeat and crushed pineapple. It was better than it sounds, but I haven't made it for 30 years. Horseless Carriages really changed personal transportation. I'll salute all the deployed service members and their families who miss them. Today's quote made me smile, but I think it is inaccurate. We'll pass on the meal, drink and wine. Oban is another port in Scotland we have not visited. Two interesting days in history. @grapau27 Thank you, Graham, for the history behind National Day of the Deployed. Also, thank you for including me in the list of contributors to the Daily. @seagarsmoker Safe travels tomorrow, and I hope you have a wonderful cruise for your anniversary. What day is your anniversary? @kazu Welcome back to reality, Jacqui. I think that's the worst part of a cruise. @Nickelpenny Penny, I'm glad you got your package. Yesterday must have been the day for packages and letters going to the wrong address. Our sweet neighbor brought our mail to us yesterday. The funny thing is the "junk" mail was in our box. @RMLincoln Maureen, I'm sorry your are having back and leg pain too. We found that Aspercreme helps and reduces the need for as many NSAIDs. I hope the letter from legal arrives soon. Lenda

Mary Kay, if I get the brisket in the smoker about 6 am, dinner should be about 6 pm. It takes 10 to 12 hours for the meat to cook and to come out tender. Lenda

I am watching the news reports about the mass shooting in Lewiston, Maine. It is just horrificm and something needs to be done to stop and prevent such situations. It looks like @Mr. Boston and his DH will not be near Lewiston. Tomorrow morning, I'm going to need to get up about 6 am to get the brisket in the smoker. It needs 10 to 12 hours in the smoker to ensure it will be tender. I'll be making potato salad and baked beans to go with the brisket in addition to the bbq sauce. I got a head start tonight since I chopped the green pepper and celery for the salad and the onion for the beans while I was chopping the same things for the pad Thai for supper. Also, the potatoes and eggs are cook and cooling in the refrigerator. Karen, it really is a small world. It was nice of the lady to write you about yor DH being part of their wedding. Debbie, I hope you can get an earlier appointment and that the spine andain clinic can help ease your back pain. Carolyn, I hope your reaction to the shots stays mild. Lenda

Good afternoon from a cloudy and windy central Texas. We're still supposed to get rain, but it will be later tonight. Because of the tight time frame between DH's appointment and my appointment, we took precautions to minimize the risk of my being late to the dentist. First, so DH would not have to come back and pick me up at the dentist if we didn't have time to go home before my appointment, we dropped my car off at the dentist office. We also left earlier for the CT scan than normal, which was a wise decision. We were at the hospital about 40 minutes early, and they got to DH right away. In fact, we were leaving 30 minutes before his appointment. Since I was an hour early for the dentist, I had time to go to the store to pick up a prescription and get what I needed at the store. Now days, the deep cleaning is not that bad, and she did the lower jaw. Usually, they do the entire mouth in one two-hour appointment, but since she only had one-hour appointments available, I'll go back for Act 2 on November 6. I'm glad it will be broken into two appointments. I'm not sure I could have managed holding my mouth open for two hours. Tony, I'm sorry you missed Kotor. It's a nice place to wander, and not as crowded as Dubrovnik. Debbie, that's good news about paying off your car. BTW, I am the odd one who does not like meatballs. They always seem dry and not too flavorful to me. Vanessa, I hope the suggestions will help with the pain, and I think the MRI is a good idea. I hope the neurosurgeon can help and that you get an appointment soon. If the disc or the spinal stenosis is impinging on the nerve, then a minimally invasive procedure might be the answer even if it's not what you would want to do. I know the laminectomy and spinal fusion helped DH, and he does not have the leg and hip pain anymore. Lenda

Roy, I'm sorry about the problems with the scheduling, and the test results. I hope you tolerate the next PET scan better. Vanessa, I'm sorry last night was so bad. I hope the pain management team has some answers today. Joy, enjoy your belated anniversary dinner. Lorraine, I'm sorry your DB is having to face losing a toe, especially with all that's going on with that family. I hope your DB can recover quickly. Roy, my father, who very rarely used bad language used to say, "Getting old is H---", to which I always add but the alternative is worse. I have enjoyed seeing all the pictures of St. Lucia today, They bring back good memories of our many visits there including one in 1999 on Noordam III. Lenda

We have been to St. Lucia many times, but only twice when we had a digital camera. We stopped there in 2000 on the Oriana and in 2015 on the Ruby Princess. We've also been there on the Noordam III and the Ryndam. We have always rented a car or hired a taxi and driven to Soufriere. Twice when the ship was in port longer, we have continued on around the southern tip of the island and then across the island back to Castries. In 2015, that part of the plan was derailed because of a flat tire. It took a while to find a place to repair the tire, but we still made it to Soufriere and on to our favorite stop, the Ladera Resort and Dasheen Restaurant. Thompson Celebration (AKA Noordam III) greeted us when we arrived in Castries in 2015. Castries from our balcony Ladera Resort and Dasheen Restaurant are just off the road south of Soufriere. The resort is situated so you look out between the Pitons and down on Sugar Beach. We've toured the resort and all the rooms face the water, and are open on the water side, even the bathrooms. However, the tubs/showers have shower curtains on both sides. These were all taken from Dasheen. The hotel Their gardens and a memorial to 9/11 in the gardens Soufriere Coast lines Lenda

Good morning from a cloudy central Texas where it is 71F, feels like 71F with an 11 mph wind. The humidity is 97% with a dew point of 70F. Our predicted high will be 81F, and it looks like the rain and thunderstorms will return about 3 pm. A busy day as we head to a nearby town for DH's CT scan, and then back here for my dentist appointment of a deep cleaning of one side of my lower jaw. The appointments are far enough apart that we should be back in time if there are no delays. I'll pass on howling at the moon tonight since we probably won't be able to see it. I'll also celebrate international artist day, and all the wonderful performers we've met on BHBs, especially Naki Attaman. I'll skip being punk for a day. Today's quote is very true. We'll pass on the meal, drink and the wine. We have been to St. Lucia many times, beginning with our first cruise in 1987. I do have some digital pictures which I'll repost in a few minutes. The win of a gold medal in the 1964 Olympics by Dutchman Anton Geesink was a big win for The Netherlands. @StLouisCruisers Sandi, please wish Amy a HAPPY 49TH BIRTHDAY for us. I think Ren will listen to his parents' thoughts about the various colleges, but will chose the one that is the best fit for him. @smitty34877 Terry, I'm sorry you are having problems with Tana's IV line. I hope the nurse will be there soon to get it fixed. Sending positive thoughts for Tana that the meds clear up the pneumonia soon. I am happy you are feeling more settled now. @RMLincoln Maureen, our condolences on the passing of your cousin. I hope you DH's eye pressure can be lowered without using too much of the itch producing meds. I also hope you get approval from the new place soon. @Mr. Boston Safe travels today, and enjoy your getaway. @aliaschief Bruce, I'm glad you are enjoying the ship and the cruise so far. @Haljo1935 I hope your flight is on time, and you and your luggage arrive safely and together. @cat shepard Ann, even this Texan loved the map. It was worth reposting. @lazey1 Jane, I'm glad you had a good time with your DS, but I'm sorry you tested positive. I hope you have a mild case and are well soon. Lenda

@seagarsmoker Hope you have a wonderful cruise to celebrate you anniversary. Lenda

Good afternoon from a rainy and soggy central Texas. It's been raining since about 9:30 this morning, and water is now standing in the yard. We need the rain, but it looks like the ground is about saturated. Still after a summer with little or no rain, I'm not complaining, and our water bill will also be a lot lower now. Debbie, I'm glad the surgeon visit went well, but sorry it will take so long to get a CT scan. Yesterday, just as precaution to make sure the drainage tube from the shunt is in the correct place and does not need to be shortened, the NP ordered a CT scan. She was amenable to DH getting it in a hospital about an hour north of us and then having a telemed appointment when she gets the results. He was lucky to get an appointment tomorrow at 12:30. The only hitch is I have a dentist appointment at 2 pm so it will be a tight squeeze, but they said the CT scan would only take about 15 minutes, so we should still be good. To play it safe, we'll be at the hospital early. Vanessa, I hope the pain clinic calls soon, and that they have a solution. Mary Kay, I'm sorry you have to quarantine again for five days. because of one person's exposure to Covid. I can understand that they can't take any chances. Lenda

Great news, Terri. I hope you get some answers Thursday, or at least, are pointed in the right direction. Lenda

Terry, I'm happy you are wanting more normal days. Please remember to give yourself time to grieve and to adjust to the new normal. I'm sorry Tana has pneumonia again. I hope the IV antibiotics will clear it up soon. Lenda

Fall colors are so spectacular, but we pay a price with all the fallen leaves. Thanks for the picture of the pretty tree. . Terri, thanks for the update. I couldn't like your post, however. I hope they can work your DH in a lot sooner. Vanessa, I'm sorry the pain is getting worse, and I hope the pain management can give you some answers. Lorraine, good for you for standing up for yourself. When I got the flu and Covid boosters together, I had to push to get them in the same arm. This pharmacy doesn't like to do it that way because they feel if you have a reaction and the shots are in different arms, they can tell which shot caused the reaction. I guess that could be true if the reaction was a sore or red arm. Even then, knowing which shot was given where on the arm, I knew the flu shot was the sore spot. I'll not bring up the questionable advice I got recently. Lenda

My friend from Türkiye posted this on FB. Since it's UN Day, Ithought more people should see it. Lenda

Good morning from a cloudy central Texas. We finally got about 0.33 inches of rain last night, but I don't know if we got any more after we went to bed. It is 71F and feels like 71F, but with an 11 mph wind, it could be a bitty chilly feeling outside. The humidity is 96% with a dew point of 70F. Our high will be 81F and there is a chance of rain this morning and thunder storms this afternoon. On the agenda today is tackling some items on the ever growing to do list items I've been putting off for a couple of years. I hope those who celebrate Hinu Diwali Day enjoy the day, whenever it is. Someone else can have my bologna since I never was a fan of it. I'll celebrate the United Nations, imperfect though they are. Albert Einstein did not make a mistake with today's quote. We'll pass on the meal, but the drink and wine sound like something to try. The price for the wine is low enough so that if we don't like it, it can be used in cooking. We have been to Point-a-Pitter, Guadeloupe, but not in this century. Therefore, all my pictures are pre-digital. Congratulations to Sheffield FC on the anniversary of it's founding in 1857. Also, congratulations to the Texas Rangers on winning the AL Pennant. @grapau27 Graham, thank you for the explanations of the various days. @Spudd Thanks for the pictures of from the beach. Welcome to the Fleet Report/Daily. Please feel free to join us again. @kazu Jacqui, welcome home have two very bad travel days. Our condolences to you, Jose's BFF and family on the passing of his wife. @superoma Eva, I hope the special rose cuttings make it through the winter. @cat shepard Ann, thanks for reposting the Ghost Fashions. It's much easier to read and very clever. @smitty34877 Terry, I'm glad the contaminated soil and rocks are gone. Thanks for the picture of the project. @Cruzin Terri Terri, I'm sorry your DH is still struggling. I hope the doctor can give you some answers and solutions. Hang in there, and take care of yourself too. @cruising sister Lorraine, great news on passing the stress test with flying colors. I hope you don't have a reaction to the shots. Lenda

@Overhead Fred A VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY, FRED! Lenda

@aliaschief Bruce, I hope you and Sue have a wonderful cruise. Lenda

@Seasick Sailor Joy, we wish you and Allen a very HAPPY ANNIVERSARY, and many more to follow. Lenda

Ray, that is something to think about. Until about five or six years ago, we spent all or part of the summer in the motorhome, and cruising in the spring and fall and maybe even part of the summer. Over the years, because of high daily campground fees, we found we were staying in one place for a month or longer. Now, we use the motorhome basically to move between Texas and Quartzsite. We like the convenice of having our place lto stay and eat with us as opposed to finding a motel and places to eat. Out motorhome is also our guest room here and in Arizona. In addition to the 24 year old diesel pusher,a few years ago, we bought a small motorhome to use in national and state parks along with Forest Service campgrounds. So there is the option to keep it, and get rid of the bigger motorhome. Obviously, we have a lot to think about. Lenda