Quartzsite Cruiser

Ann, I hope you will not be in a situation where you have to evacuate, but having a plan and knowing what to take is always good.. your flowers are beautiful. Sandi, it was no problem doing the links and posting the pictures. I'll do the same thing Wednesday so you won't have to worry about it while you are disembarking and flying home. I imagine your DH will have his computer packed. DH has an appointment at UTSW at 9 am that day, so we'll have to leave no later than 7 am, but with some help from Rich @richwmn, I have a way to get done. Ifmit will help, I help also do the links on Thursday to give you time to settle in at home. Just let me know. I enjoyed your pi tures. Bruce, it is never easy to lose a loved one even if it's a blessing. Dementia makes it doubly hard as you lose them during the illness and again when they die. Lenda

Debbie. that's interesting about the Ho-Ho. We took the city bus in 2019 because the Ho-Ho that we took in 2003 was not there. I can understand your feet wanting to be freed after all that walking. Even downhill can be hard on knees and feet if it's really steep. Lenda

Congratulations on booking a bucket list cruise, the 2025 VOV. Ray, that is great news about good lab numbers and weight loss. Congratulations on booking a cruise. Brenda, sorry about the water restrictions. I hate see that another area has be be evacuated because of fire. I'm glad your daughter left yesterday. I'm glad your son and DDIL are evacuating with the cats. Brenda, all the pictures would be consider fantastic if it wasn't for the subject matter. I hope the fire can be contained and that the town is not badly affected. Lenda

Terri, I'm sorry the PMR is still bad, and hope it is not something else since it's in a new area. I hope you get some help getting the floors repaired/replaced. I can't believe the floor guy did not have the decency to call and explain why he would be late and may have to reschedule. Carolyn, enjoy your brunch with your cousin and her DH. That is good news about your A1C numbers. Karen, I'm glad you had a good day yesterday at the Senior Day in the Park. I hope PT can help with the sciatic nerve pain. Debbie, I'm glad you had a good day in St. John's, but sorry the city bus no longer goes to Signal Hill. That was a good way to get there, and to see more of the town. It was their version of a Ho-Ho with several stops on the one hour circuit. It was pretty well utilized the day we took it. You picked the correct way to walk since it was mainly downhill and then flatter streets. Thanks for the wonderful pictures. Lenda

We have been to St. Thomas many times beginning in 1987 on our first cruise. It was on the Costa Daphne, and we arrived at the ship in San Juan on Saturday, and our luggage arrived on the ship on Monday in Martinique. We were still hooked on cruising. We have only been to St. Thomas once since we got digital cameras. That was in 2004 on the Golden Princess, on our older DD and DSIL's wedding cruise. They were married by the captain on a sea day. That is the easy way to have a wedding. We spent the day in St Thomas with DD and DSIL looking for the perfect sapphire for DD. And she found the one she wanted at a reasonable price. I don't have too many pictures from our day in St. Thomas. The first two are from the ship. This one is from the shuttle into town. The moon over St. Thomas The most crowded we've seen St. Thomas was in December 1998 on older DD's college graduation cruise. There were 11 ships in port that day. The Ryndam was able to dock at Havensight, and there were ships docked at Crown Bay. The rest were anchored in the bay, except for the Norway which had to anchor outside the bay because of her draft. Walking down the main shopping street was a challenge since it was wall to wall people, even in the street. Lenda

This is what Sandi, @StLouisCruisers posted on November 2, 2022, about their visit to St. Thomas. I remember our first stop at Charlotte Amalie in St. Thomas, Dec. 2003. It was only our second cruise and in those days we didn't go too far from the U.S. We also didn't take long cruises at that time due to DH's work schedule. On that day, we took a little tour which drove us around getting an overall look at the island. Then we did some shopping and bought me something sparkly! Ships docked at Havensight. And the opposite direction at Crown Bay. Looks like there could be a BHB docked there to me. Our open air van driving us around the island Beautiful Magens Bay Next stop was St. Peter Greathouse which also had lovely views Time for dinner, but enjoying the view from the balcony. Happy to be wearing my new diamond slide pendant too! Little did I know how big a part of our lives cruising would become.

Good morning again from sunny and warming up fast central Texas. It was about 83F when I took my walk, but it wasn't too bad outside with our lower humidity and a slight breeze. That is it wasn't too warm until I reached the area without any shade and no wind because the houses and trees were blocking. Our predicted high is 108F on the hourly listing and 110F on the daily listing on the weather app. Either way, it will be hot. I'll be inside the rest of the day except to go check the mailbox. I do not write poetry, but if I did, it definitely would be bad poetry. I like the idea of Serendipity Day, and Helium Discovery Day. Until the 1990s Texas was the largest producer of helium. The helium plant, which is now closed, was located north of Amarillo, where the natural gas fields from there to Kansas had the highest concentration of helium. There were also natural domes in the area for storing helium. Helium is the only natural resource that is non-renewable, and the world may run out of helium in 20-30 years. I like today's quote. DH would probably like today's meal as he likes halibut. I prefer salmon. We'll pass on the drink, but would like to taste the wine. We have been to St. Thomas many times, but only once in the digital age. I'll look for my pictures and Sandi's @StLouisCruisers pictures in a few minutes. Today marks a sad day for the British. @kazu Jacqui, happy anniversary with the Future Cruise lists and the Bon Voyage lists. Ivan looks so good, and so relaxed after his grooming. @smitty34877 Terri, I hope the therapist is as good as the nurse. I also hope your DH gets his appetite back. @dfish Debbie, I'm glad you are almost back to 100% today. Enjoy you day in St. John's. @ottahand7 Nancy, thanks for sharing your pictures of St. Thomas. @marshhawk Annie, that is good news that your DH has not lost his appetite. I hope the eye infection clears up soon. @ger_77 Gerry, I agree about wasting helium on the party balloons. I'm sorry some of the farmers are having to plow their crops under. Loved the story about the birds. @Nickelpenny Penny, I'm glad the a/c was fixed. There is no smell like the smell of rain in the desert. It is so fresh. Lenda

@Mr. Boston A very HAPPY BIRTHDAY!, hope you have many more birthdays. Lenda

A quick good morning from central Texas. St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands, has been the port of the day twice before. The first time was November 3, 2022, and the second was just a few weeks ago on July 27, 2023. The links to Rich's @richwmn post for the Fleet Report and Daily are below. I'll be back a little later after I've read the rest of today's FR/D. Lenda

Good afternoon from a very warm and getting hotter central Texas. The oil has been changed in the convertible, but it took longer than expected. He was working on a boat trailer which took awhile, but the car was inspected by another worker. Oil changes on newer cars are not as fast and easy as on older cars. There is a lot more stuff that has to be removed and put back on just to drain the oil and change the filter. I guess I was there about 1 1/2 hours, but didn't want to have to leave and come back later to find another wait. The car is running a lot better now, but there is still a very slight miss in the engine. The four coils arrived today, but since the miss isn't a problem now, I'm going to wait until it is cooler to replace them unless it's necessary to do so sooner. Annie, I hope you can get the blood sugar down, and that Bob will put up with a diet. I hope the eye infection does not delay your DH's eye surgery. We have taken the Metro many times in Rome. You just have to be sure to get on the train going in the right direction. I don't want to scare you, but Rome is a haven for pick pockets, so a money belt or pouch to wear under your clothes is a good idea. There are so many places to see and visit, I bet you'll want to go back on another trip. Gerry, I read about the evacuation of Yellowknife this morning. I'm glad they are arranging air travel for those that don't drive or can't tolerate a long drive. The article said they would have wreckers and gas trucks along the road south just in case. This sounds like a well thought out plan, and I hope the fires will stop before they can devastate the town. We've talked about driving to Yellowknife when we've driven to Alaska, but never did. Debbie, I'm glad the antibiotics are helping and the infection is getting better. I doubt anyone has much patience when they are trying to get better. Vanessa, thanks for the pictures. I was sad to read another person had died from the injuries received in the house explosion. I hope they find the cause, and that others in the area will have their gas lines and appliances checked. Karen, Senior Day in the Park sounds like fun. I know you'll enjoy your cruise even if it is a different experience than you expected when you booked. Brenda, I'd be grouchy too if workmen put heavy things on my few plants. It's all right when I do it, but not for someone who's working on a neighbor's house. Thank you, Graham. Susan, it does sound like your TA is stressed by all the port changes to many cruises. I hope there are no other changes. Lenda

On January 26, 2020, the Rotterdam returned to Curacao on the way back to San Diego. This day, we walked from the ship, which was docked in the channel to Queen Emma bridge and into town. It was Sunday, so many stores were closed, but it was a pleasant day to wander. The view across the channel from the bridge. The main street leading from the bridge. On of the unusual lift bridges Interesting street art We found this nice little open shaded area with cafes, bars, and decided it was time for a rest and a cool drink. We past the clock and bells just about the time they rang at noon. Notice the clock needs a slight adjustment. A more open area on the edge of the shopping district. We just thought this was cute. Once back across the Queen Emma bridge, DH headed back to the ship, and I headed to the old fort that marked the entrance to the mega cruise dock. The fort was a surprise, since it was basically a shell with modern buildings housing the typical port shops. Only when I turned around to leave, could you see the inside of the fort wall. A nice building and a side street on the walk back to the ship. The final picture from Curacao Lenda

Our first visit to Curacao on January 20, 2020, we rented a car and drove around the island. First we headed north to Westpoint on the northwest corner of the island. Later, we drove out to the resort area on the south end of the island. I'll begin with a couple of pictures taken from the Rotterdam early that morning. From our drive to the north end of the island The church in Westpoint, and the parking lot overlooks a nice beach. A sample of the beaches that dot the north end of the island The buildings are refurbished former slave quarters and the monument is commigrating the freeing of the slaves. I like the simplicity of the monument which still manages to say a lot. A few pictures from the south end. The first is a resort from across the water. Fort Beekenburg A couple of ships docked near the fort. The first is part of the British Royal Fleet Auxiliary and is used in amphibious operations. The other is an older ship and may even be a Russian ship from the looks of the name on the stern. Town with the Rotterdam in the background and a residential street. Lenda

@Lady Hudson Katherine, wishing you and your DH a wonderful time on your cruise. Lenda

Good morning from a sunny central Texas. It is 73F and feels like 73F with 54% humidity and a dew point of 55F. This will be the last pleasant morning for a while as our heat will be back this afternoon with a high of 107F. I will get my walk in as soon as I finish here. On the agenda this morning is to take the convertible to our local station for an oil change and a couple of quick errands. After that, I plan to stay inside and keep cool. Yesterday's smoked babyback ribs turned out to be very good. I was relieved since this was my first solo venture with the smoker. Usually I season the meat, and DH handles the smoker. It was also a relief that I did not add too much wood so the smoke was just right. We donate to our local thrift shop and a couple of others, plus a couple in Quartzsite. We'll celebrate our neighbors, but with this heat, we don't see too much of them. The closest we came to having a black cat was our younger DD's Friskie who was a tuxedo cat. She was 18 when she crossed the Rainbow Bridge. Another good quote from Albert Einstein, and I like the second option. It is too hot here to think about soup. We'll pass on the drink, but the wine sounds like one I'd like to try. We were in Curacao twice in 2020 on b2b Panama Canal cruises on the Rotterdam VI. I post my pictures in another post. Joseph Pulitzer did a lot to help journalism, and the Columbia School of Journalism is one of the best. @StLouisCruisers Sandi, don't worry about the links to the port of the day tomorrow. I'll take care of them. That will give you plenty of time to get ready, have breakfast and enjoy your tour of St. John's. @Denise T Denise, I'm glad your preparations for the oral defense on Monday is going well. You will ace the defense. @smitty34877 Terry, I'm glad your DH is better, and hope the nurse recommends PT for him. @puppycanducruise Melanie, thanks for the sunflower picture. The really are tall. @kazu Jacqui, it always seems to be the case that our fur babies don't cooperate when we really need them to do so. @dfish Debbie, I'm glad you are a bit better than yesterday, and I hope you find something in town to help speed the healing process up. @cruising sister Lorraine, thanks for the update on Murphy, and I'll take cautiously optimistic as a good sign. Safe travels to Tucson. It will still be hot, but a dry heat is more like an oven than a steam bath. @ottahand7 Nancy, I'm glad you got some rain. Our only chance for any rain is the tropical wave in the Gulf of Mexico that is headed toward Texas. Lenda

Susan, I don't know where my mind was. That is very good news about Diane's cats. I hope the foster "mama" does keep Duffy. It sounds like the right place for him. Lenda

We think DH is in good hands. UTSW is the top neurological department in this part of Texas. Jacqui, I can understand giving Ivan the injections. Dachshunds are prone to back problems, and both our Dachshunds had rather expensive back surgeries. These surgeries are now every expensive, if if possible I'd still do that and putting down an otherwise healthy animal. The surgeries gave Brandy and Nikki many more years of quality life. Vanessa, thanks for the information. Our UPS driver signed for us even though we were home. Susan, I tried walking a couple of our cats on a leash. The only way I got them to go where I wanted was to walk in the opposite direction. I also tried with DD's cat, but wound up just dragging him across the concrete. Glad you got some rain with more on the way. Lenda

Thanks, Graham. I hope you are enjoying your short getaway. Great pictures of the two of you. Lenda

Good afternoon from central Texas where it is 95F and feels like 95F. We had a good visit with the back surgeon, who's back has been acting up this week. 🤣 He said it was getting better, but he doesn't know what he did to it. Is that Karma or what? Anyway, all was good with DH. We spent most of the time talking about the NPH and the likelihood of getting the shunt. It was the back surgeon who referred DH to UTSW, so he's interested in what is going on. We learned some more about shunts and procedures, which is always good to know. Otherwise, we will have the 12 month checkup from the back surgery in two months with an x-ray. That should be our final visit with the surgeon. We appreciated his taking time to talk about the NPH and the shunt when he's usually in and out of the exam room quickly. I think he might like having an unique case once in a while. 😉 Did I mention we rarely fit the norm, and even our cats and dogs were the unusual cases. When we got home, I got the ribs in the smoker and got them cooking. After the problems smoker in July, it was nice to see a lot of smoke coming out of the smoker. I just hope I didn't put too much wood in the smoker. Vanessa, I'm glad you finally got the grass mowed, but I hope you did not get too hot. I hope the PT this afternoon helps. Good to hear from you, Linda. I know you had a good time with the family at Disney World. Terry, that is good new that your DH is home and managed the steps safely. I know the family is relieved. Now, you have two happy dogs who's pack is complete again. Jacqui, I'm very happy for Ivan and you that the injections are working, and he is a "new" dog. Sharon, for years we used mesquite chunks when we had a large wood and charcoal smoker. It helped that my DFIL would send of bring us the branches trimmed from the many mesquite trees in their yard. Once the UPS driver asked what was in a large heavy box he delivered. I don't think he believed me when I said mesquite branches. 🤣 When we moved and got an electric smoker with a smaller wood box, we switched to chips after a few years. They seem to work better than chunks in the smoker. We switched from mesquite wood several years ago, and generally use apple (mainly for pork), pecan, hickory or Jack Daniels (for beef). I like the pecan we used on the brisket in July. We've also used cherry, too. I like a milder wood and not a heavy smoke flavor anyway. Our older DD gave us some wood chips several years ago made from an oak barrel that aged Cabernet Sauvignon. We saved that mainly for smoking beef tenderloins, and it was good. Unfortunately, we've used it all. A lot depends on whether or not you are using the wood for smoking or for actually providing the heat to cook the meat too. If its the later, then you need bigger pieces and a wood that will smoke longer. Bruce, you beat me to the answer, but your suggestions are some that we've used or use. We like to try different types of wood, but now stay away from mesquite most of the time. Terri, I'm glad all the timing worked out and you got the package. Thanks for the information about leaving a signed note for FedEX if you won't be home. I'm betting that will work for UPS too. The last few packaged we've needed to be home to sign for, the UPS driver "signed" for us with his scanner. Glad you beat the rain home. I just checked the smoker and it is still working. So DH's fix on the wiring and the new heating element did the trick. Lenda

Good morning, again. All the food prep is ready, and we'll put the ribs in the smoker when we get back from the doctor appointment. All that will be left is heating the beans to thicken the sauce. Graham, I'll be pulling for England when they play Spain in the final game. Terri, sending positive thoughts that your DH's bloodwork is good and he he can come home today. Debbie, I'm glad you are feeling better and could go to breakfast. I hope you continue to improve. Jack, Lily is a real cutie. Good pictures of the family. Gerry, the old railroad lanterns make the deck look really festive and inviting. Lorraine, thanks for the update on Murphy. It sounds like she is making steady progress, and being held by her parents is probably the best medicine for her. Carolyn, thanks for the wonderful pictures from Iceland. Terri, I'm sorry you won't be able to get help with the PMR sooner. Have you thought about leaving a note for FedEx while you and DH are gone? RNB. I do tell jokes, just not all that well. The timing or punchline is usually a little off. Susan, I'm glad there were no major problems found yesterday. Rich, that is an interesting story about the two roller coasters. I read the story about the older one being demolished at the end of one of the S&TB movies. Lenda

In 2009, we did a private tour with a few CC friends, and in 2017, we rented a car and drove east from Akureyri. I will not post my pictures of Godafoss since they are the same as others. We stopped at Myvatn Naturebath both trips. The geothermal area and the geothermal power plant Dettifoss Countryside Lenda

We have been to Akureyri three times. The first was in 2009 on Tahitian Princess, and in 2016 and 2017 on Prinsendam. I'm going to break my pictures of Akureyri into two posts. These first pictures were taken in 2016 when we stayed in town and walked around. These are random pictures of the downtown area. The church. We did not climb all those steps to visit the inside of the church. The movie theater We wanted to visit the Aviation Museum, and had heard that we could take a city bus to reach it. It turned out the nearest bus stop was at the top of a steep hill overlooking the airport and museum. The walk down would not have been too bad, but the climb up -- no way. We waited for the next bus and went back to town. From there we got an expensive taxi to take us to the museum. When we asked them to call a taxi for us after our visit, the very nice man who had showed us around when we first arrived, said he was heading back to town and would give us a ride. Our travels have shown us that there are very nice people all over the world. There were a lot of old planes, but this exhibit is not one you normally see, the not so black Black Boxes. The view from our hilltop bus stop The local skating rink. Lenda

Good morning from a cool central Texas where it is 69F and feels like 69F with 65% humidity and a dew point of 57F. This will be our last cool day for a while with a high of 98F. Tomorrow it will be 107F, so I'll enjoy my walk this morning. On the agenda today after my walk will be making potato salad and baked beans to go with our smoked babyback ribs tonight. I'll also prep the ribs this morning so they will be ready to go into the smoker when we get back from DH's next to last appointment with the spine surgeon. I will celebrate the Airborne, and I think our neighbor across the street was a member of the Airborne. I like a good joke, but am not that good at telling jokes. I do not care for roller coasters. An interesting quote from Lana Turner, but I think it is a bit cynical. We'll pass on the meal and the drink, but the wine might be worth a try. We have been to Akureyri three times, and I retrieve my pictures in a few minutes. The discovery at Bonanza Creek was just the beginning. @RMLincoln Maureen, I hope you have a safe and uneventful drive home today. @StLouisCruisers Sandi, good luck to Ren and the team in Mexico City. @ottahand7 Nancy, I'm sorry your asthma is acting up, and I hope you get it under control soon. @grapau27 Congratulations to England on the semi-final win today. Lenda

Debbie, I hope you feel better in the morning. Annie, now that you mention it, i don’t remember her posting for a while. There are several other "regulars" who haven't posted lately. Lenda

Good afternoon after a very long morning. I managed to get away just after 7:30, but it still took a while to visit all three stores. Overall, a rather successful shopping trip. Road work that closed one lane on a two lane bridge slowed things down on the way out, but my timing was good when I was coming home. It took a while to unload the car, get everything put away, get breakfast, and do the regular chores. I won't be doing much this afternoon, and supper will be easy, sloppy joes. I have enjoyed seeing everyone's pictures from Hubbard Glacier, and I thank all of you for sharing them. There are too many to name without forgetting one or two. Terri, I'm sorry your Polymyalgia Rheumatica has come back and with a vengeance. Is it possible to message your doctor to see if he will allow you to increase the prednisone since it's so long until your appointment? If you can't message him, could you call his nurse and get her ask about increasing the dosage? You shouldn't have to suffer between now and your appointment. I hope the floors can be fixed without too much mess. Gerry, I'm sorry about the power outage. I am glad the tooth did not need a crown. Penny, I hope you are accepted for the study, and that it will help your knees. Annie, oh no, on your DH's confusion yesterday. Could the immunotherapy or the stress have made it worse? I hope today is a better day. Susan, we've been lucky to see a lot of calving on our visits to Hubbard Glacier, but never one as big as your described. That must have been spectacular. Debbie, I'm sorry about the headache and hope it gets better. Could they have brought more flowers on board in Iceland and are just now getting them placed around the ship? I enjoyed your pictures of Nanortalik. Here are some of my many pictures from 10 of our 11 times seeing Hubbard Glacier. The first time in 2000, was pre-digital. The rest were on various 14 day b2b2b Alaskan cruises on Amsterdam, Statendam and Zaandam. We've been lucky to have been there on some very sunny days, and some cloudy days. We've only had one where the weather turned miserable and we had to go to the Lower Promenade Deck to get out of the rain. Some of the breathtaking scenery on a clear, sunny day. Mt. Logan the highest mountain in Canada. The Canadian border is just over the first range of mountains behind the glacier. One of the small excursion boats in front of the glacier A series of pictures of two places where the glacier calved. A small wave after a larger chunk of the glacier calved. Sailing away to Sitka. Lenda

A very quick good morning from central Texas. It is 73F and feels like 73F with the humidity at 62% and a dew point of 59F. Our predicted high will be 96F. We really did have a cold front come through last night. It looks like we won't be back in the triple digits until Thursday, when the predicted high will be 109F. No that is not a typo, and it will be really hot Wednesday and Thursday. I need to not only go to our local grocery store and a couple of other stores, but to W-M about 22 miles away. I'm going to try to head out soon so I won't spend the entire day running errands. I will celebrate Acadian Day, and best friends day. I'll try to find time to celebrate relaxation day. One of my two best friends and her husband will be here this afternoon for happy hour. The quote is true, but there is more to life, tool We'll pass on the meal and the drink. The wine sounds nice. We have been to Hubbard Glacier many times, and I'll look for my pictures when I finish my errands. Today in history began the most challenging part of the Pilgrim's journey to the new world. Thank you, Graham, for the lovely garden pictures. Jake, congratulations on booking another cruise, and getting a great deal. Terry, I'm very happy your DH is improving. I hope he is home soon and has a complete recovery. Jacqui, I'm sorry your summer has been so wet. I hope the Farmer's Alamac is also wrong about our winter weather. They are predicting another very cold and bad winter for Texas. Lenda