irishjim

57 minutes ago, puppycanducruise said:

@smitty34877Sending prayers that everything will go well on Tuesday.

+1

1 hour ago, Vict0riann said:

That was Danang - do you want more of other places on that day?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yes  please.

3 hours ago, dfish said:

Good morning, everyone!   

 

It is supposed to be cool and overcast today, but that's ok as long as it isn't raining.  I went and got more small boxes yesterday as well as a new coffee pot.  The old one developed a leak.  I also made arrangements for pick up of some bulky items today and got those to the curb.  Scavengers reduced the load a bit.  All the utilities for both houses have been contacted and we will have lights and water in the new house when we move in.  Today's agenda is more of the same.  

 

We are definitely in soup and stew season.  Soup is wonderful on a blustery autumn or winter day.  Today's soup is full of goodness.   

 

Arborio rice is a variety of short-grain rice used primarily in the classical preparation of risotto. Named after the area in Italy where it was originally cultivated, today the rice is also grown in the U.S. in states such as California and Texas. Arborio rice is short, fat, and slightly oval-shaped with a pearly white exterior. There are various size designations, of which super fino—the largest grain size—is the one most commonly used in the United States.

 

Arborio rice is high in amylopectin, a starch present in rice. Because it undergoes less milling than ordinary long-grain rice, arborio retains more of its natural starch content. Cooking the rice releases this starch, resulting in a firmer, chewier, and creamier rice compared to other kinds of rice. Arborio rice is a little less than double the cost of regular long-grain white rice.  https://www.thespruceeats.com/what-is-arborio-rice-995971

 

 

Our first recipe comes from Taste of Home and is full of good vegetables and protein.  Rice and beans together make a complete protein, so no need to add meat to the dish.   It is a little carb heavy for those watching the carbs.  The good news is the beans really aren't all that bad because of the fiber content.  https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/arborio-rice-and-white-bean-soup/

 

 

The next one uses different ingredients, but I'm sure it is equally tasty and satisfying. https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/white-bean-and-arborio-rice-soup/

 

 

And this one has a tomato broth.  https://dirtygourmet.com/2010/03/29/arborio-rice-and-white-bean-vegetable-soup/

 

 

Last, but not least, I want to wish Graham @grapau27 a very happy birthday!   Enjoy dinner with your Sarah.   

 

 

Wishing you all a very good day.

+1

1 hour ago, grapau27 said:

I'm sorry to hear your brother is in lots of pain caused by possible infection after his knee surgery.

Sending our prayers 🙏 and best wishes for him to be pain free.

Graham.

+1

3 hours ago, StLouisCruisers said:

Good morning friends!  I have exercised, eaten breakfast, said my prayers and need to shower and get ready for our dental appointments.  Not much time to dawdle.  Thanks to everyone for their contributions here each day.  I hope Lenda and Steve will have good reports for us today.  Happy anniversary to @seagarsmokerand the Mrs.   A big shoutout to all on Roy's Celebration list today.  

Ashdod, Israel is the port of the day and here is the link for the last time we saw it, April 29, 2021.

 

I went to Ashdod in 2014 on our Holy Land cruise on the Prinsendam.  It was our first voyage on Holland America and it was Black Sea and Holy Land B2B.  We were originally booked on the Ocean Princess to go to the Black Sea and the Holy Land but due to political unrest that year Princess cancelled Egypt ports and most of the Black Sea ports and just substituted Greek Isles ports instead.  So we cancelled them and took a chance on the Prinsendam, and loved it!

 

 

In Ashdod on October 26, 2014 we immediately left the port for our drive to Jerusalem.  I only have a few photos around the ship of the tugs, etc.  This is about all you can expect from there.  Maybe someone else has spent more time there and can give you an overview of the town.

 

Arriving at an overlook of the city of Jerusalem we stopped to listen to our guide and take in the view.

 

 

According to my notes we next stopped at the Church of All Nations, also known as the Basilica of the Agony.  It's a Roman Catholic church located on the Mount of Olives next to the Garden of Gethsemane.  

 

The church has beautiful murals on its facade.  

 

The olive trees in the Garden of Gethsemane are many hundreds of years old.

 

 

Seen off to the side and on the hillside slightly above the Basilica of the Agony, is the Church of St. Mary Magdalene.  This is one of Jerusalem's most picturesque sights due to its seven gilded onion domes, each topped by a tall Russian Orthodox cross.

 

Interior of the Basilica including the high altar overlooking a large slab of rock, which is said to be the very rock on which Jesus prayed in agony on the night of his betrayal.

 

I borrowed this photo of the rock because mine was blurry.

 

We got on the bus to move on to view the Catholic Cemetery, but I got this photo of the Basilica and the Church of St. Mary Magdalene from the road next to the cemetery.  Gives you a good perspective.

 

The Catholic Cemetery

 

And here is the Tower of David, Jerusalem's citadel, located near the Jaffa Gate on the western side of the old city wall.

 

Continuing in Jerusalem, we got off the bus and walked through the Jaffa Gate, walking past stalls and shops.  

 

Entrance to a convent.

 

 

Very well worn stone pathways.

 

There was a huge gift shop we were allowed to look around in for some time but I stayed outside most of the time taking photos of fountains and small stalls.  From there we walked to the Holy Sepulchre Church which is believed to be the site where Jesus Christ was crucified and buried.

 

 

 

Inside the Church we saw the Crucifixion Altar

 

and the Tomb of Jesus

 

We continued on with the tour for several more hours and I have a lot more photos but wanted to cut to the end where we went to the Wailing Wall (also known as the Western Wall). 

 

The area was divided with women on one half and men on the other.

 

From there we walked back through a different gate to our bus and the drive back to our new home away from home, the Prinsendam.  There really is too much to see and learn about on these tours so it is somewhere we should try to visit again.  It was the same way in Haifa when we went to Nazareth and the Jordan River.  I recommend a Holy Land cruise to everyone.  

 

Sorry this post is so long!

 

 

 

The  longer  the better for me.Awsome  photos. Thank you so  much,

                                                                                                                        Jim. 

3 hours ago, MISTER 67 said:

Congrats on your anniversary!

+1

1 hour ago, dfish said:

 

Thanks, Sandi.  I have made a honey mustard salmon before and a salmon dish that calls for spinach, blistered tomatoes, and heavy cream.  Mmmmm.   The work will all be worth it when the move is completed.  I can take my time unpacking.  

 

 

 

 

Thank you so much!   I just hope a cat doesn't jump out of one of these boxes. That would mean I stole it from someone!

 

@Seasick Sailor

 

 

+1

1 hour ago, grapau27 said:

I'm so sorry to hear your dear friends Brother passed away suddenly.

Sending her our deepest condolences.

G&P xx

+1

3 hours ago, puppycanducruise said:

@Lady HudsonHappy Birthday!  Happy Birthday! 🎂🎂

+1

3 hours ago, BrandelynCon said:

Hello everyone! I am new to the Daily and Fleet Report as I am new to the Holland American pages. I have my first Holland America cruise booked for May 27th 2023 Boston to Montreal. I have cruised many times but this will be my first in the NE. My sister was a performer on Holland America back in 2003-2005. She was on the Osterdam and the Zyderdam. 

 

My parents are flying out Saturday for a 15-night river cruise from Amsterdam to Budapest. Ahh, the retired life is looking good on them. Hoping for safe travels. 

 

We had our first freeze of the season here in Oklahoma last night. Days will still be in the 80's though for a few more weeks. Hope everyone has a great day. Prayers to all of those facing some struggles right now and always happy to see life celebrations both big and small. 

Welcome.

4 hours ago, puppycanducruise said:

@StLouisCruisersTerrible news about your friend.  Prayers for her family and you. 

+1

4 hours ago, puppycanducruise said:

@Seasick Sailor @SusieKIslandGirl Happy Birthday! 🎂🥂

+1

2 hours ago, grapau27 said:

I'm sorry to hear about your friend.

Condolences to all her family.

Graham 

+1

2 hours ago, grapau27 said:

Sending Happy birthday wishes for your birthday week Joy.

Sounds like you have an amazing week lined up.

Graham.

+1

On 10/9/2022 at 11:45 PM, The-Inside-Cabin said:

Bon Voyage - Have a great cruise!

+1

3 hours ago, Sharon in AZ said:

Happy Birthday Vanessa!!!  🎈🎈🎈

+1

2 hours ago, HAL Sailer said:

😪Difficult news.😪 

 

Due to new symptoms, my 90 year old DSIL (DH's sister) had a follow-up to her PET scan as that scan is not good at detecting melanoma in some tissue. Sadly, it has spread further.

 

She will continue aggressive treatment; now with Keytruda immunotherapy . 

 

There is some hope. Always hope. And, since my DH's dementia doesn't let him understand her battle, I will continue to pray with him for his sister's cure.

 

But, a medical friend has warned me that my DSIL's agressive treatment decisions may be more an attempt to stop the melanoma from reaching her brain – with agonizingly painful results – than about any possible cure. As a retired RN, my DSIL would know the unrepentant march of melanoma and understand her choices.

 

Previously, she had not wanted us to come, but she has now suggested a visit next week. I will take my DH then.

 

Thank you for your continued prayers and thank you @rafinmd for keeping her on the Rotation List.

 

-😪Melisa😪

sending lots  of  prayer to you all.

55 minutes ago, AV8rix said:

Lenda, I'm hoping that this procedure will completely resolve Steve's possible NPH issues.

+1

2 hours ago, aliaschief said:

@Heartgrove Our deepest condolences and prayers for you and your families. 

+1

5 hours ago, grapau27 said:

She is beautiful.

+1

17 minutes ago, Quartzsite Cruiser said:

Good morning from mostly sunny and breezy central Texas.  We have rain in the forecast for Wednesday afternoon, and I'm keeping my fingers crossed 🤞 it will actually happen.  Fortunately for us, we will be home from the hospital before the rain is scheduled to begin.  

 

American touch tag will not be celebrated here.  Even when I was younger, I was always tagged.  DH had a Honda scooter and a Gold Wing many years ago, and our DSIL has a Harley.  Music day is a definite day to celebrate.  DH and his brothers, plus our DDs were all in the band in high school, and DH's sister-in-law taught piano.  My role in all this was to be the audience.  😀

 

I like the Ralph Waldo Emerson quote.  The meal sounds good, and I had Caprese salad last night.  For me, I'd have to add the tomatoes after everything else was cooked since I do not like cooked tomatoes.  We'll pass on the drink and the pricey wine.

 

We were in Vladivostok in 2000 on the old Regal Princess.  We took a tour in the morning and walked around town in the afternoon.  A lot of young people wanted to talk to us to practice their English.  As it was not raining, we enjoyed the day.  The Trans-Siberia train was in the station, and DH talked his way on board to look around.  I'll repost my pictures in a few minutes.

 

@Cruising-along, @dfish , @NextOne, @richwmn. @Live4cruises, and @Sharon in AZ

 

🛳️ 🎈 BON VOYAGE TO ALL!  🥂🍾

 

@Sharon in AZ  Sharon, a great picture of you and @dfish Debbie, and what a wonderful way to start off a cruise experience.

@kazu  Jacqui, you and your helper certainly got a lot done yesterday.  👍 👏 🍷  The meme about the superpower fits DH to a T;, therefore, we have boxes and boxes and drawers full of spare parts, wires and cables, etc.  

@rafinmd  Roy, we all appreciate your work on the lists, and please do not be too hard on yourself about them.  I know I would have trouble keeping everything straight and getting in the lists correctly.  Thank you for taking on that part of the Fleet/Daily.

@GTVCRUISER  🛳️  BON VOYAGE!  🍾 and enjoy Mexico.

@ger_77  Gerry, I know your friend will enjoy his birthday celebration, and it will be a good time had by all.  I'm sorry the second gathering will be to mourn the loss of and honor your friends' father.

@Cat in my lap  It's good to see more Dailyites getting their flu shots and boosters.  I saw yesterday that only 1 in 4 are getting their boosters, which means we need the protection even more than ever.

Hope the Rays win today and tomorrow.

@Overhead Fred  Beautiful sunset!

@durangoscots  Susan, until sometime in the 1990s, the Trans Siberian train stopped ten miles out of town.  Until then, Vladivostok was a closed city because of the naval facilities there.

@HAL Sailer  Melisa, I really appreciated your story about the Texas linemen.  My father worked for the electric utility company in my hometown, and DH worked for a sister company in Corpus Christi for several years when he got out of college.  Last night when I mentioned the linemen working in all kinds of weather, I had this picture that was posted on FB in mind.   It was taken during that horrific cold and snow storm that hit Texas in February 2021.

 

A true hero!

 

The picture was posted on February 16, 2021, and the following is what the OP wrote under the picture.  It adds a human touch to all who are working in the recovery areas.

 

Before you complain, look at this a few minutes. It’s 12 degrees, wind is blowing 20-30 mph and he’s 25’ in the air standing on two metal spikes driven into the side of the wooden pole. One wrong move and he’s electrocuted. He’s been out since 1:00am this morning. Walked 1/2 mile to get to this pole carrying 60 pounds of gear and supplies. He’s had a cup of coffee since leaving his family which is at home without power. Remember all this when you head to the next council meeting to voice your displeasure. Perhaps a warm handshake and a thank you is more in order.

 

Lenda

 

+1

2 hours ago, grapau27 said:

I hope you have an amazing cruise.

+1

3 hours ago, kazu said:

 

Bon Voyage to all of you 🙂 

 

+1

3 hours ago, puppycanducruise said:

Happy Engagement Anniversary Graham and Pauline.❤️

+1

1 hour ago, Cruzin Terri said:

On most of our stops in Corfu we have rented a car.  However on the last trip we hired a driver by the name of Spiro.  Besides showing us the island, he treated us to lunch on a mountain top.

He prepared a lunch of Greek bread with Feta and tomatos with spices and olive oil accompanied by some wine.  It was a treat.

 

 

Lovely  photos of  you  both.