Quartzsite Cruiser

Ann, I'm glad it was the equipment that was faulty, and Bindi is all right. Lenda

Jacqui, I hope you can get some rest tonight. I'm glad the x-rays today were good. I hope the things that are now in the works, work out well. Lenda

Gerry, I'm glad your friends in Temple escaped the tornado unharmed and without damage. The destruction was extensive. Oh no, Vanessa, about your a/c going out. Your are lucky to have two units, so you can have a cool place until the other one is repaired. I had to smile when I saw you had gone through the same maneuvers to get the drier working again. I'm not sure I qualify and a diligent housekeeper. Yes, I was cleaning house and drying towels or I probably wouldn't have notices the problem. I hope this time the hose stays in place. Roy, thank you for the pictures from Kagoshima. It looks like we'll be getting more rain in about 15-30 minutes. I'll have to check my feet to see if they are growing webs between my toes. Lenda

Cursive was reintroduced in Texas elementary schools in the 2019-2020 school year. Lenda

Good morning from a slightly brighter, but still cloudy central Texas. It is 76F already, and we're heading to a high of 88F this afternoon. It looks like we'll get some more thunderstorms this afternoon and evening, but then be rain free until Monday afternoon. The humidity is 96% with a dew point of 75F and 10 mph winds. I will probably make a quick trip to the grocery store this morning before it gets crowded. Since I'm an only child, I'll let DH who has two brothers celebrate Brother's Day. One year, a bunch of girls decided to get tiaras to wear to dances. I never learned Morse Code. I don't agree with the C. E. M. Joad quote. The meal sounds good, but I'll skip it until my mouth has healed a bit more because of the pecans. On BHBs we often have dessert at lunchtime and skip the stuff before dessert. The drink sounds interesting, and I'd like to try the wine if it wasn't so pricey. We have not been to Kagoshima. The first telegraph message in 1844 by Samuel Morse changed how people communicated over long distances. @grapau27 Graham, thanks for telling us about tiara day. @MISTER 67 After seeing the video of Scottie's arrest, I agree with you about the police department. @StLouisCruisers Sandi, I hope you are feeling better today. I also hope whoever needed the medical team is all right. @cat shepard Ann, I hope the problem with Bindi's blood test was the vet's machine, but if not, I hope the situation can be remedied easily. @smitty34877 Terry, enjoy your visit with your DB. It is nice that your family is coming to help on weekends. I'm sorry your oldest brother is gone, but hope the good memories help. @1ANGELCAT I hope Shirl's two month trial becomes permanent. DH's stepmother went into a memory unit as a trial, and remained there. @dfish Debbie, I think River's other grandmother had the perfect answer to River's question yesterday. @marshhawk Annie, I hope the new phone purchase goes smoothly today. Lenda

@Heartgrove Jack, I hope you have a wonderful birthday and many more birthdays to follow. Lenda

Good afternoon from an interesting day weather wise and other wise. Just after 9am the skies got very dark and the wind picked up along with rain. We were under a wind advisory with predicted gusts up to 50 mph until 11:30. The wind was high enough to blow some empty storage drawers onto the floor in the port and to move the satellite antenna enough that we lost the signal. After the wind died, I took the broom out and using the handle moved the antenna back in place. As if that wasn't enough, there was an "oh fudge" moment just after I started the drier. I noticed lint on the floor and checked behind the drier.. Sure enough the vent hose had come off the connection to the outside vent. We moved the drier out some, then I moved the washer at an angle followed by the drier, which gave me enough room to squeeze behind the drier. First, got the lint vacuumed up, and then, as I was ready to put the vacuum up, the bottom of the dust cannister popped open. Once I the lint was vacuumed again, I got the hose back in place and the hose clamp tightened down very tight. It was fun getting the drier back in place and keeping the vent hose from kinking while we pushed the drier back. After being married to an engineer for almost 57 years, I came up with a novel solution. We have a very long extension cord, which I put under the middle of the hose, and with the cord plugged into itself, we used it to lift the hose while we pushed the drier back in place. The end result is the hose is not as kinked as before and the drier is working better. I'm just glad I hadn't vacuumed and mopped that area earlier. And people think homebodies don't have interesting lives. 😁 It is getting dark again, and there is lightning and thunder. We've had rain on and off, and it is pouring again Our yard is saturated. There will be a break after 5pm and more rain about 8 pm. I think it's a good night to reheat the leftover chili and make some cornbread. I just wish I could have some wine with it, but was advised to wait several days after the dental surgery. 😒 Eva, love the flowers. I could get flowers to go in The Woodlands, but not as much here. Thank you for sharing your flowers. Bruce, thanks for the pictures from your tour. Gerry, I'm very happy Maurice's surgery went well and I hope the test results today are all good. Enjoy the dinner your DSIL is nice enough to cook for you tonight. Roy, I'm sorry you will need more invasive test and that they will need to be done downtown. I hope they give the doctors good results or answers to how to move forward for a successful outcome. Great memes as usual, John. Pennie, thanks for the information about the Plato quote. I suspected it was something like that, and I agree with the quote, even if life isn't always without hardship. Good luck on your projects. Vanessa, I'm glad both you and BFF got a good night's sleep. It was probably just what you both needed. RNB, it's a deal breaker for me too, but not DH. I hope you saw the green flash, Bruce. Carolyn, it sounds like this was the perfect place for the boys and for both of you. I'm sorry your A1C was up, I'm sure you will get it down soon, and great news on the kidney function. Jacqui, I'm sorry it is so frustrating to get things done and to get answers. I hope your foot is better soon. We have gotten more than 1 inch of rain in the last 24 hours. I wish the areas that need the rain could get some of our rain. Lenda

Good morning from central Texas where it is 74F with 100% humidity and a dew point of 73F. It is cloudy, and we should be seeing more thunderstorms beginning about 1pm and lasting until late evening. Our predicted high is 84F with 10+mph winds again. In other words, another fun spring day in Texas. To add to the fun, I'll be cleaning house today. Sadly, my sister-in-law died suddenly at 59 a little more than 14 years ago. With two crowns, one implant and two implants in the works, I'll skip the taffy, but DH would have some if there was any in the house. World Turtle Day is the best day to honor, and we should do all we can to help save the turtles. An interesting quote from Plato that I'll have to think about. The meal looks good for another day. We'll pass on the drink and the wine. We have not been to today's port. The formation of the Republic of Germany in 1949 was the beginning of today's modern Germany. @MrSnuffleupagus Safe travels to Vancouver today. Enjoy your cruise on Koningsdam. @dfish Debbie, I'm sorry for Sue, River and especially great grandmother about the birthday party. I hope Sue and Rive and celebrate with great grandmother another day soon. Life's too short for all the drama some people manage to do. Lenda

@smitty34877 Terry, please pass this along to Tana. I hope she has a very good day today. Lenda

Good morning. The Fleet Report and Daily has been busy. I'll post Sandi's @StLouisCruisers links to today's port of Baie-Comeau, Quebec, Canada, and then go back and read the Daily. Baie-Comeau has been our port of the day twice before on August 28, 2022 and November 18, 2023. The links are below for anyone who wishes to retrieve the pictures they shared previously. Neither Sandi nor I have been to Baie-Comeau, and we're looking forward to seeing any pictures. Lenda

Glad the Mavs won. 🤞 for the Stars, though I'm not a hockey fan. We had some thunder and a bit more rain, but no more hail. I hope @LambKnuckles Lambie and @Seasick Sailor Joy were spared any bad weather events. We still have all our LP going back to school days and our original cabinet stereo record player from 1970 plus a modern turntable hooked up to the sound system. Talk about originals, our Betamax player is in the attic and we still have the tapes. Lenda

The really bad storm with high winds went south of us, but that didn’t mean we didn't get rain. We also got another hail storm a while ago. The hail was smaller than yesterday, but a lot more of it. The hail and pounding rain were extremely loud on the metal roof. It is thundering again, so I guess we'll get more rain. According to the forecast, the rain will taper off after midnight, and then pick up about noon tomorrow until about 8pm. Vanessa, I'm sorry you felt bad yesterday and your eye is flaring. I imagine the stress of the last few days didn't help. I'm glad BFF is home and doing well, but sorry he is experiencing a lot of pain. Debbie, the iris are lovely, and my favorite color. Annie, congratulations on the sales. Lenda

A bit of good news today. DH's new passport arrived today, but without the passport card. They are probably sending it separately. This was a real fast turnaround. The application was mailed on May 7 and received at the acceptance center on May 9, which means it took about two weeks. My passport and passport card are taking a bit longer, but that is due to my losing the passport card. When that happens, once the loss is reported, the card and the passport are canceled immediately. Then, you have to fill out an application for a new passport and card instead of a renewal. I know they received the application on May 8 and are going over the paperwork. So patience is the order of the day. Karen, safe travels tomorrow. Lenda

Good afternoon from an increasingly cloudy central Texas. It looks like the rain will be here about 5 pm and will be off and on tonight and into the morning. We are under a tornado watch, but that is typical of thunderstorms this time of year. I finally called W-M about my prescription, and even though the web-site said they were filling it, they weren't. The lady said they could have it ready in 30-45 minutes, and I said I'd be there in 45 to 60 minutes. I wanted to get there and back before the bad weather arrived which was supposed to be about 2 or 3. If I hadn't called, I'd probably still be waiting. Thank you, Graham. Great quotes from Johnny. Thank you, John. Thanks for the flower picture and the animal part pictures, Ann. I've wanted to go to the animal park, but we've never made it. Lorraine, thanks for the pictures of your grandson and granddaughter. Cute kids. Great pictures, Brenda. Carolyn, glad the test results were all normal. Enjoy your getaway with the DGSs. Hugs! RNB, I'm sure we have a few VCRs around here, but I don't know if they are hooked up. Lenda

This is what I posted on September 17, 2021. We have been to San Diego many times, and DH lived there in the 1950s for a short time. The town has really changed and grown since then. When the DDs were little, we spent a couple of days there in our motorhome, and visited the zoo. Since then, it has been a cruise port, a turnaround day or we embarked or disembarked. I thought I had more pictures of the town, but they must be pre-digital. In 2009, we drove by the house DH lived in, and it was in the process of being flipped and enlarged. We were able to wander through it, and they were doing a nice job. Unfortunately, five years later, the new owners had really junked it up. In 2016, we had a port day while on the Ruby Princess. We walked down to the Midway and spent quite a bit of time exploring the ship. Here are just two of the pictures, but it is worth a visit. These are from our walk back to the ship. The remainder of the pictures are from various sailaways A submarine in drydock Lighthouses and markers on Point Loma The Del Coronado Hotel, where Some Like It Hot was filmed, even though the moving was set in Florida. It is pretty grainy as we were several miles off shore. As we were headed to the Panama Canal. Lenda

These pictures were from our 11/14-12/12/21 cruise. All were taken from the Koningsdam either while we were in port, at the sailaway parties or as we sailed down the channel between North Island and the submarine base on the way to Point Loma. Pictures of the harbor while we were waiting for the new passengers to board. San Diego skyline as we left the B Street Pier. North Island When we sailed on 11/28, it was a sunny day looking toward the San Diego skyline, and the skyline picture above was taken that day. As we turned to pass between North Island and the bluff leading to Point Loma, a fog bank moved in, then it was clear before we reached the point. I've never seen anything like it when we've sailed out of San Diego. The ferry dock between the area around the sub base and either North Island or downtown. The leading edge of the fog bank was approaching the area. The fog bank. We could not see the area where the drydock used to work on submarines was. The backside of the fog bank. This is the area where I think the submarine in @StLouisCruisersSandi's picture was docked, but at a different angle. This last picture is Point Loma and the sunset as we sailed into the Pacific on 11/14. As you can see, we had an obstructed balcony, and it was almost impossible to take a picture without part of the lifeboat included. Lenda

Good morning from another cloudy day in Central Texas. It is already 79F with a predicted high of 88F. The humidity is 98 percent with a dewpoint of 76F. We also have a flood warning beginning this morning through early Friday morning. The rain and thunderstorms will start about 3 pm, and there is a risk of high winds, hail and tornados, but that is always a risk with thunderstorms in Texas during the spring. All of today's days are worth celebrating. I always try to be myself. Harvey Milk was a LGBTQ pioneer, and I wonder how much more he could have accomplished if he'd lived. Biological diversity is important for the planet's health which is important to our health. The Helen Rowland quote is amusing, but I'm don't agree with it. The meal sounds good, but we'll pass. The drink and wine are worth a try. We have been to San Diego many times, but mostly to board a ship. Occasionally, we've had it as a turnaround day or even a port day. Johnny Carson's last show in 1992 was a sad day for late night tv. @ger_77 Gerry, I hope all goes well for your DH today, and that he will cover nicely and regain his strength and stamina. Remember to take care of yourself too. @JazzyV Vanessa, I hope both you and BFF had a restful night, and that he will be discharged today. @grapau27 Graham, I appreciate all the information about the days that you find and share. Thank you. @Mr. Boston Safe travels to and from Portland. I hope you find what you're looking for. @kazu Jacqui, I'm sorry the vicious dog attacked Ivan. I hope he's all right and that the attack did not scare him from walking. I'm glad you reported the man and his dog. I also hope the CT scan will give the doctor some answers to what is going on with your foot. @puppycanducruise Melanie, thank you for the pictures of the beautiful flowers. @Haljo1935 Elizabeth, I hope the surgeon is in the office today, and that you get some good news. @Cruzin Terri Terri, safe travels to and from Hilton Head, and I hope your DH's appointment goes well. @StLouisCruisers Sandi, I agree. Please take the cold medicine. @dfish Debbie, I hope you follow the advice to report your "friend" to the higher ups at the community center. He needs an attitude adjustment or to go. @smitty34877 Terry, I hope you and Tana can get some rest this afternoon and that tonight is much better. @marshhawk Annie, congratulations on the sale. Sandi, @StLouisCruisers I'll post the links tomorrow. I've already looked up the links for tomorrow and more of the days ahead. Thanks for the heads up on the days. Lenda

Yes. I was glad I had a strong metal roof overhead. Lenda

Texas weather is known for being weird, but this afternoon, it got even weirder. A while after the hail, it rained twice but while I heard it and smelled it, I couldn't see it. It was like really low verga with only a very few drops hitting the driveway. DH said later that we were under a hail warning. Now, I'm glad the prescriptions weren't ready, or I clould have been driving in the hail. Lenda

I hope no damages either. The cars and motor ihome were under the port roof, and the golf cart seems okay. Here may be a few dents in the metal stood. Most of the siding in the path of the hail was protected by an overhang. The rest is to high to know about for sure. Lenda

Wow! We just got a hail storm that lasted several minutes. No rain, just big hail. I'm sitting out in the port, and it sounded like someone beating on the metal roof. After it stopped, I gathered some of the larger ones which had already melted some. For a size comparison, I put them by my book. Lenda

I hope Shirl will be happy with the move, and the "trial" visit is made permanent. Hats off to your brother for working to convince the move is necessary. Nancy, I think you would enjoy the island, especially if you find a way to tour the island. It is very pretty and also interesting where the volcanoes did damage. It can also be hot and sticky so be prepared. Lenda

Good afternoon from a pleasant but cloudy central Texas. We both enjoyed our donuts this morning, and have enough for two more days. We've also gotten a couple of chores out of the way. Will probably be heading to W-M later this afternoon to finally pick up the prescriptions. It turns out they did not go through when they were called in yesterday, but they were called in quickly after I called the dentist's office. Gerry, I'm glad your DH is doing better, and you could get out of the house yesterday. Best wishes for the valve replacement tomorrow. Maureen, yesterday's doctor visit still sounds like the eye is improving and healing. I hope in two weeks, the pressure is low enough to avoid a pressure lowering medicine. Sorry the concert was not the best environment. Sharon, I don't blame you for being upset yesterday at lunch. There's not much worse than a ruined steak. That manager needs to be retrained in customer service. Terri, I'm glad the power washing was done, but why can't workers show up at the appointed time not before or after. Thanks for the beautiful picture, Brenda. Thank you, Graham. Jacqui, I'm sorry you did not get a definitive answer and have to go back. Get some rest in the meantime. Elizabeth, I'm sorry the surgeon was not in, and I hope you get good news tomorrow. And sorry about needing a new tire. I hope you can get the tree work done soon. Loved the end of the world memes, John. Lenda

The second stop on our tour of New Britain Island and Rabaul was the Kokopo War Museum. Kokopo was named the capital of NB after the 1994 eruption and it is down the coast road from Rabaul. The museum over looks a beach resort. Rabaul is a tourist destination with resorts, snorkeling and other activities. Before heading to the museum, we got a look at the resort and an opportunity for shopping. The museum which houses a lot of war materiel and some local items. You will notice our "luxury tour buses" in the background of some of the pictures. A couple of native items in the museum. This might be the security guard. What was supposed to be our final stop, the Bita Paka War Cemetery. The Indian slaves were also buried here. It turns out, our final stop was on the side of the road on the way back to Rabaul. Our van had a flat tire, and it took a while to get it changed. Ironically, we had to change vans before we left the port as the first van had a flat tire. I can attest that the spare might have come from "A Christmas Story" since I had a good view of it on the tour. The spare tire was hanging from the back of the front seat just in front of me. Tavurvur volcano as we sailed. Lenda

On June 11, 2005, the Pacific Princess docked in Rabaul located on New Britain Island, which is part of Papua New Guinea. Until the 1994 eruption of the two volcanos which buried the town, it was the capital of New Britain Island. Since 1994, Vulcan has been quiet, but Tavurvur has been active. In 2005, Tavurvur was sending out ash, which covered the streets and the ship. After the 1994 eruption, the ash was about 15 feet deep in places, and they plowed a path through the ash to open the coast road, leaving high walls of ash on either side. In WWII, New Britain Island was never retaken from the Japanese. Instead, the US captured the islands that ringed NB, and opened airfields and Navy bases on the island. This resulted in cutting the Japanese supply line to NB and ending any Japanese military activity. As I said earlier, I have a lot of pictures from Rabaul and our tour of the island, and I'll divide the pictures into two posts. These pictures are of the town from the ship, and the dancers that greeted our arrival. A couple of streets in town. Note all the ash on the roads and on the dock in the previous pictures. The ash was from the activity from Tavurvur. The first stop on our tour was one of the barge tunnels. The Japanese would drag the barges into the tunnels for protection when they were not in use. The barges were dragged along rails by Indian slaves. The first picture is one of the tunnels which we saw as we sailed that afternoon. The tunnel entrance One of the tour guides and the remains of a barge The tour will continue in the next post. Lenda